1999 Buick Riviera Last of an Icon
My first 1995 Riviera
When Riviera for 1995 was introduced Detroit was amazed at the sleek aerodynamically designed body, futuristic for its time. I have driven many automobiles in my lifetime from clunkers to luxury, when I drove this front wheel drive, a must in Florida due to sugar sand, I knew I would be driving this car for a long time.
Last year Riviera 1999
From 1995 on I drove Rivieras. During these years I ran a construction site development company in Florida and at times would put 200 or miles on the car a day.
During all of these years I leased the cars. Once my lease was up on my 1999 I went to replace it for a newer model, WRONG! This is when I got educated about the direction of the American automobile industry, no more luxury coupes including the EL Dorado? Now what to do buy the lease that would be too much?
Buying back a leased car
The Riviera for all the years I had been driving them never let me down on the road and floated on the road, these are aspects you want from your car investment. A professor was informed the class that value is what will it take to replace the same item you have. Try replacing a supercharged luxury coupe. American cars lost 1,000 lbs of weight along with stability airbags added instead of metal.
What I learned was that the dealership did not own the car GM did and could not negotiate a sale. GM has a rider that if car sells at auction for less owed they still get full price! Luckily found a company that would follow my Vin to auction and bid up to what I was willing to offer plus $500 tor their services. At auction bought my 1999 Riviera for $11,000 plus the $500 fee. Today this car has only had the supercharger replaced under warranty and currently has 224,000 miles on the 3800 Series II top ten engines ever built.
Less than 100 exist in the world
A dealer once told me that after 20 years only 20% of that years production would still be on the road. Again, 1,787 Buick Rivieras were built for 1999.
Once my original got to 200,000 miles I began looking for a lower mileage Riviera. Ever look at what are called coupes today? Good luck in getting in the back seat or out.
After about a year I found a Riviera in Mass. with 121,000 and bought that one. Once it arrived within a week a local dealer posted a white one and I bought that one. The only time I feel I got taken by any of my purchases was the one I bought from a dealer in Jacksonville. To this day I feel he knew something I did not, spelt milk.
All in all for about 5 years I have been watching all the auto for sale sites specifically looking for 99 Rivieras, running in mint shape, try finding one. Thus farm including Silver Arrows being advertised I have found 58. Get many responses saying they know of thousands?
I now have 4 Riveras each has its own character two I had the engines rebuilt. When I get inquiries I giggle when offers for these cars not knowing how rare they are, you think rarity counts in a car collection? In the near future, when those in the know begin looking for this last year Riviera, the true value of these cars will be revealed. Try finding the try driving it.
