Relaxed Roadster: 1990 Buick Reatta Convertible – SOLD!
July 14, 2021 Update – we confirmed the seller of this Buick “Classifind” deleted their listing, so we’re now able to call this one “SOLD!” While this one got away, please reach out either by email or call us directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.
In the late 1980s, Buick management believed the brand needed a two-seat personal luxury coupe. While the Reatta Coupe launched in 1988, 1990 marked the first year of production for the convertible version represented by this Powder Blue-on-Blue Leather example originally listed in June 2021 on Craigslist in Gibbsboro, New Jersey for $6,000. The Hagerty Insurance Online Valuation Tool confirms the private seller has their Reatta priced between this guide’s #3 “Good” estimate of $4,800 and its #2 “Excellent” appraisal of $12,600. We note that the three-year price trend of these cars appears to have bottomed out and now appears to be making the transition from “Used” to “Collector” car status.
While designers originally penned Reatta as a two-seat sports car for Buick, by the time GM’s Bean Counters and Marketing-By-Committee executives had their say, the production car launched as a front-wheel-drive personal luxury coupe targeted towards older luxury-minded buyers in the same vain as Ford’s original Thunderbird. Hardly a sports car, Reattas featured Buick’s ubiquitous 3.8 Liter V6 power plant connected to an automatic transmission in a softly sprung front-wheel-drive platform.
In addition to being hand-built by teams of five assemblers at GM’s Lansing Craft Center, one of the Reatta’s most striking features is its touch-screen system, called the Electronic Control Center (ECC), which was considered to be one of the most advanced interfaces of its day. Remarkably full-featured, ECC provided access to audio, climate control, and trip computer functions, and it even included vehicle diagnostics functions. In typical GM fashion, however, by 1990 Reattas received a less trouble-prone and cheaper to build vacuum-fluorescent gauges just as Buick began offering an ASC-designed convertible version with a manually-folding cloth soft top and glass rear window.
We came across this Retro Review of a 1990 Buick Reatta Convertible on the MotorWeek YouTube Channel:
While we’re pleased to hear everything works on this reportedly dealer-maintained example and it has been garage kept, the paint appears to be showing shows of fading on several panels. Without inspection in person, it’s hard to determine whether a day’s worth of paint correction will bring back the original finish or if a future caretaker will need to plan for a repaint at some point. For now, the like-new interior will keep you and a passenger very comfortable on top-down-day drives.
Here’s the seller’s description:
“1990 Buick Reatta Convertible Two Owners All Its Life. Everything Works As Should No Check Engine Lights No Warning Lights 82K Original Miles 6 Cylinder Automatic Top Works A/C And Heat Works Was Garaged Kept No Rust At All Great Summer Car Cost $42,590 New Back In 1990 Always Dealer Maintained Asking $6000 or Best Offer.
for more information“
Paint or patina: what would you do with this Buick Reatta? Comment below and let us know!
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