Is a Bonneville sse 1990 something for me?
06-08-2007, 05:54 PM
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Is a Bonneville sse 1990 something for me?
Hi All!
First post on this forum
I'm a former Chevy Nova 1977 owner, after that a VW Corrado VR6 owner, but now I want to get back to the feeling of american cars...
I've managed to track down a sse 1990 thats actually located close to my home!
Ive talked to the guy and he seems nice! The car has had 7 owners, 250 000 km, everything works fine and it runs fine mechanical.
Those cars are pretty cheap in sweden, and he'* wants approx 1800usd for the car.
I'm pretty used to the regular 350cui, TH350, older models of Chevy, Pontiac etc, but I have zero knowledge when it comes to this type of cars.
What I've managed to find is:
3.6L V6, supercharged?
AC
Electrical seats
Electrical "roof window"
So, is this a good car for me?
I've read some on swedish forums and it seems like Rust and AC is the two largest problems? If the engine and transmission runs fine, it runs fine, and can run fine for a lot more years...
I'm going to look at it tomorrow, is it anything else I can look at?
Best Regards Patrik
First post on this forum
I'm a former Chevy Nova 1977 owner, after that a VW Corrado VR6 owner, but now I want to get back to the feeling of american cars...
I've managed to track down a sse 1990 thats actually located close to my home!
Ive talked to the guy and he seems nice! The car has had 7 owners, 250 000 km, everything works fine and it runs fine mechanical.
Those cars are pretty cheap in sweden, and he'* wants approx 1800usd for the car.
I'm pretty used to the regular 350cui, TH350, older models of Chevy, Pontiac etc, but I have zero knowledge when it comes to this type of cars.
What I've managed to find is:
3.6L V6, supercharged?
AC
Electrical seats
Electrical "roof window"
So, is this a good car for me?
I've read some on swedish forums and it seems like Rust and AC is the two largest problems? If the engine and transmission runs fine, it runs fine, and can run fine for a lot more years...
I'm going to look at it tomorrow, is it anything else I can look at?
Best Regards Patrik
06-08-2007, 06:32 PM
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Welcome to BonnevilleClub 
The 1990 SSE would be a 3.8L V6, but not supercharged. They are a very reliable and long running engine. The supercharged 3.8L didn't come out untill 1992.
Should be pretty well optioned as well, being an SSE. I had a 1989 SE, and I absolutly loved that car, had a TON of options.
As long as the transmission doesn't slip, and the engine makes no noises, it should be good to go Just make sure to check the underbody for bad rust.
The 1990 SSE would be a 3.8L V6, but not supercharged. They are a very reliable and long running engine. The supercharged 3.8L didn't come out untill 1992.
Should be pretty well optioned as well, being an SSE. I had a 1989 SE, and I absolutly loved that car, had a TON of options.
As long as the transmission doesn't slip, and the engine makes no noises, it should be good to go
Just make sure to check the underbody for bad rust.
06-08-2007, 06:35 PM
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The engine is 3.8 liters and is referred to as a 3800. Unless someone added it later, that year model is not supercharged.
I have a 1990 LE and I like it a lot. It is hard to give you advice about a car I haven't seen. There is no way for me to determine the condition of the car you are wanting to buy. If it looks good and drives good then it sounds like a good deal.
You should check the color of the transmission fluid, with that many miles the condition of the transmission would be my biggest concern. Without dropping the transmission pan, the fluid you see on the dipstick is the best indicator of the condition of the transmission, aside from actually driving the car. The fluid should be pinkish red in color, if it is brownish or smells burnt it is a sign of neglected maintenance.
Can you not find any old Volvos to buy over there?
I sure wish I still had my 164E.
I have a 1990 LE and I like it a lot. It is hard to give you advice about a car I haven't seen. There is no way for me to determine the condition of the car you are wanting to buy. If it looks good and drives good then it sounds like a good deal.
You should check the color of the transmission fluid, with that many miles the condition of the transmission would be my biggest concern. Without dropping the transmission pan, the fluid you see on the dipstick is the best indicator of the condition of the transmission, aside from actually driving the car. The fluid should be pinkish red in color, if it is brownish or smells burnt it is a sign of neglected maintenance.
Can you not find any old Volvos to buy over there?
I sure wish I still had my 164E.
06-08-2007, 08:00 PM
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I am in the process of attempting to wear out my 3rd 1990 H-body, with the current 2 being Bonneville'*. I have no regrets and would love to find a clean SSE with some life left.
Not much difference, maintence wise from a 350. Keep the oil changed and they are happy motors.
Not much difference, maintence wise from a 350. Keep the oil changed and they are happy motors.
06-09-2007, 02:31 AM
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Thank you all for your replies!
OK, not supercharged, well I guess thats cheaper maintenance then = Good
I'll go look at it in a few hours, and i'll look for rust, look at the transmission fluid and of course do a testdrive!
I'll give you the result later!
Btw, here is the ad: http://www.blocket.se/vi/12080484.htm?ca=11_s
/ Patrik
OK, not supercharged, well I guess thats cheaper maintenance then = Good
I'll go look at it in a few hours, and i'll look for rust, look at the transmission fluid and of course do a testdrive!
I'll give you the result later!
Btw, here is the ad: http://www.blocket.se/vi/12080484.htm?ca=11_s
/ Patrik
06-09-2007, 07:28 AM
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Im a Bonnie owner now!
The car did feel great! In he transmission and engine.
I could see some oil at the cyliner heads, but not much at all...
Everything electrical worked fine!
The only thing that didnt work was:
Compass screen and Driver information screen.
The owner said that he thought it only was a lamp that had to be changed?
Also when I started the car, an orange lamp that said "Motor service soon "or something like that went on. This was something I was abit afraid of but at the same time, what a heck The engine sounded and felt very nice.
The AC had to be refilled
I Couldnt find any rust under the car, though some rust on the inner fenders.
Im really glad about the car!
I will upload some photos on sunday!
/ patrik
The car did feel great! In he transmission and engine.
I could see some oil at the cyliner heads, but not much at all...
Everything electrical worked fine!
The only thing that didnt work was:
Compass screen and Driver information screen.
The owner said that he thought it only was a lamp that had to be changed?
Also when I started the car, an orange lamp that said "Motor service soon "or something like that went on. This was something I was abit afraid of but at the same time, what a heck
The engine sounded and felt very nice.The AC had to be refilled
I Couldnt find any rust under the car, though some rust on the inner fenders.
Im really glad about the car!
I will upload some photos on sunday!
/ patrik
06-09-2007, 10:06 AM
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sse
Although I have though about parting with my SSE over the years there is just nothing else like it on the market today.
You should like this car after working out the small bugs.
You should like this car after working out the small bugs.
06-10-2007, 01:44 AM
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I don't know what it is about Sweden and this car...but we have a couple Swedish members with 88-91 SSE Bonnevilles.
As for the DIC and Compass...it isn't just a lamp. You are probably looking at some busted connections on the backside of the gauge cluster.
As for the Service Engine code, you can retreive the number by following these instructions.
http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...e=article&k=57
As for the DIC and Compass...it isn't just a lamp. You are probably looking at some busted connections on the backside of the gauge cluster.
As for the Service Engine code, you can retreive the number by following these instructions.
http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...e=article&k=57
06-10-2007, 03:36 PM
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Hello All!
Hej Kisen!
Been driving about 200 km with it yesterday and today, it runs like a god!
Here are som pics!
http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...=888160#888160
I've got a few questions:
1. The first minutes after start the brake behaves strange, I'm pretty shure that its supposed to be this way, som kind of break-help-system?
2. About at the same time as the "break-help-system" stops, the ABS warning light goes on, and stays on. What I've read in the user manual, this means that my ABS system'* not working? Could it just be some abs sensor that needs to be changed?
3. My high beam dosn't work either... If I push the stick thowards me it dosnt seems to "klick" and the blue high-beam indicator dost go on. The stick is feeling abit strange, could it help to get a new one and replace it perhaps?
4. I'm abit confused about the climate system. First my AC dosnt work at all, the compressor dosnt go on (what I can hear) and there is zero cool air coming out. The strange thing is that NO air is coming out from the outlets? Even when the fans are on High speed and its sounds like an aeroplane inside, I cant feel any airflow at all
When I turn up the wanted temperature to for example 26 degrees C, i can feel a VERY weak airflow from the oulets...
5. I checked the fuses, and number 25 is for the driver information display, cooling system and compass... Since none of those are working I though it could be the fuse, but it looked fine and I did clean it from oxide. I dont have a new one atm, but ill meshure it tomorrow. If there is some other electrical problem, from where to I reach the system? Under the dashboard?
6. I found this lovely "boost-gain" button BUT I have to hold it pressed down, it dosnt stay on when I release the button, I guess this is wrong? The gain should be ON until I push the button again, right? Easy to replace the button?
Regards Patrik
Hej Kisen!
Been driving about 200 km with it yesterday and today, it runs like a god!
Here are som pics!
http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...=888160#888160
I've got a few questions:
1. The first minutes after start the brake behaves strange, I'm pretty shure that its supposed to be this way, som kind of break-help-system?
2. About at the same time as the "break-help-system" stops, the ABS warning light goes on, and stays on. What I've read in the user manual, this means that my ABS system'* not working? Could it just be some abs sensor that needs to be changed?
3. My high beam dosn't work either... If I push the stick thowards me it dosnt seems to "klick" and the blue high-beam indicator dost go on. The stick is feeling abit strange, could it help to get a new one and replace it perhaps?
4. I'm abit confused about the climate system. First my AC dosnt work at all, the compressor dosnt go on (what I can hear) and there is zero cool air coming out. The strange thing is that NO air is coming out from the outlets? Even when the fans are on High speed and its sounds like an aeroplane inside, I cant feel any airflow at all
When I turn up the wanted temperature to for example 26 degrees C, i can feel a VERY weak airflow from the oulets...
5. I checked the fuses, and number 25 is for the driver information display, cooling system and compass... Since none of those are working I though it could be the fuse, but it looked fine and I did clean it from oxide. I dont have a new one atm, but ill meshure it tomorrow. If there is some other electrical problem, from where to I reach the system? Under the dashboard?
6. I found this lovely "boost-gain" button
BUT I have to hold it pressed down, it dosnt stay on when I release the button, I guess this is wrong? The gain should be ON until I push the button again, right? Easy to replace the button?Regards Patrik