Hi all, in 2003 my mom's 97 Bonneville was t-boned by a red light runner and they found themselves back in the Pontiac showroom looking at the new models. For some reason they sprang for the new for 2004 GXP. I always liked the car and was proud of my mom for getting something more than the standard V6. Fast forward 20 years and the car has fell into a certain state of disrepair. It has a leaky roof, the headliner needs to be redone, and she has moved on to a Toyota SUV. I am taking ownership of the car because I need a new project and it's just cool!

The good: CA car, no rust, paint is still good, less than 100k miles, one owner.

The bad: interior needs work, been sitting for a few years, rubber seals are all probably shot, located about 1500 miles from where I live.

My plan is to fly down and give the car a tune up, then drive it back where I can do the more extensive repairs at home. I'm now researching what I need to prepare for. It hasn't been driven since Dec 2021 so it def needs a battery, oil change, some fuel system work, brake fluid flush, possibly coolant as well. I know that my dad put Stabil in the tank last year. I plan on at least a fuel filter, and I'm hoping I don't have to go down the rabbit hole of a pump, new injectors, cleaning out the lines with an air compressor my parents don't own, etc etc.

What kind of service intervals do these engines have as far as cooling system ie water pumps etc? Tensioners? What should I be replacing as far as preventative maintenance before I make the trip from the south up to my home in New England?

Thanks for any insight. I've been across the country multiple times but I've always had the fortune of making sure my car is in top shape before the journey. I'd like to be able to do that with this one as well.

With this thing being powered by the Northstar engine, it is inherently a gamble as these had head gasket/head bolt issues well past the end of the Bonneville's production run. You at a minimum should be aware of the possibility of this failure. It requires removing the engine from the vehicle and costs thousands to repair. The only possible saving grace is the rust free body, if it is truly rust free.

If it has a sunroof, you'll want to clear the drains and replace all of the door water shields as those are definitely shot. I would pull up all the carpet and see what is waiting for you under there.

Knowing its history of sitting around, collecting dust and water, I think I would be prepared for failure on this road trip.

_________________
-Car Guy Carl
"Penelope" - 2003 SLE - 247k Miles
"Sydney" - 2000 Honda S2000 - 98k miles