Used 1999 Buick Riviera Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 1999 Riviera, so we've included reviews for other years of the Riviera since its last redesign.
98 Riviera 240,000 miles and still reliable
kbondra, 09/17/2014
updated 03/19/2021
1998 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
26 of 26 people found this review helpful
We bought the Riviera new in at the end of 1998, best and most reliable car we have ever had. Runs and drives great, rarely ever needs anything but gas, gets pretty good mileage too. It is powerful, roomy, comfortable, relatively quiet, nice ride, seats are real comfortable, never left us stranded. I own 3 cars a truck and a boat and the Riv is the most trouble free and reliable. Drove it across the country from Michigan to Arizona a few years ago, no problems. Had around 220,000 miles on it at the time. Finally sold it with 244,000 miles on the car. GM really screwed up when they did not continue making these. If you find a 96-99 Riviera with low mileage, buy it! They are getting real scarce. Wish I still had the Riv. Best car we ever had by far.
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A Luxury Sleeper, Retro Style
Aaron S., 12/14/2003
1998 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
14 of 14 people found this review helpful
The '95-99 Riviera is a large, comfortable, quick, attractive coupe. Its design feeds from the classic Riviera lineage, & has a very retro feel. Theres 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.
1999 Buick Riviera for sale near you
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- Base CoupeMSRP: $5,9952,414 mi away
Patience ... It's a Future Collector's Car
Warren Kendrick, 05/30/2016
1999 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
14 of 14 people found this review helpful
This car has classic, superior styling reminiscent of Rivieras dating back to 1955. When I drive it, it still turns heads and people are amazed that it is 17 years old. I have decided to park it, with a car cover, and drive it perhaps 5 or 6 times a year, maybe take it on an occasional extended trip. Why all the fuss? Only about 1,900 1999 Rivieras were ever manufactured. It was the last model year. Time becomes an enemy and friend as more and more of these cars are in accidents, rust out in the northern states or whose dashboards literally melt in the Arizona sun and whose paint and clearcoat fade. As they age, there will be fewer and fewer for collectors. I was blown away at how much the 1950's models are going for. There are other plusses and minuses: +++ Styling. Its looks far surpass most current models. +++ 3.8L SuperCharged engine. This is an almost indestructible V6 as long as the owner has the oil changed and has other maintenance performed. The SC snout bearings wear out but repair kits are widely available. Expect to get 150,000 miles from the engine before you get it overhauled or rebuilt. +++ Surprisingly, this car does quite well in highway driving, about 26MPG. If you are chasing the fairer sex, it should get 10 to 12 "gals per mile" in city driving. +++ The rear bench seating is surprisingly roomy for a coupe, and it is as comfortable as a first class seat on a commercial jet. - - - 2 door coupes have been out of favor for years. That tends to hold down resale prices if you are currently just looking for transportation. It's a price you pay for head-turning styling. - - - Premium fuel is recommended, but I ran a 1995 SC Riviera on regular gas for years with no problems. - - - All GM cars have had trouble with the use of cheaper, thinner leather that starts to show wear about 80-90,000 miles and on some Buicks the leather cracks and you are looking at a $300 reupholstery job for each front bucket seat.
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A Dream Car
CFever, 10/07/2002
1998 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
13 of 13 people found this review helpful
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.
Best car ever!
The Old Colonel, 07/06/2016
updated 01/22/2018
1998 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
Purchased in late 1997 and totaled in July 2013 with only 51,000 miles on it. Most comfortable ride of any car I ever owned. Had very little maintenance. The heavy structure and the airbag clearly saved my life in the accident. UPDATE 2018: Still think it was best car I ever owned. Sure wish I still had it.
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#89 of 200 Silver Arrow Rivi rare find
Rusty Johnston, 04/24/2018
1999 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
After having owned a 1995 and currently owning two 1999 Rivi's I had to see if I could find a Silver Arrow in good condition still on the road. Buick only produced 1956 Rivieras in its final year of production with the last 200 being the Silver Arrow editions. These included special embroidered headrests and floor mats. A custom car cover. A Silver Arrow badge for both sides of the exterior and dash. My online search took me to a Buick chatboard where I found one in Detroit. The previous owner was looking for someone that would appreciate this car as it is and not lower it, put 20's on it and kicker speakers. I was their man! After some negotiations I found myself with a one-way ticket to Detroit to bring this rare find home to Kentucky. I had found a 15 year old "new car" with only 6538 miles on it. Today I have 33,300 miles on it because I have decided to drive and share it and not hide it under that custom cover in a garage. Aside from window tinting, Bluetooth GPS Stereo and LED headlights, this is stock as it rolled off the line. This Riviera Silver Arrow is one fine ride~~
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Rivieras-Gotta' Love 'Em
3xalady, 05/09/2009
1998 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
11 of 12 people found this review helpful
I have driven Rivieras since 1990 (2). At one time, I traded cars every 2-3 years, after buying my first Riviera, I just wanted to keep them. I have never had a Riviera to "stop" on me. My car has over 150,000 miles on it and the motor sounds like it did 10 years ago. Can't wait for the 2009/2010!
My Riv
searsburggirl, 09/05/2003
1999 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
I have owned two Riviera's over the last four years and am sorry Buick has halted production on this very classy car. The Riviera's is one of the finest vehicles I have ever owned. They are comfortable, easy and fun to drive and handle very well (especially in the snow). Maintenace on both vehicles has been minimal. Head's turn when I drive this car!!
What a great car!
John, 07/09/2005
1999 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
9 of 10 people found this review helpful
Ever since I was old enough to appreciate fine automobiles I'd wanted a Corvette. I'd also grown over the years to admire the Riveria. 1999 rolled around. My wife and I found our sparkling diamond white dream car on the showroom floor and knew it had to be now or never if we were ever going to own a new one. Guess what? I don't want a Corvette anymore. Who needs it? This car is a keeper. I'll treasure it for the rest of my life.
Buick Riviera
T.J.Stankard, 12/12/2002
1999 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I find the acceleration to be excellant. Vear low noise inside vehicle. Instrument panel easy to read.Excellant road handling.Only drawback is the height inside,because of the Moonroof. Not enough headroom for tall individuals
'96 Riviera a joy to have
LDrunner, 05/25/2004
1999 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Have had car 7 weeks. Put almost 5000 miles on it and now near 94k. Have not put a dime into car and it has no issues to deal with. Starts instantly, plenty of power, room, comfort ,features and safety. Just figured my gas mileage is 28.4 for last 4000 miles, of which less than half is on interstates. My new Silverado has been parked since I got it
great car
J.R.Wilson, 02/11/2009
1998 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
Got this car with 50,000 miles on it, and it has been wonerful. Maybe the most beautiful car G.M. ever built. Suspension was too soft but tightened that up with some preformance struts. It is comfortable, fast and considering size and mass economical, I get 29-30 mpg with the cruise set at 73-74 mph, 18 mpg around Pittsburgh {lots of hills} The body is so georgeous, I find myself studying the curves and lines, a masterpiece.
I wish it lasted longer :(
MSWSU, 01/07/2010
1998 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
I bought my car with 83000 miles on it, and had it for about 2.5 years. I replaced the tensioner and idler pulleys with the belts and Replaced the water pump. At 105000 miles, the torque converter went bad on it. I was pretty bummed that it only made it that far, since my last buick (1994 park avenue ultra) made it to 170000. The ride was great - lots of power, but the suspension was starting to go bad (it creaked when I would go over bumps). Great car overall :)
fairly unhappy
wcracechick, 07/04/2002
1998 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
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.
Luxury Car
Madstabber, 10/21/2009
1999 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Have had this Riv for a couple months and the only problems have been the serpentine belt which defies logic by going through an engine mount and a disconnect in the passenger door handle. Car has every comfort feature for its time and the hightest guzzling Supercharger is a blast to jump on. Glad it's not a 4 door. Just perfect for this bald old fatman.
1999 Buick Riv - last one
Karen, 06/05/2005
1999 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I looked for this car (used) for almost 1 yr. I am so glad I waited for the right one! I love it - dependable, fun to drive and one of a kind! I always get compliments on it! I love the white diamond color and comfy interior!
Buick Rivera
|Doris , 04/27/2008
1999 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I had a 1998 Buick Rivera for 7 years, until last week when it was totaled in a car accident. Well |I just had to have another one. We looked for a week until my husband found me a 1999 like brand new. This car is great, I don't know why GM stopped making it.
the best
juanita, 03/21/2003
1999 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
This is by far tha best car i have ever owned. I have had it for about 4 years now and have never had one problem with it.
1998 Buick Riviera
Sherry, 01/04/2007
1998 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
2 of 4 people found this review helpful
My 1st Riviera was a 91, loved the ride and body style. Looked for the 98 online. Found this it has been an excellent car in all categories except the awful paint job. I don't understand why GMC did not stand behind this when so many had the same problem. Everyone that you take it to all said the same thing that it was the factory paint, even the Buick dealer, but they wouldn't stand behind it. I have been in 2 minor accidents and am thoroughly impressed as to how well this vehicle did. I bought it with 40,000 miles on it, had to replace rack and pinion steering, other than that just regular maintenance.
Classic
Lillian, 06/03/2009
1999 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
2 of 4 people found this review helpful
I love the body style,acceleration,interior design. Pearl exterior,lghtgray interior.Beautiful! Very comfortable car, luxury but sporty.I especially like how low to road it is and its wide wheel base.This car will go! I would love to buy another, the closest ive found to this body style was a jaguar. Makes me wonder why it was discontinued. Car is on the larger side, but you only realize it trying to park in small areas. Does not make sharp u-turns. Other than that this is the best car ive ever purchased. I am looking to purchase a convertable and am shocked that the blue book value for the riveria is less than 4k. NO WAY! Maybe i don't need a different car after all. Happy with what I have
Mostly Pleasant Experiences
Bob Burger, 05/03/2002
1998 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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.
Good Ride, and Prettay
Nicka, 05/28/2002
1998 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is an attractive car right out of the factory, but when you play with it right.... Its Beautiful
An American Classic
cgascoupe, 06/15/2002
1998 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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.
1998 Buick Riviera
Randall B., 08/28/2003
1998 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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.
Unrivaled
Zach P, 08/11/2007
1998 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
It's amazing how many people will come up to you and compliment you on your car, especially knowing it's 9 years old. This car is beautiful, it's stylish, it's elegant, and it's a lot of fun to drive. You never see these things on the road where I live, and it's cool to drive something that nobody's seen before or heard of. This is my first car, and I loved it the minute I decided to buy it. If you consider purchasing one from a company or person who's taken good care of it for years (like I did), you won't be disappointed.
Gorgeous underated coupe
sburch23, 10/03/2002
1999 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is simply one of the most sensuous looking cars on the road. While not a sports car, it has very good acceleration and handling. I am getting 26 MPG on the highway (75 MPH) and 20 MPG around town which is about what I expected. Even though it is a coupe, there is a lot of room in the back seat. Trunk is huge.
HOW COULD THEY STOP SELLING SUCH A GEM!
CanadianGirl, 03/18/2004
1999 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I had my first Riv in '98 and put 40,000mi on it in 6mths so traded for a '99 - *the last of the best*. I've driven this one across Canada in the winter snow, I've commuted to Florida many times and it's a breeze. This car has more guts than most, is SO comfortable to drive, lots of trunk space (2nd only to the Caddy SeVille,) sharp looking, and is just plain SEXY. Why on earth did they stop making them? GM - ya goofed big time! (as you did with the Olds Touring Sedan.)
Best American Car Ever
Mike, 04/13/2008
1999 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
The 1999 Buick Riviera is a beautifully designed and built car that can compete in every way to the Japanese or European carmakers. In the 1980s and 1990s the Riviera became something of a highly decorative boat anchor, but with the supercharged 3800 it jumped into the performance car category. The 3800 alone is the best engine out there and to supercharge it , you have the combination of performance and reliability. Overall this is the best car I've ever owned, and I've owned a lot of cars.
I hope my car "lives" forever!
JoJoe, 07/30/2009
1999 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
I second the emotion of the owner who saidi "How could they stop selling this car?" Perhaps it is because everyone these days or maybe GM didn't market didn't market it right. I have always driven two-doors and this is my third Riviera. If anything happens to this car I will be in mourning!
Love my Riviera
gg, 08/17/2005
1998 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This is one of the best cars! I love to put the sunroof back and ride on sunny days. I chose this car over a 2004 sports car. It had only 29,000 miles when I bought it and was in perfect condition.
Buick Riviera
Carla Lucchino, 07/04/2007
1998 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Excellent car to drive. Great acceleration. Rear visibility could be better. Overall, a fantastic car.
98 99 "Thats all folks"
pketch, 10/14/2007
1998 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Just plain love it. Easy to work on. 33 mpg on the highway. Drives like a small car even though it is a monster. Bought it for myself but the wife stole it once I got it home. The sloping hood is what sold her. She has always been afraid of a big car. What sold me was the car and its history. I am so happy with this car that I am now buying a 99 which will replace a 2000 Cadillac Eldo.
Pretty Good
Manly_dude, 06/27/2002
1999 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Has great pick up, good for freeway driving, but has a little trouble handling. Exterior is so-so, too long.
Great Car.
destructivedave, 07/16/2002
1999 Buick Riviera Supercharged 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
What can i say? This car was designed perfectly. This car excells on the highway. Fuel economy is a bummer.