1990 Buick Reatta

[L.B. Lyon]

I would like opinions:  I have an opportunity to purchase a 1990 Buick Reatta for a very low price. The car starts and sounds good. Digital display is good. Body is in very good condition. Interior leather has a few rips but not horrible. The automatic trans will not go into 3rd gear. The seller also has a wrecked 90 Reatta with a good motor and good trans. The one I like is an attractive little car if it is cleaned up. How much of a nightmare is it to swap out the bad transmission for a good one?  Is there any value to these cars if I spend the time and money getting the trans swap done? I heard the motor run today. The fuel pump was messing up and it may also have to be replaced or removed and cleaned. The car has been sitting for a couple years. The one I like has 190k miles on it. The original owner was an oil company that let field reps drive these cars. The field rep who had this car really liked it and put a lot of miles on it (all of them). When the trans started acting up he sold the car. The second owner planned on swapping out the trans but never did and sold the car to the current owner who also planned on swapping out the trans but never did. So, the car has had 3 owners but only was driven by the original owner. Please share advice on this so I know whether it is a worthwhile investment or if I should walk away from it. 

[handmedownreatta]

the tax value on my 89 is 1200  dollars.and its drivable.buy the car if you like it.

[Kevin M]

The 3800 is an extremely common engine in all its forms. It shouldn’t be hard to find someone who’d do it assuming your not doing it yourself. There’s plenty of info on this site and others on how to do that. Until jay Leno buys a reatta they’re only valuable to the people who like them. My cars a one of one 91 and my most asked question is what’s that. Buy it if you like it. You’ll be keeping another one of these cars on the road. And that’s worth it. 

[L.B. Lyon]

thank you for your input gentlemen. I purchased both of the Reatta's I described in my initial post for $650. Guess this is my new Spring/summer project. 

 

[padgett]

Takes two people to remove the hood and will need all of your 3/8 extensions for one transmission bolt. A factory service manual (or .pdf) is essential but not a hard job.