Pontiac Bonneville

smfran · March 2001

I have no problems like Ken describes with the spell check. I happen to like the fact that once you approve a word, it automatically adds it to your "dictionary" and doesn't bring it up the next time you use it.
Does anyone know what the recall is that was mentioned by fantascp?

theiceman · March 2001

Sorry Stephen - I was attempting to answer this earlier but my browser froze up and I lost my posting. The recall was for "certain 2000 Buick LeSabre, Buick Park Avenue, Pontiac Bonneville, Cadillac Seville, Cadillac Deville, Oldsmobile Intrigue and the 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora automobiles because some of these passenger vehicles have internal fluid leaks in the brake hydraulic control unit." For more detail, check out http://www.safetyalerts.org/recall/a/00/114.htm Normally, the alldata site would list all recalls but it is strangely silent on this one. But, for a list of the TSB titles for the '00/'01 Bonneville, check out http://www.alldata.com/TSB/48/004816IB.html

theiceman · March 2001

You've got chutzpah snickle. I'm sure your "family sedan" impressed him - at least you made him keep an eye on you (even if it was in his rear view mirror)....

ezrapon · March 2001

Back in the late 80's I was leaving a concert in the upscale west end section of st. louis. A new black Porche 928 caught me at a few red lights. I was driving a regal with the t-type turbo package. I embarrassed him and his lady friend about 5 lights in a row. I had 4 people in my car. It was one of my finest moments... what A SLEEPER that car was.

fantascp · March 2001

hi again,
smfran- as mentioned by iceman- the only recall for the 2000 bonneville was for a internal fluid leak in the brake hydraulic control unit- for cars manufactured in JAN 2000. if you want to see or bring up any vehicle for recalls go to the web page for EDMUNDS.COM- click on SAFETY at the top of the page- this will bring you to the next screen-the 3rd entry down is for links to the NHTSA- click on that link and it will take you to the NHTSA main page- from there just click on RECALLS and follow the prompts. I hope this will help.
ICEMAN- great rotating post- !!!!

TPKen- the only problem i had since i have the car was to have new pads and rotors put on (grinding noise when coming to a stop)
at about 5000 miles- somehow they (the factory) managed to mis-match the correct brake pad #'s for the front and rear of the car- at least that's what the dealership told me- anyway- it was fixed- (NO CHARGE) they replaced the front and rear pads and rotors- no other problems with the car since then(Aug2000) everything is working great.
I have the bench seat- my wife(who uses the car for work- Monday to Friday)- guess who can't wait for the weekends to get here so HE can use the car--insisted on the bench seat- she complained that the bucket seats were too uncomfortable. What i still don't understand is i had to pay extra for the bench seat- years ago- bucket seats were extra- go figure!
i took the 1 sb group plus the bench seat as mentioned and the rear spoiler.

chuck

fantascp · March 2001

i have a question to ask - on my window sticker from the factory- it lists the color of the car as ARTIC WHITE- however- the color code in the trunk is for bc/cc- 9753- which is for BRIGHT WHITE
go with the label in the trunk?- anyone else have a different color listed-?
What's not making sense is that BRIGHT WHITE is not a color for 2000- ARTIC WHITE is the color listed for 2000.
thanks for any info.

Chuck

tpken · March 2001

Glad to hear others have no problems with spell check - this could be an issue with my browser or internal software since I am unable to post from this machine without using spell check. My other PC does allow me to post directly which puts a smile on my face.

Ken

theiceman · March 2001

For those who might want to walk down memory lane, check out Jim's Musclecar Page. No Bonnevilles there, but a couple of fine looking GTO's.

Catchya later

smfran · March 2001

Thanks for the info guys. Since my Bonnie was manufactured in 3/00, I guess I have no concerns about the break recall. I did notice however, at the link iceman provided to alldata, mention of a TSB on "Theft Warning Displayed on DIC".
When I first start up on very cold mornings, my DIC shows "Check Security System" until I push the select button. My dealer said this is a known issue. Anyone have any comments or subscribe to alldata and could check this out? Iceman?

smfran · March 2001

How did your spellcheck react to chutzpah? I'm glad that the censors interpreted the yiddish word as "guts" rather than "balls"!

theiceman · March 2001

I don't have any more info on the TSB. Next time you go for service, point out the TSB (give them a copy of the title) and have them solve this. Mine certainly doesn't do that & I would consider that more than a little annoyance. Has yours been doing this from day 1?

theiceman · March 2001

We talked about this earlier but I just came across this article - pretty thin on details but it gives more info than I previously had on the kind of mods that went into those speed runs at Bonneville: autonet.ca

derrick080 · March 2001

One month to go and already 25,500 joyful miles on my SLE! This car is the best car I've ever owned. It continues to draw praise and looks from everyone. My only drawback is 2 can drink holders in the front... idiots, and the weird headrest which still are a bit uncomfortable. Anyone fix that yet?

smfran · March 2001

my favorite car; my 1988 Regal T Type. I would love to Email you a picture of it, since I do not know how to post it here.

smfran · March 2001

Since my wife likes to rest her head on the headrest while in the front passenger seat, I had to do something. First I explored the idea of changing them out with the previous style like I had in my '97. No luck. They don't interchange. Then I was recommended to AAA Market place through this forum and purchased the add-on head rest which attaches with elastic straps. I was also told that Brookstone. carries them. My wife is happy with it.

theiceman · March 2001

Nice to hear a +ve story from a fellow SLE owner (it turns out, we're rather rare).

Regarding the cupholders - absolutely everybody agrees with you on this one. My sister has a Grand Prix GT & has the same complaint. Even my Pontiac dealer admits they're crappy. I personally think that GM should quieten us down by designing twin travel mugs that would fit in this cupholder - at the same time!. Hey, it would sweeten it somewhat if they just gave us as a pair of them as a token of their acknowledgement of our loyalty to GM.

theiceman · March 2001

Having just bought my SLE last December - & having exclusively used touchless carwashes since - today was the first time I took a squeegee to the rear window at the gas station. How many others out there have experienced the wacky curvature at the bottom of the back window which essentially prevents good squeegee contact (at least in a horizontal sweep)? I suspect these would be expensive to replace.

Today got mild (hah! it reached 5 degrees celsius) enough for me to try a hand wash this afternoon. First one! Now that's a good feeling.

Saw a convertible late 90's SSEi this morning. The guy's daughter is in my daughter's dance class so I'll have a chance to catch up with him sometime in the next couple of weeks and find out what the story is. It's a black top on that ubiquitous dark Bonneville green & it looks pretty sharp. Betcha looks a ton sharper with the top down....

bohoo · March 2001

Are you sure you weren't looking at a SSEi with one of those cheesy dealer installed vinyl roofs made to look like a convertable top???

countryguy · March 2001

I'm thinking of buying a 1997 Bonneville SE 48,000 miles, and wondered if anyone out there had experience with them? Any odd problems specific to that model year?

Weighing that car against a 1996 Caprice outfitted like an Impala, sort of a "Capala", I guess you'd say. Only drawback, high mileage.

I'm new to the room, so thanks in advance if anyone can help out.

martyb4 · March 2001

Hi folks, I've been pretty busy lately - more business travel than usual.

Anyway, one correction to my 522 fuel range story. A typical reading after filling up is high 300's, close to 400 (I sometimes do quite a bit of highway driving). The 489 was a bit unusal (I realized this after the next fill up). I attribute it to filling up just after an hour + drive on the highway. I remember reading somewhere that the range shown is base on the remaining fuel in the tank and the average MPG over the last 25 miles. Most of what I've seen says the tank holds 18.5 gallons. 522 would be based on an expected average of about 28.2 MPG. I don't rememer just how low I was that night before filling up. However, I have pulled a "Kosmo Kramer" (Seinfeld fans should understand), but not to where I ran out before making to the gas station. I ran it down to were it took somewhere between 17 & 17.5 gallons to fill up. Maybe I'll have to put a gallon or two in the trunk (in an gas can would probably be helpful) and go all the way. Oops!, hope I don't get censored.

Iceman - It was only about 5 miles to home after filling up. That's partly why I was so amazed about getting to 522 when I hoping just to see 500. The terrain here (Northeast Ohio) is pretty flat.

Later

smfran · March 2001

How do I make words bold/underlined/and use italics the way you do in this forum? Also, can you tell me how to post a .bmp file from my paint program? Please Email me at fii@massed. net. Thanks.

theiceman · March 2001

Thanks for the tip Marty. I finally figured it out today. You're likely to get the best figures fueling up in the middle of a highway trip where you're travelling at 90 kmh (or 55 mph). Still, I fueled up today and, with some careful driving on suburban and rural roads (no hwy driving), I managed to get the fuel range to 501 miles when I turned into my driveway.

Re. convertible: Might have been one of those cheesy cosmetic job. Who would do such a thing to an SSEi? The back end looked pretty realistic but we were both moving in opposite directions and my glance was not too probing.

I'll send you a quick note Stephen.

tpken · March 2001

Iceman - The first time I cleaned the window at the gas station I noticed that curvature too. Then I understood why looking through the rear view mirror, somtimes cars are distorted. I'm getting a new window for my '00 SE because the rear defroster doesn't work properly and that causes interference with FM radio as well. I'll have to ask the dealer what the cost of that window is. Glad it's covered under warranty.

Ken

mfahey1 · March 2001

Any truth to the rumor that the person responsible for the design of the infamous 96 Taurus was demoted, quit Ford, and went to work for GM as the director in charge of cupholders and remote trunk lid release switch placement?
While I truly enjoy our SSEi, my all time favorite car (and a better performer) was the 93 Taurus SHO 5-speed that I conned as a company car. It was absolutely horrible in snow but an awful lot of fun any other time. I still haven't forgiven my wife for not letting me buy it when the lease was up. Something about almost hitting the same tree several times when it was snowing and she was trying to make the car turn a corner.
I know the placement of the trunk release switch is a small thing but my daughter's 92 Bonneville and my prior 96 Bonneville both had the release switch in the driver's door panel. I don't even bother to use the one on the 2000. What were they thinking?

theiceman · March 2001

Okay, all of this talk about cupholders has just gotten me going. There is no question that this Bonneville is one of the two or three best vehicles I have ever owned and it possesses many features that truly impress. But, there are a number of things that make you ask what they were thinking. So what are some of these +ve and -ve features (IMHO)?

Likes
styling
performance
size
driver/passenger comfort
fuel economy
cavernous trunk
safety features (and rating)

Nice Features
DIC
17 in. wheels with 55 series tires
headlights (excellent road illumination)
lockable gas cap feature (no release required)
centre vents for rear
map lights for rear
fold-down rear console with cubby
trunk net system
remote keyless entry, incl. trunk
side air bags
all speed traction control

What was Pontiac thinking?
more headroom please!
headrests
cupholders are just short of being criminal
cruise controls not on steering wheel
chintzy cap for power outlet in back
no light under hood *
heated rear seats would be a nice touch!
tilt steering - not enough increments in adjustment range
trunk release should be on driver's door
no heated seats available for the leather on my SLE! *
* I think these were corrected for 2001

Have I missed anything? The -ve list is pretty short and I remain impressed both with the car and with GM's R&D and ability to build exciting, quality vehicles. If this car continues to serve me as it has been doing, I'll put my deposit down for an SSEi at the next redesign.

Check out this ancient link for "performance vehicles" from 1999: 1999 Performance vehicles.

theiceman · March 2001

Arctic white is the right colour (excuse my Canadian spelling) name. Perhaps yours was either built or labelled before the marketing chaps settled on the name. A colleague recently bought a white SE - I'll ask him if his has the same labelling inconsistency.

tpken · March 2001

Annoyances that I would like to see addressed:

Add visor extendors to properly cover the side window

Fix curvature in rear window that distorts appearance of cars behind.

SE bucket seat padding - presently inadequate

Add steering wheel telescoping feature or else move wheel slightly closer to seat

Include driver/passenger individual climate adjustment in basic 1SB package or else make standard across the board

Ken

mfahey1 · March 2001

I'd like to second Ken's comment about the telescoping steering wheel. My daughter just bought a new Ford Focus and for $16,000, guess what it has? I also see that Consumer Reports made a comment about the SE not being very agile (their words). Makes you wonder if a rear sway bar would have helped the car's rating. This month's issue is their annual car guide and it was interesting to read their comments on reliability. Based on the number of defects and problems per car, the defect rate has decreased by nearly 80% since 1980. Obviously, the American manufacturers improved the most because they had the furthest to go but still, that is a very impressive improvement. Guess it is true that they don't make them like they used to.

fantascp · March 2001

thanks for the help- still very curious that the correct color is Artic White yet the label calls for Bright White.I think i'll also call the dealership to see if they also might know why there is a difference
BTW- i was on the MSN- Carpoint site- which is where i have my personal auto page- i brought up the consumer reviews for the 2000 bonneville- a person from rupert idaho has the same problem i had on my vehicle with regards to brakes-
at 5 to 15 mph- his brakes are grinding as he is slowing down- he stated that his dealership told him that was normal for the ABS system- WRONG!!!- my vehicle was doing the same identical thing last year- i got the car in March-2000-by July/Aug- about 5000 miles on the car the brakes started to grind- my dealership changed the back brakes and pads-car ran fine for about 1000 more miles- then started to grind again- changed front pads- only- started to grind again around 7000 miles- finally they changed the front pads and rotors- so they ended up changeing all the brakes and rotors- the car now has around 13,200 miles on her and NO brake problems at all-.
No problems" period" car is running great!!!!

The dealer stated to me that the problem was the pads that were shipped to them from the GM Factory and placed into the correct shipping box was NOT the correct pad # that was supposed to be in the box- different brake pads were placed inside the CORRECTLY labelled box.

I called them today to inquire if anyone else had this problem with brakes since my vehicle last august- no other bonnevilles had this problem- (LUCKY ME RIGHT!)
They also said the grinding sound IS NOT NORMAL FOR THE ABS SYSTEM - which is what i told "RuPERT IDAHO" is a new message for him-
Let me throw this out to the forum- other possible cause- the car was built in OCT99- and sat on the dealers lot till i purchased the car in MARCH 2000- 5 months of non-use- is that enough to exceed normal rust setting in on the rotors causing them to pit? and then causing the brake pads to glaze- or not?

Is there any other 2000 SE owners with vehicles built in OCT99 that had the same brake problem- (trying to find any common threads!)

Thanks again for your help iceman.

Chuck

theiceman · March 2001

Thanks. I had noted your posting to the MSN Carpoint reviews for the 2000 Bonneville & I am sure that your comments will be very helpful to the other Bonny-owner with the noisy brakes. My car was built in May '00 and I bought it in Dec. '00 - as I am only up to 3500 miles, I'll be keeping my eyes (and ears) open for this problem. Thanks for alerting us Chuck. I will add that I'd rather a car manifest this type of infinitely solveable problem (and one that underscores the human equation in assembly) in the early months than a tranny rebuild at 61,000 miles.

For others who haven't visited the Carpoint site and rated your Bonny, check it out at Carpoint - 2001 Bonneville or at Carpoint - 2000 Bonneville. Click on "Consumer Ratings and Reviews" (I'd post a more direct link but it is too many characters). There's a recent review there (on the 2000 model) from somebody who apparently owns the car, who's 5'11", has a sunroof and gripes about the headroom. Any of you guys? Anyway, I absolutely concur. I've had power sliders in past cars and do miss them but it is now a prerequisite of any car I drive (even rent!) that they cannot have a sunroof. The Bonneville's headroom is no worse than most other cars and is in fact better than some. Too bad the sunroof takes up so much headroom

Ken: (re. the visor issue) does yours not have the two part visor? My SLE has a smaller plastic inner visor that folds down and can be used in the front while the main visor is swivelled off to the side. Does yours have this as well? If so, do you find this inadequate? On the distortion out the rear window - odd but this is apparently nothing compared with '70s Camaros - the price we pay for "swoopy" lines.

Trunk release in glove box: An anachronism to be sure (hey, I had a '92 Mazda that had the trunk release on the door) but I suspect that Pontiac decided that Bonneville owners would be apt to use valet parking and they opted for the extra (albeit traditional form of) security. Since most of us have the remote keyless access, it's somewhat moot. With keyless remote as a $CDN 300+ option on an SE, it's obviously the way to go.

Regarding the "list", I've been thinking of compiling it and sending it off to GM (yeah, I actually do that sort of thing). I personally think they've designed one helluva car and I'd like them to improve it for the next redesign. If you've got suggestions, by all means post them (but try to say something +ve for every -ve, otherwise you risk bumming out the rest of us). I confess to omitting the cursory glove box. I've also heard some gripes about the narrow door arm rests (important for some, irrelevant for me). Consider these and the telescoping steering wheel added to the list (maybe as an option on lower models with mounted cruise control). Hey, how about indicator lights in the rear view mirrors for the SSEi?

derrick080 · March 2001

I did have 1 problem. The fuse to the gas lock died, and I could only open the latch through the trunk emergency release. This was repaired at no cost, but it did scare me for a moment. I've decided that my next Bonnie will be the SSEi. My wife now fell in love with the heated seat option in a friends bmw. And since the leather seats were the thing keeping me from it this time, viola! I'm set. I just realized I'll have over 150000 miles by then! LOL!

kzm · March 2001

I've been reading these post since the archived ones and I am now ready to participate. I've recently purchased a beautiful black 2000 SSEi from a Ford dealership(?). I traded in my 97 SSEi for it and I made the mistake of leaving my cone filter in it. They gave me the runaround when I asked for it back even though I told them that I was coming back for it. Car dealers are the worst. Well it was worth it anyway. Filters can be replaced and my car is the greatest.

Kev

smfran · March 2001

My wife refuses to drive her Toyota Sienna because the rear view mirror broke. Actually I broke it along with cracking the windsheild:( Therefore, until I get it replaced, she is driving the Bonnie. She has never liked my cars but prefers driving this one over not having the mirror. I am actually enjoying driving the mini van for a change, and used the opportunity to pick up a new screen door! The van goes in on Thursday for the glass replacement and by that time I will be glad to have my Bonnie back. (what do you think iceman?, thanks)

fantascp · March 2001

glad to post the info- no problem- hopefully no one else has a brake pad problem.
i called the dealer again today-re the correct color- here we go again- they claim that the correct paint color is what is on the label- i told them the # on the label is for BRIGHT WHITE- not ARTIC WHITE- I think i might have a collectors item already (LOL) since the only color of white
for 2000 was ARTIC WHITE- -2001 they used IVORY WHITE.
I bought both touch-up varities to test and the BRIGHT WHITE is the better match-
oh well- no big deal- just as long as she runs great and she does!!!!!!

KEN:how did you make out with your front seats- any luck on trying to make them more comfortable? what about the possibility of a back support that they sell for cars?
just trying to help.

Have a Happy

Chuck

tpken · March 2001

Iceman - I do have the secondary plastic visor but the issue I refer to is that when the main visor is swivelled to the side glass, it covers only one third of the window. From my seat position, if the sun is coming in the side window, there is just no way to block it since that visor is not long enough. An extendor as other cars have would be the simple solution and it bugs me that this obvious solution was not provided. I wondered if SLE and SSEi owners had a different visor than that on my SE - guess not.

Chuck - I have continued to experiment with my bucket seat and have found that a small rectangle of foam egg crate style packing material is just the right padding to make the seat tolerable. I will either end up at the upholstery shop to see if they can fit the appropriate size pad under the existing upholstery for optimal visual effect or else I will find a seat cover that works with the side airbag.

My Bonnie goes in for rear window replacement tomorrow - hope it is a good fit and proper installation because I will be driving to PA on Sunday for a week of work there and don't want to have any issues to deal with. Looking forward to my first major road trip with this car and wondering what the gas mileage will be.

Have a great day everyone. It's my B-Day today (46) and that 50 milestone is starting to stare me down! I'll probably be forced to blink first.

Ken

ezrapon · March 2001

On my road trips I have been able to squeak out about 24/26 with the S/C sleeping. My old Park Ave had the visor extenders and every morning when I turned south, I pulled it out. Sometimes going east I extended the right and left to provide great forward vision. The visors, quietness, and (beleive it or not) the cornering lights are 3 things I really miss. OK, the trunk release by the wheel, the glove box, the 35 MPG, and the cup holders were better too. What was I thinking? Any one want to buy an SSEi real cheap... I'm going back to Park Ave!!! I'll beat any deal in town! Best one on the lot. Don't miss this one.
Regards
Rod

caludencias · March 2001

Dear friend:

The '97 Bonneville is a good car, just check with the dealer 'cause there is a malfunction of the ABS module covered by the warranty in some cars (read the vin numbers and serial number), and in case the warranty does not proceed, DO NOT buy the car. It's a very expensive repairing cost.

tpken · March 2001

I appreciated those cornering lights on a couple of old Caddies and my wife's prior car - a Taurus LX wagon. They are a great feature. Come to think of it, that car had the visor extendors too.

You got 35 mpg in a Park Ave? That is amazing! No reason this car could not equal that experience. My overall average in 2 months and 2K miles mixed driving so far is around 21. Of course we end up idling quite a bit during winter months here for warm up and waiting for someone with engine running to stay comfortable.

Ken

mlm4 · March 2001

Still faithfully following the discussion, but have not contributed for awhile. I'm still having a blast with my Y2K SSEi - just "celebrated" it's one-year anniversary. Fun to drive, unique styling still draws looks, cool do-dads...did I say "fun to drive?" I agree with most of the complaints being aired here. At 6' 2", my head butts against the roof panel next to the sunroof, but I traded an '85 Camaro with T-tops and really wanted the open air feeling, so I deal with it. More adjustments on the steering wheel would be welcome. Visor extensions (like my Tahoe has) are necessary because I sit so far back. But I think the seats are reasonable and the curvature of the back window doesn't bother me. Cup holders are a dumb design but not a big issue for me. Trunk release in the glove box isn't the most convenient, but I can reach it easily. (I know there is a way to engineer a valet lock-out trunk release without placing the switch in the glove box.) My biggest complaint is simply the typical GM build quality, which isn't as good as I think it could be. Especially irksome are the door panel rattles, and also the flimsiness of the trim pieces in general. The exterior body panels don't align with the precision of the Japanese or German cars. Paint job isn't the best. My parents just bought a new Lexus LS 430, and even though it was expensive, it is a fabulous car. Solid and well-built. Drives like a dream (but not as exciting as the SSEi!). They traded their '93 SSE for it - didn't like the new Bonnevilles because of the build quality issues and lack of headroom. My mom really likes the OnStar but also wanted a navigation system.

New problem no one else has mentioned is with the electrical system. Very occassionally (more noticable at night with the headlights on) the voltage will drop from its normal operating range of 14.5 to 15.0 volts down to about 12 volts (which is battery level), and then a few seconds later slowly climb back up again. It's almost as if the alternator is cutting out briefly. I have not had the dealer look at it yet since it happens so rarely (they'll just say, "we can't find anything wrong"), but I may bring it in soon. Also the other day I bought a CD and stuck it in the single CD player, but it made scratching sounds and would not play. I put in in the trunk changer and it played fine. Other discs don't do this, but this one is a little thicker than most (I've noticed that there is a large variance among compact disc thickness) and the single CD player might not like it so much.

theiceman · March 2001

Thanks for the detail on the visor - seems you have company for your opinion on this one. Unfortunately, as I was previously a committed import buyer, I have never experienced the pleasure of which you speak (imports, as a rule, are not as decked out as their domestic counterparts). Sounds like a good idea - IT WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST!!!

Again, many happy returns,

Dan

pat · March 2001

Please pardon my interrupting, but I've been wanting to ask all of you a question - would you be interested in having your own space in our Owner's Club section?

What this means is that you would have your own space to have multiple discussions related to your Bonnies. This discussion would be part of it (yet remain here on the Sedans Board), and you will also eventually have the opportunity to have scheduled owners' chats.

Take a look at this link to see what is there already: Owner's Clubs. This will give you an idea of the possibilities.

Let me know what you think. If you are interested, I'll ask KarenS, the Owner's Clubs host, to set up your own Club for you.

(By the way - happy birthday Ken!)

Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards

fantascp · March 2001

many happy returns KEN!

Enjoy your Birthday,

CHUCK

theiceman · March 2001

I have already considered this. It's an interesting idea in that we could set up separate discussions for things like:
recommended dealers
supercharger issues
modifications and accessories
problems, recalls and TSB's
photos of our cars
Bonneville/Pontiac heritage & reminiscences about GM cars that went like stank
meet the members - they all seem to have this
others? (perhaps we should have one on cupholders...)

Of course, this forum would stay - and it would be accessible through both the Owner's Club link and the sedan category. Is that right Pat?

My sole concern is that these individual threads within existing clubs don't seem to be all that active. So, unless we think there's a need to organize our discussions (might be useful for future access - particularly for newbies) and to have separate threads, perhaps we should let it go for now. But, if you guys think you'll participate in some of these other discussions, then hey I'll be there too.

jakec1 · March 2001

I have been reading the Bonneville2 forum for a year since I got my 2YK Bonneville. Very entertaining. I love the car and got black because I feel it looks the best of the very limited colors available. The black color was perfect when I bought it but is a [non-permissible content removed] to maintain. I use Meguires products. and hand wash it but it is getting lots of tiny scratches.
I have been thinking about getting the carbon fiber dash trim to add a little excitement to the monotone dark grey leather interior. Anyone seen or purchased it?
I agree on the headrests & cup holders-worthless.
The Bonneville has been perfect so far (7000 mi.) and gets 28+mpg. on the highway. The best mileage was going to Florida 30+ mpg. all interstate. This is my sixth Pontiac and 2nd Bonne. People ask me about it all the time and it seems to be a well kept secret as I seldom see one on the street.

ymandj · March 2001

I have the same problem with my '96 SE - the voltage will drop down to about 12 volts and then slowly get back. I was never able to replicate it for my mechanic either. Somebody here posted that he spoke to GM and they said this is normal. I doubt it, considering I had to replace 3 batteries in 7 month because car just wouldn't start and I think these problems are related. I hoped that GM fixed this nonsense with failing alternators, but probably they didn't. If you find what the problem is - post it for me please.

smfran · March 2001

Hi Pat, first I'd like to state that you don't need to excuse yourself for "interrupting". You are the host you know! I agree with iceman. Unless we want to segregate in to individual sub-discussions, I'd rather stay here. I like to have all Bonneville related topics "under one roof". I'm afraid I'd miss some thing if we separate. I do like the scheduled chat idea though.

tpken · March 2001

for the good wishes. It was a very low key B-day - that's fine as long as they keep coming!!

On owners' forum: I see this idea being promoted in several of the other forums I subscribe to . My opinion is that for those very active ones like Impala, Maxima, Lincoln LS, this is a good idea. Our forum here is active most days but not super active like those I've just mentioned.

I doubt there would be much posting here if the owners forum is set up and becomes the main posting spot. Personally, I like it better this way because those who have not yet bought a Bonneville ( that was me till January this year ) - or are fans of the car - or are just surfing through cars of interest are more likely to read here in Sedans than an owners forum.

Just my thoughts.

Have a great day all - looking forward to my 400 mile drive to PA Sunday . Going to be a Bonnie Cruise!

Ken

pat · March 2001

Yes, this discussion would remain on this board, but it would be accessible from either here or the Owner's Club board. This discussion likely would remain the "main" one.

Yes, you could have - if you want - as few or as many side discussions as any of you might be interested in. If you've looked at other Clubs, one popular topic is pictures - and Karen has lots of advice on how to post your own.

As far as I know, the way to get an "owners' chat" is to get in the Owners Club.

I'm not trying to shove this down your throats or anything, I just can't see any negative side to it. Those of you who want to continue in this discussion as always would see no difference. If others wanted to branch out a bit, the opportunity would be there.

One thing to be aware of - on the Owner's Club Board, you can't create your own separate discussion. All you have to do is ask Karen, and she creates it for you. This actually is an advantage, because the discussion subjects are more orderly and logical than they sometimes can be on our other boards.

I won't push it anymore - if anyone has any questions, just ask, If I don't know the answer I'll find out. Otherwise we'll let it drop.

Later,

Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards

theiceman · March 2001

Pat: It's an idea with merit but you must understand that the avg. age of a Bonneville owner is way up there and we're kind of set in our ways. I mean, Ken turned 46 yesterday. Yeesh!

Hey guys - I brought the Bonnie in for its first service today & had to leave it there over night (nothing wrong with the car, just couldn't get bac
k to the dealership before closing) so they gave me a loaner Aztek for overnight. This is going to stick in your craw Ken - the base Aztek has extendable visors!. Not only that, its 190w Pioneer sound system rocks and puts my SLE's (and even the SSEi's BOSE to shame). What the heck is going on here?

P.S. The dealership had a '00 SSEi demo (6700 miles) for $36,000 CDN ($1 CDN = $0.65 US)

pat · March 2001

Watch it with that "way up there" comment!! To some that age is a pleasant (and not YET distant!!) memory.

:-)

Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards

Pontiac Bonneville

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