1989 Pontiac Bonneville LE review from North America
"A great car - when operating properly"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
I have replaced the following:
Alternator.
Starter.
Air conditioner compressor and flywheel.
Front wheel passenger side ball joint.
Transmission pan gasket.
Fuel pump - 3 times.
Fuel lines and filter - completely rusted.
Power antennae.
Ventilation fan.
Numerous headlights.
Spark plugs and wires (serious arcing problem).
I have repaired the following:
Rust, rust, and more rust.
A rusted out stress crack on the A (windshield) pillar.
Rear driver door did not want to unlock or open.
I had to weld several parts of the exhaust system back together.
I still need to fix these items:
Power windows are slow.
Transmission makes noises and does not always shift on time.
Electrical noise coming over radio.
General comments?
When the car has nothing wrong with it - it is real smooth and powerful. However, it is rare that the car does not have a problem with it. The car is treated very well, or it has been since I have owned it. I am not sure about the last owner.
The steering is responsive and so is the throttle.
The handling is rather lacklustre as would be expected from a car this size. It seems to dip a lot in corners.
The interior is great, hardly any wear marks, and all materials seem to be in their original condition.
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| The one I owned was a real lemon! |
| 1988 - Bonneville SSE 3.8L. VIN (C) SFI Truly a High Performance Sports Car. |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1989 |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.8 liter V-6 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 97000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 140000 miles |
| Previous car | Chevrolet Cavalier |
| Date of Entry | 11th June, 2001 |