Eric Killorin Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 (edited) Hello fellow members. I'm new to the Reatta scene and would like to purchase a top-notch example. Which years are considered the best in terms of refinements, options and collectibility? Also, what mechanical issues should I be aware of? Thanks in advance! Edited March 18, 2016 by speedforreal (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ol' yeller Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 (edited) Lots of answers already written here on the forum. It is hard to say because it depends upon what you are looking for. If you want a convertible, you are looking at 90 and 91 only and very few 91's. If you like the touch screen you are looking at 88 and 89 only. If you don't want the Teves ABS system, you are looking at 91 only. If you want a driver's side airbag you are back at 90 and 91. There were very few sunroof coupes made in 88. There isn't really a best year for Reattas as all years had their pluses and detractions. Things to consider when buying are generally condition related. If the AC "Needs a recharge" figure on spending just over a grand to convert to R134a along with a compressor drier, orifice tube and likely a condensor. Struts will run you a grand as well as the mounts and the struts generally have to be replaced at this point in time. ABS issues are expensive and parts are hard to find so I'd walk from a car with ABS problems. Windshields are also somewhat scarce and you can spend up to $2K on one when you find it. If you live in the rust belt or are considering a car from there, check the cradle bushings as they deteriorate and are hard to find as are front brake ABS leads. On the plus side, the 3800 is pretty much bulletproof. The transmissions hold up well for 150K miles or so. The leather interiors also hold up well, all except the steering wheels. You will own a car that attracts comments and stares as few are aware that Buick actually made a hand built 2 seat sports car. Collectibility is easy. You want a Select 60 convertible with very low miles, or a Polo Green '91 convertible . Actually the '91's are probably the most collectible given their low production numbers and the fact that they were the end of the line. Chances of snagging one for a low price are not good as I think their appreciation/value is at a peak right now. I have seen a few '88 coupes get better money if they have all the options as well as suede bolsters and low mileage. That said, the only thing a Reatta will do for your eventual retirement fund is to insure that you will have to gain an appreciation for beans and franks. They are NOT a reliable investment now or probably well into the future. 1990 is the year when most Reatta's were produced so they are probably at the bottom of the future collectible chain. I had another thought. Go to the sub forum Reatta For Sale and click on the heading, Selling Your Reatta. That list of things we expect to see here when someone is selling their Reatta will also give you a great idea of what to look for when buying one as well. Edited March 18, 2016 by ol' yeller (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 I own two '89s and one '90. I like the 88/89 for the touch screen but I like the dash for the 90/91. The headlight switch for the 1990 is a one year only and obsolete [but I have 4 backstock]. The 1991 ABS wheel speed sensor is a one year only and obsolete [and I have no backstock]. I prefer the 88/89 for the touch screen and the 89 over the 88 for the remote keyless entry. One can say the 88-90 Reattas are less desirable because of the Teves brake system, but I don't like the idea of trying to find one year only wheel speed sensors. As a matter of fact I just tried to find some for a guy and couldn't [with resonable effort, I did find two 88 front leads and bought them]. I have plenty of backstock parts for the Teves system. So having said all that, the car I will be keeping [special] is the '90 vert the two 89s will get the wheels driven off them and be used as parts cars [first the Black for the Red and then the Red for the 'vert. I also said this before "The Buick Reatta, either you get it or you don't". And "The Buick Reatta... a easy car to buy and a hard car to sell". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Killorin Posted March 18, 2016 Author Share Posted March 18, 2016 Great input, thanks. Following link to color chart though I'm not seeing a "Polo Green?" Reatta color chart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Killorin Posted March 18, 2016 Author Share Posted March 18, 2016 This 1990 Reatta convertible with 13K miles has gone without a buyer on eBay for at least six months. Price down to $18,900 from the previous $22,900. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ol' yeller Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 17 hours ago, speedforreal said: Great input, thanks. Following link to color chart though I'm not seeing a "Polo Green?" Reatta color chart Sorry, it was a joke. Rumors of Polo Green '91 convertibles have fueled debate here for years. If you ever do find one you could be the one to end the debate and it would be a very rare Reatta indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Just an observation but all of the 88 sunroof cars were made after the suede was discontinued. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bushwack Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 I'll tick off a few people but... IMO the best year for a coupe is 1989 (for the CRT version). 1990 or '91 is a wash. I don't think the "refinements" for '91 added anything in regards to reliability or performance. But...that it doesn't have the TEVES ABS is a plus. On the downside, much harder to find wheel speed sensors for a 1991 than a 1988-1990. As for being a collectible,...let me pause as I compose myself after a hearty chuckle. OK...IMO I doubt the car will receive respectable collectible status anytime soon. Maybe a generation has to pass (of which many people who participate in this forum will have gone to a better place) before the car gets duly recognized. 99% of those who over spend on a Reatta (i.e. by a vert for more than $9,000) are sentimental for the car. He/she has discretionary funds to spend to relive fond memories of their father or grandfather once having owned a Reatta. Or possibly they recall in their youth it was the car they always wants to own (mine was a 1969 1/2 Trans Am). Buy the best Reatta you can afford. It will NOT be a recognized collectible in your lifetime. Perform routine maintenance, don't make it a money pit and enjoy it for years to come. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Killorin Posted March 25, 2016 Author Share Posted March 25, 2016 Thanks Bushwack, good advice. At this point I've settled on a Reatta coupe and will relegate my convertible urges to an Allante. Do I hear UNLOVED?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ol' yeller Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 No need to give up on a vert. They are out there and available for well under Select 60 prices. You should be able to pick up a nice vert, well maintained for between $5-$7K. Your original question was about collectibility. This thread has given you a good dose of reality when it comes to these cars that we love. They are great cars but don't expect to quietly discover an appreciating asset that everyone overlooked. This is actually true of many collectible cars. Every one I have owned I paid a low amount for purchase, spent more than I should have fixing it up, and sold it for a loss, sometimes for a significant loss. But, when you factor in the fun of resurrecting a piece of automotive history, gaining the appreciation of like minded folks for your skills, and sheer joy in driving a classic car, it is all worth it in the end. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handmedownreatta Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 2000 for a coupe or 5000 for a convertible.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Killorin Posted March 25, 2016 Author Share Posted March 25, 2016 Something about the coupe styling that really "completes" the overall unique look and character. Not unlike so many vehicles where the convertible versions were a design compromise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 2 hours ago, speedforreal said: Thanks Bushwack, good advice. At this point I've settled on a Reatta coupe and will relegate my convertible urges to an Allante. Do I hear UNLOVED?! An Allante? If you think parts are hard to find for a Reatta I think it would be way worse for getting parts for an Allante. The guy I bought my 'vert from wanted an Allante so bad that he gave me a great price just so he could free up the cash to get one. I think the Reatta's looks are far more timeless then the Allante's. However the Allante does have the V8... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handmedownreatta Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 24 minutes ago, DAVES89 said: An Allante? If you think parts are hard to find for a Reatta I think it would be way worse for getting parts for an Allante. The guy I bought my 'vert from wanted an Allante so bad that he gave me a great price just so he could free up the cash to get one. I think the Reatta's looks are far more timeless then the Allante's. However the Allante does have the V8... i suspect the caddy v8 would bolt into the reatta using caddy parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bushwack Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 8 hours ago, DAVES89 said: An Allante? If you think parts are hard to find for a Reatta I think it would be way worse for getting parts for an Allante. The guy I bought my 'vert from wanted an Allante so bad that he gave me a great price just so he could free up the cash to get one. I think the Reatta's looks are far more timeless then the Allante's. However the Allante does have the V8... I owned a '93 Allante. I may have been one of the few that had little problems with the car. But as I recall, there are (were) more vendors available for Allante parts then Reatta. Back in the day, if it wasn't for a couple main suppliers - Jim Finn or Steve Scott, where would one get parts for their Reatta (other than a wrecking yard). Jim still has parts available but he has been thinning down his inventory the past few years. Steve Scott is a cheeseburger away from a heart attack (I know Steve is reading this - just kidding big fella). But Steve has narrowed his focus on a few select (and often in demand parts) for the Reatta (and if it wasn't for him being opinionated, he would get the credit he deserves for not only what he sells but for what he distributes for others to sell). There's Kingsley also with his sun visor clips & headlight assembly kit, Ronnie with his site (although I just tried his URL and got a failure to connect - is the site still live?). In comes the next generation, young Marck Barker, who saw a void needing to be filled and has made a living doing so. And I'm sure he realizes the Reatta 'biz' wont last much longer as Reattas fail to appreciate and many owners start considering thier cars as disposable (cost to repair exceeds value). I'd be surprised if Marck hasn't already seen another niche to be filled (IMO someone like Marck would do well as a classic Corvette or Mustang supplier). So..not sure where I was going with the above but it was worth keeping in the post. As I see it is Reatta parts suppliers are decreasing. Soon there will be one retailer & one or two parts supplier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 Quote Thought about an Allante several times and would not pass up the right XLR but only available as an automagic & must admit I much prefer a good 6 to an 8. Judge as an inheritance from a close friend is my sole exception . GTP was more of a rescue and not certain it is a keeper but also not certain it will ever be worth anything even though only 47 (documented) were built with a DOHC 6 and a five speed manual. OTOH it suits me in many ways and now that the AC works and Hands Free has been added (and a HUD), it may stay around for a while. My major issue with an Allante is the Ugley steering wheel and the special displays that do not tolerate sunlight well, later ones fixed many things but the removable hardtop stopped being standard. So my Reattae are not intended as an investment, rather they just suit me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rednc89 Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 (edited) Just bought a red 89 with 46k to go with my red 89 allante with 47k. The allante is a peach; the car I always wanted as a kid and took years to find. Condition amazing and better than the reatta. Interior materials better, engine of course better. The caddy was an Ohio car and the reatta a California car, oh the irony. That said the reatta is surprisingly different than the caddy, and I really appreciate it for what it is. Love the back glass, the pop up headlights, and the door-open hologram. Also love the touch screen. So 80s. I can't believe the 80s nerds haven't found this car just for the retro CRT screen and weirdo styling. It feels longer and smoother than the caddy (probably the non-convertible rigidity). I would love to find all new rubber window seals and bumper seals, and I need to repair a dash crack. Like another guy here I buy low, get them perfect and I'm sure I'll lose my ass if I sell it before retirement age Edited April 18, 2019 by Rednc89 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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