Selling a dead or junk Buick Reatta

If brakes or anything else has your Reatta parked, you can sell it unrepaired. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, with free pickup anywhere in the US.

The Reatta was Buick's two-seater, built only from 1988 to 1991 at the Lansing Craft Center in Lansing, Michigan. Wikipedia lists it on GM's E-body platform, front-wheel drive, related to the Buick Riviera.

The Reatta's file, year by year

Every number here is an owner report sent to NHTSA, counted as of October 10, 2026. These counts are not a reliability score for the Reatta.

1988-1989: the first two years

Wikipedia lists the 3.8-liter LN3 V6 for 1988-90 and a 4-speed 440T-4 automatic for 1988-89. Each of these two years has 10 complaints, and 7 of each name the hydraulic brakes. The 1988 file reports 2 crashes; the 1989 file reports 1 crash and 2 injuries.

The 1989 has the Reatta's first recall, 89V056000. The left front brake pipe may touch the cruise control servo bracket, and the fix is a new left front brake pipe assembly. NHTSA files it under antilock service brakes. The campaign total, 10,535, can take in other GM cars too.

1990: the busiest year

The 1990 has 29 complaints, more than the other three years combined. Hydraulic brakes come up in 23, structure in 2 and the electrical system in 1. Three crashes are reported.

It also carries three of the four recalls:

• 90V031000: the forward air bag sensor may have been built with part of its wiring harness reversed. The remedy was to replace the forward sensor as necessary. 857 vehicles in the campaign.
• 90V164000: the transaxle shift cable can come loose from the floor shifter, so the gear indicator and the selector stop working. The fix is a retaining clip. 63,964 vehicles across the campaign; other models may be in that number.
• 91V158000: the brake warning light may stay dark with the ignition on, the parking brake set and the shifter in Park or Neutral. The fix is a new PROM in the body computer. 18,904 in the campaign, possibly spanning other models.

1991: the last year

Only 2 complaints, one naming structure and one the service brakes, and no recalls. The 1991 is the youngest Reatta, and younger years have had fewer seasons to gather owner reports, so two of them prove little.

Complaints and recalls by model year

No complaint in the file reports a fire or a death.

Fix it or sell it?

Every Reatta is now 35 to 38 years old. Start with the VIN: run it through NHTSA's recall lookup, since three of the four campaigns sit on the 1990.

If the brakes are the problem, put a shop's written estimate next to the value of a Reatta that stops right. Our bad brakes guide covers how to think that through. Stored a long time? More than the brakes may need work; see sitting for years. If it began as a restoration that stalled, the old project car guide is written for you.

Selling the Reatta whole

1. Write down the VIN, current mileage, what's wrong, and whether the front wheels steer.
2. Ask for an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
3. Describe the spot: garage, carport or back lot. Note a steep driveway or a narrow door.
4. Keep it intact, trim and wheels included, and list anything that's already off.
5. The driver will need the title plus your ID. Lost the title? Read selling with no title. For plates and insurance afterward, see after you sell.

Other Buicks of the same years: the Regal, LeSabre and Park Avenue, or every Buick we cover.