3 DIRT Cheap Modern Classics To Buy Right NOW : Buy or Bust Ep.1

[@chrisreed26]

FYI, As a prior owner, the radio volume has the "tactile' feel because it's a motorized knob. When you use the steering wheel radio controls the volume knob actually moves. The headlight adj is for how long the lights stay on after you shut the car off not the sensitivity..on most GM cars it was called Twilight Sentinal

[@MarinCipollina]

Twilight Sentinal was unique to Cadillac. Other divisions with this feature used other names

[@c.mcdermo]

​@Connor Arroyo nope, my 01 park avenue is labeled twilight sentinel above the slider

[@donaldwilson2620]

I actually love this new series. You guys prove that you don't have to pay big money for a cool vehicle. Keep it going guys.

[@davidrudd9846]

My Mom had a 96 Riviera my son bought from her in 2012 when he was working the oil fields in west Texas. He drove that car back and forth from San Antonio to Midland Texas which is 323 miles oneway for 5 years oil changes and shocks several times (west Texas roads rough to say the least) I'm sure that car had 350,000 very rough miles before it gave up the ghost

[@loriallen67]

That’s a tough drive. Wow.

[@zachc1297]

Yep. All of the FWD GMs of that era went through wheel bearings, shocks. But other than that a couple of engine things that are/were cheap to fix they just ran forever. My '95 Olds 88 with the base engine is the same.

[@williamegler8771]

My grandparents bought two,one silver and one black, for their 50th wedding anniversary. Both of them drove for over 20 years and 250,000 mi with minimal issues. My grandfather relayed a story on how on one of their cross country trips he had the cruise control set at 100 mph while cruising through Montana. When they can no longer drive none of my relatives wanted them and they ended up on a buy here pay here used car lot.

[@texan903]

@@williamegler8771 love hearing these stories, it's a trip back to yesteryear, when elders appointment luxury, style, comfort, simplicity.

[@paulhunter9613]

Those supercharged 3.8’s were a great engine, if you kept up on maintenance and oil changes they would last a long, long time, if I found one like in this vid for 3K it would be sitting in my garage. GM made some good dependable cars back then. Even the LeSabre and Bonnevilles

[@rockoz28ctd]

The G body is the Riviera,Aurora,Seville and Park Ave.The Monte Carlo is a W body.

[@courtneypuzzo2502]

@Darin Greeley the Seville only moved to the G body in 1986 it had been on an X Body for its first two generations 1976-1985 as it was originally a stretched 4th gen Chevy Nova the Caddy was 7.3 in longer than the Nova 204 in vs 196.7 in my childhood best friends dad had a 1989 Cadillac Seville STS from new in 1988 until he was arrested in March 1990 for his mob involvement the mom drove a W126 SL 500 coupe and the daughter who has a limited license drives an AMG C63 GT coupe

[@Browningate]

@@courtneypuzzo2502 This iteration of the G Platform didn't start until 1995 with the Riviera and Aurora.

[@rockoz28ctd]

@@courtneypuzzo2502 we are talking about the 1995 and newer cars. I'm well aware of the 70s caddy that was based of the nova.

[@rockoz28ctd]

1979 was the last rear drive chevy nova.

[@rockoz28ctd]

@@Browningate the Park Avenue too I think. The Le Sabre and Pontiac Bonneville stayed the same until 2000.

[@balcorn9211]

My mom had a 95 Supercharged Riv that I took my license test in. I LOVE that car. It was just fast enough with just enough of a supercharger whine but it was also as comfortable as anything. And you're right those gauges are killer!

[@JREwing78]

Rivera = 2-door Oldsmobile Aurora, which is not damning with faint praise. The Olds' 4.0L V8 was smoother, but the blown 3.8 is more reliable. $3,000 is not a terrible price, and maybe another $1000 to get it perfect. Not a bad deal at all.

[@smojzore]

The dealer that bought it did just that (touched up the bumpers) and is asking $9,999.

[@madness198648]

Agreed

[@777jones]

Correct, I think the vlogger was clueless about what this vehicle is. It is not a Monte Carlo.

[@Threetails]

A blown 3.8 is a good engine for sure.

[@malonemillers4465]

Ya my 4.0 old was an excellent car until the dreaded blown head gasket & $5k to fix it correct!

[@johnshaw3208]

That car is way cool. Amazing design inside and out. The Riviera and the Oldsmobile Aurora were designs ahead of their time.

[@theeoddments960]

I’d argue to lump the Bonneville in there as a more affordable but just as forward thinking of a car as the riv and olds. The ssei is gonna go for money some day I just know it.

[@johnshaw3208]

@@theeoddments960 yes. How could I forget! I'll take my seeing in green over tan please.

[@aaronbehindbars]

My grandpa bought a year old 96 Riviera in that same interior and exterior color. He had just bought an electroplating machine and went crazy gold plating all the exterior trim bits. He had a stroke in 1999 and after recovering, decided to buy a VW New Beetle, so my parents got the Riv. I took that car to my Senior Prom. It was a torque monster and I loves driving that big, floaty SOB. Thanks for bring back some good memories!

[@DocZoidberg549]

I had a customer with one with a burgundy exterior and tan interior. I loved that car, I tried to buy it seriously times. The 3800 was one of the best V6's GM ever made. I had several.

[@calbob750]

Owned a 95 Riv. Good highway cruiser. 30 mpg hiway. Huge trunk.

[@Darylrb1983]

Had a 98 riviera with the ol m90. Did a pulley drop, better plugs, downpipe, intake for some loud whine. It moved pretty well. I got it at 130k miles, died at 300k. And yes the original 4t65hd

[@buqwik525]

I bought a 1995 Riviera from the orignal owner. It had every option available. The color was Adriatic Blue which is the color of the one you are auctioning . The build date was August 4, 1994. There was no 1994 Riviera as it was introduced for 1995. It was one of the best cars i have ever owned.

[@christopherdouglas8471]

These Buick Rivieras have NOTHING to do with the W body Monte Carlo at all. The G body was all-new in 95, and was shared with the then new Oldsmobile Aurora. Just setting the record straight. This is a great choice. I’d drive it in a minute. At the right speed, that supercharger whine will charm you over.

[@paulhunter9613]

Didn’t the Auroras have a v8 option also?

[@christopherdouglas8471]

@@paulhunter9613 Aurora 4.0 V8, which was a downsized Northstar engine. The V6 was a 3.5 DOHC.

[@GordonBeckles]

@@christopherdouglas8471 Not to contradict you, however I believe the 6 cylinder at the time was the Buick 3800 Series 2 (an awesomely reliable engine with lots of tuning potential). Great engine👍🏾

[@johnstuckaiii]

​@GordonBeckles he's actually correct

[@christopherdouglas8471]

@@GordonBeckles I’m not going to spend a lot of time on this, but, to be clear, the Oldsmobile Aurora NEVER used the 3800 V6. Any google will confirm the 2nd generation Aurora used the DOHC 3.5 V6, as I previously told you. The Riviera used both naturally aspirated and supercharged versions of the Buick 3800 engine.

[@reallyemptypockets6509]

I had a 98 Riv with 38k miles, most comfortable car I have ever owned. When I sold it in the Rocky Mountain news want ads, remember those, I had 24 voicemails in the first 3 hours.

[@majorcalvary6515]

I prefer Ford Thunderbirds and Lincoln Mark 7 and 8. They are rear wheel drive. Actually Mercury Cougars are kind of cool too.

[@2fuzy]

97 mark viii was a cool car but overly complicated air suspension doomed it if the air system failed to inflate one could not get a jack under it or on a trailer etc and all this electronic gadgetry will go bad at sometime and doom the modern car as collectable

[@thomasthurston6656]

I had a 96 bought in 98 it ran low 15s at Pomona traded it in 2016. The Riv had 206k miles and still kicked ass. They were fast for the time and almost 40k new.

[@zak182006]

Tommy knows the market and the industry well. 5 years ago you were just thinking about being in videos, now dominating most channels. Amazing. Keep it up Tommy.

[@R.Nelson]

My brother had an 82' Riviera in the 90s. Buick Rivieras n Oldsmobile Tornado's ...I remember lots of em on the road yrs ago

[@joemitza5435]

I had a 96, my absolute favorite car !!! Seats were like butter!!

[@AaronSmith-kr5yf]

That Buick had Michelin tires on it. Somebody really loved their old car and took care of it. Michelin tires are a very good indicator the oil was always changed on time and the owner spent the $$$ to fix things when they broke/wore out. Also I like the weird styling, especially that knife edge detail on the front and rear fenders.

[@arri275555]

Worked for Enterprise from 97-98. The Riviera was so much fun to drive

[@keenanwingo2250]

Lincoln mk8 has a 4v cobra engine, with rear wheel drive. Irs rear suspension. Sleepers with comfort

[@jameseast7966]

When I bought my 98 mkviii, I gave my friend a ride and she said this is luxury with an attitude. Still going strong 24 yrs later.

[@randymcmanus8691]

Ive owned 4 over the years and currently have 2 a 97 black on black LSC and a 98 Collectors Edition pearlescent white both with low miles and great condition ,they are awesome cars ahead of their time with rear neon ballast and hid headlights ,the air ride just went down on the 97 after 27 years and it cost me $130 for new bags and solenoids and its back on the road ,everybody converts to coilovers because they think the car is done and the ride is bumpy and sucks ,Ill be hanging on to my 2 and they will get whatever they need ,last of the Lincoln hot rods .

[@P.Galore]

This Riviera was originally a GM showcar concept put into production with most of the vision intact. I agree this will be a classic. Even though materials, fit and finish of all American cars between 1973 and 2000 are suspect, those that can say : I remember " will show interest.

[@grunkohlaktionar7474]

The 90s were the best time for car enthusiasts. You had the choice between everything you can dream of. Every car company offered nearly every type of car

[@bldontmatter5319]

Yeah, whereas nowadays cars all look the same, they're emissions clogged tiny 1-2 liter engines, almost no manual transmissions, 1970s cars are all expensive or need rebuilding, and 80s-90s cars are all beat up or super high mileage

[@MarinCipollina]

I think the early 1970s were best for used cars.. Cars from the 1950s were still quite common, and there were some great Pontiacs available at reasonable prices, GTO, Bonneville, Catalina 2+2, Firebirds, Grand Prix, Trans Am.. MOPAR HEMIS, Cadillacs with tail fins from '60s and '50s.. Hurst Oldsmobiles,..Great stuff..

[@texan903]

You're totally right! There are few "must have" desirable new vehicles for sale. Design language has become unappealing, and drive really carefully, lest you kill the engine or transmission.

[@jimda4910]

They missed some of the best features on the Riviera. The two driver feature. Driver one presses the key fob the seat drops all the way down and back when you close the door the seat goes to your setting. Same for a driver two And an exit button on the armrest making the seat go all the way back for easy exit. Built in programmable three garage door opener function. My 96 had the upgraded sound system and it was really good. Metal flake red with tan leather interior.

[@paralyzes]

Nothing sluggish about how these Rivera’s performed or handled, their styling is timeless!

[@325xitgrocgetter]

Living through the 90s...and recalling the GM product lines....Lumina and Monte Carlo were based on the GM10/W body platform. The Monte Carlo replaced the Lumina coupe in 1995. This G body isn't related to the A/G body that underpinned the 1978 to 1988 rear drivers which included the Monte Carlo. This new G Body that underpinned the Riviera was related to the Olds Aurora and more distantly to the Cadillac Seville. I looked at one that was for sale that was in perfect condition and would have been worth preserving...but opted not to get it since I needed to get a car that would be practical for the younger driver.

[@JBsC6]

I think the rivera is a stunning personal luxury car thats both reliable and inexpensive to maintain. Smart buy that looks like a concept show-car for the street,

[@Chubbycat747]

I have a 96 Riviera. It needed some TLC when I bought it. Everytime I think I should sell it, I drive it and I want to keep it! Luv the car.

[@robertborne895]

The Lincoln Mark VIII had a 270 hp engine in “regular “ trim and 290 in LSC trim. Plus it had at the time the most expensive HID headlamps and super bright rear lights / rear light bar.

[@MarinCipollina]

The tail lights on the MK VIII were neon. Headlights were xenon.

[@paulhunter9613]

Did you ever have to replace one of those headlights? extremely expensive for its time. A friend had to replace one and I believe he said it was around $350. A lot of money back then, you couldn’t replace just the bulb, it had to have the whole headlamp replaced

[@randymcmanus8691]

I just replaced mine and it was $75 bucks for the whole assembly on FB marketplace also the rear air ride dropped after 27 years and it cost me $130 for new bags and solenoids no way I was doing coilovers at 5 times the costs for parts and the ride sucks the neon ballast rear tail lamp is new on Ebay for $110 and the car rides and looks better than 95 % of anything else on the road today ,they are cheap and easy to fix and have a tremendous motor that can be tweaked to be a real badass ,last of the Lincoln muscle cars .

[@andrewdonohue1853]

i have a 2003 bonneville SSEi, it has a few basic mods... for a big car she can move along. running a 3.6" pulley and supporting mods. there arent many left anymore. i like the car so much i refuse to drive in the winter

[@jv8296]

Those Rivs were awesome in their day. Still nice looking honestly. That Supercharged 3.8 was a legit monster back then too.

[@Epotheros]

220 HP was nothing to Scoff at back in the 90s. It was on par with the entry level performance cars like the N/A Mk IV Supra (220 hp) and the Mustang GT (215 hp). It would be the equivalent of a 400 hp car today.

[@MarinCipollina]

This generation Riv was the best looking since the 1965 first generation. Shame that it was FWD.

[@dougsmith6262]

Those 3.8s they used were great engines. Reliable, with good power for the mpg.

[@microminiskirt]

How about a 2005 Buick Ultra Park Ave. With with port holes and V6 super charger? It's a very comfortable riding car.🤔

[@paulhunter9613]

👍👍

[@GolfInHawaii69]

Still a pos🤣

[@microminiskirt]

@@GolfInHawaii69 What is a pos?

[@agnesweppler4360]

I have a 97 park Avenue 4 door, just turned 580,000 last week. hauls me butt to work everyday. just wont die.

[@wushock92]

I had a 1992 Olds Touring Sedan with the supercharged 3800. Loved that car but rust got the best of it. On 93 octane, that big old car got 34 mpg! It also had air ride suspension which floated you down the highway. Only 1800 Touring Sedans made that year but I don't know how many were 'blown.' The Park Avenue also had a supercharged model.

[@MarinCipollina]

Was that the Delta 88 LSS ?

[@wushock92]

@@MarinCipollina No. It was a 98 variant.

[@yellowwinner1]

I recently just got rid of my 2003 Buick LeSabre and let me tell you, even without the supercharger the 3800's drive like an absolute dream. I wish there were more modern vehicles like the Rivera and LeSabre without spending a ton of money because they really were the best to cruise around in and enjoy the trip.

[@paulhunter9613]

They were fantastic cars and were excellent long road trip vehicles

[@yellowwinner1]

@@paulhunter9613 Oh absolutely, that thing drove from Florida to Indiana more then it's fair share lol

[@c.mcdermo]

I have an 01 park ave non-sc I bought from my great grandparents and couldn't agree more. I will replace that entire car piece by piece as it breaks before I get rid of it

[@BoberMcBoberson]

I had a 1998 Park ave. And I absolutely loved it! My only complaint is the speed limiter cut in like getting kicked in the face at a whole whapping 105 mph, while still strongly accelerating 🤣

[@ryurc3033]

Such a shame, Pontiac grand prix did the same, those cars were smooth enough at speed, almost would have been worth it to screw with the computer to see what it would do. One of my friends had one of the early supercharged gtp, with headers, supercharger pulley, and had a weird box tied into the map sensor, Sill would get to right at 100 and cut....but it could run a full quarter mile (yes it was slow)

[@tylerharris1085]

I remember that from my 98 Bonneville, hit 99mph and it would cut power until you dropped back down to 95. if you stayed in it, it was like a bucking bronco, hilarious

[@bigjoewebb]

I had an 02 GTP 40th anniversary edition coupe, 3.4 pully, zzp tuned with all the supporting mods, got it up to 137 without an issue.

[@c.mcdermo]

I haven't been brave enough to push my 01 park above 110 but I believe she'll do it if I try 😂 I got a 3 hr drive ahead of me so I'll have to try it

[@yrasphong]

The 90's Buick and Pontiac had great engines..my dad had a 95 regal and a 95 GRAND AM GT..I think they both had the same engine..btw I like how u guys started adding more channels like the classics channel

[@apj341]

Rented a 2000 Buick Century years ago and enjoyed how smooth the ride was. Would be a great family car if it was 2 or 3 kids.

[@paulhunter9613]

I had a 2001 Buick century and it had a beautiful smooth ride, great mpg, it was like a miniature LeSabre. I would have kept it forever but it got the rust bug in it and had to sell it after 14 yrs. The seats in those cars were so comfortable

[@terracar2003]

I had two rivieras a 98 sc and a 97 na definitely need to get a supercharged one mine lasted 350k before the engine blew due to dex-kill related problems but those cars are dead reliable and i would absolutely buy one for 3k again, also a couple of extra quirks about the car, the battery is underneath the rear seats if you buy one of these CHECK IT theres a small vent tube that HAS to be connected to the battery otherwise you risk poisoning yourself and dying from the battery fumes, the water pumps especially on the older ones go out occasionally you have to loosen the motor mounts to get them off, the superchargers on these are very desirable as they can be modded to make a pretty decent boost number, the rear seats dont fold down but there is (sometimes) a microscopic pass through that you can barely fit your arm through, theres a couple other things but for the most part these are great cars overall especially if you want a nice sound system) thanks for checking out these cool cars guys

[@TheCamster44]

Good find! Loving these videos. Another good one is the 90s Lumina Z34 with the 3.4 DOHC. My dad had one that had a cell phone in it. Took it to the drag strip when I was in high school.

[@my1vice]

I had one as a demo... I liked it. That and the Z24 Cavalier. Sporty and cheap. But I wasn't much for the crazy Berettas... GTU and GTZ.

[@stefanfalldorf6573]

When I was an exchange student in the US in 1994 my host family had a red Lumina Z34. For me as a european it looked weired but cool. I realy like it. When I visited them in 1999 they traded it to a Monte Carlo Z34. I didn't like that at all.

[@MarinCipollina]

@@stefanfalldorf6573 Monte Carlo was essentially a 2 door W body Impala

[@paulhunter9613]

@@my1vice I had a ‘92 Grand Prix GTP with the 3.4 DOHC and 5 spd. It had a redline of 7000 rpm, it loved to rev. It was loaded , handling pkg, factory Z rated eagle GT 50 series tires that were 11” wide. That car was very fast and would take a hard 90 deg turn at 35mph and not squeal the tires. They made very few of that model, wish I had kept it, it was a garage queen with extremely low mi also

[@kevinburrell7271]

My uncle Frankie had both a '89 and a '95 Riv and he loved them to pieces.

[@markhavelka4924]

Great format. Brendan is a good addition to the team.

[@ILOVEBACONBOY2018]

I miss the 90s cars. I love love this series guys, great work!

[@ChrisHally45]

Same here

[@radggs6961]

Three great options; two points on the Riv', seats were designed by orthopaedic doctors and on a ride and drive, I was on when she was introduced, the Riv' holds its own against a rwd Mark vi and Lexus on a stadium test track. Wish they could be found over here in the rusty belt. Those rides were clean. Thanks for your knowledge on the Benz & Mazda.

[@MarinCipollina]

BUICKS of the 1990s had some of the best seats, including the C body Roadmasters.

[@rickymack2611]

Love the Lincoln Mark from that time period as well. I remember the commercial saying that the ashtray was big enough for 2 cigars

[@ryurc3033]

I ended up with a dirt cheap 2001 regal( non supercharged) for 100$.......they had used it as a dog pen for a few months, so the interior was completely eaten. Even the leather on the steering wheel was gone. But I put a battery in it, and it fired instantly. I still have the 3.8 and automatic.

[@Eddie-yc5yd]

Absolutely agree. You made me appreciate the Buck.

[@daveriley6310]

I've had two '98 Rivieras with the supercharged 3800 engines. Love the body design. The chassis and suspension . . . not so much. They never made me feel like I was sitting in a fighter jet, and I do have a basis for comparison w/ 20 years flying supersonic jets. With the Riviera, you feel like you are sitting in a high-end, but somewhat overweight, sport coupe.

[@corralescruiser8957]

I love my 92 Lincoln Mark VII LSC Special Edition. Low miles, like new condition and great drivetrain with the Mustang GT 5.0 HO engine and AOD trans. The best bang for the buck in my opinion.

[@jrj210]

Really enjoyed this episode! And as a previous ‘05 ML500 owner, I agree with the recommendation of the W163, if you can find one that’s been properly maintained!

[@grantman64]

The Mazdaspeed is a cool car, but that one at the auction was one to run away from. Aside from the issues you found, it had an obvious repaint on the passenger side suggesting a past accident.

[@davidbroadhurst6919]

Beware of what's underneath the car! Depending on what state there's a thing called rust! Check your chackles and springs and frame!

[@PKDesigns2011]

kool series, def. keep it going ... makes me relive my youth days lmao ... I had one of these for a bit and honestly it was a fun sleeper, not much by todays standards but back in the 90's this thing was a pretty quick n soft which is what I loved about old Buicks lol

[@superdavessubiandmore823]

Love that Buick,that is one of the best engines gm made its bulletproof.

[@fredwilliams7893]

Yep! Not a lot of people know that! The 3.8 was legendary good!

[@andrewhaywood1262]

My late great-uncle had a '95 Riviera when I was a kid. I remember it faintly, and always wondered why there were no Buick badges on it. Great to see it getting some love, I still think it's one of the best-looking GM products of the 90s, next to the TranSport minivan and Impala SS.

[@hakeemsd70m]

I'm glad to see somebody else give the 1st gen U body (Dustbuster) vans some love. I miss seeing them everywhere like they were when I was a child growing up in the early-mid 00's.

[@richgin99]

4:30...that adjustment is for how long your headlights stay on after you shut the car off...not darkness it comes on or anything else...typical mid-90's GM twilight sentinel I believe...FYI

[@colindmac78]

my father bought a 1981 Riviera in the early 90's when i was a teenager. it was owned by a bank manager and only had 30,000km on it. what a beautiful car. front wheel drive. 301 in it i believe.. Never winter driven. i when we first got it looking at all the ash trays. think it had 5 ash trays and a ciggerate lighter in 4 of the 5. I really miss that car. also looks like this is going to be a good series.

[@kevinquartemont2313]

I worked for Enterprise Rent a Car in the mid 90s and loved the Riviera. Such a sexy look it had. I also, was very high on the Cadillac STS. As managers there was a program where we could drive home whatever car we wanted from what was on the lot at the end of the day. It was amazing how there always seemed to be an STS or Riviera available at the end of every day. I guess I was just lucky. Lol.

[@justinbgraf7565]

Had a Civic that had to go in for warranty work in 97. I got a Riviera as a rental cause out of compact cars. After 2 weeks in Riviera I didn't wanna go back to the civic.

[@jlang8213]

The Monte and Riv were on unrelated platforms. That Riviera was a G-body, a chassis it shared with the Olds Aurora, Seville, and I think a couple other larger cars. Its contemporary Monte Carlo counterpart was a W-body, shared with impala, Lumina, regal, century, regal, grand prix, Cutlass supreme, and intrigue (I think that's all of them).

[@Bigjobrob]

Love this series idea! I find myself wanting to be a part of your conversations. Brendan is an amazing addition to the channel.

[@jameskennedy673]

Like what y’all are doing. The Silver bullet gets my vote, the Mercedes Benz is a grocery getter, the Mazda has a smile on its face because it caught you. Y’all keep’m coming

[@TJ-di1lb]

90s cars really are the best. yeah they had all the crappy plastic but they had style and comfort before all the tech was jammed into cars that we don't need or want but have to buy that drives the car prices thru the roof. I bet 25 years from now 2022 models will not hold up so well because all the tech crap broke and no replacement parts.

[@adammendivil2200]

Buick Riviera is always had that really unique center console cool dash looking. always unique.

[@nothincametomind]

I had a 97 Riv in that exact color, but I had a cammed L32 with a bunch of other mods that made it to about 400HP. Miss that car.

[@bstahl1121]

my first car was a 1997 buick riviera and i absolutely loved it. as a 16/17 year old it felt insanely fast, was super comfortable, and was just a great car. I miss my old riv, but the guy i sold it to crashed it shortly after i sold it.

[@howardkerr8174]

Saw one of those Rivieras just yesterday. I don't quite care for the green interior, this would look better with a aftermarket woodgrain dash kit.

[@synthpulse1]

Nice, but not quite competition with the mentioned Mark VIII 1993-98. Rear wheel drive. Independent front & rear suspension. 32 valve Dual Over Head Cam “Intech” 4.6 L V-8. 290hp ( the engine that would soon be powering the Mustang Cobra.)

[@josesanchez8216]

I owned a Buick Riviera just like that! 3.8 supercharged! Slapped 3 inch exhaust all the way back to a Magnaflow 60 series. K&N 3" filter to hear that supercharger whine! A double din stereo and a 15" subwoofer. Limo tint all around with smoked headlights, HID lights. I had a blast in that thing 😎

[@rickymack2611]

I love those Rivieras from that period.

[@099las]

Love the format where you show the verdict in between

[@randymcmanus8691]

I owned both the Riviera and Lincoln Mark VIII's LSC and there is no comparison ,the Mark had the original aluminum 32v intech Cobra motor , first cars with HID headlights,rear neon ballast tail light, cockpit interior and air ride( which is easy to fix instead of coilovers ) these cars were way ahead of their time, Ive owned 4 over the years and currently have 2 a 98 Collectors Edition pearlescent white and a 97 black on black LSC both low mileage and great condition, last of the rear wheel drive Lincoln muscle cars .

[@jrcars7017]

I'd love to know how many 8th gen Rivieras are left. I doubt it's much more than 5000 and most will be used up as poor people daily drivers over the next few years. It's going to end up being a very rare car.

[@jarrodwidiger5472]

I'd venture to say 1/3 are probably still on the road. 5000 is way, WAY low.

[@BrendenPragasam]

Love the series, definitely dont see the appeal in the merc tho. My friend has one. It overheated smelled like crayons and was always getting into troubles (not to mention the switches were basically falling out of the door) Definitely not my choice, but the rivera was cool!

[@barco581]

Another great deal out there now is the C4 Corvette, especially the 1994-1996 models.

[@MarinCipollina]

Also C5 Corvettes can be had at very low prices

[@paulhunter9613]

Shhh, don’t say that out loud, I’ve been thinking of buying a C4, they are very cheap now, I’ve actually seen the price creep up in the last yr, people are getting wise😳

[@barco581]

@@paulhunter9613 C4s have been going up since 2018ish...

[@christopherrobin1505]

My mom own this exact color combo. On a hill, with the e-brake down. Does quiet a huge smoke show.

[@JamesThomas-dn6ee]

Love the looks of the Riviera

[@rzu7120]

In the 1990s, I worked with someone who bought a brand new Riviera and a new house in the same year. When he got his first outrageous property tax bill (in DuPage County, Illinois), he traded the Riviera for a Geo Tracker!

[@MarinCipollina]

wow.. what a POS

[@texan903]

What a unfortunate, massive downgrade!

[@jllen729]

That car shared its platform with the olds aurora not the Monte Carlo.

[@lilredexptsc]

I was really quite fond of these cars back in the day. They were beautifully styled for their day.

[@adammendivil2200]

I had a friend who owned a Oldsmobile Aurora of the same year I believe and this one is a lot cooler on the interior

[@andregonsalvez9244]

I would also look for the 94 to 96 Chevrolet Impala SS and Ford F150 Lightning from the mid 90s .

[@scottyellis3442]

I agree with you Tommy, I'd take the Buick with that 3.8, those were some really good engines.

[@thomasjj1976]

The Mark VIii had the 32v 4.6L V8. It was 280hp and far superior to the competition of the day

[@BruceLee-xn3nn]

Air suspension took these to the junkyard and not many liked the look of that car.

[@johnschnellbach986]

@@BruceLee-xn3nn there's a kit out there to change the bags to springs

[@BruceLee-xn3nn]

@@johnschnellbach986 there wasn't years ago. Majority of these cars airbags had problems even when they were almost new.

[@JW-il6iq]

unfortunately, while the motor was good...the cars themselves were maintenance hogs overall. I do love the mn12 chassis, but ford's advanced systems of the era were lacking in reliability.

[@jameseast7966]

@@BruceLee-xn3nn Mr Lee, my 98 mkviii is still going strong, but only 95k. It is a Florida edition with cloth top. I did do an oring replace on the air struts. They are still holding. In its day I believe it was the finest car FOMOCO ever made.

[@epsmith19]

I drove a Black Riv in college. Loved that thing!

[@IanThecrackerstacker]

I have a 1998 Oldsmobile intrigue with the 3.8 series 2. 85k miles with leather and sunroof. Amazing daily driver. I paid 1400$ last year. I just renewed the plates. Hoping for another 10 years

[@deniswauchope3788]

Yes, you've convinced me too. My next car just might be the "silver bullet," the Riviera. Great show guys, good stuff!

[@shifferbrains1729]

OK Red, get your info correct...The 95 Riveria, or any other Riveria was never based off a Monte Carlo. The 95 Riv was based off the LeSabre/Park Avenue and the Aurora. The Monte wasnt even offered with the 3.8 until 1998. I do agree with you though, that body style was very unique and sexy!

[@sofloflow]

My dad almost bought one of these Buicks once. Quirky car indeed, I never forgot it.

[@Michael-ft3vg]

All of those Ford P1 cars are so great..I have the Volvo version of the Mazda with the 5 cylinder turbo. Great platform!

[@OldThomMerton]

Love the new series . . . . . . didn't TFL have an ML for an off-road series that hmmmm seized up? Transfer case, Bingo! Tommy remembers!

[@kencarnley7101]

A few years ago I purchased a Very Nice 97 Riviera with 83K miles on it. 4K dollars. What else could 4K get you in the used car market. Yes, the platform is common with other GM cars but a lot of research and design went into the body construction to keep it quiet and vibration free.

[@man_on_wheelz]

When the car was new and in it's infancy, that Rivera looked so sharp to me, very beautiful rounded car in a world of still boxy and rigid looking vehicles that were only just starting to round out. Buick went berserk with their curves on that car. However, being much older and having a better eye for design than I did back then... I now see that Buick didn't quite know how they wanted to finish the front and rear. In fact, like someone else said, it's a 2-door Olds Aurora which that front and rear would've looked a bit better on this car I think, but if you look at it long enough, you'll see Buick just took the Park Avenue and scaled everything down in the rear to fit into the little hole they made for it, and did a weird stretch and bulge thing with the front. Otherwise it's exactly the same as the Buick Park Avenue, makes it a bit off-putting for me today.

[@65mustangfan4]

Meaaaaan I had a 2003 ml350 as my first car that thing was a tank, use to take it offroading through creeks with jeeps and drove it from 140k-230k and had some great times in highschool

[@65mustangfan4]

Also it weighed so much, was an absolute tank in snow and ice

[@Gilbertmk2]

Let's not forget the torque numbers on those 3800 series 2 motors. They had 280 ft lbs which was almost as much as the v8 mustangs. Add and intake, exhaust, tune and small pulley and you'd make more power than many v8s of the time.

[@scootermann83]

The Monte Carlo of that Era was a W Body, G was a more modern platform shared with 2nd gen aurora and the final Bonneville.

[@M_Phipps0520]

G body cars were 1978-1988

[@scootermann83]

@@M_Phipps0520 I obviously meant the newer G Body, 1995-2011

[@joshuahautala7121]

I really like this series. A lot of these cars were what i really wanted back in the day. It"s a fun rewind to funner times

[@baldisaerodynamic9692]

those rivieras were great looking cars.

[@mattgorman6643]

Great series!!! Keep it coming!