Tinely Omen

Found you just in time. I've actually been searching, off an on, for this knowledge base over the last couple of years.

I found you guys with a google search " forum rear shock Riviera". I hate that rear suspension! Especially since I replaced the front struts with Monroes a couple of years back. It just cannot keep up with the front. At last I have found others that have, or are attempting to, address this issue.

So lately, I've been puzzling over replacing or rehabing our owned since new 98. It was the wifes car until earlier this year when I bought her an 07 3.5 Altima. I've been commuting in the Buick since then. It has around 130k on it and that number is climbing by about 750 miles each week.

This has been a great car. I did replace the supercharger at 110k and had to replace a rotor or 2 over the years, but I'm pretty happy with it and hate payments. But here is my puzzlement.

This car has never been in the garage (full of motorcycles) and the 2 remaining body panels with OE paint are checked from sun exposure. They need striping to bare metal and a repaint (my wife is a little rough on paint). The front tires are a bald on the outside edges...I'm calculating a 3k minimum investment to keep her from being a visual embarassment and a roadworthy commuter. The car probably wouldnt bring 5 k in pristine condition etc.

Finding you guys and the resources you've found for addressing the cars weak points has given me the resolve to pour some money in the old girl and keep her. Guess I'll be driving my van over the winter while she gets her make-over.

Winter Laundry List
New engine/tranny mounts (thanks for the cheap mount posts)
New front and rear stabilizer bars
New Strut tower brace
New rear shocks. Ohlins HQ is near the house....
New rotors and pads
New tires
New paint

Thanks for helping me spend my money, people.

Welcome! thats why we are here

why did you replace the supercharger at 110k?

Welcome aboard :>

If you picked up everything you mentioned, the car would be in immaculate condition.. well worth the 5k that you doubted it would be worth

Mr.Riviera wrote:

Welcome! thats why we are here

why did you replace the supercharger at 110k?

Either the nose cone bearing or the SC bearing had a lot of slop. Apparently, it isnt uncommon for them to fail in the 70k to 100k range?

I found a guy in NC who rebuilds them and after core refund, it was like $400ish. Not too bad.

Not bad for him if he only had to replace the $30 plastic coupler piece. Properly maintained, it is very hard to kill the blower, even at high miles. The bearings rarely fail as long as the oil doesn't leak out. Not saying you got taken on the blower repair, but it's possible the only thing wrong was the coupler, which is designed to be the part that flexes or breaks under stress.

But at least you fixed it. Welcome to the site. Hope your plans to fix up your Riviera are successful!

AA wrote:

But at least you fixed it. Welcome to the site. Hope your plans to fix up your Riviera are successful!

Welcome..

I'll further AA's (aka Aaron) post a little further. Even if you replaced the bearings and coupler it would still only be a little over a hundred. Now .. you'll have that knowledge for the future.

AA wrote:

Not bad for him if he only had to replace the $30 plastic coupler piece. Properly maintained, it is very hard to kill the blower, even at high miles. The bearings rarely fail as long as the oil doesn't leak out. Not saying you got taken on the blower repair, but it's possible the only thing wrong was the coupler, which is designed to be the part that flexes or breaks under stress.

But at least you fixed it. Welcome to the site. Hope your plans to fix up your Riviera are successful!

Try and guess one of the reasons I was trying for so long to find as astute a knowledge base as this ....You were a little hard to find.

maybe consulting with you guys will actually save me money hence forth

Welcome aboard!

mountainrider wrote:

Winter Laundry List
New engine/tranny mounts (thanks for the cheap mount posts)
New front and rear stabilizer bars
New Strut tower brace
New rear shocks. Ohlins HQ is near the house....
New rotors and pads
New tires
New paint

Thanks for helping me spend my money, people.

Any particular color you got in mind?

Welcome to the site. Hope your plans to fix up your Riviera are successful........

Andysdorm wrote:

mountainrider wrote:

Winter Laundry List
New engine/tranny mounts (thanks for the cheap mount posts)
New front and rear stabilizer bars
New Strut tower brace
New rear shocks. Ohlins HQ is near the house....
New rotors and pads
New tires
New paint

Thanks for helping me spend my money, people.

Any particular color you got in mind?

I like the OE pearl white it came with. All my bikes are black. Obviously my favorite, but thats too much maintenance for a daily driver.

Thanks to the rest of you all for the welcome and the salt in the wounds

mountainrider wrote:

Andysdorm wrote:

mountainrider wrote:

Winter Laundry List
New engine/tranny mounts (thanks for the cheap mount posts)
New front and rear stabilizer bars
New Strut tower brace
New rear shocks. Ohlins HQ is near the house....
New rotors and pads
New tires
New paint

Thanks for helping me spend my money, people.

Any particular color you got in mind?

I like the OE pearl white it came with. All my bikes are black. Obviously my favorite, but thats too much maintenance for a daily driver.

Thanks to the rest of you all for the welcome and the salt in the wounds

just thought I'd ask. I get excited when Riv owners decide to do something different. I'd stay with the white pearl, that's a genuinely nice color for the Riv.

Andysdorm wrote:

just thought I'd ask. I get excited when Riv owners decide to do something different. I'd stay with the white pearl, that's a genuinely nice color for the Riv.

I did custom painting on bikes while attending college. I guess I just got to the point where I tired quickly of anything cosmeticaly fancy. Love to see it on others rides though. Yours is very tight.

I'm most interested in getting this thing to handle. I live in the mountains of NC and love the slalom course back roads around here. A good handling bike is the best way to exploit the potential, but I do appreciate a composed car. Seeing the supension threads hooked me on keeping the Riv. The only serious dislike I have had with the car was its land yacht handling. Funny thing is that I was disapointed when my wife chose this car back in 98 and that I have come to enjoy it so much. I'm making arrangements to have this thing modded out by spring.

I used to live in Greenville SC and I still take frequent trips down there. My favorite road is I40 between Knocksville and Ashville. (I love the sound of my exhaust (see mods) going through the two long tunnels.

I have modded my car 1st for handling then braking. I am just now messing with my engine. Even though it weighs 2tons it handles great through the mountains.

If you need any help or advise, let me know. I am happy to share what I know... lots of trial and error!!

ewolfe0050 wrote:

I used to live in Greenville SC and I still take frequent trips down there. My favorite road is I40 between Knocksville and Ashville. (I love the sound of my exhaust (see mods) going through the two long tunnels.

I have modded my car 1st for handling then braking. I am just now messing with my engine. Even though it weighs 2tons it handles great through the mountains.

If you need any help or advise, let me know. I am happy to share what I know... lots of trial and error!!

For interstate, that section of 40 is alright.There are always lots of mobile chicanes to add to the challenge of a quick run through the gap.

As to your offer of advice, thats what I'm talking about! thanks! I will be taking you up on that, Look for some PMs soon.

John

Hey, welcome to the board! Glad you found us. Lots of good information and good friends.

regarding the rear shocks, suggest you get set of OEM air shocks for rear from Rock Auto, http://www.rockauto.com - they have some NOS Delcos, I bought a set & was thrilled, they cae with new mounts. Given the mounts are uaually almost $0 per, this was cheapest way to go.

Albertj