1999 Chevrolet Prizm Reviews - Page 2 of 2

I purchased the prizm new. I had never had a problem until recently. The air conditioning stopped working. I took the car to local shop. I was told it as leaking 134a coolant from the fire wall. The cost was said to be almost a thousand dollars. I then took it to a Chevrolet dealer where I was charged two hundred dollars to replace a dryer and a dryer line. The a/c stop working five days later. Around four hundred dollars and two shops later, I still cannot figure out what is wrong with the a/c.

The prizm isn't the most enjoyable car to drive. The seats are too firm and the gas pedal is poorly positioned. On the other side, it gets great fuel mileage.

Nothing serious. When I first acquired my vehicle, the sealant was leaking from the doors and trunk, but this was easily fixed at the dealership by removing the panels and wiping away the excess sealant.

Not much leg room in the back seat and passenger seat. Taller passengers may be a bit uncomfortable. However, the drivers seat is comfortable. A lot of room for stretching while driving. Easy to adjust the seat while moving. Definitely a good single-person road trip car.

Slight problems with steep inclines. The engine is not as powerful as larger trucks, but that is to be expected from a compact car.

The "Check Engine" light comes on around every 3,000 to 5,000 miles.

The driver side door locks consistently freeze shut in cold weather.

The passenger side front door is in bad need of some WD-40 seeing as how it gives a loud wrenching noise when you open it.

The rear wheels make noises when turning into tight spaces.

Other than the minor things above, our Prizm is a terrific little car. My mother actually owns the car., I'm just 15 and drive it very often now that I have my permit. The car has over 105,000 miles on it and still drives like a dream. The only other problems I've had is with the acceleration being somewhat sluggish when merging on to the freeway. After the wear and tear we've put on it, it proves itself worthy of having our love. It's been a great car to learn to drive in and it will surely be a shame when my mother finally trades it in. I would recommend a Prizm or it's Corolla cousin to anyone. What a fine little automobile.

Absolutely nothing has gone wrong with this car. Not even routine maintenance has been needed.

The air conditioning is extremely effective and rapid.

The paint tends to crack and break off easily.

It does not handle well in the snow, as my 1990 Prizm did.

It handles quite well, but lacks power.

Gets great gas mileage, at least 32 miles to the gallon, but I have never measured exactly.

I find it comfortable on long drives, although my taller passengers get stiff legs.