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Pontiac Bonneville Owners: Meet the Members

344 messages,  Last post on May 29, 2008 at 7:09 PM

You are in the Pontiac Bonneville Forum.

What is this discussion about? Pontiac Bonneville, Sedan

Messages Page 2 of 35

#8 of 344 Another Happy Driver by mlm4

Apr 04, 2001 (3:20 pm)

My name is Michael and I am currently residing in Orlando, Florida. My first Bonneville was a 1982 wagon, dark blue with the faux wood siding, wire wheel covers, blue interior with vinyl bench seats, a push-button analog radio (!) and the 3.8 litre six-cylinder engine. This was the mid-size Bonneville, when it was downgraded from land-barge status (that was the Parisienne), and not in the spirit of Bonneville heritage. But then again, it was the '80's. The car was actually pretty solid, easy to drive and reasonably comfortable, but the engine - actually the Computer Command Control - was horrible. Engine knock was rampant, at any speed and any load. I tried everything, but the computer overrode my every move and was determined to advance that spark so it came in before the piston hit top dead center (in the name of "economy" and "low emissions" - ha!). That and the leak coming through the roof rack mounts are what I remember most vividly about that car.
 
When I could only afford to own one vehicle at a time, I have been loyal to Chevy Truck. My Tahoe can go through anything, anytime, no worries - and it can haul lots of stuff too. But I wanted something fun to drive on sunny days, and finally my wish came true - the 2000 Bonneville SSEi. Usually it takes me a while to warm up to the styling of a new car, but the Bonnie was different. The first time I saw a photograph of it on the cover of Car and Driver, I was hooked! Pontiac has brought some heritage back into it too. The round finned air vents, the dash-mounted ignition switch, the dual-nostril grill and dihedral-V shape of the hood. This is truly a gorgeous car. Not to mention, it is powerful, well-balanced, easy to drive and has plenty of whiz-bang technology aboard to please the engineer in me.
 
I ordered it the first week of February 2000 and took delivery a mere four weeks later. Midnight blue exterior, dark pewter leather inside, aluminum lace wheels, sunroof, CD changer, heated seats and block heater (see explanation on Pontiac Bonneville 2 discussion). I passed on the chrome wheels - not my style - and OnStar was not yet available. I bought a custom-fit cover to protect it from the sun and birds (of course it is garaged at home), and am looking for a front-end cover to keep the acidic Florida insects from destroying the finish. No real problems so far, just a few quirks to remind me that GM still has a way to go on the quality front. But I'll say this: the car is a blast to drive!

#9 of 344 mostly happy owner by ezrapon

Apr 04, 2001 (6:40 pm)

My name is Rod I live in St. Louis. We make fighter planes and beer here. Mixing the 2 would be a hoot, but I'm funny like that. I have a Black SSEi with all the toys and the pulley and air induction mods. Had a park ave before and expected the same build quality, I was disappointed. The Park had no squeaks, rattles, or electrical problems; the SSEi had more than a 34,000 dollar car should; too much plastic in the interior I guess. I also have a pristine 79 anniversary Trans AM that I bought new and has never been in the rain. Both are Pontiacs, but they are apples and oranges... 400 cu in 4 BBL 4-speed VS. a 231 6 banger. I had hoped the SSEI would be a cross between a T/A and a Park AVE... and that is exactly what I feel it is. So, minus a few trips to Pontiac service for rattles, I am happy as a clam. Guess which of the cars is faster?

#10 of 344 Another satisfied owner. . . by girlwithtools

Apr 04, 2001 (6:42 pm)

Hi, I'm Heidi and a proud owner of a '97 Bonnie SSE. Full leather interior, cd player, hud, and lots of other goodies. We upgraded to the Bonnie two years ago after surviving Satan the Merc Sable. I love the power, love the look! I change the oil, oil filter, air filter and other bits and pieces on my own. It's an easy car to work with. My bonnie puts up with a lot: two kids, a newfoundland, and my lead footed hubby (thankfully he's a state patrolman).
 
At 84k, it will soon be time to add a new Bonnie in place of our aging '97. I can't wait!

#11 of 344 Thanks to Pat and Karen by smfran

Apr 04, 2001 (6:48 pm)

This Owner's club is great! If I had known I could subscribe to it as a whole and cycle through all the new messages in each discussion folder, I would of replied positively to Pat the first time he asked.
 
As anyone who has been participating in the Pontiac Bonneville and Pontiac Bonneville 2 discussions knows, this is my fifth Bonnie.
It is a 2000 Midnight Blue SSEi with seat warmers and chrome wheels. It is a great car but has some negatives. I won't repeat the specifics here. I drive approximately 30,000 miles per year visiting accounts in New England. I truly enjoy the unique styling and small amount of cars like it on the road.

#12 of 344 The realization of a dream by kzm

Apr 04, 2001 (8:33 pm)

Hi,
 
I'm Kevin or KZM. I reside in Lake Hiawatha, NJ. I began my pontiac journey with a green 92 Bonneville SE that I still have w/108K and if my brother-in-law doesn't come up with the cash, I'll continue to have. Next was a 97 Black SSEi that was wonderful until people with untrained eyes started telling me that it either looked like my 92 or asked if I had the 92 repainted! (groan!) Then in Feb 2001 with the aid of Autobytel,I came across my current beautie, a 2000 Black SSEi that had everything except chrome wheels(rats!), changer in the trunk and On-Star, that after much pleading with the mrs,I was able to get for a great price! (farewell 97! No more mistaking this car for a 92!)
 
The adventure begins!
KZM

#13 of 344 Go Bonneville by snickle

Apr 04, 2001 (8:33 pm)

Hi, I am Steve. 2000 SSEi Black with Chrome wheels. Plenty of mods, though not as many as intense.
 
Love the car. Other than blowing the alternater at 10,000 miles no significant problems.

#14 of 344 2001 SSEi by rb8225

Apr 04, 2001 (9:29 pm)

Hi all, again!
 
  This is RB. I just picked up my Light Bronzemist SSEi last Thursday. It has the seat heaters & chrome wheels. So far, so good. Actually, I'm still driving on a dealer's plate because the paperwork wasn't ready when they said it would be. I go in tomorrow morning to finish everything up, & I think I'll have some fun with the salesman and tell him I changed my mind. He's a young kid & will probably not know what to do.
  So far, the only regret I have is not getting the CD changer. If I read the posts in the Bonneville 2 forum right, it cannot be added in later. I had an Alpine changer in my '98 Bonny that I wanted to move over, but it sounds like that can't be added in either. Is that true? It's also disappointing that we can't put in an aftermarket nav unit without a major loss of functionality. There is so much going on now with regards to development of Mobile MultiMedia products for cars, and I had hoped to do an upgrade in a year or so.
  Steve- I'm interested in mild mods that aren't going to completely blow the warranty. What about something like the low restriction air filter or the CA kit? Do they really make a noticeable difference?

#15 of 344 How to search messages for a word or phrase by rb8225

Apr 04, 2001 (9:30 pm)

Karen-
 
  Is there a way I can search the past messages in a particular discussion board for a word or phrase?

#16 of 344 About the Iceman by theiceman

Apr 05, 2001 (12:59 am)

My real name is Dan and, as the flag indicates, I am Canadian, living in its capital city, Ottawa, Ontario. My car of choice? Why, a 2000 Dark Bronzemist SLE. It has a neutral leather interior, traction control and NO sunroof - at 6'2", I want/need as much headroom as I can get.
 
I picked up "My Bonnie" 2 weeks after I turned 40 last December and it is helping me through the "mid-life transition" with nary a glance at a Miata. While I've owned powerful near-luxury 6 cylinder family sports sedans before (such as a '92 Mazda 929 - my Japanese Jaguar), I had never owned a domestic vehicle - let alone a GM. Aside from the Aurora and 300M, the Bonneville was the only car that had enough of the right stuff to entice me away from my import buying bias.
 
The Bonneville is about the only vehicle out there with luxurious comfort, real power and aggressive styling but which can transport 5 people with all of their luggage. The fact that it is reasonalby unique on the roads, affordable and has an excellent reliability rating are bonuses in my book. At only 7,000 kilometres, my 2000 SLE has been a virtually flawless and entirely pleasureable experience. I do regret missing out on the power and extra goodies of the SSEi - and I think about it every time I pump 89 octane into my tank.
 
In short, this car has cojones and verve and transports my family in extreme comfort. To top it off, it's good in snow - very important this past winter! What more can you ask for?
 
theiceman

#17 of 344 rb8225: Searching for a word or phrase... by KarenS HOST

Apr 05, 2001 (8:33 am)

...you can enter it into the search function, BUT this is site wide, so every discussion with that word/phrase will come up. Unfortunately, the ability to search within a single discussion went away with the old software. Sorry!
 
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs

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