Well as life would have it I found myself at a crossroads; my beloved 1997 Z28, with 253,000 miles on the clock, was beginning to display issues appropriate for a vehicle that had driven around the world roughly 10 times. The latest episode was a burnt out connection on the fuel pump wiring (inside the gas tank.) Anyone that owns a 4th generation F-body can likely attest to the fact that the fuel pump is one royal pain in the rear to work on. Well after finally diagnosing the problem with the trusty voltmeter, and getting the car back on the road, it became pretty obvious that I simply would not appreciate losing another week chasing burnt out wires and/or any other machinations of that sort. As such I found myself wondering auto lots looking for a new addition to the family. Originally this was to be an effort to find a pick-up or SUV in which to tow the boat, however, as I was perusing a section of trucks, I noticed a gentleman park a dark green SSEi right in front of me. Having absolutely no intention of ever venturing into the acquisition of Pontiac’s one time flagship automobile, I kept looking at trucks. Still something kept it in the back of my mind. Later that day I began looking around for information on the Bonne; I found a couple of articles from old
Road and Track mags and the like, but nothing that really gave me any idea as far as what to expect long-term. It certainly was no
Consumer Reports darling, but I get the feeling their long-term ratings are basically the product of old, bitter, clamoring individuals that really know nothing about cars and simply have way too much time on their hands (after all they hated the Camaro and that thing just won’t die.) In any event, as luck would have it, I stumbled across pontiacbonnevilleclub.com; I spent about 6 hours reading everything the knowledgeable and fanatic owners had to say about their SSEi’s, I thoroughly acquainted myself with the tech forum, and was impressed with the access to parts available through the page. Armed with knowledge and aware that the owners truly love their Bonne’s I purchased my SSEi the next day. Please accept a wholesome thank you for the top-notch site and smart members. Anyway what you’ve been waiting for; here are some pics:
These were taken with my phone so please forgive the quality.
Getting her home:
31K on the clock:
Interior (just can't let myself dirty the SSEi floormat, as such it stays in the trunk):
Head on:
Side profile:
One more:
The previous owner of this car seemed to have cherished it. Everything on the vehicle has been pampered, including the undercarriage. I have all service documents since it was 49 miles old. It has two rather small foibles thus far: droopy sun visor felt (harofreak prepare to hear from me) and a burn-out bulb in the CD player (however I have read the tech forum thread to remedy this.) All in all an amazing, amazing, amazing car. In general this would not have been my first choice concerning the color, nonetheless it has grown on me. The "swoopies" are also not my first choice but they're absolutely flawless.
Some questions:
-The history of the last gen Bonneville; what's the deal with the sales numbers? Did Pontiac overprice it new? Was there a lack of marketing? Did the Aztec scare everyone away? Did Pontiac simply not plan to sell all that many, preferring to focus on the Grand Am and Grand Prix?
-What temp should this car run at? Mine stays pegged at 200. Admittely I'm an LT-1 guy, and a 22R guy, I know relatively little about the 3800.
-Oil/Supercharger Oil recommendations?
-I notice NGK spark plugs are highly recommended, are these iridium? Any comments on thicker wires?
-Any glaring omissions within the GM Factory Manual for this vehicle?
-Anything else would be appreciated.
-Anyone have the GM Part Number for a front license plate depression cover?
Thanks in advance!
-Cheers,
Andy
