The Buick Reatta Was a 1980s High-Tech Marvel
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Date: 2020-07-07
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Comments and reviews: 10
Joe
Doug - in 1988 Anti-lock brakes was still a very high end safety feature still not even available as an option on most cars. So when a car had ABS, they advertised it prevalently. All high end GM cars that had Anti-Lock Brakes had the term embossed into the brake pedal rubber from around 1986-94. Only when it became available on most cars, then standard equipment by the late 1990s, did it disappear.
Also, it was at a time when people had never owned a car with ABS. And trust me, as someone old enough to have owned a couple cars without it, there's a big difference in braking in bad weather with and without ABS. So yes, it was worth reminding people your car did have ABS.
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Doug - in 1988 Anti-lock brakes was still a very high end safety feature still not even available as an option on most cars. So when a car had ABS, they advertised it prevalently. All high end GM cars that had Anti-Lock Brakes had the term embossed into the brake pedal rubber from around 1986-94. Only when it became available on most cars, then standard equipment by the late 1990s, did it disappear.
Also, it was at a time when people had never owned a car with ABS. And trust me, as someone old enough to have owned a couple cars without it, there's a big difference in braking in bad weather with and without ABS. So yes, it was worth reminding people your car did have ABS.
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Harley
I mentioned the buick and olds touch screen in Dougs' last video and a side note is that upto 1992 the Olds toronado trofeo had their touch screen in colour but pre 1990 models also had a very 80s digital gauge cluster in colour as well as the colour touchscreen. It is amazing to see the genesis of the infotainment system and how we have come. And the fact that this has both a digital gauge cluster and touchscreen it's like an audi and with the light bar this car could be sold new this year as a retro modern car
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I mentioned the buick and olds touch screen in Dougs' last video and a side note is that upto 1992 the Olds toronado trofeo had their touch screen in colour but pre 1990 models also had a very 80s digital gauge cluster in colour as well as the colour touchscreen. It is amazing to see the genesis of the infotainment system and how we have come. And the fact that this has both a digital gauge cluster and touchscreen it's like an audi and with the light bar this car could be sold new this year as a retro modern car
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Joe
I'm 42. You guys a lot younger than me (Doug included) have no idea how cool this car was when it came out. Especially to this 11 year old kid in 1988. Seriously. When you walked into a Buick showroom and saw a Reatta or sat in one at the showroom or autoshow, you felt like you'd gone right to the year 2020. Even super high end Mercedes and BMWs that cost twice what this was new didn't have a touchscreen.
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I'm 42. You guys a lot younger than me (Doug included) have no idea how cool this car was when it came out. Especially to this 11 year old kid in 1988. Seriously. When you walked into a Buick showroom and saw a Reatta or sat in one at the showroom or autoshow, you felt like you'd gone right to the year 2020. Even super high end Mercedes and BMWs that cost twice what this was new didn't have a touchscreen.
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Archimedes
The Reatta is an icon right up there with the VW Thing and AMC Pacer. Honorable mention to Pontiac Aztech.
The Buick pushrod 3800 is pretty bulletproof.
But yes, a great walk down memory lane to very different time. Of course today will be construed as more radical because electric cars will dominate the industry in 30 years.
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The Reatta is an icon right up there with the VW Thing and AMC Pacer. Honorable mention to Pontiac Aztech.
The Buick pushrod 3800 is pretty bulletproof.
But yes, a great walk down memory lane to very different time. Of course today will be construed as more radical because electric cars will dominate the industry in 30 years.
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Deeez
This car is pretty slick. I would color match the black side door and bumper moldings. I would also get some tasteful 17 or 18 wheels with a decent 7. 5-8 width for the front/rear. It might not be fast but it can be a weekend cruiser. Hell, I might even look into dropping a 3800 Series II S/C L67 motor later down the road.
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This car is pretty slick. I would color match the black side door and bumper moldings. I would also get some tasteful 17 or 18 wheels with a decent 7. 5-8 width for the front/rear. It might not be fast but it can be a weekend cruiser. Hell, I might even look into dropping a 3800 Series II S/C L67 motor later down the road.
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Hotlog
The Riviera starting getting the CRTs in the 1985 MY(only a small few did, as in beta like testing. Also the Trofeo trim got them on the Toronados as well when the all new Riviera came out in 1986 MY. Now if they put a supercharged or turbo with the 3800, I think that would've made for a better experience.
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The Riviera starting getting the CRTs in the 1985 MY(only a small few did, as in beta like testing. Also the Trofeo trim got them on the Toronados as well when the all new Riviera came out in 1986 MY. Now if they put a supercharged or turbo with the 3800, I think that would've made for a better experience.
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Carl
Many years ago, I test drove a used Reatta. It drove well enough and the low end was strong, but the power fell off just when you thought you were going to have some fun. We would have bought one, if it had more power. The one I drove must have been a later model, since I do not recall a touch screen.
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Many years ago, I test drove a used Reatta. It drove well enough and the low end was strong, but the power fell off just when you thought you were going to have some fun. We would have bought one, if it had more power. The one I drove must have been a later model, since I do not recall a touch screen.
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John
Don t know if anyone said this yet but cars should still be standard with the turn signal click sound and mandated by the government like airbags are. Yeah, I know. you don t need the government telling you when to turn off your turn signal blah, blah, blah but guess what. you do.
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Don t know if anyone said this yet but cars should still be standard with the turn signal click sound and mandated by the government like airbags are. Yeah, I know. you don t need the government telling you when to turn off your turn signal blah, blah, blah but guess what. you do.
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Aditya
Imagine if it was based on the corvette, a sleek, tech savvy rear wheel drive powerful V8 luxury sports car that couldve been another icon of the 80s excess and style, all while making cash money for GM with all the yuppies lusting after it. instead we got this
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Imagine if it was based on the corvette, a sleek, tech savvy rear wheel drive powerful V8 luxury sports car that couldve been another icon of the 80s excess and style, all while making cash money for GM with all the yuppies lusting after it. instead we got this
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Steve
Salesman: Hello sir, do you like boats?
Rube: Yes as well as Ho's!
S: Do you like pasta?
R: It's so easy to chew!
S: Then you're going to love this shit box with a made up nonsense name that sounds like a portmanteau of reggata and rigatoni!
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Salesman: Hello sir, do you like boats?
Rube: Yes as well as Ho's!
S: Do you like pasta?
R: It's so easy to chew!
S: Then you're going to love this shit box with a made up nonsense name that sounds like a portmanteau of reggata and rigatoni!
reply
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