1996 Chevrolet Lumina Base from North America - Comments

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

Brakes wear out a little quickly.

Driver's seat was poorly made.

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.

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.

Update to previous comment (not the original post) :

The following will be fixed in the next month (car now has 160,000 miles on it) :

-dash lights are now out (have been out since November) ; been using map lights to see instrument cluster

-slow (very slow) oil leak, can't tell where it's coming from

-engine starting to run warm again, thinking it's time for the 4th intake gasket, ugh (original went out at 75K, second replaced with new engine, currently on third)

-every once in a while we have the smell of burning rubber, which dissipates within a minute or so

-engine seems to be running a little rough, but it's not missing, thinking the timing may be slightly off

-have gone through 2 light bulbs in passenger-side headlight; electrical short?

-rear brake master cylinders are leaking; need to be repaired or replaced

-struts/shocks need to be replaced.

We're getting tired of repairing GM's. Getting a Toyota or Honda next.

So, you're complaining about relatively minor repairs on a 10+ year old vehicle with high miles, and you think a Honda or a Toyota is going to hold up better?

Take a look around at how many 10+ year old Hondas or Toyotas are still on the road. Then look for 10+ GM's or Fords.

"So, you're complaining about relatively minor repairs on a 10+ year old vehicle with high miles, and you think a Honda or a Toyota is going to hold up better?

Take a look around at how many 10+ year old Hondas or Toyotas are still on the road. Then look for 10+ GM's or Fords."

I see 10+ year old Honda's and Toyota's EVERYWHERE. They do outlast Ford and GM. And by a lot. It's been quite awhile since I've seen a Ford or GM that's over 10 years old. Yet I see 10 year old Honda's and Toyota's whenever I leave my house.

Nonsense - there are enormous numbers of over-ten-year-old GM cars, and even Fords on the road.

"Nonsense - there are enormous numbers of over-ten-year-old GM cars, and even Fords on the road."

TEN YEAR OLD CARS!!! There are MILLIONS of THIRTY YEAR OLD Ford and GM cars on the road!! Every day I see late 70's and early 80's Buicks, Pontiacs, Oldsmobiles and Chevy Impalas, as well as Ford LTD's, Lincolns and Mercurys. I see 30+ year old Dodge trucks all the time. It is not at all unusual here to see late 60's Ford F-100's and Chevy trucks. We own a 55 year old Pontiac and just sold a 33 year old Buick (in perfect condition) last year. We also own a 39 year old Dodge and a 42 year old Dodge. I don't know where you guys live, but it certainly must not be the Southern U.S. There are 40 year old domestics sitting in driveways not a mile from our home.

"TEN YEAR OLD CARS!!! There are MILLIONS of THIRTY YEAR OLD Ford and GM cars on the road!! Every day I see late 70's and early 80's Buicks, Pontiacs, Oldsmobiles and Chevy Impalas, as well as Ford LTD's, Lincolns and Mercurys. I see 30+ year old Dodge trucks all the time. It is not at all unusual here to see late 60's Ford F-100's and Chevy trucks. We own a 55 year old Pontiac and just sold a 33 year old Buick (in perfect condition) last year. We also own a 39 year old Dodge and a 42 year old Dodge. I don't know where you guys live, but it certainly must not be the Southern U.S. There are 40 year old domestics sitting in driveways not a mile from our home."

You would be correct. I don't live in the Southern U.S. I live in New England where the weather rusts away these cars before they get a chance to get that old. The only time I see domestics that are over 20 years old are at summer time classic car shows.