Leaderboard

Key should go right in and turn. When you turn the key to the right you will hear a click as the solenoid releases the latch. There is a spring in the latch that just holds the trunk lid off the latch so you can raise it up by hand. The trunk lid doesn't go up on it's own. The key on my car doesn't return back to the original position on it's own. I don't know if that is normal or if there should be a return spring that might be broken on my car. The orange bar in the photo below is the manual release.

Inch by inch on my intake manifold/tuneup project. Tonight was installing new spark plug wires. I can't wait to get her running again.

Mine ate a tape a little bit ago, it's still jammed in there ? 33 year old tape players don't really stand the test of time. Here's a guide to do it yourself: http://reattaowner.com/roj/component/content/article/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=89:cassette&id=195:cassette-deck-repair-manual

Gotta love that vintage music!

Over the weekend I ran into an old friend at a car show. He had retired from the local Buick/Chevy,Cadillac/GMC dealership after working there for 35 years. I had my Reatta at the show and we got to talking about what he remembered about the Reatta when they came to the dealership where he worked. Bill said the salesmen were really excited about having something new and different to offer from Buick. He said they thought the Reatta would be a hit but it didn't turn out that way. Bill, like most people, think of a Buick as a car your grandparents buy that is dependable and easy to work on. He said all that changed when he started hearing about the Reattas that would soon arrive at their dealership. Like most people during that time the mechanics were scared to death of a computer. When Bill and the other mechanics took training on the Reatta they all agreed that working on one was going to be a nightmare. None of them had ever worked on a car that had so many computers and electronics. He said ECMs were in some of the cars back then but they mostly controlled fuel and emissions - not the whole car like the Reatta (and most new cars today) do. Bill said the dealership spent big bucks for a huge Sun diagnostic machine about the size of a clothes dryer to help them work on the Reattas. When all the electrical cables, vacuum lines, and hoses were connected to the Reatta it was supposed to tell you everything you would ever want to know about the health of a Reatta. He said it took forever to hook all that stuff up and when you did it was all right in your way. He said the only thing harder than working on a Reatta was learning how to use that new diagnostic machine. He said once he found out how to access the Reatta's on-board diagnostics the Sun diagnostic machine turned into a dust collector. :) Bill said that they didn't have to work on many Reattas due to the low number of them that were sold. He said most of them brought into their garage for repairs (all he could remember working on were under warranty) needed electrical work or had brake problems. Bill told me that troubleshooting the electrical problems was a lot easier that he first thought it would be. As we all know, once you learn how to use the on-board diagnostics the computer will usually point you in the right direction for finding your problem. He said most of the electrical problems he fixed were usually just a bad connection or replacing bulbs. He remembered replacing one BCM and one ECM on the handful of Reattas he worked on with electrical problems over a period of about 8-10 years. He said he thought once the Reattas got some age on them people probably took them to smaller shops to avoid having to pay the high hourly rate charged by the dealership. I was hoping that Bill would share with me some of his secrets about repairing the Teves master cylinder since he had been factory trained on how to work on the Reatta. I was also hoping he would know how to rebuild them. Nope, they didn't train them on rebuilding the master cylinder. He said they told them to test the system pressure first - then test the pressure switch, pump and relays much the same way we do. If that didn't fix it a new master cylinder was installed and the old one was sent back to the factory. They were told not to try to repair the master cylinder. Needless to say I was disappointed. I wanted him to teach me how to take the master cylinder apart and fix it. He said he had never had one apart. He told me he thought he still had the pressure gauge and a booklet on testing the Teves that he was given as part of his Reatta training. He said he would give them both to me if he could find them. I have my fingers crossed. I would love to have them.

I know this post is a little old BUT I'm new to the Reatta world and without websites like this keeping these cars would be next to impossible. Don't lose faith, you never know when someone new will come along and get started. Hopefully more will follow in the future. Just wanted to say THANKS to all of you who keep this going and leave these threads up so future owners and collectors can still enjoy these cars!! Here's a picture of mine that I just started into...

Ronnie As someone involved with Club websites in the past (only from the content side, not the technical skills) I can appreciate the frustration. Ours was local and a lot less complex than what you guys have built here, which is pretty impressive IMHO. We had similar issues of "putting it out there" (efforts and information and soliciting material and comments) and getting less than dynamic return on investment.... then when we turned it off, there was weeping and gnashing of teeth from everyone who was "following along". I don't know the history and the early demographic or target audiences of what this forum was in the beginning .... if they were all Hands on guys, or pictures and tips, or deep engine/electrical wizards. I think your insight into how many people are "dropping in" each day is important... don't know if they are all owners, or new owners, or wannabe owners trying to get the pros and cons of ownership (like I was) before buying. I think this site has a BROAD appeal on many subject areas, and probably provides a service level beyond the feedback that is visible by postings.! Naturally, as a newbie, everything is "new and incredible" about Reattas to me. I may have found them late (at 65) but to me they are as cool and elegant as many of the collectible items in my 401"g", and I can enjoy them more often. I can see myself becoming a "multi-specimen" owner in the future - yes my car buddies warn me away from old convertibles, but it's the whole "Moth to Flame" thing! For my two cents, I think there are more Mid-boomers like myself who are looking for this car and don't know it yet. But you're right: Postings are the most tangible feedback sign of getting through to people and getting participation and measuring "results". All I can say is that from my limited previous experience noted above, you are hitting on more cylinders that you may be feeling right now ! For selfish reasons, I hope this forum continues in this or another format. I realize there are expenses involved, and I'm willing to be a more active participant in that as well. As I go into the last 15 months (hopefully) of my full time working career, I don't have as much time as I'd like for daily interaction, but I still view and learn 2-3 times a week !