Thinking of buying one ...

[upstate]

HI,

 

I saw a Reatta in a parking lot near my house and WOW I just totally fell in love.  I have been researching buying one. This would be my first collector car purchase of any kind.  I am looking at an '89 with under 50K miles.  I am wondering what the 

common problems are with this car and what to be aware of.  

 * Note, I'm a woman looking for a hot car that's fun but also reliable and not a headache, I don't have a ton of in depth car knowledge, my boyfriend and brother are both very capable with cars though.  This would not be my daily driver but I do plan on using it a good amount.  

Any insight would be helpful before I take the plunge :).  

Thanks ! 

[2seater]

I am not sure how to respond as I want to be encouraging but in my opinion, the Reatta has not attained what would be collector car status, except for a rare few. The other item is they are not a hot car. Performance is reasonable but it is a V6 front wheel drive GM platform which is reliable but not scorching. While they are generally reliable overall, they are thirty plus years old, so that needs to be considered. 

[upstate]

17 hours ago, 2seater said:

I am not sure how to respond as I want to be encouraging but in my opinion, the Reatta has not attained what would be collector car status, except for a rare few. The other item is they are not a hot car. Performance is reasonable but it is a V6 front wheel drive GM platform which is reliable but not scorching. While they are generally reliable overall, they are thirty plus years old, so that needs to be considered. 

I think my wording is incorrect but I meant Collector as in not my utilitarian everyday car and hot as in this thing is amazing looking.  I'm not really looking for fast or performance.  Just wondering what the common problems are so I can make an educated purchase.  

[Ronnie]

22 hours ago, upstate said:

* Note, I'm a woman looking for a hot car that's fun but also reliable and not a headache, I don't have a ton of in depth car knowledge

The Buick Reatta may not be your best choice. In general Reattas are reliable if they have been well maintained but they can be a headache to troubleshoot for someone not familiar with them. The problem you run into is trying to find a mechanic who knows how to work on a Reatta. Most mechanics no nothing about these 30 year old cars. This website has lots of How-to guides to help with repairs as well as people on this forum who are willing to help but there is just so much help you can give when sitting behind a keyboard. This article was written for people looking to buy their first Reatta. You might find it helpful: What should I check when buying a Reatta?

[upstate]

32 minutes ago, Ronnie said:

The Buick Reatta may not be your best choice. In general Reattas are reliable if they have been well maintained but they can be a headache to troubleshoot for someone not familiar with them. The problem you run into is trying to find a mechanic who knows how to work on a Reatta. Most mechanics no nothing about these 30 year old cars. This website has lots of How-to guides to help with repairs as well as people on this forum who are willing to help but there is just so much help you can give when sitting behind a keyboard. This article was written for people looking to buy their first Reatta. You might find it helpful: What should I check when buying a Reatta?

This is great, thank you !