1992-1999 Pontiac Bonneville, Very Nice

[under_the_bridge]

I think the 90's Bonneville (92-99), especially the 1996-1999 were the best years for this car. Although I have not had the pleasure of driving one yet, I hope to soon as I am considering a 96-99 SSE/SSEi to replace my '91 Cutlass Supreme Coupe.

THE INTERIOR STYLING is my favorite part of this car. I love the way the dash has that aircraft cockpit feel to it, how it slopes down so gracefully from top to bottom. In pictures, this looks completely different. This looks more like a design from 1997 than 1992! And the fact that it can be so sporty AND have all the room and comfort of a Park Avenue is amazing. The 12 way seats, the Red (with green accents) lighting, the electronics, etc make this one cool looking design. Though there are some cheap plastic bits, as with many 80's and 90's GM cars, I think they tend to be well hidden in the styling of this interior.

THE EXTERIOR, escpecially the SSE/SSEi models, have a sporty look to them without being cartoonish (liek the interior) like the 2000-05 models (I'll get to those). The droopy rear end is nicely masked in certain models unlike the 90's taurus, which nothing seems to help. And unlike most people, I think the side vent windows give it a certain "classiness" and I think they really look cool from the inside. The rear window "kickup" also gives it a sporty edge.

I have driven a 1996 98 regency, and a '95 Park Avenue Gran Touring, and I have to say they drove beautifully. They were solid, quiet and smooth, and I'm assuming the Bonneville being on the same platform feels quite similar. The W-Body Cars really seem to trail these cars in terms of build quality.

THE 2000 Bonnneville, I feel was not an improvement at all. The Cartoonish Interior, which was not only smaller, but the materials used were just as cheap looking as the late 90's Grand Prix. The Exterior lost all originality, and It looked more like the Grand Prix on sterioids. The reliability of small but expensive parts (steering shaft, Power window regulators) really turned me away, as did the increased wind noise (Wind Noise is a pet peeve of mine). I don't think the 2000 was bad, but I really think GM could have done better.

Please share your comments, and/or experiences with the 90's Bonnevilles!

[ToniCipriani]

Sadly, but 2005 is the best year. They got the styling right with the GXP and the updated frontend, then they axed it.

[Flybrian]

Sadly, most Bonnevilles of the mid-90s were SEs or SLEs instead of the performance-oriented SSE and SSEis.

I find the 2000 model year improved much by reducing the cluttered mess o' buttons that littered the late-90s SSEs and SSEis, especially the suspension setting and seat control buttons, which had simply become ridiculous.

I actually don't mind the droopy rear as long as it had a spoiler. On both the '92 and '00 Bonnies, the spoilerless decklid was a styling no-no.

The faux vent windows are a nice styling touch in that - combined with a thinner, blacked-out A-pillars - it gave it the look of having a cantalievered roof.

[hyperv6]

Having owned a 1997 40th anniv. SSEI i can say I loved the car.

Was it perfect no but you could enjoy a grea t ride and good handling.

Only thing I would have whished the car different was for it to be RWD. under hard accceleration it would get floaty in the front end.

Only gripes were interior quality related but none were major I mostlty address by myself.

One thing that was very poor on this car, changing the belts. I lost a supercharger belt but made it home due to the fails safe set up GM uses. But to replace the belt you have to remove the front engine mount. Nothing hard but one should not need to remove a mount holding the front of the engine up to change a belt. That struck me as something a import would do.

I have driven Bonnevilles from near every year from 1980 up.

I love the 1960 with Tri power, the 1977 two door with the still available 400 engine. Ialso must include my SSEI to this list. By far the most enjoyable I drove is a GXP. too bad it was not around long.

I now have a Com G GP. It is a much more nimble and fun car to drive but I miss the interior and ride of the SSEI.

Edited August 1, 2006 by hyperv6

[razoredge]

The H/C bodys were excellent cars, reliablity excellent. Ride & handling was an excellent compromise in the SSEi and Olds LSS (not sure what LeSabre had to offer in this area). I prefer the LSS to the Bonneville but thats taste and a bit of bias as well.

The belts/motor mount is not that big of a deal once you accept the fact that you just need to support the engine and remove it. Because of how the core support/radiator is set up, the W body dogbone style front engine mount is not possible in the H body. This side engine mount is a necessity and rugged. The old 1st gen FWD H bodys did not have this mount and it was common for the lower mounts to get tired due to working to hard. The side mount took care of that problem.

H/C body cars come with my highest recommendations, like hyper said not perfect but so loveable. I currently have 3 and owned 4 total.

[mrmonte]

I just bought a 97 SSEI from a friend and I am waiting for him to get the title so we can close the deal. Its pretty nice car and I think has every available option that year along with a new tranny. I will post a pic when I get it . should be in about a week.

[Cory Wolfe]

They are nice... I always loved the styling of them.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Back when they were new for '92 I was in love with them. My personal favorite is the 1995 model year; however, any SSEi from '93-'95 would do ('92 had the crappy woodgrain applied to the dash - removed for '93).

There's a local "buy-here-pay-here" used car dealership that has a white with white rims (my favorite combination!) '94 SSEi with 115K on the odo. I'd really take a look at it if it wasn't for the stuff I've heard about the owner of the dealership. Here's some pics:

When the '96 model was introduced, I lost interest in them due to the esign changes. When I was selling new B-P-G's in '99, a customer of mine towards the end of August had to have a '99 SSEi fully loaded in the dark red with camel tan interior. I had to go on a dealer trade for it - I hated the interior color! It was a 45 minute drive and I couldn't wait to get back to the dealership I will say though that the car rode, handled and performed great (I just couldn't get over the MCE design changes made for '96). Also at the time I knew what the 2000 Bonneville SSEi was going to look like, and personally I would have waited. But this guy really liked the look of the '96-'99 SSEi.

Maybe I'll go checkout that white '94 SSEi this Sunday (when the dealer's closed!).

Edited August 1, 2006 by GMTruckGuy74

[Chicagoland]

The H and G FWD bodies are popular as 'beaters' in my area. The older boxy FWD C bodies [PA, 98] were previously, but are worn out.

[WCCPSGM]

Loved the car, hated the seats! I got in one and was sitting like a hunchback. And EVERY one I got in was like that! I was gonna buy one, would be in one now, but the seats ruined the car for me.

[Brougham-Holiday]

I had a 92 Bonneville SE that I loved, it was like a sports car dressed in a suit and tie. The look of the dash at night was the best thing about that car, mine had the optional gage cluster. I liked it so much that when it died I bout another H body (1993 LeSabre) which I also love. I would suggest a Bonneville/LeSabre/88 to anyone looking for a full size car.