1987 Buick Riviera

The federal record provided covers model years 1990‑1999 and does not include data for the 1987 Riviera, so direct complaints, recalls, investigations, or TSBs for 1987 are not available. In the years that are recorded, complaint volumes rose sharply to a peak of 148 in 1995, remained elevated through 1998 (36 complaints), and fell to just 6 by 1999, while recalls stayed relatively low (ranging from 0 to 5 across the period) and the number of TSBs grew steadily from 0 in 1990 to 39 in 1999. This pattern suggests that the mid‑1990s models experienced a higher incidence of consumer‑reported issues, whereas later years saw fewer complaints but more technical service bulletins, indicating ongoing manufacturer support rather than acute problems. Because the 1987 model year falls outside the provided dataset, its specific complaint and recall profile cannot be assessed against this trend. Consequently, prospective buyers cannot rely on the federal data to gauge the 1987 Riviera’s reliability relative to the later model years. Given the absence of specific federal complaint data for 1987, it is not possible to confidently determine whether this model year is a good buy; a thorough pre‑purchase inspection and review of any available service history are strongly advised.