Things to look at before buying

[Guest]

I am considering purchasing a Reatta and want to know what kind of things should I concern myself with before the purchase, other than the obvious ( accident, rust, etc) What in particular about this make do I need to be concerned with. This will probably be a daily driver 75% of the time. I am pretty good mechanical skills, but don't want something that I am always tinkering with.

[Guest]

I hope that you get alot of feedback on this, since this type of question is where forums such as this should excel.<P>When I bought mine I went over it with a fine tooth comb and didn't end up with any surprises, other than it cost me more to fix the cruise control than I would've thought. Drive the car for at least 30-45 minutes and make sure that everything operates correctly.<P>The brakes are a real hot subject on this forum for some owners, so make sure you educate yourself on the issues.<P>No complaints w. the 3.8l, the tranny is smooth, ride is also very smooth and the car tracks a very nice line, and there shouldn't be any squeeks, leaks, or groans.<P>Parts are a real problem, GM discontinued support for 10 year and older products... (I doubt this applies to the large number of military vehicles they have sold!)<P>The switch gear is overly elaborate and from what I've seen here can be expensive to replace. Models, like mine, with the CRT take some getting used to. Most days I think its a bit silly, but others its pretty cool.<P>The finish of the paint should be top notch. My firemist blue glistens like a gem in sunlight. Take your time and look at all the seams inside the fuel filler door, under the trunk mats, at the welds inside the hood, at the seals in the engine, check the fluids, everything with a hinge works the way it should, and so on until you are confident it is worth pursuing.<P>Then, when you sure you've checked everything, take the car to a trusted mechanic and get a second opinion. If you are in the Twin Cities I can reccomend a great shop.

[Guest]

Hi Timeout....I've bought 2 Reatta coupes during the past 7 or 8 months, and I looked at A LOT OF CARS before deciding on what I wanted, so I hope what I say is helpful! The opinions listed below are my opinions only and I do not mean to sound like I am throwing rocks!!! First of all, I prefer the 1990 & 1991 Reatta over the 1988 & 1989. Now the 1991's are VERY difficult to find, but the 1990's are fairly plentiful. The CRT screen in the 88 & 89 is a very expensive possible problem area, and was my main reason for going to the 1990. Also the interior layout is nicer in my opinion in the 1990 & 1991. The power window switches and the power mirror controls are located in the door armrest on the 90 & 91 instead of in the center console on the 88 & 89 and they are made nicer on the 90 & 91. I do like the 3 spoke steering wheel better on the 88 & 89. The 90 & 91 come with an airbag in the steering wheel, which is safer, but not as attractive. There's not much difference in all the Reattas otherwise. Make sure the original wheels & emblems are nice, get BOTH remote controls for the car if possible ( they cost $198.00 thru Buick Motor Division ). Check the struts both front & back, and the stabilizer links in the front ( they klunk if bad ), make sure the power antenna works, make sure the headlights come up & down evenly..the switch is a little pricey to replace, if the rear brakelight cover is cloudy, don't sweat it...clean it with Maguire's #2 polish and it gets rid of the cloudy look in most cases. Look around a lot before you buy one, because there are many available in varying degrees of condition & price. This forum has several nice ones, and look on the internet under <A HREF="http://www.traderonline.com" TARGET=_blank>www.traderonline.com</A> for many listings. I love driving one of mine everyday, and you will too!! GOOD LUCK!!<BR>Mike Book BCA # 9202<BR> Reatta Club # 407<BR>1951 Buick Model 45R<BR>1990 Reatta Model 4EC97 ( 2 )

[Guest]

Timeout,<BR>I think Mike just above summed it up real well with some good hints for you. However, I will add that I have owned one 88 and two 89's and never had a problem with the CRT. I now own a 90 and agree completely about the steering wheel. I did have touble with the Air Conditioning early in the life of one of my 89s. The Brakes are an issue all to themselves. Enough hints and comments have been posted on this site about them. <BR>One other hint if you get a Reatta. I have found the Permetex airplane windsheld cleaner better than the Mequiars #2, but it is kind of hard to find. Comes in a blue and white stripped can from aircraft suppliers.<P>------------------<BR> <A HREF="http://hometown.aol.com/drbuch2000/TheReatta.html" TARGET=_blank>http://hometown.aol.com/drbuch2000/TheReatta.html</A>