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The Lost Reatta

108 messages,  Last post on Jun 07, 2011 at 7:30 PM

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What is this discussion about? Buick Reatta, Classic Cars, Coupe, Convertible

Messages Page 8 of 11

#69 of 108 Re: Saving Reatta (andre1969) (Mr_Shiftright) [hpmctorque] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Sep 21, 2008 (8:07 pm)

Replying to: hpmctorque (Sep 21, 2008 7:33 pm)
Well if the SL wasn't the Reatta market, what was? The Datsun Z cars? Another awesome competitor is in the 300ZX. Lotsa luck with that one Buick.
 
You could compare it to another modern flop, the Chrysler Crossfire. Fast enough, very svoopy-doopy and all that, and way too expensive once again.
 
I just don't think there was a niche that the Reatta could have survived in at that price point.

#70 of 108 Re: Saving Reatta (Mr_Shiftright) by hpmctorque

Sep 21, 2008 (9:48 pm)

"Another awesome competitor is in the 300ZX. Lotsa luck with that one Buick."
 
Well, that's harder to counter than the Reatta/SL comparison, but let me try.
 
The '90s 300 ZX was indeed an awesome car. The same could be said of the Buick GNX, however, even though these particular cars weren't direct competitors because you can't compare a sportscar with a muscle car.
 
Although I've never driven or even ridden in a GNX, from everything I've read it couldn't be compared with the Buick Regal on which it was based. It's performance didn't fit the Buick image. Their performance was as different as night and day. The GNX was one mean car. It has a solid enthusiast following.
 
I cite the GNX to make the point that if Buick had used the GNX as a model for a performance Reatta, the 300ZX might have had a competitor, and the Reatta might have survived. Now the indisputable difference between Nissan and Buick is that Nissan actually put out an awesome car, while Buick might have/could have/should have, but didn't.

#71 of 108 Re: Saving Reatta (Mr_Shiftright) [hpmctorque] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Sep 22, 2008 (8:25 am)

Replying to: hpmctorque (Sep 21, 2008 9:48 pm)
All well said, but the GNX is like a 14th century ox cart next to a 300ZX. Fast, yes, but totally dated in every other respect. It was a "tinkerer's car" made up by the Buick skunk works, but underneath it all just a boxy Buick with early 80s dated styling, cheesy hardware and handling more fitting to a NASCAR operation than a sports car (meaning you could make them very stiff and rigid enough to go around a smooth oval track, but god help you if you hit a bump).
 
I believe that the success of the GNX (such as it was) was due more to the paucity of anything else left for the American car enthusiast to buy in 1986.
 
But your idea of a *developed* GNX powerplant in a *further developed* Reatta---well sure, that could have given GM a 300ZX competitor.
 
But I think GM was still pretty clueless in 1990. They really didn't "get it" until the Corvette C5, did they? -- what, 7 years down the road?

#72 of 108 Re: Saving Reatta (Mr_Shiftright) by hpmctorque

Sep 22, 2008 (3:57 pm)

I agree 100% with you that GM was pretty clueless around 1990, which explains why the Reatta was never a threat to the 300 ZX. And, come to think of it, as a FWD car, the Reatta could never be a sportscar counterpart to the GNX.
 
At least the XLR, which you cited in an earlier message, is RWD, which the Reatta and Allante should also have been. I guess, in GM's defense, when they did the feasibility studies on these two sporty cars the engines weren't so powerful that torque steer was a major problem, and fewer consumers were as aware of the limits of FWD as they are today. That's not to say that, even as a FWDer, the Reatta couldn't have been a much more engaging drive than it was, but your comparison with the 300 ZX wins this debate.

#73 of 108 1989 buick reatta by yunghill

May 19, 2010 (7:02 pm)

i have problems with my rare reatta i know i have a small crack in my exsaust manifold i put some sealer onit but all of a sudden it sounds like a truck and it sutters when i take off and it lose power on incline like the transmission and sparks aint on the same page????i need help please i heard it could be my something moduleor crank censer but i dunno

#74 of 108 1989 buick Reatta by armes

May 20, 2010 (5:39 pm)

With the crack in the manifold, the O2 sensor is reading the wrong exhaust gas mixture and is telling the computer to compensate for a type of problem that really doesn't exist in the natural scheme of things. You need to replace the manifold and do it quickly before you burn out some exhaust valves with an oxygen rich mix in the manifold.

#75 of 108 Re: 1989 buick Reatta [armes] by alltorque

Jun 07, 2010 (7:25 am)

Replying to: armes (May 20, 2010 5:39 pm)
What a small world. Came across this online ad only yesterday and had never even heard of the Reatta prior to that. Now there's one for sale, here in the UK, about 50 miles from home.
 
Follow the linky.
1990 Buick Reatta

#76 of 108 Re: 1989 buick Reatta [alltorque] by fintail

Jun 07, 2010 (11:43 am)

Replying to: alltorque (Jun 07, 2010 7:25 am)
Some nuts on this side of the pond would ask just as much for it. Great colors for it anyway.

#77 of 108 Re: 1989 buick Reatta [fintail] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Jun 07, 2010 (11:57 am)

Replying to: fintail (Jun 07, 2010 11:43 am)
Maybe $5--$6K for a really nice one.

#78 of 108 Saw one of these a few weeks ago by british_rover

Mar 31, 2011 (9:14 am)

Took a couple of pictures
 

Messages Page 8 of 11

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