1993 Pontiac Bonneville SE review from North America

The throttle body gets stuck every 10,000 miles or so. This requires no parts just a gentle tap from the mechanic.

The alternator needed to be replaces at 70,000 miles.

The air conditioner needed to be recharged at 64,000 miles.

The new struts and shocks were needed at 64,000 miles.

The Anti-lock breaking computer needed to be reset once.

The transmission has a distinctive whine.

Receiving this car made me reconsider leasing a 3 series BMW. With Pirelli's on all four corners this car keeps up with most anything under 80MPH. It handles very well. If you're not racing you will be pressed to feel the difference between the 2002 BMW 325i and this car. One problem is that you need a light foot to drive this car. Even with good tires I leave rubber if I'm not careful.

The winter handing of this car is phenomenal. It drives better than some light trucks. The ABS brakes and front wheel drive make this car a solid winter performer.

Even in ice and snow I was in control of the car. The heat comes fast and plentiful even in -20F starts.

The interior is great. I'm 6'2" and have a great deal of problem fitting into many cars. I have to slouch to drive the biggest Saturn's and have difficulty with Mustangs and Corvettes. The seats are very comfortable for me and my passengers. The cloth seats require much attention to keep them nice. The cup holders are great and well positioned for all riders. This is the most comfortable car I have ridden in.

The costs aren't excessive I get around 20-25 MPG city and 25-30 highway. Very close to the ratings it shipped with. I do change the oil more frequently than recommended with synthetic oils. This adds around an hour of my time and $20 a month. I usually need around $500 a year on dealer upkeep and repairs.

Despite snowy winters and lots of road salt and sea spray the car has no body rust and only light rust on unpainted components.

I've done thing with this car you should never do. It doesn't take well to off-roading. The wheel wells fill with mud quickly. It takes a while to go in mud more than axle deep. It's hard to get a good nights sleep in the front seat. The backseat is much nicer for sleeping. Try to keep all the wheels on the ground. With even a few inches of air you bottom out the suspension. You can hold 2 full sized male college students in the trunk for drive-ins. Don't do neutral drops. This is where you bring the car to redline in neutral then drop it into second gear. It works much of the time, but you can drop the transmission in between gears. None of these college worthy activities results in pain suffering or repair bills.

The car also crashes and repairs well. It was hit head on traffic driving in the wrong lane, side swiped into a police car by delivery truck running a red light, and hit by a falling New York City street lamp. Both collisions happened under the former owners and were able to be fully repaired with no cosmetic or functional problems. All the occupants in all accidents were uninjured.

Parts of this review are very odd for the normal driver, normal for the college student. This is an good looking, well powered, good handling, comfortable vehicle that survives abuse and protects it's occupants. There is no better college car.