1994 Chevrolet Lumina Reviews, Pricing & Specs






















What owners say
"The 1994 Chevrolet Lumina has mixed reviews from owners. Many liked the comfortable ride, good handling, and adequate power, but there are significant concerns about reliability. Several drivers noted that the car required frequent expensive repairs over time, especially regarding the transmission and brakes. While some appreciated its performance and overall value for the price, others were frustrated by ongoing maintenance issues and build quality problems."
I purchased my Lumina about 10 years ago and only had it about 2 years. At first, it was a nice car - comfortable ride, adequate power, plenty of room. After that first year it went down hill quickly. Door handles (yes door handles) started breaking off, the paint was oxidizing (even with constant washing and waxing), and the transmission was starting to slip (badly). It was going to cost me about $4000 to fix everything - definitely not worth it. I traded it in and couldn't have been happier.
May 23, 2007its the new classics of our time, like the GTO's & 'CUDA's were for our elders. I found a 5.0L powerplant to drop in it but it's a matter of time.
January 25, 2008Very nice car. I bought mine with 140k on it and drove like a tank the whole time. The only issue I had with it were from the filler neck for the gas tank and shrapnel flying up from the road and putting a hole in the gas tank.
November 11, 2009What owners say
I purchased my Lumina about 10 years ago and only had it about 2 years. At first, it was a nice car - comfortable ride, adequate power, plenty of room. After that first year it went down hill quickly. Door handles (yes door handles) started breaking off, the paint was oxidizing (even with constant washing and waxing), and the transmission was starting to slip (badly). It was going to cost me about $4000 to fix everything - definitely not worth it. I traded it in and couldn't have been happier.
May 23, 2007its the new classics of our time, like the GTO's & 'CUDA's were for our elders. I found a 5.0L powerplant to drop in it but it's a matter of time.
January 25, 2008Very nice car. I bought mine with 140k on it and drove like a tank the whole time. The only issue I had with it were from the filler neck for the gas tank and shrapnel flying up from the road and putting a hole in the gas tank.
November 11, 2009For mid-90s grocery getters, it was a decent choice that came in sportier trims such as the Euro and Z34. Only 140 hp in the Euro models, but 185 lb-ft of torque gets it moving off the line. Braking is pretty good; the 3200 lb curb weight and sportier suspension makes it a decent handler as far as 1990s cars go, although there is some body roll when going over large bumps. Being a Euro, mine has the 3100 V6 (although a 3400 was optional), which is a solid engine that regularly exceeds 200,000 miles (currently at 148K, purchased at 80K). They do have a tendency to rust along the rocker panels, and the interior build quality wasn't the greatest (gaps in material, some squeaks). Mine was unfortunate enough to have been caught in a massive hail storm, so I have extensive hail damage on the hood, roof, and trunk. Repairs include the water pump, head gasket, and rear struts replaced over the last 50,000 miles, so they do get a little high maintenance as the miles rack up. But the engine has never failed to start on the coldest of winter mornings, and it has never left me stranded anywhere. They have a great, recognizable exhaust note that is tuned out on most family sedans. It gets about 19 mpg in city driving, and 22-26 on the highway depending on how much of a lead foot you are (I fall closer to the 22 range).
May 8, 2009Performance is great for what it is. 182,000 miles and still can haul ass. Car is very high maintenance. TLC goes a long way. Interior design is horrible however exterior design is amazing. Things to keep in mind when owning this car: 1. Door handles suck in the winter. Always have a spare handle assembly on hand. 2. Transmissions for this car are hard to come by. The engines output is too much for the transmission to handle. 3. You go through brakes and rotors like it's going out of style. 4. Car overheats easily and burns out the alternator. Expensive fix because of the location of the alternator.
December 11, 2008Good car all around. Simple and effective. Great power, lots of room, and great handling. Considering the type of car this is, and how simple, it is really impressive. The dash is very simple and the heating controls are very easy to figure out. You don't get lost in features you will never use.
November 22, 2011Overall: Best Car you'd ever have - if you can keep paying to get it fixed. Your mechanic will love it - he'll pay off the house sooner. Also caution this type of cars attract cops! Anyway, performance wise really powerful. Handling is good. Fat tires make it unpredictable on snow, you really need to know how to handle it in the winter. before 160K had to change EVERYTHING on it: both mufflers, clutch, starter, alternator some other stuff i do not remember now. the car was eating oil and gas like crazy. Probably 1L of oil a week and 20L/100 km for mileage. had to sell it at a loss, could not afford that beauty.
July 9, 2008this car is under powered not fun to drive mpg is average if the car wasnt dented it would look great...car is super cheap to maintain. front end needs redone, very squeeky and rattly and it needs an oil change
July 26, 2009