My dad had a brown Riviera of this generation. When my mom was going into labor with me my dad drove her (and me lol) to the hospital in this car. My mom always tells me he insisted on lining the front seat with beach towels before they left which slightly delayed the departure to the hospital LOL. He always talked fondly of this car. He passed away about three years ago from cancer. Thanks for posting this video and giving me a good memory 😊
I owned the 1984 Riviera and it was absolutely the best car that I've ever owned in my entire life. The car drove like a dream. I am looking for another one.
The vinyl roof is about contrast, and it looks more decorated and fancy, with the vinyl roof. Its more feminine to me with the vinyl roof. Not to say that without the vinyl roof, it still looks very sleek and sculpted. Its also the original way the car was drawn. These cars were awesome. You felt like a casanova when you rolled up. They made a dark blue color ,absolutely beautiful.
@@theodoregarcia8830 Indeed with the padded vinyl roof, it gave it style. When you pulled up to an upscale restaurant and had your car valet parked, it made an executive, classy statement.
@@HemiChrysler In the US and Canada, public school is traditionally divided into 12 school years, 1st grade (5 year olds) to 12th grade (17 year olds).
My boss had a new '79 Riviera back in the day and he let me drive it a few times. It was a superb car, beautifully designed inside and out and it rode and drove extremely well. Thanks for the memories, Adam!
These were built in my home town of Linden, NJ and I was fortunate enough to get a tour of the factory to see them assembled. One of the best looking cars ever made in my opinion.
I had one 1984 all white with tan cloth interior and 307 olds motor. That car was a fabulous cruiser and went thru the snow like it was all wheel drive..
I purchased in 1985. It was truly one of the finest GM cars I ever owned. Gray over/black with drove grey leather interior. I traded in 1992 for a Cadillac DeVille. "When better cars are built - Buick will build them"
My dad bought a 1980 Riviera in 80, he traded in his 78 Coupe De Ville. The car was beautiful, 2 tone brown and yellow, it looked like a Bumble Bee! It turned out to be the biggest lemon he ever owned! Everything kept going out on that car! He finally traded it in on a 84 Coupe De Ville in 84! LOL!
The 20 th anniversary edition of these Buicks is also just gorgeous with color keyed very old school rims. Yeah, check out those 20 th anniversary editions images, unique aomost
If you can hook everyone from the 69-year-olds in the Florida retirement communities to the 19-year-old college kids, you're done a great job of styling.
When I was a kid in the mid-90s my dad got a 1983 Riviera as a second car to commute to work in. It really started my love affair with classic American cars even though it wasn't in the best of shape nor very desirable or fast, I remember him saying it was hard to pass PA inspections because the frame was almost completely rotted away and detached from the body lol. I think it was in the winter of 2001-02 he was driving in snow and slid into a curb, hard enough to bust up the front transaxle and that was the end of the Riviera. I prefer the mid-late 60s Rivs much more (I adore your 1967) but seeing these pictures brought back a lot of memories of my childhood, thanks Adam!
I find it interesting that just a day or so ago I saw this very car on RUclips and remarked to myself, perhaps out loud, that this car represented one of the very last cars produced by the American auto industry that was still grounded in the values of high style and comfort. While I know the market has changed, I can’t help but feel something is very lacking in todays designs, practical though they might be. I have not loved cars since. Perhaps I am merely getting older. But isn’t it fascinating that Adam puts up this video right after the other one with an almost telepathic accuracy to my own thoughts? lol Gorgeous car.
Brings back alot of memories. My parents had an 83 and I used it all the time as a teen. It was white with a white vinyl top maroon leather. Everyone seen me coming in that car. It never was dirty and always polished. The only thing it just wasn't quick, not that it was supposed to be, but it should have had more power. Great car.
That Oldsmobile 307cid engine was the last GM engine to be carbureted; its final year of use was 1990 on the full-sized Oldsmobile, Chevrolet, and Buick station wagons, and on the Cadillac Brougham.
I was lucky enough to be able to order a new ‘82 Riviera, in dark gray firemist. Adam, I agree with you; I opted for no vinyl roof and it was absolutely beautiful. I’ve never again owned a car I loved so much.
A colleague at work had one of those, rosewood finish and all. He traded in their 76 silver Seville for it one day without telling his wife when she was at work. Wifey wasn't happy but hubby'd expected her to be delighted. But, it was Denver, Colorado and Lon's wife finally warmed up to the new Seville with front wheel drive and she could now get to work on the snowiest days, since she was an entrepreneur and couldn't afford to loll around the house at times like that.
I have watched close to all of your videos. The reason why I watch is because I want your opinion. Your undiluted passion for your subject is what is so infectious and irresistible and causes your opinion to be interesting. Therefore it is dumb for you to say that "That's just my opinion" when your opinion is the reason why I am watching.
My mother in law rented one on a trip to Florida that my wife and I had taken with her in 1984 or ‘85. I remember the car being extremely quiet and comfortable and seemed to garner a little attention from others. A far nicer car than your typical airport rental.
I never had a Riviera, but I did have a 1978 Tornado. It had the nearly bulletproof 403, and of course, it was front wheel drive. If you drove it like you had at least half a brain and set the cruise control, it would flirt with 20 mpg at 55-60 mph! The 2 best parts were the front leg room and the way it rode like you were floating on a cloud! One bonus plus was on the snow-covered roads and parking lots. If you put it in reverse, you could do some really killer reverse donuts!!! WHAT A BLAST (my 5th grade son was impressed by it too!) I traded it for a '78 GMC pickup and regretted that decision from the moment I drove the truck off the lot. I sure would love to find another one just like it!
That ‘82 Riviera isn’t a shadow of the fabulous mid60’s Rivieras which were perfect renditions of the “personal” luxury car. Powerful, stylish 2-door coupes.
Very strangely I normally don't like the look of vinyl tops on any cars but for some reason when you showed the comparison car without one, I realized I prefer this car with one
I drove one of these in high school, around 2002-2003. I replaced it with a Regal T-type coupe as soon as I could, but it was a NICE old car, comfortable, not terribly slow, fairly nice inside, even got okay mileage. I love 80s Buicks.
My Dad bought a 79 Pontiac Grand Prix with the 3.8 buick V6 and bucket seats. Later, he owned a Buick Century and LaSabre, both with the same 3.8 Buick V6. Thanks
My dad had a '79 in silver without the vinyl roof. Beautiful car, with great ride and handling, and good in the snow. When it came time to replace it, he moved to Cadillac.
I have a friend who had a Riv in that color back in the 90’s. It was his winter car and he drove an iroc in the good weather. He crashed it hard one winter, and walked away because it was such a good safe car. He ended up buying another one that was white and drove it in the winter several more years. I also worked with a guy in Florida who had an 82 riv convertible. Only one I’ve ever seen.
I was 14 when these cars came out, and I absolutely thought they were the bomb. I thought they were so beautiful and I still think that today. I think they are an absolutely beautiful timeless design that has aged really well. I think GM hit it right out of the park with this and then completely screwed it up with the next one as they did with the one before it. It's really kind of crazy that you know, they go from screwing up one to getting it exactly right to screwing it all up again.
The color is amazing but the vinyl roof is what makes it romantic! 😅 That Riviera was always special - Buick finished in elegant details. The era of slow cars but they were comfy quiet and nice FM stereos! Nobody needed to go fast ha.
My mom's friend drove a white one with a burgundy interior. I remember it from 1985 to maybe 1988. As a young kid what impressed me most was how comfortable the rear seats were (because I was usually sitting back there) and how smooth the ride was. It just floated down the road from what I remember. I always felt the "top hat" steering wheel was a curious design choice but over all I liked the car, mainly because it was so smooth.
My Aunt purchased a 1983 Riviera in light blue without the vinyl roof ( I personally think the padded vinyl landau roof made the Rivieras look that much more elegant). I was 25 yrs old in 1983 and my Uncle gave me a ride in it. I was so impressed by the body style and the interior. It was nighttime so I got to see all of the courtesy lights on the dash highlighting the air-conditioning vents. It rode so smooth and quiet. I still think that body style is beautiful.
My high school girlfriends mother had one of these, exact same color. Someone stole it from their driveway, and when she got it back she didn’t want it. Her husband bought her a bustle back Seville.
Adam, as an accountant, you know that after the steel, glass was the next most expensive item, and all 3 of the luxury coupes shared the same glass all around, except for maybe the rear passenger windows
Instead of preferring Riviera over Eldorado, Toronado over Riviera, etc etc, I think that the '79-85 E-bodies may have been individually the best-looking car of all time for all three marques.
I remember my dad getting a light blue Riviera, non-vinyl roof. It felt pretty fancy and cool to me as a young kid. He had a Toronado before that. Unfortunately it didn't stay long as it couldn't pull the Kustom Koach camper too well and sold that for an '85 Chevy van with carpet, blinds, curtains and captain chairs. Miss them all now, it was a great time to be a kid. I remember we were late to one of his appointments and him trying not to curse as he was changing the driver's rear tire on the Riviera in his suit. He had the 5L engine in his. Thanks for the memories and history lesson. Ohhhh, I remember he had to replace the stalk to fix the cruise control. Had to order the part in from a dealer somewhere in the USA, and he spent a few nights threading all those thin wires in.
@@MarioLT4 I actually did not pay more than $1500 for a car until this year ;) I bought a 13 year old Subaru for $7,500, but I did offset some of that by selling my Sonata for $1,500 (that I bought for $1,200 three years prior). Still, my 06 Corolla for $1,200 continues to work flawlessly and doesn't even have any rust on it :D
I saw a red convertible at Woodward this year and it was gorgeous. I really like how the crease between the headlights goes all the way up the hood. I think that is one of the most distinctive styling elements of this car.
my next door neighbor had a black Riveria. I think it was a later model, as it had the 1.5 DIN stereo, instead of the older 3-hole design like this car has. He LOVED that car! He was a rather tall man, and enjoyed the big seats in it The car was extremely comfortable. Because the floor is flat in the rear, 3 people could comfortably ride in the back. His car had a bench seat in it, without the console this one has, so it was actually a 6-passenger car.
You talking about the next generation of cars after this reminded me of the Olds Trofeo. That could be a good one to discuss because I always thought it was a great looking car despite being a un loved downsizer.
My dad had a midnight blue 80 riviera. Very nice looking car for the era and his did not have the vinyl top. The non vinyl top models had a much larger quarter window that also improved the proportions. I agree that the 350 engine was a much more satisfying engine with plenty of torque. My uncle liked my dad’s car so much he bought an 81 but with the 307 and it was a dog. Last trivia bit is that the sail panel exterior lamps were optional. If you didn’t order them you got a crest instead. These lights were fluorescent and therefore required a transformer. My dad replaced his several times in the 4 or 5 years he had the car. The blue car in the video doesn’t have the optional lights.
Adam these are near to my heart as well! I worked for Buick in LIC New York from Sept 1985- 1986 and almost bought a Dealer Demo! I remember vividly it was listed at $18,999 but being I worked there I could get it for $15K out the door. It was white with a navy blue 1/3 top and blue velour interior. It had about 5,000 miles on it and looked new. I came home excited and told my parents about it. I was 19 at the time going on 20 that January. Mom said to me "Honey I'm sure its a beautiful car and you'd love to have it BUT we're not co-signing a loan! You don't need a fancy car like that. We're more then twice your age and never had a new car or late model car" I was upset but once I lost my job about 8 months later as the dealership slowed down it all made sense and I realized they were right! I would have had a beautiful car less then a year only to find I couldn't afford it anymore! Dads been gone since 2006 and we lost Mom this January, so only memories of this car and them exist. I agree, these were very well styled cars with class and flair. You felt special driving in one, and pulling up even to a grocery store was an event LOL
I had a '95 Riviera the same color you show in the picture. I had the governor shut off. The car had a supercharger and was a real runner. $35,000 sticker when new. I really miss the car.
Very nice! I've always liked this model of the 'Riv'. It was certainly a very good looking car and it really did the Riviera name proud. There were a few in my neighborhood and even though I am a Ford guy, I always wanted one. Unfortunately, it was a bit beyond what I could afford, at that time. Either way, a sweet car. An excellent video, as always.
I’m a Cadillac guy, but I think the Riv was the prettiest of the trio. I think the 1989 brought back a bit of the grace and romance. The next gen had a super weird front end and such a cheap looking interior.
OMG this brings back memories of my young teens. Our uncle bought one of these in dark brown at an auction for 100 bucks in the 90s, it was a POS and we called it "The Turd". Beat the snot out of that beast lol
By 1980, my dad was an independent dealer (sold cars out of our house) specializing in 60’s Porsches, 70’s Jags and BMWs. Even being around cars like that, I was impressed by the new black on burgundy Riviera that my best friend’s mom drove. Though probably only in her mid 30’s at the time, She was a proper southern lady: full makeup, never had a hair out of place. That car suited her. It was just over the top plush and cushy. When I see one of these I go right back to sitting in the front middle of the velour split bench seat with my friend on one side and his pretty mother on the other … Barbara Streisand playing on the radio.
I have an 88 Eldorado which is similar to the 86 and up downsized riviera, and honestly I prefer the smaller size of the 86 and up to the 79 to 85 riv and Eldorado which appear too large and looked dated, even at the time. Its obvious though that what you say is true and gm clearly had planned the 86+ for high fuel prices. To me, the perfect size would be right in the middle between the 79/85 and 86+. You sure saw a lot of the 79 to 85 riviera on the road back then
My Dad put towels and sheets over his seats when we went on family trips. And something funny I remember about the car was that the light covers under the dashboard used to fall off and boy did that piss my Dad off, he put tape on them to keep them in place. The next year he traded it in for our family Van
The Riv was the best looking of the three. I see a lot of styling cues from the '63 Riv in the rear fenders and roof creases. I wish they had taken some interior styling cues from the '63 as well
I turned 16 in 1980 and just started to get interested in cars as I got my license. I thought most cars from this era were pretty boring, but this generation of Riviera was one of the exceptions. I thought this car was so cool and I liked that James Caan drove one in the movie Thief.
I worked for a Buick dealer when this series of Riviera was new. Our customers loved these cars especially women. '79 to '85 Rivs were really good cars and were one of our best selling models at the dealership. When the the '86's Rivs came out, our customers hated them. You could not even get anyone to even set in one especially men. We went from selling 5 or 6 or more Rivieras a week to maybe 6 or 7 1986's for the whole year.
My dad had a brown Riviera of this generation. When my mom was going into labor with me my dad drove her (and me lol) to the hospital in this car. My mom always tells me he insisted on lining the front seat with beach towels before they left which slightly delayed the departure to the hospital LOL. He always talked fondly of this car. He passed away about three years ago from cancer. Thanks for posting this video and giving me a good memory 😊
Flat floor is nice, anyway you look at it
Nice memory
Just plain ugly
That was GM'S EDSEL
@@deaneddie873 Guy tells a nice story and you 💩 all over the car. Classy.
The ‘79 - ‘85 Riviera, Eldorado & Toronado and ‘80 - ‘85 Seville were very beautiful cars.
@@Bullitt00007 They sure were beautiful cars! Lots of style!!
They were awesome but not the same same as the rear wheel drives
I love these Rivieras. They were just beautiful, especially the convertible. I miss whitewalls and wire wheel covers.
This body style was on of the most beautiful cars. In fact the Buick line from 79-85 were stunning. What happened after '85 was just sad.
I love the old American cars, they certainly had a lot of style.
My neighbor was a foreman in the Linden New Jersey plant that made these and he watched his baby be made.
How he loved that car.
I knew a couple of guys that worked there. Those Eldo Biarritz stainless steel roof covers could slice up your hands if you weren't careful.
I love the 1979-1985 Riviera. I think it is best looking of the E-bodies.
I like the Riviera the best of the 3 also
BEAUTY!!!!!!!! My father in law had a 1982 medium gray metallic with a light gray 1/4 vinyl roof top.light gray interior.I LOVED that car!!!!!!!!!!!!
I owned the 1984 Riviera and it was absolutely the best car that I've ever owned in my entire life. The car drove like a dream. I am looking for another one.
The vinyl roof is about contrast, and it looks more decorated and fancy, with the vinyl roof. Its more feminine to me with the vinyl roof. Not to say that without the vinyl roof, it still looks very sleek and sculpted. Its also the original way the car was drawn. These cars were awesome. You felt like a casanova when you rolled up. They made a dark blue color ,absolutely beautiful.
@@theodoregarcia8830 Indeed with the padded vinyl roof, it gave it style. When you pulled up to an upscale restaurant and had your car valet parked, it made an executive, classy statement.
I had a 1983 Buick Riviera as my 1st car in1993. She wasn't very fast but she ate the highway miles up ...very smooth. I wouldn't mind having one now.
I fell in love with it in 8th grade, small Buick dealer in my town had a silver one that was so beautiful. Unfortunately, I grew up poor.
what is 8th grade ?
@@HemiChrysler In the US and Canada, public school is traditionally divided into 12 school years, 1st grade (5 year olds) to 12th grade (17 year olds).
@@SirOsisofLiver thus,
grade + 4 = likely age ?
1 + 4 = 5 years old
8 + 4 = 12 years old
@@HemiChryslerthat would be incorrect.
5th grade =around10 years old
12th grade around 18 years old.
@@HemiChrysler He was 14 years old ...
My boss had a new '79 Riviera back in the day and he let me drive it a few times. It was a superb car, beautifully designed inside and out and it rode and drove extremely well. Thanks for the memories, Adam!
💯 agree, THANKS for the memories.
These were built in my home town of Linden, NJ and I was fortunate enough to get a tour of the factory to see them assembled. One of the best looking cars ever made in my opinion.
I love my ‘79! These cars are under appreciated!
They sure sold well, Riv's, Eldo's and Toro's. But you're right, they're mostly forgotten today.
And them GM had the brilliant idea to cut them down in size by 50% and raise the price. Those cars that followed this were pitiful!
I had one 1984 all white with tan cloth interior and 307 olds motor.
That car was a fabulous cruiser and went thru the snow like it was all wheel drive..
I had forgotten but you're right, mine never noticed a snow flake the entire time I drove it
I purchased in 1985. It was truly one of the finest GM cars I ever owned. Gray over/black with drove grey leather interior. I traded in 1992 for a Cadillac DeVille.
"When better cars are built - Buick will build them"
Beautiful color.
When Buick changed the Riv to FWD, these years were beautiful!!
They did an AWESOME job👍🇺🇸
Adam, I am overwhelmed with all these great videos you put out on all of these beautiful cars. Thanks!
My dad bought a 1980 Riviera in 80, he traded in his 78 Coupe De Ville. The car was beautiful, 2 tone brown and yellow, it looked like a Bumble Bee! It turned out to be the biggest lemon he ever owned! Everything kept going out on that car! He finally traded it in on a 84 Coupe De Ville in 84! LOL!
I was a sophomore in college when this version of the Riviera came out. It's one of my favorite cars of all time!
The 20 th anniversary edition of these Buicks is also just gorgeous with color keyed very old school rims. Yeah, check out those 20 th anniversary editions images, unique aomost
If you can hook everyone from the 69-year-olds in the Florida retirement communities to the 19-year-old college kids, you're done a great job of styling.
When I was a kid in the mid-90s my dad got a 1983 Riviera as a second car to commute to work in. It really started my love affair with classic American cars even though it wasn't in the best of shape nor very desirable or fast, I remember him saying it was hard to pass PA inspections because the frame was almost completely rotted away and detached from the body lol. I think it was in the winter of 2001-02 he was driving in snow and slid into a curb, hard enough to bust up the front transaxle and that was the end of the Riviera. I prefer the mid-late 60s Rivs much more (I adore your 1967) but seeing these pictures brought back a lot of memories of my childhood, thanks Adam!
I find it interesting that just a day or so ago I saw this very car on RUclips and remarked to myself, perhaps out loud, that this car represented one of the very last cars produced by the American auto industry that was still grounded in the values of high style and comfort. While I know the market has changed, I can’t help but feel something is very lacking in todays designs, practical though they might be. I have not loved cars since. Perhaps I am merely getting older.
But isn’t it fascinating that Adam puts up this video right after the other one with an almost telepathic accuracy to my own thoughts? lol Gorgeous car.
Just beautiful! Loved those 79 to 85 E bodies.
Brings back alot of memories. My parents had an 83 and I used it all the time as a teen. It was white with a white vinyl top maroon leather. Everyone seen me coming in that car. It never was dirty and always polished. The only thing it just wasn't quick, not that it was supposed to be, but it should have had more power. Great car.
Adam, thank you so much for sharing my car!!! I really appreciate it and you do a heck of a job!!!! Bill, Competition Cars!
I saw your video Bill, I'm sure you'll get a good price for this one.
@@mustang0464 Thank you! As Adam shared here, this is a car to love!
Yes!!
That Oldsmobile 307cid engine was the last GM engine to be carbureted; its final year of use was 1990 on the full-sized Oldsmobile, Chevrolet, and Buick station wagons, and on the Cadillac Brougham.
As I understand it, it was the last production v8 in the world with a 4 barrel
Adam you need this in your collection , its just a beautiful car and the color is scrumptious 😊
Yes sir, it is. Why can't we have brown cars or yellow cars or rose-colored cars any longer?
My mom had a 1977 Riviera when I was a kid. I loved that car.
I'm one of the few who loves the 77-78 Riviera.
I was lucky enough to be able to order a new ‘82 Riviera, in dark gray firemist. Adam, I agree with you; I opted for no vinyl roof and it was absolutely beautiful. I’ve never again owned a car I loved so much.
I love this generation of the Riv's - one of the best looking 1980's era cars.
No chrome around windshield adds so much to the elegance of this design. It’s a subtle crossover from previous luxury design and modern.
This car and the Bustle-back Cadillac are some of the prettiest cars from the 80s in my opinion. The rosewood paint is absolutely stunning
A colleague at work had one of those, rosewood finish and all. He traded in their 76 silver Seville for it one day without telling his wife when she was at work. Wifey wasn't happy but hubby'd expected her to be delighted. But, it was Denver, Colorado and Lon's wife finally warmed up to the new Seville with front wheel drive and she could now get to work on the snowiest days, since she was an entrepreneur and couldn't afford to loll around the house at times like that.
I have watched close to all of your videos. The reason why I watch is because I want your opinion. Your undiluted passion for your subject is what is so infectious and irresistible and causes your opinion to be interesting. Therefore it is dumb for you to say that "That's just my opinion" when your opinion is the reason why I am watching.
Loved this car. My Dad had a 79 2 tone.silver on top grey on the bottom black half vinyl roof . Black crushed velour.
I always loved the '83 Riviera XX Anniversary Edition with real wire wheels and special paint, etc.
And real wood inside
My mother in law rented one on a trip to Florida that my wife and I had taken with her in 1984 or ‘85. I remember the car being extremely quiet and comfortable and seemed to garner a little attention from others. A far nicer car than your typical airport rental.
The color and ribbing of those seats is, to me, Excellent. Thanks Adam
I never had a Riviera, but I did have a 1978 Tornado. It had the nearly bulletproof 403, and of course, it was front wheel drive. If you drove it like you had at least half a brain and set the cruise control, it would flirt with 20 mpg at 55-60 mph! The 2 best parts were the front leg room and the way it rode like you were floating on a cloud! One bonus plus was on the snow-covered roads and parking lots. If you put it in reverse, you could do some really killer reverse donuts!!! WHAT A BLAST (my 5th grade son was impressed by it too!) I traded it for a '78 GMC pickup and regretted that decision from the moment I drove the truck off the lot. I sure would love to find another one just like it!
Loved this body style. My brother had a 1980 Eldorado with a 400 in it, I think. That thing would move! Beautiful cars!
That ‘82 Riviera isn’t a shadow of the fabulous mid60’s Rivieras which were perfect renditions of the “personal” luxury car. Powerful, stylish 2-door coupes.
I love this car. I’m so jealous. I would drive that as my every day car if I had it.
Very strangely I normally don't like the look of vinyl tops on any cars but for some reason when you showed the comparison car without one, I realized I prefer this car with one
I drove one of these in high school, around 2002-2003. I replaced it with a Regal T-type coupe as soon as I could, but it was a NICE old car, comfortable, not terribly slow, fairly nice inside, even got okay mileage. I love 80s Buicks.
My Dad bought a 79 Pontiac Grand Prix with the 3.8 buick V6 and bucket seats. Later, he owned a Buick Century and LaSabre, both with the same 3.8 Buick V6. Thanks
Perfect description of that beautiful nostalgic automobile!!~
You need to bid on this and buy it, add to your collection. It’s a beauty
My dad had a '79 in silver without the vinyl roof. Beautiful car, with great ride and handling, and good in the snow. When it came time to replace it, he moved to Cadillac.
I have a friend who had a Riv in that color back in the 90’s. It was his winter car and he drove an iroc in the good weather. He crashed it hard one winter, and walked away because it was such a good safe car. He ended up buying another one that was white and drove it in the winter several more years.
I also worked with a guy in Florida who had an 82 riv convertible. Only one I’ve ever seen.
I do like these cars Adam. Thanks for a great report.
I was 14 when these cars came out, and I absolutely thought they were the bomb. I thought they were so beautiful and I still think that today. I think they are an absolutely beautiful timeless design that has aged really well. I think GM hit it right out of the park with this and then completely screwed it up with the next one as they did with the one before it. It's really kind of crazy that you know, they go from screwing up one to getting it exactly right to screwing it all up again.
The color is amazing but the vinyl roof is what makes it romantic! 😅
That Riviera was always special - Buick finished in elegant details.
The era of slow cars but they were comfy quiet and nice FM stereos!
Nobody needed to go fast ha.
The Riviera of around 2000 had a Supercharger with about 250hp....I had an Ultra...
My mom's friend drove a white one with a burgundy interior. I remember it from 1985 to maybe 1988. As a young kid what impressed me most was how comfortable the rear seats were (because I was usually sitting back there) and how smooth the ride was. It just floated down the road from what I remember. I always felt the "top hat" steering wheel was a curious design choice but over all I liked the car, mainly because it was so smooth.
Burgundy was big in the early 80's!
Very nice love the copper colour. The mileage is incredible.
Yea that color is a stunner!
My Aunt purchased a 1983 Riviera in light blue without the vinyl roof ( I personally think the padded vinyl landau roof made the Rivieras look that much more elegant). I was 25 yrs old in 1983 and my Uncle gave me a ride in it. I was so impressed by the body style and the interior. It was nighttime so I got to see all of the courtesy lights on the dash highlighting the air-conditioning vents. It rode so smooth and quiet. I still think that body style is beautiful.
And now both of us are 66-67…looking back like it was yesterday.
@@zeroceiling you are so right!👍
I can’t believe how quickly the years went by.
@@user-spacrazie …with all this said…doesn’t everyone still feel they are 35 on the inside?
@@LlyleHunter tell me about it…..like in the blink of an eye!
I was in 8th grade and saw "RAW DEAL" with Arnold in a convertible Rivera. So good.
What a great gorgeous color! Wish this was my car!
I liked that color too. AND I liked the vinyl roof (even though Adam didn't seem fond of it).
I love this color. My mom had a park avenue that was this exact color.
My high school girlfriends mother had one of these, exact same color. Someone stole it from their driveway, and when she got it back she didn’t want it. Her husband bought her a bustle back Seville.
Garage is safer.
Kind of deliberate bad taste purchase so as not to be robbed again.
Is the girlfriend still around?
Beautiful car!
Adam, as an accountant, you know that after the steel, glass was the next most expensive item, and all 3 of the luxury coupes shared the same glass all around, except for maybe the rear passenger windows
Instead of preferring Riviera over Eldorado, Toronado over Riviera, etc etc, I think that the '79-85 E-bodies may have been individually the best-looking car of all time for all three marques.
I had an 85. One of my favorite cars. 307 Olds.
I remember my dad getting a light blue Riviera, non-vinyl roof. It felt pretty fancy and cool to me as a young kid. He had a Toronado before that. Unfortunately it didn't stay long as it couldn't pull the Kustom Koach camper too well and sold that for an '85 Chevy van with carpet, blinds, curtains and captain chairs. Miss them all now, it was a great time to be a kid.
I remember we were late to one of his appointments and him trying not to curse as he was changing the driver's rear tire on the Riviera in his suit. He had the 5L engine in his. Thanks for the memories and history lesson.
Ohhhh, I remember he had to replace the stalk to fix the cruise control. Had to order the part in from a dealer somewhere in the USA, and he spent a few nights threading all those thin wires in.
I had an 84, in black. One of the best cars I ever owned.
my first car! I love these things!!!
Great looking car!
This was my first car in highschool. Bought it used for $1000. In 1996. Loved that car. I would like to have another one
You paid a grand for it? Hah, I was buying cars for $200 in the mid 90s. If it was in good shape, that's not a bad price actually.
@the_kombinator yes $200 cars. That's the good old days
@@MarioLT4 I actually did not pay more than $1500 for a car until this year ;) I bought a 13 year old Subaru for $7,500, but I did offset some of that by selling my Sonata for $1,500 (that I bought for $1,200 three years prior).
Still, my 06 Corolla for $1,200 continues to work flawlessly and doesn't even have any rust on it :D
I saw a red convertible at Woodward this year and it was gorgeous. I really like how the crease between the headlights goes all the way up the hood. I think that is one of the most distinctive styling elements of this car.
I love the 1979 they were awesome
my next door neighbor had a black Riveria. I think it was a later model, as it had the 1.5 DIN stereo, instead of the older 3-hole design like this car has. He LOVED that car! He was a rather tall man, and enjoyed the big seats in it The car was extremely comfortable. Because the floor is flat in the rear, 3 people could comfortably ride in the back. His car had a bench seat in it, without the console this one has, so it was actually a 6-passenger car.
I missed my 1982 Buick Regal limited 😢 😔 😞 😪!!!
Always appreciate the honest reviews/history of the featured vehicles. Agree regarding the partial vinyl roof taking away from the stellar body lines.
Adam, love your channel. Keep it up!!!
You talking about the next generation of cars after this reminded me of the Olds Trofeo. That could be a good one to discuss because I always thought it was a great looking car despite being a un loved downsizer.
I love that car I had a 1983 model silver with a champagne half top
Love this generation of Riviera. Great personal luxury car and its grand style.
If you put the park lamp turns signals above the headlamps it would look like a chrysler new yorker !
But at the Chrysler the grille and the headlight-bezels never were curved* that beautifully...
*If You look from the side to it.
Love the colour.
Love that color! So elegant and stylish overall.
My dad had a midnight blue 80 riviera. Very nice looking car for the era and his did not have the vinyl top. The non vinyl top models had a much larger quarter window that also improved the proportions.
I agree that the 350 engine was a much more satisfying engine with plenty of torque. My uncle liked my dad’s car so much he bought an 81 but with the 307 and it was a dog.
Last trivia bit is that the sail panel exterior lamps were optional. If you didn’t order them you got a crest instead. These lights were fluorescent and therefore required a transformer. My dad replaced his several times in the 4 or 5 years he had the car. The blue car in the video doesn’t have the optional lights.
I had an 83, in rosewood. Which was a rose beige. 307. Very comfortable car
Adam these are near to my heart as well! I worked for Buick in LIC New York from Sept 1985- 1986 and almost bought a Dealer Demo! I remember vividly it was listed at $18,999 but being I worked there I could get it for $15K out the door. It was white with a navy blue 1/3 top and blue velour interior. It had about 5,000 miles on it and looked new. I came home excited and told my parents about it. I was 19 at the time going on 20 that January. Mom said to me "Honey I'm sure its a beautiful car and you'd love to have it BUT we're not co-signing a loan! You don't need a fancy car like that. We're more then twice your age and never had a new car or late model car" I was upset but once I lost my job about 8 months later as the dealership slowed down it all made sense and I realized they were right! I would have had a beautiful car less then a year only to find I couldn't afford it anymore! Dads been gone since 2006 and we lost Mom this January, so only memories of this car and them exist. I agree, these were very well styled cars with class and flair. You felt special driving in one, and pulling up even to a grocery store was an event LOL
my brother had a 1985 model in blue. rode great. loved it
I had a '95 Riviera the same color you show in the picture. I had the governor shut off. The car had a supercharger and was a real runner. $35,000 sticker when new. I really miss the car.
Very nice! I've always liked this model of the 'Riv'. It was certainly a very good looking car and it really did the Riviera name proud. There were a few in my neighborhood and even though I am a Ford guy, I always wanted one. Unfortunately, it was a bit beyond what I could afford, at that time. Either way, a sweet car. An excellent video, as always.
Those ribs design seats look very similar to the one year only 1985 Cadillac Deville seats.
I’m a Cadillac guy, but I think the Riv was the prettiest of the trio. I think the 1989 brought back a bit of the grace and romance. The next gen had a super weird front end and such a cheap looking interior.
4 note horn was awesome on these…sounded a little train like..
It sounded A LOT train-like!
OMG this brings back memories of my young teens. Our uncle bought one of these in dark brown at an auction for 100 bucks in the 90s, it was a POS and we called it "The Turd". Beat the snot out of that beast lol
By 1980, my dad was an independent dealer (sold cars out of our house) specializing in 60’s Porsches, 70’s Jags and BMWs. Even being around cars like that, I was impressed by the new black on burgundy Riviera that my best friend’s mom drove. Though probably only in her mid 30’s at the time, She was a proper southern lady: full makeup, never had a hair out of place. That car suited her. It was just over the top plush and cushy. When I see one of these I go right back to sitting in the front middle of the velour split bench seat with my friend on one side and his pretty mother on the other … Barbara Streisand playing on the radio.
That very Riviera in your opening is currently for sale with Bill of Competition Cars in Myrtle Beach SC. Stunning inside and out.
I have an 88 Eldorado which is similar to the 86 and up downsized riviera, and honestly I prefer the smaller size of the 86 and up to the 79 to 85 riv and Eldorado which appear too large and looked dated, even at the time.
Its obvious though that what you say is true and gm clearly had planned the 86+ for high fuel prices. To me, the perfect size would be right in the middle between the 79/85 and 86+.
You sure saw a lot of the 79 to 85 riviera on the road back then
86 views in 3 minutes!
Congratulations Adam. 😁
My Dad put towels and sheets over his seats when we went on family trips. And something funny I remember about the car was that the light covers under the dashboard used to fall off and boy did that piss my Dad off, he put tape on them to keep them in place. The next year he traded it in for our family Van
The Riv was the best looking of the three. I see a lot of styling cues from the '63 Riv in the rear fenders and roof creases. I wish they had taken some interior styling cues from the '63 as well
I turned 16 in 1980 and just started to get interested in cars as I got my license. I thought most cars from this era were pretty boring, but this generation of Riviera was one of the exceptions. I thought this car was so cool and I liked that James Caan drove one in the movie Thief.
Buick made a nice ride then. And also now.
It would be my pick for its era.
I worked for a Buick dealer when this series of Riviera was new. Our customers loved these cars especially women. '79 to '85 Rivs were really good cars and were one of our best selling models at the dealership. When the the '86's Rivs came out, our customers hated them. You could not even get anyone to even set in one especially men. We went from selling 5 or 6 or more Rivieras a week to maybe 6 or 7 1986's for the whole year.