Good value on a 1990 Reatta?

[awshirley]

I'm thinking about purchasing a 1990 Reatta that's close to me.  The current owner is asking $2250 and the car has 164,000 miles on it.  From the pictures I've see, it looks fine, but I haven't seen it yet.  My wife thinks I'd be spending too much on it as she found a valuation from edmunds.com of $403.  I found $1,700 for low retail on nadaguides.com.

 

I'd just like some input from anyone that already owns a Reatta.  I'd like to know what I'm getting myself into.

Edited March 11, 2021 by awshirley
Corrected info (see edit history)

[B Jake Moran]

Headaches.  That's what you will be getting into.  Electrical and mechanical gremlins.  If the car speaks to you, I would consider $1,000.  

[Y-JobFan]

There are those of us that love Reatta's unlike some trolls that cut them down every chance they get and should just go away,  I think if you like the Reatta's you can do better for your money or by adding a bit more to the budget you will be able to get a lower mileage example. Sometimes that pays off hugely in the end.  These cars will go the distance but when your into that mileage the wear and tear on everything degrades what a fine driving cars these are.  I have had 2 high mileage couples and the difference in climbing in them or one of my lower mileage ones was night and day.  So it's best to buy one with lower mileage and well sorted out.  If this car had been well maintained with good records then it may be a great car for you.  As with any older car (remember you are looking into a 30 year old car) there may be issues, but the support on this forum, Ronnie's amazing website and other sources give you a ton of support and if you are comfortable working on cars most repairs and issues can be done on your own.  Reatta's have a sophisticated diagnostics system that gives you tons of info on issues the car may be having.  Not sure where you are from but if you are in the rust belt states  check the underside and front suspension for rust issues, make sure the windshield is good as well.  Pay close attention to any check engine lights or brake lights that are on, you could run the diagnostic if the check engine light is on to see what may be the issue, if the brake light is on then it could be anything from bad wheel speed sensors to a bad ABS unit so tread carefully there.  Have had a lot of them I can tell you they are a lot of fun, they can be a headache at times but overall in the 20 years I have been buying them I have had great luck with them and have traveled all over the country in them.   Don't let the naysayers deflate your passion.  If you could post some pictures and details on the car I imagine we could give you a better opinion of the one you are considering.

 

[2seater]

2 hours ago, B Jake Moran said:

Headaches.  That's what you will be getting into.  Electrical and mechanical gremlins.  If the car speaks to you, I would consider $1,000.  

Well that's a well reasoned response. 😣

[padgett]

But probably accurate $2k-$3k is probably about right for a 60k mile example in good nick, not 160k. Most of us here have what would be considered exceptional cars and have many spare parts.

 

I am strange in liking the GM FRAC cars of the late 80's - Fiero, Reatta, Allante, & Corvette despite being early computer cars having many digital things. They just suit me but all have one thing in common: most were run hard and put away wet with little care for cosmetics.

 

Like anything that old, location is important and what the undercarriage looks like is moreso. Many have a shiny top but a rotted out bottom.

[Kevin M]

I took the advice of the guys on here and bought the nicest one I could afford. The higher mileage ones are fairly common. I made my own price guide when I was looking for one. All the edmunds and kbb type sites didn’t have super accurate info. People ask whatever they want since they’re rare. I’ve seen red/tan 90s with similar mileage with differences in price of thousands. So if this one is exactly what your looking for go for it. But it may be worth it to wait

[Jim]

The price might be a good deal. I parted out an '89 a year ago that had 399,000 miles on it and it looked and ran good. It looked like a 50,000 mile car both inside and out.

I also have parts cars that have around 100,000 miles and look like someone lived in them. Bad paint torn/worn interior.

The key is if it is a southern car with not rust. If so, and the paint is decent and the interior is decent and it runs good it could be a very fine car.

Condition, condition, condition.

[B Jake Moran]

On 3/11/2021 at 6:55 AM, 2seater said:

Well that's a well reasoned response. 😣

Easily summarized from owning 17 Reattas and currently own 2.   Why go on for a long paragraph on this particular subject.  At $1,000 a high mileage Reatta is fine, play with it, have fun and such.   

 

I bought a 1990 Claret and Burgundy Reatta for my then 16 year old daughter as a high school and work car.  I (over)paid $1500 for it as I don't argue much on price, I pay whatever the asking price is.  It had 124,000 miles, hard miles as it turned out.    On the way home the power trunk kept popping off, freaking me out.  I thought I had a loose suspension component.  

 

Never got fixed, really.  I had to disconnect the power to the trunk and Reatta brilliance, as we know, there is no manual way to open the trunk.  The car preceded to have issues every week, I was sold a warn out Reatta by an appreciative seller who squeezed the bills in his clenched fist so tight I couldn't believe it. 

 

As in thank god that thing is gone.  I don't mind working on Reattas but I am a Field Service Engineer, so I might have been in Chicago when my daughter texted me for the millionth time and said "Ron Burgundy" won't start.   Not much I can do except have it towed home and then deal with it on Saturday.   

 

$1,000.  

 

Y-Job Fan, I am not a troll, that would be you.    I stated an opinion that needed no explanation.  Your opinion or knowledge is most helpful in my opinion.   Let the OP decide based on counterpoints of discussion.  By the way, my signature has my name in it.  No one knows who "Y-Job Fan" is.  

 

Look at my footer....I don't hate Reattas.  I also own 2, purchased on your advice as collector cars that will appreciate in value.  

Edited March 17, 2021 by B Jake Moran (see edit history)

[B Jake Moran]

On 3/11/2021 at 10:37 AM, Kevin M said:

I took the advice of the guys on here and bought the nicest one I could afford. The higher mileage ones are fairly common. I made my own price guide when I was looking for one. All the edmunds and kbb type sites didn’t have super accurate info. People ask whatever they want since they’re rare. I’ve seen red/tan 90s with similar mileage with differences in price of thousands. So if this one is exactly what your looking for go for it. But it may be worth it to wait

This is good solid advice.    Unlike collector cars that see auctions and have a - how do you say - knowledgeable fan base, such as a 1970 Buick Skylark GS 455, Reatta knowledge, pricing, cult status, pop culture status, all of the antecdotes you can submit, is all over the map.  Obviously, to a person it is an exotic looking thing.  Any semi modern car with only 2 seats, all in leather, and hidden headlights and modern aluminum mag wheels, is considered a "sports car" of sorts and differintiates it from your grocery getter 4 door sedans.  

 

So what is the 1st thing an unknowledgeable potential buyer does, or just someone that sees one at a car show?  They google Reatta.  How many ads have you seen over the years for Reattas where some of the content is a direct cut and paste from the Wikipedia or similar sites?  All to hype up why YOU should fork over a premium amount of money for the car.  

 

YOU hear about how collectible Reattas are going to become, how YOU don't want to be last in on this wealth factory of a "modern collectible." 

 

Then when those of us who have owned Reattas send a litany of cogent questions, we usually get crickets, or "I don't knows."   Which all led to the seller's worksheet we used to see for sellers who came on this forum to sell a Reatta to us.  

 

I've heard  everything from "buzz off" to "just come look at it."  

[2seater]

I do know some of the history, but the OP doesn’t. A short synopsis as stated would go a long way to providing a little context. Believe me, I do understand owner mechanical experience and expectations are a huge factor. 

[Ronnie]

2 hours ago, B Jake Moran said:

as we know, there is no manual way to open the trunk. 

 

It's not in the most user friendly location but it does have a manual trunk release. It's the orange lever on the latch mechanism.

 

[padgett]

Many GM cars have a trunk release. Hard part is finding a small child to climb in there to push it.

[B Jake Moran]

3 hours ago, Ronnie said:

 

It's not in the most user friendly location but it does have a manual trunk release. It's the orange lever on the latch mechanism.

 

I meant an external key. Like 99.9% of 1988-1990 cars.   I guess we could have attached a string to that lever?  

[padgett]

Thought about a 12v banana jack under the license plate...

[Kevin M]

The first time I put mine away for the winter I thought something broke since I couldn’t open the trunk after I disconnected the battery. It definitely was something that surprised me.