I bought a Used 1998 Chevrolet Lumina in February of 2010, I know its an older car, and had alot of miles on it, but I really had to say out of my owning well over 20 cars, and im 34 years old, I have to say this is car runs and drives better than any car I ever owned before this!! I do agree slightly with the comments made about the brakes, They are rather weak. Other than Tires, changing the oil and keeping up on the fluids, This Lumina has just had the regular basic problems any car would have, or more or less it was just the maintenance is the only time i needed to add a worn out part.
But other than that, and gas and oil, this has been THE BEST car I have ever owned!! I had a 1992 Chrysler LeBaron sedan, and that car ran great for driving it like a race car and putting 25,000 miles on it in a year!! I thought that was my best car, but no This Lumina is Far far better!!! its a 10 on your 5 scale!!! Its also easy to get to parts and such in the engine, the exhaust attatchments are done wonderfully!! couldnt ask for a better car, I drive 64 miles 7 days a week on the car and have been doing so from 6/10/19 to 2/17/11!! thats alot of miles!!, Car was garage kept for 12 years before I bought it

The brakes, could have installed a better radio, when I turn off the heater, it still blows some, which sucks in the summer. The automatic windows are getting really weak,

1998 Chevrolet Lumina LS 3.1

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NONE

Not enough time...

Let's see...had the car breifly and had to replace the fuel pump. Then, the common things that happen with these cars (ha ha) the cam shaft snapped! I'll be darned. So, one new short block later and one week wow! A valve spring broke-now that happens all the time. This car has been a money pit, is now a two-tone color because of the wonderful paint they put on these cars, and just today the engine cooling fan took a dump and the car is scheduled to go back to the shop AGAIN Tues. for more engine work. And no, this is not self-inflicted damage. I drive like granny most of the time.

pretty good gas mileage, almost indistructable, and comfortable

not too stylish, but overall a good car

The chevy lumina is a good car. I have had mine for a least two years and have only minimal problems (mostly self inflicted). The car is very comfortable and reliable. The gas gage is a little off, I always have more gas than what it reads. I used to get better gas mileage closer to 27 mpg but now I am getting between 20-23. I have had to replace the alternator but that is general maintenance and I have not had major problems that I didn't cause myself. Over all, a great car I almost over heated it twice and the thing just keeps going!

Highly dependable, decent gas mileage for motor size (3.1L V6), quite powerful, very comfortable, spacious, well-built.

Battery placement, gas gauge problems, too few gauges (speedometer, odometer, gas only).

I bought a '92 Lumina for 900 bucks. When I got it, I noticed the shocks were busted, causing the car to bounce alot on bumpy roads and the gas gauge would drop down when I drove, but I'd always have more gas than it read. Other than that, I've had no problems whatsoever. I took care of it for a couple months, but after that I started beating the hell out of it. I'd take sharp turns at 50, burn out every chance I got, slam into garbage cans, shopping carts, you name it. It's taken a load of abuse and has still proven to be a reliable ride. I changed the battery once because the old one has never been changed and it's died. Promlems I'm having with it now still aren't horrible, considering what I've done to it. The exhaust is loud, due to rust, which has gotten me pulled over a few times. I have an extremely minor brake fluid lead in the rear master cylinder, so it needs maybe a pint of fluid added every few months. The serpentine belt has a slit in it as well. And yes, the battery is horribly positioned. These problems aside, which are mostly my fault, it's an EXTREMELY well-built car. Mine has over 132,000 miles on it, I haven't changed the oil in over 6,000 miles and it still runs beautifully. If you take care of it (unlike myself), it will last you many years.

Rides like a dream, paint held up well, no rust reliable transpirtation. Was a classy car for the time and the price.

CUPHOLDER FALLS OFF, CRUISE CONTROL KNOB FALLS OFF,GAS GAUGE FAULTY, POWER WINDOW MOTOR (had 2 so far),LOTS OF LUCK GETTING TO THE BATTERY, INTAKE GASKET PROBLEMS, ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH MIDDLE BREAK LIGHT AND REAR BREAK LIGHTS.

Where do I begin? I have always loved my Lumina..a classy,sharp, sensible,reliable spitfire of a car. I got her at 2 years old and from the ghetko petty little things "went'. The infamous CUPHOLDER problem! It just broke off for no apparent reason one day. After that the freaking cruise control lever just fell off in my hand, the power window motor went after about 2 months. oh and let's not forget my favorite flaw. Drum roll, please..the gas gauge. The first and only time in my life I ran out of gas was the day after I bought my Lumina. As it puttered and psffft down the streeet I was genuinely puzzled, after all I knew I had gas.Didn't the gauge showed more than a quarter of a tank. First mistake..beleving the tank..live and learn. I was careful to ALWAYS maintain half a tank after that. I am in my 7th year with the car and it hasn't reached 95k yet and yes..Ive had to properly maintain it but it's been good to me as well.My son used and abused the car after he got his license, my daughter just got her licence and is using it and I genuinely like the car despite it's flaws. I am showing signs of that intake gasket problem which is soooo prevalent with these cars. The "low coolant" light has been coming on despite it being at the mechanic 2 weeks ago. So, Im getting nervous. It would pain me to have to sink big bucks into the car, but I am not yet ready to part with her. Oh, yea did I mention that the interior is literally falling apart. The sun visor broke off and I had to -re-attach the rear view mirror and the carpet going up the front is pitiful. GM reallly doesen't deserve the high praise I am giving this vehicle, but she always rode like a dream and never failed to start. I am a Chevey person but I am seriously consdering a Foreign car next time around.

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Good driving and gas mileage isnt't too bad. besides the alternator that i need to fix it still runs great

maintenance on things that should last longer than they do

Good car i love to drive it but i did have to do some maintenance on it.
i have had it for 2 years, 78000 miles and the alternator just broke down.
also the gas gauge is off by 50 miles or so. Like others i did have to replace the intake for coolant. but that wasx like $9.00. brakes or alright but by the sounds of it i will need to get some new ones sooner or later

Nice acceleration, powerful, roomy, pleasant car to drive.

Interior design and quality suck; requires more maintenance than it should

Overall I like this car, although I am not a fan of American cars, I prefer European. I bought this one because it was a good deal and I really needed a new car. It runs great although it is 8 yo and has almost 100,000. Gas consumption is decent given the size (3.1 engine). What I find annoying though (and I think it is quite typical of GM cars) is that while engine may be okay, the interior of the car is falling apart. Side panels started to come off, and visor holders fall out when I try to use it, the cup holder broke off for no serious reason... and so on. It feels like GM did not design this car to last that long, which is a shame given its price (it was purchased new for 25,000 in 1998). Well, I intend to drive it until it dies, and the engine so far is good, so that's the only thing that is really important to me.
Bottom line: I would never buy this car new, given the depreciation level. It requires too much maintenance and does not last as long as a well-built car should. As a used car bought cheap it's okay.

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Rides great- lasts - sporty look- Mine has a sunroof- nice but I don't use it much...good gas milage for 6 cyl.

Brakes--they wear out fast due to design of car-so they said.

I've had 2 Lumina's- this ones got 310,000
Still runs great- had a few things repaired. Gets good gas milage, uses no oil, Would buy another one but they don't make them anymore- I also have 04 Impala LS - but I like the Lumina better. Also got a 67 Chevette bouth new- over 600,00 miles still goes when nothing else will...

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Smooth, quiet ride. Easy starts in winter. Gas mileage is good. Both heater and AC work great (had AC fixed about 2 years ago) Interior is comfortable.

Driver side window stopped rolling down. Had the familiar intake manifold problem that so many others encountered (but dealt with it cheaply, and no problems with that fix for over 35,000 miles)
Cruise control quit working. Air blows out of just the floor vents when I give it lots of gas (yeah, I know this is a vacuum line problem somewhere)

Having no credit, I bought this car at one of those dealers who charge you outrageous interest rates. But after over 3 years, I still drive it everyday and I don't intend to get rid of it. When I got it, it had 138,000 miles on it. It now has 196,000 miles on it. Problems encountered so far: alternator went out and I paid $135 for a new one and changed it myself. Brakes went out and that costed $230. Driver side window won't roll down anymore. Air Conditioner had to be repaired at about $300, but works great now.
Oh, and I had the same problem that many others on this review site experienced: the intake gasket blowing, which caused antifreeze to leak out at a very fast drip. But instead of getting the gasket changed, I put in a jar of "Silver Seal" which plugs up leaks in coolant systems, and I only had to do that once again since I owned the car (about a $5 "fix"). Of course, I keep an eye on the coolant for this reason. The car does run smooth and quiet and is comfortable to drive. Mine came with a sunroof and I enjoy that alot. The sunroof doesn't only just tilt upwards, it also disappears backward into the roof. I've never seen another Lumina with this feature.
Other problems with this car are just problems that I suspect would come with time, to many cars. The cruise control quit working about 6 months ago. When I give it gas hard, the air blowing out of the vents will come out of the floor vents, whether they are set for defrost or dashboard vents. It will do this with the AC on, too. And it leaks oil. About 2 quarts every 3000 miles. I was looking to trade it in about 8 months ago, and I took a 2001 Chevy Impala for a test drive. But in comparison, my lumina had a much smoother ride than the impala.
But despite the problems the car has, I intend to keep it. I am looking to buy a newer car which is why I'm here, looking at reviews. I'm looking toward something not older than 2004, either Chevy Impala or Pontiac Bonneville. But like I said, I'm not giving up my lumina, it will be my backup car. If I had bought this car at a reasonable price instead of $10,000 for a car that was over 7 years old at time of purchase, it would have come out to be a pretty good deal. With all the minor problems listed above, why would I feel such love for this older, obviously aging car? Easy. I have been averaging about 400 miles a week on it since I got it. To encounter such a small amount of problems with such abuse, I can't help but appreciate the thing, especially since the engine runs very smoothly after all this time. I use synthetic oil in it, maybe that makes a difference.

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It has a big interior and can easily fit three car seats, strollers, and I have even fit a bike in the trunk. It is not a luxurious car but it is always dependable. For as old as it is, and with 181,000 miles on it, it still drives smoothly on major highways. Drive well in snow. Its size gives it an advantage in

The gas guage has been broken for like seven years so you have to fill up by the mileage, which really isn't a big deal. Recently, the wiring has started to go bad and we had to replace the window button, my cruise control doesn't work anymore, left rurn signal doesn't work, and the break lights intermitently don't work. I will say that the biggest downfall is the turning radius. Its had to turn in city parking lots. I have taken out my headlights a couple of time and hit the curb on a regualr basis still. Attempting a U-turn is a joke.

Very Relialble and Big Interior. Overall, if you are looking for a car that will not cost a lot in parts and maitence, this is a great car. If your looking for something, zippy and stylish, this might not be for you, but if you buy a lumina, you can be pretty certain that it will last you a long time.
I have had this car since 2001 and have only had to replace standard maitenece parts. The starter went once 4 four years ago. The muffler is just starting with a hole. But thats it, if you want a safe, roomy, low maitence car, this is what you want.
181,000 and its still running great. I had it in to get the front breaks done and they checked out the car and said this car is in really good shape and should keep going for at least another 20,000 miles, all of the parts are still good. Has wiring problems like many luminas, left turn signal works only when its in a certain position, gas guage broke.