About a week ago, I reviewed this 1985 Buick Riviera. It was a standard, generic coupe edition, but notable for its extremely low mileage and excellent condition. Today, courtesy of Jack M., I have a second ’85 Riviera to cover, but this one gets double green stamps because not only is it a turbo-charged version, it also drops its top! At 121K miles of experience, this example has seen significantly more road work than the previous Riviera encountered, but it still presents very well. Lakeland, Florida, is where you’ll find this one-of-400 convertibles assembled, and it’s available here on craigslist for $20,000.

The convertible version of the sixth-generation (’79-’85) Riviera commenced in 1982 and concluded in 1985, with a total production figure of 3,900 units. This final year of ’85 saw the fewest, with just 400 copies being converted, from coupes, by American Sunroof Corp. (ASC). The lines of this car in top-down mode are smooth; it looks balanced, though I’d like to see this one with the roof in the raised position. And that’s not only to get an idea of the exterior’s overall appearance, but I’d like to know the condition of the folding fabric top. Beyond that, the white finish, chrome, stainless trim, and wheels still look like new. The seller claims “Always garage kept,” and this car’s fine condition bears out that claim.

Instead of a weezy 140 HP Oldsmobile V8, this Riv relies on a 200 net HP 3.8-liter turbocharged Buick V6 powerplant. A four-speed automatic transaxle puts the power to the front wheels, but unfortunately, nothing is said of this car’s running or driving aptitude.

The leather-clad interior is what else, but burgundy – GM’s go-to shade in the eighties and nineties. The environment’s condition is excellent, which indicates this Buick hasn’t spent too much time in top-down mode. The leather seating upholstery still looks fresh with no indication of cracking or splits, and the carpet is free from fade or obvious wear. The only interior detraction that I would note is the cheesy-looking faux wood slathered all over the place. I know this is 1985 we’re talking about here, but the luxury touch planking seems over-the-top for even ’85 standards. The seller claims that the A/C is ice cold, and that’s good to know. I can tell you from experience, top-down mode often isn’t a good substitute for a humidity-drying air-conditioning system.

The seller states that this Riviera is “one of 49 produced with this combination,” and I gather that means a turbocharged convertible, finished in white and wearing a maroon leather interior. Well, OK, then, but so what? The convertible body style helps, as does the turbocharged engine, but beyond that, I doubt any other features matter. This car’s value speaks for itself as it seems to have been properly cared for and well-maintained. That leaves one question: which would you prefer, last week’s low-mile, V8-powered coupe or this turbo top-downer?