19th Nov 2013, 22:45
I purchased a used Chevy Epica in 2005 and had NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS... day after day after day. The used car place I purchased it from began saying they couldn't keep fixing my car for free after the first week. I hunted down the original owner and paid her $200 dollars to transfer the warranty to me, so the Chevy dealer would fix it under warranty.
The engine was rebuilt, and then within a very short time (by roughly 60,000 km), they had replaced the engine. The (other) dealer neglected to plug in 2 cooling fans after replacing the motor, and the radiator exploded, making a mess of everything under the hood. After fixing it, dealer also did not clean the burned antifreeze from inside the hood and everything under it until I protested in front of customers.
The transmission consistently slipped and the engine would backfire and lose power. The oxygen sensors were replaced about every 3-4 months (would have been much more often, if I had time to sit in their dealership for another 3 days for them to duplicate the problem, and then to reset the oil pressure light every single time it went on, which was usually on my way home... very true story, I have the paperwork to prove it) Eventually the dealer began charging me 72.00 to reset the light rather than fixing the problem, further aggravating an already disgusting situation for a car that cost me $26,000.00. This was when I started taking it to another dealer. The mechanic at the "other dealer" told me the problem was nobody knew how to fix them, because they are not Chevettes, Cavaliers or Cobalts.
The final repair with me as the owner was another oxygen sensor, which took days to fix. When I arrived to pick it up, I refused to keep it and traded it in for an 07 Cobalt. I only ever had one repeated problem with that car, and it was the steering column being replaced yearly under warranty. Off warranty, the steering column I was told by the dealer, was about $2,000.00.
My niece worked at this dealer and called me the following day to congratulate me on my "brilliant" decision to dump the Epica, because they could not get it started in the service bay where I drove it in to switch my personal belongings over to my new Cobalt. They finally towed it out of their service bay, and the strut snapped on the way out and apparently caused serious damage to the vehicle LOL. I nicknamed this car the Epic-a-my destruction. It was the biggest waste of money I had ever spent, and my first ever new car purchase.
Chevy NEVER ONCE offered any sort of compensation for my loss of wages, as well as vacation time used fixing it, my wasted time spent at the dealer day after day, and finally... my wasted money. When my radiator blew after getting a brand new motor, roadside assistance told me the 3 children with me at the time of the breakdown had to find alternate transportation because there was no room for them in the tow truck!!! The manager of the dealership picked us up in his own vehicle about an hour and a half after the breakdown, stranded on the side of the road with 3 children after a tow truck hauled the heap away.
30th Jan 2026, 18:56
I have a 2004 Chev Epica that my Mom bought new in June 2004 in Toronto. The car even has a spoiler on the trunk so my Mom could. see the end of the car when backing it up as she is only 5'1" tall.
I took it over in September 2023 as she stopped driving that summer. This is a true story of "Driven by a little Old Lady." My Mom was 72 years old when she bought it and 92 when she gave it to me with 60,840KM on it and no rust as she never drove it in bad weather. I had a mechanic go through the whole vehicle while it was being safety'd and he said it was good to go anywhere.
As I am a snow bird that goes to Florida for winter, I drove it down here to use when I am here. It did use a liter of oil the first day of 1100KM, but the next two days maybe use 1/2 Liter for 1250KM. Expected it to use some oil as seals were probably dry from being under used and this was its only major highway run. The vehicle is perfect for Florida as we drive about 3500KM every winter down here.
So now at the end of January 2026 it has 72,000KM on it. The first winter it was fine. Last winter 24/25 I had to put two tires on it which is regular maintenance. It also required some emissions work as a solenoid and VGR valve had to be replaced. Right now I the #2 ignition coil is gone so may as well do all 6 as the intake housing has to come off which is a lot of labour, so best to do them all at once. Also doing plugs and a rocker cover gasket that is leaking a lot of oil. So since January of 2025 I am out $1900US for repairs and the car is worth around $2800 CDN so it is a wash, so to speak.
I do wish it had more power and a 5 or 6 speed auto, but for a 2004 vehicle it is fine. I have looked at getting rid of it and getting another FLA beater like an old Lincoln luxury car or small SUV, but I figure better the devil you know than the one you don't. Don't get me wrong, if someone came along and wanted to purchase this vehicle I would definitely consider it. I am open to offers or trades to someone interested in a 2004 Chev Epica LT with low KM and in great shape.
27th May 2013, 19:57
Definitely. Chevrolet did nothing to improve the quality of their rebadged Daewoos. They were bad cars.