1990 Chevrolet Lumina review from North America
"Reliability issues, but very safe"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The Luminas seem to EAT alternators. I am on my fourth, luckily I bought the lifetime alternator warranty so it hasn't cost much. The alternators can be had for about $100 (for the lifetime warranty) and are a pain in the butt to replace.
The EGR valve is about $180 (aftermarket) and fails about 85k miles.
I haven't had the brake problems that others seem to, but I don't have ABS so maybe that's it.
The best thing about this car is the safety, I hit a pick-up (full size) on a slippery road at about 35mph and didn't get a scratch. That alone has got to be worth something.
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| Buy only if you want to race it hard, not if you want a reliable car |
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| An economical car for the college bound student |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1990 |
| First year of ownership | 1997 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2000 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.1L V-6 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 6 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 4 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 3 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 56000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 89000 miles |
| Previous car | Volkswagen Golf |
| Date of Entry | 22nd August, 2000 |