1996 Chevrolet Beretta Reviews - Page 2 of 4

Fuel Line broke at 120000mi

Rotors Replaced at 118000mi

The Plastic on the back was broken when I bought the car.

Trunk lock replaced at 120000mi

Sway Bar broken at 121000mi

Wheel alignment/routine maintenance

Struts need to be replaced

Driver seat torn.

This is my first car and I love it to death. The V6 provides decent power (not exactly a hot rod) but is good enough for passing/merging. I've beat this car pretty bad and it still runs like a gem. The motor has quite a bit of life left in it. The transmission is a little beat up (neutral dropping the car doesn't help that though) I think with a fluid change and some various transmission chemicals it will last until I get another car. The car was wrecked on the passenger side and totaled, but the car still runs great. The strut was bent, and It needed a new control arm to move again, only about $200 in repairs. Through the abuse and torment I've caused this car I still get 25MPG City and about 32MPG Highway, great fuel economy. I recommend this car to any first driver or someone looking for a little economy car. They are great values and very underrated.

The only thing that has ever gone wrong with this car was the alternator. It was an easy fix and the car has been a dream ever since.

This is basically the best car I have ever drivin. It has torque and with the modifications I've done I pumped out 389 horse power. This is truly a customizers dream.

Radiator replaced at 70000 miles.

Check engine light (due to exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system) has been on since 80,000 miles.

A/C condenser began leaking freon at 100,000 miles.

Valve pinging / knocking began at about 100,000 miles (only until engine gets up to running temp).

Transmission replaced at 150,000 miles.

190,000 front struts are starting to go bad.

The car has been a great car overall.

The car was / is very sporty in looks and performance. Great handling and plenty of power.

Stainless steel exhaust has never needed replaced to this day.

The 3100 GM engine seems to have been engineered well as it has clearly sufficed its life expectancy for such a meagerly priced coupe.

Oil pressure sensor went bad and spewed oil.

Lower intake manifold gasket leaked, expensive repair. Common problem, there is an updated gasket to fix it.

Windshield cracked, probably just due to a stone chip.

Piston slap on startup. This is a known problem with the early 3100 V6s. Its very expensive to repair, but as long as its not severe, it won't hurt the engine at all.

The Chevy Beretta is an all around decent car that can handle most tasks that you throw at it.

With a 160 hp V6, I wouldn't say the car is fast, but it has a good amount of torque and plenty of power for passing and merging.

The sport suspension on the Z26 provides great traction and cornering ability, however, it can get mushy during quick direction changes. The twist beam rear suspension can't quite keep up with fully independent suspensions on cars like the Neon and Civic.

For a sport coupe, the car has better than average room in the back seat, and it has a pretty big trunk.

The interior has a lot of plastic and looks kind of cheap, and there is a lot of wind noise on the highway (might be quieter in Berettas without a sunroof).

Gas mileage is nothing special in the city, but good on the highway: I get at least 27 mpg highway, the EPA estimates 29 mpg.

The only area where this car really excels is its exterior. I think the Z26 is still one of the best looking front wheel drive coupes ever made.