looking for a Lumina

Hi Folks,

First time post to this site. I am considering looking for a Lumina for my son in the range of $1500-$1800. Can any of you help me out on what to look for, stay away from, good years, bad years, or any other useful info.
I really appreciate it as he got burned real bad on his first purchase (POS 87 Fifth Avenue). So being the good Dad (as we all are) I'm helping with the net one as he spent ALL his savings on the first one.

Thanks in advance, Merry Christmas !!

Stan in Illinois

Luminas Are Very Good Cars. I Purchased A 93 Eurosport 4 Door 3 Years Ago. It Had 87000 Miles On It. I Now Have Over 126000 Miles. Use Good Quality Oil, If You Dont Mind Spending The Extra Money Get A K And N Air Filter. Do Not Get The 3.4 Liter Engine. Bad Manifolds And All Sorts Of Other Engine Problems. From What I Have Heard About These Engines, These Were The Worst That Gm Made. I Agree, But Everyone Has Their Own Opinion. As Far As My Lumina Its A 3.1, And Here Is A List Of Evrything Major That Has Gone Wrong. Keep In Mind That Everyone Has Their Own Driving Habits And I Will Admit I Can Tear A Car To Pieces The Way I Drive. I Have Replaced The Thermostat, Alternator, Battery, 1 Tie Rod. Usual Wear And Tear (brakes, Tires, And Exhaust). The Only Thing Really Major Was The Transmission Had To Be Rebuilt. That Was My Fault, Rervvign The Engine And Then Shifting From Nuetral To Drive When The Rmp's Got High. That Was When I First Got The Car, 1 Year Later Had To Get The Tranny Rebuilt. I Now Treat My Cars Like Gold. The Tranny Costed Me $1000.00 To Rebuild. I Also Have A 1988 Toyota Corolla 106000 Miles (paid $300.00 For That And Runs Excellent) And A 2003 Olds Alero, Ride And Handling Are Very Excellent. As Prviously Stated If You Do Get A Lumina, Try To Use Quality Oil. Good Oil Will Keep A Car Going For Quiet A Long Time. Good Luck In Your Search And I Hope This Atleast A Little Helpful. Also Any Car You Get I Would Reccomend Doing An Oil Change And Then Adding A Product Called Lucas. Its Made For Use In Oil, Gas, Trans, Steering, Etc. There Is One For Each. It Makes A Whole World Of Difference In How The Car Runs. Happy Holidays!!!!

On the 3.1 engine make sure you start it with engine cold they have had piston slap it sounds like a ticking it goes away when engine is warmed up. there is a good chance the intake manifold will go out if not already, a good mechiece can tell you if it has been replaced. Bottom line is it still is a good car

The engine in my '90 has about 140,000 miles on it, no piston slap (surprisingly), hasn't had the intake manifold gasket go bad yet, and no injectors have needed replacement. My other one had 220,000 miles on it with original intake gasket and injectors (extremely amazing), however, that one had piston slap when cold. Great engines, solid cars.