I had to go look. I have General G-Max on mine. They're about due for replacement it looks like. :(

_________________

Resident Tightwad

Screw you, Photobucket.

New tires are always exciting though!

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

It is amazing what a difference new tires make.
The car rides like it is brand new.
On both of my 2005SLE I put the Firestone Champion Fuel Fighter 235/55R17 99H 70K.
So far so good.
Curious to see how long they last.
I am running 30PSI in them.
I had Good For One Year tires before and they did not last.
I also had Cooper Tires before and the car rode rough and they were really noisy.
The Firestone's so far ride nice and are quiet.

My favorite all season tires were the Pirelli P7 Cinturatos. I used 2 full sets and probably did over 100k miles on those tires in this Bonneville. They were awesome. Quiet. Good in snow. Wore like rock iron. They are not cheap though and I decided not to spend the extra money this time around for a car that may be done at a moment's notice.

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

Been a while since I updated this one! Lot of changes for me this year in terms of work, and in some ways, it feels Penny has officially retired at the ripe old mileage of 226k. I left Tesla and went to Rivian. The job involves a lot of remote work and travel, so none of my cars see a lot of use anymore other than for fun purposes.

Went from doing 400+ miles a week for the last few years, to maybe one tank a month now! Last year we got a dog and these days it feels like Penny is the dog's car. I basically drive it to the gym, and on walks with the dog, and the occasional camping trip.

For the most part, she's been pretty reliable. I changed the AC compressor in July due a persistent rattling noise, but all of the other accessories are still original. The crank position sensor also started to finally show symptoms and was changed out. A very simple job with an impact. She just passed emissions as well! Still has yet to leave me stranded.

I still really want to hit 250k with it but I'm driving so little now it may not happen before she rusts out. Nonetheless, still a great daily and will see more use in the winter time as the S2000 goes to sleep. Been trying to come up with a replacement for this car, but not only is it a terrible market to buy a used car, I can't figure out what would be similar in space, comfort, reliability, ease of maintenance, and relatively decent fuel mileage.

I performed an experiment where I drove the S2000 and the Bonneville on the same 150 mile stretch of road at 65 mph. The Bonneville hit 29 MPG and the S2000 hit 28... I'm sure the S2000 would have done better if it were not on RE71Rs, but still shows how amazing this 3800 drivetrain can be on the open road.

Overall, I'm proud of how far this thing has come. It has beat all of my expectations and more. The headliner is starting to fall down and I'm debating whether to change it out with a cool pattern or something. Who knows!

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

Always cool to see this thing turn some more miles. It sucks that you might not make it to 250k but it'll have a story to tell either way.

Grats on the job change also.

_________________

95 SLE... a keeper. 241k miles. Low and Slow.
97 BMW 528i
98 Infiniti vq35'd i30: 13.3@104mph, 30MPG Hwy (RIP)
02 Jag X-type
03 BMW M5
05 Chevy Cobalt LS
07 Infiniti G35s 6MT (Sold)
07 Ducati Monster S2R 800 with DS1000 swap
83 Yamaha IT175K
72 Yamaha DS7: '74 RD250 swap, JL chambers

Info on dropping a 92-99: Here.

I'd love a Rivian, but my wallet wouldn't. I like everything about it except the headlight look.

What's the basis for ditching Penny? Tired of the little nuisance things? If not, just drive it when you can.

_________________

Resident Tightwad

Screw you, Photobucket.

If you MUST ditch your lovely car, and want something similar, maybe looking into a Buick LeSabre (sister car) is a good idea. Even though prices are ridiculous right now. Maybe even a Toyota Camry/Lexus ES 350 might be a good option - I know the new Camrys get 32 mpg highway.

If that replacement time does come, be smart and do what I didn't do with my Bonnie: Sell it to Andrew so he can help many others keep their Bonnevilles going.

_________________

'02 Pontiac Bonneville SE 108,539 miles, N/A, SSEi exhaust system, boat roller mount. Gone, but not forgotten.
'13 Buick Regal GS 102k miles, 270 hp, 295 lb/ft, ZZP intake.
(yes, there is a story behind my avatar.)

I have no real basis for getting rid of it, but I am not ignorant to the fact that it is pretty rusty and contains a 226k mile 4T65 lol. I will be this car's last owner. But I would hate to be caught with my pants down in the middle of winter with no car. I refuse to drive the S2000 in the salt since it never has been, and both sets of wheels I have for it are summer tires as well.

I have been debating between an ES350 to keep the old man vibe going, or on the sportier/more character side of things, a 2015+ Honda Accord V6. I casually browse for cars, but like you all have said, the market is pretty terrible. I really wanted a truck, but don't want to deal with the fuel economy. My dad is kind enough to let me borrow their Lexus GX470 for off-roading and camping use. I took it to Colorado this Summer and fell in love with it.

I missed the chance to buy a manual Chevy SS before the market absolutely exploded and I'm kicking myself every time I think about it. In general, I'd want something manual but I do also share the car with people who don't want to drive manual. Boohoo to them you might say, but I do already have the S2000. The GF has a 2011 Honda Fit, and I love that thing. Hers is auto, but a manual would be so much more fun. Kinda dumb getting the same car though, haha.

There are only a few things on Penny that are a nuisance, but nothing that bad. The front rearmost passenger subframe mount makes a ton of noise if tightened to the right spec... So I literally leave it hand tight and it's quiet. I did cut a hole in the wheel well thinking the cage nut was gone, but it is just fine. This makes me thing the subframe bushings I got are incorrect. But whatever. I believe this is why the alignment won't hold and the steering wanders around. I have changed the inner and outer tie rods, but the original rack must be pretty worn at this point. I'm procrastinating checking on the state of the brake lines as well.

Despite having new tires, one of them leaks steadily. It is actually corrosion around the valve stem. Tried many times to clean it up, but these wheels are pretty chewed up by corrosion and replacements are hard to find. Luckily, it is a slow leak so I just top it off every week or so. I literally change the front trans mount every 6 months. I've tried hockey pucks, boat rollers, N* performance, everything... But all of them translate too much vibration and make the car feel like a *shoot*.

There are numerous cosmetic issues. The headliner is falling down. There's a weird exhaust leak which is very ticky under load, but somehow the car is still whisper quiet otherwise lol

In any case, thanks for coming to my TedTalk. I will be driving this thing until a catastrophic failure happens, but if I can find a replacement vehicle for the right price I plan to jump on it. This doesn't mean Penny will be gotten rid of though. When she does die though, hopefully Andrew will want it! I'm not sure what could be of use to him from it though. I will say, the interior minus the headliner is still really good. I'm not sure if it's because I'm a small guy, but the seats are still in very nice shape.

The Rivian headlights look a lot better in person, I must say! I've been driving them a lot and the performance and off road capability is astounding.

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

A new year, and the miles keep wracking up. I am very close to 230k. While the car doesn't see a lot of daily use, it still sees about 300 miles a week for misc purposes and for traveling to my work which is a factory about 150 miles away from home. As a highway car, the range, fuel economy, and comfort of these vehicles is unbelievable. The ride quality also still surprises me after using other modern vehicles. I am debating getting her a new OEM ICM and some nicer quality coils as she gets a bit stuttery at high loads in 4th locked up. Will upshift itself to third in cruise going up small hills.





Another wheel bearing here, another seal there. Nothing crazy and it just keep chugging along. My LIM gaskets are now seeping pretty nicely externally, so it definitely smells like an old oily car after a long highway drive. Lol Adds to the character hahaha

Had a small mishap where I went into a ditch with her and beached myself. There are no recovery points on these cars so the tow guy yanked it out by putting straps through the wheels.




The car also had no issues starting even in negative temps. Just smelled a little funky!


Around my birthday, I went to a *shoot* dive bar and walked back out to a hole in my tire. Looks like a stab/cut? No idea but it definitely pissed me off.. Lol That's Chicago life I suppose. Thank god for the TireRack warranties I am able to keep milking.


My favorite time to drive... Late at night... Or I guess early in the morning after finishing night shift at the factory on a Sunday. Not another soul to be seen in 150 miles. Easy cruising at 75 getting almost 30 mpg. Still love my retrofits. A great mod for night time driving in the middle of nowhere.

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

Who's gf were you talking to at the bar?? That sucks on the tire but that tirerack warranty is hard to beat.

230k should come easy.

_________________

95 SLE... a keeper. 241k miles. Low and Slow.
97 BMW 528i
98 Infiniti vq35'd i30: 13.3@104mph, 30MPG Hwy (RIP)
02 Jag X-type
03 BMW M5
05 Chevy Cobalt LS
07 Infiniti G35s 6MT (Sold)
07 Ducati Monster S2R 800 with DS1000 swap
83 Yamaha IT175K
72 Yamaha DS7: '74 RD250 swap, JL chambers

Info on dropping a 92-99: Here.

Glad to hear your ok after the ditch and stabbing.

I will be planning for a headlight retrofit. I plan to leave a single upper orange lens in the top corner to avoid a ticket.

Hope you make 250k!

I didn't know Tire Rack had a bar hazard warranty! Was it -4* when you were out there changing the tire?

_________________

Resident Tightwad

Screw you, Photobucket.

This sounds a lot worse taken out of context! Lol.

Happy to see Penny chugging along. My '03 SSEi is still getting me places and I love it. Really going to miss it someday.

_________________
2003 Pontiac Bonneville SSEi (L67) - Galaxy Silver Metallic
1996 Chevrolet Camaro (L36) - Sebring Silver

It was super silly because it was only my GF who I was talking to and I had the worst car in the parking lot... So I just don't know how this makes sense. Haha

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

Maybe your beard offended them.

_________________

Resident Tightwad

Screw you, Photobucket.

My beard comes and goes, at the time I was rocking the clean shaven look. lol

Just another one of those weird instances. It was the first time I've ever used the spare!

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

She made it a few days ago finally!


Part of her present were some ACdelco ignition coils. The weird stutter on torque converter lock up is gone. Feels a lot healthier!

It also seems the wiring in the passenger front door is pinching or torn in the boot inside of the door jamb. I have sporadic operation of the lock and window, and sometimes the door thinks it's open. Thank god I have an aftermarket radio and there are no chimes to annoy me lol

At this point, there isn't much more I can ask of this car. Just going to keep going as long as I can.

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

Ya buddy on 230.

_________________

95 SLE... a keeper. 241k miles. Low and Slow.
97 BMW 528i
98 Infiniti vq35'd i30: 13.3@104mph, 30MPG Hwy (RIP)
02 Jag X-type
03 BMW M5
05 Chevy Cobalt LS
07 Infiniti G35s 6MT (Sold)
07 Ducati Monster S2R 800 with DS1000 swap
83 Yamaha IT175K
72 Yamaha DS7: '74 RD250 swap, JL chambers

Info on dropping a 92-99: Here.

Woohoo on 230...

Funny, I applied to a role at Rivian a few weeks ago. This would be a bulk of WFH though, so...

_________________


Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited: Mommy's new RGC
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Kids new RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Sold to neighbor
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2003 Chevrolet Suburban 2500: Doeskin Tan - 8.1L Big Block... new plow truck
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck