Hey everyone,

Well I just thought I would say hi, being I have spent some time on here and now just registered because I am considering getting either a 2000-2003 Bonneville SLE or SSEI next summer.

I currently have a 99 Trans Am with 41k miles on the clock, but I am now on my fourth year of college and am going to be studying abroad this next semester so I am going to be short on cash and still owe some money on the T/A. It is sad, but I may have to sell her and get something for around $8-9k so I am out of debt and can put some money into savings etc, and I have decided that if I am to do that I would like to get a Bonneville, being IMO it is the nicest of the GM cars that I personally like and would also fit my budget. I am going to test drive several today to make sure that if I am to sell, that is the car I want to get, so hopefully I am happy with the test drives

Would you all say the Bonne should be a good car? I wanted something that was a 4door but also still sporty and with the 3800 motor (Great motor IMO) and I don't care for the Grand Prix'* or the Impalas, and the Montes I like (I have owned one before the T/A, but they don't come in 4 door obviously lol) I guess I will see after I drive a few today haha.

I hope these forums will be as helpful to me as LS1tech.com was in making decisions and helping me through issues I may have with the car if I do end up getting one.

I look forward to learning about these cars and getting to know all of you!

oh oh go for the ssei.... and hello welcome to the board. if the guys here dont help you. your dead and never read thier replys

Welcome to the Bonneville Club. There are lots of friendly, helpful people here. I'd suggest that you read the stickies at the top of the 2000 - 2005 section, and browse through the techinfo articles, also. Leaving the Trans Am, you probably would prefer the SSEi over the SLE - if it fits into your budget.

Welcome............

Being that you're used to being able to get out of your own way,I'd go with the SSEi.
There'* plenty ya can do to make it even quicker that it is already

BTW.....................

Nice lookin' T/A

I'll trade ya


Welcome to BC

Haha, thanks for all the warm welcomes!

Ya I am going to be test driving a SSEI and an SE (to see how the regular 3800 feels in this care compared to the L67) I had a 3800 Monte before the Trans Am and I loved the motor, but the Bonne is a heavier car so I may just have to go with the L67 for that extra oomph lol.

I have actually read through several of the stickies as I know that is where the most important information can be found, and I actually have found some great information so I guess those stickies have been helpful!

Thanks for the compliments on the car too, I sure don't want to sell it, but if it comes down to it, at least I can get into something nice like a bonneville, but I still am not sure on what I will buy if I sell the T/A, but I am definately leaning towards the Bon.

Look,he wants something fast

Well I just got doen test driving both of the cars. Here are my impressions:

Test drove the SSEI first, it was a 2002 with 76k miles i beleive. at an idle the car was kind of loud, had some squeks comming from the engine etc.. On the test drive there was a lot of wind noise and the engine made a lot of uneccessary noise (not the supercharger, that is a good noise lol) The car drove good and I liked the interior but I wasn't impressed with the amount of engine, road, and wind noise.

Next I drove a 2001 SE with 83k miles. From startup this car was so damn quite, I was like wow, I am glad I drove a second one because that first one must have gave me a bad impression of these cars. This car drove down the road so damn quite and had almost no wind noise, and no engine clatter etc... I didnt like the car though because it was the base model with the bench seat and ugly pattern cloth, with the column shifter. I felt like I was driving an old person'* car, when I want to feel like it is somewhat sporty. So I decided I definately need the SLE or a SSEIwith all the options because it looks more sporty and the interior is much better.

My questions I guess now are: Was the SSEI I drove not in the best shape, or do all the supercharged cars have a lot of unecessary engine noise other than the supercharger? Also why did that car go down the road some much louder and the wind noise was so much more than the second car I drove?

Overall I like the cars, but definately would need one that was loaded like the SSEI but drives as quite as the SE I drove.

Hopefully not all the SSEI Bonnevilles are that bad.

Your car should be a lot quicker than that.

Better get a SSEi.