sprucegoose Posted October 26, 2005 Report Share Posted October 26, 2005 Finally landed a nice replacement car for my long lost Eldorado. Searched high and low, but couldn't find a reasonable deal on a Eldo or STS. When I saw this Riviera, and took it out for a ride I was very impressed. Not the power of the N* or course, but the supercharged 3.8L has got some nice smooth power as well. It has been maintained and cared for as well as any car I have ever owned. It is so clean you would swear it has on 40k on it! The engine bay is cleaner than any I have ever seen! New shocks, brakes, and tires all around. I'll have to give more details and pics once I pick it up on Sat. I am in Texas right now on business, and I can't wait to get back! Here is the link to the cars details. I ended up getting it for $4,600. The only thing it needs looked at is the moonroof motor is starting to make noise. What do you guys think? 98 Buick Riviera '09 Cadillac CTS-4 3.6 direct injection, 128 K mi. '15 Chevy Tahoe LTZ, 5.3i V8, 125 K mi '70 Firebird Formula 400, Bored+.04, RAIII heads, M21 4spd., in-process restoration! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedyman_2 Posted October 26, 2005 Report Share Posted October 26, 2005 Looks nice. SOunds like a good deal. I always liked those cars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitrous1 Posted October 26, 2005 Report Share Posted October 26, 2005 I was considering buying one of those before I bought my STS. A guy I work with has a 95 that he picked up for $2500 a few months ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted October 26, 2005 Report Share Posted October 26, 2005 Good Luck with it Spruce! It looks like a nice car, let us know how you like it. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regis Posted October 26, 2005 Report Share Posted October 26, 2005 Nice car Spruce. But what some of us really want to know is what kind of cat back system are you going to install on her? I have this really cool Dynomax vid/sound clip you might want to check out... Dyno1 and this one too Dyno2 Glad you found something you like. "Burns" rubber " I've never considered myself to be all that conservative, but it seems the more liberal some people get the more conservative I become. " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackc Posted October 26, 2005 Report Share Posted October 26, 2005 Great Car! I had looked at one of those before I bought my Eldo - Loved it, but it was out of my price range. Its supercharged, right? The 3800's are great engines. Congrats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STS Scott Posted October 27, 2005 Report Share Posted October 27, 2005 Looks nice. SOunds like a good deal. I always liked those cars Me too! I have always had a soft stop for that Riviera. I feel that the car was never alowed to see it's full potential. The car is a beautiful design, and the Buick nameplate is prestigious too (well, if you're a 'traditionalist'). GM seemed to be just to conservative in the mid-ninties to put forth 'the whole nine yards' like they seem to be doing today, otherwise I really think the Riv. would have much more car than it became. None the less, it is still a beautiful car, and all that more rare. As Buick once said "When better cars are built, Buick will build them!" " ...'took my Cobra down t' the track, hitched to the back o' my Cadillac..." - Jan & Dean, 'hey little cobra' Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprucegoose Posted October 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2005 Thanks for the remarks gang, I really think it is going to be well liked! I always had a passion for that style too, along with the Olds Aurora. Yes Kger2, the exhaust is probably going to have to be the first freshening up. Man do those sound clips bring back memories! I am bummed I never got to do another one with my good camera with the traction control off... Yes Nitros1, there are some of the 95s and 96s going for pretty cheap, but they weren't quite as reliable or refined from what I read. I missed out on one creampuff 95 (gold edition) that sounded really clean, but I think I'll like this one better. Good things usually come to those who are patient! Yup, it is supercharged JackC, and it runs like a sewing machine. That thing is so smooth, and really throttles up nice when you get into the pedal. The 3.8 is probably one of the best V6 motors that GM ever built. I forgot to look, but I don't think it has traction control. It will be interesting to see if it has as nice of a grip in winter as the Goose did. I gotta come up with a name for her, it will come to me soon! Yes, Buick was a little traditional with there designs back then. Especially the interiors. I really like the Caddys of this era much better than this Riv for interior design, but this was just way too sweet of a car to pass up! I'll give you a full road report with pictures once I get back on Sat. I'll have 250+ miles on it by the time I get back as we are heading over to Beloit, WI to watch my son's college soccer game after we pick it up. '09 Cadillac CTS-4 3.6 direct injection, 128 K mi. '15 Chevy Tahoe LTZ, 5.3i V8, 125 K mi '70 Firebird Formula 400, Bored+.04, RAIII heads, M21 4spd., in-process restoration! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprucegoose Posted October 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2005 Here is a pic I found on Edmunds.com's sight... The exact model, color, and rims on the one I purchased. Love that shine of black! '09 Cadillac CTS-4 3.6 direct injection, 128 K mi. '15 Chevy Tahoe LTZ, 5.3i V8, 125 K mi '70 Firebird Formula 400, Bored+.04, RAIII heads, M21 4spd., in-process restoration! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STS Scott Posted October 29, 2005 Report Share Posted October 29, 2005 Sprucegoose, How do feel about the interior in terms of a "quality leap". I'm wondering if you see a difference in the luxury/refinement/quality between the Cadillac and the Buick. You're Riv being much newer I'd expect it to have an interior equal too, if not nicer/higher end than the Eldo. On the other the Eldo WAS a Cadillac and thus had one hell of a nice interior too. Any comments about that? I think you have an intersting exchange of automobiles, in that they are both GM luxury coupes. However the "lesser" Buick is newer, and theoreticaly should be upto the same level that the more dated Cadillac, interms of refinement/luxury. Oh, and I remember my Dad's 94 Bonneville SSEi with the S/C 3800. That was one kick *smurf* motor! A funny/interesting story about that car and it's motor... My Dad bought it new back in '94. It was rated at 225 HP for the 1994 model year, and I can always remember me and my Dad reveling at the power that the car had. It would easily keep up with, or pull ahead of the 1996 Pontiacs with the 240 HP bump, or even 300Ms, which had more HP from 3.5 litres. We always thought the motor was a peach in that car. When we ended up selling it, to one of my Dad's friends about 5 years ago, the Supercharger coughed it's cookies shortly thereafter. Apparently is only one guy in all of Canada who has a business devoted to these S/C 3800 motors. Where in Canada? Right here in Windsor! Talk about lucking out, huh! Anyway, he claimed that the S/C are very inconsistent in their 'efficency' and that some run where they are supposed to, and others at about 80% or something. After rebuilding the Pontiac's Supercharger, he said he had never seen one that worked as good as ours. It was running at 130%! I thought that was really intersting, and funny because the car always just seemed to have more balls than what it was supposed too! " ...'took my Cobra down t' the track, hitched to the back o' my Cadillac..." - Jan & Dean, 'hey little cobra' Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprucegoose Posted October 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2005 Well, interesting question as far as interiors... They do differ quite a bit in style. Actually I still prefer the 93 Caddy's cause of the extra wood accents. The Buick has just a few small areas as you can see by these pics I found on autotrader of a similar car. I don't really care for the dash "hood" looking shelf that shades the gauges either. It seeemed wierd to me that the Speedo and the tack where split further out to the sides from dead center. Kind of hard to see, but maybe you'd get used to it. The numbers are kind of large, cartoon looking also... Seemed to be good quality though. No real squeaks or rattles that I remember. Nice quite ride, and the motor and driveline noise was really not evident from inside. '09 Cadillac CTS-4 3.6 direct injection, 128 K mi. '15 Chevy Tahoe LTZ, 5.3i V8, 125 K mi '70 Firebird Formula 400, Bored+.04, RAIII heads, M21 4spd., in-process restoration! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprucegoose Posted October 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2005 The seats were very comfortable. The drivers side was showing signs of a worn/weathering look just like my 98 Tahoe. I did hear that GM was going thru a quality problem with their leather in this era... I think they were 8 way adjustable, and it rode much more comfortably than my Eldo. We are talking about 5 model years difference though, and my Eldo had the original suspension with 152K on it when I bought it. Wish it had the heated seats, man that is nice in the WI winters! I do like the dual climate controls though. Finally I won't have to be battling the heater controls with my wife or daughter! You know, I am really fired up about the thought of having a super-charged motor. That is a first for me. Do they make many mods for this motor? I think I remember quite a few of the guys on the Pontiac GP board making some pretty good times at the strip with their GTP's, although I heard this Riv version is a little more tame. '09 Cadillac CTS-4 3.6 direct injection, 128 K mi. '15 Chevy Tahoe LTZ, 5.3i V8, 125 K mi '70 Firebird Formula 400, Bored+.04, RAIII heads, M21 4spd., in-process restoration! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprucegoose Posted October 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2005 You know, one thing I think I will like is the ability to manually adjust where the heat comes out a little better than my caddy. That was a big deal for the girls cause they like it blasting in there face or on the hands coming out of the vents. Looking at this cluster picture I do see it has traction control in the split button area in the lower left corner. Don't think I'll be able to smoke the tires like the Goose used to when I disabled the TC though! '09 Cadillac CTS-4 3.6 direct injection, 128 K mi. '15 Chevy Tahoe LTZ, 5.3i V8, 125 K mi '70 Firebird Formula 400, Bored+.04, RAIII heads, M21 4spd., in-process restoration! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjtjwdad Posted October 29, 2005 Report Share Posted October 29, 2005 We had a 98 Bonneville SSEi with the supercharged 3.8 and it ain't no slouch!!! All in all it was a nice car & comfortable to drive. I came close to getting a Regal GS but it wasn't as nice fom an ergonomics point of view as the STS, but still a nice car. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprucegoose Posted October 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2005 Wow, I am impressed with the ride and the smoothness of the power in this car. I hadn't really got on the gas too hard till the way home. I Hammered it one time on the way down the on ramp at about 20 mph. The tires squeeled for a couple seconds and then it was a quick launch up to 70 mph! It is super clean, and the car sure looks sharp. I noticed several people at the game yesterday stopping and taking a second look at it in the parking lot. It is just an eye catching design especially in black, and there really isn't that many out there. Here is my first picture of the nose end I took this morning... '09 Cadillac CTS-4 3.6 direct injection, 128 K mi. '15 Chevy Tahoe LTZ, 5.3i V8, 125 K mi '70 Firebird Formula 400, Bored+.04, RAIII heads, M21 4spd., in-process restoration! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprucegoose Posted October 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2005 Here is a quick shot of that ultra-clean engine bay. I don't think this car ever saw a gravel road, or spent any nights outdoors! '09 Cadillac CTS-4 3.6 direct injection, 128 K mi. '15 Chevy Tahoe LTZ, 5.3i V8, 125 K mi '70 Firebird Formula 400, Bored+.04, RAIII heads, M21 4spd., in-process restoration! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted tcb Posted October 31, 2005 Report Share Posted October 31, 2005 Nice car, Spruce ... glad to see you replaced the Goose with another special car. When the Riv made its comeback in 1995, Buick designers mentioned the interior dash paid homage to the original 64-66 classic design. Hence, the hooded dash, center stack, and round instruments and vents. There's definitely a nostalgia them going on there, kind of nice. One of the reps I deal with put about 180,000 miles on his riv, no problems with the old iron duke 3.8 ... although, the torque of the supercharger did play havoc on his tranny. He replaced it with a Regal GS, as he loves the push when that supercharger whines. Here's a pic of the original 1964 Riviera interior. 1989 FWD Fleetwood, Silver 1995 STS Crimson Pearl on Black leather 1997 STS Diamond White 1999 STS Crimson Pearl 2001 STS Silver 2003 STS, Crimson Pearl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted tcb Posted October 31, 2005 Report Share Posted October 31, 2005 Oops, let's try that again. 1989 FWD Fleetwood, Silver 1995 STS Crimson Pearl on Black leather 1997 STS Diamond White 1999 STS Crimson Pearl 2001 STS Silver 2003 STS, Crimson Pearl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprucegoose Posted October 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2005 Nice car, Spruce ... glad to see you replaced the Goose with another special car. When the Riv made its comeback in 1995, Buick designers mentioned the interior dash paid homage to the original 64-66 classic design. Hence, the hooded dash, center stack, and round instruments and vents. There's definitely a nostalgia them going on there, kind of nice. One of the reps I deal with put about 180,000 miles on his riv, no problems with the old iron duke 3.8 ... although, the torque of the supercharger did play havoc on his tranny. He replaced it with a Regal GS, as he loves the push when that supercharger whines. Here's a pic of the original 1964 Riviera interior. Wow, that's cool... Nice picture! I did not know they had that specific retro design in mind. I can certainly see the resemblance. That supercharger whine is kind of cool. It is pretty subdued, but you can certainly hear/feel it when you give it the whick! I can't wait too customize it a little with exhaust etc. to make it a little more "me". '09 Cadillac CTS-4 3.6 direct injection, 128 K mi. '15 Chevy Tahoe LTZ, 5.3i V8, 125 K mi '70 Firebird Formula 400, Bored+.04, RAIII heads, M21 4spd., in-process restoration! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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