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Pontiac of the Month

JayByrd's 1986 Grand Prix

2024 December
of the Month

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Posted

I really want to buy this car as a winter driver but I need some outside opinions before I go for it. I have a tendency to find a car I like and get really attached without thinking it through thoroughly before buying it (see: 1987 Sunbird Hatchback I bought two winters ago), so I figured this would be a good way to see if I'm crazy for liking this car so much, or completely sane and rational (for once)!

My friend's dad is selling a '90 Bonneville with the 3.8 and 157,xxx miles on it. My roommate and I checked it out on Thursday and we both were blown away by the good condition it's in. It drove smooth, all gauges and options work, even the radio. Power windows and locks and seats, blue cloth interior with only one tear in the driver's seat and otherwise immaculate. Very little rust. Super clean engine bay. No leaks, foul odors, etc. Electrical is perfect. Might have a small vacuum leak because the heat didn't blow very hard but the defroster is good. Trans mounts a bit soft but not unusual or worrisome. Newer battery, freshly replaced brake lines. Only known problems it has ever had was the cam position sensor and the brake line breaking, hence the replacement. Incredibly comfortable to drive. Has never had a problem starting, even in winter. Tires have at least 80% tread.

Unfortunately I only have the pictures my friend sent me before I looked at it, but they do enough justice to the car I think.

Pictures:

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588767366_2094483579_0.jpg

My only predicament is price, really. He's asking $995, I offered $800, and he replied with a firm $900. I'm not exactly made of money, and need to register/insure it and all that without going over a grand. That's why I'm hesistating and looking for opinions. I'm mostly concerned that if I look for something cheaper I will get a pile of crap and not something that is reliable and has had basically no problems since new. (The car has been in this family since it was two years old and it had never had a problem when they bought it.) The fact that I know the owners well and therefore know they wouldn't lie to me about the car just to get me to buy it is also a plus.

Opinions? Feedback?

EDIT: Another plus is that it is fully functional NOW and I wouldn't have to fix it before I could use it, like most everything else I have found for under a grand.

(Apologies if this post is in the wrong spot-- please move it if that's the case!)

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Posted

Given all the body rust, I'm wondering what the undercarriage looks like... and if it's just going to be used as a winter beater find something that'll give better gas mileage!!!

IMO... $700 or walk away!

Posted

As Star said, that's an awful lot of body cancer along the rocker panel, door and quarter panel. I'd ask to take the car to a shop, and give it a once over before purchase.

They came with Series I 3800 power, and they're stout motors, as good as the series II that replaced them.

Also, thanks Star...your SN made me want to listen to a particular Soilwork song, "Black Star Deceiver" :rofl:

Posted

The undercarriage wasn't bad, nothing that made me think, wow, this thing is a pile of dung. Strut mounts and everything were solid. They definitely were washing this thing in the winter to keep it that clean; obviously it's not perfect though.

Posted

Do work.

Of course, upon purchase, there's a whole laundry list of things to do, well...at least I'd do:

Tune up: these motors are finicky. They like AC Delco coppers and not much else. Wires? I good aftermarket brand will do, but no cheap crap. Fuel filter, air filter, and most of all, SEAFOAM!

Tires: depending on dryrot, not on the amount of tread left. Look for the DOT #s on the tires, there's 3 sets of 4 digits, the last four show the tire's build date.

Example: 1005

The tire was built in the tenth week of 2005.

First two digits are the week of the year, last two are the year.

And since we're on rubber, check all the hoses and belts for splits and cracks. Hoses, squeeze them, to see if they feel mushy inside, a side that they're rotting from the inside out. Also, check the hoses where they are clamped, they have a tendency to split and crack from the pressure of the clamp in old age.

Posted

Keep looking you may find more for the same money. That car is rusting in the typical areas for that body style and that is like an iceburg what you see is only about 25%.

Posted

Given all the body rust, I'm wondering what the undercarriage looks like... and if it's just going to be used as a winter beater find something that'll give better gas mileage!!!

IMO... $700 or walk away!

I have to agree, I wouldn't give over $700 for it...

Posted

I have to agree, I wouldn't give over $700 for it...

Thanks guys. That's the decision I came too. Checking out a Sunfire tomorrow.. wish me luck!

Posted

Thanks guys. That's the decision I came too. Checking out a Sunfire tomorrow.. wish me luck!

Smart choice, and good luck :rofl:

Posted

This is why I backed up further for a full chassis Parisienne. Unibody construction makes me cry. There's no such thing as 'cosmetic' rust. Every car I've scrapped has left with a perfect running engine ... and so much body rust that you couldn't jack it to change a flat tire. That rust on a car with a real frame would be a few hours easy work to deal with ... and you'd be driving in style. That said ... I'd put it up and get a good look underneath. The pleasure of driving a car like that can't be underestimated. But that's me. I love my comfort and rust repair holds no fear for me ... even on a unibody.

Posted

This is why I backed up further for a full chassis Parisienne. Unibody construction makes me cry. There's no such thing as 'cosmetic' rust. Every car I've scrapped has left with a perfect running engine ... and so much body rust that you couldn't jack it to change a flat tire. That rust on a car with a real frame would be a few hours easy work to deal with ... and you'd be driving in style. That said ... I'd put it up and get a good look underneath. The pleasure of driving a car like that can't be underestimated. But that's me. I love my comfort and rust repair holds no fear for me ... even on a unibody.

The Sunbird I had two winters ago was a unibody. Cutest little car but had an unimaginable amount of cancer. I'd rather have to replace some body panels than deal with sometime underneath, but then again, sometimes it looks worse than it is. If this Sunfire I look at tomorrow falls through, I might ask to take the Bonneville to a lift and see what's going on under there. She sure was a comfortable ride!

Note: It started snowing today... thankfully no salt yet but FEAR IS RISING AHHH. :bacon:

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