1990 Buick Reatta Convertible Road Test

91 s-10baja · 05-27-2008, 11:42 PM

Perhaps this is a shameless plug for my page on youtube, but many of you know I started extracting vids from over a couple hundred DVD's I transferred form VHS, it is gonna take a while but here is one.

+ YouTube Video

Check out the rest (more to follow).

http://www.youtube.com/user/bajabusta

camaro_freak · 05-27-2008, 11:46 PM

ahhhh memories! I loved that intro to MotorWeek!

MN12Fan · 05-28-2008, 12:03 AM

Wow, $35,000! Today's price: $3,500 (if that). Pretty neat video though. Seems like there aren't many straight-talking TV shows about cars like that anymore.

2648562 · 05-28-2008, 12:22 AM

Wow braking was great. And a place to store magazines!!! I wish GM didn't give up so fast. Had they kept turning out products like it Buick would be a lot more appealing today.

Andonis · 05-28-2008, 12:24 AM

always liked the reatta!
very good post, thx

dav305z · 05-28-2008, 01:09 AM

$35,000!!!! That's almost $60,000 in modern money! And it would get it's ass kicked in by the G6 convertible - which isn't even a class leader. We really do get a lot more for our money these days when it comes to cars.

Still, it does look nice. How reliable were these things?

MrJamesMc · 05-28-2008, 01:11 AM

$32,000? The Saturn SKY Redline is a bargain by far!

I thought cars have got more expensive, but that seems quite hefty for 1990!
Though, they should have kept doing this, imagine what a 2009 Reatta would have looked like if they kept to the foward thinking attitude, they could bring back the oneINall touch screen in color LCD form even!

91Saturn · 05-28-2008, 03:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrJamesMc

I thought cars have got more expensive, but that seems quite hefty for 1990!

Relatively speaking, cars are much cheaper now than in 1990. The sticker on my 1991 Saturn was around $14k. I can remember a lot of GM's more expensive cars (Buick Regals, Olds Cutlasses, etc.) were around $20K. Today if you pay $20K for a car, you're getting a lot more car. Today's Chevy Malibu, for example, absolutely blows away a 1991 Buick sedan in terms of standard equipment (airbags, ABS, stability control, etc.)

JBsZ06 · 05-28-2008, 05:52 AM

Wow...that host sure got old in recent years...yet the show sure was boring compared to todays shows.....

No backround music?

Anyways the Reatta was a looker in its day ...

The convertible even more so.

Thanks

CaptainDan · 05-28-2008, 06:02 AM

Buick Reatta.........GM had decided to make a car ("luxury" car at that!) which looked like an AMC Matador. Brilliant!

But at least this car killed the whole "touch screen" idea. Aside from the messy fingerprint issue, you'd probably kill yourself if you used the fussy thing while driving. Still had awful gages though.

And this "sporty" car was slow and handled poorly. I think my '90 SS 454 pick-up truck handled better! We've come a loooong way since '90!

dindak · 05-28-2008, 07:01 AM

If I could find a Reatta in good shape, I would be tempted. I remeber looking at a couple of them at the local dealer a few years ago but neither was well kept. Good deals for sure and if you find a good one cheap, it could be worth good coin some day.

tgagneguam · 05-28-2008, 07:04 AM

Good memories. I watched this show religiously as a kid. I, too, loved the intro, including when John would open with, "Well, hello, and welcome again to MotorWeek..."

I loved the Reatta; it's a shame it's gone. Funny to watch the video: 165 hp? 0-60 mph in 9.2 seconds? And did you catch how razor thin the luggage placed in the good-enough sized trunk was? Too funny.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 91 s-10baja

Perhaps this is a shameless plug for my page on youtube, but many of you know I started extracting vids from over a couple hundred DVD's I transferred form VHS, it is gonna take a while but here is one...

No, coming from you, it's not a shameless plug of your youtube page, 91 s-10baja. This post is completely consistent with your generally good posts. I'm sure no one takes this post as anything different.

skylark68 · 05-28-2008, 07:37 AM

This car cried out for RWD!

ptmeyer84 · 05-28-2008, 08:49 AM

just think Buick is still using that same engine!

Great post I will be checking out more of your videos on youtube!

D C · 05-28-2008, 09:09 AM

There are very few convertibles out there. My understanding is that GM bought most of them back because of vibration problems.

05-27-2008, 11:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
camaro_freak 5.3 Liter LS4 V8 Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 3,544	Re: 1990 Buick Reatta Convertible Road Test ahhhh memories! I loved that intro to MotorWeek! __________________ John Crichton: It's beer o'clock. Where's my riot?

05-28-2008, 12:03 AM	#3 (permalink)
MN12Fan 4.4 Liter Supercharged Northstar Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Clovis, California Drives: 1994 Ford Thunderbird LX Posts: 2,437	Re: 1990 Buick Reatta Convertible Road Test Wow, $35,000! Today's price: $3,500 (if that). Pretty neat video though. Seems like there aren't many straight-talking TV shows about cars like that anymore. __________________ Come to the Ford Discussion Forum on GMInsideNews! http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=57

05-28-2008, 12:22 AM	#4 (permalink)
2648562 4.4 Liter Supercharged Northstar Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 2,172	Re: 1990 Buick Reatta Convertible Road Test Wow braking was great. And a place to store magazines!!! I wish GM didn't give up so fast. Had they kept turning out products like it Buick would be a lot more appealing today.

05-28-2008, 12:24 AM	#5 (permalink)
Andonis 3.9 Liter V6 Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Home is where the heart is Drives: Volvo 480 Turbo Posts: 922	Re: 1990 Buick Reatta Convertible Road Test always liked the reatta! very good post, thx __________________ Nemo regat vitam meam

05-28-2008, 01:09 AM	#6 (permalink)
dav305z 6.2 Liter Vortec V8 Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 2,516	Re: 1990 Buick Reatta Convertible Road Test $35,000!!!! That's almost $60,000 in modern money! And it would get it's ass kicked in by the G6 convertible - which isn't even a class leader. We really do get a lot more for our money these days when it comes to cars. Still, it does look nice. How reliable were these things? __________________ "The movement you need is on your shoulders" - Paul McCartney

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05-28-2008, 01:11 AM	#7 (permalink)
MrJamesMc 3.8 Liter V6 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Fort Worth Drives: 1999 2-Door Chevrolet Tahoe Posts: 420	Re: 1990 Buick Reatta Convertible Road Test $32,000? The Saturn SKY Redline is a bargain by far! I thought cars have got more expensive, but that seems quite hefty for 1990! Though, they should have kept doing this, imagine what a 2009 Reatta would have looked like if they kept to the foward thinking attitude, they could bring back the oneINall touch screen in color LCD form even! __________________ Flickr

05-28-2008, 05:52 AM	#9 (permalink)
JBsZ06 6.0 Liter Vortec V8 Join Date: Jan 2004 Drives: 2001 ZO6 TTP 224/224 114lsa Cam Pkg 396rwhp 380 rw Posts: 1,824	Re: 1990 Buick Reatta Convertible Road Test Wow...that host sure got old in recent years...yet the show sure was boring compared to todays shows..... No backround music? Anyways the Reatta was a looker in its day ... The convertible even more so. Thanks __________________ 2008 Blk C6 M6 w/Z51 & NPP exhaust 2008 CTS AWD 304hp sports suspension

05-28-2008, 06:02 AM	#10 (permalink)
CaptainDan 3.6 Liter V6 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Michigan Drives: '05 GTO Posts: 1,002	Re: 1990 Buick Reatta Convertible Road Test Buick Reatta.........GM had decided to make a car ("luxury" car at that!) which looked like an AMC Matador. Brilliant! But at least this car killed the whole "touch screen" idea. Aside from the messy fingerprint issue, you'd probably kill yourself if you used the fussy thing while driving. Still had awful gages though. And this "sporty" car was slow and handled poorly. I think my '90 SS 454 pick-up truck handled better! We've come a loooong way since '90! __________________ '05 GTO 6.0 Liter LS2 400 horsepower Anything less is just a hamster on a wheel. Last edited by CaptainDan : 05-28-2008 at 06:17 AM.

05-28-2008, 07:01 AM	#11 (permalink)
dindak 4.4 Liter Supercharged Northstar Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Toronto area Posts: 2,111	Re: 1990 Buick Reatta Convertible Road Test If I could find a Reatta in good shape, I would be tempted. I remeber looking at a couple of them at the local dealer a few years ago but neither was well kept. Good deals for sure and if you find a good one cheap, it could be worth good coin some day.

05-28-2008, 07:37 AM	#13 (permalink)
skylark68 3.6 Liter V6 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Pearland, TX Drives: 1989 GMC Suburban 1968 Buick Skylark Posts: 1,188	Re: 1990 Buick Reatta Convertible Road Test This car cried out for RWD! __________________ The Mechanic: You'd have yourself a real street-sweeper here if you put a little work into it. G.T.O.: I go fast enough. The Driver: You can never go fast enough.

05-28-2008, 08:49 AM	#14 (permalink)
ptmeyer84 2.4 Liter ECOTEC Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Nebraska Posts: 97	Re: 1990 Buick Reatta Convertible Road Test just think Buick is still using that same engine! Great post I will be checking out more of your videos on youtube! __________________ Gone... 1971 Olds Delta 88 Current 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4.7L HO QD 1994 Jeep Cherokee Sport 4.0L 5-speed 2005 Nissan Altima 2.5S 5-speed

05-28-2008, 09:09 AM	#15 (permalink)
D C 3.8 Liter Supercharged V6 Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 728	Re: 1990 Buick Reatta Convertible Road Test There are very few convertibles out there. My understanding is that GM bought most of them back because of vibration problems.

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