My '92 has 152k miles at the moment. My family'* had it since new. Never touched the engine or tranny. It gets regular maintenance (of course) but has not led the most sheltered life the last 50k or so (the time I've had it). But its still going strong.

If your mom gets a Bonneville make sure it has been maintained. Regular oil and trans fluid changes a must.

I love my '95 SSE, and believe me, I have put it to the test.. Of my 4 years in college at Oswego, I decided to commute my second 2 (2000-2002). I just graduated this May, but up until that point, from when I bought my car in May of '00 to May of this year, I have been driving it roughly 130 miles a day. I take VERY good care of my cars as far as maitneance (look at my engine pics if you dont believe me ), but I also expect ALOT from my cars when driving, and push them to the limit. I bought the car with 75,000 miles and it now has just about 135,000. Granted, its all highway driving, but I drive pretty "agressively" you could say merging, passing, etc... its just about to the floor on a daily basis then of course those 75 to 15 stops at the toll boths. I have had some minor problems, but nothing I consider to be serious.. Brakes, water pump, and front hub assemblies are really all I've done. I had a problem with my heat which involved me removing the dash, but I wouldnt hold that against the bonneville, it was a rare thing. Dont get scared by the pics at the top of my site I'm 6'7" tall, and find the car amazingly comfortable (comfortable enough for me to be in it almost 3 hours day for 2 years) The back seat is a little tight for me being so tall, but A) most people arent 6'7", and B) Although my back seat is small, the only one I've been in thats bigger is a Chevy Tahoe!

Tell her to get a 97+ SSEi.. Series II, 4T65E-HD, Etc.. You cant go wrong.. The 3800 is bulletproof.. When I first got the car I was pulling 28mpg highway with the driving I was doing. A bit less in the summer with the A/C on or if I was driving it aggresively those couple days. With the amount of driving I was doing, I filled it up every 2-3 days or so, and could normally get 350 miles to a tank or so.

Hope this helps! Even if its not a SSEi, at least talk her into getting a Bonneville!!

Well, I hate to be the one with bad news but this has been my experience. I bought mine (preowned 93) in Nov. 94 with 22000 mi on it. NOW I LOVE MY CAR but here is the lowdown (with oil changes every 3,000 mi., along w/ tire rotations. I even balance them once a year, every year)
My problems began in 96. Blew one alternator. Two weeks later, the Right front bearing went. One week later, the car was shifting funny. Took it in. Had to be rebuilt. (only 40,000 mi on the car). One month later the alternator blew, AGAIN.
In 99, the EGR valve went, along with the battery. In the summer of 99, the alternator blew out yet again.
Then in 2000, my tranny went(blew up - I still have the shrapnel) in a parking lot. Apparently, one pin that held a gear was bad. It went and got caught in a gear which at speed (even idle) was enough to blow it. GM did nothing.
I have also replaced the right front knuckle.

I perform all regular main. (30K,60K,90K etc.) and have replaced the rotors once and pads twice.

Currently I have 97,200 mi one my car. I really love it but the repair bill has sworn to imports. (I'd keep my car though)
Sorry you wanted the truth.

I do want the truth, and i was hoping to get the problems on these cars too. So to play the devils advocate, what goes wrong on Bonneville'*? Every car has its problems, so what is it on the Bonneville?

And I did try to get her to consider the SSEi, but the minute she found out that she had to buy the premium gas, there was a definate NO. :(

Alternaters are the worst...about 2 years on an aftermarket one for a life span.
Intake gasket leaks on the Series I'* at the T/B or heads at lower intake sides.
Rear main seals on Series II'*.
Erratic tach display (& some other guages) due to self-loosening cluster connector.
Electric windows failure/nonfailure.
Electric Door Lock Actuators due to worn out bumper kit.
92 -95'* rear trunk leakage from improper seal around back window at bottom.
these are most common problems.

I've had my car for over a year now, and i've HAD to do an oil senor and wiper motor...that'* all that'* 'gone' on me. *knock on wood*
mechanically, I've done spark plug wires, brakes, and oil sensor and of course wiper motor.
I had an 89 bonnie with like 380k on it and i didn't find it bad for valve leaks or alternators. I'd still hve it except the computer went and it wasn't worth buying another one for it.

From my experiences, I have to say that if anything is a weak spot on these cars, i'd have to say it'* fuel pumps and brakes (since they go through so many)

deathrat: is there a fix for the rear trunk leak? i have noticed that my trunk always smells funky...

lee, trying feeling the carpet in the back corners sometime after it rains, like under the jack box.. Mine is always wet do to that leak :( Oh well, I dont really want to put the NEO back there either, I'm thinking maybe glove box..

Same trunk leak here!!

I was worried for a while when I first put my stereo in. But none of the amps or anything ever got wet even after a hard thunderstorm. So I said screw it and let it be!

I have a thick sheat of plywood covered with water-repellent stuff between the amps and very bottom layer of insulation that gets wet, anyway.

No leak here.