I'm having my Bonnie detailed tomorrow morning. I've had it for around 5 years now, and I simply miss that "new car" look that my car had when I got it, even though it was (very slightly) used. I'm using the same detailer that my Pontiac dealer uses. I'm all excited over how good it'* going to look when I get it back. When I was younger, I'd have done it myself. Last detailing I did was my wife'* former car, a 1988 Grand Prix, and I didn't do a good enough job of keeping the electronics in the engine dry, and a week later I had to shuck out around $400 for some new sensors. So now I'm letting someone else do it!

Also, I ordered a new grille, since neighborhood kids ripped off my Pontiac arrow last month. It was expensive ($129.78 after shipping) for a part that is strictly cosmetic, but it just drives me up the wall to not have my car complete. I still can't believe they don't sell just the arrow separately. I checked with local salvage yards and nobody had a grille. :(

Anyway, I can't wait to get it back all nice and shiny! (I'll take some pics.)
-Mark

Sometimes its nice to have someone else do it. Gift Certificates for auto detailers make great XMAS presents also i find!

I do my own detailing most of the time.... the only thing I don't do is shampooing the carpets.

y not merlin???

What type of price range are they detailing it for?

It'* costing me $225 for the whole thing. They're doing the full job inside, outside, and engine. They'll shampoo all the carpets and do the upholstry and well, everything! If I had the entire weekend with nothing to do, I'd do it myself, but these days I'm just much too busy. It should be pretty easy to maintain.

Actually, I decided to have it done after reading how long everyone'* Bonnevilles seem to be lasting on this club. I have 71,000 miles on my 1997 SE, and I see people here with 150,000 and 200,000 and more miles on their cars. At my rate, I'd be looking at 2011 before I hit 140,000 miles, so I figure I might very well have this car for a LONG time!

My wife and I notice that we tend to keep cars for a long time. In 1987 I got a 1978 Bonneville coupe. I officially signed it over to a friend of mine in 2002, so I had it for 15 years. We got my wife a 1988 Grand Prix in 1995, and sold it to another friend just last year, so we had it for 8 years. We got her a sweet 2001 Grand Prix GT.

I'm just hooked on Pontiacs. My first car was a 1974 Ventura coupe with a 350 engine. Since then it'* been Bonnevilles and Grand Prixs for us. (Ok, there was a CRX in there for a couple years, but that'* all, I swear!)

Thats cool, my 97' has close to 150k allready. The engine is holding up strong, cant say the same for the paint though.

yar, my mileage is up there, but yesterday I just noticed another rust bubble just above the front passenger door handle


edit: 396 posts next up, 427... then 454... 502... heh

Got it back and it looks fantastic. Feels just like new. I have one complaint though, whatever dressing they use on the rubber window seals causes my windows to squeak against the seals as I drive. But I can live with that! I might wipe down the window seals with alcohol to see if I can stop the squeaking. Either way, I love how my car looks! I think the "clay bar" that they use on the paint makes a tremendous difference after 5 years.

Very nice! Looking sharp