Im looking for a different commuter car. Why is a Intigue with a 3.8 worth so much less than a comparable Bonneville?

The Bonnevilles a better looking car for one. All Olds prices have taken a dump since they quit making that brand. Aleros are being practically given away

^what zamboni said.
Since olds got shut down they are kind of a obsolete car (not that there is anything wrong with them but they are no more). People are kind of nervous about owning a car that is no more (even though its the same thing as a half dozen other gm's) so the prices drop on them.

Do they use the same basic drivetrain? Basicly the same car under a different skin?

Yup, many identical mechanical parts.

Its becoming the norm even in between different manufactures. We called the Chev dealer to see if they had a MAP sensor for an ISUZU SUV. The parts guy thought we where nuts until we gave him the number of of the old one. Sure enough he had one in stock!

GM use to own part of Isuzu, so that's really not surprising. They shared truck components and the last round of Isuzu trucks before they pulled out of the US markets were basically rebadges of Chevy's.

I'd buy the Olds and here's why. As long as you are comparing cars with the same drivetrain and features, the Olds already has the brand discontinuation depreciation taken out of it. The Pontiac doesn't, but now that GM is discontinuing Pontiac it will down the road.

So basically you can buy the Olds for cheaper now, or buy the Pontiac and have its value drop like a brick in the next few years and you can take the hit.

By the way, my friend use to have an Olds Alero and loved it. Basically a Grand Am with nicer styling and interior. Didn't really have any problems with it.

My thoughts exactly CJH.

Actually the Intrugue would share most components with the Grand Prix and Buick Regal/Century. The Bonneville is a larger car.
Drivetrain should be similar, but the size of the Bonneville is another reason it is higher in value.
For some reason, the Intrigue had a much lower quality rating than the Pontiac or Buick counterparts as well. Not sure why.
Depending how much less you are talking I would get the Intrigue if it were a lot, Bonneville if it was only a few hundred dollars.
My mom had 267,000 miles on a 1995 Bonneville. Only issue was the plenum which is a history on the Series II 3800 motors.

My parents intruige has been a nightmare. tranny sensor out at 36,000 miles. tranny out at around 50,000 miles, now its using and leaking oil. And they dont drive "aggressivly". they are looking at trading.

Does their's have the 3.5 or the 3.8 engine?

My dad has a 2000 3.5 Intrigue with 106,000. I've done all the maintainance since he got it and literally other than brakes and normal services the only thing otherwise was a blower resistor and then the blower itself later. I believe both were caused by an A/C drain that was plugged.
No complaints here....

I know its off topic but if I remember right the 3.5 they used in that car was from honda. They didnt do it for very long but its a great motor. I think they put it in the vue and possibly a couple mini vans too. It was some sort of weird deal where chevy traded heavy diesel motors for some car motors.

Do yourself a favor, get a Bonneville with a 3800. You won't regret it. I am a Ford guy at heart, but I have a 96 Bonneville, and that 3800 is one of the best engines EVER made. My car rides nice, great MPG. I have no regrets buying it

That is what Im really searching for. A 3.8, IMO those are one of the best moters ever made! I just got ride of a Grand Prix GTP with a supercharged 3.8, that was an impressive car! Fast as hell and 28mpg! My mother has had 6 different Bonnevilles since the mid 80s and everyone of them has been a great car, very minimal problems with all of them.

Just thinking if I can get an Intrigue for $1000 less and its about the same car why not?

I think that 3.5 is the v-6 version of the northstar V-8. The only thing that I can think of that had the Honda engine is the the Vue. The Honda engine has a timing belt. The intrigue 3.5 is a timing chain so I know they are different engines.