1988 Buick Reatta | Retro Review

Was the Reatta ahead of its time, or just perceived as a budget Cadillac Allanté?
Show 719 | Originally Recorded 02-04-1989
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[@bghoody5665]

What a unique looking car for the time - gotta hand it to GM for trying something new. And that touch screen looks so retro sci fi lol.

[@ZIGZAG12345]

For a 1988 car it sure is damned good looking and has aged very well. Were they that great looking at the time? I mean some cars (like the 5th gen/EG Civic hatch) were quite ordinary when they were being sold, but somehow look great now in standard form.

[@rod22lt]

@@ZIGZAG12345 I was 20 when these came out and they definitely were on my friends list of “attainable dream cars” but the buzz faded fast as there seemed to be new cool cars released monthly back then and I think the Beretta was released about the same time and seemed like every second person I knew had one before long…especially the GTZ or the civic was huge as well

[@bghoody5665]

@@rod22lt Now that you mention Honda, the Reatta doesn't look much like a Civic but it does look a bit like a Prelude from the same year.

[@robertc5200]

I was 17 when these came out. My group was still focused on the 5.0 Mustangs and Grand Nationals. The Reattta was kind of like an upscale Fireo , which wasn’t really regarded as any kind of sports or muscle car. However watching this video, I do now appreciate how modern and cutting edge this car was.

[@aloysiusbelisarius9992]

I liked those digital displays myself, like the ones used on the '82 Continental (that is, until that car's carburetor gave out, no Ford dealer would touch it even for money, forcing us to use an incompatible carburetor that allowed the engine to run but the entire display screen was dark due to absence of hook-ups). Ironically, touch-screens which were criticized left-and-right in the '80s and early-'90s have made a comeback of sorts. Now, they're even more distracting than the ones from back then were accused of being...but nobody says anything about it.

[@mtjeeves1234]

Other than the transmission recall being highly unknown and there being a lack of internet at the time to find these things out. My 1989 was an awesome car. It's still running today, with 371k on the original engine.

[@PatienceMelissa]

Wow! Great to hear! ❤

[@blandgreen4135]

3800 for the win!

[@samholdsworth420]

Yeah right you know that thing hasn't driven in 10 years

[@samholdsworth420]

A oh wait never mind it has a 3.8 l okay it's still running 😂

[@muchaaaaachos]

thinking of buying one thats right by my house its a 1988 it has 102k miles and the guys selling it for $4000, in thinking of buying it as my first car

[@Bossbugg90]

That legendary 3800... Always loved the way they sounded accelerating...

[@BennyT_3434]

GM had the best sounding V6 engines from the late 80s to the mid 90s, great rumble even through stock exhaust, miss that noise!

[@one_flew_over_the_cuckoos_nest]

@@BennyT_3434 For sure not!

[@MercOne]

What was legendary about this engine?

[@qmto]

They do make a good sound. Not especially quick but you can’t have everything.

[@Stressless2023]

@@MercOne These Series I 3800's are virtually un-killable. They typically outlasted the crappy cars they were bolted into. I have a '90 Oldsmobile Trofeo in my garage with one as I type, still running like new almost 32 years later.

[@ToocanCars]

Thank you Motorweek for the review! I'm going to pull the trigger one of these and go to my local Buick dealer to order a brand new 1988 Reatta right now!

[@derekintrovert5619]

Seen a Nice Blue one Last week Historic tags ! It got a Lot of Looks driving down the highway get off on Belair road

[@monolith2001]

I LOVED the way this car looked and still do. I was also pretty smitten on the similarly styled but less sporty looking Oldsmobile Trofeo.

[@sirloin4372]

Agreed! Both cars were/are beautiful examples of what the general could do when they put their minds to it.

[@nessuno5403]

Toronado

[@fredaydaybae8450]

The Trofeo looked 10x better than the Reatta. The Reattas awkward hind quarters was always a turn off to me.

[@amarsta]

My two favorite cars. Owned 5 Trofeos in the past and getting ready to buy a Reatta

[@jbynum67]

I remember the Buick Reatta well. I was a salesman at Rae Keech Buick in Ellicott City, MD when I sold my first one. That car was something to talk about, for sure.

[@LTJohn]

I love that throtty exhaust note. The 3800s have always been one of my favorite engines. 😇

[@Timico1000]

I was on my summer vacation here in Germany and was very surprised that one of the neighbours had a Reatta on his driveway. It was neglected, but it was a Reatta. In Germany. In 2021. They were never sold here, at least not official.

[@jamesstuart3346]

I rented a Riviera back in 1986. All I did was sit in the parking lot playing with the Touch Screen. It seemed like from Outer Space

[@rich1223]

The 3800 V6 is one of the best engines GM ever made!

[@john5389]

I have to agree. I drive my mother in laws '00 Lesabre with that 3.8. Only 120k miles. It's smooth, and so easy to work on!

[@rich1223]

@@john5389 Yes i had the supercharged version in my 99 Grand Prix GTP with 200k it was still going strong!

[@bernieschiff5919]

@@john5389 I agree, I have the 3800 series II supercharged on my 97 Riviera, with 100k, no issues, lots of power, smooth, quiet.

[@retrocompaq5212]

yes they do but i had better luck with ecotec engines, the lsj still holds the record of the fastest 4cyl in the world and its the only one around 2000hp to still use the oem cast alu block

[@JoseLopez-ox6en]

What? Did you ever drive a car with one? My parents had 3 different cars with a 3.8 and I hated each one. These engines made molasses seem quick.

[@OLDS98]

Thank you for this GM/Buick video. Thank you for the efforts to bring them back. It is was interesting how many GM parts this car shared with Buick Riviera.

[@glennlybrand3541]

"A brisk 9 seconds", those were the days!!🤣

[@johnnymason2460]

If the Reatta had gotten the Series 2 3800 V6(normally aspirated(205hp) and supercharged(240hp)), it would have lasted longer on the market! It would be even more remembered than it is now!

[@FoDaddy]

The Series 2 debuted in 1995, well after Reatta production had ended.

[@johnnymason2460]

@@FoDaddy You're right! If the Reatta had been able to last that long, it would have gotten that engine!

[@Stressless2023]

Easy to swap the Series 1 supercharged 3800's into these, they bolt right in. Have a '90 Oldsmobile Trofeo I've considered doing that to for years, hate to yank my original 32 year old 3800 out though, still runs like new.

[@aaronmacy9134]

“Overly digitized dash” ..oh just you wait, 1980’s John. Just you wait.😂

[@rabit818]

“IBelow bumper grille work as big a a shark’s mouth”... fast forward to 2021:we have grilles as big as a whale’s mouth

[@smithraymond09029]

The worst current styling trend IMO.

[@allentoyokawa9068]

@@smithraymond09029 not

[@amarsta]

And drivers to match

[@BennyT_3434]

Imagine if the Solstice/Sky was also sold in Reatta form...maybe even a Reatta GS for the Ecotech turbo versions, almost nobody woulda bought it but still a cool thought, lol

[@henryovalles1163]

Rear wheel drive and a supercharged model would made this car desireable

[@albarriault6147]

Nice one for sale in my area. If it was like you say, id buy it ..the FWD just turns me off

[@dodgeguyz]

Yes, I agree. They dropped the ball on this one!

[@applepoop10]

Why would they that? The Buick grand national already does all that.

[@dodgeguyz]

@@applepoop10 Yes but it was a full size luxury car. Not a pony car.

[@retardray5701]

More of a luxury car yeah, but GM also had four wheel drive at the time in the similarly sized Pontiac 6000, so something like that would've made things more interesting. There's just something frustrating in this - being the world's largest car manufacturer, GM should've been able to make flagship cars like this more advanced, and use them to build the brand image. They had all this technology, but it was scattered around the globe like some treasure in an Indiana Jones flick.

[@SgtSnazzerino]

4:22 I was NOT expecting that thing to burn rubber like that, holy shit.

[@hank1556]

'but the drivetrain is sophisticated' SKUURRRR!!!!

[@SgtSnazzerino]

Those 3800s ain't no joke lol

[@luminator982]

Good fucking lord, that start up. I love 3800 sound so much

[@denislinehan5581]

My Reatta gave me 360,000 miles of pure joy. The car spoiled me rotten. Only an accident took it away from me. Yes the rear brakes could be noisy but that was fixable. The 3800 was ballet proof. Miss it.

[@jaxandmore440]

Still a slick-looking car. I can confirm this was not a sports car though. Not even a sporty car. My sister had a 1990 Reatta that I got to drive once. The steering wheel was huge and the steering feel was vague. Think traditional 80s Buick steering. The 3.8L V6 was a huge engine for such a small car, but it honestly didn't feel all that powerful. The 0-60 in 9sec confirms that. It was an excellent engine though. One of GMs best over the last 40yrs. The seatbacks didn't have an adjustment or locking mechanism, so you were stuck with the recline position. If the passenger seat was unoccupied and you hit the brakes hard, the seatback would flop forward. The 80s were a different time for automotive engineering. That's for certain.

[@eaglewi]

You say that but the 60 degree engines sounded a lot nicer

[@Stressless2023]

Yeah these 1st gen 3800 V6's weren't fast but they pulled pretty strong from a stop with all the torque they produce. Have this motor in my heavier '90 Oldsmobile Trofeo (original engine, still running like new at 32 years old)... Wont beat many modern cars racing but it'll still smoke the front tires easily like it did in this video lol.

[@Cheezwizzz]

Such a beauty!!!! 😍😍😍 And that spinning fan icon is super cool

[@rabit818]

“Below bumper grille work as big a a shark’s mouth”... fast forward to 2021: we have grilles as big as a whale’s mouth

[@raymondhaley6185]

I never worry about whether or not a car is perfect I see imperfect cars as guinea pigs a blank canvas that I can express my creative juices on.

[@lxdead5585]

I always wanted this one... I still want but I can't afford it and there is like one post-lift version without the touch screen :/ I'd love to have one with touch screen panel. This car is still beautiful :)

[@pmafterdark]

My neighbor was a big Buick lover and remember he used to have 2 of them, a red one and a silver one, back in the day. He'd get pissed if someone accidentally called it a Miata instead of a Reatta lol.

[@amarsta]

I used to watch this every Saturday morning as a kid 😀

[@tj81164]

A very attainable way to get into the classic car club! Still looks modern, blows people away when you say it came with the touchscreen, some 30+ years ago! I’ve had an ‘88 since 2014, still love it every time I drive it. Hugs the road, gets decent mileage, the 3800 is almost bulletproof, you won’t see dozens of them at any car show, can haul a surprising amount of gear/luggage/purchases. Yes, the dash is a bit dated, but the amount of passenger room it allows is crazy! Will you get rich selling one? No, but that’s not why we Reatta owners have them. It’s a tight knit community, with an amazing supporter in EastCoastReatta, Marck Barker. He’s dedicated his career to this car, he’s young, knowledgeable, & a pleasure to do business with. (And to those who say the Reatta took name from Miata, remember, it came out a full 2 years before the Miata. Different cars for different purposes. I’ve actually had mine called a “Regatta” more often than a Miata. 😂)

[@sethdbourne]

I’ve always thought these cars were amazing looking, I think it looks like it could be sold today… maybe update the touch screen to CarPlay 😝

[@richardturner4161]

I have an 89 Reatta and I love it. So much fun to drive. Today this car still runs well and has less than 107,000 miles on it. Original Engine. I love the interior space as well as the large truck space.

[@thomasmacgruber6701]

I used to think these were the coolest cars when I saw them on the road.

[@mikemiller659]

I owned one for a few years and really liked it, my only complaint was the engine was a bit of a dog, I drove it from SF to Monterey Bay Aq. and the hilly roads of Hwy. 17 was a task for the car Constantly down shifting in order to power up the grade..It got to be annoying quickly. Other wise around town was fine.

[@cardo1111]

A technological tour de force of its time 👍🏽

[@boss12]

From the GNX to this. Not that I don’t like it, but what a change up.

[@seththomas9105]

I would have taken the GNX in 88 and I still would today. The Reatta was typical GM half-assedness. Great styling, parts bin interior, great seats, great engine(that only got better) shitty transmission(no manual option either), and FWD instead of RWD. Like so much GM the last 40 years or so there was so much potential left on the table.

[@thomasflynn6421]

A car ahead of its time

[@landyachtfan79]

Buick's first & only 2-seater!!!!! One of my all-time favorite late'80's cars which was built by a manufacturer not normally known for building these kinds of cars, Buick............yes, BUICK!!!!!! The same GM division which built my grandparents' LeSabres decided to have a little fun, & from (calendar year) 1987-1991, they produced THIS little number, the Buick Reatta. Based on the Riviera, it shared that car's interior & drivetrains.

[@dimaslopez-dejesus2371]

Happy Halloween from Motorweek 👻🎃

[@Sebastian16753]

and what relationship do you have with MotorWeek?

[@dimaslopez-dejesus2371]

I’m not sure

[@chrisfreemesser5707]

So is the Reatta a trick or a treat? I can't tell ;)

[@Sebastian16753]

@@dimaslopez-dejesus2371 oh you made it sound like you were saying Happy Halloween as if you worked for MotorWeek lol

[@lknanml]

I really liked this car when it came out. Didn't even have my license. One of those ahead of its time designs.

[@actiniumanarchy9237]

Holy shit a touch screen in 1988???? I didn’t even know that was a freakin thing

[@MISTERBOLD]

This has to be the blueprint for cars today…Amazing !

[@austenfairbanks5604]

Been waiting so long for this review. Love this quirky car

[@boston500ful]

This was my dream car back in the day!

[@aloysiusbelisarius9992]

Having read an article in Collectible Automobile on this car, I can tell you that it was not what anyone had hoped for. It turned out that the Reatta had an identity crisis, unable to establish itself as whatever it may have been intended to be. It certainly wasn't "your dad's" Buick...but nor was it your mom's, nor really a car for many sons or daughters. So what was it? A slalom-searing missile-on-wheels like the Corvette? Not with V-6 power and FWD with its corresponding crushing understeer. A simple fun sports machine like the Mazda Miata? Not with power-everything and an average $30G price tag. A luxury tourer then, like the Cadillac Allanté or Mercedes SL or Lincoln Mark VII? Close...but even faithful Flint fanatics have to concede that the trademark tri-shield does not carry the same level of prestige as the wreath-and-crest, let alone the three- or four-pointed star. Automotive history has shown consistently that cars with confused identities don't last long, and sure enough the Reatta was gone by May 25, 1991, despite some improvements such as proper gauges and switches to replace the distracting digital displays (which ironically made a comeback of sorts 30 years later). That said, before I draw any vitriol from fans of this car, I need to say that I always really liked the looks of the Reatta from the beginning. I have to disagree with the reviewers of Motorweek regarding their criticism of the rear deck, which I thought absolutely excellent. A car with its rear wheels set behind the C-pillar base just has character to it. That access hatch in the cab to the trunk has an extra benefit as well, besides carrying a bag of golf clubs: If for any reason the trunk latch breaks, making it impossible to open it normally, one can still access the trunk and the broken latch through that access hatch. I cannot say that about a contemporary Audi Series-80 I owned in Germany, which suffered just that malfunction, forcing destruction of one of the rear panels to get into the trunk to fix the broken latch. I always thought the Reatta was one of the finest-looking small cars I've ever seen, and to this day I would not mind at all owning a copy of it. I would, however, prefer the hardtop coupe; the 'vert, however rare and thus novel, has one deficiency: It has no power-assist to it...which isn't too much of a problem for a car this small, but on the other hand is rather crude for a car that was fitted with power-everything-else.

[@matsuri626]

That 3800 sounds sweet, almost like a V8!

[@gotcha671]

Pop up healight AND touch screen , that car was perfect

[@robertfoster3384]

I’m a fan of this car. Especially the convertible. Nice luxurious cruiser.

[@broeheem2804]

....and that same shifter knob that was on every GM car - from Cavalier to Corvette - for 20 years.

[@matthewcortes3786]

I always loved gm cars like these. They were the cars of my high school years, all the guys that didn't have rich parents bought cars like this and we all put subs in them and just cruised around. We beat the shit out of them and they just kept going. I remember how scary it was when your walking at night to catch the bus or something and a old Buick comes creeping down the street with blacked out windows and then slows right down beside you.

[@bman6820]

Owned a 88 back in the 90's. The gals loved it ! Lol

[@FoDaddy]

I think had this car been rear wheel drive, and been equipped with the L67 (assuming it could be made to fit under the low, sloping hood) in it's final year, it might've been better received.

[@LOGICNREALITY]

then it would have taken sales from camaro so the gm people wouldnt allow it

[@2dfx]

This thing would be amazing with a manual

[@razvandobos9759]

I want this car back.

[@tonychavez2083]

I have been waiting for this one. So computerized and futuristic at the time

[@petrovicmotors3775]

Loved that car!! I had a1990 model .. Good handeling and fun to drive!

[@leadfarmer7755]

I always loved these cars, but the crickets chirping in the background pretty much sums up their performance.

[@DUNEATV]

25k back then is 55K today! Jeez that car was expensive!

[@fantashi1782]

that dash is so cyberpunk

[@jsz2619]

The brake accumulator from the Reatta fits perfectly in my XJ40. Saved me a bunch.

[@Bartonovich52]

If you had an XJ12 it would also have a GM transmission. Jag, BMW, even Rolls Royce simply did not have the experience with making automatic transmissions for such powerful engines. Only Mercedes with its heavy truck and SUV experience could make them all in-house.

[@johnmattiazzo3900]

I hope you do the Oldsmobile trofeo

[@johnmattiazzo3900]

@Jay & Laong's World!🤪²⁰²¹ a friend had one what a beautiful car

[@jathinpandit9353]

They have done the toronado trofeo

[@hazzaknox1069]

Yeah they did the '90 trofeo

[@drivedb7]

I do seem to remember MotorWeek testing a burgundy Toronado Trofeo during the 1990 season. Lovely car.

[@stephencavanaugh8377]

I'd still love to have one of these.

[@skbuydens7717]

Imagine this car with a supercharger and rear wheel drive?

[@jerodrobinson4040]

The most interesting part of these Video's to me is the high number of Cars that have been virtually phased out of existence. I was Born in 86, and the number of Cars that had I idea existed is kinda shocking..

[@ArmySigs]

The convertible is a gorgeous car, doesn't have that awkward rear pillar section they mention here. Good ones are cheap too as the car is so unknown, I think it may be a fuiture classic.

[@tedschmitt178]

"Overly digitized dash" should have become an industry norm in 1988.

[@jacklo325]

$25k in 1988 was not cheap for sure...

[@matthewpingor8040]

We had a 6 Caravan and a 88 Cadillac, plus I believe my old 94 Jimmy, that had six-way seat adjustment. Should be standard since then.

[@RaymondHaley-lv2mo]

AH yes the Buick reatta, a clever mix of sharing the Cadillac allante chassis and the Buicks Riviera,s drivetrain

[@bruth6138]

Best burn in MotorWeek history. Is it a sports car? No. Its a buick

[@arieljones4595]

I always loved the styling of this car. I always found it to be smooth and timeless. I seems a shame that this car never got a hot engine. It deserved it. I always wondered what it would've done if it had been released during the time of the Supercharged 3800 series 2. And lastly, why was it that manufacturers of the day (like all of them) seemed to treat foglights like an afterthought? They always seemed poorly integrated and tacked on, like they all sourced JC Whitney to handle the fogs.

[@zzoinks]

I wonder what the wire dragging on the ground at 4:43 is supposed to be.

[@gingerelvira6587]

I owned an 1988 Red like the one shown, I Really liked it. My only complaint was the engine didn't have much torque. Driving to Santa Cruz through some hills it constantly had to down shift.

[@DougsCars]

Such a clean design. Shame it wasn’t RWD.

[@JDMHaze]

exactly!!!!!

[@DougsCars]

@@JDMHaze Reatta GNX!!

[@51-FS]

Yeah that would of made a great dirt car

[@DougsCars]

@@51-FS Heh, yes!!

[@one_flew_over_the_cuckoos_nest]

Thank GOD it was FWD

[@stevend3753]

Uh,.....why does it sound like they dubbed in the exhaust sounds from a Z28 with glasspacks??

[@georgethomas276]

I built a model of this car. It was so unique when it came out.

[@jasonz7788]

Great work thanks

[@helder6175]

The Buick version of a Fiero, basically. Remember that GM made like ten versions of the same thing... while Ford-Mercury-Lincoln did five versions of the same thing.

[@Eremon1]

I can't stop thinking of the Fiero looking at the Reatta. It's just front engine/wheel drive instead.

[@quad5186]

Thought these were pretty cool, I remember sitting in one that was on display in the mall.

[@patcurrie7808]

Biggest failure on Reatta was light bar at rear. The sun damage was already bad in the later 90s.

[@PhillyDee215]

A touch screen in a Buick in 1988👌my modern buick didn't even come with a touch screen but with a few modifications it does have 400whp😎

[@fmac6441]

The funny thing is that currently what draws the most attention about the first Reattas is the touchscreen (abandoned after a few years) but in this review almost no time was spent on it.

[@PhillyDee215]

@@fmac6441 yeah that's interesting🤣

[@jsciarri]

@@fmac6441 Thats because Motorweek already covered it more extensively in the 1986 Buick Riviera from a couple years before this.

[@LrulestheworldM8]

Its a real shame GM didnt bother giving this car the individual treatment it so desperately deserved. This was a parts bin car, even more so than the fiero. And it stayed that way until its death. This was pretty much the last gasp of the brand before its slow downward trend to the trash it now has sporting buick badges.

[@midlifecrisis7888]

I found one for sale at 5K, with 83K original miles, is it a good deal?

[@eldo59]

I wish GM added a wrap around spoiler similar to the Trans Am of that year. Something about the rear looks too plain to me.

[@mugpush4816]

I got one! 1991!

[@joshjohnson6163]

I always thought this car is what happened when a C4 Corvette mated with a Mazda Miata.

[@PTAldridge]

Wow!....look at that touch screen!

[@jackjohnson7396]

Use to see them on the road many years ago. Most all were driven by older women. The car did look good and stood out too.

[@DavidAndre657]

MW MISSES: -- Digital Dash -- High Trunk Sill -- Roof to Rear Styling

[@roddydykes7053]

NO OIL GAUGE OR VOLT METER

[@97JoMiller]

I can't be the only one who's digging that car in the year 2021... put a super charged 3800 under the hood and it could be a lot of fun.

[@Trance88]

Definitely a decent looking coupe! It's like the American Miata.

[@tca666]

Omggg touch screen!!!

[@bigbird2240]

One for sale in Pensacola for only 6k , one owner

[@Porsche996driver]

Was there an audio engineer for Autoweek? Did he like crickets?! 🤣 Storage bins for cameras? Today people use them to hide guns. -Cars move forward - humans go backwards.

[@Nedula007]

I think i've only ever seen 1 of these in the wild

[@chaseman94]

We all know why GM canceled the Pontiac Fiero but I'll bet this is another reason why.

[@Bartonovich52]

Doubtful. About the only thing similar to the Fiero was that it was a two seater. The Fiero was a parts-bin CAFE cap-and-trade car. Take front suspension off the Chevette/T1000, take the drivetrain off the Citation/Phoenix and install it on the back, and use plastic to make a supercar inspired econobox, and hope that enough hair dressers will buy the sheep-in-wolf’s-clothing Iron Duke ones to offer sacrifice to CAFE gods so they could keep making V8 Firebirds and Trans Ams. Unfortunately due to the plebeian nature of its underpinnings and the fires as a result of the small oil pan needed to fit the Iron Duke, it was a sales disaster and they lost money on every one made. That’s why it was cancelled. The Reatta was for a completely different market. It was for a more affluent and conservative demographic with its luxury features, high price, and low production numbers… and the high weight and large engine meant that lowering average fuel economy wasn’t a goal-otherwise they would have at least offered the Oldsmobile Quad 4 or a smaller Buick V6 like the 3.0L.

[@prestoncheapbtheadphoneste3010]

A, ‘3800’! 😯

[@zuti071]

I never heard for this car...until now.

[@williammurphy9897]

Touch screen! In 1988-89?

[@romanpaladino]

I loved the designed, I didn't find the rear end awkward at all. A very beautiful automobile. The digital instruments panel on the other had it's just awful. Nice, black on white, complete set of classic analog would've been better. The squarish dashboard and ugly steering wheel also don't belong on a beautiful car like this one.

[@Stressless2023]

They fixed the steering wheel in 1990 when these got an airbag, not the square dash though lol.

[@michaelcoffey7362]

Nice, I alway's like this car 😀