1988 Chevrolet Nova Base from North America - Comments

Not much to complain about, has a Toyota engine in a crappy NUMMI body and interior.

Paint terrible, lousy interior fit & finish, mis-matched everything -- and still it runs like a top.

Likes tires some, has some small engine compartment wet spots, but nothing dangerous, yet.

Toyota builds great engines, the UAW sticks them in crappy packages (or did in 1988 anyway).

The later Prizm is also highly rated, same deal (Toyo motor, NUMMI shell).

Chevy Novas are good for almost anything. From adding CD players, to custom fog lights, this car can be made to fit anyone's style. I would suggest the Novas with the Twin Cam engine and 4 speed automatic with overdrive. If you get another Nova, have all of your routine maintenance done. Then drive it like it's new. NUMMI, what is that?

March 25, 2004

I just got a 1988 nova with the twin cam engine. It seems to be a pretty good car so far my gas gauge dosent work so that kinda sucks it doesn't have any major problems though so that is good It has about 98,165 miles so its pretty well off.

I'm thinking of buying one, a guy had an aunt who moved away and gave it to them, and he said he doesn't know how much for it, but around $500 more or less. Don't know if it's a good buy though, what do you think?

You should definitely buy it. You will get 70-80 mpg, you'll be able to drive it for another 300K miles without having to make any repairs to it, and women will throw themselves at you when they see you in it. All this for $500, how can you not buy it?

The New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI) was a partnership between Toyota and General Motors to build autos in Fremont California. I have purchased three NUMMI autos: 1988 Chevy Nova, 1999 Toyota Corolla, and a 2007 Toyota Corolla. They have all been excellent cars and my Chevy Nova has 172,000 miles and still going strong. NUMMI proves that American workers with well engineered cars can build superior products. The plant in Fremont California, the last major manufacturer of cars in California, is scheduled to close at the end of March,2010. I am sorry that I will not be able to buy their products in the future.