1988 Chevrolet Celebrity review from North America

Nearly blew the head gasket, thank god it was just a few sensors that went.

Replaced the noisy rusted-out muffler, hardly a repair, more like negligence on the previous owner's part.

Fixed engine valve cover leak.

A number of flat tires.

Driver's side mirror is pointing down, and completely non-operational.

I had to purchase a very inexpensive car last fall, never thought I'd drive another American car. This was a very unwanted purchase.

First month of ownership went smooth. I had to do a bit of maintenance, new tires, muffler and a little cosmetic work.

A month after that all hell broke loose. I nearly blew a head gasket, got home just as the car died, and engine almost started on fire.

Mechanic fixed all (couple of sensors went) relatively cheap for me. Soon after that my new tires started going flat left and right. Car sprung an oil leak (fixed by replacing a valve cover), and I had some starter problems due to faulty ignition wiring.

And then after a month long struggle to keep it moving from one mechanic shop to another, it all stopped. I have had no problems since December 2000. It is now almost August 2001. I have not spent a penny on the car, other than oil changes and refuelling. I hope it stays that way.

The car is as plain as they come, power steering and brakes. That's all as far as standard equipment. The bench seat is not very practical (hard to adjust), but fairly comfortable.

Performance is adequate, despite only 4 cylinders. Ride is smooth and well balanced, although uninspiring and boring.

Instrument panel looks like it came from the early 70's, and is horribly lit at night.

Engine is very noisy, but well muffled inside the cabin. Transmission works excellent, smooth during acceleration, a bit choppy when the car comes to a stop.

To summarize: This is a very boring car, with a long list of shortfalls, poorly built (compared to all the Japanese cars I've had), but as long as it stays as reliable as it has been in last seven months I simply don't care.