Somehow, after all the years Barn Finds has been showing vintage vehicles, we’ve only seen five 1979 Pontiac Bonnevilles. One was a wagon, two were four-door sedans, and two were coupes like this gorgeous 1979 Pontiac Bonneville Coupe. This example can be found here on craigslist in Appleton, Wisconsin, and they’re asking (are you sitting down?) $38,500. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Tony P. for the tip!
It was 1964, but my parents paid $8,000 for their house on two acres. That’s only $85,000 today, which is cheap. I always think of that when I see a vehicle for what seems like an exorbitant asking price, like this Bonneville. There is just no way that the seller will ever get $38,500 or anything close to that for this car, no matter how nice it is. I hate to be the “price guy,” we usually leave that up to the commenters.
This is a really nice car, though! The two ’79 Bonneville Coupes that we’ve seen here on Barn Finds were written up by yours truly, and the nicest one, easily as nice as this car (and it was a Brougham), sold for $13,433, and it had just 32,000 miles on it. The other one was just a month ago, and that one sold for around $4,500. Still, it’s hard to argue with a black, two-door, ultra-low-mileage Bonneville Coupe. A car exactly like this one is shown on page 8 of this brochure.
The sixth-generation Bonneville was part of GM’s downsizing effort in the wake of the energy crunch in the 1970s. They were made for the 1977 through 1981 model years, and were shorter and lighter, while retaining most of the interior comfort for passengers, along with the luxury customers expected. Sadly, for a $38,500 car, the photos aren’t the best. They’re all verticals, other than one horizontal photo, and there are only three interior photos, with none showing the back seat area.
But, then again, there IS an engine photo, so that’s great! This is a Buick-sourced 350-cu.in. OHV V8, which was factory-rated at 155 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque when new. It’s backed by a three-speed Turbo-Hydramatic sending power to the rear wheels, and the seller says that this is your chance to get a basically new 1979 Bonneville if you missed your chance back in ’79. Any thoughts on this gem?
I want some of whatever this seller is smoking. You’d have to be pretty high to think this car is a $38,500 car. Of course it’s nice…. but sheesh! And as soon as someone drives it some, the premium for low mileage is down the toilet
I inherited a lo mi 2 dr. ’79 Pontiac Catalina in baby bottom brown with a 302 or 301 from my wife’s aunt. It was a decent enough car but was a slug with that motor. The doors were so long that I couldn’t open them wide enough to exit the car when in the garage. I also got a lot of tickets with that car. Cops hated it. I’ll never know why.
You refer to the Pontiac 301. I had a 1978 Bonneville with that engine, and you’re right. It was a slug. It was designed at a time when CAFE fuel economy standards were kicking in. The initial way automakers addressed that was with small V-8s like the 301 and then later even smaller engines like the Pontiac 265, Olds 260, Chevrolet 267, and Ford 255. Computer advances later made those SSMs (small smog motors) unnecessary and they quickly vanished.
As to this particular car, it has the much more desirable 350 and it is beautiful. I really like it. But as people are picking up on, the problem is the price. While no one would argue that it’s not a nice car, it is in a price range woth a lot of competition, including muscle car era regular GTOs in decent condition.
As much as I like these having owned one, there is no way I would spend this kind of money here. There are just too many other things I could buy.
Big John it’s because their dad’s all told them that they were conceived in the back seat.
The car is worth a hard $5k. By the time you get through mopping up the leaks in the next 10k miles you’ll be in it $25k.
I had an 81 in beautiful white with dark blue vinyl top n matching velour interior, meet my 2nd wife in it, traveled all over the state in it, it was a wonderful highway car, not so great in the city as it was a dig off the line..Sadly the car is gone n not so sadly so is the now ex..
It’s nice, but is it likely to find a buyer anywhere close to the $38,500 asking price? It goes to show 1960’s and early-1970’s musclecars aren’t the only cars overpriced.
Steve R
Delusions of grandeur on the price. But that aside it is definitely a nice example and would make for a comfortable highway cruiser.
Sounds to me like someone’s wife is making them sell the garage-hog. A simple calculation will give you one horsy for every $208 you spend on it. That’s fiiiiiine.
Sorry, I meant 305, not 302. My T-Bird had the 302.
who would insure this vehicle for any where near that price?
38K?? Wow. I bought a 1981 Bonneville back in 1997 for $500. Seller has lost his marbles.
The star of the show here is the buckets-and-console interior. While just about everything has bucket seats and a console today, in 1979, this was a rarely chosen option for the base Bonneville coupe. It still doesn’t justify the price, but it does add a bit of interest to an otherwise ordinary car.
A coworker from Wisconsin told me when you talk to anyone from Wisconsin that you have to speak slowly. Super nice car, ride in style, agree with many others before me that the asking price is way off base.
Finally! Barns Find called out a seller for their outrageous pricing of a car. Need more of that. Also BF needs to call out 5 digit “low mileage ” odometer claims.
Or better yet, just quit writing up overpriced vehicles… especially when they are nothing special. Not even sure why someone would have submitted this thing.
Mike, don’t know your age. Not important, however I can tell you where low mileage older cars get their low mileage.
Owners unscrew the cable drive speedometer and odometer head out of the transmission, pull the inner cable drive out, screw the cable housing back on the side of the tranny and drive around for as long as they want.
It’s a old trick from memories ago.
Please don’t anyone yell at me. My uncle owned a Chevrolet Cadillac Buick dealership back in the 60s-70s.
No power locks or seat, but yes–buckets and console. Snowflake alloy rims. Nothing about this car justifies $38K or anything even close. Unless the seller wakes up, he’ll be sitting on this one for quite awhile.
How much??!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
So having owned a ‘79 Bonneville Safari from my parents purchase back in the day & a Landau coupe … These ride really nice .
The sport console and seats with the 350 isn’t bad .
Price is f@&$ dumb .
No ins co will back that value so someone is going to sit on it for a while .
Nice car
Dumb ass price
Doc.. i had a good laugh reading your remark about the price. Thanks 😉
The seller says if you missed your chance to buy a new one in 1979 here is your chance to buy one. Yes here is your chance to buy one for about four times the amount for what you would have paid for in 1979.
It’s easy – his wife told him to sell it and get it out of the garage. Now, he can tell her that he tried.
Exactly!!
Rare car indeed. Like CCFisher said the console was a big surprise 😮
nice car. 2dr in great colors with buckets and a console. very rare option. i personally never seen 1 with this option. 40k though is a lot of money for this ride. may be a while to find a new owner.
I always like this generation of Pontiac, but not nearly as much as the prior one. The cars send modern at the time. This Bonneville is very nice. It’s close to new in its appearance. that is to be commended. It can’t be many left like this.
However, this was nothing more than everybody’s Chevrolet Caprice of the period. And the asking price on this Pontiac Bonneville is literally to the moon. This might be a $15-$20,000 vehicle but no more.
Maybe the best looking of all the GM full size cars of this era. Black and gold was the way to go. Nicely equipped if a bit light on the options. IIRC buckets and console were only offered by Olds and Pontiac. Neat old ride.
Never hurts to start high. Seller probably will take the first reasonable offer over 18K.
They should take that money and be happy.
Not something you see everyday and I otherwise like it, but 38k? Weed was nowhere near that good in 1979.
Great car in pristine condition. Priced way too high. At that price one could get a late ’70s Trans Am just as clean and original as this car, though it would likely have more miles on the odometer. Seller will likely find a happy buyer for this car in the 15-18K price range.
The car is awesome but the price is nuts. Like $20k over priced.
This was the first new car I ever bought. Same interior but all power windows and seats and a 1/2 gold padded top.
I had to replace the trans twice in addition to the original trans.All under warranty. Got rid of it after the 3rd.
Other than that it was a beautiful car. Paid $10k at the dealership.
If someone offgered him $15K i’d take it and run.
$40K? Sheesh! I should have jumped on the 1984 Parisienne on BAT with19,000 miles. Car just as clean as this, sold for $7,000 and came with two extra doors Nice Bonneville but you’ll never recoup your money on that investment.
You have to remember that the last time anyone saw a 1979 Pontiac in this condition in Wisconsin was 1980.
ACZ, NOW THAT IS FUNNY S__T, I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE!
Aside from the price, you start driving this thing with that milage and EVERYTHING will start failing.
Well, you know what they say, you can ask……😂
When someone mentioned console, I had to go back & look, and sure as hell it has one. First time I’ve ever seen one in a full-size Pontiac of this vintage.
For me it has to be the Brougham with power locks, seats, trunk, gage package, stereo cassette, & it might rise to $15k. This guy is seriously dreaming.
A pretty similar 80s Pontiac Pariesienne just sold on BaT for like $7000. I’ve run into so many sellers who think their cars are worth double. I show them 5 comps and they still dont budge. Its ludicrous. They all think they’re sitting on some lottery ticket. Keep posting outrageously priced Malaise Gold, it makes for fun comments!
Not only does it have a ” leaverite ” price , but it has the wrong brand engine . Not sure how or why GM thought that was a good idea . But as i recall , it cost them loyal customers , sales went away because of it . Then and now too .
So well said, david. I recall a portion but not the whole maryann. Please remind us.
Thanks
Maybe its a typo, and actually only wants $3,850
Either the original owner passed away and the family is looking for a payday, or the owner has watched too many restoration shows.
U r spot–On!
All of the Above!
Or may I add just one hypothesis..
Owner stumbled across the great grandsons Humboldt County home grown but didn’t follow the instructions printed on the back.
Bought new Grand Prix in 77 for 5,600 great car. This one is nice but not that nice.