1998 Buick Riviera Consumer Reviews

A Luxury Sleeper, Retro Style

Written by: Aaron S. on 12/14/2003

Vehicle

1998 Buick Riviera 2 Dr STD Sprchgd Coupe

Review

The '95-99 Riviera is a large, comfortable, quick, attractive coupe. Its design feeds from the classic Riviera lineage, & has a very retro feel. There’s a spacious interior, soft ride, torquey engine, heavy (safe) chassis, & traditional style. It has a gorgeous body, its curves and edges continuing the classic-car look with a wide & low stature & pinched fenders. One of the last big & fast 2-doors, the Riv is a definite "sleeper”. Leather (heated & motorized) buckets, power everything, auto climate control, CD radio, self-dimmed mirror w/compass, huge trunk, and VERY quiet ride make driving a pleasure.

Favorite Features

My favorite part is the incredible pull you get from 280 ft/lbs of torque. The supercharged 3.8L push-rod V6 is powerful & reliable. With mods, it does 0-60 in under 7 sec. Better yet, I see 30+ mpg on long trips.

Suggested Improvements

11 out 11 people found this review helpful

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1998 Buick Riviera

Written by: Randall B. on 08/28/2003

Vehicle

1998 Buick Riviera 2 Dr STD Sprchgd Coupe

Review

This car has unique styling and has excellent eye appeal. It has plenty of power and provides a quiet, comfortable ride. Gas mileage is excellent, although premium is required.

Favorite Features

My favority features are the quiet comfortable ride and the immediate, strong response when you kick it.

Suggested Improvements

I can't get the windshield wipers to stop squeaking. New blades do not help. This squeaking is a real irritant when driving in a drizzle.

2 out 2 people found this review helpful

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A Dream Car

Written by: CFever on 10/07/2002

Vehicle

1998 Buick Riviera 2 Dr STD Sprchgd Coupe

Review

It is unfortunate that GM is no longer making the Rivera. It is a very comfortable car that is a joy to drive. I drive 25,000 miles a year and most of it highway and it is great car on the road. The average MPG over time has been 21 miles per gallon and as much as 25 mpg on the highway. The Supercharger is great to have when you need that extra power the car steps out nicely. At 100,000 I just had the first tune up and overall reliability has been excellent.

Favorite Features

Driver Controls on steering wheel. Heated seats, Memory on remote when you unlock the car for seat and mirror settings. Special rear view mirror with night control and compass

Suggested Improvements

Stiffer suspension, fold down rear seat.

6 out 6 people found this review helpful

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fairly unhappy

Written by: wcracechick on 07/04/2002

Vehicle

1998 Buick Riviera 2 Dr STD Sprchgd Coupe

Review

i purchased my 98 riv with 61000 miles on it thinking that i would not have any mechanical problems but i was wrong. the transmission started acting up 1 week after we got it home. I previously owned a 95 riviera and had some minor problems but nothing major. Other than the transmission trouble the car is a blast to drive and gets lots of looks. The fuel mileage is excellent and i love the extra power the supercharger makes.

Favorite Features

power sunroof, heated seats, stereo, steering wheel controls, and power everything!!!

Suggested Improvements

better build quality on the transmission. It is the second one in this car!! Power seat switch plates always getting broke due to their poor positioning on the sides of the seats. Other than that nothing else. Maybe they could make them a little cheaper to fix when they are broke!!!

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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An American Classic

Written by: cgascoupe on 06/15/2002

Vehicle

1998 Buick Riviera 2 Dr STD Sprchgd Coupe

Review

We bought the car with 33,500 miles on it, and in excellent condition with almost new tires. We've put almost 1,500 miles on the car, and I can honestly say that the car is a joy to drive. The performance is outstanding. The 3800 Series II supercharged engine provides as much or more torque than several V8s. The car is quiet, the sound system is great; a wonderful highway cruiser.

Favorite Features

The powertrain, interior appointments, and sound system.

Suggested Improvements

Handling could be improved. The ride is too soft, with too much sway and bounce. Stiffer suspension would benefit the car.

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Good Ride, and Prettay

Written by: Nicka on 05/28/2002

Vehicle

1998 Buick Riviera 2 Dr STD Sprchgd Coupe

Review

This is an attractive car right out of the factory, but when you play with it right.... Its Beautiful

Favorite Features

All of them

Suggested Improvements

Ummm.... More engine upgrades to buy.

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Mostly Pleasant Experiences

Written by: Bob Burger on 05/03/2002

Vehicle

1998 Buick Riviera 2 Dr STD Sprchgd Coupe

Review

This car was bought used with 24,000 miles on the odometer. A high mileage '96 Riviera was traded-in for this car. I was attracted to the Riviera by the fabulous exterior design by Bill Porter. It is a very comfortable "road car."; I've taken two 4,000 miles trips in this car. Handling would be much improved with stiffer suspension and "tighter" steering. My purchase of an extended warranty turned out to have been a wise expenditure. Major transmission work at 25,400 miles was necessary and the alternator was replaced at 28,500 miles. All things considered, I still enjoy this car. It's a landmard design.

Favorite Features

I enjoy the multitude of power features, however I have no use for heated seats in this climate. The automatic adjustable right rear view mirror is a great aid in parallel parking.

Suggested Improvements

As stated above, the suspension should be stiffened and the steering ratio adjusted for better road feel.

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