Generation Gap: Buick Riviera Edition [1977 - 1999]

"Amoore100" (amoore100) 03/02/2016 at 22:48 • Filed to: Generation Gap, Buick Riviera

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Welcome to Generation Gap where we ask you about your favorite generation of a certain multi-generational car nameplate. Then, explain why your choice is right to the rest of us uneducated folks.

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This week’s Generation Gap covers the last four generations of the marvelous Riviera. It may not have been too marvelous towards the end of its lifespan, but that’s up to you guys to decide. Which of the new FWD Rivieras was best (plus the last RWD one)?

The options:

Fifth Generation [1977 - 1978]

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Sixth Generation [1979 - 1985]

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Seventh Generation [1986 - 1993]

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Eighth Generation [1995 - 1999]

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If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Amoore100 03/02/2016 at 22:51

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Why is this even a question.

Amoore100 > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 03/02/2016 at 22:52

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Eh, the bathtub Riv is probably gonna win..

Birddog > Amoore100 03/02/2016 at 23:15

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I’m going with Gen 6. For a brief period it was available with the early style Turbo 3.8 neat but not great. Ignore the Diesel.. Now, with the Olds 307 it was a nice cruiser. (No joke, it was a really popular car among the Guido crowd in High School too!)

Second place is a tie between 7 and 8. Both are good looking cars but...

Gen 7 was let down by looking too much like the other, cheaper, cars on the showroom floor.

Gen 8 was let down by powertrain options. Yes the 3800 SC was a good engine but compared to the 32 valve 4.6 in Lincoln’s Mark VIII it may as well have been a John Deere Combine powerplant.

Gen 5 is an abomination. Burn baby burn. A terrible adaptation of Riviera to the B/C chassis for no reason.

Amoore100 > Birddog 03/02/2016 at 23:33

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Didn’t the seventh gen have the same Turbo 3.8? IMO it looks better than the sixth gen (subjective, but to me it’s less dated) and it comes with one of those first gen CRT screens. Someone at school is dropped off daily in a battered seventh gen and I was surprised to glance at it and see the green glow of the CRTs. Despite being outclassed by Lincoln MKVIII the Riv is still better looking IMO and these coupes aren’t really about being fast as they are about being flashy. Gen 5 is, well, yeah....

Brickman > Amoore100 03/02/2016 at 23:45

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I call it the beluga. it looks like a whale :P

Birddog > Amoore100 03/02/2016 at 23:54

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I believe there was a T Type 7th gen but no turbo. The problem was that the 7th gen looked like the Buick Somerset in size and shape.

(Pic stolen from curbsideclassic.com)

I love the look of the final Riv. The motivation wasn’t exactly world class. That’s where Lincoln had the upper hand. Recycle the MN12 chassis, toss a fairly advanced (for America) V8 in it and BAM! You have a personal luxury coupe with RWD, 4 Wheel disc brakes, independent rear suspension, a 290hp 32 valve V8 on an air ride suspension.

thedevilinside > Amoore100 03/03/2016 at 00:00

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Sixth Gen, Indy 500 pace car!!!!

Amoore100 > Brickman 03/03/2016 at 04:27

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To me this is what it always was

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Amoore100 03/03/2016 at 07:15

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8th. They’re cheap and you can coax silly amount of power out of the 3.8 supercharged for VERY little money.

V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! > Amoore100 03/03/2016 at 07:28

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6th gen in white with a blue interior, please. Just like the one my parents had. I miss that car. Prices on clean 6th gens are becoming ridiculous. I’m looking at cars that are in the $10k range when I could have grabbed one 3 years ago for $1500.

Thanks televised auctions, for moving on to late 70s early 80s cars that were all over when I was a kid. Dicks.

Amoore100 > Birddog 03/05/2016 at 13:16

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Wow, that is disturbingly close, but I can sense that the Riv had more of an upscale appearance because of the rounded edges and generally sleeker stance. Both the last Riv and the Mk VIII were kind of parts bin specials, but Lincoln had a better parts bin at the time than GM did, or rather were allowed to use more of it than Buick could.

Amoore100 > V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! 03/05/2016 at 13:39

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That’s astounding prices for a car of that era. I totally understand the nostalgic mentality though, hope you can find one to your liking someday!

V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! > Birddog 03/05/2016 at 13:53

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All years of the 6th gen had the 3.8 turbo as an option. The unicorn is the ‘85. VERY rare.

I’m wondering if anything is wrong with this one. That doesn’t appear to be a factory color.

https://www.carsforsale.com/vehicle/detail…

V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! > Amoore100 03/05/2016 at 13:56

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No turbo in the 7th gen. A friend had one he bought new. Kept it for a.long time. Nice car.

Birddog > V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! 03/05/2016 at 14:34

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I didn’t know that. I always thought it was just the first two years or so.

V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! > Birddog 03/06/2016 at 05:37

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When the body style first came out, the turbo version was called the S-Type. I believe the name switch to T-Type was in 1981. I do know the final drive ratio on the 84 cars was better suited to acceleration as opposed to the ‘85. I’ve actually got my eye on an Olds 307 powered 85 with 38K miles right now. White with blue interior. My wife is gonna chop me up into little pieces, put the pieces in bags, and scatter them in dumpsters throughout the tri-state area if I keep buying cars.

Amoore100 > thedevilinside 03/09/2016 at 19:28

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Yes!! I can smell the Malaise from here...

thedevilinside > Amoore100 03/09/2016 at 20:09

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The actual pace car got the turbo engine, the rest of them (parade cars and such) got the NA v6 and they’re extremely underpowered. Non-actual pace cars are also white instead of 2 toned with beige. They are a bit malaise.