I just love the Riviera's. Have always been facinated by the T-Types. I am considering a 1984 Buick Riviera T-Type. Is there anything I should be concerned with regarding the engine or transmission on this car? I know the Riviera's have been known to have transmission issues and be rebuilt around 90K. I need help deciding whether I want to buy one of these or just a very nice 1985 Buick Riv with only 21, 000 original miles. HELP!-Jennifer
Hi Jennifer, How many miles on the '84? I think I'd go for the '85 and keep the oil changed and out of the winter will last you forever!!
I had an '83 Convertible. These cars, all across the board, have terrible build quality. They rattle and leak and have very low power. Most of these Rivs have Olds engines. A low mileage one would be your best bet.
The 84 and 85 T-types were fuel injected turbo engines which may be more desireable than the earlier carbureted turbo versions. Obviously the turbo can be viewed as "something else to go wrong" but if a car was properly maintained and taken care of, I'd have little or no concern about buying a turbo car. The Riviera Owners Association has tech advisors that offer good support for its members who own those cars should you need assistence. The 79-85 Rivs have a nice sized following in the ROA because they are still very reasonable to buy in nice condition, very comfortable drivers and reliable when maintained. If I personally decided to buy one it would be an 84 or 85 T-Type. If you've had your heart set on a turbo car you should try to find one. On the flip side you don't want to buy a T-Type turbo car that has been neglected, tinkered with, modified, etc just because its a T-Type. The results of that would be predictabaly frustrating. In other words don't let the T-Type insignia alone be the determining factor. I'd much prefer a well optioned non-T-Type in pampered condition vs a T-type that was neglected and or with 150kmi, but all things being equal or close to equal I'd pick the T-Type. Be patient - Ask yourself if you'd be happy for the next several years if you bought a non T-Type........or would you be drooling everytime you saw one wishing you had waited for the right car to come along. If the T-Type turns out to not be that important to you, you'll have a ton more cars to pick from and that will likely get you a better car for less money. Non T-Type cars turn up quite often with very low mileage! Good Luck
I own both an `82 T-Type and an `85 standard Riviera, I have used them both as drivers and each is in the 50K mile range. It is true the build quality of these cars leaves a little to be desired as compared to earlier models. The sheetmetal and frames are much thinner as evidenced by their weight but the hardtops are relatively solid, rattle free and interior noise levels are greatly diminished as compared to earlier models. The T-Type is very taught and performs well, especially at highway speeds but the V-6 does not idle smoothly and is very sensitive to state of tune and the integration of the emission control devices like the EGR valve into driveability. I also dont like the way the trans shift points are coupled with the V-6`s power band. Appearance is definitely sporty as compared to the standard Riv because of the absence of a vinyl top,etc..nice car, but for a daily driver on rough urban streets and stop and go traffic it is a little tiresome to drive. Highway manners are great though.... The standard Riv with the v-8 is very smooth both in the way it idles and accelerates and how the trans shift points are set up. The ride is rather cushiony and gets into a floaty feeling when going over regularly spaced dips and crowns in the road. My kids describe this as "the easy chair on wheels" which is a perfect description. Both the Rivs are lacking in power but I`m confident the V-6 accelerates a little more quickly and feels more peppy around town and on the highway. The standard Riv is a little better in terms of fuel economy, especially on the highway, because of the difference in diff gearing. Which one to choose is ultimately a function of which type of car will suit you as a buyer. Both cars are very different mechanically and this results in much different road manners...but both have that classic Riviera look! Good luck! Tom Mooney
