FAQ: High Mile Club - Wear/Repair Reports

Some good information there.

Looking on Morads site, you could pick up a motor for $2,500 with 70K on it, but that doesn't include shipping, installation and doesn't guarantee that it doesn't have a head gasket problem of its own. I think it might be best to just to replace the head gaskets if your gonna keep the car.

Great info, thanks.

The quote for the GM reman is $3500! That plus installation labor and misc stuff should come to just under $5000!!!!!!!!!! However, there is a 3 year warranty.

I am now thinking about the leak down as described above and head gasket only. Should both sides be done while they have it torn down?

One other option---My daughter is travelling abroad for a month and dropped off my 97 Riv. I was really pissed at the condition. I do not think that she has ever washed it. She parks under trees and the finish is really getting bad. There is a rip in the drivers seat. She ran into post and dented (f^^^ing crushed) the quarter panel plus a bunch of other little things. I am thinking about turning it into a parts car with the first part being the engine. However it has 195,000 miles*. Its a good thing she dropped it off and left the country. I might calm down before she returns. Only thing is, If I take her wheels away she might move back in now that she has graduated college.



*258,000 + 195,000 = 453,000 8th gen miles. Can anyone beat that!!!!!!?????

I just looked on car-part.com I see you live in Georgia so I looked at SE region
There are a lot of complete used engines.
1 with 18000 mile 2200
several more at more miles less money
1 with 60000 miles 900
With 258000, miles a 60000 mile engine would look good to me for 900
I would probably look at getting new intake gaskets and any thing else easier to do while out and see what total cost for shipping and install would cost.

Thanks for the ideas. Since I have my daughters car to drive for a few weeks, I have time to do some exploring.

Turned 225k miles yesterday. Purchased this car with 24.5k in mid 2003. Here's my repair list:

-OEM Michelin tires replaced before 30k miles
-alternator bad at 35k, replaced under warranty
-SC/acces belts 45k
-HVAC blower control module at 85k
-idler/tensioner pulleys at 85k
-cat converter died at 95k
-head unit at 100k
-passenger front hub/bearing at 105k
-struts and shocks at 110k
-ignition wires at 120k miles
-transmission rebuild 151k
-driver front hub/bearing 170k
-instrument lamp out 194k
-new battery 200k
-alternator 2nd replacement 200k
-replaced SC belt tensioner + pulley 205k
-new fuel pump 222k
-motor & cradle mounts mounts 224k
-struts 2nd replacement 224k

Might seem like a lot of repairs, but spread this out over 8 years and you're talking about less than $50/mo to keep the car running in top shape. The only things this doesn't factor in are reg maintenance items like brakes, tires (I did count the first set), oil changes, and gas. These are usually additional costs with any car, even a new one.

GO FAST WITH CLASS.........on the cheap.

At 224,122 miles I just replaced my EGR valve (the solenoid) - got the code (P0171 I think) while driving up I-81. Figured it was the EGR because at the same time it started running somewhat *better*... put on a BWD Auto unit (Standard "Blue Streak" level). Is fine.

There was not enough carbon in the thing to smudge my pinkie good -- i might check the old solenoid with a battery. I suspect that it just died.

This afternoon I will R&R it and put a gasket with carbon screen in under it.

What I learned in this is that EGR valves carbon up due to city stop & go driving, and in highway driving they usually get hot enough to burn off any carbon deposits.

I also replaced the PCV as PM - pulled the old one and although it rattled okay it did not rattle like the replacement (they are both Dormans this is my 3rd PCV, all were maintenance replacements none actually died).

I really do like the riviera, but that is a heaping list of repairs. Buying a mid 90's BMW means fast driving with luxury and alot less repairs. Not knocking the riviera overall they are a nice car and not common.

lo619 wrote:

I really do like the riviera, but that is a heaping list of repairs. Buying a mid 90's BMW means fast driving with luxury and alot less repairs. Not knocking the riviera overall they are a nice car and not common.

Not so sure 'bout that.My dad had two of them,and they are not cheap to repair,and about as reliable as most other cars,and less than others....

lo619 wrote:

I really do like the riviera, but that is a heaping list of repairs. Buying a mid 90's BMW means fast driving with luxury and alot less repairs. Not knocking the riviera overall they are a nice car and not common.

does the bimmer have less repairs? Less frequency or less costly? Please tell me -- just curious. thanks.

robotennis61 wrote:

lo619 wrote:

I really do like the riviera, but that is a heaping list of repairs. Buying a mid 90's BMW means fast driving with luxury and alot less repairs. Not knocking the riviera overall they are a nice car and not common.

Not so sure 'bout that.My dad had two of them,and they are not cheap to repair,and about as reliable as most other cars,and less than others....

I can't speak for personal experience as I've never owned a BMW, most people are biased with opinions on vehicles favoring certain makes.... We all know that. I know 2 BMW owners, one has E36 the other has an E30. My buddy's E36 has ran great ever since I've known him.... I've had multiple cars with multiple issues in less than that space of time lol..... I would opt for a nice E36 (not M3) if it was running well. They're Nice cars.... Guess my comment has no purpose, maybe I'm just a tad sour over my Riv being stuck in my driveway.

albertj wrote:

lo619 wrote:

I really do like the riviera, but that is a heaping list of repairs. Buying a mid 90's BMW means fast driving with luxury and alot less repairs. Not knocking the riviera overall they are a nice car and not common.

does the bimmer have less repairs? Less frequency or less costly? Please tell me -- just curious. thanks.

LESS FREQUENTLY.

I'm Ian and I have owned a Buick Riviera for at least 14 years now, and I've had a broken radio and cassette player since 2004, when my wife died... I just got my air conditioning fixed after 6 years and the fan broke. Went back of course, and got it fixed for $300... My transmission also broke because I was logging around boulders in the trunk and the car couldn't take it! But other then that, no, I havent had any problems. All of the problems I had are my fault, including the radio, which I don't want to specify...

Thanks for the reports, Ian. Can you tell us how many miles were on the car when the problems occurred?

I had at least 164,000 on it.

Well my riv has 214,000 let's hope it holds upand doesn't need any major repairs.

We have two 95s one with 118k series II na and one with 237k series I sc lmao both run and drive.

Well, the leaking LIM killed the engine. It seems that enough water had gotten into the oil pan to ruin the lower end. Financially, I had to choose a used engine with 40,000 miles from a GS. The shop was very reasonable in that they applied all the cost of the LIM repair to the engine swap. I can tell the difference. Apparently the old engine was losing compression compared to the newer one.

I was grieving for a couple of days. Has my car lost it's soul?

Sorry to hear that, Scott. How many miles when the engine died? How frequently did you change the oil up to the end? Was your coolant level affected by the LIM gasket leak?

268,800+

Since all the miles were highway, I changed the oil when I rotated the tires every 6,000 miles. For most of its life, this was only every 6 to 12 weeks. The coolant level may be a lesson. I had had an intermittent Low Coolant level light for years but the level always checked OK. I figured it was the sensor but because it was so infrequent, I aways forgot to have it cleaned/replaced when I was having other service done. Even when they did the LIM, the coolant level was not low although the light had been on. When I picked it up from the LIM, the light was on but went off. They suspect that the leak had already done the damage or there was a leak elsewhere but do not know for sure. It probably had lost just enough water to screw up the oil and the bottom end. The lesson is the mechanical equivalent of the boy who cried wolf: fix bad sensors.

Another thing to think about when replacing an engine. When I picked it up the told me that the donor was a GS and the supercharger had a ZZP pulley on it. They swapped the SC so the original is on it now. However, I wonder what size, and whether it had other supporting mods done to it. It other words, how hard has this engine been run? Guess I will find out since with new engine, tires and brakes, I plan on keeping it awhile.

I'm going to share with the community what I've been doing with my car to restore it at the ripe old age of....16 years....

Basic stuff - 1995 riviera S/C. 255k miles on the odometer. With 90k on a reman engine.

ENGINE
-Change supercharger oil
-Replace all belts and vacuum tubing
-Spark plugs/wires
-Fuel pump
-Either exhaust patches or a whole new exhaust. I think the system on there now just has a leak before the converter so I might just leave it in place for now and not panic to try and find a whole new system, pipes and all.

Interior/Electrical
-Electric fuel door release
-Passenger door speakers
-A/C system (so far just compressor but we'll see....)

Chassis/Suspension
-All bushings/links for sway bars
-Transmission mount or wheel bearing (noise in front end of car)

Body
-Wet sand and polish entire paintjob
-Fix rust around front and rear windshields
-touch up deeper scratches
-Driver's side mirror needs new glass

Replaced by previous owner
-Tires
-New brake system - 4 rotors, 4 calipers, new lines, new master cylinder
-rear wheel bearings
-Battery

So part of my maintenance this year was replacing both belts (accessory and supercharger) and the large SC idler behind the engine mount.

I am thinking of replacing the OP sender and the oil pan this year. (Both are original; the OP looks like it lost a couple arguments with road jetsam). Also, I am replacing the radiator, rad hoses and thermostat this coming week (when the parts arrive from RockAuto). Reason - last year I noticed mystery coolant loss, dumped some dye in the system and checked every so often, nothing. Well, last week after a **short** drive I found the leak - a hipressure leak in the drivers side radiator tank. I prolly would not have found it without the dye. It even splashed onto the transaxle bellhousing a little.

Curious, how did you come to notice the coolant loss? Coolant on ground? Low level in reservoir? Or low level in radiator (including low coolant lamp)?