1998 White Diamond SE

I have a lovely, loaded white diamond 1998 SE - was equipped with OnStar (which is now useless, of course). I bought her three years ago with 69,000 miles. She now has 105,600 miles.

I've gone nearly 16 months without any maintenance expense at all. I love free driving.

While a big part of me really wants a new car, my Riv has nearly of all the features that a newer car would offer and IT'S PAID FOR!!

I haven't done much in the way of mods, but have done a lot of clean up. A very nice dash kit, a Sony XAV-60 head unit, new speakers, some FatMat, and lots, and lots, and lots of cleaning. I had always wanted a Buick four note trumpet horn, and I snared one from a 1996 Seville and had it installed in front of the radiator. She had a new supercharger at 62,000 and she's a strong runner. Her paint is pretty good, but she needs a wet sanding and a lot of polishing.

I am thinking that I'd love to drive her for another 100,000 miles. I plan to swap out the XAV-60 for a Ca-Fi 62100.

I don't drive her outside of the Houston area (which is 90 miles north to south and 110 miles east to west) but I'm in her a lot.

I have in mind to upgrade her suspension so as to improve her handling. I had new shocks/struts installed two years ago, but her steering gear has a lot of slop.

Repairs have been limited to a new A/C compressor, new serpentine belt, and fixing some leaks in the trunk.

A few weeks back, some bandits broke out the driver window with the intent of helping themselves to my XAV-60. The responding police officer asked me if it was a Cadillac.

This site has provided me with a lot of guidance as to fixing some of the minor issues that keep cropping up (thank GAWD for the thread on repairing the LEDs in the HVAC panel), and I'm thinking that some strut tower braces, new sway bars and some steering gear repairs should have her running like a tight, Swiss watch.

Thanks, everyone, for all of your sharing and experiences. While the 3800 Type II Riv isn't as interesting a topic as it was five years ago, I'm very glad for the support.

This is my second 1998 Riviera. When I had my first one, I nabbed a cached copy of the 1998 Buick Riviera website. I have it on a flash drive, and intend to have it playing on a loop on the Ca-Fi 62100.

SE? The Riv has no trim levels

If someone spoke to me that they had a Riviera SC, it would like the same as SE, eh?

Natesriv wrote:

SE? The Riv has no trim levels
Are you from this country, your writing style either suggests Nigeria...or some Slavic country....Who are you my friend?

Actually, there was an SE package, not denoted on the car anywhere, but in the new car catalog.

then I stand corrected! welcome aboard!

WELCOME ABOARD, Douglas !!!

Welcome

Consider getting a reman rack from RockAuto.com and having it installed, but before you do that check and see if maybe you don't just have a tie rod end (inner or outer) that's crapped out. A good alignment shop can install a replacement for you while rack is on the car. Reason: the steering rack had first-generation MagnaSteer and although not the priciest rack of the pack is pricey... runs about twice what one for a Lincoln Continental same year would run heh heh ask me how I know...

Finally - you are coming due for some major maintenance you might want to have a look at the high mileage threads on this site... your radiator ever been replaced? A wheel hub?