1999 Chevrolet Prizm review from North America

Uses a quart of oil every 1,800 miles or so.

I've broken three door handles off.

The radiator fan relay failed, so it tends to overheat while idling.

The interior is made really cheaply, but it's been a reliable car.

After reading a ton of reviews and people frustrated with the oil consumption problem that these cars seem to have, I think I have an idea why this happens. Note, my Prizm is on its original engine with 207,000 miles and it still only uses 1 quart every 1,800 miles, relatively low compared to other younger Prizms.

1. People don't think their car loses oil, so they run it low frequently and it tends to wear the engine out, especially the rings, where oil escapes to the combustion chamber and burns. (I check my oil every fuel up, and top off always, even if it's only 1/8 or 1/9 of a quart.)

2. 5W-30 is too thin of an oil, even though it is recommended. (I have always used 10W-30 in the winter and 20W-50 in the summer with oil treatment.)

3. Other Prizms I've heard start up, frequently start up dry. So, I use oil stabilizer, and it helps prevent dry start up. I think the dry start ups over time wear the engine out more so than usual. (Also, 90% of my miles are highway, so I don't start my car that much).

So, I suggest following these tips and I believe you'll be okay for the oil consumption problem.