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Chevrolet Lumina

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Comments

  • edmund2001edmund2001 Member Posts: 21
    family bought a 99 lumina ltz in nov 98. the
    brochure said the car comes standard with
    bucket seats and a console. ours has a split bench
    seat. is this a fluke? anyone else out there
    have a 99 ltz with bench seat?
  • this_is_nascarthis_is_nascar Member Posts: 199
    I you didn't get the bucket seats and console, you didn't get an ltz.
  • jpstaxjpstax Member Posts: 250
    The LTZ also has badges all over (trunk lid, front dashboard, and well as LTZ stitching in the middle of the back seat). It also should have the 3800 Series II engine, dual exhaust, and 16" tires).
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    I think its possible that in 99 you could get a 3100 LTZ and bench seat. Check in the Edmunds new cars section under 1999 Lumina.
  • jpstaxjpstax Member Posts: 250
    I would think you have a legit beef with GM. Your LTZ should have come with bucket seats and a console, not a front bench seat. I also think the dealer should be able to order and install them, but you may have to leave the car with them for awhile. Maybe they'll give you a loaner.
  • jpstaxjpstax Member Posts: 250
    I just looked up what came with the '99 Lumina LTZ in the NEW CARS section of the Edmund's site. There is no question that it came with bucket seats and a console (plus 3800 engine, etc.).
  • achillesachilles Member Posts: 8
    I live in Toronto, Canada and would like to buy
    a 1999 Lumina LTZ with 3.8L Series II engine and reasonable mileage in good condition. This model
    is becoming difficult to find. Interested parties please contact me at ssoutsos@yahoo.com.
  • jkobtyjkobty Member Posts: 99
    I also live in Toronto Canada. I have a 97
    Lumina LS with the 3.1L engine. Very clean car
    with 77,000 KM. Are you interested?on
    My wife has just started work in real estate
    and she wants to lease a new car before our
    Lumina loses its value because of high mileage.
    This car has been great, and is still in
    perfect condition and extended warranty
    to 100,000KM
  • achillesachilles Member Posts: 8
    ...but I prefer a 1999 LTZ for the 3800 V6 or
    a 2000 Lumina with its improved horsepower.
    Good luck selling your car.
  • greggd1greggd1 Member Posts: 1
    I'd like to know what people are getting for gas mileage with the Lumina LS with the 3.1L engine. Anybody have any info?

    Thanks
  • jkobtyjkobty Member Posts: 99
    It gets me 21mpg in mostly city driving.
    and 29mpg in all highway driving. I drove from
    Toronto to Montreal (370 miles) without refilling.
  • psc2psc2 Member Posts: 7
    I ABOUT TO INHERIT BY DAD'S 98 LUMINA WITH ONLY 10K ON IT . IT HAS BEEN A GOOD CAR FOR HIM, BUT THE HANDLING IS WAY TO SOFT FOR ME. I CANT SEEM TO FIND ANY INFORMATION ON HANDLING UPGRADES SUCH AS LOWERING SPRINGS, BETTER SHOCKS, OR STABILIZER BARS. DO SUCH PRODUCTS EVEN EXIST. ALSO IS THERE ANY AFTERMARKET STUFF TO PUMP UP THE 3.1 MOTOR
  • minnbillminnbill Member Posts: 28
    I also have the 3.1 engine, (1998 model) and have been getting low 20's in metro area driving, and close to 30 mpg on the highway. Pretty good for that size vehicle.
  • sparkeswsparkesw Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1992 EURO that has been stalling on me at stop lights. This will only happen after I have driven longer than 30 minutes. I can turn the car over and it starts but when I put it into drive/reverse, it dies. Now I have found that if I crank the heat up HIGH, wait 20-30 seconds then I can continue my drive. I'm thinking that it is the cooling fans. Anyone worked on those before? How do you test the fans? This is the last think I need to do before I sell it.
  • jkobtyjkobty Member Posts: 99
    Could be a multitude of things

    1. EGR valve (air leak)
    2. Fuel filter
    3. Fuel injectors
    4. spark plugs or wires.
    6. coil.
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    1. Oxygen Sensor
    2. Crankshaft Sensor
    3. Faulty engine management computer
    4. Throttle position sensor.

    Good luck!
  • rea98drea98d Member Posts: 982
    My Cousin is looking at a 90 Lumina 4-door with 140,000, and the guy is asking 2,700 for it. It's had a new engine, and new tires, but looks to be in pretty good shape. How much shoud she give him for this car. It originally came with a 3.1 engine, but I'm not sure what they put in it when they replaced it.
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    2700 bucks sounds like a lot for a car that is already 10 years old. You can do better elsewhere. Stick to a vehicle (Lumina or whatever else that you like) that comes with the basic safety gear (Dual front Airbags, ABS if possible) a 1994 or newer Lumina with the 3.1L OHV "Pushrod" V-6 engine would be a best bet. Be careful and stay away from the old Lumina with the 3.4L DOHC engine that was a complete flop and it is pretty unreliable. I believe the best used Lumina buys cover the 1997-99 model years. Be careful and shop smart.
  • allchecksallchecks Member Posts: 25
    I know someone with a mid to late 90's Lumina. The rear brakes are disc, I think, and have been a major problem from the beginning. I think the Lumina went back to drum breaks on the rear and reliability has been better. Does anyone know if this is correct, and if so, the year of the change? Is it the same for all models, including LTZ? I am looking at used cars and am considering a Lumina. Thanks.
  • jkobtyjkobty Member Posts: 99
    I am trying to change the spark plugs on my 97 Chevy Lumina 3.1 engine. I replaced the front three quite easily. However it seems to be quite a chore to get access to the three in the back
    of the engine. I was wondering if there is a trick
    or simple way to do it. What seems to be logical to me is to remove the distributor since it is
    blocking the way and that might give me more
    room to maneuvre. Please help.
  • jpstaxjpstax Member Posts: 250
    I can vouch for what teo said about the 3.4 DOHC engine. It use to run great in WARM weather. It had very good pickup (210 HP). However, in cold weather it was VERY hard to start. I got stranded several times due to engine flooding, and had to have it towed. At about 60K miles it started burning oil. It now has 90K miles, and I only drive it to and from work (~20 miles/day). I'm going to trade it in this fall for a new Buick Regal GS. I like the Impala, but want more HP.
  • Buck531Buck531 Member Posts: 14
    When I changed my '91 Lumina Plugs, I had to remove a bolt for the motor mount on the front side of the engine. Then had to put the car in Neutral, then move the motor forward then put the bolt back in to hold the motor forward. After that it was easy. I would recommend buying one of those repair manuals or something to that matter. That's how I did mine.

    Buck531
  • nan1590nan1590 Member Posts: 3
    my '87 Celebrity was in an accident and rendered a total loss (even though only the front bumper and lights were damaged), and i am looking for another used car. i am interested in the Lumina, and the 1991-1993 models are within my price range. is this a good, reliable car? are there certain things i should look for, or questions specific to this type of vehicle that i should ask of the dealer/seller?
    just looking for some advice from people w/ experience with old Luminas. thanks!
  • jkobtyjkobty Member Posts: 99
    Thanks for the info. I bought the manual and
    it mentions the same as you said about moving the
    engine forward. However it mentions that in order to keep the engine in the forward position that a ratcheting strap is needed, which is a seatbelt
    like strap or a rope. I somehow understand from
    your post that you held the engine in the forward position by using the same bolts on the engine mount in the front. Can you please describe in more detail how you did that?
  • Buck531Buck531 Member Posts: 14
    Well, pretty much when you remove the bolt holdling the engine in place, move the engine forward so that the next set of holes on the engine mount line up with the mounts on the frame of the car. Then just slide the bolt in and that will give you a few more inches (about 3 or 4 to get your hand and socket in there to take out the plugs. Forgive me if I'm vague, It was about 4 years ago since I did it. But I'll never forget that one.. for 2 hours I forgot to take the car out of park. And remember, don't do it on a hill.. :)

    Good Luck

    Buck
  • jpstaxjpstax Member Posts: 250
    Just stay away from any Lumina with the 3.4 liter DOHC engine. Take it from someone who's had nothing but trouble over the past 7 years, this engine is a total disaster! Chevy should never have created it in the first place. When I bought my '93 Lumina 3.4 Eurosport, little did I know the headaches that would lie ahead for me.
  • all234all234 Member Posts: 1
    I'm thinking of buying a 95 Chevy Lumina LS with 57K, ac, pw/pl, cruise from original owner for 7k. Is this a good deal? Thanks!
  • nan1590nan1590 Member Posts: 3
    i am looking at buying a 1995 Lumina for $3575. it used to be a corporate car, and so has about 160k miles on it.
    seems to run fine, however the low coolant light comes on almost all the time while driving (there is plenty of coolant there, in fact the reservoir was bubbling when we checked). the car runs really hot, and the owners told us that their mechanic says it has a minor leak b/c the intake manifold gasket needs to be replaced. we checked under the hood after driving it, and there were no visible leaks at all. They also said the system had recently been flushed and a radiator hose replaced. i am wondering if this intake manifold gasket thing could be causing the low coolant light to go off and the car to run so hot, or if this is more likely a thermostat or radiator problem. i don't mind buying the car if i need to fix a few minor things, but i have heard that a problem with an intake manifold gasket is among the first steps to the engine going, and i don't want to buy the car and then have to replace the engine!
    what do you guys think about this?
  • ottomanottoman Member Posts: 7
    Make sure that the electric radiator fan is coming on and working normally.
  • nan1590nan1590 Member Posts: 3
    i appreciate the tip about the old 3.4 L DOHC engine. however, i just saw an ad for a 1991 Lumina that has a 3.1L. is this good b/c it's a different engine, or still the same bad one??
  • jkobtyjkobty Member Posts: 99
    is just fine. I have a 97 Lumina with 3.1 engine
    and it is quite smooth and quiet and runs
    beautifully. No problems yet.
  • jpstaxjpstax Member Posts: 250
    Ditto for the great 3.8 engine! Unfortunately, it was only available in the LTZ model. You can get it with the 2000 Impala LS and Monte Carlo SS.
  • occupant1occupant1 Member Posts: 412
    they are lying to you. If the intake manifold gasket was leaking, the car would run very poorly because that would cause a vacuum leak. If the exhaust manifold was leaking it would be loud. The gasket that is probably leaking is the cylinder head gasket. That is an expensive repair, but the car is only $3575. If you do want the car, make sure everything else is in good shape. Be sure the tires are all good, the brakes are servicable, check the transmission in all gears.

    From experience with other GM products, if the coolant in the plastic overflow tank is bubbling, you have pressure escaping from the radiator cap, through the line, and into what I like to call the burp tank. That means one of four things:

    1) the head gasket is blown at a water jacket and pressure from the compression in each cylinder that is compromised is going into the cooling system and causing excessive pressure. Cooling systems are usually rated from 13 to 21 lbs. Compression in cylinders is usually 120 to 180 lbs. When the engine is cold, remove the radiator cap and start the engine, if the coolant starts bubbling and steaming immediately, suspect a bad head or head gasket.

    2) the radiator cap in the car is no good, thereby letting pressure release when the system is not up to 13 to 21 lbs. That lets the coolant boil at a lower temperature than if it were pressurized.

    3) the thermostat is stuck and keeping the coolant from flowing out of the engine and into the radiator.

    4) the water pump is seized or leaking and coolant is not flowing at all.

    This experience is from GM V8 engines like the 267, 305, and 350 Chevy V8s and the Oldsmobile 307 V8. But since all cooling systems work the same, I suspect one of these four answers will be your problem. If the cooling fans do not come on, this may be another problem, but I suspect a bad head gasket on this particular car. If you replace both head gaskets at the same time, it should cost $800 to $1200 depending on if you go to the dealer or not. Each, they will run $500-$600. If there is a cracked head, expect to spend much more, but at that point just spend the $2000, drop in a 3.1L crate engine, and be done with it. Just be sure the rest of the car isn't about to die. If the car is too rough, it may not be worth anything but parts.
  • zumina90zumina90 Member Posts: 1
    My 1990 chevy lumina euro sport Has independent suspension all around and the back wheels tilt in \ /due to the independent suspension. What causes this to happen?
  • topgun8topgun8 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 97 lumina.the car died the other day and they replaced the battery.the problem i have is the stereo etc does not work now.something in the manual states that i need a 4 digit number to redo the stereo cause of the theft detterant.this car was bought used in another state a yr ago. any ideas or suggestions???is this a generic number?there is no record of this number anywhere. thanks
  • jfunjfun Member Posts: 1
    Funny you mention about the back brake problems on the Lumina...I just got a letter about a class action suit against GM over the rear brakes on any '88-'93 Regal, Grand Prix, Cutlass, and Lumina in a New Jersey court. Your friend should look into getting some of that repair cost back.
  • Buck531Buck531 Member Posts: 14
    I just happened to be looking at the rear rotors on my Lumina yesterday and found 2 HUGE gouges on the rotors on both sides (one on each rotor) directly in the middle. I put my finger on them and they seem pretty deep. Luckily I only have 28k on my car and I can take it into the shop. Every since I've had this car the brakes have been squealing and pulsating when I hit the brakes (I've had it to the dealer about 3 times now for the brakes). The servic manager said that I "don't hit the brakes hard enough when I'm driving" and that causes the squealing because of brake dust build up. Now I've never had this problem on my 91 Lumina. The guy told me to jam on the brakes every week or so to clean the brake dust. Now is it me or what, but I don't find I need to do that on a brand new car. Anyone else have any suggestions? I know when I take it in on Wednsday, I'll have them look at the front brakes too (they've already resurfaced the front rotors and then changed them the next time I took it in). I don't know. Brakes and I just don't get along.

    Buck
  • yurakmyurakm Member Posts: 1,345
    And what is written in the the manual about braking?

    I have a 98 Chevy Malibu. Its manual say that the brakes are self-adjusting and to self-adjust they need to be used moderately (or hard - do not remember) at least once in 1000 miles. But it does not mention the brake dust, just self-adjusting.

    There are some downhill slopes on my road to work, very natural places for strong braking. Usually I am switching for the 2-th speed here, braking by engine, but, after reading the manual, started to brake moderately to strong once or twice a week.


    Well, the Lumina is a different car, but who know: probably its components were designed by the same team...
  • Buck531Buck531 Member Posts: 14
    Well, the dealer called me back this morning and said that the gouges in the rotors were normal (I guess something new). I also called another dealership to verify this and they said the same thing. What I do not get is that they told me the pulsating in the brakes were very little. They also said that the brakes had 50% left on them. They said that they could turn the rotors (again!), but it's not covered by warranty. They said that Cheverolet only covers the rotors up to 12,000 miles of warranty and is considered "user Maintenence" and wanted to charge me &70 freakin' dollars to turn the rotors. What's wrong here folks? I only have 28k miles on the car now.

    Buck
  • jkobtyjkobty Member Posts: 99
    Traded in My Lumina LS for a slick Daewoo Nubira
    CDX. My power steering pump failed at 30,000 miles. The front Axle bearings failed at 50,000
    miles, the transmission started to make noises
    when placed in reverse. Too damn early for these
    problems to happen. Get yourself a real car.
    Daewoo rules.
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    Well, that's yet to be seen. When your Leganza gets to the 50,000 mile mark, I hope that you still are singing the same song of praise. Sorry, but Korean Kars simply just don't cut it. But hey that's my opinion.
  • tomaso3tomaso3 Member Posts: 4
    After reading over 100 letters I feel I have to tell you all about the differences in Canada. Perhaps the differences remain the same for some of the Lumina Models.

    I understand that most Luminas were made in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The 1999 model year was the last to be sold in Canada, however for the US market, Oshawa still made the 2000 Lumina base model for fleet cars. I hear The Lumina is not being produced anymore. [The Sunfire and Cavalier convertible are also gone for 2000]

    I own a 1998 Lumina LTZ - it is the best car I have ever had. In answer to question 37, yes,the sun visor clips keep coming out and that is the only problem I have after 56,000KM, about 33,000 miles. Oh I forgot, the little button that holds the seat belt buckle from falling to the floor fell off - GM plastics = they are the worst.

    In Canada the LTZ has the 3.1 as standard, not the 3.8 as in the U.S. The rear brakes are drum and not disc like the U.S. I presume this is the same, but the rear and the front of the LTZ is the same as the Monte Carlo except for the colour of the Chevy logo. The standard Lumina and the LS model have different looks on the front and the back compared to the LTZ.

    My LTZ is leased and I will dicker with the dealer over the buy out because it's a great car and I would like to keep it.
  • tomaso3tomaso3 Member Posts: 4
    Comparing gas mileage in Canada and the U.S. is an exercise in futile mathematics.
    Canadian [Imperial] gallons have a greater volume than American gallons, about 20% more. However, for many years now, Canada has sold gasoline in Litres. Sells for 77 cents a litre now. That works out to about $3.46 an Imperial gallon.
    1 Imp gallon = 4.5 litres
    1 U.S. gallon = 3.78 litres. Therefore at U.S. measurement, gasoline here in Toronto costs $2.91 a gallon U.S.
  • jkobtyjkobty Member Posts: 99
    I am not just experimenting with Daewoo here,
    My previous Daewoo was in Sydney Australia, and
    I drove it for about 100,000 miles with ZERO, count them, ZERO problems. I had previously owned a Ford Festiva which is also Korean built, which I drove for 80,000 miles with Zero, count them, Zero problems. I have only owned Korean in the past. The only American car I ever bought was this 97 Chevy Lumina LS. This is the only car that gave me trouble. I panicked, I am not used to having trouble with a car that is still new.
    I now have the Leganza CDX, and Nubira CDX.
    No troubles yet.
  • vince848vince848 Member Posts: 1
    Hello TopGun8... Take your car to any Chevy dealer and have them clear the number code in your radio. They have a master code which will supersede the code already in the radio. Once the radio is working, its best to follow the instructions in your manual, and put in a new code that you will remember in case you have to remove the battery or disconnect it again. Goodluck.
  • aparnet2aparnet2 Member Posts: 13
    I am condering about buying a 98 lumina from the car rental center. they are asking for 7999. any suggestions? so many thanks!
  • jpstaxjpstax Member Posts: 250
    Join the "new brakes club". My wife's '98 LTZ (bought in July of '97) needed new pads for all 4 wheels (plus all 4 rotors turned) at 33K miles. The rotors were badly scored. Since the work was NOT covered by our 36K warranty, it cost us about $200. I'm not complaining though, because the car has otherwise been VERY trouble free. Other than 3K mile oil changes, and fuel injector cleaning (plus a new fuel filter) at 24K miles, it's run great. It runs as fast as the day we bought it.
  • jshtexjshtex Member Posts: 1
    I own a 91 lumina and overall it has been ok. But I have spent a fortune on the brakes. I received the letter about the refund and while I was finding all of my receipts I lost the letter. Can someone please give me some info say a name and address or better yet a phone number from the letter?

    Thanks
  • euro93euro93 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 93' Euro, and I was wondering if a computer chip would add a nice gain. Anybody have any advice? Thanks!
  • rsd2rsd2 Member Posts: 1
    Iam looking at a 1994 Z34 with 98,000 miles and in excellent condition for $7,900.00. Is this a good deal and are there any problems with this car. Looking for something affordable with ZIP to drive to work.
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