New Reatta Owner - Norfolk VA

[Posti]

 

 

I just picked up this 1989 Reatta coupe today.  It was listed on eBay for $900 Buy it Now, and was just 20 miles from my house.  The car was filthy, but had no actual body or paint damage I could see, and the blue leather interior looked good.  It was advertised as running and driving well, but the dashboard gauge cluster was not functioning.  The white paint and blue pinstriping look to be original - the car was garage kept until the dashboard went out.  It had a 6/16 inspection and was licensed for normal driving.  I had no trouble getting it home - I brought a GPS unit with me to tell me my speed. 

I have admired the Reatta for a long time, but already have too many vehicles.  Poking through eBay is a daily habit, and I sometimes check Reattas just to see what the market is.  I wanted a coupe without the sunroof (I have a long body), and this one looked too good to pass up.  The car runs and drives as new - tight and strong.  It has a number of electrical issues to work out.  The dead dashboard, of course, though the touch-screen functions great.  The right headlight does not come up, the heater fan stays on even with the ignition off unless you unplug the connector at the firewall, the ABS Brake light is on, and the power windows are not working.  On the plus side, the paint and interior are great, the power mirrors and both power seats work well, as do the radio, fog lights, etc.  Other issues include glove box and trunk access latch not working properly.  All minor issues I can work out.  This should be a fun driver. 

Bob Stein
Norfolk VA

[Ronnie]

Hi Bob,

Welcome to the forum! That's a really good looking car for $900. The problems you have are common and not too hard to fix. There is a lot of information in the how-to guides that will  help you troubleshoot your problems. It is best to start a new thread in the Buick Reatta General Forum for each problem to avoid confusion versus starting one thread for them all. Post in the Buy/Sell Forum  and someone might have an IPC that you need. Good luck on whipping your new Reatta back into shape.

[Posti]

Hi, Ronnie!

 

Thanks for the welcome, and your responses. I did have the foresight to list my issue separately, at least. Day two of the Reatta and more cleaning! There are a couple of Pick n Pull junk yards in the area - I might be able to pick up the climate module from a another big Buick - it was used in the LeSabre, Electra, and Park Ave cars of the period, and will cost about $15 guaranteed to work. Worth a try!