Comments: 1-15, 16-18
Aside from minor, regular repairs, the paint is peeling off of the car. I have seen at least fifty white Chevrolet Luminas with this same problem and General Motors is refusing to paint it at no cost to the consumer. This is obviously a factory defect and the company is not backing its product.
I am very disappointed in General Motors overall and will never purchase another vehicle from them due to the fact that they do not seem to stand behind their products when they have faults.
We bought two Pontiac's. one white one black and we have the same problem. A 1994 & 1995.So it's not just the chevy's. N.Russell, (srussell3@ec.rr.com.)
I have a 1998 white Chevy Lumina, we just paid it off and wouldn't you know it, the paint is peeling off in large areas. Is there any way GM can be responsible for taking care of this problem? I have seen A LOT of other White Luminas with the same problem.
My father owns a white 97 Monte Carlo and the paint is chipping off in large areas as well. I have also seen many Luminas and Monte Carlo's around the same year with this problem driving around. Can something be done???
What you basically have to do is go to the dealer, and threaten to bring in the Better Business Bureau. That put a flame under GM's rear (or at least the dealer's) and they painted my mother in law's 96 Chevy Beretta (2 yrs. ago) all over again. Her's is the Gray/Green color, and the paint was just coming off in GOBS. It was so bad that it was sheeting off washing the car with a garden hose. Trust me... That should work. Just be firm with them and let them know how you feel.
I guess I'm the exception here. I have a 1997 Lumina - WHITE - and the paint is perfect! I have a couple chips on the hood from road debris, but that's it. Guess I'm the lucky one?
I recently went to a dealership, inquiring on a new vehicle. I have a 87 Honda, on which the paint is also coming off in sheets. When I mentioned it to the dealer, he said that in all honesty, Your paint job lasting is dependent on the day that it was painted from factory. Mondays and Fridays are bad days for a car to be painted, and most likely will start to deteriorate quickly. Mondays, first day of the work week and no one wants to be there, so they may do a poor job. Fridays due to the fact that it is the last day of the work week, and everyone is in a hurry to leave. Just thought I would let ya know this. I personally am looking at a 97 Lumina to purchase. I noticed only a couple of spots on the trunk where the paint was bubbled. But all in all... the paint is still great on it. Good luck with you all.
I also have a white 1997 Chevy Lumina with the paint peeling off the side doors. I have contacted General Motors, Chevrolet Corporation, and numerous dealers, and have received the same assistance from all of these contacts - none! I have also noticed at least 15 other white Luminas with the same problem in the course of my travels. I think it is horrible that Chevrolet is unwilling to correct this problem and can guarantee that I will never again purchase another General Motors vehicle. Best wishes to the person who commented about how they must be the exception (dated 9/15/04), my paint just started peeling, hope you have better luck!
Dodge Neons paint is worse, Honda's and Acura's ; Toyota's and Lexus all rust very quickly (5 years or less) around the rear quarter panel, and don't get me started on the communist oh I mean Korean vehicles. (KIA, Hyundai, and Daewoo.) Being an ASE certified mechanic I see all kinds come and go. Only thing I can say is, Yea It's a bad deal that the paint starts to peel, however The vehicles are almost 9 years old you have to expect some visual wear. The 3.1 Liter despite it's common problems which can cost you a fortune ONLY IF YOU NEGLECT TO KEEP THE MAINTENANCE UP TO DATE (intake manifold gasket, water pump, etc) is a pretty reliable engine and vehicle. 8.5 out of 10.
I bought my 97 new. As of today (July 2005) it only has 45,000 miles. Only major problem, manifold gasket had to be replaced. It is white and the paint is perfect. I love the car.
"and don't get me started on the communist oh I mean Korean vehicles"
Uh, Korean cars are built in South Korea, which is a democratic country. North Korea, which is communist, doesn't build cars. Do your research before making silly comments...
My white 98 lumina is having the same problem has anyone gotten a quote to repaint the whole thing?
I am the person that commented back in Sept 04 that I was the "Lucky One" because the paint on my 97 white Lumina was still good. HA!! I spoke too soon! As of today (1-18-07), the paint is peeling off the trunk, roof, passenger side (BAD, the entire rear passenger side door) and on the hood. Seems to start in the ridges, then just takes off. So like many of you, I have gray splotches all over my car. Nice. It's a shame because the car runs like a champ and is paid off, but I'm thinking of getting rid of it just because it looks like a piece of crap!
We have a 1998 Chevrolet Lumina. WHITE paint gray PRIMER. Both are showing, however more and more GRAY primer is showing. I was trained in auto body repair and refinishing, and I never saw a vehicle paint job as bad as what I have noted on the chevrolet luminas. Just today I saw a WHITE monte carlo - yes it has GRAY primer under the top coat of WHITE. As far as purchasing another general motors vehicle - NOPE, NEVER, NOT EVEN. Additional problems are poor service at dealers (I've been to plenty - I was in the military all over the US), they wanted to replace a fuel filter because it had surface rust on the exterior of the filter - soooo funny, no leaks just rust, I guess we replace our automobile when it has surface rust too! Allot of automobile manufacturers out there competing for my hard earned cash. So long chevrolet.
I have a 1997 chevy lumina that I purchashed from a friend, and when I received it, it was in excellent condition in march of 2005.Now its July 2nd 2007 and it looks like a 101 dalmation. Is their any way I can get help?
I really like my Lumina and it has been very reliable. The intake manifold gasket thing is unfortunate, but I find it acceptable considering the reliability of the rest of the car...except the white paint. This is obviously a factory defect. GM should be ashamed at not addressing this problem with consumers. I was going to buy about 20 or 30 or 40 cans of white rust-oleam paint to make it look presentable and try to stop the rust (yes the primer is even gone some places including the whole roof). Then I decided to leave it alone so everyone can see how horrible it looks and think twice about buying a GM car. Whenever someone asks why the car looks like seagull excrement (this happens all the time quite annoying) I simply reply "Oh that's GM quality for you, I wouldn't recomend buying one." That is my revenge to GM for having to drive a seagull turd car. The one cool thing about this paint defect is when I go through a carwash it is all trippy watching the sheets of white paint peel off and fly all over the place breaking into pieces. It is also quite amusing when a simple garden hose or the wind peels the paint off, but also quite sad.