Hi all,

I was once a proud owner of an 89 Bonneville I inherited from my grandma. It was totaled years ago and my 99 Oldsmobile Alero just bit the dust. While hunting for new wheels I came across a maroon 2002 Bonneville SE. I got a good deal on it (though it goes away tomorrow), but I'm curious what hasn't changed between 1989 and 2002. Before the 89 ate it there was a lot of rust all around the bottom of the car. I live in an area where snow is a factor for a good chunk of the year and my Alero got nice and rusty over time (a factory defect that you can find on any year of that car. It'* always between the wheel well and the door)/ Granted it'* been 13 years, but do the 2000+ Bonnevilles still have this problem (hell, if it still has a crap cup holder for 13 years then anything is possible)? And are there any other issues with the 02 I should be worried about?

If anyone could provide any answers, that would be awesome. I loved my Bonneville and took it as a sign when the dealer showed the 2002 to me, I just want to be sure it'* a car I can hang on to for 5+ years.

I know of three places on the Bonneville that are common. The first is the gas fill area. Mine is an '03 and I think it is just starting to possibly starting to bubble just below it. I think water can get in there and it doesn't have a great way to get out. Another that may not be common to everyone, but is probably common for those of us in the snow belt is in the bottom rear corner of the rear doors. I get snow/slush that gets in the space between the bottom of the doors and the side cladding. I think the issue is once it gets really cold, that stuff freezes. Then if it gets knocked off just right, it pops the paint off. At least that'* my theory. I've got a spot on both sides down in the corner right where the metal meets the cladding where there is a spot the size of a nickle where the paint has flaked off. I tried touching in up with primer/paint in a spray can but that didn't last. The third area, not even rust, is the hood. If it wasn't primed properly at the factory, the paint starts to release from the Aluminum hood and it bubbles, looking like rust. It will then flake off once it affects a pretty large area. If yours isn't doing it yet, you may be in the clear as I think it normally starts out within the first few years.

Mine 2002 SSEi has rust in two places:

1 The bottom corners inside the rear doors where the slush gathers
2 The underside of my hood by my hood latch

THIS

I have a little (very minute amount easily fixable) bit of rust inside the gas fill area and the rear-left door has a little bit at the bottom rear corner. I also have an 03