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ncgirl05

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    Transaxle?

    in Buick Reatta

    Posted

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Is the question about turning the steering wheel or the transmission not locking the wheels into "PARK" </div></div>

    It's about the transmission not locking the wheels into "PARK". It just seemed odd that it would do this. If it's not hurting anything, then I'm not going to worry about it. I wanted to make sure nothing was broken and would cause damage.

    Transaxle?

    in Buick Reatta

    Posted

    Hi Guys,

    I have a question that has us puzzled - on my 'new' '89, both the front wheels turn while the car is in "PARK" - this is not right... Is there some kind of synchonizer that should be locking them? Also, the shifter will pull out of 'Park' without the key - are these 2 connected? What can we check on? Any ideas?

    Thanks!

    '88 gas milage

    in Buick Reatta

    Posted

    My '89 has a new oxygen sensor, new spark plugs, new wires, K&N air filter and still only gets 22 to 22.5 MPG. I can't figure out what to do to get more MPG - I've seen others here report 27-30 MPG! My sweetie's black '89 Reatta with 197,000 miles gets 25.5! Am I missing something here?

    Reatta Killed by Tree

    in Buick Reatta

    Posted

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Wow, this has not been a good week for keeping Reatta's alive, 3 part's cars in only a few days <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> </div></div>

    Depending on the shape of it overall, I plan on keeping my newly acquired '89 maroon "alive" <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Hate to make it a parts car unless it's a total mess.....

    License plate holder

    in Buick Reatta

    Posted

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Attached is a picture of the Reatta bracket and a Riviera part number 25556786.

    Last time I checked the Riviera part was still available (it does not come with braces required on the Reatta)

    The braces are easy to fabricate from 3/8 diameter steel tubing (like fuel line)

    Cut the tubing to 5 3/4 overall, flatten the ends back 1 1/4 inches. Bend each end 45 degrees back 1 inch from the end. Drill a 1/4 diameter hole 5/16 from each end. Look up under the front of the car and you will see two plastic inserts on the radiator side of the aluminum bumper reinforcement. The holes are 9 inches apart. One end of the brace attaches in these holes.

    If you use the Riviera part, it is not a buy-it and install job. You must trim the top and sides of the Riviera part to the contour of the Reatta bumper. Done properly, it looks like the original. </div></div>

    Orrrrrr, you can contact Jim Finn - he sold me one as well!! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

    Question re: Joining BCA & Reatta Club

    in Buick Reatta

    Posted

    Hello!

    We would like to join the Buick Club of America and then the Reatta club. We emailed the BCA last week with a question regarding "type of membership" but haven't heard back yet. Can someone tell us what the difference is between "US 1st Class" and "US 2nd Class" other than the price? It's not explained on the form.

    Many Thanks!

    Calling Florida Residents - A little off topic...

    in Buick Reatta

    Posted

    Hi All,

    We're getting ready to go on vacation down in FL in the Daytona Beach area. While there, we would like to attend a local "cruise in" night, if possible. Problem is - I have no idea how to find out where that would be. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> Anyone on this board in the Daytona/New Smyrna area? Anyone know how to find out where a cruise in may be taking place? I googled and found a couple of websites, but they were no help. I'm almost considering developing my own!! Imagine, anywhere you travel you can find out where the local cruise ins are (if you are so inclined) and check out the cars. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

    Collectible?

    in Buick Reatta

    Posted

    **A "cut and paste" copy of the article....**

    A Can't-Miss Investment That Missed: The Case of the 'Last Convertible'

    THIRTY years ago, amid a swirl of rumors that federal rollover rules would impose a death sentence on open-top cars, Americans lined up to buy what they believed would be the nation's last large convertible, the 1976 Cadillac Eldorado.

    The last of the mammoth, 5,153-pound Eldorados rolled off the assembly line on April 21, 1976. The cars quickly found buyers, even though production had been ratcheted up to 14,000 for the 1976 model year, from 8,950 for 1975. Certain that the Cadillac was destined to become a classic and expecting that its value would soar, collectors and speculators snapped up the cars and tucked them away like bags of Krugerrands.

    Yet, even three decades later, many of the people who bought the "can't miss" collectible have never recouped their investments.

    The '76 Eldorado is an example of an "instant collectible," a car that many people bought when it was new simply for its perceived future value. The car's checkered history as a collectible, however, provides a cautionary lesson for those buying some of today's new cars ? like the Ford GT, Pontiac Solstice and Corvette Z06 ? with the same profit-oriented goal.

    For a time, the Cadillac was a hot commodity as a used car, selling for many times its base sticker price of $11,049 (almost $40,000 today, adjusted for inflation). In the late 1970's, Eldorados sometimes sold for $50,000 or more.

    Trading in the big Cadillacs resembled, in a way, the Dutch tulip mania of the 17th century. Some buyers bought multiple Eldorados so that they would be assured of having a fresh convertible for the rest of their lives ? or at least having an extra chip to play when prices ultimately hit the stratosphere.

    The interest in '76 Eldorados was not entirely driven by buyers. General Motors, which did not miss a lot of marketing opportunities in the 1970's, did nothing to discourage the speculation. As sales of Eldorado convertibles jumped 64 percent in 1976, diluting the exclusivity of these "last ever" cars, Cadillac responded by marketing a more distinctive version. This car, the Bicentennial Edition, came only in white with red and blue pinstripes. Just 200 were built, making this a true limited edition in an era when such labels usually meant little.

    Ultimately, the biggest strike against the Eldorado convertible was the fact that the body style didn't disappear for long. The new rollover rules were not as draconian as anticipated, and by 1982 Chrysler was selling a regular-production convertible, the LeBaron, again.

    In the 1980's, J. P. Van De Bundt, owner of the Victory Cars dealership in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., bought more than a dozen 1976 Eldorados, many of them from the original owners. "Some of them felt betrayed by G.M.," he said. "They thought they had bought the last American convertible."

    When he tried to resell the cars, Mr. Van De Bundt found willing buyers for low-mileage convertibles in Europe as well as North America. "Most of the Eldorados I sold outside the U.S. went to Germany or to the Netherlands," his native country, he said. "Most of the European owners would convert their cars to run on propane; they would have a switch under the dash to shift back and forth between the cheaper propane and gas."

    Mr. Van De Bundt owned an Eldorado in the 1970's before leaving Europe for South Florida. "I was a musician then, and I always drove big American cars," he said. "I would get pulled over by the Dutch police, what with the big convertible and long hair."

    Today, Eldorado convertibles are frequently seen at collector car auctions. At a February sale by RM Auctions in Boca Raton, Fla., a 1976 convertible showing just 13,928 miles brought $25,680 including commissions. According to the Black Book Cars of Particular Interest Value Guide, a 1976 Eldorado convertible in good "weekend driver" condition is worth $14,750, a slight increase from the sticker price when new (albeit in much less valuable 2006 dollars).

    Other instant collectibles of the era include several Corvettes, notably two '78 models: the Silver Anniversary coupe, built to commemorate the 25th year of Corvette production, and the Pace Car coupe, a replica of that year's Indianapolis 500 pace car.

    In 1982, the first of the Collector Edition Corvettes appeared, followed by, among others, the 35th anniversary, 40th anniversary and 50th anniversary editions, and by pace cars for both 1995 and 1998.

    Donnie Gould, a partner in RM Classic Auctions, has seen a lot of Pace Car and Collector Editions cross the block. "The majority are low-miles cars, parked when new and only used for special occasions like Sunday drives," he said. "Lots of the first owners treated them more like art than cars." Prices of these Corvettes have only recently spiked, particularly the 1978 Pace Car and 1982 Collector Edition.

    "Occasionally you can make some quick money by buying the right car and getting in ? and out ? quickly," Mr Gould said. But he warned: "Don't assume that low production and the latest thing will last forever. The smart investors wait for the first owners to take the financial hit, and then buy the one they want when they are no longer this year's hot ticket."

    Looking ahead, Mr. Gould singled out the 1987 Buick GNX as a car likely to rise in value ? in contrast to the 1988-91 Buick Reattas that were also tucked away, like Eldorados, as collectibles. The product of a collaboration between Buick and ASC/McLaren, the GNX had a sticker price of $29,290; only 547 were built. "They were a true 1980's supercar," Mr. Gould said. "Nearly every piece on those cars was unique to it."

    Price guides currently estimate the value of a GNX in excellent condition at $55,000, which Mr. Gould says is low. "Try more like $75,000 to $100,000," he said.

    Among recent production vehicles, Mr. Gould sees appreciation potential for the Ford GT, which has a list price of $150,000. "They did sell for up to $50,000 over list when they first came out," he said, but added that GT's are now selling at sticker price or slightly above it. Prices are higher, he noted, for Heritage Edition cars painted orange and light blue ? the racing colors of Gulf Oil, which sponsored the Ford GT40's that famously raced at LeMans in the 1960's.

    As for other new cars that may seem to have investment potential, speculators would do well to remember the 1976 Eldorado and heed the lessons of the past. While a few limited-production models will appreciate in value, prices of most hot new cars quickly drop when the initial demand is sated ? or when that model is superseded by the next flavor of the month.

    ECM - '88 to '89

    in Buick Reatta

    Posted

    LOL!!! No chance of really doing 124 - I was in a 35 MPH zone most of the time, and although I have a bit of a lead foot, I was (I think!) driving the proper speed!

    Thanks for the responses guys - I thought we had switched all the outside bits and pieces when making the change - but maybe this isn't what you're talking about? I don't recall anything looking like a chip, but I do remember one black cornerpiece held on by a screw..... so now I'm just a little confused. ACK! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

    ECM - '88 to '89

    in Buick Reatta

    Posted

    Hello!

    I noticed that the last 2 times I've taken my '89 Reatta out that there was quite a bit of "stumbling" until I reached the higher (60+) speeds. I did a seach on this forum and found that another fellow had experienced the same problem. His solution was to get a new ECM and that had solved everything. Since we have an '88 parts car, we took the ECM out of that and put it in my car. Lo and behold, the stumbling did indeed stop; however, my speedometer now read 124 MPH - apparently an extra "1" got thrown into the mix and the speedo does not go above 124 (or mine just got stuck there - I do not know from experience what the high number is! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />)

    Anyhow - are the '88 and '89 ECM's not interchangeable? Any idea why the speedo messed up with the second ECM? We switched them back out the speedo problem was solved but the car started stumbling all over again..... (sidenote: the speedo was fine in the '88 before we turned it into a parts car)

    Any help/advice would be most appreciated. It bums me out that I have a perfectly good ECM I could use.... except for that whole 124MPH thing.....

    Thanks!

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