I worked the assembly line that built these Pontiac Bonneville's. Loved all the gadgets on this car They were very fast and solid. Seen every color. I wanted a Bonneville but couldn't afford one raising a young family. We built great cars.
My female cousin had one, I loved it but it didn't survive very long from what I recall (we lived about 70 miles from each other & didn't keep in close contact) from her really long commutes back & forth to work & wasn't known for not maintaining her cars. Didn't the Bonneville's have a ton of electrical issues? Don't see any to speak of these days unlike the Buick Le Sabre where you seem them everywhere! I think GM/Pontiac tried to do too much as far as gizmos were concerned & bit off more than they could chew. KISS=Keep It Simple Stupid Is A Motto Every Car Manufacture Should Live By.
Pure passion. He is giddy, a true car guy. Most find 90s GM boring, but not him. I was a teenager and in my 20s in the 90s. So these cars are time machines for me, and i just love em. I just bought a gen 4 camaro, its a one owner RS, a lady that changed nothing and garaged it, upholstery is mint! 90s fabric design. I am 20 years younger when i 😂drive it.
Exactly! And a beautiful 90s car like this still in mint condition rarely driven and garaged all its life you will want to treat like a classic and only drive on special occasions in decent weather otherwise keep it garaged like you would any other classic
@@jamesterakazis6624 Taupe is the color you would find on quite a few cars sold in the US at the time, not the least on Honda. It's an awful "color," but was very popular with the buying public. Kind of like everything else sold in Home Depot.
I had one of those, 1998 in black SSEi, grey leather interior, every option. What a great touring car. Quick and still got over 33MPG on the highway. Those front seats had more adjustments than any other car I’ve seen. Thanks for the flashback.
I have a 22 Stinger, 4 banger with small turbo. If I stay out of it I can get 21.6 mixed highway and in town. That's in eco mode with engine stopping at red lights. I don't understand how the older GM 3800 can get better mileage than these newer direct inject 4 bangers. I guess that's not entirely true, the non-turbo Forte can hit 40 on the highway but still.
@@EyePatchGuy88 I think that turbo 2.5 in the stinger makes 300hp and 311lb-ft or torque. That is more than enough power even though it is a heavier car. There is an optional turbo 6 cylinder as well. Turbo 6 is rated at 17city 24 highway and turbo 4 is rated 22 city and 32 highway. From my personal experience, though, turbo 4s, both auto and manual, tend to not get the mileage they claim. Seems to float around the low 20s combined like he says.
I had one of these in high school and college. The engine in the car lasted 275,000 miles. The other components went first. Really fun car when it was newer.
Yes I had a 98 Buick Regal with the same engine as this one. It had 230,000 got rid of it because tranny failed for what was to be the last straw...even then the motor was still strong...GM built very good vehicles in this era.
@@RobertNES816 I did sparkplugs on a 11’ Ford Fusion V6. What should have been an hour job turned into a whole afternoon of expletives being yelled and DIY videos to get to those rear plugs.
I went went looking for the Impala SS. Dealer said try this one, the Pontiac ssei,I rejected it but sat in it.the seat (lumbar settings) hit the mark. It was meant for me.and when I put my hand on the shifter, it was meant for me. When I hit the gas I was sold. Especially cause it was a fully loaded family car and yet it had the power to move. What I really loved about it was when your merging onto a highway, it leaned into the merging curve and sat down low automatically. It was bad ass. When she was done I wanted another one cause she was all that
This brings back some very special memories for me. I was in Chicago and getting ready to return home on 9/11. As I got out of the shower, I saw the first tower collapse. Then the second and all planes were grounded or faced being shot down. I had to get back home because I knew I’d be going to NY. I tried getting onto the train, to no avail. A day or two later, one of the car rental companies decided to waive drop off fees, which can be pretty expensive. So, I rented a car online and took the El to Midway Airport. Just as I was getting there, they decided to once again close the airport. I literally slid under a closing gate and made it into the airport. There, I met a couple of real unhappy Chicago PD members who wanted to know, why I was there. I’m told them, I was trying to pickup a rental and to get up to NY. They sent me upstairs to the garage and told me there was someone there who could help. Wrong, nobody there. So, I found some keys and the first car to chirp when I clicked the fob was a metallic red bonneville SSEi. Off I went. I got stopped once as I was entering Indiana doing a little north of 100. I politely told the officer where I was headed and he said have. Nice day and off I went. The car handled really quite well for being so big and was obviously fast as well. The switchgear was designed by PlaySchool but it worked well enough. Later that same day, I arrived at Philadelphia airport and I returned the car to where it was supposed to be. It required quite a bit of explanation and I spoke to several managers explaining what I did. I finally paid what I owed them and off I went. I went to NY a couple days later and that’s a whole other story.
Eh, debatable. Yup, this and the Grand Prix were good but my GOD did they produce some s***boxes during the 90s. Grand Am and the Sunbird were two prime examples. My family had both back then and every two weeks there was something wrong with one of them. Interior plastics were hot garbage and they rusted out so quickly just by looking at them the wrong way. GM had some great SUVs/Trucks during that time period, but they also produced some grade A junk.
My grandfather worked at GM and said it was their best car. He owned a regular Bonneville with the 3800; he said the car was close to bulletproof. The SSEi styling was cartoonish IMHO; Pontiac should have taken some Euro design clues and would have had a world-class car.
Going to the Pontiac dealership in 1997 was like watching HBO after midnight when I was 14, I thought everything in the showroom was like sex on wheels as a kid. I LOVED the new "widetrack" Pontiac Grand Prix when it came out that year, I thought that thing looked cool as hell back then.
I looked forward to the GXP concept. We got this which was 80%. The real fail was the Sunfire that in concept form was SEXY. When it came to production, total BONER KILL.
My younger brother had a 97 Prix and he was working out of town while his basement level garage flooded. The water came up to the steering wheel and considered totalled. He replaced it with a Nissan maxima.
I had a White 2 door '97 Grand Prix GT. I remember opening both doors and measuring the total width at 13½ feet! It had the 3.8 Series II. Great engine! The car would have been great if not for the weight, and in my case, the trans. It cost me, I think, $4500 to get it replaced.
I had the same kind of feeling back in 1997 at 19 when I drove my stepdads 1988 Grand Prix. I don't know why but it felt like a car a pornstar would drive I know it sounds weird but that's what I thought at the time and really got me fascinated with anything Pontiac since my real dad loved them too.
I've always liked the 9th gen Bonnevilles. I recently acquired a one owner, local example 1999 SSEi myself. It's by far one of my favorite cars I've owned.
This car is so mint dude it looks like the previous owner bought it brand new off the assembly line and put it up in a garage and never drove it at all during its lifespan. Theres not a doubt that this car needs to be on Jay Lenos
You got a good one. 1999 was the best year for this generation, they fixed all the electrical issues and mechanical issues the older ones had. 1995 was also a good year to, last year for the series 1 3800.
I actually owned an identical car, a white '98 SSE I sold 12 years ago. I've regretted selling it every damn one of those years too. Phenomenal road car, 2nd to none for grinding up the interstate. 3800 series 2 is the most reliable engine GM ever made
Was a nice car back in the day, even with all the cladding. My favorite combo at that time was dark green with tan leather and gold badging the Pontiac O.G. circa '92.
My first new car when I was 20 years old was a 1996 Bonneville SSEi, black outside, black leather inside, tinted windows, torque star rims. Got a lot of speeding tickets. She took a licking and kept on ticking. Everyone was impressed with the 9 two-position seat adjustment buttons. The Delco radio was supposed to be "premium" and had this slider bar at the base of the center stack for bass level adjustment. It was wired to a separate amp channel which fed a secondary connection to the voice coils on the rear speakers - to send more bass signal to them (or less). Novel idea, but a fail. The Delco radio came out a month into ownership and in went a Pioneer din and a half CD head unit + Pioneer 6x9s and MTX box in the trunk with Kenwood amps. Great car, good times.
I have owned two of these. One 95 SSEI & a 1998 SSEi . Of the 35+ cars I have owned over the years, these were my favourites! They drove/ handled like sports cars with the air ride suspension. The 98 had the most comfortable leather seats I have ever sat in. Very reliable car and fast! I would love to buy another but I don't see any of these on the road anymore.
We had a '92 '97 and our baby was a '96 BONNEVILLE SSE! 15yrs of owning and 15 yrs of love and fun we only put about $5,000 in her! I would do anything to have her back!! Enjoy your SSEI she is a beautiful car!!! Plus she gave us 500 to 550 miles to a tank ful.. that kit started with the '85 6000 STE. The series 2 motor started in 1995
It's always a joy to watch Bill's videos, his rant is the thing that make these videos so damn entertaining, and for a weird 21 year old who love old cars, movies even old songs, these videos always have the things I want!
Still drive my 95 Bonneville SSEI 390 miles last week. People comment on it where ever I go, blows minds when they see the supercharger and electric antenna lol
@@notsogrand2837 yeah true. Imagine if the Lumina came with the 3800 SC? Would've been an awesome sleeper. Or maybe a Z34 coupe Lumina like the first generation.
@@RobertNES816 A Z34 for the second generation Lumina with the 3800SC would've been awesome. The downfall of the Z34 was the engine that just couldn't seem to hold itself together.
@@notsogrand2837 I know I had a 93 GTP. The car leaked oil from every gasket when I got it. The oil got into every senor connector and caused all sorts of issues. Took me a few months a about $800 to make my LQ1 to run right. After that is wasn't too bad. Decent power and kind of a unique sound for a GM V6.
Yes! Love seeing one of these pop up, especially in such good shape. I don't think anyone who watches this channel will argue with the notion that the rwd full size GM cars were better, but these front drivers were also quite good in their own right.
Bill keep the videos coming. Don’t mind if the videos are too “long” if anything we all should be sipping whiskey and listening to your through reviews. Thanks for the time warp to my teenage years. Have a good weekend .
I knew someone back in the day had a 1995 Pontiac Bonneville SSEi white and I fell in love with it myself. Driving it was sporty & luxury all at the same time. I’m in the market of 1990s vehicle, a 1995 Lincoln Mark VIII and now this. Beautiful car. I learned to drive at age 10 in a 1976 or 77 Pontiac Grand Prix. GM should’ve rid Chevy instead. Thanks Bill!
Had a '98 SSE. I loved that car. 9 way power seats stuffed like a recliner and heads up display. It was a highway monster. Would love another one if I could find one this clean.
I was 23 yrs old in 2003 when I purchase the 1997 Pontiac Bonneville SSEi Supercharged, my first american full size luxury car with a sporty touch. I fell in love with this car and paid $10,500 with 141,000 miles great times and great car.
I might be tempted to go to dinner with the guy who kept this beaut nice SPECIFICALLY to see his cut-off foot collection. Is that wrong?😂 Another great one, Bill!
Dad had a 94 ssei that was a wonderful car like this is. His buddy who worked at GM put an upgraded stereo and smaller supercharger pulley on it for him as well. Car was quick, reliable and comfortable. That charger whine was music to my ears. Well over 200k and she didn't skip a beat.
More than one got their hind ends handed to them when they tried to hang with one of these very underappreciated and in general unknown as a performance sedan Pontiacs.
I absolutely love these and remember when they were all new LOL. Proudly still rocking an l67 supercharged 3800 today in my 2004 Dale Jr supercharged Monte Carlo SS
@gkrebs6636 honestly being a mechanic all the ones that I have bought had cooling system issues when I bought them because the morons didn't run Dex Cool and use green universal so of course I would always do a lower intake gasket and flush everything real good change the water pump out change the coolant elbows with the dormen aluminum ones they're only 20 bucks for both but other than issues caused by previous owner neglect every one of them has been impeccable and very fun and I have loved everyone I've owned. I will never get rid of my supercharged Dale Jr Monte SS L67. In my 31 years of being a mechanic I have never found a better engine than the 3800 V6 honestly the only one even coming close would be the Chevy 350 small block
Man Bill, that car is hot! It has everything and so many options a head of its time. I had a 96 Buick Park Ave Ultra with that series II supercharge engine & loved it. Good highway cruiser with decent fuel mileage as well. Cheers!
@@gregholman2930 I own a 1993 Buick Park Avenue, I bought it from an elderly guy...3800V6 is consistently touted as being the best engine GM offered at the time...I expect to go at least 200,000 miles without serious trouble...Have 140,000 on it now..the car is in much better shape than I am!
@@curbozerboomer1773 I have a 2000 Le Sabre Limited with 129K miles that I bought 13 months ago and it was a one owner that had been serviced at my local dealership regularly. Paid $2500 and it's been gr8 except for two expensive problems (actually three), the first few days noticed oil underneath on the ground & was told it needed a new oil pan, $400. Next day i still noticed oil on the ground & returned to the dealer who inspected & determined the rear main seal is leaking & they wanted $1400. Then my turning signals stopped functioning & was told my signal switch needs to be replaced which is another $800-1000 for the part & labor, apparently the switch is behind the center console! So I'm driving not having fixed those items not to mention a small transmission leak & Rack & Pinion leak.😱😫
I had a Pontiac GTP snd my buddy had one of these in high school and I’m telling you you would not believe how fast that Bonneville was and I really wish every car still had the heads up display on the windshield it was the best thing in the world
I really liked the looks of the 8th gen Bonneville as well. I had an opportunity to buy a 1988 Bonneville SSE years ago but passed on it. I should've done it. By the way Bill, Oldsmobile was done in 2004.
I had a 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP with the 3.8 Supercharged engine. It was amazing how fast it was. You could be going 60mph and jump on it and it would just take off. I really miss that car and it’s performance. Pontiac……gone, but not forgotten.
Only problem is they're front wheel drive, here in Australia we have this same motor in our Holden Commodores, but ours are rear wheel drive. And they also came with a LSD diff and you could do the best burnouts and fish tales down the road.
My friends mom had one fully optioned identical to the one @12:43 in the 90's. I believe it was a '94. She was a "cool" mom, that sort of went off the deep end after her divorce and she'd drive us around, let us party(great stereo)in it, take us wherever we wanted to go.. it was a fun car, super comfortable and flat out hauled ass despite feeling like a barge. We weren't obnoxious and we never burned it up or spilled anything that's why she was cool with us. Such a great example, just beautiful. I like those wheels, those look the best.
I never knew that this car existed before seeing this video and I’m absolutely blown away! Incredible technology that I had no idea GM offered at the time such as the variable suspension, air compressor, and head up display. Makes my ‘99 Fleetwood Limited seem like a low end Chevy compared to this lol. Thanks for the video, Bill!
My aunt had a 88 SSE and I had a 90 SSE fully loaded love that car, can’t find one today would buy it and restore it man that car was ahead of it’s time….
Posh was my favorite spice girl. Had a Black 97 Bonneville SSEi and really liked it. Was surprised when it got beat by a 96 Nissan Maxima with a five speed. Fun car and very comfortable..
This looks heads and shoulders above the quality of my mom's T6000 from 10 years earlier. The instrumentation looks like it came from a totally different company. Engine sounds impressive.
These were actually one of the coolest cars of the 90s I remember trying to find a good one back in the day and it was impossible to find one that wasn't beat to hell. Keep up the good work Bill I enjoy watching these videos as much as you like making them.
Hey Bill, great Pontiac!!! From the late fifties thru the mid seventies my grandfather got a new Bonneville every 2 or 3 years, he had some great cars!!! Be cautious of those killer birds that are out to get you!!! I think I'll have some coronavirus whiskey to help celebrate this lovely Pontiac!!! 👍👍🥃
I had a 1998 Bonneville SE. It was pretty loaded for a base model, had the 16” wheels and handling suspension, power seats both sides, a sunroof, CD player with Bose, full gauge package, power trunk. It was a deep blue with a camel interior. 29-30 MPG on the highway, comfortable ride, seats, yet still was reasonably responsive handling wise. Really nice car.
I was very impressed with this car when it came out and thought GM had done an excellent job. Beats the hell out of the imports of the day when you compare the cost.
Really enjoyed this video. This really brought back memories. I had a 96 SSEi in teal metallic with the teal leather and 3 spoke wheels that I bought new. I loved that car. I traded it for a GTP in 05. I really liked that Grand Prix but not as much as the SSEI. Pontiac had some great cars. I’m still tooling around in an 01 WS6 on the weekends.
I loooove this car. We had 2 in white and hunter Green with ran leather bigg quick spaceship like interior design. GM does the best interior gauges of this error
Nice flashback on the night drive. Liked mine though developed some electrical issues with the gauges dying off. the Simple HUD should be in every vehicle as a safety feature.
I always liked the red gauges in Pontiacs! I briefly had one of the last-gen Bonnies (‘04) it was beautiful and comfortable to drive but, sadly, it was a text book “lemon” - I got rid of it long before the warranty expired.
@@gregholman2930 It's their target market - the same car as a Buick was bought by little old ladies and driven to church and the grocery store - Pontiac buyers were younger and most likely to be doing burnouts in the parking lot.
That Buick 3.8 was one of the most bulletproof engines ever made, supercharged or not. It might not be the most powerful engine out there, but it’ll run forever if given the most basic of maintenance. I also crack up every time Bill bitches about the weather in these videos.
Bill glad to see you got the heads up display working ask me how I know... I've seen this car in person It shows like a 5,000 mile car it's truly stunning
Love the video Bill! You found yet another car I have a personal connection to: Years ago I picked up a '96 SSEi, in white, and your review immediately brought back fond memories. Unlike your stunning example, I had somewhat of a unicorn... SSEi badging and body kit aside, you'd have been hard pressed to tell my particular example apart from a standard SE. It had TEAL cloth interior, no adjustable suspension, no multi-way seats, no sunroof. Nothing. It even had the standard 5 spoke SE wheels. All verified via the RPO label. This was back when you could both order a fully loaded supercharged SE, or a completely stripped down SSEi. Oh, those were the days!
I knew they were kind of trashy, but I still wanted one. I had a long term rental without the supercharged 3.8, car just had stout torque. Just a way more fun car than say a Ford Taurus. I liked the lines on them and there were several cars in the 90's that GM made that I thought were great cars. Now GM is Chinese garbage.
I had one, loved it, it was like my first "nice" car I bought, after many beaters in HS and college. I bought it in 2003 when I was 20 years old, and it was a 92, so definitely wasn't new, but at the time, to me, it felt like a new car. It wowed me with all the cool options like head up display and those awesome seats with all the adjustments, to the very premium factory radio with the bass Booster adjustment slide and buttons for the radio on the steering wheel! Believe me at that time it was a pretty big deal. I drove it for about 12 years until the rust finally took over and made it unsafe to drive.( I live in WI the rust belt). I ended up exploding the transmission all over the road one day, and found a used transmission and installed it. Drove it 2 more years after that and 4 gear/ OD lock up stopped working with that and the rust damage, I drove it into the local Auto recyclers. Surprisingly it still looked pretty good despite the major rust problems cause of all that excessive plastic body cladding. I think it had around 270k miles at the end.
Fantastic video; growing up my old man owned a 9th gen, and moved onto a gen 10 which I ended up buying from him for my first car. If I could go back in time I would’ve made sure he kept his gen 9. We both thoroughly enjoyed this video and it’s a mission of ours to restore one and appreciate it for as long as we both live. Truly was the best sedan of the 90s.
Bill- would you mind turning on the headlights Or at least parking lights to illuminate the instrument panel and gauges? Keep up the great work and thanks for the memories (Class of 84)👍
My grand mother had this car and at 1:27 you can hear the air pump kick in from the rear socks lol wow memories. Also these cars had the best air conditioning too.
Ah, 1997, the year I was born! Loved the humorous re-cap of the year at the beginning, and of course the humorous and informative video overall! You're becoming my new favorite car review channel! Keep it up! Thank you.
These videos are so much more than car reviews! We get weather updates, animal warnings, reports on Dalton’s work, health updates that put the CDC to shame, and outstanding car reviews!
I worked the assembly line that built these Pontiac Bonneville's. Loved all the gadgets on this car They were very fast and solid. Seen every color. I wanted a Bonneville but couldn't afford one raising a young family. We built great cars.
My female cousin had one, I loved it but it didn't survive very long from what I recall (we lived about 70 miles from each other & didn't keep in close contact) from her really long commutes back & forth to work & wasn't known for not maintaining her cars. Didn't the Bonneville's have a ton of electrical issues? Don't see any to speak of these days unlike the Buick Le Sabre where you seem them everywhere! I think GM/Pontiac tried to do too much as far as gizmos were concerned & bit off more than they could chew. KISS=Keep It Simple Stupid Is A Motto Every Car Manufacture Should Live By.
@@gregholman2930 I was at Lake Orion as well.
Where was it built? Willow Run
@@deanwilliams534 GM Lake Orion assembly plant
I like Pontiac better than Toyota
This guy is hands down one of the best car reviewers on this whole platform
Pure passion. He is giddy, a true car guy. Most find 90s GM boring, but not him. I was a teenager and in my 20s in the 90s. So these cars are time machines for me, and i just love em. I just bought a gen 4 camaro, its a one owner RS, a lady that changed nothing and garaged it, upholstery is mint! 90s fabric design. I am 20 years younger when i 😂drive it.
Such a beautiful car. We did not realize how good we had it in the 90s...
I know. To me, the '90s were as modern as I want a car to be. Even Mercedes was still rock-solid back then.
Too much plastic crap inside on the dash, the doors, etc.....when TAUPE was GM's go to color...UGH
@@jamesterakazis6624 heck no..that displeasure belonged to the sea foam green and Bordeaux red...yaaaack
Exactly! And a beautiful 90s car like this still in mint condition rarely driven and garaged all its life you will want to treat like a classic and only drive on special occasions in decent weather otherwise keep it garaged like you would any other classic
@@jamesterakazis6624 Taupe is the color you would find on quite a few cars sold in the US at the time, not the least on Honda. It's an awful "color," but was very popular with the buying public. Kind of like everything else sold in Home Depot.
I had one of those, 1998 in black SSEi, grey leather interior, every option. What a great touring car. Quick and still got over 33MPG on the highway. Those front seats had more adjustments than any other car I’ve seen. Thanks for the flashback.
I have a 22 Stinger, 4 banger with small turbo. If I stay out of it I can get 21.6 mixed highway and in town. That's in eco mode with engine stopping at red lights. I don't understand how the older GM 3800 can get better mileage than these newer direct inject 4 bangers. I guess that's not entirely true, the non-turbo Forte can hit 40 on the highway but still.
@@danwake4431 Kia Stinger weighs more than this Bonneville
@@djncrti2860 - a car as big as a Kia Stinger needs a 6 cylinder minimum.
@@EyePatchGuy88 I think that turbo 2.5 in the stinger makes 300hp and 311lb-ft or torque. That is more than enough power even though it is a heavier car. There is an optional turbo 6 cylinder as well. Turbo 6 is rated at 17city 24 highway and turbo 4 is rated 22 city and 32 highway.
From my personal experience, though, turbo 4s, both auto and manual, tend to not get the mileage they claim. Seems to float around the low 20s combined like he says.
@@EyePatchGuy88 BAM!
I had one of these in high school and college. The engine in the car lasted 275,000 miles. The other components went first. Really fun car when it was newer.
Oh I believe it. So much to fail. As typical, the drivetrain does ok. The rest. Well. Lol
That engine was bulletproof!
The 3800 is one of the most reliable V6 motors ever made without a doubt.
Yes I had a 98 Buick Regal with the same engine as this one. It had 230,000 got rid of it because tranny failed for what was to be the last straw...even then the motor was still strong...GM built very good vehicles in this era.
@@thecman26
Only when they didn't run hot.
Some of the most comfortable seats ever made. I rented one for a trip and loved it.
My brother-in-law had one. When I drove it, the seat comfort was the fist thing I noticed. Second was that it really had some balls.
The hug button is like no other
and GM's air conditioning..... a true Godsend during Florida summers
GM had some really comfortable seats back in the day, too bad the rest of the interior was so cheap.
Just what I needed, I was actually bored shìtless looking for something to watch, then Bill drops another video, let the good times roll.
I actually have genuine Paulie Walnuts hair.
I bet Jay Leno would buy this very rare car in a heartbeat
Ride the painted pony, let the spinning wheel glide.
I had one of these SSEi cars in Japan while I was in the military. The looks I got were crazy. I love this car.
I loved this generation of the Bonneville. It was good looking car
And was better than what replaced it, 2000-2005.
Such a good engine, the 3800. One of the best engines that GM was using at the time. Serviceability is so impressive for a transverse mounted V6.
Yup! On the Bonneville you could easily get to the back spark plugs!
@@RobertNES816 I did sparkplugs on a 11’ Ford Fusion V6. What should have been an hour job turned into a whole afternoon of expletives being yelled and DIY videos to get to those rear plugs.
I can imagine lol.
I went went looking for the Impala SS. Dealer said try this one, the Pontiac ssei,I rejected it but sat in it.the seat (lumbar settings) hit the mark. It was meant for me.and when I put my hand on the shifter, it was meant for me. When I hit the gas I was sold. Especially cause it was a fully loaded family car and yet it had the power to move. What I really loved about it was when your merging onto a highway, it leaned into the merging curve and sat down low automatically. It was bad ass. When she was done I wanted another one cause she was all that
@@bcruz3263here in Australia we have this same motor in our Holden Commodores, but ours are rear wheel drive.
When i was a child and early teens this car was the business. I absolutely love the red lighting at night
In the heat uh duh NIGHT!!! Baby!!!
This brings back some very special memories for me. I was in Chicago and getting ready to return home on 9/11. As I got out of the shower, I saw the first tower collapse. Then the second and all planes were grounded or faced being shot down. I had to get back home because I knew I’d be going to NY. I tried getting onto the train, to no avail. A day or two later, one of the car rental companies decided to waive drop off fees, which can be pretty expensive. So, I rented a car online and took the El to Midway Airport. Just as I was getting there, they decided to once again close the airport. I literally slid under a closing gate and made it into the airport. There, I met a couple of real unhappy Chicago PD members who wanted to know, why I was there. I’m told them, I was trying to pickup a rental and to get up to NY. They sent me upstairs to the garage and told me there was someone there who could help. Wrong, nobody there. So, I found some keys and the first car to chirp when I clicked the fob was a metallic red bonneville SSEi. Off I went. I got stopped once as I was entering Indiana doing a little north of 100. I politely told the officer where I was headed and he said have. Nice day and off I went. The car handled really quite well for being so big and was obviously fast as well. The switchgear was designed by PlaySchool but it worked well enough. Later that same day, I arrived at Philadelphia airport and I returned the car to where it was supposed to be. It required quite a bit of explanation and I spoke to several managers explaining what I did. I finally paid what I owed them and off I went. I went to NY a couple days later and that’s a whole other story.
I bought a new Bonneville in 1998, never had one problem with it !!!
Pontiac really did put forth a good effort in the 1990's, especially with the 1997 Grand Prix and this generation of Bonneville.
Can’t think a better domestic sports sedan in the same time period … SHO Taurus was slow, dodge intrepid was slow, Monte Carlo was slow
Eh, debatable. Yup, this and the Grand Prix were good but my GOD did they produce some s***boxes during the 90s. Grand Am and the Sunbird were two prime examples. My family had both back then and every two weeks there was something wrong with one of them. Interior plastics were hot garbage and they rusted out so quickly just by looking at them the wrong way. GM had some great SUVs/Trucks during that time period, but they also produced some grade A junk.
I had a 97' GTP Grand Prix 4dr in 98' what a great car for me and it was fast and very reliable.
@@brucehamilton9737 the only downfall of W body, they rotted out. the 3800 is a rock solid engine, i still have a 97 SE grand prix with the L36 3800
@@CPAJayhawk to be fair, the monte carlo could be had with this same engine/transmission
My grandfather worked at GM and said it was their best car. He owned a regular Bonneville with the 3800; he said the car was close to bulletproof. The SSEi styling was cartoonish IMHO; Pontiac should have taken some Euro design clues and would have had a world-class car.
Best looking GM car of its time With the 3800 engine. Electrical always sucked on GM cars but, man, what a beautiful car.
Going to the Pontiac dealership in 1997 was like watching HBO after midnight when I was 14, I thought everything in the showroom was like sex on wheels as a kid. I LOVED the new "widetrack" Pontiac Grand Prix when it came out that year, I thought that thing looked cool as hell back then.
I looked forward to the GXP concept. We got this which was 80%. The real fail was the Sunfire that in concept form was SEXY. When it came to production, total BONER KILL.
My younger brother had a 97 Prix and he was working out of town while his basement level garage flooded. The water came up to the steering wheel and considered totalled. He replaced it with a Nissan maxima.
I had a White 2 door '97 Grand Prix GT. I remember opening both doors and measuring the total width at 13½ feet!
It had the 3.8 Series II. Great engine! The car would have been great if not for the weight, and in my case, the trans. It cost me, I think, $4500 to get it replaced.
I had the same kind of feeling back in 1997 at 19 when I drove my stepdads 1988 Grand Prix. I don't know why but it felt like a car a pornstar would drive I know it sounds weird but that's what I thought at the time and really got me fascinated with anything Pontiac since my real dad loved them too.
Greatest comment ever.
The 1992 Model was my car in high school (Class of 2002). I wish I could find one again
Best Cockpit Ever, at night it was like your piloting a 747
Billl you are certainly one of a kind. I like your videos
Absolutely the best Pontiac of the 90's. Luxury with Attitude, my SSEi is still my favorite sports sedan that I've ever owned.
True bro, it’s impossible to find this car in great shape like yours. One of the best body styles
I've always liked the 9th gen Bonnevilles. I recently acquired a one owner, local example 1999 SSEi myself. It's by far one of my favorite cars I've owned.
This car is so mint dude it looks like the previous owner bought it brand new off the assembly line and put it up in a garage and never drove it at all during its lifespan. Theres not a doubt that this car needs to be on Jay Lenos
You got a good one. 1999 was the best year for this generation, they fixed all the electrical issues and mechanical issues the older ones had. 1995 was also a good year to, last year for the series 1 3800.
I HAVE ONE OF THESE!! So shocked to see u do a video on one! I have a tour of mine before the body was fixed on my channel
Mine is a ssei 40th anniversary
One of my dream cars ❤
I actually owned an identical car, a white '98 SSE I sold 12 years ago. I've regretted selling it every damn one of those years too. Phenomenal road car, 2nd to none for grinding up the interstate. 3800 series 2 is the most reliable engine GM ever made
Was a nice car back in the day, even with all the cladding. My favorite combo at that time was dark green with tan leather and gold badging the Pontiac O.G. circa '92.
My first new car when I was 20 years old was a 1996 Bonneville SSEi, black outside, black leather inside, tinted windows, torque star rims. Got a lot of speeding tickets. She took a licking and kept on ticking. Everyone was impressed with the 9 two-position seat adjustment buttons. The Delco radio was supposed to be "premium" and had this slider bar at the base of the center stack for bass level adjustment. It was wired to a separate amp channel which fed a secondary connection to the voice coils on the rear speakers - to send more bass signal to them (or less). Novel idea, but a fail. The Delco radio came out a month into ownership and in went a Pioneer din and a half CD head unit + Pioneer 6x9s and MTX box in the trunk with Kenwood amps. Great car, good times.
I have owned two of these. One 95 SSEI & a 1998 SSEi . Of the 35+ cars I have owned over the years, these were my favourites! They drove/ handled like sports cars with the air ride suspension. The 98 had the most comfortable leather seats I have ever sat in. Very reliable car and fast! I would love to buy another but I don't see any of these on the road anymore.
We had a '92 '97 and our baby was a '96 BONNEVILLE SSE! 15yrs of owning and 15 yrs of love and fun we only put about $5,000 in her! I would do anything to have her back!! Enjoy your SSEI she is a beautiful car!!! Plus she gave us 500 to 550 miles to a tank ful.. that kit started with the '85 6000 STE. The series 2 motor started in 1995
It's always a joy to watch Bill's videos, his rant is the thing that make these videos so damn entertaining, and for a weird 21 year old who love old cars, movies even old songs, these videos always have the things I want!
I liked the period music, Bill. The Canadians will love that car, I always thought of that car as a family car hotrod.
Bill, you have a heavy foot there taking the old 3800 to triple digits! Good for you, glad to see an older guy in Florida moving along
Yes, he almost hit 110! Wow!
Still drive my 95 Bonneville SSEI 390 miles last week. People comment on it where ever I go, blows minds when they see the supercharger and electric antenna lol
I prefer the Grand Prix GTPs but no one can deny that the supercharged 3800 was an amazing motor.
The Buick GS from the time was supposed to be the fastest car with the 3800 Supercharged. I believe because it was the lightest.
@@RobertNES816 It's mainly just the look, they're the best looking wbody in my opinion. The others are great looking still though
@@notsogrand2837 yeah true. Imagine if the Lumina came with the 3800 SC? Would've been an awesome sleeper. Or maybe a Z34 coupe Lumina like the first generation.
@@RobertNES816 A Z34 for the second generation Lumina with the 3800SC would've been awesome. The downfall of the Z34 was the engine that just couldn't seem to hold itself together.
@@notsogrand2837 I know I had a 93 GTP. The car leaked oil from every gasket when I got it. The oil got into every senor connector and caused all sorts of issues. Took me a few months a about $800 to make my LQ1 to run right. After that is wasn't too bad. Decent power and kind of a unique sound for a GM V6.
Love how you came of age at the same time I did. I really love your channel.
Yes! Love seeing one of these pop up, especially in such good shape. I don't think anyone who watches this channel will argue with the notion that the rwd full size GM cars were better, but these front drivers were also quite good in their own right.
I watched the full video as usual. Love this SSEi and love your videos. Thanks for sharing this Pontiac with us all.....cheers.
Bill keep the videos coming. Don’t mind if the videos are too “long” if anything we all should be sipping whiskey and listening to your through reviews. Thanks for the time warp to my teenage years. Have a good weekend .
I knew someone back in the day had a 1995 Pontiac Bonneville SSEi white and I fell in love with it myself. Driving it was sporty & luxury all at the same time. I’m in the market of 1990s vehicle, a 1995 Lincoln Mark VIII and now this. Beautiful car. I learned to drive at age 10 in a 1976 or 77 Pontiac Grand Prix. GM should’ve rid Chevy instead. Thanks Bill!
Had a '98 SSE. I loved that car. 9 way power seats stuffed like a recliner and heads up display. It was a highway monster. Would love another one if I could find one this clean.
What was the diff b/w an SSE and an SSEi?
@@kireality the lower-case i.
I was 23 yrs old in 2003 when I purchase the 1997 Pontiac Bonneville SSEi Supercharged, my first american full size luxury car with a sporty touch. I fell in love with this car and paid $10,500 with 141,000 miles great times and great car.
I might be tempted to go to dinner with the guy who kept this beaut nice SPECIFICALLY to see his cut-off foot collection. Is that wrong?😂
Another great one, Bill!
The best thing about all that body cladding was that you couldn't see all the rust underneath.
That integrated tire pump is one of the coolest things I’ve seen.
Dad had a 94 ssei that was a wonderful car like this is. His buddy who worked at GM put an upgraded stereo and smaller supercharger pulley on it for him as well. Car was quick, reliable and comfortable. That charger whine was music to my ears. Well over 200k and she didn't skip a beat.
Very entertaining! You are so on the money with this car! So well put together, apart as you say the rear brakes!! Nice design features! Great!!
More than one got their hind ends handed to them when they tried to hang with one of these very underappreciated and in general unknown as a performance sedan Pontiacs.
I absolutely love these and remember when they were all new LOL. Proudly still rocking an l67 supercharged 3800 today in my 2004 Dale Jr supercharged Monte Carlo SS
How has the reliability been?
@gkrebs6636 honestly being a mechanic all the ones that I have bought had cooling system issues when I bought them because the morons didn't run Dex Cool and use green universal so of course I would always do a lower intake gasket and flush everything real good change the water pump out change the coolant elbows with the dormen aluminum ones they're only 20 bucks for both but other than issues caused by previous owner neglect every one of them has been impeccable and very fun and I have loved everyone I've owned. I will never get rid of my supercharged Dale Jr Monte SS L67. In my 31 years of being a mechanic I have never found a better engine than the 3800 V6 honestly the only one even coming close would be the Chevy 350 small block
Oh sorry was that comment for me? Lol
@@mopargm9329 wow great info! Thanks! What do you think of the 4.0 inline straight 6? I heard they are bullet proof..
@@gkrebs6636 the Jeep in line 6 cylinder the 4.0 yeah they are very durable engines especially the block
Man Bill, that car is hot! It has everything and so many options a head of its time. I had a 96 Buick Park Ave Ultra with that series II supercharge engine & loved it. Good highway cruiser with decent fuel mileage as well. Cheers!
Your Buick Was A Far Superior Vehicle In My Opinion!
@@gregholman2930 I own a 1993 Buick Park Avenue, I bought it from an elderly guy...3800V6 is consistently touted as being the best engine GM offered at the time...I expect to go at least 200,000 miles without serious trouble...Have 140,000 on it now..the car is in much better shape than I am!
@@curbozerboomer1773 I have a 2000 Le Sabre Limited with 129K miles that I bought 13 months ago and it was a one owner that had been serviced at my local dealership regularly. Paid $2500 and it's been gr8 except for two expensive problems (actually three), the first few days noticed oil underneath on the ground & was told it needed a new oil pan, $400. Next day i still noticed oil on the ground & returned to the dealer who inspected & determined the rear main seal is leaking & they wanted $1400. Then my turning signals stopped functioning & was told my signal switch needs to be replaced which is another $800-1000 for the part & labor, apparently the switch is behind the center console! So I'm driving not having fixed those items not to mention a small transmission leak & Rack & Pinion leak.😱😫
I had a Pontiac GTP snd my buddy had one of these in high school and I’m telling you you would not believe how fast that Bonneville was and I really wish every car still had the heads up display on the windshield it was the best thing in the world
I loved the 92 SSEi when it came out, especially in Polo green w/ the Carmel leather interior and color matched rims👍😎❗
Nothing like the warm red glow inside a 90s Pontiac to soothe you in the morning
I really liked the looks of the 8th gen Bonneville as well. I had an opportunity to buy a 1988 Bonneville SSE years ago but passed on it. I should've done it. By the way Bill, Oldsmobile was done in 2004.
Funny how Olds, Pontiac and Saturn where starting to make really nice cars before GM killed em off.
this platform is arguably one of gm's best
Even the SSE was a really good car overall. I thought the 90s Bonnevilles were both comfortable and satisfying to drive, especially on long trips.
Great video!
I had a 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP with the 3.8 Supercharged engine. It was amazing how fast it was. You could be going 60mph and jump on it and it would just take off. I really miss that car and it’s performance. Pontiac……gone, but not forgotten.
I had a loaded '99 GT and absolutely loved it. Man I wish I still had her....
Only problem is they're front wheel drive, here in Australia we have this same motor in our Holden Commodores, but ours are rear wheel drive. And they also came with a LSD diff and you could do the best burnouts and fish tales down the road.
My friends mom had one fully optioned identical to the one @12:43 in the 90's. I believe it was a '94.
She was a "cool" mom, that sort of went off the deep end after her divorce and she'd drive us around, let us party(great stereo)in it, take us wherever we wanted to go.. it was a fun car, super comfortable and flat out hauled ass despite feeling like a barge. We weren't obnoxious and we never burned it up or spilled anything that's why she was cool with us.
Such a great example, just beautiful. I like those wheels, those look the best.
I never knew that this car existed before seeing this video and I’m absolutely blown away! Incredible technology that I had no idea GM offered at the time such as the variable suspension, air compressor, and head up display. Makes my ‘99 Fleetwood Limited seem like a low end Chevy compared to this lol. Thanks for the video, Bill!
My aunt had a 88 SSE and I had a 90 SSE fully loaded love that car, can’t find one today would buy it and restore it man that car was ahead of it’s time….
Thanks for sharing so many Pontiacs with us. Always my favorite brand from GM.
Posh was my favorite spice girl. Had a Black 97 Bonneville SSEi and really liked it. Was surprised when it got beat by a 96 Nissan Maxima with a five speed. Fun car and very comfortable..
This looks heads and shoulders above the quality of my mom's T6000 from 10 years earlier. The instrumentation looks like it came from a totally different company. Engine sounds impressive.
These were actually one of the coolest cars of the 90s I remember trying to find a good one back in the day and it was impossible to find one that wasn't beat to hell. Keep up the good work Bill I enjoy watching these videos as much as you like making them.
Hey Bill, great Pontiac!!! From the late fifties thru the mid seventies my grandfather got a new Bonneville every 2 or 3 years, he had some great cars!!! Be cautious of those killer birds that are out to get you!!! I think I'll have some coronavirus whiskey to help celebrate this lovely Pontiac!!! 👍👍🥃
Thanks Bill for another great video. I really enjoy your natural spontaneous way and your experience and knowledge. Takes me back every time...
Part of a human foot collection... Love it!
I had a 1998 Bonneville SE. It was pretty loaded for a base model, had the 16” wheels and handling suspension, power seats both sides, a sunroof, CD player with Bose, full gauge package, power trunk. It was a deep blue with a camel interior. 29-30 MPG on the highway, comfortable ride, seats, yet still was reasonably responsive handling wise. Really nice car.
Nice! I just replaced the transmission in my 98 Grand Prix GTP, love the supercharged 3800s. I've always wanted an SSEI this generation
_Bonneville_ is a great name for a car.
I was very impressed with this car when it came out and thought GM had done an excellent job. Beats the hell out of the imports of the day when you compare the cost.
I used to work for a pontiac dealership when this car came out. I would be doing over 130mph and easily had so much more pedal left to play with.
Really enjoyed this video. This really brought back memories. I had a 96 SSEi in teal metallic with the teal leather and 3 spoke wheels that I bought new. I loved that car. I traded it for a GTP in 05. I really liked that Grand Prix but not as much as the SSEI. Pontiac had some great cars. I’m still tooling around in an 01 WS6 on the weekends.
That is a gorgeous car!!! I so wish they'd bring back the Pontiac brand!!
I loooove this car. We had 2 in white and hunter Green with ran leather bigg quick spaceship like interior design. GM does the best interior gauges of this error
"ERA", Your Welcome!
@@gregholman2930 "You're"
@@Tmuk2 BAM!..Ty!😱
Nice flashback on the night drive. Liked mine though developed some electrical issues with the gauges dying off. the Simple HUD should be in every vehicle as a safety feature.
I always liked the red gauges in Pontiacs! I briefly had one of the last-gen Bonnies (‘04) it was beautiful and comfortable to drive but, sadly, it was a text book “lemon” - I got rid of it long before the warranty expired.
Dang, three uploads in a week? Bill is on a roll. Thanks for all the nostalgia and musings, all the way from snowy Ottawa, Ontario.
I bought a Bonneville new in 1995. 10 years later it was still minty and I had people chasing me to buy it. 1 year later it was in a junkyard :(
I don't know what it was about Pontiacs But They Just Didn't Hold Up!
@@gregholman2930 It's their target market - the same car as a Buick was bought by little old ladies and driven to church and the grocery store - Pontiac buyers were younger and most likely to be doing burnouts in the parking lot.
That Buick 3.8 was one of the most bulletproof engines ever made, supercharged or not. It might not be the most powerful engine out there, but it’ll run forever if given the most basic of maintenance.
I also crack up every time Bill bitches about the weather in these videos.
Bill glad to see you got the heads up display working ask me how I know... I've seen this car in person It shows like a 5,000 mile car it's truly stunning
I always look forward to your videos when I get home from work and relax.
That’s a beautiful car even all these years later. Even looks good in white. That’s not that easy IMO.
Love the video Bill! You found yet another car I have a personal connection to: Years ago I picked up a '96 SSEi, in white, and your review immediately brought back fond memories. Unlike your stunning example, I had somewhat of a unicorn...
SSEi badging and body kit aside, you'd have been hard pressed to tell my particular example apart from a standard SE. It had TEAL cloth interior, no adjustable suspension, no multi-way seats, no sunroof. Nothing. It even had the standard 5 spoke SE wheels. All verified via the RPO label. This was back when you could both order a fully loaded supercharged SE, or a completely stripped down SSEi. Oh, those were the days!
The best of GM from the 90s.
A good 2nd place would be the similarly-powered 88 LSS.
⭐Howdy Bill, coming from the frigid temps of Ohio🥶 please send warm temps ( immediately) lol. Appreciate another awesome vid 🎬🚘👍. Salute 👊
I knew they were kind of trashy, but I still wanted one. I had a long term rental without the supercharged 3.8, car just had stout torque. Just a way more fun car than say a Ford Taurus. I liked the lines on them and there were several cars in the 90's that GM made that I thought were great cars. Now GM is Chinese garbage.
I had one, loved it, it was like my first "nice" car I bought, after many beaters in HS and college. I bought it in 2003 when I was 20 years old, and it was a 92, so definitely wasn't new, but at the time, to me, it felt like a new car. It wowed me with all the cool options like head up display and those awesome seats with all the adjustments, to the very premium factory radio with the bass Booster adjustment slide and buttons for the radio on the steering wheel! Believe me at that time it was a pretty big deal. I drove it for about 12 years until the rust finally took over and made it unsafe to drive.( I live in WI the rust belt). I ended up exploding the transmission all over the road one day, and found a used transmission and installed it. Drove it 2 more years after that and 4 gear/ OD lock up stopped working with that and the rust damage, I drove it into the local Auto recyclers. Surprisingly it still looked pretty good despite the major rust problems cause of all that excessive plastic body cladding. I think it had around 270k miles at the end.
Much love from WI
GM had it's act together by the late 90s. Bonneville , Trans am, Olds Intrigue, C5 Corvette etc , Trucks, ...too many to list . Great car.
Fantastic video; growing up my old man owned a 9th gen, and moved onto a gen 10 which I ended up buying from him for my first car. If I could go back in time I would’ve made sure he kept his gen 9. We both thoroughly enjoyed this video and it’s a mission of ours to restore one and appreciate it for as long as we both live. Truly was the best sedan of the 90s.
Bill- would you mind turning on the headlights Or at least parking lights to illuminate the instrument panel and gauges? Keep up the great work and thanks for the memories (Class of 84)👍
He does a night drive starting 5 seconds into the video!
Thank you!! Love it!!
Bill with his blue collar guy car reviews, this is what we need not snowflakes and soyboys like Doug. Enjoy 🥃
Agreed, but I don’t consider Bill blue collar…..more of a working mans polo collar.
Too many out of date buzzwords, chill.
My grand mother had this car and at 1:27 you can hear the air pump kick in from the rear socks lol wow memories. Also these cars had the best air conditioning too.
Ah, 1997, the year I was born! Loved the humorous re-cap of the year at the beginning, and of course the humorous and informative video overall! You're becoming my new favorite car review channel! Keep it up! Thank you.
I just bought a 2001 SSEi a couple months ago. I love it. Great car, no issues so far. Very fast and handles better that the 2001 Camaro that I had.
Had one back in the day. Loved it
These videos are so much more than car reviews!
We get weather updates, animal warnings, reports on Dalton’s work, health updates that put the CDC to shame, and outstanding car reviews!
GM Bose sound systems always sounded great!
Fantastic car. Loved these back in the 90s! One of the Best cars Pontiac ever made!