1999 Chevrolet Lumina Std. 3.1 from North America
Summary:
Buyer beware
Faults:
Manifold gasket failure within 2 weeks of buying car at only 47,000 miles on 3.1 engine.
General Comments:
GM knows full well that this is a chronic problem with these engines.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 28th October, 2004
16th Oct 2006, 12:49
Bad Gasket! No donut!
Mine went out at 52000 miles, and cost 550 to fix.
16th May 2007, 20:55
Guys, I have a 99 Monte Carlo, which is practically no different than the lumina. I have the 3.1 L V6 automatic, and it has almost 167000 miles on it. The only problems it has had that I know of, was the alternator going bad, That's IT. NO major problems, and not every vehicle has the same problems, just because your car is a POS and blows a head gasket, or has issues like that happening, don't mean they will happen to other people. I know you might be warning them, but still, not every vehicle will have problems. My car was driven over 50000 miles in 9 months, still runs great. I love this car, and I know the lumina is not different.
3rd Jan 2010, 00:26
GM switched over to their fancy DexCool antifreeze that ate the stock gaskets. They could never afford a recall because the problem is in 30 different cars in all their brands (the 3.1 and 3.8 engines)...just imagine fixing 20 million cars at $500 a pop.
5th Nov 2004, 11:35
There is no problem with the engine, it is all how you drive it. We have one with 136000 miles in it and we have had no problems, It is all original.