1996 Chevrolet Lumina Reviews - Page 5 of 8

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1996 Chevrolet Lumina Limited Edition Forgot from North America

Model year1996
Year of manufacture1996
First year of ownership1998
Most recent year of ownership2005
Engine and transmission Forgot Automatic
Performance marks 5 / 10
Reliability marks 1 / 10
Comfort marks 8 / 10
Dealer Service marks 5 / 10
Running Costs (higher is cheaper) 3 / 10
Overall marks (average of all marks)
4.4 / 10
Distance when acquired160000 kilometres
Most recent distance208000 kilometres

Summary:

Comfortable, but not worth the time and repairs

Faults:

Engine blew at 190 000km.

Transmission blew at 200 000km.

Paint started peeling at 200 000km.

Turn signals stopped working at 180000km.

Interior is falling apart (i.e. the covers on the doors are falling off exposing the wooden surface underneath)

Rear-passenger side door broken at 201000km.

Gas tank leaking at 202000km.

General Comments:

Very unreliable.

Handles like a boat...

The engine struggles above 100km/h, needs a much better intake system.

Very weak audio system.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 1st September, 2005

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6th Sep 2007, 12:38

Sounds like your lumina was abused and neglected.

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1996 Chevrolet Lumina Base 3.1L SPFI from North America

Model year1996
Year of manufacture1996
First year of ownership2003
Most recent year of ownership2005
Engine and transmission 3.1L SPFI Automatic
Performance marks 0 / 10
Reliability marks 10 / 10
Comfort marks 1 / 10
Running Costs (higher is cheaper) 8 / 10
Overall marks (average of all marks)
4.8 / 10
Distance when acquired63000 miles
Most recent distance83000 miles
Previous carDodge Daytona

Summary:

Best damn sedan on the road

Faults:

Gasket went out on the cooling system causing a $1000.00 repair.

Brakes wear out a little quickly.

Driver's seat was poorly made.

General Comments:

I love this car other than I am 18 and attending college full time and this is typically a grandma or grandpa car.

The driver's seat supports have all broken. I don't think a quality issue as mush a health issue of the previous owener, but still very uncomfortable.

Takes everything I have thrown at it as stated above the brakes do wear quickly, but I drive like an escaped convict.

Overall the car has been very reliable. It has never once left me stranded. I live in Illinois and we have some very cold winters that the car sits outside all night in. Every morning I get up and she will ALWAYS fire right up.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 22nd January, 2005

Comment on this review

4th Oct 2005, 10:28

I have to agree; overall a good car. We have had similar problems:

--intake gasket needed to be replaced at approx 75,000 miles, $750 at dealer

--engine needed to be replaced at approx 110,000 miles, $2500 at independent mechanic (sludge issue, mechanic said it looked like the oil hadn't been changed in a while, I had paperwork detailing all oil changes, mechanic said maybe lube shop wasn't actually changing the oil, who knows)

--turn signal switch replaced at approx 125,000 miles, also had to have intake valve and piping cleaned (car kept trying to "choke"), $350

--brake pads (front only) at 135,000 miles; back pads still good, original to car! Great brakes! $100

--new tires at 75,000 and 140,000 (had bad set by brand starting with an "M" at around 120,000, three of four went bad, have gone back to original brand) $360

--getting serpentine belt and tension rod replaced in next month or so

--"Service Engine Soon" light always on; we get it turned off and it comes back on inside of a week. We do have hot & humid weather for about 6 months tho, maybe that's why (as another comment states)

--Cylinder four has had three new spark plugs and plug wires in the last year, dunno why. Sometimes engine will shudder, a bottle of Fuel Injector Cleaner with a full tank of gas clears it up.

--new battery at 140,000, got stuck in parking garage in Downtown St. Louis. That was fun.

We don't drive aggressively, but we do drive a lot. We've put a lot of miles on her in the last year, so I guess I can't complain too much. Definitely lots of room, good trunk space, comfortable seats, interior holding up really well, slight wear on drivers seat upholstery, paint holding up really well / still glossy.

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1996 Chevrolet Lumina LS 3.1L from North America

Model year1996
Year of manufacture1995
First year of ownership2000
Most recent year of ownership2005
Engine and transmission 3.1L Automatic
Performance marks 7 / 10
Reliability marks 5 / 10
Comfort marks 8 / 10
Dealer Service marks 9 / 10
Running Costs (higher is cheaper) 4 / 10
Overall marks (average of all marks)
6.6 / 10
Distance when acquired60000 miles
Most recent distance165000 miles
Previous carChevrolet Monte Carlo

Summary:

Money Pit!

Faults:

We have had a replace almost everything at least once.

Head gaskets in engine blew at 93000.

Replace alternator 3 times.

Replaced water pump twice.

Transmission went out at 123000.

Paint is chipping very badly.

AC Compressor went out at 155000. Did not replace, just bypassed so engine would not lock up.

Brakes squeak a good bit.

Dash light have gone out.

General Comments:

Goes out of alignment easily.

We have put $5000+ into our Lumina, at we wish we would have gotten out of it before it got bad.

Car seems to be okay until 90000 miles. Do not buy this vechile unless in has low miles and you don't plan on keeping it long, or if you enjoy throwing money away. Buy Japenese!

Has left me stranded several times.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 16th January, 2005

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Average review marks: 7.0 / 10, based on 29 reviews