Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Pontiac Bonneville

1…5152545657…85

Comments

  • rjs200240rjs200240 Member Posts: 1,277
    Who are the guys writing it? In it they refer to the 3800 as a 60 degree V6, but isn't it a 90 degree V6?
  • tpkentpken Member Posts: 1,108
    One can only wonder what might have been if GM had properly promoted this car.
  • theicemantheiceman Member Posts: 736
    Yeah, it's a 90° V6 - methinks they were thinking of the L32 3.4 (which IS a 60° V6).
  • fantascpfantascp Member Posts: 175
    OK- I need some expert opinions on this gang
    my 98 SSE was manufactured in July of 97, and since I purchased it in Jan of this year- it now has approx 64,000 Miles on her- this July will be 5 years- but I'll never have 100,000 Miles on the car by July- right now( Knock on wood of course)
    the car is running strong and great- no problems- last week when we had that record breaking temps for a few days that hit around 96 Degrees- in stop and go traffic up Rt 80, etc- the temp never moved more that 10 degrees above 200- and held that way with the A/C full blast! my question is- should I go ahead and have a full service done in July -(5yrs) on flushing the complete system etc or don't fix what isn't broke- keep going as is until 100,000 miles, which at the present rate will probably be another couple of years.
    Thanks for any opinions either way!

    Chuck
  • mackacmackac Member Posts: 3
    We have a 2000 SSEi on a GMAC lease. The lease expires in January 2003, but we're looking for someone to pick up the remainder of the lease now. If you are interested, go to leasetrading.com; search the cars by Pontiac, and click on listing I.D. # 4018. There's no membership fee for someone looking to buy.

    It's a good website and a way to buy out the remainder of a lease.

    Why are we doing this? We found another car that we like even better -- a 2000 Seville SLS !

    The SSEi has a paid-up extended warranty to 45,000 miles, a refundable security deposit and prepaid miles to 45,000. 12-disc CD changer; moonroof and heated seats. Excellent condition.

    Go to leasetrading.com and make a bid.
  • tpkentpken Member Posts: 1,108
    best wishes on the SLS as well as finding someone to take the SSEi.

    I drove a 2K1 SLS a couple weeks ago and loved the sound and feel of that Northstar. Sounds just the way it should!

    Ken
  • mlm4mlm4 Member Posts: 401
    I think I may have started something over on News & Views / GM build quality/reliability (so far, the response is good!). It's a little suprising how much positive opinion there is about the Bonneville, even among people who have not been inside one yet. It will be interesting to see how long- (or short-) lived the discussion is.

    I also just got around to discovering the "What is Wrong With Pontiac" thread (also in News & Views). Great discussion going on there (of course Ice has been contributing there for awhile) -- worth checking out if you can deal with the wags who think the answer to the question is "cladding." What I really find fascinating is the nostalgia people have for the land barges the big three built back in the '70s (me included). Does this mean people still like the big cars? If so, is the SUV craze responsible for the Bonneville's fall from "greatness?" Oh, what a shame!
  • rjs200240rjs200240 Member Posts: 1,277
    I would go ahead and have the cooling system flushed at its 5 yr mark. You don't want to wait until the cooling system stops performing, as then it is too late. I mean, you don't wait on an oil change until you can hear the driveline clanking, do you?
  • theicemantheiceman Member Posts: 736
    I think that the SUV craze had undoubtedly killed the large car - at least for the time being. I've said it here before but I think that the back side of the SUV hill will see good things for large cars - and therefore to car mfrs who still make them. I base this on my own personal experience but also on demographics - but I have to temper that with complete ignorance of what categories of vehicle may yet await us.

    My own experience - I moved from small, Japanese two door coupes to midsized four doors (when I got married), to a Volvo station wagon (when kid 1 came along) to a minivan (when kid 2 came along). When the minivan had to go, I thought hard about our transportation needs and decided that a large car would give us the utility, comfort, style, fuel economy and safety we wanted. Prior to that minivan and wagon, a large car would have seemed waaay too barge-like for my tastes and I'd probably still be driving an Altima or one of its ilk.

    We've been without the minivan for over a year now and have not yet had one occasion to miss it. My sense is that as more people move out of the child-hauling years, the demand for SUVs and minivans will dip. As this population will be comfortable with larger vehicles, they will lack the aversion to large cars and may even have an affinity towards them. I believe that large and stylish cars which offer utility, safety and better fuel economy (than SUVs and vans) will start looking increasingly attractive. I think that this is what GM was attempting to accomplish with the Rendezvous - although I they didn't quite hit the bull's eye. IMHO.
  • fantascpfantascp Member Posts: 175
    Thanks- no I don't wait until after the fact- i'm
    right on when it comes to routine service for my cars- the manual calls for 150,000 miles(don't know why I originally thought it was 100,000 miles) OR every 5 years- whichever comes first- i'll have it changed this summer! way to long apart to go from 64,000 miles to 150,000.
    Thanks again for your input.

    Chuck
  • tpkentpken Member Posts: 1,108
    I've had big cars since I learned to drive - with the exception of one Camry so you could certainly call me partial to that segment. As the likes of Accord and Altima and Camry grow with each successive generation it appears to me that they don't have very far left to go before they will qualify as large. The interiors are increasingly airy and spacious now while the exterior dimensions are still considered midsized.

    Looks to me as though this is the trend and that we will soon see cars that have Crown Vic interior proportions inside 'midsized' packages. Indeed Ford is planning just such a vehicle already. As the large boats fall by the way - at what point do these 'midsized' cars then become the new 'large' segment?
  • mlm4mlm4 Member Posts: 401
    You know, this love affair with SUVs and large cars is strictly an American thing (I don't want to drag the Canadians down with us, even though they drive the same vehicles, they probably blame us somehow ;-) It's both what's great and embarassing about America. The largest European cars are no bigger than our mid-size cars (for practical purposes), but then again we have the luxury of lots of space. (And look at what happened in L.A., or Houston -- thousands of miles of roads clogged with cars!) But I digress...

    I own an SUV (Tahoe), and I love it. Why? Because GM's best products are it's full-sized trucks. Far and away better than any of their cars. I also love it because it really is a go-anywhere (within reason, of course), do-anything vehicle that I can drive 365 days a year without a worry (except for maybe that $40 fill-up every week or so). I admit that down here in Florida I have had no use for four-wheel-drive, and the only off-roading is the occassional sandy trail, but when I lived in Colorado I really did need and use an SUV. 90% or more of the SUV owners never go off-road, or even use four-wheel-drive. Heck, half of the SUVs don't even have 4WD! The SUV craze is all about the American excess of the '90s, and that's on the decline. But unfortunately, the manufacturers have neglected their cars at the expense of the trucks and buyers don't have much to go "back to" when they finally decide to downsize from that Explorer.
  • tpkentpken Member Posts: 1,108
    It may be that the ever growing assortment of smaller SUVs, including some that are car based platforms rather than the traditional truck based vehicles, may serve those folks wanting to size down. Rather than go back to a passenger car - if there are AWD and FWD choices like the Toyota Highlander for example people will opt for these.

    Riding high when so many vehicles today are oversized is an advantage that is being incorporated into new car designs - the Matrix I believe is one that touts this feature.

    People are going to be reluctant to give up that feeling of security that comes from seeing better from a big SUV and even a minivan.
  • mlm4mlm4 Member Posts: 401
    Ken,

    I agree completely. People like the look and slightly elevated ride of these new mini-SUVs/wagons/whatever they are. I think they're cute, but not as rugged and manly as a full-size car or truck. Think Tim Allen/Home Improvement. Arrg-arrg!
  • smfransmfran Member Posts: 432
    I still like the aspect of the sedan which is why I drive a Bonneville. My wife however says she never wants a car low to the ground again. She will probably move from a mini van to a hybrid when her time to get a new vehicle arrives.
    I myself am considering a change when my lease expires in May 2003. Any thoughts on the GMC Envoy?
  • rjs200240rjs200240 Member Posts: 1,277
    I went to pick up some parts from a local Pontiac/Buick dealer and figured I'd check out a Bonne while I was there. The interior is quite comfortable. It didn't have a sunroof and there was a ton of overhead cubbies and such, even a power outlet! I suppose that would be handy for a radar detector as long as the cord didn't swing around. Mainly what struck me was that it was an SE and was only about $25K. That's a lot of car for not a lot of money. I wish they had some lighter colors for the interior as dark interiors always seem impersonal/cold to me. However, I suppose the Bonnie's interior would look strange in a light color. It's a nice car! Pontiac seems to change wheels like every model year which is neat.

    I helped a family member shop for an Envoy/TrailBlazer (they went with the TB) and I think the Envoy is the nicer vehicle. I like the looks better, and it has a load-leveling rear so the back end doesn't ride all high and bouncy when it isn't loaded. If you don't plan on off-roading much, then the Bravada is the nicest riding and has the longest warranty. It's AWD system is pretty neat too. The look is the most unique although the front takes some getting used to. It looks a bit like the nose of an Alero grafted on a truck.
  • smfransmfran Member Posts: 432
    Thanks for your thoughts. I agree with you regarding the wheels. With such minor (if any) changes from one model year to the next, sometimes the only way to tell one from the other is the wheels.
  • boosted1boosted1 Member Posts: 90
    I did my best to "polish" the exhaust tips on my 2001 SSEi. They were starting to look really bad, so I wire brushed them, sanded them, buffed them, and then used some high temp clear coat to protect them(hopefully).

    It will be interesting to see how they hold up.
  • theicemantheiceman Member Posts: 736
    Here's how I looked at the minivan/hybrid vs. large car question:

    Hybrid advantages:
    higher driving position versatility to carry bulky cargo more "airy" cabin popular (for now) rugged styling walk-through access to rear seat (minivan platforms only - and this is eliminated if you have a center console) better resale value (right now - that can change)

    Car advantages:
    handling - especially cornering and emergency maneuvers fuel economy acceleration better access for seniors (e.g. my parents) and small children due to low ground clearance lower roll-over tendancy lower maintenance costs (on average) view of objects in rear (esp. backing up at a daycare centre, etc.) lower purchase price for same drivetrain and equipment levels

    Although I liked the forward visibility of our minivan and the cargo/passenger versatility, we used the latter so infrequently that it became irrelevant in our last foray into the market. When it came to making a decision, we just found that we valued a minivan/hybrid's advantages a lot less than we had originally thought.

    To each their own.

    Like the Envoy though - I put it up there with the Highlander and RX300 as my favourite SUV/hybrids.
  • sixxersixxer Member Posts: 36
    Yes, it is true that the downsizing could be a good thing. But the one thing I truly hate about vehicles today is that it seems that they are designed for people who are under 6' tall. My selection was quite limited when I was vehicle shopping. I'm 6'4", and there were very few in which I was comfortable. Even a Dakota felt to be shy on headroom (headroom being my biggest complaint). At least in the Bonnie I can sit up and have a couple of inches of room up there.. With no sun roof of course! It just leaves me to wonder, will they realize this, and consider this when they downsize vehicles? I'm beginning to think if the Bonnie is no longer around in a few years, my selection is going to be limited to either full size trucks, or a Cadillac perhaps? My preference is American cars as well, so it's looking slim. Hmmm, maybe custom added roof bubbles a la Viper GTS? :)

    Stan
  • pontiacrickpontiacrick Member Posts: 26
    Thanks boosted1 for the info on you polishing. I tried to polish my exhaust tips this past week-end with out much luck. Used a metal polish that is for a wide range of metals including aluminum, but all it did was lighten the color a little. I just do not think these tips are meant to shine! Was wondering if you were able to get yours to acually shine at all? I'm ready to see about having them chrome plated or something...assuming the tips can be removed easily. Anybody know if the tips are welded to the exhaust or just "clamped" on?
  • mlm4mlm4 Member Posts: 401
    Remember that Tom Selleck used to fold his frame into a Ferrari 308 GTS on Magnum P.I., albeit with the roof panel removed.
  • boosted1boosted1 Member Posts: 90
    The tips had a little bit of shine.
    If I had a better buffing wheel they might have been better. (more time too)
    They still look good after two days of driving.
    I will try to post some pics...
  • theicemantheiceman Member Posts: 736
    Welded.

    Alas.
  • boosted1boosted1 Member Posts: 90
    These are not the greatest pictures. Looks better in person.

    http://www.geocities.com/boosted_bonne/tips.html
  • h101h101 Member Posts: 62
    NO, NO.... not that... I'm 65 and retired!!!


    The new addition is Carolyn's new GrandAm GT1. Count the sparkling ehaust tips in this photo (10 of 'em) :)


    http://webpages.charter.net/weshelton/A2-98-A0.jpg


    Bill

  • smfransmfran Member Posts: 432
    Boosted - they look great. I painted the inside of mine black to avoid future maintenance.

    H. - Nice to see you are still here.
  • theicemantheiceman Member Posts: 736
    The surface is too irregular to easily clean. I'm still considering hacking them off and going to a nice dual chrome pipe tip set-up. But then I think of buying a G/XP next year and I wonder why I'd spend anything modding my SLE in the meantime. I think Stephen's "paint-it-black" strategy might be the one for me. If I don't end up trading in next year, then at least the tips wouldn't bug me.
  • tpkentpken Member Posts: 1,108
    Bill - Nice looking spread there - and great toys out front! Just wish you'd left the garage doors open again so I could have drooled over that spotless space your cars get to enjoy!

    Envoy, Highlander, RX300 - Dittos to Ice - these are also my favorites in that class. Envoy is the best looking of the lot - I'd love any of them.

    rjs200240 - Glad you liked the Bonnie SE. It sure is a great value. I congratulate myself on that point often.

    Yesterday I drove the new Infinity G35 since I had a bit of time on my hands. The neck snapping power of that car (260hp) is incredible and it handles well enought to be attracting BMW owners. The local dealer sells both brands and is seeing trade-ins from long-time Beemer folks.

    The ride is a bit too abrupt for my liking but the exhilarating performance and the buttery soft leather upholstery with either genuine wood or brushed metal appointments surpass the more austere german look and make the car very inviting. Ought to be a best seller and I hope it's a taste of what waits in store for Maxima GLE/I35!
  • ezraponezrapon Member Posts: 348
    Well, mine at 20,000 are just about all black and now match the rest of the car; laziness is a virtue by which we rationalize. I live in St. Louis. We get maybe 3 days a year when you might actually NEED an SUV. Hardly justifies the fact that every other car I pass is a SUV. Snow is not a factor and 99.9% of SUV's spend more time at red lights than they do off road... horrible mileage, poor space per weight ratio... I never really understood the attraction... now that Vette between the Grand Am and SSEi, I'm all about that!!! The summer door panel rattles began today. These interiors are very climate sensitive. I've been watching my volt meter for abnormalities. None have surfaced yet. Mileage is getting better all the time, about 22 combined with mods and a heavy foot. Why is the sun always right above my open moon roof? Is this a midwest problem or a getting off work at 2:45 problem, thank god for the sun shade. Well, I guess that covers everything, Guess I'll melt back into the wood work and cheer on the Blues...eh! Red Wings beware!
  • h101h101 Member Posts: 62
    Repost of a photo from almost two years ago :)


    smfran (at least thas what my memory tells me) and I were discussing what to do with the exhaust tips and I posted this photo. They are actually pretty easy to maintain when ya paint the sides and inside with heat resistant paint (I used Rustoleum's spray barbeque flat black). Then, once in awhile, take steel wool to the rim... looks great :)


    http://webpages.charter.net/weshelton/A0-tips.jpg

  • tpkentpken Member Posts: 1,108
    I guess I'm probably the first in the club here hit the 50K marker in the 2000 SE. Hit it late last week. Can't believe how fast it came!

    Car's running well but I guess it's time to pull out the owner's manual and see what maintenance might be coming up
  • loub2bloub2b Member Posts: 5
    I'm not sure what SSEi that review was talking about when it stated "The top speed is given at 128 but I'd bet that number is optimistic." I had my SSEi at 111mph and had plenty more to go. It was just starting to cruise at that speed. The only downside is when I coasted back down to 75mph it seemed like I was crawling. This is my 4th SSEi and 5th Bonneville. I looked at and drove a lot of the competition this time including the BMW 530i and the SSEi has the most "stuff", the coolest look and the best feel of them all. I'm excited to be in another one.
  • loub2bloub2b Member Posts: 5
    If your looking to get a GMC Envoy, I highly recommend it. My wife drives the Envoy and it mimics the ride and performance of the SSEi...just higher and in a 4 wheel drive. When she had the Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited we always drove my 99 SSEi when we were going anywhere together. The Jeep rode like a noisy, bumpy truck. Now with the 02 SSEi and the 02 Envoy, it's a tougher decision when we try to decide which vehicle to use.
  • tpkentpken Member Posts: 1,108
    Congrats to you on a pair of winners!

    Question for you - on weekends do you and the wife trade off on vehicles? I can imagine both would very tempting.

    Best wishes for enjoyment of both your SSEi and the Envoy.

    Ken
  • pontiacrickpontiacrick Member Posts: 26
    Thanks for the picture of your exhaust tips boosted. Look pretty good. I'll give it another try and see what happens. My old 3000GT had real nice chrome tips-real easy to keep lookin nice and the exhaust made a real sweet sound (unlike the bonneville). Just wish pontiac would tune the exhaust note a little better. As I recall, the Aurora has a quieter sound (and I think chrome tips)..oh well.
  • pontiacrickpontiacrick Member Posts: 26
    Noticed a few of you are comparing virtues of cars and suv's. I had a 4wd dakota just prior to the SLE. One reason for trading was to get a more comfortable ride. I compared the dakota to SUV's and actually found my '99 Dakota's ride better than many of the new SUV's. Didn't think the Envoy or Bravada was all that impressive. I was ready to go back to a plusher and quiet ride. Plus, most SUV's were at least $3-5,000 more than the Bonneville and worse gas mileage. SUV's just are not aesthetic from a design standpoint either. I never have liked the big gap between the tires and the body...just a big black void area. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder. As far a the hybrids...remember the old AMC Eagle (Hornet)Sportabouts. Maybe they were ahead of their time!
  • smfransmfran Member Posts: 432
    H101 - Yes it was me that was discussing the painting of the inside of the exhaust tips with Hi-temp black grill paint. I chose to do it to eliminate future maintenance. The insides of Boosted's will start to turn black soon and he'll have to clean them. I did do the outsides of mine with silver.

    Tpken - Sorry, but I'm the "old man" of the group with over 57,000 miles on my 2000 SSEi. It will be two years old in one week.

    loub2b - I've also had five Bonnevilles. Three SE's with the SLE package (that's the way they used to do it). One actual SLE. One SSEi (current). I'm glad to hear you like the Envoy also.

    Pontiacrick - I'd like it if I had a little more exhaust rumble. I'd prefer the SSEi to sound more like it looks.
    What didn't you like about the Envoy?
  • boosted1boosted1 Member Posts: 90
    Smfran & H101
    I am hoping that with the smoother inside surface, and the clearcoat finish, that I will just have to wash the inside of the tips when I wash the car. Its been a week now and they are still pretty clean. I think (hope) that the smoother surface stops some of the "black" from sticking.

    I'll let you know in a few weeks...
  • smfransmfran Member Posts: 432
    Good luck. I hope it works well for you.
  • tpkentpken Member Posts: 1,108
    Wow I'm surprised to hear of a 2000 with more miles racked up than on mine. When will you be thinking about a trade again?

    Ken
  • theicemantheiceman Member Posts: 736
    Backed into a friends driveway (a downtown brownstone with a sloping drive to the basement garage) and crunched the cladding directly behind the front wheel on the driver's side. Fortunately, I hit painted wood, not concrete. Neat thing: the mark buffed right out. With a good touch-up spray and clear coat, it'll be unnoticeable - especially where it is. Had it been an uncladded spot, though...

    You guys have me so beat in the mileage department - I'm only at 20k miles now on my '00 SLE. But I only bought mine in December 2000. Some of you guys make me believe that my commute is a lot better than it normally seems to me.

    Hey, I've had two compliments on the Bonnie from passengers in the past few days. Both are owners of recent vintage BMW 330i sedans. One just couldn't get over all the neat features the car had (and particularly liked the layout of the DIC) and actually liked the leather while both liked the spaciousness of the back seat.

    Have a good weekend all!
  • smfransmfran Member Posts: 432
    May 2003 is when my three year lease expires. I'm seriously considering the Envoy although I never even drove an SUV. My wife is sick of me driving Bonnevilles (since 1988) and I must admit I could stand a change. I still have plenty of time to decide what I really want to commit to.
  • tpkentpken Member Posts: 1,108
    If GM decides to axe our ride after all. Why not go for something a little exotic if you're looking for a change - go get yourself a BMW or Saab 9.5 or something.

    Speaking of BMW - have you sat in one of those new 7 series with the unusual console arrangement? I foget what they call that dial there where the shifter usually resides but it's sure different! If you've got $75K in your pocket it could keep you quite entertained I suspect.
  • smfransmfran Member Posts: 432
    That would be too drastic for me. I've been driving GM since my Grandfather gave me his '64 Lesabre in '76! Plus, this "SUV with car like ride" has me interested.
  • pturner1pturner1 Member Posts: 33
    On my last fill up (05-02-02) the odometer was at 57829 miles. Does that make me the old man?
    2000 SSEi purchased 01-25-00
  • smfransmfran Member Posts: 432
    I'm officially at 56,125 as of 5/6/02 8:23 EDT. My last post should of read "over 56,000 miles"; not 57,000. My car was new 5/10/00 which means I should pass you soon. Not that I ever want to be referred to as "the old man".
  • pontiacrickpontiacrick Member Posts: 26
    Drove through the local pontiac dealer yesterday and noticed the new Bonnevilles and GrandPrix's exhaust tips looked more polished. Upon closer inspection, it looks like the new ones have more of a "machined" look and were much smoother than before. They still aren't like chrome, but with the machined look, are lighter in color and look to be easier to keep clean. This might be a recent change, since there were some Bonnevilles on the lot that had the more "pourous" (non-machined) look to their tips...like mine. This gave me an idea so I tried to lightly sand mine using a fine grit sand paper and then steel wool along with a metal cleaner. The results were very good. They now have a much smoother surface and look much more presentable!!
    Just wanted to pass this info on.
  • mfahey1mfahey1 Member Posts: 419
    I'm back from my 2+ week stint in Maine, working up to 16 hours a day on the cabin. As I always do when I'm by myself, I drove straight through both ways, 17 to 17 1/2 hours and 1070 miles. For this trip, I took the 01 Caravan because it was loaded with stuff to take out there. I found that I was far more tired and uncomfortable in my lower back with that vehicle than when I took the Bonneville out there last fall. Interestingly, at least to me, the 88 Caravan we keep out there still has, after all these years, better and more comfortable seating than either of the newer cars. The newer Caravan is like sitting on a slab and it is the top of the line ES model.
    I saw far more Bonnevilles on this trip than on the others combined, almost as many as on the other trips combined. I also noticed there was a white SSEi of the 2000 to 2002 vintage fairly close to us in Maine. When we go back in June, I might just have to stop if I see someone out and chat them up about their car.
    To Dan's point about the console in the vans restricting access to the back seats, the Caravan has a movable and removable console that can go between either the front seats or the middle seats, complete with power outlet. We actually normally leave ours out altogether because of the access issue.
  • tpkentpken Member Posts: 1,108
    Mark - we've had some spectacular days here in the last couple of weeks - a few cool and wet ones too. With all the crab apple trees and the occasional dogwood now blossoming and the PGM azaleas out in full as well as tulips and still some daffs and forsythia it is as close to spectacular as it can be. Lilacs are out here in Mass now - next week at home.

    Great time to enjoy the scenery and the great outdoors.

    Your 1000 mile ride's got me itchin to take the wheel again here sometime - perhaps New Brunswick or N.S. in June.
This discussion has been closed.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles