1993 Pontiac Bonneville SLE review from North America

Ignition system failed around 40,000.

Front passenger door doesn't unlock with remote.

Computer replaced around 85,000.

Water pump replaced at 93,000.

ABS system failed after 93,000.

Transmission just messed up at 97,000.

The plastic piece that covers the front passenger A/C vent simply fell off after 9 years.

Also, the center console cover simply fell off after 9 years.

I love my bonneville, it's my first car, but at the same time, I find it to piss me off at least once every month.

My grandfather gave me this car for free as my first car, and he kept it in immaculate condition. Being an airplane mechanic as well as holding much higher positions in mechanical fields he pretty much knows his stuff, so I can safely say the car was in pretty damn good condition when I got it.

The car performs great. This car is older than all of my freinds', yet the interior is miles beyond theirs in comfort and quality. The engine is powerful, it's a smooth ride and handles well. This car has a very large amount of interior space and is generally perfect to ride in.

Ever since I've got it, however I've seen a barrage of problems that simply should not happen to a good car that is used properly. It is true I've used this car 20,000 miles in less than one year, but I never abused it.

I've had to replace brakes three times in one year. Yes, three times in one year. Tell me why!

The comptuer simply stopped working one day and the car would go nuts if you tried to drive. $300.

The car was a nightmare to replace the speakers. Suprising how they believed a high-end audio system which you had to pay $300 extra for in 1993 has the crappiest default speakers you'll ever see. Not only that, I bought Sony component speakers matching the size of the ones in the car. They wouldn't fit in the original spaces?! 6 hours of custom work per door, and that's without any additonal audiophile work, just to get the speakers in.

I love this car, but at the same time I really despise it for the problems it gives me. Every two months, I'm spending $300 on this car to be fixed.

The final straw which makes me dislike this car more than I like it is my transmission going, combined with a leak as well as two other broken parts down under there. $2000 repair cost. This kinda stuff happens, I know, but the car was kept in such good condition, there should be no reason why in one year I should be spending half the cars value fixing it. I barely ever go beyond 70mph in this.

I loved this car to death and I still support it, but when I buy a new car I'm not going to spend $26,000 on a new bonneville just to see it die in less than 10 years.

Bottom line: I've spent around $3000 repairing the car in less than one year on a bonneville that was never abused by the original owner and driven normally by me. That's just rediculous.