1988 Pontiac LeMans Base model sedan from North America - Comments

It was made, for one thing.

The fuel delivery system did a better job of adding weight to the car than it did at actually metering the air/fuel ratio. I eventually got used to the 4000 rpm idle, though.

The oxygen sensor was installed wrong from the factory, so when we attempted to replace it, it stripped every thread on its way out. Strangely enough, it ran exactly the same as before without the sensor, and the exhaust note coming from the hole in the manifold was hilarious. My car was louder than all of the V8s with dual exhausts in my high school parking lot.

There are countless more stories of LeMans parts failure, so I'll spare you the tears.

If Daewoo ever managed to produce a V12 supercar that could outperform an F1 car, get 70 mpg, and carry six people, I still would not give it a second glance after my experience with the LeMans. What the hell was GM thinking?

The negatives of this car are so strong that the positives become a moot point. It gets great gas mileage, the trunk is larger than most would expect, and the handling is respectable considering the price (oversteer can be a suprise in a FWD car).

However, non-existent reliability, stagnant engine performance, and high maintenance costs will make you quickly forget the money you think you're saving on gas. What's the point of trunk space if you can't start the car?

Seriously, if you buy a LeMans, make sure a pair of comfortable shoes comes with it. You'll need them for all the walking you'll be doing.

I found this review somewhat difficult to swallow, given that the owner, who considers this car to be such a lemon, would drive it for 177000 miles. I understand being frustrated and negative regarding all the apparent problems, but my advice to someone having such difficulties with a vehicle is this: get rid of it for ANY price, and find something else! Certainly the cost of repairs that would likely occur after perhaps 100000 miles of frustrated ownership would have been saved, and selling it for a few hundred and getting something rated as being a reliable choice for a used car, plus the benefit of being HAPPY about the vehicle you own would surely be worth the money spent! Regarding the info provided in the review, it would have been useful to know at what points the problems arose -- was it mainly after 100000 miles, or much sooner? Etc.

Gee. I was think the same thing, 177000 miles and 12 years of ownership. How bad could it have been? It would be very helpful if the miles at each major repair was part of the post.

4000 rpm idle not uncommon in the Pontiac cars, easy fix is to disconnect the battery for thirty sec and problem solved, also make sure the earth lead is in good condition as any voltage drop across the circuit will throw the computer out and give you the same problem.

I own a 2l Pontiac and believe it to be the most reliable and cost effective car to maintain.

I owned a 1969 Lemans, I know that it is a different year car than yours, but same model and if you would have ever owned one you would have a real soft spot in your heart for anything pontiac. Tht car was fast, fine, and real cool. It is what you would call a happy car, always starting on the first click never, ever left anyone stranded and I want to kick myself in the butt every time I think that I actually traded it in for a 1977 lemon buick century, now that was a piece of %&*$ car. I only put 44,000 miles on it and more than half of it was on the wreaker truck! The triple A cancled my membership it was that bad!

Why is that last comment in here? A '69 LeMans has about as much in common with an '88 LeMans as an Apple computer has with, well, an apple.

Really! What dope drives a vehicle they clearly hate - for TWELVE YEARS? I had an '87 Camaro that was such a lemon, I dumped it after 11 months - at a tremendous loss. C'mon!

What Pontiac was thinking? - They needed a new small car to introduce below the GrandAm series - and Daewoo made this car for them. It wasn't intended, nor marketed as a world-class car, as I remember (i actually looked at one to replace the Camaro!) they were cheap, tickedy-tackedy little sedans and coupes - but well marketed as "Entry-Level".

The fact that it marked 177K+ miles in itself is pretty impressive.. A more honest review would have been in order I think.

I bought mine new in 1988 when was 18 years old.

I was soo happy to be buying my first brand new car..

The sales man gave me the choice of a brand new LeMans or a used Sunbird... to this day I wish I would have picked the Sunbird.

My major issue was the car not starting when it was wet outside.

Whoever said let's put a plastic bag over the distributor cap was a brilliant man!

Seemed it kept more water in then out.

I kept mine from 1988 to 1990.

Funny it wasn't until years later I learned it was an import.