1994 Chevrolet Lumina Reviews, Pricing & Specs

For 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 08, 2009

Performance 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.Dec 11, 2008

Overall: 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. Jul 09, 2008

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, 2007