Out of all four of those cars you should definitely get the Reatta. That uses a lot of common GM parts, and that 3.8 V6 is a great power plant, very reliable.
@@bran6573 check all your rubber lines make sure they arent dry rotted if the instrument cluster goes bad east coast reatta parts has them with a 2 year warrenty which is a unreal deal. Oh and they chop with a muffler delete 😏
I bought an '88 Reatta 10 yrs ago, in MINT condition; everything working, for only 5,500. Best car buy I ever made; incredibly well built! Still have it & will give it to my son as part of his inheritance. Loads of fun to drive too!
We have a Reatta sitting up at the dealership right now, it belongs to an retired GM rep he has 2 of them and brings them to the shop to be worked on. Its like going back to the future
@@ChristopheZ I'm heading there this weekend funnily enough, they got an old Yugo there too. If you see a old white Accord Wagon with mismatched wheels or a red Civic hatchback that's me lol
These videos are so awesome. You don’t try to act cocky or arrogant or immature like SO many people on RUclips do. You just offer informative and entertaining car videos. Keep it up man
I feel like we are twin car souls I've kept a casual eye out for a Buick Reatta convertible in decent condition and reasonably-priced. My "hit list" also includes the ultra-rare BMW 318ti with the "California Roof", an electrically-retractable fabric roof in place of the standard metal sunroof. I have never seen one in person or in the wild, ever. Another one is the (also) ultra-rare Toyota Celica AllTrac Turbo, a rad Celica (my first car) with a turbo charger AND all-wheel-drive. This thing came with a few shmexy body kit upgrades too. Little "vents" in various places. I also lusted after the Triumph TR7. They were around town (Waco, TX) when I was a kid and I always stopped to look when they drove by.
Also on that hit list: Geo Storm Isuzu Impulse Hyundai Scoupe (My sister owned one of these and it was the biggest hunk of junk, but I just love the rarity) Chrysler TC Chrysler Conquest Lincoln Mark VIII Plymouth Laser Oldsmobile Cutlass Convertible (with the weird hoop roll bar and GM vertical door handles of the 90s) Oldsmobile Toronado
Actually I think the Reatta needed some zip to give it more appeal. I always feel that it should have been reintroduced in 1993 as a platform for caddy’s Northstar 32v V8;
You produce such enjoyable stuff! An interesting down to earth angle with a nice dose of nostalgia and great quality editing, thanks and keep up the great work! (love the montage work)
Being a GM guy, I have always loved the Reatta. I still see them occasionally here in the Detroit area. Please profile the Fiero or the Beretta/Corsica. My Dad used to have an 89 Beretta GT with the digital gauges. I absolutely loved that car. As small as it was, we actually used to go camping with it. By the way, I love your Grand Prix, your Nova, and your Prizm.
The Fuego in Argentina was definetly popular, lots of parts available, even we had our own model the GTA Max, the most powerful Fuego. Also here you can get one for cheap and they're very, very reliable, the only engines available here are the 2.0 and the 2.2 aluminum block 4 cylinder, pretty good engine, used in a lot of cars, the 18, the 21 and the Renault Trafic which is a van, parts are available everywhere.
That Reatta that was listed at $35,000 was a "Select 60". As a reward for leading in sales, Buick gave their top 60 dealers a unique badged and trimmed Reatta model in 1988 and again in 1990. The '88 was a black coupe with saddle interior, gold pinstripe, 16 way seats and the sunroof which was only became available later in '88. That 1990 convertible model was one of only 60 produced with a two-tone red and white interior. It also received unique 16" white enameled wheels that previewed the style seen on the '91 models. That's why they're asking a fortune for it. But as the owner of an '89 Reatta, I can tell you that the reason for there being so many still on the road considering the rarity is because they were had built the quality is really quite good. That combined with an indestructible Buick 3800 under the hood that was never abused by the senior citizen who originally owned it. I use mine as my year round daily driver here in Saskatchewan where we have +40℃ in summer and -40℃ in the winter. They are great cars that always get noticed... By those who know what they are.
Our first generation Eagle Talon TSi blew its turbo and head gasket a week before our wedding back in 95. Mechanic said was it wasn’t worth fixing so my then wife bought a new generation Talon TSi AWD manual coupe that was so much fun to drive and was awesome in the snow of the pocono mountains where we were.
I'm pretty sure the Riatta owner advertised that white one for 35k just to obey his wife's wish to put it for sale... "yeah, sure darling, I'll sell it to free up space...(3 months later) It's a shame no one's buying, go figure!"
My parents had a few Eagles. My mom had a Premier in the late 80’s and I’ve been told that they had the transmission replaced 3 times in just a few years. My dad leased a Vision back in 92 or 93. It was basically a Dodge Intrepid with a nicer interior. Good times!
I was so close to that being my first car until I read about the quality issues. Sometime was basically giving one away with low miles which made it more scary. The Reatta would be a cool way to go. Most CRT's still work today. Buick actually made an experimental RWD version of it along with the Regal with the GNX 3.8. I wonder whatever became of them.
@3:20 "perception of poor reliablity" in the summer of 1989 i was working as a dishwasher. dude bangs on the back door needing to use the phone. why? his car broke down....he was driving a Renault. the one and only person i had ever met with a Renault i met because it was broken.
Wow. I love the Dodge Colt Vista in your video. My mom had one when I was in high school in the 80s. It's actually the first car I ever totaled in a wreck and it actually held up pretty good. It was fun to see one again. Thanks
I own a 1989 Reatta with 57k miles. The touch screen resets itself to its build date when the battery is disconnected, or goes completely dead. I used to only drive it to cars and coffee on Saturdays, but that was pretty hard on it. It runs much better as a daily driver. You can get a similar year Corvette for about the same money, maybe a little more, but the nature of a Corvette is that someone drove the piss out of it before they sold it to you for 5-10 k. The nature of a Reatta is that it was driven reasonably (165hp) by someone a little older, who had nice things and liked to take care of them. I think the problem with these is that a lot of them sat for extended periods as their owners aged. I bought mine for 5k, maroon with red interior, in very cherry cosmetic condition. I put another grand into the engine, any mechanic shop can work on a 3.8L, and now have a very reliable, very rare, daily driver. I saw a convertible Reatta about a mile from my house once, and we just about messed ourselves honking and waving. You just never see these things on the road. Not even at cars and coffee. ONE CAVEAT-- Looks like a sports car. Drives like an old Buick.
My first car was a red 1985 Isuzu Impulse Turbo AWD. Back when they still had the Lotus designed body and before they started looking like Miatas. It would take 20 years before I had a car with the same features and power again. Well ahead of its time, but a pain to work on and find parts for. My drivers side window fell off the track once and I still am shocked by how much TAR was used to hold that door together at the factory. Yes, I miss it everyday.
I just added a Buick Reatta to my garage of 80's/90's cars. I gotta say, its fun to drive. It doesn't surpass in any one category (luxury, handling, sportiness) but it does make you smile when you drive it.. and I'm constantly being asked what it is!!
I love the Buick Reatta.. I recently looked up the history on this car. It was a great car unfortunately they didn't make many of them. You can find them in Florida from some reason, the car had several neat features. I would love one.
Depending on how things go in the future and if I’ve got some money I might be going reatta hunting. If I do it’s the fact that I’m working at a GM dealer that will help
I started driving in 86. I drove a 80’s Pontiac Sunbird, then to a Renault Alliance, to a Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback. Sunbird was my parents. Alliance bought used as my first car. No air, no power windows. The Mirage was my first new car purchase. No power windows but did have ac. Never had any problems except the window crank arm fell off. Easily fixed. If you were going to get one of the cars from today, I would say go with the Reatta. But I still would pick the Merkur XR4ti first.
Bought a black Reatta convertible like 2 weeks ago, and now I'm seeing tons of videos pop up about them. They're gonna start running out pretty quick now with all this coverage, so you better nab one!
Was it the black one on ebay with a maroon stripe? That is a sick color combo. Mine is maroon with white stripe and red interior. I hope they go up in value, but there doesn't appear to be that much interest in owning one for most people. Eventually everything goes up in value if it survives I guess. I just enjoy driving a cherry, rare and what I consider beautiful car, knowing that it will not go down in value.
@@brianbranigan7882 Nah, I found it on FB marketplace. It does have a maroon stripe with the red 16 way seats/interior. Apparently 30 ish came in that combo.
Of the four, I'd definitely pick the Reatta because I've always liked them. They would've been much better mechanically had they been RWD, but it is what it is.
I have an Elan, I wanted an Elise but those cars don't depreciate at all. Gotta love how international the Elan is being owned by GM (American), designed and built in England, powered by a Japanese engine (Isuzu) then sold to KIA (Korean). I don't think these will ever be too hard to find, Lotus fans keep these old cars alive forever.
Thanks to your family sedan video, I got my 86 Mazda 626 LX running. Gonna be a nice recipient for the 87 GT coupe power train swap. This year, I'm just gonna run it and start the process this winter
Awesome you brought up the Colt! The 79 to 84 are the best generation. Love my 81 twin stick. You can find Vista wagons up here in Nor Cal for crazy cheap every now and then, I saw one in good condition manual that went 800$ not too long ago.
I had a brown Colt Vista wagon in the 90's. It supposedly had 4wd. It was OK. It's main advantage was it was cheaper than the Civic and Tercel wagons that were similarly decked out. That also made it easier to send it to the junk yard when the engine went tits up.
You should do a video on the 1991-94 Mercury Capri if you haven't already. It's a small convertible mostly made from Mazda parts, built in Australia, and came with an optional turbocharger. It's basically a front-wheel-drive Miata :D
I was driving a 1979 Dodge Colt when the new '85 model came out in 1984. I wanted one so badly. I have a daily search on Ebay for a Colt of any kind. One comes up about every 3 months and it is usually the older rear wheel drive version. It is too bad they have all gone away.
Hi Ethan, great channel. The Mitsubishi based Eagle Vista was also produced in Malaysia as the Proton Saga, which was cheap to buy here in the UK but not as I recall a particularly great car, being constantly facelifted in an attempt to hide it's ageing underpinnings.
Another awesome video. I remember the 1980s. I was too young to drive, but I remember cars like the Lamborghini Countach, the Renault Fuego, my favourite was the Buick Reatta. I remember saying "Finally, something new from Buick!" Was I ever disappointed when it was discontinued. I found it way more attractive than the Riviera.
Ethan, congratulate yourself. A great video with lots of info of dead, but not buried automotive classics. Ahh, the 80's. Brought back a lot of great memories. Good job! 😉😎
This channel simply shreds. 💜 I'm blessed to have found it. Thanks for bringing back to memory the Lotus Elan! Loved the rear views while in high school. Actually forgot about it. Reminded me of my personal disaster car that i wish i still had, the 1991(-94) Mercury Capri XR2. (Have a soft spot for the Buick Regatta though because my 1st car was a 1979 Riviera.) Loved the Fuego as a boy too. Check out the Isuzu Impulse with it's "Body By Lotus" selling point. 😏
I've heard several time that there are only a thousand Fuego remaining worldwide. And among those thousand, they are not all in working condition. The rest of the production ended up in the junkyard. I live in France and checked our local Craigslist after your video. Only 15 are for sale. It is becoming a rare bird!
I test drove a used Fuego back in the 80s. I was not impressed at all by the car. Thanks to this video, I am glad I passed on buying one. My Dad had the Dodge Colt. You did not want to be stuck in that backseat for long trips. It had a lot of mechanical issues that kept it at the dealership service center. Once those issues were addressed, it was a decent car that got excellent fuel mileage.
I found a sweet 92 Buick riviera for my son, 56,000 miles, and came from down south so the body is very clean. The dynaride air suspension system still works amazing and coupled with the plush leather seats it feels like driving a lazy boy down the road. The dash/gauges always get me, it’s like they were trying to be spaceage or something, kinda fun to look at 👍
There was another cool looking renault back in 87 that my aunt had. 87 renault alliance gta. Full body kit from factory nice looking mag wheels. Haven't seen one in person myself since probably 92
Dude great video! Don't forget to mention the twin charged Nissan March, the now expensive Fiat Uno turbo mk1(I'm selling mine btw), the unloved but gorgeous Maserati biturbo (1st twin turbo engine in history) , or the Fiat Panda Ouch/Sisley which it's off-road equivalent is the MB G-wagon, the AlfaRomeo 33 with it's boxer engines.... Oops I mentioned all Italian cars lol I know you're in the US but all those are iconic cars in Europe
Great content as always... Love your videos! Do a video on the VW Scirocco Ethan!!!! I know you use to have one lol. Also the Audi Quattro of the same vintage was pretty rad.
I'm a huge Buick fan and totally clicked on this because of the Reatta. You should get one and do a review and an in depth video. Also, as far as other cars you should look at... my all time favorite... I actually had one... Buick LeSabre T-type!!!
I see Renault Fuegos very often, here in Argentina was sold very well, and it was the closest rival to the ford Sierra XR4. Now both are considered classics
Here in Argentina we have a "Renault Fuego GTA Max" ..... It came with a 2.2-liter engine and all the bodywork painted, including the sconces that appeared in black.
I believe...the Reatta is one of the most underrated unique cars ever made. I've had two. Just got a 1990 on 4-25-24, it has had three owners. Only 75 k and beautifully maintained. White and grey interior. Almost showroom quality. Paid $8,500. Everything is like new! Only have to replace a few cosmetic parts....best cruiser I've ever owned, hands down.
I worked at a Dodge, Jeep and Eagle dealership in high school. They also (formerly) sold Renault. I almost bought a used Fuego back in the day but it was over my budget at like $2,500.00.
I really like the Elan and the Buick. The Buick is an odd shape but it’s probably a cool cruiser- completely anonymous to 99.8% of people, but maybe cool enough to get a thumbs up a few times a year!
I just picked up a second mk1 80 vw scirocco recently. I’m completely in love with Giorgetto Giugiaro‘s design on this classic euro. Get them while you can because prices are starting to skyrocket for clean original examples. Even with high mileage.
The Buick 3.8L V6 is the reason why they is so many Reattas around. You can't kill those engines! I used to have a 1996 Bonneville SSEi with the supercharged 3.8L Series 2 V6. That car ran like a top even with 276k miles! Sure I the supercharger needed to be replaced (that cost me about 3k!) which was a small fortune but that engine ran absolutely perfect.
There's been two Fuegos for sale in Southern Ontario for months now (both on Kijiji - Canadian classifieds) although one is effectively a parts car. I explicitly remember the Eagle Vista wagon since I was heartbroken my parents couldn't test drive one when shopping for a new car in 1990 (the dealer demo had just sold). They ended up with another now-rare car, a new Sonata.
I had a 94 Mitsubishi Mirage S coupe. It was red and a five speed. Loved that car! First car I bought and chose myself after my parents bought me an 87 dodge Aries for $700 when I was 15. Worked my butt off to pay them back and save for something more reliable. Sold the Mirage to my little brother when he turned 16 and then he rolled it. We were reminiscing about the other day decided to see if we could find another. Searched every website and only found one in the entire U.S.! Happens to be identical to the one I had in great shape with hardly any miles! If it weren’t for the 20 hour drive and the fact I have five vehicles already, I’d buy it in a heartbeat!
I had two Fuego Turbos back in the day, a white 83 and an Iris Mist 84. These cars were underrated in my opinion. For the money, they were stylish, comfortable and very well equipped. The only issue I ever had with either of them was, I had a turbo seize on my 84, which I was able to replace myself, and for not a lot of money.
That's crazy I just randomly came across a 1988 buick reattaa couple weeks ago and never even heard about it. Fell in love and bought it right away. And the car was only 3 mins away from my house. Crazy
I second all of these. I owned a Storm back in the 90's, coveted the SVX, and was intrigued by the turbo Scoupe. Oh and I'm going to throw another random one out there. Ethan glossed over Eagle this time around. There was one other rather popular Eagle that is worthy of mention. The Vision, which was one of the LH cars developed from the older AMC/Eagle Premier.
i have only ever seen 1 fuego... it was in a junkyard that catered a bit to radwood era cars.. I had a friend who had a dodge colt Vista in highschool... it was that weird brown/maroon color. don't know much about the Lotus/Kia, but Reatta's were mostly purchased by people who kept them up... and because they were reliable, and not a daily car... they didn't wear out... its been a bucket list car of mine for a long time, but i never pulled the trigger because of only being a two seater... I know of that white one that is 35k... convertibles are usually double the price of coupes... and that one is the rarest most desirable convertible, and its in prestine condition... but i would want a red coupe with tan interior...with the later dash... and maybe supercharge it.
There was a Fuego Turbo not far away from me in great shape on Craigslist. My family had two Dodge Colts. Both DL hatches in gold. One an 86 with sealed beams, and one 87 with composite lamps. Loved those things. You never see them on Craigslist, but you might find one on Marketplace. The CRT touch screen was also available in the Riviera coupe, and there was a similar color system on the Oldsmobile Toronado called the Trofeo system. Some other good ones are the Chevy Sprint Turbo, Isuzu I-Mark Turbo, earlier Isuzu Impulse and later Impulse and Geo Storm, Mitsubishi Cordia Turbo, the beloved Chrysubishi Conquestarion, the Chrysler Laser/Dodge Daytona, late 80s Oldsmobile Toronado Trofeo, Nissan 200SX, Nissan Pulsar. Nissan NX, Nissan Maxima SE, Infiniti M30, Infiniti G20, Lexus ES250, Rover 216 Vanden Plas, Cadillac Cimmaron, Mazda 121 FunTop, Geo Tracker soft top, early 90s Saturn SC2, Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16, Citroen BX, Renault Alliance GTA, Fiat X1/9, Innocenti Mini De Tomaso, Daihatsu Charade Turbo, and so so so many more that my dream garage would have to be the size of a football field.
I would take the Elan or Reatta - check out the 1988 Isuzu Impulse Turbo - I used to own one and loved it - always loved the styling and the dash was my favorite - great video and review 👍🏻👍🏻
I saw the Isuzu Impulse in the montage at the end of the video. You need to to do a video on that car! Eyebrow headlights, dual lighters, paddle blinker. Great little car!
My first car was a 1986 Nissan Pulsar NX sport. 2 door with the pop up headlights, 1.6L and a 5 speed manual, power assist brakes and nothing else. No power steering, no abs, no power windows or lock. It was super light and small. It was surprisingly quick and a real hoot to drive. Wish I could find a running and driving survivor. Though I don't think I could get parts for it anyway.
The car that I really wanted in the 80’s was the first edition of the Isuzu Impulse. I thought they very sleek, sporty looking, and I actually liked them more than the Ford Mustang. I especially liked the car in black. I knew someone, who I can’t remember, had a Buick Reatta. I recall, when sitting in the passenger seat, the car was huge. The hood seemed to stretch out in front forever. It was a bit creaky too, lots of squeaks and road noise. In the late 80’s, I had a boyfriend who was an executive at G.M. When he was hired, the first lease car he chose was a black Chevy Baretta. I remember the strange door handles that were located in the door frame. It was a nice enough car and had quite a growl. He chose a white Pontiac Fiero his second year. I always thought they were good looking, but at 6’3”, my b/f didn’t appreciate the lack of headroom.
The Reatta that was $35k was a select 60 model, which were made for the top 60 Buick dealerships in the country. They're rare, but aren't worth $35K. My Reatta is one of 170 made in the specific color/interior combination for 1989. (Black/Tan) Some Reatta's go much rarer then that, there are some that are as rare as only 40, 30, 20, and so on. Red was the most common color, making 37% of all Reatta sales for all 4 years. You should really think about getting, its a fairly rare car and they still are fairly cheap to buy and maintain, plus there's a great Facebook community that can answer all the questions you may have.
I’d take the Reatta. My favs from long ago were the 90-93 Celica AL Trac, 93 to 97 Probe GT, 91 to 98 3000 GT VR 4, the 87 to 92 Supra, 2009 5.0 Hyundai Genesis, 1993 SC 400, and the 87 Grand National
A while back we had a Reatta and a 1993 Pontiac bonneville SSEi with the supercharged 3.8. We had originally planned to yank the engine and harness out of the bonneville, do all the power adders we could (Head work, cam, exhaust, etc) and get as much power as we could. It would bolt right into the Buick for the most part and that supercharged engine would make it scoot more. We were planning on doing the suspension and a nice paint job too. BUT the touch screen went kaput and at the time we couldn't find one so we sold it. I still have the Bonneville but we never tinkered with the engine and recently when we did the timing chain we learned the poor car had not been loved well by past owners. But hey, it was still a dream, right?
In the late 1990’s I bought a red 2 door hatchback 1988 Plymouth Colt for about $350. Then I bought an identical one for $200 but the seller left town and I couldn’t get the title so I stripped off the new tires, seats and whatever else came off easy and it went to a salvage yard. I also bought a blue 4 door 1986 Plymouth Colt Turbo for only $60. I drove it for a month until I discovered all of the rust under the drivers side A pillar and I had to strip it for parts and it went to a salvage yard. They were fun cars. The odd thing is that the standard 1988 Plymouth Colt had a carburetor and the standard 1988 Dodge Colt had fuel injection.
I just learned about the Lotus Elon from 1991 today on the cameras other channel, apparently cars and beats.com sold one recently. What a convoluted past! It’s wild that back then Assisi could get so much HP out of a four banger. I know people who swear by their little troopers though. Thanks for the videos, cheers!
I have wanted a Reatta for years. Would love to do an L67 supercharged swap in one. I think they are such a cool looking car, and I love Buicks and the 3.8 has got to be one of the easiest engines to work on and are bulletproof. One Eagle model you forgot to mention was the Summit. This may have also been a Canada only model, but it was similar to the Vista wagon, but with a slightly more 90s stylish body more like the later Eagle Vision. Fun fact, I used to work at the supplier factory that at the time produced the seats for the Chrysler LX cars from 2004-2009, but originally opened to produce the seats for the Eagle Premier and Vision in the 90s, in Ontario, Canada, where they were built at the Brampton assembly plant. Many of my senior co-workers had worked there since the factory opened and had built the Premier seats.
![6 Forgotten Performance Cars of the 1990s [Can We Find Them?]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/2mnWIXuspNo/mqdefault.jpg)
Out of all four of those cars you should definitely get the Reatta. That uses a lot of common GM parts, and that 3.8 V6 is a great power plant, very reliable.
I’ve never ruled out hunting one but then I’m not interested in going fast anymore.
As a 1990 reatta owner i second that reattas are fucking cool and if you live in the midwest they’re pretty cheap so go buy one !!
@@oliverdepauw5663 getting a 91 tomorrow, 2500 140k miles needs nothing and is in great shape. gonna be my "gas saver car" compared to my challenger
@@bran6573 check all your rubber lines make sure they arent dry rotted if the instrument cluster goes bad east coast reatta parts has them with a 2 year warrenty which is a unreal deal. Oh and they chop with a muffler delete 😏
@@bran6573 how’s the reatta ? Instrument cluster shit out on you yet?
I bought an '88 Reatta 10 yrs ago, in MINT condition; everything working, for only 5,500. Best car buy I ever made; incredibly well built! Still have it & will give it to my son as part of his inheritance. Loads of fun to drive too!
Dude PLEASE buy a Reatta, the 3800 will run forever, parts are everywhere and the touch screen will be the star of radwood
We have a Reatta sitting up at the dealership right now, it belongs to an retired GM rep he has 2 of them and brings them to the shop to be worked on. Its like going back to the future
I see a Fuego every Saturday..
Its welded to a pole for the sign for my local junkyard
😆
DO you live in Maine near Saco/scarborough??? LOL
@@ChristopheZ YES I live in OOB!
@@SgtSnazzerino i know that place you are talking about.. Lol.. I ride my bike around sometimes
@@ChristopheZ I'm heading there this weekend funnily enough, they got an old Yugo there too. If you see a old white Accord Wagon with mismatched wheels or a red Civic hatchback that's me lol
These videos are so awesome. You don’t try to act cocky or arrogant or immature like SO many people on RUclips do. You just offer informative and entertaining car videos. Keep it up man
I feel like we are twin car souls
I've kept a casual eye out for a Buick Reatta convertible in decent condition and reasonably-priced.
My "hit list" also includes the ultra-rare BMW 318ti with the "California Roof", an electrically-retractable fabric roof in place of the standard metal sunroof. I have never seen one in person or in the wild, ever.
Another one is the (also) ultra-rare Toyota Celica AllTrac Turbo, a rad Celica (my first car) with a turbo charger AND all-wheel-drive. This thing came with a few shmexy body kit upgrades too. Little "vents" in various places.
I also lusted after the Triumph TR7. They were around town (Waco, TX) when I was a kid and I always stopped to look when they drove by.
Also on that hit list:
Geo Storm
Isuzu Impulse
Hyundai Scoupe (My sister owned one of these and it was the biggest hunk of junk, but I just love the rarity)
Chrysler TC
Chrysler Conquest
Lincoln Mark VIII
Plymouth Laser
Oldsmobile Cutlass Convertible (with the weird hoop roll bar and GM vertical door handles of the 90s)
Oldsmobile Toronado
In March 2020, I bought myself a Peugeot 205 from 1989 and I love it. Automatic, 1.9 l and 102 PS. :) Great video,.... as always!! Thanks!!
I would think a late '90s supercharged 3.8 would be an easy swap in a Reatta. DO IT.
With a five speed and some suspension it would carve up
The Reatta is a sporty two door, two seater similar to the Oldsmobile Trofeo and the Cadillac Allante but arguably the most handsome of the three.
It has been done but it would be an incredible sleeper
Actually I think the Reatta needed some zip to give it more appeal. I always feel that it should have been reintroduced in 1993 as a platform for caddy’s Northstar 32v V8;
Theres a few people on the aaca forums with series 2 supercharged reattas. Swap is reletively simple if you have the time and money
You produce such enjoyable stuff! An interesting down to earth angle with a nice dose of nostalgia and great quality editing, thanks and keep up the great work! (love the montage work)
Being a GM guy, I have always loved the Reatta. I still see them occasionally here in the Detroit area. Please profile the Fiero or the Beretta/Corsica. My Dad used to have an 89 Beretta GT with the digital gauges. I absolutely loved that car. As small as it was, we actually used to go camping with it. By the way, I love your Grand Prix, your Nova, and your Prizm.
Fieros are really nice! Love those vehicles!
Do you know anything about reattas ? I recently purchased one
The Fuego in Argentina was definetly popular, lots of parts available, even we had our own model the GTA Max, the most powerful Fuego. Also here you can get one for cheap and they're very, very reliable, the only engines available here are the 2.0 and the 2.2 aluminum block 4 cylinder, pretty good engine, used in a lot of cars, the 18, the 21 and the Renault Trafic which is a van, parts are available everywhere.
I have a forgotten 1986 Toyota Celica GT-S here on the east coast that needs to be in your fleet.
Those are cool lil cars. I have a few in my fleet as well
One of my fav 80's cars 🤩
I should word that better lol. I have a few Japanese gems in my fleet. No Toyotas yet, but I have my peepers out for a roughly 85 pickup
Shhh we can’t let the celicas go up in price anymore lol
@@williamsinger4124 The Celica I would like is the late 70s model...
That Reatta that was listed at $35,000 was a "Select 60". As a reward for leading in sales, Buick gave their top 60 dealers a unique badged and trimmed Reatta model in 1988 and again in 1990. The '88 was a black coupe with saddle interior, gold pinstripe, 16 way seats and the sunroof which was only became available later in '88. That 1990 convertible model was one of only 60 produced with a two-tone red and white interior. It also received unique 16" white enameled wheels that previewed the style seen on the '91 models. That's why they're asking a fortune for it. But as the owner of an '89 Reatta, I can tell you that the reason for there being so many still on the road considering the rarity is because they were had built the quality is really quite good. That combined with an indestructible Buick 3800 under the hood that was never abused by the senior citizen who originally owned it. I use mine as my year round daily driver here in Saskatchewan where we have +40℃ in summer and -40℃ in the winter. They are great cars that always get noticed... By those who know what they are.
Our first generation Eagle Talon TSi blew its turbo and head gasket a week before our wedding back in 95. Mechanic said was it wasn’t worth fixing so my then wife bought a new generation Talon TSi AWD manual coupe that was so much fun to drive and was awesome in the snow of the pocono mountains where we were.
I'm pretty sure the Riatta owner advertised that white one for 35k just to obey his wife's wish to put it for sale... "yeah, sure darling, I'll sell it to free up space...(3 months later) It's a shame no one's buying, go figure!"
My parents had a few Eagles. My mom had a Premier in the late 80’s and I’ve been told that they had the transmission replaced 3 times in just a few years. My dad leased a Vision back in 92 or 93. It was basically a Dodge Intrepid with a nicer interior. Good times!
I miss my 1994 Eagle Talon
I was so close to that being my first car until I read about the quality issues. Sometime was basically giving one away with low miles which made it more scary. The Reatta would be a cool way to go. Most CRT's still work today. Buick actually made an experimental RWD version of it along with the Regal with the GNX 3.8. I wonder whatever became of them.
@3:20 "perception of poor reliablity" in the summer of 1989 i was working as a dishwasher. dude bangs on the back door needing to use the phone. why? his car broke down....he was driving a Renault. the one and only person i had ever met with a Renault i met because it was broken.
Wow. I love the Dodge Colt Vista in your video. My mom had one when I was in high school in the 80s. It's actually the first car I ever totaled in a wreck and it actually held up pretty good. It was fun to see one again. Thanks
I own a 1989 Reatta with 57k miles. The touch screen resets itself to its build date when the battery is disconnected, or goes completely dead. I used to only drive it to cars and coffee on Saturdays, but that was pretty hard on it. It runs much better as a daily driver. You can get a similar year Corvette for about the same money, maybe a little more, but the nature of a Corvette is that someone drove the piss out of it before they sold it to you for 5-10 k. The nature of a Reatta is that it was driven reasonably (165hp) by someone a little older, who had nice things and liked to take care of them. I think the problem with these is that a lot of them sat for extended periods as their owners aged. I bought mine for 5k, maroon with red interior, in very cherry cosmetic condition. I put another grand into the engine, any mechanic shop can work on a 3.8L, and now have a very reliable, very rare, daily driver. I saw a convertible Reatta about a mile from my house once, and we just about messed ourselves honking and waving. You just never see these things on the road. Not even at cars and coffee.
ONE CAVEAT-- Looks like a sports car. Drives like an old Buick.
Love the Reatta. Another great video. Very Cool!
Of those I like the Lotus Elan. However, I would love to have a 1991 Isuzu Impulse RS Turbo AWD.
I had one... it was impossible to find parts for it
My first car was a red 1985 Isuzu Impulse Turbo AWD. Back when they still had the Lotus designed body and before they started looking like Miatas. It would take 20 years before I had a car with the same features and power again. Well ahead of its time, but a pain to work on and find parts for. My drivers side window fell off the track once and I still am shocked by how much TAR was used to hold that door together at the factory.
Yes, I miss it everyday.
🤤
I just added a Buick Reatta to my garage of 80's/90's cars. I gotta say, its fun to drive. It doesn't surpass in any one category (luxury, handling, sportiness) but it does make you smile when you drive it.. and I'm constantly being asked what it is!!
I agree totally fun , every time i am out in my 88 someone asks or remarks on it
@@darcymojo1008 The Reatta is a looker!
Other obscure 80's - 90's cars to look for: Chrysler Imperial (luxury coupe), Isuzu Impulse (hot hatch back), and Dodge Lancer GTS.
I love the Buick Reatta.. I recently looked up the history on this car. It was a great car unfortunately they didn't make many of them. You can find them in Florida from some reason, the car had several neat features. I would love one.
Depending on how things go in the future and if I’ve got some money I might be going reatta hunting. If I do it’s the fact that I’m working at a GM dealer that will help
Well what are 2 things old people like? Buicks and florida haha no but there are quite a few in florida
Got one in WI if you are looking
I started driving in 86. I drove a 80’s Pontiac Sunbird, then to a Renault Alliance, to a Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback. Sunbird was my parents. Alliance bought used as my first car. No air, no power windows. The Mirage was my first new car purchase. No power windows but did have ac. Never had any problems except the window crank arm fell off. Easily fixed. If you were going to get one of the cars from today, I would say go with the Reatta. But I still would pick the Merkur XR4ti first.
Bought a black Reatta convertible like 2 weeks ago, and now I'm seeing tons of videos pop up about them. They're gonna start running out pretty quick now with all this coverage, so you better nab one!
I go through that same thought cycle everytime I bought something non-main stream.
Lol I'd rather buy good 80's-90's cars
Doug demuro is gonna make it even more popular
Was it the black one on ebay with a maroon stripe? That is a sick color combo. Mine is maroon with white stripe and red interior. I hope they go up in value, but there doesn't appear to be that much interest in owning one for most people. Eventually everything goes up in value if it survives I guess. I just enjoy driving a cherry, rare and what I consider beautiful car, knowing that it will not go down in value.
@@brianbranigan7882 Nah, I found it on FB marketplace. It does have a maroon stripe with the red 16 way seats/interior. Apparently 30 ish came in that combo.
Of the four, I'd definitely pick the Reatta because I've always liked them. They would've been much better mechanically had they been RWD, but it is what it is.
The Buick Reatta touchscreen was something special. Great video!
GM has had them since 1986 in the Buick Riviera
I have an Elan, I wanted an Elise but those cars don't depreciate at all. Gotta love how international the Elan is being owned by GM (American), designed and built in England, powered by a Japanese engine (Isuzu) then sold to KIA (Korean).
I don't think these will ever be too hard to find, Lotus fans keep these old cars alive forever.
Loved it the vid and loved that Fuego too. Definitely a step up from the Le Car!
Thanks to your family sedan video, I got my 86 Mazda 626 LX running. Gonna be a nice recipient for the 87 GT coupe power train swap. This year, I'm just gonna run it and start the process this winter
Awesome you brought up the Colt! The 79 to 84 are the best generation. Love my 81 twin stick. You can find Vista wagons up here in Nor Cal for crazy cheap every now and then, I saw one in good condition manual that went 800$ not too long ago.
I work with a lady at a bank that drives a Plymouth Colt 3 door van every once in awhile. Its mint. Really cool to see!
I had a brown Colt Vista wagon in the 90's. It supposedly had 4wd. It was OK. It's main advantage was it was cheaper than the Civic and Tercel wagons that were similarly decked out. That also made it easier to send it to the junk yard when the engine went tits up.
Man i love your channel don't know how i didn't find you years ago.
You should do a video on the 1991-94 Mercury Capri if you haven't already. It's a small convertible mostly made from Mazda parts, built in Australia, and came with an optional turbocharger. It's basically a front-wheel-drive Miata :D
It’s basically a 323 GT
the 4th gen Celica is highly underrated. I have an '86 ST and I'm still getting 27mpg. Plus it's got pop-ups
I get so excited when you come out with a video 😂 thanks for the awesome content!
I was driving a 1979 Dodge Colt when the new '85 model came out in 1984. I wanted one so badly. I have a daily search on Ebay for a Colt of any kind. One comes up about every 3 months and it is usually the older rear wheel drive version. It is too bad they have all gone away.
Hi Ethan, great channel. The Mitsubishi based Eagle Vista was also produced in Malaysia as the Proton Saga, which was cheap to buy here in the UK but not as I recall a particularly great car, being constantly facelifted in an attempt to hide it's ageing underpinnings.
Another awesome video. I remember the 1980s. I was too young to drive, but I remember cars like the Lamborghini Countach, the Renault Fuego, my favourite was the Buick Reatta. I remember saying "Finally, something new from Buick!" Was I ever disappointed when it was discontinued. I found it way more attractive than the Riviera.
Ethan, congratulate yourself. A great video with lots of info of dead, but not buried automotive classics. Ahh, the 80's. Brought back a lot of great memories. Good job! 😉😎
This channel simply shreds. 💜 I'm blessed to have found it.
Thanks for bringing back to memory the Lotus Elan! Loved the rear views while in high school. Actually forgot about it. Reminded me of my personal disaster car that i wish i still had, the 1991(-94) Mercury Capri XR2.
(Have a soft spot for the Buick Regatta though because my 1st car was a 1979 Riviera.) Loved the Fuego as a boy too. Check out the Isuzu Impulse with it's "Body By Lotus" selling point. 😏
I've heard several time that there are only a thousand Fuego remaining worldwide. And among those thousand, they are not all in working condition. The rest of the production ended up in the junkyard.
I live in France and checked our local Craigslist after your video. Only 15 are for sale.
It is becoming a rare bird!
Glad to see your getting so many subs and im sure you will hit 200k in no time
I test drove a used Fuego back in the 80s. I was not impressed at all by the car. Thanks to this video, I am glad I passed on buying one. My Dad had the Dodge Colt. You did not want to be stuck in that backseat for long trips. It had a lot of mechanical issues that kept it at the dealership service center. Once those issues were addressed, it was a decent car that got excellent fuel mileage.
I found a sweet 92 Buick riviera for my son, 56,000 miles, and came from down south so the body is very clean. The dynaride air suspension system still works amazing and coupled with the plush leather seats it feels like driving a lazy boy down the road. The dash/gauges always get me, it’s like they were trying to be spaceage or something, kinda fun to look at 👍
There was another cool looking renault back in 87 that my aunt had.
87 renault alliance gta.
Full body kit from factory nice looking mag wheels.
Haven't seen one in person myself since probably 92
I had one of the those back in the early 90's. I auto x it for 3 years. Still one of the best handling fwd cars I've ever driven..
Dude great video! Don't forget to mention the twin charged Nissan March, the now expensive Fiat Uno turbo mk1(I'm selling mine btw), the unloved but gorgeous Maserati biturbo (1st twin turbo engine in history) , or the Fiat Panda Ouch/Sisley which it's off-road equivalent is the MB G-wagon, the AlfaRomeo 33 with it's boxer engines.... Oops I mentioned all Italian cars lol I know you're in the US but all those are iconic cars in Europe
Great content as always... Love your videos! Do a video on the VW Scirocco Ethan!!!! I know you use to have one lol. Also the Audi Quattro of the same vintage was pretty rad.
YES! I got my white 1988 Reatta yesterday! I absolutely love it
Keep up the great job 👍
By golly, that touchscreen is super forward thinking for way back then...🤯💯✔
Please do more of these videos! 👌🏻
Another great video!!!
A very entertaining show. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching! :)
I'm a huge Buick fan and totally clicked on this because of the Reatta. You should get one and do a review and an in depth video. Also, as far as other cars you should look at... my all time favorite... I actually had one... Buick LeSabre T-type!!!
I love the 97 ford escort and the 97 dodge neon. The neon is a good 90s forgotten
Reatta and Elan for sure for me….
I see Renault Fuegos very often, here in Argentina was sold very well, and it was the closest rival to the ford Sierra XR4. Now both are considered classics
Here in Argentina we have a "Renault Fuego GTA Max" .....
It came with a 2.2-liter engine and all the bodywork painted, including the sconces that appeared in black.
Not all Buick buyers were old, Ahem, Grand National.
If Jay Leno features a GN, you know it's gotta be good.
I believe...the Reatta is one of the most underrated unique cars ever made. I've had two. Just got a 1990 on 4-25-24, it has had three owners. Only 75 k and beautifully maintained. White and grey interior. Almost showroom quality. Paid $8,500. Everything is like new! Only have to replace a few cosmetic parts....best cruiser I've ever owned, hands down.
I worked at a Dodge, Jeep and Eagle dealership in high school. They also (formerly) sold Renault. I almost bought a used Fuego back in the day but it was over my budget at like $2,500.00.
I really like the Elan and the Buick. The Buick is an odd shape but it’s probably a cool cruiser- completely anonymous to 99.8% of people, but maybe cool enough to get a thumbs up a few times a year!
I just picked up a second mk1 80 vw scirocco recently. I’m completely in love with Giorgetto Giugiaro‘s design on this classic euro. Get them while you can because prices are starting to skyrocket for clean original examples. Even with high mileage.
The Buick 3.8L V6 is the reason why they is so many Reattas around. You can't kill those engines! I used to have a 1996 Bonneville SSEi with the supercharged 3.8L Series 2 V6. That car ran like a top even with 276k miles! Sure I the supercharger needed to be replaced (that cost me about 3k!) which was a small fortune but that engine ran absolutely perfect.
There's been two Fuegos for sale in Southern Ontario for months now (both on Kijiji - Canadian classifieds) although one is effectively a parts car.
I explicitly remember the Eagle Vista wagon since I was heartbroken my parents couldn't test drive one when shopping for a new car in 1990 (the dealer demo had just sold). They ended up with another now-rare car, a new Sonata.
I had a 94 Mitsubishi Mirage S coupe. It was red and a five speed. Loved that car! First car I bought and chose myself after my parents bought me an 87 dodge Aries for $700 when I was 15. Worked my butt off to pay them back and save for something more reliable. Sold the Mirage to my little brother when he turned 16 and then he rolled it. We were reminiscing about the other day decided to see if we could find another. Searched every website and only found one in the entire U.S.! Happens to be identical to the one I had in great shape with hardly any miles! If it weren’t for the 20 hour drive and the fact I have five vehicles already, I’d buy it in a heartbeat!
The touch screen computer in the reatta looks so rad!
Love watching your videos, I feel that cars were more exiting on the 80s.
I had two Fuego Turbos back in the day, a white 83 and an Iris Mist 84. These cars were underrated in my opinion. For the money, they were stylish, comfortable and very well equipped. The only issue I ever had with either of them was, I had a turbo seize on my 84, which I was able to replace myself, and for not a lot of money.
That's crazy I just randomly came across a 1988 buick reattaa couple weeks ago and never even heard about it. Fell in love and bought it right away. And the car was only 3 mins away from my house. Crazy
For a time the Vista/Colt hatch was the cheapest car sold in Canada. The Reatta sounds like a Fleetwood Mac B-Side.
Heres one we all forgot... The Subaru SVX, and can you please feature the Geo Storm and the SVX in the next one? Maybe the Hyundai Scoupe as well?
I second all of these. I owned a Storm back in the 90's, coveted the SVX, and was intrigued by the turbo Scoupe. Oh and I'm going to throw another random one out there. Ethan glossed over Eagle this time around. There was one other rather popular Eagle that is worthy of mention. The Vision, which was one of the LH cars developed from the older AMC/Eagle Premier.
i have only ever seen 1 fuego... it was in a junkyard that catered a bit to radwood era cars..
I had a friend who had a dodge colt Vista in highschool... it was that weird brown/maroon color.
don't know much about the Lotus/Kia, but Reatta's were mostly purchased by people who kept them up... and because they were reliable, and not a daily car... they didn't wear out... its been a bucket list car of mine for a long time, but i never pulled the trigger because of only being a two seater... I know of that white one that is 35k... convertibles are usually double the price of coupes... and that one is the rarest most desirable convertible, and its in prestine condition... but i would want a red coupe with tan interior...with the later dash... and maybe supercharge it.
There are always some Colts from that era for sale here in Germany
There was a Fuego Turbo not far away from me in great shape on Craigslist.
My family had two Dodge Colts. Both DL hatches in gold. One an 86 with sealed beams, and one 87 with composite lamps. Loved those things. You never see them on Craigslist, but you might find one on Marketplace.
The CRT touch screen was also available in the Riviera coupe, and there was a similar color system on the Oldsmobile Toronado called the Trofeo system.
Some other good ones are the Chevy Sprint Turbo, Isuzu I-Mark Turbo, earlier Isuzu Impulse and later Impulse and Geo Storm, Mitsubishi Cordia Turbo, the beloved Chrysubishi Conquestarion, the Chrysler Laser/Dodge Daytona, late 80s Oldsmobile Toronado Trofeo, Nissan 200SX, Nissan Pulsar. Nissan NX, Nissan Maxima SE, Infiniti M30, Infiniti G20, Lexus ES250, Rover 216 Vanden Plas, Cadillac Cimmaron, Mazda 121 FunTop, Geo Tracker soft top, early 90s Saturn SC2, Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16, Citroen BX, Renault Alliance GTA, Fiat X1/9, Innocenti Mini De Tomaso, Daihatsu Charade Turbo, and so so so many more that my dream garage would have to be the size of a football field.
Bro showed a clip from Speed Zone you just earned a follower!
Loved the Eagle Talon and that Elan was cool too!
I thought that the Saturn Sky and the Pontiac Solstice would have been hits. Nope.
The Fuego, Elan, and Reatta are all cars that I would totally buy. Especially that Reatta with the touch-screen control center. :)
I would take the Elan or Reatta
- check out the 1988 Isuzu Impulse Turbo - I used to own one and loved it - always loved the styling and the dash was my favorite - great video and review 👍🏻👍🏻
I saw the Isuzu Impulse in the montage at the end of the video. You need to to do a video on that car! Eyebrow headlights, dual lighters, paddle blinker. Great little car!
My first car was a 1986 Nissan Pulsar NX sport. 2 door with the pop up headlights, 1.6L and a 5 speed manual, power assist brakes and nothing else. No power steering, no abs, no power windows or lock. It was super light and small. It was surprisingly quick and a real hoot to drive. Wish I could find a running and driving survivor. Though I don't think I could get parts for it anyway.
I thought the reatta was modeled after the Cadillac excalibur. I've always loved the 95-99 Buick Riviera with the 3.8l super charged engine.
That "Can Can" red on white Reatta is cool!
The car that I really wanted in the 80’s was the first edition of the Isuzu Impulse. I thought they very sleek, sporty looking, and I actually liked them more than the Ford Mustang. I especially liked the car in black. I knew someone, who I can’t remember, had a Buick Reatta. I recall, when sitting in the passenger seat, the car was huge. The hood seemed to stretch out in front forever. It was a bit creaky too, lots of squeaks and road noise. In the late 80’s, I had a boyfriend who was an executive at G.M. When he was hired, the first lease car he chose was a black Chevy Baretta. I remember the strange door handles that were located in the door frame. It was a nice enough car and had quite a growl. He chose a white Pontiac Fiero his second year. I always thought they were good looking, but at 6’3”, my b/f didn’t appreciate the lack of headroom.
I love these videos!
The Reatta that was $35k was a select 60 model, which were made for the top 60 Buick dealerships in the country. They're rare, but aren't worth $35K. My Reatta is one of 170 made in the specific color/interior combination for 1989. (Black/Tan) Some Reatta's go much rarer then that, there are some that are as rare as only 40, 30, 20, and so on.
Red was the most common color, making 37% of all Reatta sales for all 4 years. You should really think about getting, its a fairly rare car and they still are fairly cheap to buy and maintain, plus there's a great Facebook community that can answer all the questions you may have.
The eagle summit was an amazing car van thing. Way ahead of its time
I LOVED the Regatta - I was a teenager when it was on the lots, and I wanted one so bad!
I’d take the Reatta. My favs from long ago were the 90-93 Celica AL Trac, 93 to 97 Probe GT, 91 to 98 3000 GT VR 4, the 87 to 92 Supra, 2009 5.0 Hyundai Genesis, 1993 SC 400, and the 87 Grand National
A while back we had a Reatta and a 1993 Pontiac bonneville SSEi with the supercharged 3.8. We had originally planned to yank the engine and harness out of the bonneville, do all the power adders we could (Head work, cam, exhaust, etc) and get as much power as we could. It would bolt right into the Buick for the most part and that supercharged engine would make it scoot more. We were planning on doing the suspension and a nice paint job too. BUT the touch screen went kaput and at the time we couldn't find one so we sold it. I still have the Bonneville but we never tinkered with the engine and recently when we did the timing chain we learned the poor car had not been loved well by past owners. But hey, it was still a dream, right?
Driving home today I saw a pink Reatta donk (with pink wheels and vanity plates of course) and it made me think of this video.
In the late 1990’s I bought a red 2 door hatchback 1988 Plymouth Colt for about $350. Then I bought an identical one for $200 but the seller left town and I couldn’t get the title so I stripped off the new tires, seats and whatever else came off easy and it went to a salvage yard. I also bought a blue 4 door 1986 Plymouth Colt Turbo for only $60. I drove it for a month until I discovered all of the rust under the drivers side A pillar and I had to strip it for parts and it went to a salvage yard. They were fun cars. The odd thing is that the standard 1988 Plymouth Colt had a carburetor and the standard 1988 Dodge Colt had fuel injection.
The Colt Vista Wagon was a great car. I learned to drive a stick shift with one. The seats folded flat and it seated seven in three rows.
I just learned about the Lotus Elon from 1991 today on the cameras other channel, apparently cars and beats.com sold one recently. What a convoluted past! It’s wild that back then Assisi could get so much HP out of a four banger. I know people who swear by their little troopers though. Thanks for the videos, cheers!
I have wanted a Reatta for years. Would love to do an L67 supercharged swap in one. I think they are such a cool looking car, and I love Buicks and the 3.8 has got to be one of the easiest engines to work on and are bulletproof.
One Eagle model you forgot to mention was the Summit. This may have also been a Canada only model, but it was similar to the Vista wagon, but with a slightly more 90s stylish body more like the later Eagle Vision.
Fun fact, I used to work at the supplier factory that at the time produced the seats for the Chrysler LX cars from 2004-2009, but originally opened to produce the seats for the Eagle Premier and Vision in the 90s, in Ontario, Canada, where they were built at the Brampton assembly plant. Many of my senior co-workers had worked there since the factory opened and had built the Premier seats.
I loved the Reatta! When I lived in VA. There was a guy near Winchester that had about 20 of em.