Re: opinions on 97 bonnie Carfax please

I may just not be understanding properly, but where has the car been from
2000 until now?


The dealer pretty much will do what they want.  If I were you, I would ask
for a Carfax, and the service history.  Shouldn't cost them anything.


Depending on the options, and permitting the dealer repairs the heat and
steering problems, I wouldn't hesitate to purchase that car for $5K.


Very true.  I'm on my 5th Bonneville, and twice the car was reporting a
misfire.  Both times it turned out that a spark plug wire had broke.


Yup, it's under the dash on the passenger side.  You can see it if you pull
the glove box out, and look through a hole on the right side.  I find a good
way to test it is to start the car, let the engine heat up, put the fan on
Hi and turn the temperature all the way down.  Give it a few seconds, then
turn the temperature all the way up, and see if you can hear the door moving
behind the dash.  I found on one of my Bonneville's that doing that
procedure a few times made the door work properly.  As for replacing it (if
needed), most people say the dash must be removed.  I have seen some who
have replaced the part from going under the dash, but it's difficult.


The only problem I know of with the superchargers from the 1996 and up
Bonneville's is eventually the bearings in the nose cone start to rattle,
and need replacing.


I'm in Ontario, Canada.  It's -9 with the wind-chill right now, so it isn't
too bad Lol


I know how you feel.  My 1996 Bonneville SSEi was in an accident several
months ago, so I replaced it with an Oldsmobile Intrigue, which I didn't
like, so I traded that for a Chevy Trailblazer, which I did like, but it
turned out the truck had been in an accident, and was "rebuilt" using
several different Trailblazers.  I ended up finding the 1997 Bonneville SSEi
I now own a couple of months ago, and even with almost 300,000 km's on the
clock, I love it.  I wanted to use it as a "summer car", so I went out and
bought a Buick Rendezvous for $12,000...Bad mistake.  The thing is mint, not
a single problem, but like you said about your LaSabre, it just isn't a
Bonneville.  I haven't driven the Buick in almost 3 weeks.


In my opinion, the only bad thing about the SSEi's with the supercharger
compared to the non-supercharged versions, is the supercharged engine
requires 91 octane gas, instead of the normal 87 in the regular engine.
But, if you drive a normal 3800 engine, then the supercharged version, you
likely won't mind the extra few cents a liter for the 91.  The supercharger
can really blow you away.


No problem.  Like I said, I've owned many Bonneville's, so feel free to pick
my brain if you want.