I like my Bonneville. Its a 94 SE and it gets 25-30 mpg, has plenty of power for what I want and has 159xxx miles on it. I had to replace the fuel pump, rear struts, master cylinder, and rear brake lines (thanks to the rust belt) but feel I got a good deal on the car. The only problem I have consistantly is having to put air in my tires every few weeks. Even my new tires. Must be the aluminum wheels.

 

Looks like GM is using higher gears and different shift programs in the newer versions of the 3.8 . Fuel econ. ????? I dont really have any of those traits at all in my 97 SSE with the same 200 hp 3.8 . The tranny doesnt hunt gears at all and it actually feels rather qwik for what it is ::shrugs::

 

How many miles on the Bonne? I have seen nearly identical cars perform very differently on the rental lots due to the levels of abuse they have suffered. The last Bonne I drove (a 2003) did just fine.

 

My dad bought a '91 Bonneville new. At the time, I thought it was a pretty nice car.

Afew months ago, I drove a GXP. I remember thinking, nice motor, wrapped in a really old feeling car.

 

To answer a few questions on the Bonneville I rented, it was NOT a beaten up rental. The car had a mere 9500 miles when I picked it up. None of the complaints I had are related to abuse or hard use, and are all the result of design or engineering.

I suspect I had the base model Bonneville, so maybe the SSEi is a different state of tune. However, if this is so, the SSEi should be the base model of a car brand that calls itself the "excitement" division.

The biggest beef I have isn't with the engine (though it's a part of it). My beef is a whole series of items with the Bonneville that combined makes the car complete garbage (this is an opinion).

It's ride as mentioned by another member is like riding a cloud, it's handling is the worst I have experienced in any car, short of a Hundai I drove from San Francisco to LA a year and a half ago. Tire grip on dry pavement is nearly non existent. Combine that with an exterior that promises more and a division that prides itself for excitement makes the Bonneville a complete dissappointment.

What on earth is the purpose of having a "soft" full sized Pontiac when you have another division already building "soft" full sized FWD cars???

Being that the Bonneville is pretty much in the toilet in sales, I would think that someone at Pontiac might figure out that nobody wants traditional luxury wrapped in a Pontiac skin.... especially whan you are selling yourself as an "EXCITEMENT" division. If Bonneville can't get the basics right, why on earth would anyone spend another 10K plus just to get a car to feel (not including the engine) like they expect Pontiacs to feel like in the 1st place. GXP isn't exactly selling at expectations either. This isn't happpening for no reason, you know.

Like I said at the start of the post, if we were talking about a Buick or even a DeVille, then to a large degree I wouldn't be a bit surprised. I could brush it off as a Buick being a Buick. But again, What is it the Bonneville is supposed to do?.....Who is the Bonneville supposed to be directed to??

Older people?
Older people like good looking, conservative styling. Older people like easy to read guages. Bonneville has none of the above.

Younger or middle aged families that want a car from an "excitement" division?
Then why does the car have a floaty suspension? Why does the car have tires that can't grip? Why does the transmission seem indecisive when crusing at a steady 75-80 unless the cruise control's on?

The Chevrolet Impala is the perfect car for getting across downtown Seattle in 10 minutes during morning rush hour down side streets. It has power, handling, and unexpected balence in close quarters.
The Ford Taurus is a great highway car. It has sufficient power, great feel & balence (for a rental sedan), and knows which way straight ahead is.
The Pontiac Grand Prix feels far more stable and alot less screamish than the Bonnie when you ask it to do things it probally wasn't intended to do. I know all this from first hand experience.

Yet, the Bonneville just doewsn't even measure up to these other front drivers from GM or even the much maligned Taurus. And this car's from GM's excitement division???

1. The 3800 does an exceptional job in the Chevy Impala and the Pontiac Grand Prix. Sure neither cars are LS1-like rockets, but these cars will provide 99% of whatever you ask of it. Quick seamless acceleration for merging, and about as close to being tossable as can be expected from a family front driver.

2. I picked up the Bonne at SFO. Drove it up to the city, then later drove it 115 miles to Monterey. The following day, drove the parents around Monterey, Carmel, and the surronding areas sightseeing. The following day, drove back up to San Francisco to go to work, then to return the car. After putting over 320 miles on the car in 48 hours, the transmission moved far beyond perplexing. It just downright drove me up a wall.

 

You mentioned irratic shifting, not commonplace with this GM transaxle.


I'd like to hear what you would have to say if the Bonne started at $31k instead of $28k.

As it goes for the handling, it's a FULL SIZE ECONOMY LUXO SEDAN, not a sport sedan! Geeesh. Get a grip, it's all about the ride like a Buick, not the cornering of a Corvette.

That's a question for the times, isn't it? Why is there so much badge engineering in GM? Reason why the Bonne existed is because some people want a Buick in Pontiac clothes. If people wanted a sport sedan in Bonneville clothes, you got the GXP. Very simple really. Sadly, like the full size market as a whole, the customer base is fading.

Read the above comment...

Again, read the above...

Same deal here too. You ARE NOT the target customer for this car, at least right now with this attitude. You'd have to try all three models of the Bonneville to find which one is the one for you. By driving a rental SE, this is a Buick in Pontiac clothes. Don't try to analize and call it junk without knowing its core market as I just informed you of. If you want to drive a full size sport sedan with the Bonneville name on it, you had better drive the GXP, then tell me how much you dislike it.

 

The 3800 is a strong motor. I got a 92 SE for my winter car and it has 204k on it, and doesn't burn a drop of oil. Last summer I raced a new Neon SXT and kicked its @$$.


Rob

 

It wouldn't cost GM one thin dime to switch spring rates. As for the tires, it would cost, what, a couple hundred more on sticker? Also, who said anything about a Corvette?? I mentioned the Impala, the Taurus, and the Grand Prix. All 3 are very respectable performers. All 3 are capable of emergency manuvers. The Impala (though not the prettiest date) can be tossed around and hold it's composure. The Bonneville simply can't.

I don't think it's too much to ask that a base Bonneville from GM's excitement division handle and accelerate as well as a base Impala from GM's low cost bargin division. Do you?

Again, my points about my opinion of the car:

1. If a division is going to pass itself off as an excitement division, it's cars should be the the excitement cars of that particular chassis. The Bonneville isn't by a long shot.

2. The car is underpowered. Again, I'm not talking Corvette or Z28 standards here, I'm talking Grand Prix and Impala.

3. The car is overpriced. It sticker starts at $28,600 for a base model. The more consistent Buick LeSabre (on the same chassis) starts at $25,000. Things REALLY start getting ridiculous when you get to the GXP which is more $4,000 more than a 300C!

4. It's a schizophrenic car. It has young styling & a jet fighter interior, yet it drives and rides like a retiree's car. The Bonneville SE can't get out of it's own way, and it's downright dangerous on emergency manuvers. Something I've said only about base Maximas and Hyundais.

I'll acknowledge that I haven't driven the GXP, and that it may even be a car I'd really like overall, though with Pontiac stickering the thing at 36 large I very seriously doubt it.

I know we disagree on this, and I fully accept this. I'm not critisizing your opinion of the Bonne. It's just that in my opinion, the Bonneville isn't worth the money, and is a classic example and a picture perfect poster child of what was wrong with the old General Motors.

If Product Chairman Bob Lutz and Pontiac Motor Division General Manager Lynn Myers are serious about making sure Pontiac is GM's excitement division, I sincerly hope they make sure that Bonneville's replacement can at least handle, manuver, and accelerate as well as a entry level Impala or the lower priced Pontiac Grand Prix sitting right next to it in the showroom.

 

My buddy had a 2000 Bonneville. It had some stupid minor quality issues, being built in the first MY of the brand new design, but none of them were powertrain related (or ride/handling). Dumb stuff like paint chipping too easily, power window issues, etc.

I drove the car a few times, and my experience with that car was quiet different than guionM's. It was not the supercharged car, either. It was very solid, quiet, and reasonably powerful (and fuel-efficient). I thought the car handled just fine. It might be one thing to say the car isn't a very sporty handler, but I don't think I'd venture into calling it incapable of executing emergency maneuvers...I also drove a brand new N/A SLE for work for a couple of weeks (w/ 17" wheels). That car was even better (partially b/c it was brand new). My biggest beef with the Bonneville was that, at least with the sunroof option, the headroom was lacking for a car of its size. I could never adjust the seats to make me comfortable AND be in a good driving position in my buddy's car. But I never had much of a problem with the 3800 in it, nor did I have a problem with the ride and handling...

My $0.01756...

 

Who knew that someone could be such a passionate supporter of a car like the Bonneville?

Next thing you know there will be a full-on internet pissing contest over the relative attributes of vacuum cleaners.

 

Just FYI: Jim Bunnell is the current general manager for Pontiac-GMC. On March 10, it was reported that Jim would become North Central regional general manger. But a replacement for Bunnell has not been named as of yet.

And another note, you have to remember the market of the Bonne SE before you say it should handle, accelerate, etc. better than another model. It's Pontiac's economy full size "lite-luxury" car, just like a Buick, so you should stack up the Bonne SE as you would a LeSabre to a Grand Prix and an Impala. Other than the price difference between the LeSabre and the Bonne SE, not much else you can say differently when you compare those two to the cars you mentioned.

 

I too am impressed that a car like the Bonneville has impassioned supporters. I also am impressed that even though I disagree with equal passion, we can have a lively and VERY good debate on this bringing up well based opinions on both sides.

Though I'm unconvinced (I was perfectly neutral about Pontiac Bonneville before I rented one) I respect Turbo being a Bonneville fan and the points he brings up in support of the car.

This is one of those rare things where we'll agree to disagree.

 

It has been a very good discussion indeed! Really, it comes down to the expiriences that a person has and doesn't have. I love the feel of a LeSabre/Bonne and Park Ave, and you may not. I also love my fast, powerful toys that corner/stop on a dime too, and so do you amongst the great majority of this board. But that's the great thing about this board; being able to see things from another angle and talking about it. It really is great! And as you said, we'll have to agree to disagree.

So in conclusion, great discussion, and here's to many more ahead!

 

Bold? Yes. Should they go with it? No. Not until they actually get there.

 

That's one of the reasons why I really think GM is stupid for insisting upon new, often generic model names. Among its great many disavantages in the marketplace, one of GM's great advantages is the legacy of some of its brand names. Having a name like Bonneville to put on your vehicles is an invaluable asset in this industry. The bottom line is that as good as an Avalon is, it will never be a part of the American lexicon in the way the name Bonneville or Impala is. GM should really take a look at what this does for them before they throw old names out the window..