1988 Select 60 Reatta VIN 1076
Description
I purchased this Select 60 last month. This car was on ebay and Craigs List and ended with no bids at $1500. I won 3 Reattas and live within 100 miles of that seller. I could not pass up purchasing a Select 60 so close to home.
I drove the car back to Des Moines and it drives fine. The Center Touch screen which controls the heat, a/c, has the gauges - bailed on me about half way home, making a horrific noise. It was on long enough to see that most everything could be operated and gave reliable information.
The car is a restoration project, but one that runs well, drives well, stops fine, does not leak and makes no bad noises. If it was a normal 1988 Reatta it would be a good price at $1000 or so. But, in addition it is a genuine X22 code Select 60 with the badge installed.
I have since removed the badge and placed a 1989 badge on the hood. The original badge is in fair condition but the dealer used a gluey substance to adhere it to the hood and removal meant I lost some of the gold plastic in the center, so the badge needs restoration.
The body is rust free and has no dents. The drivers side headlamp cover sits a scrunch low, and would need some straightening or replacing. No dents, no rust and a fairly clean underneath.
The stock exhaust muffler has been nicely replaced with a Camaro muffler and dual outlets. Not a bad job and it adds horsepower and sounds great. (This car has better launch than my other 1988 Reatta)
The vent glass is cracked on the drivers side requiring replacement. The door panels are there, but show wear. The interior needs restoration except for the seats. Dash lights up and provides good information. CRT Monitor as explained is bad.
Transmission and shifter - Transmission is smooth and not clunky and the shifter operates easily and when placed in gear there is no delay or clunk.
Pop up lights work fine, all other lights work fine. The horn works, wipers are fine.
Power windows from the switch work fine, both sides. Power door locks work OK.
Seats: There are 16 way power seats and all positions work. These are smooth leather and should have been suede bolsters except the factory recalled the seats or allowed customers to change out the seats due to premature wear of the sude, so technically this car is correct.
I have seen Select 60's with smooth leather and ones with suede bolsters.
The wheels are obviously aftermarket and the last seller did not have the originals. The tires are like new Bridgestine Blizzaks non studded. There is an aftermarket spoiler on the deck lid. NOT my choice, and yes if no one buys this car, it gets restored.
To open the hood, the engine is very clean. No greasy build up, battery is eh, but it starts the car. Trunk is clean and normal.
Glass - there is a small chip requiring filling on the very lower drivers side, not in line of sight and needing filling. In the interest of honesty, you are getting a lot more information than I did. The seller was not hiding anything, but I am just saying, I prefer to over state problems rather than neglect to say.
No oil burning odors, no funky noises, no leaks. Overall about the best you can expect from a project car. I won't waste your time by saying how the 3.8L is bulletproof and will last another 100,000 miles. I personally was going to restore the car, which means rebuild the motor and transmission even though they do not require it, technically.
So, why did I buy a car that I now want to sell 5 weeks later for the same amount I paid for it??? Technically that's not flipping it if you lose money right?
I went and looked at a car on Saturday, locally that I am buying. BUT, I do not have the room or spousal patience to bring in yet another old car. I(I have 3 Reattas). So, this is more about needing the space than wanting to sell a Select 60. I don't want to!
$1000 bucks is still a $1000 bucks, so I would prefer not to deal with Serendipity! I bought the oldest Reatta in existence, 1988 #105 and have $2500 in it. I way overpaid for it. Had this Select 60 popped up in July, then I would have bought it instead of #105, no questions! Oh well, that's the way it goes.
Most everyone knows what a Select 60 is, but just in case. In 1988 and 1990 (at least) Buick awarded a specially trimmed Reatta to the top 60 Buick dealers in the U.S. Don't ask me what the criteria was, I don't know. In 1988, the chosen Reatta were all Black and Tan with 16 way seats. 61 were built.
I know of 3 for sale now, the other 2 are like $4500 and $5500. Black and Tan is an excellent choice in color any way for a Reatta, let alone being a collectible one. This is one of the few Select 60's with a badge. Granted, the badge needs restored, but most never went on the car.
On price - I know - Reattas are not garnering good prices. I know, I get it. But I am not going below my offering price. I have already purchased the local car I went to look at. I am NOT selling this car for less than I have in it, which is $1000. ebay costs will grab listing and final value fees, so I am estimating that at another $75. Therefore, the cost to buy this Select 60 is at least $1075.
This is an auction, and in theory, if this was a desirable car, the bidding would go above $1075. Very very few times do sellers tell the buyers what they paid for a car! They want to make max money! This is not one of those cases. I simply need the space. If the bids go a bit higher than trust me - it won't even start to make up for the thousands I have lost in this hobby so don't feel like you got ripped off.
Like I said, I paid $2500 for my 1988 Reatta # 105 with 152,000 miles and if he had put it up for auction, it would NEVER get over $1000.00.
TERMS: I don't do ebay much anymore. I am in a tight spot here, so needed to get the word out. I want paid "pretty quickly" meaning within 2 weeks, in full. I want the car picked up within one month. PLEASE. That seems fair and I am pretty fair.
Delivery through my friend is an option, but it will cost $1.50 a loaded mile and may not happen. I would need to check with him. Not to California or anything, but delivery is an option. Don't count on it, bid accordingly.
Thanks. Questions I have not answered? Let me know
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