This 22,000-Mile 1988 Buick Riviera T-Type Looks Brand New And Has A Functional Cathode Ray Touchscreen
We love coming across low mileage, unreasonably well-kept examples of otherwise forgettable cars, but this burgundy-on-burgundy 1988 Buick Riviera T-Type with just 22,000 miles on its digital odometer is a rarity among rarities, and it's listed for auction on Bring A Trailer with no reserve. Earlier versions of Buick's Riviera are clear collector classics, but nobody talks much about these seventh-generation Rivieras, which shared a platform with the Oldsmobile Toronado and Cadillac's El Dorado and Seville.
These days, most of the GM E-body models are likely either rusted husks of their former selves rotting away in junk yards, or they're about to tick over to 300,000 miles and the original interior color is unidentifiable after being subjected to decades of perming chemicals and Virginia Slim Menthol smoke.
DJAutos/ Bring A Trailer
That makes this Riviera's condition all the more remarkable. It looks like it just rolled off the production line inside and out, with immaculate reversible seat cushion inserts, curb-rashless wheels, no rust, and only some minor wear on the driver's arm rest. Its oh-so-'80s cathode ray touchscreen control unit even looks brand new, which is an early technology feature that is known to go wrong.
It has traveled just under 600 miles per year
Spread evenly among its 38-year life, this 22,000-mile Riviera T-Type has traveled just under a measly 580 miles per year, and it has a clean Carfax report, meaning it also avoided accidents during its life. The GM 3800 3.8-liter V6 that lies under the hood of this Riviera T-Type is widely regarded as the best V6 engine that GM has ever made thanks to its reliability and durability, so this ultra-low-mileage example likely has a long life ahead of it. The cold start video on the listing is all the proof you need.
Who is the ideal buyer for a pristine front-wheel-drive '80s American coupe like this one? Seeing as how the T-Type was Buick's performance-oriented trim level, which is immediately visible with this Riviera's trunk-mounted spoiler, it's basically a sports car. Okay, that's a stretch, but it's definitely an enthusiast's car.
Truthfully I have no idea who the ideal buyer is, but seeing as how its current owner listed it for auction with no reserve, whoever wins the bidding war will end up owning this burgundy beauty. Actually, the paint code is Ruby Red over Sterling Silver lower-body accents, but the actual interior color is burgundy, so the alliteration still works.