Used 1998 Chevrolet Lumina Consumer Reviews
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1998 Lumina tops all cars I've owned
After 10 years of driving the 1998 Lumina, I have found it is the most reliable, comfortable, safe car I've owned. It has features which I have just discoved many 2008 cars still don't have: electronically adjustable driver's seat, daytime running lights, automatic headlights, a great engine without any hesitation which has always run smoothly and quietly. This car has never left me stranded - it seems to be indestructible and has always been exceptionally reliable. Plenty of room. Most important: no engine or transmission problems at all in 10 years, at 132,000 miles. It could go to 200,000 easily. I have owned a Corolla, Camry, Altima, & Buick. The Lumina has been the best by far!
98 lumina
Great car, most trouble free, great gas mileage(21-24 town,32-34highway), most comfortable car for traveling coast to coast we have ever owned. Jan. 2010 timing chain cover gasket gave out,will fix and drive. This car now has 203,000 miles on it. Other than the gasket we have only had to fix the battery, starter and alternator.
- LS SedanMSRP: $5,990319 mi away
- LS SedanMSRP: $6,995466 mi away
- Base SedanMSRP: $3,500965 mi away
Don't Judge a Book by its Cover
I purchased my Lumina in 2013 at 200,000 miles for $1100. I put another $500 in to replace the tie rods and rotors. 3 Years and 35,000 miles later, I have only had to replace the spark plugs and oxygen sensor. In terms of reliability and maintenance cost, this car is positively wonderful. The car itself will fall apart before the engine ever dies out on you as long as you take care of it. It does burn oil, but that is to be expected for a car with this many miles on it. If you have the opportunity to pick up a high mileage Lumina for cheap without major engine problems, I would highly recommend it.
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Very reliable!
I purchased this car from a friend. This car now has over 200,000 miles and still runs great! It also still gets great gas mileage, 18 in town and to my surprise about 30 on hwy!!! I would buy this car over again.
Wondering what to do....
I have had this car for about 5 years now, it has about 75,000 miles on it (the odometer stopped working at 35,000) I am trying to decide whether or not to fix this car up to keep it or buy a newer car. I havent had any major problems with this car, fuel pump(twice), the ignition stopped working so I had to have a push button start installed, and a starter, also the AC doesnt work. I was just looking to see what I should do with the car... it needs to have the transmission serviced, oil changed, new tires, and when I try to start it sometimes it skips and doesnt catch right away. Also the AC doesnt wor
Best cars built
This has got to be the best car ever built. My '98 Lumina has 430,000 plus miles on it and Ive done only routine maintenance repairs on it. The car drives like new yet, the power the 3100 v-6 makes. The passing power the ride. All are awesome yet.
Boaty-
I bought my Lumina from my boyfriends mom in November of 2008. It had 180,000 miles when I got it, now has 215,000. I'm the second owner. I have had to fix some minor issues here and there but the car is amazing. Takes it like i give it. I have no disappointments in the way it drives or handles. Incredibly reliable. Gas mileage is pretty good, without sacrificing power, which is great with today's economy. I recommend this car to anyone looking for a roomy, comfortable, reliable vehicle.
Under rated car
This is my fourth Lumina, 2 90's, one 95 and now the 98. They have all been great vehicles, very cheap to up keep as long as you maintain the vehicle properly, they are cheap to buy and find that they are more comfortable than most cars on the road, fuel mileage has been great with all of the vehicles, the interior is spacious but kind of bland but thats why the aftermarket world exists. I really don't like Chevrolet but this model name is the only one I will buy from them, it's too bad they stopped making them in North America. If your buying the car with the intent to fix it up or modify it, it has a lot of parts available in the aftermarket but you do have to search for them.
First And Only Car
Love this car, I got it as a 16th birthday gift from my mother, it had 150k miles on it and it now has 167k miles. put new battery, serpentine belt and all new pumps, plugs, and wires in it along with new intake manifold gaskets ($400-$600) and new Moda MD9 Rims. easily maintainable except for battery removal, which is a pain to get out. only major problem in whole car is small rust spot under gas cap, couple dents on fenders and rack and pinion needs replaced ($400-$800) depending on where you go. after 12 years thats amazing to me, even after i ditched it, which didnt seem to phase it internally. 100% recommended to anyone wanting a cheap, affordable gas sipping (21-32MPG) 4 door sedan.
reliable, comfortable cruiser
Bought this as a used, first car for a new driver due to good crash test ratings. Over the 5 yrs we have had it, I am impressed with the comfortable, quiet ride and high overall reliability and low operating costs.. Highly recommended..
The Car That Won't Quit
I received my Lumina, from my aunty a while back. She gave it to me when she got a new car. The Lumina is a great car. It's great on fuel mileage, reliable and very comfortable. I'm 5'6'' and I can easily get comfortable in the drivers seat. Power is instant and I can hardly resist the sound of the 3.1 V6. The car has over 140,000 miles on it and the transmission shifts from first to fourth since it's failing. Other than that, this car is perfect. I love the interior and exterior and it's a shame that Chevy stopped making Luminas. Reliablity is spot on and I do routine maintenence myself. It's the car the won't quit.
I love this car
There is nothing wrong with our lumina, yeah she has had a few engine mishaps in her time but we drive her all the time. She's 12 years old and over 170,000 miles but still runs great. I don't need her for speed just get me where I'm going. Great on gas for long distances. Drove her from NY to Texas, then to California a few times, Arizona also. My wife wants an rv, that's fine. I plan on a new Chevy Lumina someday. She needs a wash and wax, and in/out cleaning but still looks great, rides great. Boo yahh!
Excellent Car
I bought this car thinking that I would just keep a year or two. It was a used car, but I love it. I usually drove Dodge vehicles and just lost my Stratus to a bad car accident. I have to say this car is wonderful. I intially thought it was a "Old lady" car. But its sharp even at its age. I have to say I lucked out it only had 15000 miles on it upon purchasing it. I think its a very sharp car. It had all the extras and even the rims are cool. I have had other Lumina owners say "wow" I wish I had all those options. It looks more like a Monte Carlo on the inside and it mentions that on the orignal sticker and the title.
Best car I've ever owned
I've always had cars that were poor mechanically. This car has been awesome. I have done nothing to the engine except replace the spark plugs and change the oil. I replaced the gas tank and general maintenance. It's comfortable to drive but now with 146000 miles on it, it's starting to show its age. I don't get much power going up hills anymore. I'm going to be sad to see her go. There won't be another one like it out there as trouble free as this was.
That's a Lumina?!
We have had this car for nearly ten years and never had any major problems until we happened to get an oil change while at Wal Mart and they managed to drop something in the engine while doing it. When we drove the car from the store it started to make a clinking sound. When we went back they told us to prove it! So we took it to a mechanic who said it would be simply cheaper to replace the engine than to fight over it. Well he ended up putting the engine in wrong and it died out and needed another one. It becomes an even sadder story from there. The car still runs but it just isn't the same. It currently sits at 176,000 miles.
Very reliable automobile.
I purchased this car in April of 2001 with 28000 miles and it has been as reliable as one would want. I had the AC compressor replaced at 45000 and sans the typical maintenance this car has been a dream. Pickup is very good, handles bad weather (snow/rain) well and fuel economy is a solid 20MPG. My only issue with this is the steering ratio is really short.
Best Car Still on the Road
Ten years and still going. I still get the same miles per gallon as day one (I keep a log), one tune up at 100K, only peformed normal maintanence. The only thing my AC needs to be charged if it's the compressor it's the only thing on the car, other than tires that would not be original. It rides great and if I can fix the AC I hope to be doing this again at 200K miles right now I'm at 116,600.
Very reliable car
I bought my 98 Lumina in 2002 with 105K miles on it for $2800. Now it has 203K miles and still runs perfectly. Still looks good too. Have done only routine maintenance. I have definitely gotten my money's worth. I hope to get another 100K miles. Smooth, quiet, comfortable ride, 30 mpg highway. What more could you want for basic transportation? Too bad Chevy stopped making Lumina's.
Very Reliable
I bought this car new for my wife in 1998 in Houston Texas to replace her 1986 Chevy Monty Carlo. It has been a very reliable and exellent car to drive. Relatively good gas mileage even today in 2008. I get 25mpg on highway and 21 mpg local. I currently drive it back and forth to work about 26 miles round trip. Only repairs, turn signal switch and alternator. Had a small oil leak that I used some stop leak on the last oil change. This seamed to stop the leak. Changed plugs at 105k mile. Currently has 116,000 miles on it and still rides pretty smooth. Chevy should bring this vehicle back into production . I would buy another one in a heartbeat.
Great family car
This just replaced our 98 Cavalier with 112,000 miles. Our 98 Lumina has 48,600 plus miles. Runs smooth and like a champ. Great on gas.
I want a new car!!!!
I bought my lumina in October 2008 and I have already had an oil and radiator leak. The gas mileage is horrible, it's a very loud car with no power and it seems every time I go and get my oil changed they tell me another thing wrong with it. The interior is falling apart and on a rainy day the interior fogs up horribly, even with defrost on. I hate my car.
Reliable!
I got my 1998 Lumina 5 years ago from my Grandmother, who bought it new. It had 44,000 miles on it when I got it and is now at 81,000 miles and runs great! I have had routine maintenance done on it and had to replace a fuel injector (got clogged from sitting-my grandmother hardly drove it). No major engine or transmission problems, runs smooth and is very comfy. It gets great gas mileage and is perfect for short or long trips. I trust my Lumina more than my 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, which is 3 years newer. Absolutely love this car and will keep it until it falls apart, put it back together and drive it some more. Couldn't ask for a better vehicle!
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very nice car
very nice car.excellent gas mileage,and good performance.nice exterior design.no problems in four years.
Thought GM is always bad
I'm a student a got this Lumina for $1500. It has high mileage 180000+ but runs great. A lot of power, very reliable, with reasonable gas mileage. I bought it Sep 2008 used for more than 10 years. Bought for winter and thought that I'll have to leave for parts after that. It still runs great and I decided to keep it, nothing changes except battery.
Mega miles and still going strong
Canadian summers and winters - extreme. AC still running fine; never used a block heater even at -40. Regular maintenance by neighbourhood mechanic. In past 9 years, gas tank, breaks twice, muffler clamp, tires, and recently a ?gasket? that meant the whole engine had to come apart... $850...not bad for 9 years...Honest. Had everything except sunroof...styling now out of date, but was there in '98. It's like my father's car...a living room with plush upholstery. Bars starting to be felt in driver's seat...got a heat/vibrate cushion...now life is great again...
Best Car I've ever owned
The Lumina kept myself and my family safe from serious injury in a recent accident. When a minivan made a turn directly in my path not more than aprox. 50ft away while I was traveling at approx 40mph the impact was unavoidable. The mini van had 12 passengers, 4 more than it's limit. The Lumina's front impacted the passenger side of the van just between front and rear doors. Not only did myself and my family escape serious injury but the Lumina was still running and the radiator still held it's coolant. Sorry to say 10 of the 12 van pasengers were injured. The Lumina had an excellent history of reliability since I owned it.
GREAT CAR-GREATER PRICE!
Bought the car used with 30K miles on it. Since, we've put 65K miles with very few repairs. The relaibility is incredile, and the ride is not bad, although the seats vould be more comfortable. The ride, especially on the highway is smooth and very quiet. Plenty of confort creatures, even with the base model. This car was a steal-I'd buy another one, if I could find one with low miles.
Awesome beginner drivers car
This is a good great car for beginning drivers. A little tough to parallel park. It's a great car in the snow, also fun to drive in the snow on a with no traffic.
Very Reliable
I purchased the car when it had 141,000 and it now has 156,000 The car is great. The engine and ride are both smooth and it is steady at 20 MPG. The only thing I would change is the turning radius. It can be a pain but, overall the car is the best I've ever owned.I wish they were still making them.
Best of the Old
I have had two Lumina's and have been very pleased with both of them. Only a few minor repair issues. I think of this car as the Energizer Bunny---Keeps going and going and going . The sound system is great to compared to newer models. The car is roomy inside and has a very large trunk. Great gas mileage for an older car. I averaged 30 MPG on highway driving a little bit lower in stop and go city driving.
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A solid but very basic car
The lifters started sticking when the engine was cold around 60K, but other than making quite a racket, there was no negative effect. Most of the work I had done was routine maintenance (battery, alternator, turn signal switch). Around 90K, it started having some more serious problems (the most expensive was a leaky intake manifold gasket), but nothing terribly out of the ordinary. The 3.1L V6 had adequate power, and the automatic transmission was reasonably responsive. The biggest shortcoming of the car was interior build quality: Both sunvisor clips and one cupholder broke under normal use. Gas mileage was very good for such a big car: I got 27 MPG highway going about 75 MPH.
A+looks,B-performance,C- quality
have owned for 3 years.the 3.8 liter engine is a dream.not the raciest motor made,but strong and reliable.the interior is low-rent.the front seats are backbreakers on a long trip,the leather is cheap.typical weak GM brakes.handles acceptably,good transporter for daily use.
Road Warrior
Car has been a work horse for 6-years. Very dependable with little to no maitance (expept oil changes). Actually went 135K miles before changing the plugs and was still getting 28 mpg on the highway. Body design and interior leave a bit to be desired, but all in all a very good value over the course of the six years.
LTZ
We have had no problems with this car. I am very pleased except for noisy tires and they are not origanal.
Sporty and Basic
I purchased this car for its safety ratings and its overall design. I did not want the "Soccer Mom" mini-van but on the other hand needed something big enough to get the job done. This car was it. It looks nice (rather sharp I think) I like the leather interior and the alloy wheels. I love the interior design for the most part. The major flaws are only one cup holder and the postioning of the ashtray (almost non existent). It is a little tricky with the brakes (abs) and I am having now problems with CV joints. Other than that, it's great!
A great asset
I have owned Luminas for the past 15 years. They are very reliable. I change the oil every 5000 miles and other than brakes at about 50000 miles, and tires at about the same mileage, there is no maintainence. This car is now 6 years old and never been in the shop. Rock solid reliable and very comfortable (leather interior). Has all the creature features too. GOOD GAS MILEAGE at 26 on road, 23 in town. Gotta love this car. Depreciation like evry other new car is a killer.
lil mama's review
i have 206,000 miles on my 98. it has been all over the US. the only thing ever needed to be repalced was the alternator. i think this vehicle may never end. if you take good care of this little buggy, it'll go forever.
well
great car never a problem very reliable
It Keeps On Going
This is my first and only car, but it has been a great one. After 115,000 miles, it's reliability and performance are still wonderful. The fuel mileage has hovered around 30 miles/gallon over the life of the car and the maintenance has been extremely minimal.
OK car.
Bought used with 75,000 miles. Had to replace the turn signal assembly on the steering wheel due to inoperative brake lights. Engine has very noisy metallic sound when started cold. This is a known defect. Noise goes away when engine warms up. Fuel gauge is useless. It is not accurate at all. Cup holder is broken due to flimsy design. That being said, the car is reliable all around. Nice quiet and solid ride. This is the best chevy product I have owned, but my next car will be a Toyota Camry.
Overall a good car
I've put 15,000 miles on it (127k now) since I bought it. It's a base model, but it has power options and keyless entry - big plus. Interior design is the best part: simple. 3 gauges, 3 climate knobs, and not much more. Standard GM controls work well. Car has tiny spots of rust behind wheels, but that's expected with age. I've gotten 33mpg going 68 on the highway in calm weather, but I get < 20 in the city. This car has adequate power, but who wants adequate? The 3100 has enough grunt to make your heart race when you push it from a stoplight, and it works okay for passing on the highway. Drivers side visor clip and rear passenger window button broke, but they're not important.
Lumina, not flashy, but reliable
I had this car for about 2 1/2 years with minimal problems. Gas mileage was good for a mid-sized car. I averaged 24- 26 mpg with mixed driving. It had 130k+ when I traded it. It had no leaks and was running fine. The car seemed very balanced and rode smoothly. I had no problems in the snow.
It's a Pleasure to Drive
After many scans of automotive reviews the overall look, size, engine and good reports on this car gave me a good feeling and decided I wanted an LTZ with the bucket seats and the console. Surfing the web, I located a 1998 LTZ in Milton, Ontario and after my first test drive I was so pleased that I made an offer immediately. I bought the car in August 2000 with 51,000 kms and have since put another 31,000 troublefree kms on it. Just love the ride of this car and peppy engine...great highway driving car too.
1998 Chevrolet Lumina
I have driven this vehicle for 77000 of its 103000 miles. Only parts to be replaced over its lifetime are ignition key lock cylinder and the generator. Other than this there have been no problems. The vehicle has just had its mandatory annual state inspection and passed flawlessly. It's a good car. Too bad they stopped manufacturing them!
Not all bad
I've had this car for about 18 months; it is not a race car, but fuel economy is good.(24-27mpg on avg) The only serious problem has been with the anti- lock brake system (sensor?) The ride and transmission are smooth. The exterior looks okay and is holding up well.
Lumina Review
I bought this vehicle used with about 80,000 miles on it. I changed out the factory radio with a new CD player, new speakers and a subwoofer. After doing that my car was perfect. Really quiet inside, great handling, Engine noise is practicly non-existant. With the exception of this car not having a sunroof it's perfect.
Fun to drive, Love this car
We purchased this car for the handling, horsepower and price. It had 25,000 miles on it at purchase. We've owned it since 1999, with no problems except brakes. With the sport tires this car drives like a sports car. At $200 each for tires, I purchased the cheaper Aquatread tires, don't do it. We finally need a bigger vehicle, and my wife doesn't want to give it up. It has been a great car for two kids, with a big trunk and enough separation in the backseat to keep the kids reasonable distance apart (a little less fighting).
Great car, reliable as ever!
I own a 1998 Lumina sedan and it has been in my family since it was brand new. It is holding up nicely! It now has 180,000 miles on it and still starts right up and drives smoothly! Exterior is still in great condition as well. No major problems have occured yet with it, this whole time! Just the minor, cheap routine repairs. This 3.1L V6 is awesome. Too bad Chevy quit assembling the 1995-2000 generation of Monte's and Lumina's.
very good car
We picked the car out for my mother - in- law in 1999 with 15001 miles on it. She wanted a 6 passenger car so she could drive her bridge playing pals around. Out of about 10 of them she and the Lumina are the only ones still around. She doesn't drive anymore so it's now the #4 vehicle in a 3 driver family. I'm going to put on its first new set of tires and probably keep it for another 10 years.
Good StuFF!
It moves, don't underestimate the 3.1 V6! EXTREMELLY comfortable. Interior material/looks on the cheap side. Olds/Pontiac look better (Alero/Grand Prix). It's no Bimmer, but it does what it whas desigend to do well. Very capable car, and lots of stuff for your $$$