Reatta owner's age

[VetteGal]

OK, I am 45 and female and I'll bet there are not very many women on the list. My 1990 is my daily driver, still have some things to fix on her but I still love driving her, and I drive about 100 miles a day.

Nikki

1990 White/Maroon Coupe

1973 Triumph GT6

[anselmail]

Nikki,

I think you are correct. You are one of the few girls who own a Reatta on this forum. Reattas are mostly Dude cars! It's all good, though... :-)

Ansel

[Bryon]

I bought my one and only '90 Driftwood in 1998 when I was 50. I'm 57 now. I drive it to work every day, about 2 minutes. I am inclined to fix this one up really well rather than get another one. It had 91K in '98 and has 104K now, eight years later. I paid $7,900 in '98. Love it!

[Kevog]

I'm a 40 year-old guy, working on getting my second Reatta, and am new to the forum...so howdy all!

[Guest GMcars]

The Reatta convertibles were new on the scene when I was getting my driving permit. I'm was in (and am still) in the middle of GM country in the metro Detroit area and I saw my fair share of them at the time. I thought they were sharp then but a new one at $36,000 way out of my reach for my first car. I'm 30 now and I finally bought my first Reatta convertible a few months ago.

[Guest imported_barra]

I met one woman in passing ( not on the highway) who drove a Reatta. She said she liked the steering, brakes and speed- although not in that order as I recall. I've met women who owned Corvettes. Some cars are marketed toward women (Dodge Neon, for one) but perhaps Buick's problem has been that it is perceived as an Old Person's car. The Reatta and the Buick GS never got the attention that other brands did even though they delivered comparable performance and handling. When Oldsmobile's demise was announced, GM salesmen in my area at least were predicting that Buick would be the next mark to disappear from GM's production. The mainland Chinese however find Buicks to be "pleasing".

[2seater]

Okay. Bought mine at 42, 13+ years ago. I forgot how old I am, and I hope I don't ever remember

[Guest imported_Mark K]

I bought my coupe in '03 when I was 38. I bought the convertible last fall when I was 40. Hey, maybe it's my midlife crisis car, so where's the crisis?

[55chevy]

Let's see, I would have been 36 in 1993 when I bought my 88 coupe Tater with 72k miles for $9000, lusted after them since they came out back in 1987. She has 268,000 miles now and has been parked for a couple years, rough idle and slipping tranny, just can't bear to part with it, "gonna replace engine/tranny one of these days". Also, since I moved to Alabama from Indiana 3 years ago I feel more like a native redneck with 2 dead buicks and 2 Chevy trucks sitting in driveway/back yard, yee hawww! Oh, 48 now if you can't add LOL. And still lust after a convertible Reatta, did you see the Katrina flood conv that was on Ebay a while back? No money at the time, I would tackle a project, I know a junkyard that had a conv shell for $850, thought of recycling my 88 with a salvage ragtop.

[Guest inthespot]

Well I'm 58 and I just got my first Reatta yesterday, a '90 Maui Blue with gray interior and it looks nice. Picked it up in Nashville In and drove to Nashville Tn then to Cookeville Tn and back to Nashville which was about 440 mile. I got 25.9 mpg but I did do a little testing as I went along and it was running a lot while I looked it over. Has a few issues with it but will work out fine I think. Kinda wanted to just drive all night but I had to get up today and work so I couldn't, this work thing gets in my way all the time - dang it. So why did I wait so long?? ......... good question

[Guest wally888]

Purchased my first Reatta at age 64 (1995), an 89, then a 91 several years later, then another 89, then a 91, in 2004 I purchased a 90 ragtop. I have the 91 coupe and the 90 ragtop but would like a 91 ragtop.

I have spent about $2000 in 11 years to maintain all 4, thanks to this forum! (does not include another $2000 I spent to fix everything on the ragtop after purchase however it is worth about $1000 more than I have invested).

I sold the first 91 coupe (42k miles) at a profit and may actually be completely ahead of the cost game as I received a $3000 insurance check from a Co. who insured a truck which (spraying gravel) damaged my paint, etc. but I only spent $600 to repair, pocketing $2400.

[Guest imported_REATAMANZ]

Well bought my convertible at age 57 which immediately took 40 yrs off my age. I am now 22 and enjoying my Reatta and looking forward to social security.

[Guest reattafun]

I am 45 and fixed a 89 sitting for 3 years. It is a wonderful car to drive!!

Call me crazy, I drove home an 88 today!!!Not sure if it will be for restoring or parts.

[Guest imported_barra]

Please restore it. It was Mr Padgett that first spoke of changes that took place in the car after 1988 as GM's retreat into sameness to achieve mass appeal sales.

[Guest spyhunter2k]

I am 28, just bought the Reatta last year.

Seth

[DavidH]

Dad (@ age 65) bought the '90 Red Coupe new, but early in the 1991 Model year. He drove it until two fall seasons ago when his hip replacement surgery, & My mom's hip & opposing Knee replacements had made getting in & out of it somewhat problematic for either of them. The are (80 & 78 respectively) happily getting around in more upright autos. As I (now 55) had looked after the coupe each summer here in Michigan while they vacationed away I was offered the coupe before any of my 4 other siblings. Wife happily drove it for a while (I have to carry bulky equipment for my work so needed larger vehicle) until we had to replace daughter's college wheels last year. Daughter is now (age 23) a happy Reatta driver looking for reliable & reasonable service in SW Michigan. 155,000 miles and counting! Next on its agenda will be headlight actuator repair & rework or replacement of window weatherstripping. Automatic carwashes cause wet seats. It is so fun to drive though.

[Guest tomt]

Don't look to ever fix the car wash thing. Go to full service, and they'll dry the seats. You'll never know you had the problem.

Seriously though, a product called Aerospace 303 Protectant, which is available at marine supply shops, and not auto ones makes your weatherstripping like new, but wear a raincoat at the car wash. My R&D people say it's really just a higher concentration of Silicone than used in auto products.

[Guest imported_barra]

I don't know what part of SW Michigan your daughter is in right now, but I live in Sturgis and there is a really good GM technician that has done everything on my '88 out of his home shop. His prices are very reasonable by comparison to any GM garage. If your daughter is a student at Western Michigan in Kalamazoo, she's about an hour north of Sturgis.

[Machiner 55]

OK, I'm onna roll so here goes.

I bought my first Reatta two summers ago. It was sitting in a driveway in another subdivision close to where I live but not along my usual paths of travel. It was a 1988 Red/Tan. Rough looking. One flat tire. A "LeBra" on the front covering collision damage and white lettering on the windshield that said... "Needs work... $500.00". I stopped and looked at it. It looked even worse close up. The part of the console that houses the tape deck was gone. The headliner, pillars and speakers were recovered with a leopard skin print material and the interior hadn't been cleaned in quite some time.

The owner came out and opened it up for me. Said the battery needed recharged and the tires aired up but, if I was interested he'd get it running for me. I said I'd come back. When I did, I was able to drive it. When you stepped on the gas, it took about a half a second for the trans to engage first. But once it got going it was OK. Unless of course you were to hit a bump at any speed above 20mph. Then the rear end would hop and skip and try to throw you into the oncoming lane. (Mr. Toads wild ride as it were.)

Anyway... I told the owner I'd think about it and drove off.

Almost every day for about two weeks I drove out of my way to drive passed that car. I guess you could say that it "spoke to me".

I finally bought the car for the $500.00 he was asking then proceeded to pour more money into it. To any sane person this would have been considered a parts car but I'd been smitten by it and tried to make it the car it once had been.

Changed out the trans. Installed new struts... rear first, then fronts. Tires, brakes and calipers all the way around, including sections of the parking brake. Flushed the TEVES unit etc. (Thanks Wally88)

The list goes on...

Then last spring I ran across a deal on a 1989 Claret/burgandy Reatta that I just couldn't refuse. Bought it sight unseen. Thought it would make a great parts car.

Had to tow it from Ohio to NWI. But, once I got it here and cleaned it up and threw my many mechanical talents at it well... it's now my prized posession.

Still needs work (don't they all!) but it still draws the attention of others and I don't mind taking the time with them to tell them about the car if I have the opportunity. I've noticed lately that it seems to attract the attention of middle aged women the most. That's OK 'cause I'm a middle aged guy. Oh yah that was the other part of the original question... our ages... I'm... I'm ... ahhhh

Hmmm... let's see now... I'm-ah....... Ok that's right... I'm FIFTY.

OK, there, I said it... Are you happy now???

Sorry to report that the 1988 Red/Tan was involved in a rearend collision while my son was driving it. All humans involved faired well. Not so fo the vehicles. The Reatta was totaled. The car that hit it was totaled as well (I think)

Well boys (and girls) watch your six. And goodnight.

[Duke]

I'm 23 I've had my Reatta for about 5 years now. My Grandmother was the one who got me hooked on them. She bought hers in 88 white with maroon interior, oh she's 85 now. She told my dad and mom she was getting a new car, and everyone thought it would be some big luxury car like a lincoln or caddy, but then she comes pulling in with a little two seater. About 6 years ago I was with out a car for about a month and she let me borrow her reatta since she was having health problems and couldn't drive it. Needless to say within a year I found a 90 light drift wood with cd, and sunroof and when I went to buy it I learned it was being kept at Larry Birds house in French Lick - West Baden. It wasn't his car though, he let the caretaker of his estates store his cars there. Yet its funny to say I went and bought my car at Larry Bird's house. These days I still enjoy my Reatta although I have a bit to fix up on it. Replacing the rear struts and rebushing all the suspension is my current project. Its been reliable and even with shabby suspension it still rides decent. So far the only major problems I've had was the transaxle needed rebuilt, had first and second but drive/overdrive was gone, and harmonic balancer. For the love of god don't buy made in china after market balancers. I went through 3 in a month everyone of them just grenaded and took out the crank sensor ended up buying a used one from a salvage yard still works fine. The funny part is the only reason I changed from the original was the rubber between the pulley and the hub gave out and it chattered during idle. Hum think I slid off topic, oh well. Hope ya'll enjoy my ramblings.

[sackett]

28 here owned my Reatta for about 3 weeks now.

[Tom_O]

Sixty years young. Bought the Burgandy 90 to replace an 85 Fiero (the other GM 2 seater). As I have said before I have a 66 Avanti (I guess you could say my machanic owns it right now) in the middle of a frame off resto. Love driving the Reatta, and yes younger women give it a look, not me. Thank God I have tinted the windows.

[joenova]

Had my 1989 Red/Beige since 2003. Im 26 years old.

[Guest busconv]

Just bought a 90 white/burgundy convtible and I am 75. Rented one in 88 or 89 from National in Orlando and it never left the back of my mind...so, got this one off eBay and have not even seen it yet. Owner holding it until October when I will be travelling thru his area. Anxious is not the word...even for an senior citizen.....Bill

[Guest DTerry]

I was on the planet before television, penicillin, polio shots, frozen foods, Xerox, contact lenses, frisbees, the pill, credit cards, lasers, pantyhose, gay rights, group therapy, and even fast food. Grass was mowed, you drank coke, and your mother cooked in a pot. Hardware came from a hardware store, and software wasn't a word. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

[recon]

age 66,1st 0ne 1n 91 a red 90, now have three.

[Guest crtnrds]

I bought my first @ 60, bought two more & looking @ another two. Now I'm 35. Wonder how many I'll need before F14s lady friend would be interested?

[0ddi0]

I am 30, male, from Denver. Got my Black/Saddle 89 Reatta in April of this year. I have wanted to get one since about 94 when I first noticed them. Something was always preventing me from getting one, either already having a car and not being able to get another or just not having the money to get one. They used to be very hard to find here but since I bought mine I have seen at least 4 for sale here. About the only thing I need to replace is the alternator, not bad for 112K miles <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />.

[Guest Brolliar]

My wife and I went to look at a red 89 coupe with 22,000 miles in 1994. We fell in love and bought it. The Egyptian that sold it to us had xeroxed the owners manual so he would not get it dirty and he kept the car in a friends garage and only drove it on nice weekends. He was a software expert and sold it when he moved to Paris, France. The first owner was the wife of the Budwiser dealer here in town and said she didn't drive it if it looked like rain. I was 57 when we bought it.

My brother and I bought a white 90 convertible in 2004. We previously bought a 51 Studebaker together when he was in college and I was in high school. I remember he came to my high school and called me out of class to get me to part with some of my paper route money. My teacher heard us talking and said don't do it Dick but who could pass up owning a 1951 Studebaker convertible. To me it was the Reatta of its day.

[Guest reattasummerlin]

52..purchased mY Reatta 2 years ago this coming October....It is a work in progress in restoring it...brake system is all redone....!

[javy1989]

I'm 23 and got my reatta almost a year ago. I had never even seen one, but the second I did, I knew she was for me.

[anselmail]

DTerry,

Not bad - you made it through life without all that stuff. And, now you use the internet and you know the defination of software! IMPRESSIVE, Dude!

Ansel

[Machiner 55]

"Naming the substance penicillin, Dr. Fleming in 1929 published the results of his investigations, noting that his discovery might have therapeutic value if it could be produced in quantity."

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I was on the planet before television, penicillin... </div></div>

Mr. Terry... that would put you closing in on 80 years old.

It's no wonder you don't want to tackle that Harmonic Balancer! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Guest TommyH]

my dad bought me my first reatta about 3 months ago, and i dont think i ever want to get rid of it! im only 16 too!

[Louis]

Purchased my first one, a 90 coup in 1996 burgundy / red, I was 47, my second one, a 91 coup

white / flame red this year. I think this is my 5th or 6th mid life crisis, I just can't stop.

[Guest mongeonman]

44,bought mine last spring.nobody arround here knows what a REATTA is.i knew what it was since 1988 cause i have always loved cars and buying car year book almost every year.

[Guest CL_Reatta]

Ok, well I better do this while I can still say that im 15. Ive had mine since I was lemme see.... 15 years 89 days and about 7 1/2 hours old. Now im 15 years and 363 days old.

[bobwhite]

I bought my 90 Reatta new in 1990 when I was 56. Still have it, and will be 73 in a month. I wish I had aged as well as my Reatta <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

[Zakarasu]

boughta white 1990 coupe at the age of 16 to a guy that lived beside my grandparents. car never smoked in, tunned up every 3 months, a proud reatta driver with 167,000 and going, have owned it about a year and 8 months.

[Guest F14CRAZY]

I ever tell you guys I got my car because of a breakup?