Recently in his Livejournal my brother said the following about me and my chosen vehicle:

" Bonnivilles: "they look cool" no "they have good engines" no no "they have
GREAT transmissions" NO NO NO. Lets do a little research before proclaiming the
greatness of a all around average car."

Anyone have anything in response to say about that remark? I am leaving out the rest of the entry because it'* irrelevent and just not worth mentioning. I really honestly can't give a real sh*t about his opinion, but I thought I'd mention this...mostly because I haven't posted in forever.

However I think he is the one who needs to do a little research. Bonnevilles are a classic car, they have been around since the late 1950'*. They can be modified into the fastest mass-production FWD sedan (and it has been done. I think the top speed achieved by one such Bonne was something like 200 mph?) They have held on for a good long time and for good reason- these cars sell and people like them and are satisfied with them.

As for not looking cool, that'* in the eye of the beholder. I love the lines of the GXP and as an artist it looks balanced, sleek and aggressive without being overdone. Bonneville DOES have a great engine. In fact, I do believe the Northstar and the 3800 S2 were both rated as some of the best auto engines of all time. I don't know about the transmission. I suspect the transmissions on cars are all pretty much the same thing- it either works well or it doesn't.

Of course, the best thing about Bonnevilles is that it'* really hard to rice them out. The same can't be said for a Honda Civic which ironically seems to be his choice of car.

I have ridden in them, researched them, and driven them. He hasn't. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out whose opinion one should pay more attention to

Thats why we like them. People think they are an average car, even a grandmas car. They pull up in their Mustang or what not and laugh and then.... uhohhh, what just happend the Bonny passes so fast they don't know what hit them. I love that look. I'm even more of a fan of the Olds LSS because it doesn't even say supercharged on it and from the outside it looks like a grocery getter. Step on the gas and you'll quikly realize it HAULS more than groceries.

How old is your brother?

16...just got his license too.

I get the same kind of comments all the time too about my car. I'll admit I let it get to me and I really shouldn't. A girl I work with is always saying how her 2000 CAVALIER is a 'better' car than mine by far. I ask her how a cavalier could possibly be better and all she says is "your car is a grandpa car." I swear, that response really bothers me. I think the only people I ever see driving Rivieras are men in their 40-50'*. I've never seen an elderly person driving one ever. Some people just don't understand that cars of this type are luxury cars that are built GOOD! The "cool" cars are usually built so much cheaper. Most of the cars that are riced out are cheap economy cars that are slow and are slow no matter wha tyou do to it for the most part. I see things in cars a lot of other people don't. I go for the well built luxury cars. They can keep their cheaply built, slow, thrown-together POS'*.

Isn't there more pride in saying...

You just got dusted by grandpas car

When it comes to a lot of things...including cars: uneducated, naive, baised claims will always pollute us

It'* funny, usually only old people can afford them new

Might cause some labeling. Doesn't everyone want a nicer car inside, that still has umph, and doesn't skimp on features (size weight) to make it fast?

It'* not the best car ever, but it'* a good jack of all trades. Big enough to move lotsa stuff/people, comfy, goes, and can go fast when modded, can handle Auto x, fwd is good in snow, blah blah blah......

I want a manual though.

So.... where'* he rest of the journal? I'm bored.

Speaking of Honda'*, and cheap...

I was listening to my friends honda (rice pipe, fart cannon, altezas, sound system, the usual rice) and the engine just sounds cheap. I don't know how to explain it, but you just listen to the engine noise and it screams cheaply built.

Put it this way. Our transmissions are *not* great. I should be removing the 300,000 unrebuilt km moniker from my sig due to the fact that my dad told me two days ago that the previous owner had the tranny done at 200,000 Many folks here have been through several transmissions. Yes, they're buttery smooth. They're good, but no, they're not *great*. There is better out there.

ANYTHING can be riced out EASILY. No ifs, ands, or buts. You CAN slap wings on Bonnevilles. You CAN install ridiculous mods. You CAN install ridiculous wheels.
I don't care if it'* an '83 Civic or a '04 Mustang - it CAN be riced out with nothing more than your local Pep Boys off-the-shelf parts.

To me, automatically, your brother'* choice of car is questionable and implies to me that his preference in the "tuner" world is well, rice. I consider myself to be more import guy than domestic guy, but I do like both worlds. There are Civic folk out there who do make their cars very nice. But, you gotta look deeper than what you see running around on the roads. Just like you gotta see more than just transmission failures and upper intake problems. All cars have their downsides and issues.

To me, the Bonneville is a great car, especially for passengers. But not everybody enjoys feeling-free steering and feeling-free, non-linear brakes (speaking about the 87-91, not sure about your other folk).

Of course, I'd take a used Bonneville over most newer conventional midsize offerings, oh god how I hate the '98 Altima who shares the driveway with the SSE.

I consider the Bonneville to be "better than most", above average. The fmuck do I know, I've never been victimized by the torque of an SSEi