Well I went and took a look at a 1996 Chevrolet Impala SS, instant love. It was comfortable to sit it, rated at about the same MPG as my Bon, NO RUST WHAT-SO-EVER, beautiful clean engine, owned by a dealer at Snell Motors and driven only in the summer. The only defect on the car was a missing carpet peice on the passenger door.

I didn't buy it. They wanted $18,990.00 and would not budge. I told them I could go to the cities and get almost the exact same car for below KBB value of 13,180. They pretty much said thats nice. I sat down in a beige 2000 Bonneville SE and really liked how it felt.

Went to the Pontiac dealer and said I wanted a used Bonneville, so the dealer throws some keys across her desk and said its a grey one at the back of the lot take it for a test drive, show your friends, I'll see you when you get back. Simple as that. Nice color a mix between grey and hunter green, 27,710 miles $14960.00. I test drove it, I loved it. Same engine, different handling, better responses, nicer drive, smoother, more quiet. I got back to the dealership and they quoted my car at $3,075 and would be more than happy to accept that for a downpayment. The only thing I didnt like, the 03 Bon I looked at has a bench seat and column shifter. Annoying, but liveable.

The other Bonneville was baby "Its a boy" blue.
I'd put a picture of it here but the dang thing refuses to work.
But the interior is a bucket seated leather. Knock off 2 grand so I can get it painted and its sold.

Anyway, I have one more car to test drive, a 2004 Crown Victoria in sienna gold. That one is just becuase its a V8 and there is a slim to null chance it will be better than the Bonneville. I won't hold my breath. I still have to look though.

So goodbye 91-95 Bonneville Club. Hello 00-04 Bonneville Club. :D

I have a crap load of pictures, unfortunately they are on film so they need developing. I will post them later.

UPDATE: see 2nd page 8)

Drive an SSEi and tell me about love

Hope you get what you want for what you want.

If you are that serious about getting a new car check out *&* Motors between Courtland and New Ulm. They have a lot of cars on the lot most of which are Pontiacs or other GM cars. If you go back to Heintz talk to Tom Leech(salesman) he sold me both of my Bonne'*.

Look at the Marauder also if looking at Crown Vics.

I didn't look at *&*, but since you mentioned it I'll check it out tomorrow. I have not stopped looking just becuase of the offer from Heintz. I believe Tom Leech actually sold my dad the Bonneville originally, and apraised it today. I'll probably talk with him tomorrow as well since the dealer I talked to isn't working for the next couple days. Not to sound petty or anything, but I think the bench seat is going to be a killer. I just really don't like it. And the baby blue on the other Bon, its a nightmare. And after dropping 17 grand on a car the prospect of dropping another 1g on a paintjob is less than inviting.

The Crown Vic was kind of a fun stuff. I had to check out all the dealerships and the CV was what Ford happened to have. Not even sure I wanna bother looking at it. As far as SSEi and Merauder go, uninsurable. Thanks for the advice tho.

I KNOW you can get a 2000-2003 SLE with under 60,000 miles for under 15k (under 12k if it'* a 2000 -add $1000 for each year newer).
Check out
www.carsoup.com
www.autotrader.com
www.autoshopper.us
www.keepitlocal.com
www.cars.com
www.wheelsforyou.com (I just found this sight -it'* my new favorite -can't believe I never saw it before Tuesday).

I am more than sure you will find a SLE that is well within your budget.
Good luck. Also, have you considered a low mileage 1995-1998 Caddy STS?

Thanks Smellbird, *&* has a bronze 01 SLE that fits my criteria perfectly and, it doesn't have a bench seat!!!!! I'll check it out tomorrow in person. $14,995. Not bad.

Thanks for the other refrences BlueEyes, I'll check them out. I wouldn't consider a Caddy though. In order to be insurable the car must be a V6, domestic, tame, old farty, and not red.

There'* a black 98ish SSE/i at a dealer on 169 between 14 and mankato, west side, just south of the harley store.

Why do you want a newer bonnie? Did i miss something? I wouldn't want a newer car in a HS parking lot like west.

Thats the 64 thousand dollar question. I'll try to make this short.
1. Strange rattles including but not limited to dashboard, 'cricket chirp' common on older Bons, faint rattle from rear left.
2. Electrical problems which have not been solved and are not causing a code.
3. Damaged paint; must be repainted before too much longer.
4. General wear and tear causing stuff to fall apart and **** me off.
5. Dents. There are a couple dents in the body luckily un-noticeable becuase of the color. One has been fixed already but is still very large. Originally it was 8 in. in diameter and approx. 1 1/2 in. deep. (happened before I owned it, don't look at me)
6. Insurance is cheaper on a newer Bon.
7. I have no prior financial commitments such as college, food, housing, clothing, I can afford to buy a newer car right now.
8. The original plan was I either got the '96 Impala or went home empty handed, I made the mistake of sitting in a post 00 Bonneville and loved it. Made the bigger mistake of driving one, wanted it.

As for West, lmao you shoud see the car parked in there. We have several 00+ Oldsmobile Aleros, 1 2000 Silverado, 1 2004 Silverado, 1 Mack semi truck (student owned/operated), 2 BMWs, a crap load of Chryslers, 1 Focus Mach 3, 1 modified Ford F-150 thats actually really nice, and a handfull of Bonnevilles one of which is a really nice 98 in blue. All of those are student vehicles. Oh yeah, I forgot the 1 C4 Chevy Corvette. My bad.

Hey, don't give up your dream on a '96 Impala SS yet!! There are a few of them still around now, but in a few more years they will be gone or super high-mileage. You can always find another Bonneville when the time comes.