Hey guys, just wanted some opinions. Evidently I have to get the weather seal around the driver door replaced due to some moderate leaking which leads me to the question, Should I take it to a local Pontiac Dealerhsip or try a smaller shop? And for the future, which do you guys recommend in general? I mean, is the extra money for having the vehicle servied at a dealership really worth it? Or should it only be taken to a dealer for certain reasons? Thanks guys.

I'd pop up the stickey at the top of this main page for the 00+ section and read up on the common problems.

90% sure your problem is the weather stripping seal on the door panel plastic. $5 fix

You may be able to do it all yourself by pulling the door panel and just pressing against the seal on the water deflector to reseat it.

As to your Dealer vs. Independant Mechanic question, there are way too many factors involved to give you a black and white answer, IMO.

One factor has to do with the level of honesty and competence that each has.

Your Pontiac Dealer MAY have more experience with Bonneville/3800 specific problems and therefore MAY be your better choice (again, depending upon their level of competence and reputation for honest work).

On the other hand, the labor charges for a typical dealership can be WAY too high for simpler repairs, partially due to standard labor charge books.

You really have to be the one who decides, based on some research or personal experience with the availble choices in your market.

The best bet is to start doing some of it on your own. It makes for a fun hobby...sometimes...

The problem is I just don't have like a good trusted mechanic friend. And I have been screwed over before by dealerships, but I better not name any names (FERMAN NISSAN ON FLETCHER AVENUE IN TAMPA, FLORIDA - YOU HAVE BEEN CAUTIONED.) Anyways, there is a Pontiac/GMC/Buick nearby. I might give them at least a try and see what happens. I don't suppose anyone knows anything about Century AutoGroup in Tampa, Florida?

Unfortunately I don't know about Century AutoGroup or any other place in Tampa, but I will suggest this...

Before you take it in, ask as many questions as is possible here and print out the good answers. The best defense here is a better knowledge of what you are facing and expected/average costs for certain repairs. It MAY save you money or keep you from being taken advantage of.