1991 Chevrolet Lumina Euro from North America - Comments

My 1991 Lumina - a car I love to hate.

I've been a very loyal GM customer for many years now, but my 1991 Lumina is the last one I'll buy. I've discovered reliable and high quality vehicles from Toyota, so it's "so long GM".

But, to the Lumina. Really, for the money, I've driven it a long way, but the aggravation has made it a painful experience. My white Lumina Euro 3.1L now has 300,000 km (180,000 miles) on it. Here's the weaknesses.

Brakes: very expensive repairs continually. Probably the most annoying thing. I've replaced everything in the braking system many times, sometimes exceeding a grand a pop. The brakes were undersized for the weight of the car, according to a GM engineer I met once.

Intake Manifold Gasket. This is a big gasket that sits on top of the engine and just underneath the intake manifold. This gasket on my 3.1L engine is known for premature failure, it breaks and the water pump will gladly fill the crankcase with coolant. The engine can be ruined. At first sign of this leaking (takes an expert to diagnose this), replace the gasket after going to the bank for a loan.

Heads: A known weakness, the heads crack and have to be replaced. Mine is oozing coolant a bit right now. A head replacement is a grand, and is risky according to my mechanic.

Electrical: The switches for the automatic door locks failed several times and I finally engineered my own switches using some from Radio Shack.

Struts: I cold weather the rear struts can freeze solid and when they do, the first bump can drive them through the top of the shock tower and into the truck. Which mine did.

What GM has to do is develop a good overhead valve engine and achieve some level of quality. Unfortunately, they can't get away with selling junk to the public for decades, and then get the public to believe that they've achieved something.

I think that this reviewer has had a very bad experience with a 3.1 v6 Lumina, the engine itself is very reliable I have the same one, (94 lumina 3.1 v6) and have had none of the problems mentioned.

I will say this: the car itself is totaled (I was involved in a bad wreck) but the engine and trans still run like there was nothing wrong..

I have a 91 4-door, and it's a fairly decent car though I'd like something more sporty. Really the only recurring problem other than normal wear is having to replace the alternator since it sits right on top of the engine and takes all the heat.

I have a 1996 Lumina 3.1.

I hit a bump associated with a maintenance hole cover that is sinking into the road and the front right shock tower just let go, driving it into the wiper motor and leaving that side of the car down and with no suspension movement.

Has anyone ever heard of this happening on a van that is only 8 years old?

That was one bad day, will update after I find out if this vehicle is now a write-off...

I also own a lumina euro 3.1, it's a great car, but come on, you have 300,000kms on it, most cars don't make it that far, I am amazed with mine because it also is hitting the big 300,000kms and I will make it last!

My parents owned a 1991 Chevy Lumina Euro Sport with the 3.1 V6. It is a good car.

Heads do crack and head gaskets do blow, but I have never heard of the shocks or struts doing that.

It had 209,313 miles on it. Just rebuilt the motor on it, because they got it for me to drive, and the valves bent because the timing chain broke.

The computer has went out on it before, but other than those problems, it is a good quality car, and if you like the Lumina, you will like the Chevy Impala LS with the 3.8 V6.