Used 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo LS 2dr Coupe (3.4L 6cyl 4A) Consumer Reviews
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I will never buy GM.
claude, South Holland, IL, 08/31/2015
updated 09/11/2018
Chevrolet Monte Carlo LS 2dr Coupe (3.4L 6cyl 4A)
19 of 24 people found this review helpful
My car is a burgundy(berry red) 2003 3.8L Monte Carlo SS. First of all, I would like to say when I bought the car with sunroof, power everything, roomy with 39,000 mileage, I loved it. It had a comfortable ride and it looked awesome. That said, there are many irritating small things about this vehicle and the bigger ones you will run into at around 100,00 miles. First of all it does not play MP3's or have an auxiliary input jack, something that has been around since the 90's. Before you think about changing the OEM radio, please consider that the radio controls many functions of the car: including resetting the tire pressure alarm, oil change alarm, fog lamps, car theft alarm, the chimes of the car, and the onstar system, among other things. Why GM would make an absolete radio so pivital to the function of the vehicle is beyond me. Radios should just be used for music. Another issue with this vehicle is that is looses engine oil every 2 months, about a quarter. So every 2 months your "Low Engine Oil" light will come on. The chevy dealer explained that a memo sent from corporate described this as normal combustion from the engine. Later in 2016, the vehicle was recalled due to dripping engine oil that can cause a fire with the catalytic converter. Another issue is the cabin filter. If you replace it, be sure to purchase a weather cowl to place above it, else your care will flood every time it rains, because a rubber guard that holds water back will fall off. The excess moisture will cause all kinds of problems with the vehicles electrical system. Finally, this vehicle uses Dex-Cool coolant(orange coolant), which according to the manufacturer only needs to be changed every 5 yrs or 150,00 miles. This is primarily due to the high acid content in the coolant, as compared to the 2yr green coolant used in Fords. After about 130,000 miles the Dex-Cool will have eaten many of the engine gaskets, as well as some of the engine parts. The coolant will produce sludge inside the engine if the gaskets break, that will require a flushing of the coolant system and engine. Also, since GM in all there genius, decided to build the car with a plastic intake manifold, which will crack and warp over time, which again may cause motor oil and coolant to combine inside your engine. This is fatal for any vehicle, if not immediately corrected. GM is currently facing lawsuits regarding Dex-Cool. Other problems with this vehicle include a lack of a WEATHER COWL (A plastic trim under the wipers that guide rain water away from ac blower) on the front passenger side of the vehicle. Over time or if someone replaces the cabin filter, a weak rubber trim may slides off, not allowing rainwater to divert away from the inside of the car after hitting the windshield. Without this trim, every time it rains, the inside of the car will start to fill with water. To prevent this a $20 piece of plastic must be installed under the wipers, that which a GM dealer will charge you $80 for. Finally, the interior of the car does not stand up to the test of time, predominately all the control knobs will have writing fade away. Other more significant issues include ABS traction control never worked right, even after replacing both wheel hubs and ABS hardness. Power streering pumped leaked do to poor engineering when I first bought the car, I am now on my 5th Power Steering pump. Coolant Elbow Fittings are a few of the first failures this car will have. Again the geniuses made them plastic so the wouldn't last long against the hot block engine. I will never buy another GM vehicle since they seem designed to be trade ins, after 5yrs.
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Great car
ed, 07/12/2008
Chevrolet Monte Carlo LS 2dr Coupe (3.4L 6cyl 4A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I don't know why GM never promoted this car.The fuel economy 20 city and 32 highway plus the fun to drive aspect make this car a much better value than the so called economy cars. I am 6'2 " 250 lbs,the two door feature of this model make it so easy to get in and out of.I love it.
Best car I've ever owned.
Henry Chantre, 08/14/2009
Chevrolet Monte Carlo LS 2dr Coupe (3.4L 6cyl 4A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
It's nearly six years old, with 39000 miles, and i still get compliments on it's looks. It's by far the best car I've ever owned
Great car
CHEVY HEAD, 02/21/2009
Chevrolet Monte Carlo LS 2dr Coupe (3.4L 6cyl 4A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Bought this car about a year ago and I still love it! Drives like a car costing thousands more. In these crippling times people need value in their used car purchases. Monte Carlo offers that. Unique styling in an never ending sea of cookie cutter Japanese junk. GM never should have stopped making them!
Best car I ever had
Big d, 10/18/2022
Chevrolet Monte Carlo LS 2dr Coupe (3.4L 6cyl 4A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I bought mine at 42000 and the head gasket just went roughly 8 years later @ 375000 and with very little maintenance and easy on gas and enjoyable to drive.
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