lets talk public perception

[yourgrandma]

Ill be honest, we drive old people cars. However, I've noticed some talk of people getting "attention" in their bonnevilles. I've gotten compliments but I've never thought of it as a real head turning car. Usually people just think its a grand prix and move along. I had one woman approach me and ask if it was "the new one" and that's about it.

So, what has been everyones experience with the image of their bonneville? Particularly 00+. Would you aonsider your car appealing to young human females for example? Do people often start conversations about it? How often do you cause traffic jams because of gawkers?

I'm bored.

[00Beast]

Meh, women "like" my car, but they don't see it as anything special. Guys understand the work I put in it and like it for what it is.

Of course, the guy down the wheel has a lot to do with that too...

[crash93ssei]

Pretty much the same here. The 03 gets attention, but basically only when it is super clean and shiny. There are so many of them here it just blends in. Just about everyone that has rode in it though compliments the car from the interior to how comfortable it is to how nice the outside looks to how powerful it is. It does get looks but I never really see anyone breaking their necks trying to look at it and I have never gotten a thumbs up, I really don't even know if any bonneville owners even notice the smoked headlights and I am sure nobody else does lol. I have never had anyone mistake it for a GP though.

As for the female types, nothing there. Heather loves it, but it isn't exactly her dream car lol.

I guess I am kinda spoiled by the Cutlass though, I can't drive to the gas station most of the time without someone striking up a conversation with me about it lol. I have had several female types compliment it and everyone stares at it.


I really thin some nice wheels would totally change the attitude of the Bonneville though and then itbwould surely

[yourgrandma]

Rarely does anyone, guys or otherwise, understand, accept or approve of the work I've done to mine. Either they don't believe in modifying anything, they don't understand what it means, or they don't think the chosen car is worth the effort. It seems my car is openly despised in many circles. Its american so the import pple don't like it, its wrong wheel drive so performance enthusiasts and american muscle car fans don't like it, its somewhat aggressively styled and has "them blue headlights" so old folks gonna hate, its a big sedan, so the kids don't dig it.

I don't put a whole lot of value on what the general public thinks. The average human is a step or two above a sea turtle in my opinion. However it just shows that we are a bit of a unique tribe.

[SSEi95]

My '95 got some compliments when I first got it. The 2k2 gets the typical "nice car", but nothing out of the ordinary. When we were looking at cars before, my wife was somewhat against a Bonneville at all because it was a "grandma" car. I told her that if I find a nice one, and she test drives it and doesn't like it, we can look at other domestic made cars. I showed here the SSEi we have now. Enough said

[SSEiMan01]

Mine gets attention because its one of the few clean ones in the area here. That and the 00+ are somewhat of a rare bird here compared to GP's. Lots of people like it once they do take a closer look at it, but other than that, just passing glace types of things. People get their heads turned by blower whine though!
I am also spoiled by the hot rods, I can't take the 66 out if I'm in a rush, everybody stops to talk about it. Same thing with the Trans-Am.

[94SilverSSEi]

I have to give pretty much any Bonneville a second look around town. I have only ever seen ONE GXP in our city (about 80,000 people) and I always have to gawk. But I know the poor thing is beat to hell. I even went and test drove it as the kid is like 17 that is selling it and the motor has a pretty nasty tick to it.

2000+ Bonnevilles are somewhat scarce too. Most of them are SE's.

Now 1992-1999, they are EVERYWHERE. You can't leave the house without seeing at least 5 just going a couple blocks to the store.

Our neighbor has had a couple too, they had a 1992 SE (idk how many miles) but the thing was beat to hell and still drives.

And just a couple months back they got another one, 94 or 95 not sure, but the thing looked MINT.


The only comments I get is, "How many frickin cars do you have?" Considering, since I've gotten my license I've probably driven....10-15 different cars (to school and other places where I see people who know me).

People are surprised when my "grandpa car" blows the doors off their little *shoot* civic or whatever kind of "ricebox" they have.
Even beat out a brand new silverado.

Once people are in the car, I do get compliments on how comfortable and roomy it is and all the options.

[rustyroger]

My '87 Olds Delta get a fair bit of attention but it's in the UK so the situation is rather different.

A while ago on BBCs Top Gear the trio were challenged to make a lonely hearts ad mentioning they had a Porsche, Jeremy Clarkson was the only one who got a reply, but he had put his ad in the "men seeking men" section.

Roger.

[Grimm]

At least in my neck of the woods, the 00+ isn't an "old farts car." I really don't see a lot of them, especially the SLE/SSEI. There is a silver SLE I see often in the morning driven by a woman in her late 40's I'd guess, which is the normal age group I've seen driving them. I don't get comments really on it's style, but I remember when I had it at church shortly after buying it, one of the older gentlemen (late 60's) said the car was too sporty for me. Not sure why he said that. I consider myself a person that knows what is stylish, and what isn't for a car, and I would say the 00+ is a pretty stylish/sporty car. I would say the size is what might keep younger people away from it, but it's certainly not a grandma car from the looks standpoint.

When I bought mine, it was down to this and an '03 Olds Aurora. The Olds to me was more the higher class, luxury type car (Silver with a very nice taupe leather/wood interior), while the Bonneville (black w/pewter) was the sporty/stylish choice. I wish I could have had the interior of the Olds with this car really.

[repinS]

My car is the laughing stock of my friends as soon as they find out that it's front-wheel drive

Generally, non-car people like it, real car people don't take it as seriously. I have had a couple GTP drivers gawk and comment on the car, and other Bonneville drivers take a second look

[willwren]

My cars draw positive attention regularly. Male and Female alike.

[freneticburn]

I work at a gas station and always catch people checking out my car, which is odd because the only exterior mod I've done is clear corners but I usually keep my car clean. I've actually had a few old guys compliment my car and talk about how they miss their old Bonnevilles. As far as the females go oddly enough only middle aged black women have complimented it. Everyone always mentions how clean it looks. I'm guessing that's due to the clear corners, removal of red arrowhead, ghetto-rigged flasher bulb (painted the bottom half so it doesn't reflect amber in headlight), and how the wipers tuck away under the hood. EVERYONE mentions how quiet and comfortable the interior is when they get in though. I've had many people fall asleep in it.


And not to discredit Corvettes because they are *fook* ing sweet, but EVERY SINGLE Corvette I see on the road is driven by an old guy. Maybe not senior citizen old but 50+. I almost feel as if they qualify as an old man's car nowadays.

[theax40]

I never understood the idea that an 00+ Bonneville is a grandma car. Put an SLE/SSEi next to any other large 4 door sedan of the same year and the Bonneville blows it out of the water appearance-wise.

Nobody knows what car I drive. They either think it's a GP or a Grand Am. I've only seen 3 other's in my area that aren't SE's that are beat to crap. There's a nice white one, a black one in poor shape, and an immaculate Silver Steel Blue Metallic one that I've only seen once. They are extremely rare yet are the nicest cars that no one notices.

[yonkerse]

My car gets pretty positive views from a wide age range. As Will said, more compliments and interest is shown when she's clean and shiny. Most Bonnevilles are trashed around here, so mine tends to stand out. There's two other clean SSEi's I have seen around town and we acknowledge each other when we drive by.

I mostly get people asking what kind of car it is. All my badging has been removed, so people are usually clueless. Particularly when I drive around at night with the LED strips, switchbacks, and fogs on, kinda makes my car looks like an Alien and really confuses people on what kind of car it is. :D

Anyone that rides in my car falls in love with it. They generally compliment on the red lighting, ALL the buttons, number of vents and comfort of the seats.

When I headed into town for the Chicagoland meet, Will and I drove out to a place to take some pics. The instant we got parked and started taking pics, two younger kids (one owning a Lanser) walked out and showed interest in the cars. He didn't even know if the cars were American! haha. He was also confused that the cars were just V6's sounding the way they did! :D

All in all, I'm pleased with the views of the public toward my Bonneville!

[99BonnevilleSE]

As a Senior in high school when i had my Bonneville and everbody knew it as my "grandma car." The tuner guys hated it because it was american. The american guys hated it because it was FWD. As for compliments, I've had several old ladies say they miss their Bonnevilles when I had it really clean. Girls were cluesless, all of them thought it was a Grand Prix. One thing the girls always said when they got in is the interior was comfortable and really cool looking. A few said the dash reminded them of the bat mobile.

[SSEiMan01]

I actually got asked once by a McDonalds employee what kind of subs my car has... I just said, factory Bose, and walked away... Idk on that one, I mean, yes it is very loud and has a good amount of bass, but subs???
Ryan, how do people perceive the Caprice? Or are they more concerned about the christmas decorations on their lawn you just ran over?

[nickdalzell1]

it's an average mass-produced mid-size sedan for me. and most people see nothing special about it. it's not a '57 Chevy or a '69 AMX. it is hardly rare, it's a typical, to a public's view a 'throw-away' car. i like it, but i got it to drive every day. if i wanted a true classic it'd probably spend more time unde a cover than being driven.

[00Beast]

That's usually what I get from people "Oh, we used to have Bonney-villes, they're great cars!".

[PRD2BDF]

A few said the dash reminded them of the bat mobile.

You're doing it wrong. They should be complimenting the headliner and how nice it looks, not the dash.

































If you know what I mean.

[vogie01]

A few said the dash reminded them of the bat mobile.

You're doing it wrong. They should be complimenting the headliner and how nice it looks, not the dash.


If you are using the center console as your work bench, then I could see getting a compliment about the dash.






























If you know what I mean.