Faults:

Brakes at 140000 miles

Fuses at 140000 miles

Rattly muffler at 160000 miles

Tires at 150000 miles.

General Comments:

This is a fast car. Speeds up to 50mph in first, 80 in second and up to 140mph top speed.

Safe car. I wrecked my last one going about 45mph head on into a 300zx. He had to be hospitalized and his car was totaled.

I drove away and had not even a scratch, well a scratch from the seatbelt was it. Hey he should not have ran that stop sign.

If only the 92 Lumina had air bags.

Faults:

Heater core has died three times, leaving a mess on the passenger floor.

Starter has gone three times.

Alternator has gone three times.

The transmission has been replaced 3 times, but then I put a transmission cooler in it and it has been OK since then.

The module has gone on it 3 times, twice being in one year.

The cruise control no longer works, quit at about 170,000km's.

Driver side door does not open from the outside in which I would have to replace the insides of the door to fix that problem.

Automatic door locks no longer work.

Intake gasket blew.

Water pump went twice, one at 160,000kms and again at 220,000kms.

A/C quit working at about 150,000kms.

General Comments:

This van is very nice to look at inside and out and is very comfortable to ride in.

However it is constantly breaking down and has left me stranded many times.

Faults:

The vehicle needed a complete rear brake job.

General Comments:

I've read a lot of negative reviews on this vehicle, mainly the 3.4L motor. Please continue reading if you are alarmed by what you have read. This vehicle is extremely solid. Living in Toronto I drive it in the snow 4 months out of the year and it is without question the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned - great in the snow. This vehicle has over 230,000 kms on it (150,000 miles). The dealer replaced the brakes when I bought and I haven't done anything, but change the oil and add gas to it in the last 2 yrs. I've owned the 3.4L motor in my 95 Monte Carlo and this 92 Lumina. I have not once had a single problem with them. Nothing. If you drive it nice and maintain a regular service schedule you will be extremely happy with it. Yes, the engine is complex - that does not mean that it is bad or faulty. Believe me, you could pay a lot more for a less reliable and more complex motor than this one. The Lumina Z34 is an extremely solid and reliable vehicle. There are not too many used cars on the market that are this affordable and this stylish. In addition, the Lumina is a great vehicle for day to day highway driving.

Faults:

Paint bubbled on both top corners of windshield before purchase. Mildly expensive repair, and not much of a do-it yourself repair.

Brakes replaced at 90000 miles. Regular wear and tear problem.

Emergency brake cable sticks, must be manually disengaged. Noticed at around 100000 miles. No repair made, will repair later.

Ignition module went out at around 106000 miles. Mildly expensive repair.

Spark plugs and cables replaced the same time as the ignition module.

Left rear speaker blew at around 106000, junkyard replacement sounds fine. Slight static yet. Easy, cheap repair.

Coolant tube sprouted a leak at 110000, pain to repair, but cheap and a good day off project for the average Joe.

Electrical system acting up at current mileage, 112000, possibly a ground fault at the firewall. Repair not investigated.

General Comments:

I have yet to hear many people argue that the Lumina is not a great car. This one has been through four accidents (three minor) and only has rear bumper damage to show for it.

My first accident in this car was going into a ditch on a gravel road. The car has no damage to show for it at all, with the exception of maybe a minor scratch or two.

The second accident involved icy conditions and having been cut off at a red light I ran into the rear end of a Cadillac. The Cadillac's rear bumper was trashed, and my car received no damage at all.

The third accident was being hit in the passenger side rear end at fairly low speeds, no damage sustained at all.

And the forth and final accident was a blind corner which I pulled out from. A Beretta going forty to fifty miles an hour slammed into my drivers side read end, which resulted in only the bumper and wheel well trim being damage with a few minor paint splinters to the rear quarter panel.

Every car will have problems with age, it's a simple fact. I have to say having seen friends and family with their cars, the Lumina beat them on repair cost bar none. The cost of Luminas is very reasonable, and as long as you are a smart consumer you'll have a car that will last.