I miss the Reatta

[BillNC]

I just sold my 1989 Reatta a couple weeks ago. I had put in 4 new struts, sway bar bushings, factory stereo, speakers, computers, ABS brake unit, plugs, MAF, wheel bearing, window motors, balljoint, AC, alignment, exhaust, it had recent tires, MAF and countless other parts in less than a year adding up to well over $2,000 in parts alone not counting repairing existing parts or labor.

Somebody looked at it to buy it 2 weeks ago and said they'll come back the next day. The next day driving it from in back of the house to the front of the house for the guy and the ABS light went on and stayed on, an intermittent signal bulb problem occurred when I tried the signals, then the water pump started leaking after I turned the engine off. Well, I said if you fix it be yours half the price of the parts I put in it and it was sold. Even though it took me 6 months after buying the car last August to finally make a full week without at least one new problem I have to say I still really liked the car and greatly miss driving it. It's the most comfortable quiet car I ever owned, great for driving distance with good gas mileage and having all the creature comforts you can ever dream of. The Reatta was a love/hate relationship. I loved driving it but hated the constant stream of problems consuming lots of time and money. I bought a very clean low mileage Mazda RX7 even though it goes and handles really well it's nothing like the Reatta. The RX7 which (surprisingly weighs about 1000 lb. less) is not even close to the league the Reatta is in and makes me appreciate the Reatta more. My friends think I'm crazy but after all this if I came across another Reatta someday when time and money permits I be tempted. I appreciate all the fantastic help from the board all the time every time but I'll be low profile until the day when I end up with another Reatta. After the V8 Corvair project is done I'll be looking.

PS That freebie bellcrank repair I made almost a year ago still was as tight as it could be when the car was sold.

[Machiner 55]

There must be some sort of virus or contagen of some sort floating about. You are at least the third regular poster of this board that is divesting themselves of their beloved Reatta during the past two weeks. Perhaps it is the heat we're experiencing.

Chill. Whut up? Church!

[Guest F14CRAZY]

You should have kept it. I've found that after all the time and money I've put into repairs over the past couple years, I'm not afraid to drive my car anywhere, any distance, since like everything that can go bad, has gone bad, and has been replaced.

Remember, the best used cars to buy, are the ones where the owner complains of how its been nickle and diming them...

[Guest F14CRAZY]

And, as F14 once said, "don't worry, they'll be back"

[Vincent Vega]

I just spent serious coin on struts/shocks/alignment. Largest expense on it since I bought it. Early results indicate this was what I was looking for to make this a world class ride. Sensa tracs all around. It costs money to keep a fine car on the road. Ask a Jag owner. 1000 club*? No way. The Reatta is a 200 clubber* at best. * money you need to spend every 6 months to keep it on the road

[BillNC]

What bothered me with my particular Reatta is after all the money and time I put in it I trusted the car less and less over time, especially the transmission grief so I ended up driving it less and less distance from home or about 10 miles a week. I just figured out I averaged 50 cents per mile in parts and 3.5 hours labor working on the car for every hour I was in the car driving it. The last time I drove the car just 50 feet in the yard just before it was sold, the signals, ABS and water pump messed up. Also the paint was just starting to deteriorate along with the door gaskets. It would seem it would have cost me at least another $2000 to run it another year (4000 miles or so) not counting labor or even considering messing with the paint. At the time I couldn't justify the logic or have the time, or money to keep it another year.

[BillNC]

I put Sensa tracs on the car all the way around as well and they sure are really great shocks. They had wonderful damping characteristics.