2004 Chevrolet Epica LS 2.5 from North America

Summary:

Dealership Denial

Faults:

I just recently bought my Chev Epica. I feel I made a mistake. First of all the dealers don't want to deal with their own headache. I believe it is in the wiring harness. Little story here:

I bought this car for $500 dollars. Owners before bought this car in July 2016. They paid $2000 for this car and soaked another $3500 dollars into this car to pass the E test alone.

I drove this car for 2 months and it quit. 4 mechanics later the car sat tore apart. It took me 15 minutes to get the car running. It would whirl over and act like it wanted to start, but didn't. It was the ECM fuse in the engine fuse box and some gas. Started right up. I took the car to the garage after sitting for 3 months with the engine light off. It passes with ease. Both the Safety and E test. Pulling the car out of the garage, the engine light came on. The car runs great otherwise.

The last couple months it drives great other than the transmission is jumping. Out of the blue it quits and won't stay running. I investigated further into the engine, under the big plastic cover. To be honest I don't know how it runs. Little did I know #2 ignition coil's not even hooked up, wire coatings are all cracked and brittle, clip was cut off. Nor were any of them fastened down. #4 coil died. So this is why the car suddenly ran like crap. I was down two cylinders. Looking under all the tape and rubber on the wires to find deep in the harness the wires coating are very brittle and are cracked exposed wires. In some cases they are touching each other. Took 4 days to rewire the ignition coils. Whoever worked on it previous to me rewired some in the wrong slots. The light was off for a bit, now it's on again and the codes are lean bank 1 and 2 PO171, PO174, and Mass or Volume air flow circuit range/Performance PO101. Not bad from having 18 codes. The only thing left to change for those codes are the gas cap and fuel filter.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 3rd March, 2017

2004 Chevrolet Epica LS from Saudi Arabia

Summary:

Piece of junk

Faults:

Transmission slip, too much vibration, engine light continuously on.

I had purchased this car as a used car one year ago, and in that one year I spent more than double what I paid for it on maintenance. I changed the engine, gearbox and sensors, but still it was a piece of junk.

Finally I sold it as a scrap on 18 June 2016.

General Comments:

It was always in my mind what would be the next problem.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 18th June, 2016

26th Mar 2017, 09:47

I haven't been having much luck of my own with automobiles lately. Lucky me, after my van broke down beyond repair, a 2004 Epica fell into my lap. I was curious as to how many kilometers were on the car when you bought it??? Also... I don't mean to be offensive at all... but I would think if one good mechanic would have properly diagnosed the problems you were having in the beginning, you would've had a much easier road.

Also, 500 is super cheap for a car... I would expect to sink some money to get that going good... hopefully you learned to research a car before you purchase. If you Google the name of any car model... pages of info are going to come up.

Like I said, please don't take offense. People get taken for a lot more than 500 for not researching. I paid 1000 for the one I just got. Kinda sorta. Bartering some of my work along with some cash... I couldn't find one in nearly as good condition for less than 2000. I searched North America. I saw ones listed for 1000 and they said things like not guaranteed to be road ready... or won't pass testing... or needs lots of work... So I much not sure what I've gotten myself onto... but I'm in Florida and my county no longer requires emissions or safety inspections. It runs great. One owner... a Snowbird who landed here and now she's at the point where she can't drive anymore. So hopefully she was kind to the car... a little old lady's last car.. can't ask for a better story on a used car... LOL.

19th Jan 2023, 17:16

The Epica, like the Cruz, were cheap nasty American cars that I have no idea who they thought they could fool trying to sell elsewhere in the world.