Once my Monte Carlo is paid off, I need a more family-oriented sedan to add to the fleet to accomodate my newborn son, and to garage the Monte during the winter.

I was considering the later model (2004, 2005) Pontiac Bonnevilles, but I've been hearing a bit of a rap-sheet on the GXP models, and I was hoping for a little more "oomph" than the Series II 3.8 N/A that comes in the SE and SLE models, and the Supercharged 3.8L SSEi from 2003 doesn't carry the styling I'm looking for. I believe the styling on the Bonny GXP and SLE are slick as **** and you can get them from anywhere around $8,000 with 50k miles.

Anybody here have any thoughts about complimenting the MC with the Bonneville, experience working / driving with them, knowledge of issues,etc.?

The main beefs I heard about the GXP were about the Northstar motor eating oil and gas, blown head gaskets, overly compplicated motor, and for bonnevilles in general: water leaks, "eating transmissions for breakfast", a weird 'shimmy' that happens between 65 and 72mph that cannot be fixed, rear doors being sand-blasted by debris from the front wheels...

Can anybody substantiate the above problems?

 

Hi Member (no name in your profile)

Below is a site I use to check on different Brands/models.
I hope it helps you...
It contains a lot of good infor + reliability reports + consumer reports.

View more photos

9.5

user rating

• Read User Reviews
• Expert Rating:

• 
  
  7.0
  
• Write a Review

Blue Book® Suggested Retail Value
$5,075 - $7,683

• ALL MODEL YEARS
• OVERVIEW
• PRICES
• SPECS & FEATURES
• PICTURES & VIDEOS
• R

• 2005 Pontiac Bonneville Detailed Pricing and Specifications - MSN ... <Click Here for Site
  
  autos.msn.com/research/.../overview.aspx?...pontiac...bonneville...2005‎
  
  
  
  
  Read reviews of the Pontiac Bonneville, browse used car listings from Auto Trader. Get used car prices from Kelley Blue Book. View specs, pictures, and more.
  
  

 

I like the Bonneville's they are a sweet rare car. However the northstars have not been the bullet proof engines like the 3800's or ls series. Iv heard a lot about eating oil but none of the other issues. Its not a low maintenance car as far as I'm concerned but they are generally reliable. Ever considered maybe a G8? A little more expensive but will satisfy your need for power and your want for more room.

 

I too like the Bonnies, they are nice cars, good stance, aggressive look and nice ride/handling. As for the N* engine, I haven't followed them much. I know there are earlier N* that had some issues but I thought I heard at a certain point GM improved on the design and ended some of those problems.

If you are looking at a Bonnie with a N*, perhaps check a forum like PontiacBonnevilleClub.com or hit a Caddy forum and see what people are saying about that N* engine.

Best of luck on deciding what to go after.

 

In 2004 they redid the N* for better reliability, so you are safer with that 2005.

 

I've been doing a lot of reading on the Northstar engine and good god, it scares me. I could take one or two bad reviews and brutal beatings against it, but more people say "run away" than even "It's ok" more or less "It's reliable". Granted, a lot of these bashings are from pre-2004 Northstars before the headgasket "fix", but at any rate, it sounds like it should just be avoided all together.

What I think I will do instead is get the Bonneville SLE with the Series II 3800, make it my daily. The SLE has the style I'm looking for and the powerplant I trust. At the same time, I could try taking my hand at super/turbocharging the Monte. If I'm successful, I can apply the same do-up to the Bonnie and have the over-all style, utility, and power that I'm looking for.

 

A real good buddy of mine has a 03 bonnie ssei he has done some little visual mods (lowered etc) it is an intercooled gen v setup on rockers. Stock bottom end stock heads stock cam with a built trans and he is making 326whp and runs 12.60 on the 1/4 mile. Its a beautiful car. Don't know much about the northstar other than its nickname is the deathstar, Heard there nothing but issues.

 

^ You are wise for doing your homework instead of getting something & finding 'out that it has a bad history & problems.

Thanks for your reply & to the member's that posted some good advice. Good Luck on finding what you want & can enjoy.

 

in case anybody was curious about the Northstar problems, this forum spelled it all out very clearly with multiple 1st-hand accounts of failures:

4.6 V8 Issues?

 

Hey, well I learned why my old saturn 1.9L burns oil to this day haha.