Hello from Iowa
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Joined: Jun 2010
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Hello from Iowa
Seven years ago, I bought a 1997 Bonneville. The only reason I bought it is because it was cheap, and clean. But I grew to love it (even though my wife hated it) over time.
Last week, a suicidal deer totaled the car, so I was in the market again for another $4000 car that I could drive for another seven years. I posted about the crash, and that I was looking for another car, on my Facebook page, and I got very lucky: a friend told me about a 2002 Bonneville that he had just noticed for sale, in a small town about 50 miles from me. I went, I looked, I bought.
So now I am calling myself a bona fide "Bonneville Guy." I can already envision myself insisting on a third Bonne when this one is used up.
I know I will have some questions about this car, so I decided to register here.
Although I have a bit of mechanical background (I used to be a Harley mechanic), I don't generally do any work on my cars, so I am definitely not a gearhead. I have a mechanic I trust, so I am mostly interested in the more mundane issues of Bonneville ownership (e.g. "WHY is my shoulder belt cutting into my neck and how can I fix it???).
Anyway, just thought I should drop in and say hello. I will eventually post a photo or two of my "new" car. Maybe even some of the wreck (I still have it for the time being). I am a professional photographer, though, so I have to get some GOOD pics first, and have been too busy over the least week to get any.
Last week, a suicidal deer totaled the car, so I was in the market again for another $4000 car that I could drive for another seven years. I posted about the crash, and that I was looking for another car, on my Facebook page, and I got very lucky: a friend told me about a 2002 Bonneville that he had just noticed for sale, in a small town about 50 miles from me. I went, I looked, I bought.
So now I am calling myself a bona fide "Bonneville Guy." I can already envision myself insisting on a third Bonne when this one is used up.
I know I will have some questions about this car, so I decided to register here.
Although I have a bit of mechanical background (I used to be a Harley mechanic), I don't generally do any work on my cars, so I am definitely not a gearhead. I have a mechanic I trust, so I am mostly interested in the more mundane issues of Bonneville ownership (e.g. "WHY is my shoulder belt cutting into my neck and how can I fix it???).
Anyway, just thought I should drop in and say hello. I will eventually post a photo or two of my "new" car. Maybe even some of the wreck (I still have it for the time being). I am a professional photographer, though, so I have to get some GOOD pics first, and have been too busy over the least week to get any.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Posts like a Ricer Type-R
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 10
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Thank you all for the warm welcome. Good to see so many friendly peeps on here, and even one from nearby! I don't get to Davenport much, but now and then....I actually live in West Branch (though I grew up in, and work in Iowa City now), so we're close.
I just got a new lens, and I was outside last night setting up to take pics of both cars to post here. But as soon as I snapped the first pic, my wife drove up with news of a catastrophe in town (collapsed building) that I had to rush out and photograph. So, no photos of the new car yet. Here'* the shot I snapped of the deer-wrecked '97:
As you can see, the deer hit front left....but I still can't figure out the shattered window on the passenger side (I didn't see the impact...my brain lost that moment somehow, haha). Can the airbag deployment break the windshield from the inside?? It'* actually bowed outward; my neighbors were concerned when they saw the car that I had a passenger who head-planted into the windshield.
I just got a new lens, and I was outside last night setting up to take pics of both cars to post here. But as soon as I snapped the first pic, my wife drove up with news of a catastrophe in town (collapsed building) that I had to rush out and photograph. So, no photos of the new car yet. Here'* the shot I snapped of the deer-wrecked '97:
As you can see, the deer hit front left....but I still can't figure out the shattered window on the passenger side (I didn't see the impact...my brain lost that moment somehow, haha). Can the airbag deployment break the windshield from the inside?? It'* actually bowed outward; my neighbors were concerned when they saw the car that I had a passenger who head-planted into the windshield.
