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Hello, new member here. I’m considering buying an eighth gen Riviera. A good friend of mine is selling his. I’ve always liked the way they look. It’s a late 96 or early 97 (date on door jamb says 9/96) with the supercharged engine. It’s a bit of a project – needs some body work (mismatched paint), AC is not functioning (hopefully a relay or something simple), and radio is not functioning properly (will replace with aftermarket). It has 126k miles, runs well and he’s still driving it. It does have a salvage title. He’s going to lend it to me for a few days so I can check it out more thoroughly. I’ve owned a similar car with the 3.8 V6 (96 Olds 88) so I’m familiar with the engine and how stout it is. I don’t expect I’ll do a lot of mods on it; mainly do all the needed maintenance and get it back in good shape. Unless I find a show- stopper when inspecting it, I expect to move forward with the purchase. Having this forum available is a major factor in me being comfortable with getting it, as I expect to do as much of the work myself as possible. That’s really the only way it makes economic sense. Anything to look out for? Any advice appreciated. Are parts generally still available for these cars?

RobbieAG wrote:

Hello, new member here. I’m considering buying an eighth gen Riviera. A good friend of mine is selling his. I’ve always liked the way they look. It’s a late 96 or early 97 (date on door jamb says 9/96) with the supercharged engine. It’s a bit of a project – needs some body work (mismatched paint), AC is not functioning (hopefully a relay or something simple), and radio is not functioning properly (will replace with aftermarket). It has 126k miles, runs well and he’s still driving it. It does have a salvage title. He’s going to lend it to me for a few days so I can check it out more thoroughly. I’ve owned a similar car with the 3.8 V6 (96 Olds 88) so I’m familiar with the engine and how stout it is. I don’t expect I’ll do a lot of mods on it; mainly do all the needed maintenance and get it back in good shape. Unless I find a show- stopper when inspecting it, I expect to move forward with the purchase. Having this forum available is a major factor in me being comfortable with getting it, as I expect to do as much of the work myself as possible. That’s really the only way it makes economic sense. Anything to look out for? Any advice appreciated. Are parts generally still available for these cars?

Just use this tool to find your car's model year

http://www.free-vin-decoder.com/


Anything to look out for? Simple. Get a factory service manual and read the FAQs and write-ups on this site.

Parts availability? Generally, hard parts mostly, trim parts no or junkyard, or you luck up on a donor car.

Welcome

Albertj

Welcome and good luck!

I got a pic of the title with VIN. It's a 97 which I was glad to hear due to the significant upgrades to the trans and suspension. I did some research and I'm hoping the AC is the blower motor control module. My biggest concern is the paint. The front right fender has been replaced and is black. Not sure if it's unpainted primer or was a black fender. Also, the mirrors and gas door are silver. It would be great if the rest of the paint is good enough to bring back, but I realize it's not likely. I don't want to get in over my head on a project, and a full paint job would be too much for me. If the rest of the paint is in poor condition, I'll probably pass. FYI - the paint is Majestic Teal Metallic - code 272C. Another thing I want to check carefully is rust on the rear sub-frame or front cradle. It's a North Carolina car, so hopefully it's okay.

The downside to 97 are the one-year-only control arms that are no longer available. The problem can be dealt with, but it's beyond the means of most people.

I've had the car for a couple days and had a chance to check it out. Here's what I found:

Good:
1. 126k miles
2. Tires good
3. Leather in good condition
4. Solid car – no rust
5. Blower controls work
6. Radio works
7. Cruise control works
8. Heated seat works
9. Trunk is dry
10. Oil okay – changed at 125k – added a quart
11. Tranny - fluid okay and shifts fine
12. Struts recently replaced
13. Power mirrors work

Bad:
1. Service engine light on – P0441 (evap emission control system). My reader said there were two codes, but they’re both P0441. Vapor cannister purge valve or something else?
2. AC doesn’t work – doesn’t blow cold. Compressor?
3. Headliner on sunroof coming off.
4. Steering feels like it catches a little now and then. PS fluid looks okay. Steering rack or PS pump?
5. Paint – no peeling but not shiny. Front right fender is black, mirrors, gas cap cover, and door handles are silver.

Other:
1. Battery date 11/2017
2. I heard a pump kick on a couple times – self leveling suspension?

The problem with your AC compressor is most likely a leaking seal.  Theoretically the seal alone can be changed, but practically you're looking at a new compressor.  There may also be other leaks.  The system is full of o-rings that fail with age.  

If you aren't worried about how your headliner looks, you can glue it back up yourself -



It's possible the paint could be shined up by buffing it out.  You could take it to a detailer or try it yourself -



Your battery is due for replacement.  There's a thread on here about switching to the Optima Red Top.  There's nothing wrong with the stock battery though, except the fact that it's super heavy.  Installing the Optima requires a little fabrication but it's easier to get in and out of the car.  

If the pump you hear is in the rear of the car it's for the rear suspension.  Perfectly normal.

Welcome to the community, Robbie!

Hi Robbie,
That is definitely a '97, my build-date is exactly the same.
Love the fact that the original paint is an unusual color - is the interior also teal??

1. Service engine light on – P0441.
My '98 FSM actually skips that code, but not only is it not important except to the smog-testers, I would bet that it's only bad hose(s) or at worst an EVAP sensor or valve on the rear rocker cover. Possibly even the connector or wires to one of them...

2. AC doesn’t work – doesn’t blow cold. Compressor?
Before I'd jump to the big-ticket items I'd simply have it serviced - evacuated, determined how much Suva is left in it (Suva is R-134 for Freon,) and then re-charged. The pump will not run if the pressure in the system is too low, and in my experience the hoses leak before the pump goes bad.

4. Steering feels like it catches a little now and then. PS fluid looks okay. Steering rack or PS pump?
Again, start with the small stuff... These systems don't have filters, so it's important to flush out the old fluid now & then. Remove the return line from the reservoir & weight it with something like vice-grips to hold it down into a drain pan & pour fresh fluid into the top while someone starts the engine & slooowly turns the wheel lock-to-lock.

SPEAKING OF FLUID: I'd be interested to know anybody's opinions on Power Steering Fluid vs Transmission Fluid.... Mine has been giving me so much crap lately that I'm tempted to drain the 'real' stuff & fill it with Type F!

Eldo wrote:

2. AC doesn’t work – doesn’t blow cold. Compressor?  
Before I'd jump to the big-ticket items I'd simply have it serviced - evacuated, determined how much Suva is left in it (Suva is R-134 for Freon,) and then re-charged.  The pump will not run if the pressure in the system is too low, and in my experience the hoses leak before the pump goes bad.  

I agree with this. I had a system on another vehicle serviced a couple months ago and the only problem was a couple of leaky connectors.

Thanks everyone for all the responses and advice. I decided not to move forward with the purchase. The things it needs are beyond my skill level and would potentially be expensive fixes if I had to pay somebody to do the labor. I told my friend that I'd post the car for sale here if he wants, but so far he hasn't taken me up on it. So far he's still driving it.