1995 Buick Riviera 3.8L supercharged

Summary:

Beautiful, luxurious, quick, handles like a charm!!!

Faults:

CV joint need replacing at 140,000 miles.

A/C went bust at 150,000 miles.

Water pump went out at 130,000 miles.

Radiator replaced at 150,000.

Alternator replaced at 140,000.

Other minor repairs done, now sitting, starting car every so often, not driving due to needing some minor repairs, which will take only a few dollars. Have an alternate car to drive, love this car and want to save the miles on it!!!

General Comments:

I bought in this car in October 2005. I fell in love with this car, and although with the higher miles, we had some repairs, which I consider to be just par for the course, I absolutely love this car, and plan to keep it and restore it even more.

I regret having to put so many miles on it, but we live way out in the country, and my husband commuted 55 miles one way to work with it, since it was the car that got the best gas mileage. Now we have quite a few miles on it, I have let the car sit and am driving a 2001 Ford Taurus, which I absolutely love also, but want to save the miles on the Riv, and fix it up more to drive it this summer after my broken ankle heals.

It has been a pleasure the years I have had it to drive it; it's like a Cadillac with extra power :). I would recommend to anyone to buy one of these in a heartbeat. They handle like a charm and are very quick. The suspension is very good and it handles curves very precisely. It feels like you are sitting in your living room.

The sound system is great for the age. One of the biggest complaints I had about the car when I first got it is that the paint faded on it, but I solved that by getting a very nice paint job on it from a reputable body shop, and it looks like a champ!!!

I believe one day these will be collector's items, and plan on keeping it and enjoying it for a lot of years to come.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 19th May, 2012

1995 Buick Riviera

General Comments:

I leased the 95 Buick Riviera when it first came onto the market in the summer of 94. I had just finished a lease on the Buick Regal. What a step up!!! Classy but pricey.

Window sticker was $32,000, and that was in 94.

No doubt I leased this as a show off car. Platinum beige, but the payments killed me.

I brought it in for one problem early on. It would basically cough and hesitate when gunning it from say a toll booth. The engineers realized that there was a faulty design or placement of the ignition wires. They were placed in such a way that one rubbed against another, and one of them wore through, causing a spark. It was one of the first built, and a minor recall had to be instituted.

Other than that, it was great. I remember the dash board lights on all of the gauges and buttons made it look like a cockpit at night.

Lots of power with the supercharger.

I never had a heated driver's seat that could be set for two drivers, before or since.

I loved that car. Many thought the design had to be German.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 5th July, 2010

1995 Buick Riviera 3.8 supercharger

Summary:

I love it

Faults:

I love this car!!! It handles great on the snow and ice and also in high winds.

I have had a few issues... I had to replace the spark plugs - what a pain! The back three are very difficult to replace, and were never replaced before I purchased the vehicle used.

Also my ignition coils went out! My spouse was able to replace them himself for a cost of $55 a piece (3).

I have had a few lights come on and go off. My traction light was coming on when I first started it, but that seems to have resolved itself.

My steering wheel did smoke 1 month after I got it, and now my steering controls don't work anymore.

Now my newest issue is when I hard accelerate and I get a red light that comes on the temperature gauge. I have 220,000 on it right now. It still drives real good. Also my low coolant comes on when I first start it...

I still love this car, and would buy another one.

General Comments:

Love it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 7th January, 2010

7th Jan 2010, 16:39

That steering wheel smoking was likely caused by the clock spring shorting out. It still could be a fire hazard and should be repaired.

Low coolant and overheating go together. I would have it checked out. It could be a simple to fix coolant leak or as complicated as a head gasket going bad. If you do nothing, it only will get worse.