My 1998 Buick Riviera named Christine

Hometown Hero wrote:

I know what you mean about the high end having to be good. I made sure I went the extra mile with the wattage and speaker quality. My TRX 4.880 is rated: 130 x 4 @ 4ohms and 220 x 4 @ 2ohms, which is plenty, my TRX 2000D gets luke warm running the sub but never hot so it mates perfectly in my eyes. Where as the 880 is ice cold and turned basically all the way down and it still screams, plus the watts are on tap if I ever for sum odd reason decide to upgrade.

Got any links to your amp and speakers? I'd definitely be interested in this setup.

I believe Sounstream has altered their Tarantula line-up abit for 2010. Here is a link to the 2010 Tarantula lineup. Although the TRX line is great, I would recomend Reference line over Tarantula line if you wanna spend the extra cake.

http://www.soundstream.com/AudioProducts/Amplifiers/tarantula.htm

As for Bravox speakers they are to put it mildly... AWSOME!!!!!!!!! Bravox is responsible for building 51% of the worlds speakers. Mainly for big name companies such as Energy as well as their own lines. Problem is last I heard their U.S. based supplier went under.
Here is the link for their equipment:

http://www.bravoxaudio.com/

I would also recomend Zapco, and of course good old Rockford Fosgate. Rockfords amp quality suffered greatly from about 2000-2006. Anything pre-dating 2000 or after 2006 they basically started going back to their old ways of overbuilding stuff.

Awesome, I appreciate that. I'm gonna have to check it out. I wanna work on the engine right now and finish fixing the body, but this'll be down the road eventually.

that was my old bonnies name lol

Eldo wrote:

Ironclad-454 wrote:

And here I thought Christine was a 1957 Plymouth Belvedere, silly me .
.

Nope, 1958 Plymouth Fury, though I admit they're closer than a Pinto and a Bobcat.

"Hell hath no fury like a Fury scorned..."

Those Fury's were sexyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.

GMFreak8 wrote:

I was sitting in it talking on my cell phone, and the next thing I know the door locks start going crazy, and suddenly the seat starts to move up towards the steering wheel. |

Haha, the locks on my Riv did that to me too last week! I was sitting in my driveway, getting my stuff together before I got out of the car. And the locks started going crazy, locking and unlocking themselves every few minutes. I assume it was because I had my seatbelt off or something, but it was creepy at first for sure!

Love that these cars have a mind of their own. I wonder what they are trying to say!

florence_x wrote:

GMFreak8 wrote:

I was sitting in it talking on my cell phone, and the next thing I know the door locks start going crazy, and suddenly the seat starts to move up towards the steering wheel. |

Haha, the locks on my Riv did that to me too last week! I was sitting in my driveway, getting my stuff together before I got out of the car. And the locks started going crazy, locking and unlocking themselves every few minutes. I assume it was because I had my seatbelt off or something, but it was creepy at first for sure!

Love that these cars have a mind of their own. I wonder what they are trying to say!

Do you have a CDMA or a GSM cell phone? GSM cell phones are known to interfere with various other wireless systems due to the way they do signalling. Question is, where is the interface to your car's BCM/MALL? I don't know. AT&T's network is GSM. Verizon and Sprint are CDMA. The Verizon Blackberry with international option is both, although you are not supposed to be able to really get to the GSM function unless you are traveling outside the US.

Does your car have the old GM/Motorola cell phone interface installed and maybe you don't know it? Now *that* one is interesting. Mine did and I pulled it. This interfaced to the radio among other systems.

Typically the cell phone is a pot-metal box, if it was installed by the dealer typically they ran a power lead from the IP fusebox thru the driver side door sill back under the rear seat. The box would likely be in the driver side rear quarter panel cavity under the rear window, or under the back seat in the vicinity of the fuse panels there. Has what looks like an Ethernet cable, a power line and an antenna line running to it. Motorola logo and an ESN are on a small sticker on teh case. You may need/want a magnifying glass to read the info.

Personal experience: won't hurt anything if you remove it, I think was an analog cell phone setup anyway, which no longer works as a cell phone because the FCC auctioned the spectrum off. I might have left it in place but I could not get any documentation on it, for instance it might have been useful had it been switchable or modifiable for use with the current digital CDMA system, or as a GSM phone. However I did not see where to put the GSM chip in it. Why the interest? These car systems ran around 3 watts, not the 1/2 watt or so on handheld cellphones, and from a communications/transmission POV worked reasonably well. Anyway...

Personal opinion: don't see any reason to leave an RF interface to the car's systems, especially given the way that GM decided to do data signaling in the Riv.

I am not guaranteeing that you have an orphaned cell phone interface in your car or even if so that that's where it is or whatever, just that if your install was like mine that is where you'll find it and you might want to pull it out unless you have/can get documentation for its installation and operation.

Anyone (Abbadon?!?) who knows more about that gizmo please post and make corrections to my comments.

Albertj

albertj wrote:

florence_x wrote:

GMFreak8 wrote:

I was sitting in it talking on my cell phone, and the next thing I know the door locks start going crazy, and suddenly the seat starts to move up towards the steering wheel. |

Haha, the locks on my Riv did that to me too last week! I was sitting in my driveway, getting my stuff together before I got out of the car. And the locks started going crazy, locking and unlocking themselves every few minutes. I assume it was because I had my seatbelt off or something, but it was creepy at first for sure!

Love that these cars have a mind of their own. I wonder what they are trying to say!

Do you have a CDMA or a GSM cell phone? GSM cell phones are known to interfere with various other wireless systems due to the way they do signalling. Question is, where is the interface to your car's BCM/MALL? I don't know. AT&T's network is GSM. Verizon and Sprint are CDMA. The Verizon Blackberry with international option is both, although you are not supposed to be able to really get to the GSM function unless you are traveling outside the US.

Does your car have the old GM/Motorola cell phone interface installed and maybe you don't know it? Now *that* one is interesting. Mine did and I pulled it. This interfaced to the radio among other systems.

Typically the cell phone is a pot-metal box, if it was installed by the dealer typically they ran a power lead from the IP fusebox thru the driver side door sill back under the rear seat. The box would likely be in the driver side rear quarter panel cavity under the rear window, or under the back seat in the vicinity of the fuse panels there. Has what looks like an Ethernet cable, a power line and an antenna line running to it. Motorola logo and an ESN are on a small sticker on teh case. You may need/want a magnifying glass to read the info.

Personal experience: won't hurt anything if you remove it, I think was an analog cell phone setup anyway, which no longer works as a cell phone because the FCC auctioned the spectrum off. I might have left it in place but I could not get any documentation on it, for instance it might have been useful had it been switchable or modifiable for use with the current digital CDMA system, or as a GSM phone. However I did not see where to put the GSM chip in it. Why the interest? These car systems ran around 3 watts, not the 1/2 watt or so on handheld cellphones, and from a communications/transmission POV worked reasonably well. Anyway...

Personal opinion: don't see any reason to leave an RF interface to the car's systems, especially given the way that GM decided to do data signaling in the Riv.

I am not guaranteeing that you have an orphaned cell phone interface in your car or even if so that that's where it is or whatever, just that if your install was like mine that is where you'll find it and you might want to pull it out unless you have/can get documentation for its installation and operation.

Anyone (Abbadon?!?) who knows more about that gizmo please post and make corrections to my comments.

Albertj

Wouldn't happen to know where the cell unit would be located in a 1999 cadillac Deville? My grandfather has one with a motorola system in it that's an analog digital hybrid, but I can't locate the box at all. The headset doesn't work, but the cars system detects the phone either being on or off whenever you press the power button. I'd like to find the components of the system and get it working. That five watts of power makes a difference around here.

Also the GSM interference is another reason to hate ATT.

Oh and I might as well do an update on Christine.

She had me in fits a week or so ago. I seriously even posted a For Sale post about her. Everything was going wrong. I went through three sets of wheel bearings, ended up getting a new AC compressor, new door handle, new battery, and found out about a leaky oil pan, and a K frame that will need replacing in a few years. Not to mention the elusive power lumbar motor that I can't find a replacement for and this reappearing rust spot that WILL NOT go away that's driving me insane. Maybe I'm just too anal about my vehicles, but I swear to god this car is out to kill me. I love it yet want to hate it at the same time.

I'm sticking with her though. I drive my cars and take care of them until the absolute last minute. In fact I have a very hard time letting go of them, and probably end up spending too much to keep them going.

GMFreak8 wrote:

Oh and I might as well do an update on Christine.

She had me in fits a week or so ago. I seriously even posted a For Sale post about her. Everything was going wrong. I went through three sets of wheel bearings, ended up getting a new AC compressor, new door handle, new battery, and found out about a leaky oil pan, and a K frame that will need replacing in a few years. Not to mention the elusive power lumbar motor that I can't find a replacement for and this reappearing rust spot that WILL NOT go away that's driving me insane. Maybe I'm just too anal about my vehicles, but I swear to god this car is out to kill me. I love it yet want to hate it at the same time.

I'm sticking with her though. I drive my cars and take care of them until the absolute last minute. In fact I have a very hard time letting go of them, and probably end up spending too much to keep them going.

I feel your pain. I bought my riv cheap and she had her problems. Been sitting for 2 years under a tree and in mud. Rusted brake lines, leaking trunk, ruined paint, engine had a knock. Replaced the engine, and ever since I have been chasing problems. Avery time I replace a wheel bearing, I find another bad one, the compress is shot, door handle broke, oil pan leaks (sounding familiar?), trunk still leaks, but not as bad, rear shocks, and other misc small things. I so still love the car though after all the time and money I spent on her.

moldymac wrote:

GMFreak8 wrote:

Oh and I might as well do an update on Christine.

She had me in fits a week or so ago. I seriously even posted a For Sale post about her. Everything was going wrong. I went through three sets of wheel bearings, ended up getting a new AC compressor, new door handle, new battery, and found out about a leaky oil pan, and a K frame that will need replacing in a few years. Not to mention the elusive power lumbar motor that I can't find a replacement for and this reappearing rust spot that WILL NOT go away that's driving me insane. Maybe I'm just too anal about my vehicles, but I swear to god this car is out to kill me. I love it yet want to hate it at the same time.

I'm sticking with her though. I drive my cars and take care of them until the absolute last minute. In fact I have a very hard time letting go of them, and probably end up spending too much to keep them going.

I feel your pain. I bought my riv cheap and she had her problems. Been sitting for 2 years under a tree and in mud. Rusted brake lines, leaking trunk, ruined paint, engine had a knock. Replaced the engine, and ever since I have been chasing problems. Avery time I replace a wheel bearing, I find another bad one, the compress is shot, door handle broke, oil pan leaks (sounding familiar?), trunk still leaks, but not as bad, rear shocks, and other misc small things. I so still love the car though after all the time and money I spent on her.

Well the saga continued. Today I went in to get a front end alignment and they put it up on the lift. He comes into the waiting room, and tells me I'm dead in the water for today. When he put it on the lift, the relief of pressure on the k-frame caused it to crack. I knew it was rusted, but didn't realize it was that bad. So again, I'm putting money into this thing. At this rate I'm gonna have to get 350K out of it to make it worthwhile. I'm not giving up though. Ordered a k frame from eiss brothers for $500 roughly. This is turning into my worst fucking nightmare.

Man Kyle, I'm not sure what to say, it seems that whatever can go bad has gone bad on your car. It would drive me carzy having one thing go bad after another , but if you add up all your costs, I'm sure it still is more affordable than buying a new car you won't love as much and carrying a monthly payment to boot. All I can say is after all these repairs, you will be rewarded one day!

why cant they just weld the frame?

BMD wrote:

Man Kyle, I'm not sure what to say, it seems that whatever can go bad has gone bad on your car. It would drive me carzy having one thing go bad after another , but if you add up all your costs, I'm sure it still is more affordable than buying a new car you won't love as much and carrying a monthly payment to boot. All I can say is after all these repairs, you will be rewarded one day!

I know. I am going insane. I'm not paranoid about what's going to happen after I get everything fixed. All I can keep thinking is, what's next. There is no way in hell I'm getting rid of this car now. I'm determined to make this thing last. I don't care if I have to get it repainted. I've got too much into it now.

robotennis61 wrote:

why cant they just weld the frame?

The frame was complete junk. You can't even pick it up without it breaking further. Here's a picture of the old frame. I replied in a thread about it in the brake section with more information.

What is all the jizz on the frame near where it is split.?

And when does your Internship start, or have you already started working./

dat sux. how much of a bitch was it to free the frame from the chassis? and did the steering rack just hang until the new one was installed?

Shit, lost another opportunity to have some measurements of the steering rack mounting done.

Rickw wrote:

What is all the jizz on the frame near where it is split.?

And when does your Internship start, or have you already started working./

The CV shaft completely pulled out while putting the car on the flatbed. The frame completely broke. So in addition to a new K frame, I had to get a new CV shaft, which is hard as hell to find.

Good news is, that has so far been my last major issue with the car. Everything else has been good *knock on wood*.

So after almost spending 3K on fixes and upgrades, I'm sad to report that Christine has been totalled. I was driving through town and stopped at a redlight when I was rearended from behind. The vehicle was going 40MPH and didn't even bother stopping. I'm gonna miss her. Rest in Peace Christine.

On a related note, The Riviera is amazing in a crash, especially in comparison to the chrysler van that hit me. Her front end was demolished right back to the firewall. My Riviera on the other hand didn't look all that bad. the tail lights were busted and the bumper pushed in. Unfortunately upon closer inspection it pushed the trunk lid in and the side panels out. No frame damage. To repair it unfortunately the estimate was over 3500. Insurance company decided to total it.

I'm now a proud owner of a 2005 Buick Park Avenue Ultra Special Edition though.

WOW, too bad about the Riv, but its amazing that you weren't hurt. Start a showroom for your PA

BMD wrote:

WOW, too bad about the Riv, but its amazing that you weren't hurt. Start a showroom for your PA

Yeah, The Riviera really impressed me in a crash honestly. The police and Paramedics that were on scene said it's a good thing I drove a large well built car. I was telling them about how it broke the GM crash test machine, they were impressed. I had whiplash and was out of work for a couple of weeks actually. I could barely move. My head came within a few inches of the steering wheel when she hit me. My seat was actually knocked lose from the car. I could literally move the seat around. The body shop said that happens often though.


I'll definitely post pictures of the new Park Ave. I'm a little premature when I say I'm the proud owner. I'm heading down to connecticut Monday to pick it up. Sorry I haven't been around lately. Between the accident and my usual bad luck I've been fairly busy. I swear lately I could scratch a lottery ticket off and it would say I owed them money....

Get Well Wishes sent your way and condolences to Christine. Here's hoping for brighter days ahead

You went through all of that just to have it get totaled in the end. Did you buy the riv back from the insurance - I smell a part out

I was going to buy it back and part it out actually, but the area I live in now requires you to get a recyclers license and you have to verify that all parts are not stolen. It wasn't worth it. I really wanted to part it out and keep it for extra parts but it just wasn't cost effective.

I just picked up the park avenue today. It's actually the limited edition 300 run black and platinum edition. The shitty part is that the previous owner didn't like the two tone paint so he had the dealer paint the roof black instead. I could kill him for that. So I'll be having to get the roof repainted to original. I'm so glad that I found one of them though. I absolutely love it. When it's not raining out and I get back home I'll post pictures.

The PA sounds nice, can't wait to see it.

I hope they don't start doin' that "recyclers license" thing everywhere! Just one more way to make sure that older cars are pulled from the road.