2001 Pontiac Bonneville SSEi 3.8 Turbocharged V6 from North America

Summary:

Nice looking money pit

Faults:

Day after car was delivered we realized the front passenger door would not close properly. This was a sign of things to come. It was fixed under warranty.

At around 40000 miles, a plastic part on the electric sun roof broke. We were told an entire new sun roof assembly was required to fix it. Of course, it was out of warranty. It works OK without it so we did not spend the $1500. My wife is afraid to use it now for fear it will break in the open position.

At around 65000 miles we paid $1000 to have both front hub bearings and tie rods replaced.

The dash lights work intermittently.

Power windows on both front doors and one back door began working intermittently at about 70000 miles.

At 75000 miles the front passenger window and rear passenger window both failed. One makes noise, the other doesn't. We will take them in for repair tomorrow. I expect it to be several hundred dollars.

I wonder what will break next.

General Comments:

We bought this car because we wanted something larger than our old Ford Probe, but we still wanted a sporty car.

The Bonneville SSEi seemed the perfect car.

We love the styling, performance, and handling of the car, but it is simply not reliable.

We paid nearly $34000 for this car in 2000. It is now worth about $13000 on trade.

Next time, we are buying a Honda.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 5th July, 2004

22nd Sep 2004, 22:58

Our 2002 ssei has 23000 miles we will probably trade before the warranty is out. We have had the doors resealed twice. The steering has been a problem so the tie rod was replaced. The tires have all been replaced and we are now waiting for a new rear tire. Friends of ours had the same problem with the popping in the steering column.

2001 Pontiac Bonneville SLE V6 from North America

Summary:

Definitely worth the price

Faults:

So far, nothing has "gone wrong" with this car. However, I noticed this week with the onset of a steady rain here, a distinct grinding type noise I think might be coming from the windshield wipers. The wipers appear to work correctly and the noise stops when the wipers are turned off. I intend to have it checked out.

General Comments:

Thus far we enjoy the Bonneville and are quite impressed with the handling it offers.

I especially like the way the driver's seat "cups" your body and makes you feel secure and in control of the car.

The sportiness along with the fact it is a 4 door is very impressive to me. I like this look a lot.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 4th January, 2004

2001 Pontiac Bonneville SE 3.8 from North America

Summary:

Rides almost, but not as good as a Cadillac

Faults:

So far nothing has gone wrong.

General Comments:

This car has quick acceleration and handles beautifully.

I don't particularly care for the battery not being under the hood, but I love the huge trunk and for a big car it is very sporty. I turn heads in this car!

I have driven the Grand Am for 14 years and decided to upgrade my Pontiac and I have no regrets!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th August, 2003

2001 Pontiac Bonneville SSEi 3.8 Series II Supercharged V6 from North America

Summary:

Power + Looks + Luxury = FUN!

Faults:

Courtesy lights do not always illuminate at night when left front door is opened.

Automatic headlamps sometimes cannot be switched to parking lights at night.

Cassette tape will not eject.

Steering groans during low engine-speed turns (idle/off-idle).

Popping felt in steering wheel when front suspension is worked lightly.

Outside mirrors sometimes vibrate on moderately rough road surfaces.

HUD sometimes vibrates on moderately rough road surfaces.

Primer visible through the thin layer of paint on hood.

Paint chips and oxidizes easily.

Steering angle sensor had to be replaced.

Driver Information Center intermittently displays 'Service Stability System' and 'Service Theft System.'

Power locks sometimes (VERY rarely) lock on their own.

Was advised by dealership that Powertrain Control Module was missing some code (fixed).

Due to faulty filler panel (also known as applique or rear reflector) seal, water poured into trunk whenever trunklid was opened.

Due to faulty exterior temperature sensor, temperature display read extremely high and sometimes did not work. Climate controls were also affected.

General Comments:

The dealership I got the car from did some shoddy work on it and didn't repair damage it received on the lot. The salesman got the whole order mixed up a couple of times and I ended up with another Bonneville (in worse shape) first.

However, the Bonneville is an *awesome* car and accelerates very quickly despite its size and weight.

Handling is tight, but body roll and support in seats should be addressed more if the Bonneville is being marketed as a sports luxury car.

Magnasteer, while nice to have at higher speeds, causes the driver to work to keep the car driving in a straight line when roads are crowned (road is slanted to allow for water runoff).

Interior is comfortable for trips, no matter how long, and is organized so that everything is right at the driver's fingertips. Seatbelts are the most comfortable I have ever worn. Auto-dimming rearview mirror and blue-tinted sideview mirrors are very nice.

Personalization options for 2 different drivers is incredibly convenient. Also, if your mirrors get bumped while the car is parked, they will reset themselves when the car is turned on. The tilting right sideview mirror option (for parallel parking) is amazing.

The interior is spacious, and the trunk is cavernous! It will hold a LOT. Automatic load leveling allows the car to handle almost exactly the same when the trunk is full. A split-folding rear seatback would be much more useful than the pass-through rear seatback.

Bonnevilles have a 5-star safety rating, with dual front airbags, as well as side airbags. StabiliTrak and all-speed Traction Control work very well. Pontiac should consider utilizing the rear brakes in their StabiliTrak system as well (Cadillac already does).

All-in-all, an amazing and absolutely beautiful car that gets looks from young and old alike. It has plenty of power at all speeds, and with its imperceptible shifts and smooth ride it is a pleasure to drive in any condition.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 1st April, 2003

7th Nov 2003, 18:22

I also own a 2001 Bonneville. I purchased it used about a month ago. I agree with everything that you said about it. I am willing to work through any problems that may occur with the car because it is just that great of a vehicle to drive. I am wondering what you had to do to get the rear reflector leak fixed. You are right... the water pours into the trunk.