Faults:

- Back brakes seized (Summer 2010).

- Head gasket blew (10/06/10).

- Replace headlights every 2 months.

General Comments:

This car is a horrible lemon. Never buy this vehicle. Just do a google search for 2004 Chevrolet Optra head gasket. Usually if you do for other vehicles, you will see more parts stores than consumer sites where people are complaining about the obvious faults.

- Head gasket blew at 98,000 KM.

- Back brakes seized (Summer 2010).

Faults:

I first got the car, as my mom has a Optra wagon 2006.

She has had no problems with it at all, and good gas mileage on hers..

Within a week, I was back into the dealership with fluid leaking; I had driven a friend to another city for court, and when we came out, there was a huge green yellowy leak, which surrounded the whole car; had to have it taken by flat bed to the dealership. It was a tranny leak; hoses had crumbled.

1 week later I was driving and heard a weird noise; didn't think much of it, but when coming back to the car after going to the store, I noticed a black rubber baffle hanging behind the passenger wheel. Went back to the dealership (the car is still under warranty); they tell me it will cost me another 250.00 to replace and install a new baffle. I told them to put the old one back in as it wasn't damaged (always wondered why it fell out). A week later I received traffic ticket due to a head light out, I had no clue, went to dealership and had to pay to replace the whole light fixture; they said it wasn't covered.

2 weeks later I come out of my house to find yet another reddish leak under the car, and it wasn't a small leak either; again back to the dealership to have tranny hoses fixed again. As well as cooling lines.

Again another headlight about 2 months later.

Had to go to another city via highway. On the way home, it started to make a clunking noise. In seconds there was a loud bang and black smoke filled the car. Thank god I didn't have my children in the car; had to wait on the side of the highway for 45 minutes on the coldest day in Canadian winter. Called the dealership; they tell me the warranty ran out a week prior, so any fixing will be paid by me.

So took it to my old mechanic and dropped a used engine in it. Turns out the oil pump inside the engine stopped working, which caused a piston to blow a 2 inch hole in the bottom of my engine (all maintenance was done, as well as oil changers). There was no reason for the engine to blow.

General Comments:

Now with new used engine in my Optra5, I am very displeased and ready to paint a big yellow lemon on the side, and park it in front of the dealership.

I wouldn't have bought this car if my old Achieva hadn't died on me; she was a work horse and she lasted 13 years, and I drove her hard and she lasted...

My whole family have had GM products going back to the early 50's; this is really making me want to go to a foreign brand. Buyer beware...