Lately, while looking for cars to write about, I've come across ads that say something like "1985 (car brand) - A Perfect Car to Donk!" Huh? "Donk" a car? I don't think so. "Donking" a car doesn't sound good or natural. I may be a middle age, suburban white guy, but I'm not yet at a point where I need to think about "donking" inanimate objects, including my car. (Even though I love it dearly and it's still really good looking.)
Oh, wait... That's not what "donk" means? Whew.
According to urbandictionary.com, "donk" means:
"Any POS late 80's or early 90's American heap (preferably an Impala) that has large enough wheels installed until it resembles (and rides and handles like) a Conestoga wagon. This is done so it sits up high enough so as to be at the same eye level as the Playas with real juice ridin in their Escalades. Adding in a bad candy paint job and Wal-Mart sub box completes the transformation.
With no money left over for necessary suspension and brake upgrades, the lifespan is limited to a few drug runs or the first Police chase, whichever occurs first."
Now that I know what it really means, I still don't think it's a good idea. The seller of this one is telling people to "donk it out". We need to save this car from a "donking"...This is a Pontiac Grand Ville (aka Grandville). In its day it was Pontiac's top of the line car. It was more "luxurious" than a Bonneville and arguably more sporty than the similar Oldsmobile 98 and Buick Electra.
Pontiac built this car from 1971 through 1975. It sold in decent numbers for a few years, but it was really a car without an identity. The Bonneville had always been Pontiac's top car and and there was very little to distinguish the Grand Ville from the Bonneville. The OPEC oil embargo of 1973 killed the sales of big cars with big engines and the Grand Ville was discontinued in 1975. The Bonneville went back to being the top of the line Pontiac.
OK, about this car... There is nothing really exciting here. It's brown. It has a vinyl roof.
The drivetrain is the best you'll find in a 1970s GM luxury sedan. It has a 455ci V8 in it (which was standard on the Grand Ville) and a Turbo-Hydramatic(THM) 400 transmission. The THM400 transmission is an incredibly durable transmission and maybe the best ever built by GM. It was also used by Ferrari, Jaguar, Rolls Royce and Jeep, to name a few. They are damn near indestructible.The seller states that this car has a "duel" exhaust, which I guess means that if you're shot at, the car will shoot back. He claims the body is in good shape with just 3 small rust spots and the interior is in good shape, too.
The seller doesn't say what year this one is, but based on the big bumpers it's a 1973 or newer car.
The reality check - This is not a really good looking car (although the earlier pre-5 MPH bumpers cars look pretty good in a big US car way). It's got a big, thirsty engine, but it's not extremely fast. It handles like a big 1970s American car, which means that its handling is awful. Still, all that said, it's a piece of history that has survived for this long without accruing any real damage or modifications. This one deserves a better fate than being "donked" over.
Located in Brockton, MA, click here to see the Craigslist ad.