PontiacBonnevilleClub.com

At my school it's usually called the granny car unless it's my friends who know what it's capable of. If it's in clean tip top shape then it gets lots of looks and questioning depending on what part of Chicago I'm in. People seem to really like the obnoxiously shiny bent 5's with the red calipers peeking out.

nos4blood70 wrote:

People seem to really like the obnoxiously shiny bent 5's with the red calipers peeking out.

This included me..and the reason my car need this to be done on it!!!! Love painted calipers!!!

Being a LeSabre, mine never gets love from the ladies. However, in similarity to the bonnevilles (I've been trying to get the fiancé into one) Ashlee doesn't like the bonne or the LeSabre. She says they have "too big of a butt."

She changes her tune when big butt throws her back into the seat with a little gas pedal

speaking of the dash, i think it is less like Batman and more like KITT from Knight Rider (Even though that was a Trans-Am, it was a Pontiac). i mean, Electronic Climate Control, Heads up Display, buttons all over the place, i mean the only thing missing is Daniels' voice and Passive Laser Restraints

A large percentage of cars in this topic don't have the electronic climate control, hud, or all those buttons. That can be a major factor in people's perceptions.

LMAO @ Cody
Everybody compares my interior to an airplane cockpit, after they get over the difference in legroom in the shotgun seat.
They always compliment the red dash lights, something I'm used to hearing after having so many Pontiac's with them.

Friend of mine rode in my car for the first time last night and he liked it, especially the red lights and gauges.

Red dash lights just make sense. Human eyes don't do blue well in dark.

The compliments I get just revolve around my detailing practices. Actually, people usually just complain about it. "Omg! Why can't I stand on your hood?! You're a jerk!"

yourgrandma wrote:The compliments I get just revolve around my detailing practices. Actually, people usually just complain about it. "Omg! Why can't I stand on your hood?! You're a jerk!"

For real, enough with the bitching about me washing my car. Why does it matter to someone else if I like to wash it once a week? I pay alot for something thats really nice and I want to keep it that way. Is that a problem?

I just saw a green '03 SLE today and it was beautiful......except for the fact it hadn't been washed in months. That's just a shame.

The colour I have stands out nicely when it's clean, and same with my chrome torque stars when it's not winter time. I get the odd compliment when I'm fueling up and have the hood popped checking oil etc, that it's a clean car. People that ride in it always say it's clean, even if it's "dirty" in my opinion.

And then I get called names when I tell people to stop drawing on my windows unless they wanna clean em all..

Mine gets a fair bit of attention in the UK from people who are interested in cars, but to those who aren't into cars its just a big grey car.

People who ride in it are always impressed by the dashboard and the comfortable seats.

It occured to me last night that while the Bonneville is very rare in the UK, American cars in general aren't that unusual of a sight. At one point last night I found myself driving along with two Chrysler 300Cs in front of me, a stretched Lincoln Town Car behind me, and I passed I nice '80s Camaro that was parked up too.

yourgrandma wrote:Red dash lights just make sense. Human eyes don't do blue well in dark.

And green is just in most cars IMO.

yourgrandma wrote:The compliments I get just revolve around my detailing practices. Actually, people usually just complain about it. "Omg! Why can't I stand on your hood?! You're a jerk!"

I have also found this to be true...Either they notice how my dashboard reflects on the windshield, or they become very aggravated when whatever they put on my car's roof falls to their feet, usually a drink, which makes it even better.

I buy my cars for what I need/want.

1993 Purple SE turned a few heads with the exhaust, that's it. People thought the red interior lights were cool, and it was spacious and comfy enough to load up (4 in the back anyone?) and hit up the bars.

99BonnevilleSE wrote: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.

THIS THIS THIS.

GTI: it was red, loud, fast, blacked out a little, etc. People knew I was into cars more often, asked questions about it. The transmission got questions from passengers who knew nothing about cars. Chicks would either love/hate cornering fast.


BMW: Silver with nothing to grab attention... The day I showed up with it at work after a week off, everyone wants to talk to me about it, drive it ('till they find it's a stick) or get a ride in it. Everyone thinks i'm rich, nevermind it was under $7k. I bought it because it's a sports car I can drive every day, it's kinda annoying the preconceptions I have.

BonneMe wrote:It's kinda annoying the preconceptions I have.

At least you have them. When people ask me what car I have, I say a Saab. They'll go "what's that?"

Possible alternative responses:
a) Your mom
b) A spaceship
c) A hovercraft
d) A thingy
e) Your mom on her back

The first time a friend road in the SLE he was baffled that it was a 97; he said that "it smells like new" inside, lol. Was rolling up to a stop sign in a neighborhood and a young lady said "I like those rims." Pulled in to a used car lot one day to check out a 96 Park Ave Ultra; the salesman tells me that the Buick has the supercharged 3800 and I tell him yeah that Bonneville is supercharged as well and he's like "but it's an SE" and I told him how it was ordered that way and showed him the 1 in the vin. I popped the hood and he took a few pictures of the car. Pulled in to a salvage yard and a guy complimented the car and I told him I park it during the winter and he said he could tell.

I've always liked Bonneville's old school to the retired 00+'s. Growing up with my dad and being an Air Force brat I gained a true fancy for cars that you did not see everyday. I remember I wanted a brand new 00 SSEi when I graduated high school, instead I got a 98 Monte Carlo Z34 since it was easier on the pocket for me at the time since I insisted on taking on some responsibilities. In 06 I went on the prowl for a GXP but after so many searches it was not possible and bought an 06 Impala SS. Anyways, in 09 I finally found my high school sweet heart, and I'm not talking about my wife! Ive had my down times with her but thanks to you all I have saved money to keep her maintained to perform above the standards that i bought her in. Now all I need to do is put some time aside to install some of mods that been sitting in the garage for the longest.
As many of us know we get respect when the car is clean, especially when the few that are seen are beat down. I rarely see other SSEi's in my area, the SE is what most folks have whenever you do see them, and the SSE is just as rare. I've seen one GXP around here and it belongs to an older lady, maybe someones grandmother, but she definitely doesn't drive it like one. Some people may say nice grand prix at the pump, or parking lot and I acknowledge them with a thanks, it's a Bonneville. To wrap this up, usually most of my looks come at stop lights and even though i have debated on debadging my first love, the SSEi Supercharged panel badge lets onlookers know that it is not an old man's car. I know when someone is looking hard enough b/c not too far from the badge the cross drilled and slotted rotors stand out quite nicely with the red caliper paint and I usually get a nod of respect or a glare of what is this guy driving. Either way I don't open her up to often, and their has been one handful of people who have rode to experience the whine. To this day it doesn't matter what car you drive b/c once you're in love with it you make it yours, and what you do to your car will always separate it from the rest! LONG LIVE BONNEVILLE
As far as women go, in the south the clean rides get the stare, chrome can bring them home, and paint will make them faint. I can careless now, b/c those days of having cars that attracted women was an expense of it's own. Don't we all know!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL

The age of mine with its condition get more compliments now than 10 years ago. Now it's rare to see one without rust and faded clearcoat.

SSEiMan01 wrote:I actually got asked once by a McDonalds employee what kind of subs my car has...

answer: "I've got two subs, a Pastrami and a Roast Beef. Why, you hungry?"

Meanwhile, my Bonnie gets no love. Really, only members of this group get it. To everybody else it is just another means of transportation and draws no comments.

The look on his face was pretty good when I told him it was a stock system though...
Was talking with a friend yesterday and he says that with all the 3800's his family has owned, (including a S1 L67 Olds 98 ) he never really paid the H-Body much attention until I showed him mine, and what it can do. Now he notices, and appreciates, them all the time.

Mom: "is that a Oldsmobile or Buick?"

does not help it has a similar front grille to a Buick on the same body style, with the 'circular arrowhead' badge being the one thing different.