Riviera

I posted this last fall, but listing it again now that we are into tax return time and summer road trip season:

My late brother-in-law's supercharged 1995 Buick Riviera is still available.   Buy it to replace your rusty daily driver. Buy it to have the most comfortable car at the Challenge. Buy it for its supercharged 3.8.  Buy it for an investment. I don't care, just come and get it out of my sister's garage.  Jim spent thousands fixing it up, but barely drove it before his health declined.  It sat for a couple years in the garage but it runs, the AC  works and it shows less than 83,000 miles. My sister has no need for the car and will take $1500/OBO for it. It is garaged in Crystal River Florida, north of Tampa. It has not been on the highway for more than 3 years now, but has been warmed up and driven in and out of the garage occasionally. Looks nice in photos but needs some TLC.   

I would love to have that. Wish I could swing it right now. 

GLWS.

I've seen this thing in person. it's nice. Heck I've even been tempted by it, but I'm trying to keep it to 2 projects at a time right now. 

I'll be in Florida at the end of May. If I can get the Civic sold between now and then I'll let you know.

I would buy that if i was anywhere close

That’s a great looking car.

I had one of these, bought it in '96 or '97. Probably the nicest car I've ever owned. Fast, comfortable and almost 30 mpg.

If I could justify it, I'd own this one. If it was close, I'd probably own it anyway.

Danny, is the right quarter panel torn open or is it just a reflection? And do you think this car is up for a 1k mile trip?

Thanks, Paul

Perhaps it is heresy to ask, but, what does TLC mean? I know it means Tender Loving Care. But in this case, per se, what does it mean?

Marvelous color, by the way.

Donebrokeit said:

Danny, is the right quarter panel torn open or is it just a reflection? And do you think this car is up for a 1k mile trip?

 

Thanks, Paul

That is a dent, with paint missing and primer showing through,and a little piece of the tail light missing. I think I have a close-up that I could send you. I think there is some touch-up spray paint with the car for after the dent is pulled or filled. It is a Toyota blue. The original white paint was flaking off, of course.  As for the second question, I am sure there are folks on this board who have done a fly and drive for cars like this, but I have only driven the car in and out of the garage. I am sure it will need some sorting from sitting, even though it has been in in the garage. Personally, I am not as adventurous as I once was. I would trailer it home or have it shipped, and then start with trips around the neighborhood.

In reply to Mr. Lee :

Thanks for the kind testimony, Mr. Lee. 

I have no choice but to drive it home. So if the Civic sells and the Riviera is still available and the planets align it will be making a 1100 Mile trip. So I'm hereby putting the GRM assistance crew on notice, specifically Pete Gossett and Mazduece. I will be coming through your territory...

In reply to BenLikesCars :

Excellent question on "TLC". I think of it as stuff you could do to make the car better if you want to spend the time, but little things that generally don't keep you from driving it, mostly cosmetic stuff. 

On this car, there are several things like that. There are window gaskets/trim that go inside, over each door opening, that look fine but are not in place. Not sure why. Emblems were removed for the paint work and have not been reinstalled. There is a split or tear in the driver's seat back that I just noticed. The right front wheel arch trim is not attached, and doesn't fit perfectly so it will probably need some fitting and maybe a rivet or two. The body side molding on the driver's door is secured with trim adhesive rather than factory clips. ABS and Traction Control Off lights are on. There is a Low Coolant light on, but the coolant level looks fine. Sometimes the instrument panel does not light up and you have to wiggle a certain relay to get it working. Probably needs a little contact cleaning and WD-40 or bulb grease. The wipers like to stay on, unless you fiddle with the switch and get it to stop between settings. Two wheel center caps were lost and the others were removed for safe keeping. As you can see in the photos, the headlights are getting yellow and could use sanding/polishing. (Good thread on this elsewhere on this forum.) I am sure there are other items that I haven't noticed or can't remember. 

Basically, this is the kind of stuff you might expect to find on a 23 year old car, and you can address or ignore at your discretion.

So, I think of them as "TLC" items because someone could take their time and address this stuff at their leisure, depending on how much "love" they want to show the car.

BenLikesCars said:

Perhaps it is heresy to ask, but, what does TLC mean? I know it means Tender Loving Care. But in this case, per se, what does it mean?

 

Marvelous color, by the way.

Jim took a LONG time deciding on that color. He put it out on the Riv forum for comment, got samples, talked to everyone he could think of, then finally settled on the Toyota blue. He was delighted with the Riviera and was planning on it being the last car he would ever own.  Sure enough, it was.

I had initially planned on bringing a later-year Riviera to the Challenge last year, only to sell it and get the Rampage shortly before. The later-model 3800SC would have more power than this one's but I don't doubt that it would still FLY.

In reply to Nick Comstock :

Good luck with that Civic sale, Nick. The Riv is still available. 

Danny, I apologize.  As badly as I want that Riv. And I really really do. The wife has decided that she wants to use the money to pay off some lingering debt. I usually try not to use the SWMBO term but in this situation it's appropriate. It's back to being motorcycle only for me I guess. I'm really sorry, I would have loved to have bought it.

Good news! The Riviera has gone to a fantastic home, with a longtime friend of Jim's.