I decided to see which version of '70's Buick Riviera sold better - the 3 years of the 'Boattail Riv' ('71 - '73), or the next 3 years, which was the same basic car, just with an ugly 'formal' roof ('74 - '76). Here's the production figures, obtained from the Buick Riviera article on Wikipedia..... 'Boattail Riv' '71 33,810 '72 33,728 '73 34,080 'Formal Riv' '74 20,129 '75 17,306 '76 20,082 I'm actually quite pleased with this discovery......
Agreed I think almost every redo for the Toro, Riv, and Eldo resulted in lower sales. True the energy crisis put a crimp in sales, as did an ever deterioration of the economy. BUT that all goes out the window with the New Mark V in ‘77. Those units almost consistently out paced the other 3 combined with a high water mark of nearly 80,000 units after its redo. So I agree GM was losing its audience to the offering from Wixom. So I would agree with SilverTwinkie and Krash. Think there were some off design choices, as well as mis judging the luxo barge coupe segment.
Krash, You have to remember that the "1973" Fuel Crisis hit just as the 1974 Models were starting to be sold. So I think that the higher gas prices and fuel lines played a part in the sales slide of the 74-76 models as well. But I agree the 71-73 versions were much better looking cars!
It’s a stunning car. The only thing I find a bit disconcerting is that dash with 4 separate cracks, and it looks like somebody took a bat to the glove box. It’s bent and very ill fitting. It’s just odd to me on a 36,000 mile car. Just me
As someone who had the pleasure of working both in Baltimore and DC in my younger days my guess is that someone tried to pry that glovebox door open. 50 years ago would have suggested trying to bend it back, now that the plastic is so old have no idea how to repair it. Real shame, it is a stunning car even if it does not look like a classic Riviera to me.
I admit I had not noticed the interior damage. Seems weird for such a low mileage car not in the Sunbelt states.
The dash is a much bigger turn off for me, that is an expensive and time consuming repair. The glove box door can either be replaced or if a decent replacement can't be found I would seperate the metal backing from the plastic and with a delicate use of a heat gun & some wieght and a flat hard surface, attempt a repair. Good insight on someone trying to pry open the glove box door. I would not have thought of that, but it makes perfect sense. If it was stored somewhere unattended, it could very easily happen. That or the lock failed in the locked position, and the current or previous owner did it opening it.
And this time the seller looks to be trying to cover up the issues of the cracked dash & warped glove box door. The pictures don't actually "hide" them, but they don't really show them either.
