In 1998, I was only 12 years old when my family and I migrated from Iran to this great country called the USA. We resided in the beautiful Washington state and after months of hard work at the factory my dad was finally able to purchase a cheap used car so he could take the family around on the weekends. The car he purchased was a 1991 Chevrolet Lumina in dark blue with 190k miles on the clock. We LOVED that car. It was roomy enough for the 5 of us, very comfortable, smooth, quiet and reliable. I still remember when my brother and I along with my dad used to spend hours together cleaning the interior and the exterior of that car on every Sunday afternoon. This is a very special car for me.
Wow thank you for the LIKES guys, really appreciate it that you took the time to read my comment. Writing that comment brought back good memories from the 90s when my family and I first migrated to the U.S.. I thank my parents everyday for bringing us to this country where we were given a second chance to start a fresh, honest, peaceful life. Some people take it for granted, but take it from an immigrant who moved here 22 years ago legally that this country is the greatest country on earth.
matt johnson grown up. He said this was a special car to him. I had a 1991 Pontiac Bonneville four-door and only two of the four doors opened, in high school and had good memories, yeah the car was trash but it was special to me.
I owned one of the first 100 Z34 off the assembly line from 1991. My uncle worked at the Oshawa, Ontario assembly plant where they were built and he won the opportunity to buy one at cost in a company draw. He drove it for 10 years and 250k kms before I bought it from him, and I put another 50k kms on it when I was in my early 20s. They required a good deal of preventative maintenance but at 300k kms the original engine and 4-speed transmission were still running strong and the car was in like-new condition when I sold it, after which I lost track of it. Even with the automatic, the kick-down to 7000rpm was very un-Chevy like back in the day and lots of fun and sounded great. I had a 93 Lumina Euro 3.1 as a daily/winter driver at the same time, but the Z34 was an entirely different beast and I'm happy to have owned something from the period when GM was still taking a few risks.
GM was bipolar with their risk taking in that time period. They came out with the Fiero, but didn’t improve on its fiery faults. They badge engineered the F out of their models. The Cadillac Allante was poorly executed and over priced and when they finally put a decent performance wise (Northstar) engine they killed the car after a year. Their minivans were hot garbage along with the cavalier based models. Midsized vehicles and trucks were ok.
GM actually had to turn down the power in this from it's original 275 hps, because the tranny couldn't take it. Fiero guys loved swapping the LQ1 engine in. not bad with out decent header and exhaust on it.
@TristansAdventures I had a 90 Beretta GT V6. Totally underrated car. I totaled it racing after barely a month in ownership (oops, lol). I wanted the GTZ too tho.
@@haroldlee6923 oh hell yes the 300zx. I think most of us that age period wanted that, a Supra turbo, 3000gt or RX7 since a Lambo and Ferrari weren't exactly obtainable. LOL
I was 16 also when these came out. I remember thinking they were pretty futuristic looking, but my 1980 Monte Carlo was my ride. What I really wanted was a 5.0 Mustang LX 5 speed. Didn't get it until four years later 🙂
That is one of my favorite GM cars of all time in the 90s. I had a 1993 Chevrolet Lumina z34 Coupe and black with an automatic transmission., and a friend of mine had a red Chevy Lumina Euro 34 sedan we thought we were the shit back in the day!
They did name their dustbuster van the Lumina "APV" to distinguish it from the sedan/coupe model, but yeah, they should have used the Venture name from the start!
Car : Lumina, Eurosport, Z34. Minivan : Lumina APV. Later on the minivan got renamed to : Venture, Trans Sport, Montana, Silhouette, later after that, Uplander and Montana, but the Montana kept its name, while Venture name got dropped and got replaced with Uplander. Lumina, Monte Carlo, Impala, Grand Prix, Regal, Century, Lesabre, Riviera, these are W body platform cars. The U body platform such as the Venture is similar to the W body platform such as Grand Prix, and bunch of the parts will interchange, from both platforms.
They used the name on the minivan thinking it would help fudge sales figures of the “Lumina” nameplate so that it would be in the same range and reach of the Taurus, Camry, and Accord. It didn’t work....
I bought a '93 Z-34 in 1994 and absolutely loved that car. It was a nightmare to work on a starter or alternator, but was very reliable otherwise. Mine had the 4-speed automatic and ABS brakes. It's too bad Chevy had to neuter the engines on these because they didn't have a transmission at the time that could handle all of the power they were capable of making. I've since read that 260+ HP was easily attainable with different cam profiles and a few other tweaks.
Yep. They were originally pushing 275-300 horses. The alternator was a nightmare. So was the o-ring oil leak that necessitated pulling the head to fix properly. Leaked oil all over the damn place. Had a GTP, the interior was a bit more plush.
@@smokesgtp Pro tip: You didn't have to remove the cylinder head to fix the oil leak. My dad and I removed the intake, used a couple of small picks to lift up the dummy plug, finessed an o-ring around the plug, then clamped it back down. It never dripped another drop of oil.
@BB.......... yeah, that was a good idea. I used a bunch of JB weld with another o-ring underneath and it held up for the last 25k or so I had the car.
For the day, they offered a lot: decent price and performance and good comfort. It was only a few years before that 200 hp was Camaro and mustang territory
Since you mentioned it, I have a basic question to ask: what engines did Nascar racers have back then? Did they still have V8s and RWD? Because in another MW Retro video (of the '88 Beretta GTU, title is "The spirit is willing...") the racing Beretta sounded like having a V6...
I'd like to follow this statement up by Robert Duvall (the head pit crew mechanic & builder of the City Chevy Tom Cruise Stock car) when he said *"THERE'S NOTING "STOCK" ABOUT A **_STOCK CAR!!"_*
In 1996 i turned 16. I bought a 90 Lumina base V6 from Metra in Chicago. No hubcaps. Only AC and a 3 spoke steering wheel were the only options. To this day. It was been the most reliable car I have ever driven. I drove it my Junior and Senior year of high school. And let me tell you I beat this car from morning to night. I did the littlest maintenance one can do to keep a car alive. It never broke down. Never left me stranded. It started on the coldest Chicago winters. I still think about this car
Here's a crazy tidbit. The original Z34 Lumina was supposed to be a V8; a 305 specially made to be mounted transversally in the W-cars. So, the idea of the W cars having a V8 is not a new concept at all. GM just decided not to utilize that ability until the final generation of the W cars. On that note, the 5.3 found in those V8 W cars is not in any way, shape, or form related to the 5.3 found in the trucks.
I was 19 when this came out and I wanted to trade in my Beretta GT for one just couldn’t afford the payments😂 It was so much more exciting back then to go to your Chevy dealer or any other dealer and look at the new cars today they’re just all the same SUVs
When I was in high school a friend of mine had one of these, black with a manual trans. For the 90s, it was fast and fun. He was a dumb ass and trashed the car. Had he taken care of it, the car would be worth something today. The manual is/was extremely rare!
One of my favorite early 90s Chevrolet cars. My sister had a 93 Z34 as her first car back in 1997. In the same color and look as the car tested in the video. Loved every bit of that car.
30 years ago, 200 horses meant you were getting somewhere fast. I remember the day my parents bought a '94 Maxima in 1995 with 190 horsepower. My dad kept commenting how quick it was during our first drive
@@theroyalcrownedtiger2946 at an engine shop I worked at, we used to have a guy that would come back after payday on Friday lunch and be really hyped up. Yep, he sold his van that was a time capsule cherry he got from his grandpa.
I owned a '92 Z34 dressed in black and upholstered in grey. I had the 4 speed automatic with a power sunroof and equipped with one of the best features of the car: the optional Bose sound system. I loved that car.
I have to say the Chevy sedans from that era had a distinct exhaust note to them. I remember even seeing the wagon models with the "Euro" decal on the back having a somewhat cool exhaust sound
I remember walking into the chevy dealership in 94 to get the all new impala ss. I was ready to trade in my 89 grand prix but couldnt afford the payments and insurance. I walked away with a 94 z34 was definitely a cool car for the year i owned it. It was rear ended during spring break 96. Got my impala that year. 😊
Motorweek is known for having slower times compared to the likes of MotorTrend, Car and Driver and such. Guess they just have better drivers working for the magazines
I think that car is at the point where all of the "typically cared for" examples have long been crushed or rusted away in scrap yards, only the ones that were meticulously cared for are still around. Hopefully people are preserving a few.
I love the Lumina. Always will. We had an original 1990 Euro 3.1 that we took delivery of in June of '89. It had the one year only grille like the one in the beginning of this film. I could roast the tires at will with that torque monster 3.1 liter. Cavernous room inside as well. The dash and wheel are top notch. GM made a home run with the Chevrolet Lumina.
What was left of them about all died out by 2008-ish... I'm sure there's still a few out there, but it's been at least 2 or 3 years since I think I last saw one.
Because trucks just lasted longer. And people don't mind driving some old beat up, rusted out truck as a work truck. Its just not the same for an older car of the same time period.
I grew up seeing these early 90's Luminas and Lumina vans all over the road growing up in the Ohio Valley in early 00's, but I haven't seen either in many long years. I miss seeing these cars and the Dustbuster vans so much.
Loved these cars. I had a 92 Lumina Euro. My mother bought it new in 92, and I bought it from her in 2001. I had for about 6 years, right up until the entire electrical system crapped out on it. LOL Regardless it was a great car. Very comfortable for long road trips.
Cool video, nice to see one of these with a 5 speed, I had a 96 Monte Carlo Z34 for a couple of years, I remember a big issue with the 3.4 DOHC motor was hard starting when warm, nobody could fix it, was kind of embarrassing, otherwise a nice car, I traded it on a 98 Z28 and didn't regret it for a minute!
I had a 1992 Lumina Euro 4-door. Had the full gauge package 17" wheel upgrade and it was Maui Blue plus the reliable 3.1 V6. Got almost 3k off of sticker too.
I remember seeing someone showed up at a chicken restaurant in a Z34 Lumina in black that's in good condition about a month ago in Bamberg, SC while me and my 14 year old sister picked up some Sunday dinner at a chicken take out restaurant.
I saw one of these back in the summer and lost my mind. It'd been years since I'd seen a Lumina, and to be a hot Z34? That was just cool icing on the rare cake.
I would buy one of these today over anything in its class today . I had one it would get 27 mpg. 22 mpg. If I put my foot in it . I had 386,000 miles on it when I got rid of it and it was still running strong. I replaced it with a 98 Subaru Legacy GT that was the worst car I ever owned. And now G.M. Is making nothing but junk.
Thank you for another new GM video. It is much appreciated. I hope more will come especially the Oldsmobiles I want to see and other GM brands or footage that was GM related like the Quad 8/ Quad 4 footage from back then as well as Ninety Eight/ Touring Sedan road tests before 1991. I remember this car. Thank you again.
Had one of these. It was a very early production model that I ordered well before it came out. Not a bad car. Had it 4 years when we traded it for a Monte Carlo Z34 that was fraught with issues.
I worked at the corporate headquarters of a major car rental firm and GM supplied most of our fleet...and the Lumina was a staple in our rental fleet. I don't think we had the Z34 in the fleet though. We did keep the W Body Olds Cutlass Supreme International Series as an upgraded version of our "full size" category...I had one for a week. OK to drive but the interior trimmings and switch gear quality didn't inspire long term confidence. Much to our renters frustrations...we would get request for Toyotas and Hondas for rentals...which some of our franchise locations carried but if you were renting at a corporate location...you were 90 percent guaranteed to get a GM car...and we still carried the long in tooth Olds Ciera and Buick Century as well...
I know someone who has a '96 Cutlass Supreme survivor. While you are correct, all the interior bits have fallen apart, this car has been through Hell and back including an impact with a deer, and it is still alive 24 years after production. Double-edged sword.
I have zero idea why anyone would want to drive a honda or toyota of that era. Buzzy, cheap plastic feel, and just generally unpleasant to drive, they were not making good cars. Yea, they lasted quite a long time before they rotted away, but you dont really want to drive a tan corolla with tan seats and a stock radio. Id take the Oldsmobile over the foreign brands any day.
Max C It depends on how the cars are taken care of. Thats usually how far itll go. The cutlass supreme was a fantastic car that didnt get the credit it deserved in the 90s.
That's an incredible story! Do you remember the color combo of the International Series Cutlass? I currently have a white with red cloth interior 91 International Series coupe with the LQ1/auto combo.
@@jiggity76 I do. It was a 1991 Cutlass Supreme four door sedan international series. Red exterior with silver or gray cladding. A gray cloth interior. It was kind of a tweed cloth. The seats were multi adjustable with power headrests. It had an automatic transmission but I don't recall the engine..for sure a V6 but probably the 3.1... My car was in the body shop for a week so I used my employee discount to rent one. We usually get what ever is available and apparently that was it. Back in '91, it was during the recession and our purchasing department decided not to buy Cadillacs as our luxury category....which upset our frequent renters who usually received a free luxury class upgrade....so the International Series Cutlass was our "luxury" car substitute for them...I probably got one of the first ones in the fleet and enjoyed driving it.
Way back when I had a white 1992 Z-34. I got more compliments about that car than my friends did that had Camaros, Mustangs, Cutlass’, Montes, etc. Such good times in that car. So sexy & so fast. I love & miss that car.
These were nice cars back in the day. I think the styling has aged well. I remember the suspension was far too soft though for a car with a sporty 2-door image. Tons of traditional American float going down the road. There was little to nothing separating the Lumina, Cutlass Supreme, Regal, and Grand Prix in terms of driving character. They all floated down the road and had oversized, sofa-like seating. Strange considering they all looked dramatically different from each other and had different personas. I do miss these cars though. The Lumina definitely had the worst laid out dashboard of the group. Tiny gauges spread across the dashboard.
94 Cutlass Supreme coupe was my first new car, 90s emerald green...I was 20. Agree with your observations (also later owned a Grand Prix GTP), but oddly, it was exactly those things that drew me to it over something like an Accord. American cars back then just had a substantial feel that most Japanese cars didn't have...along with V6 engines which were out of reach price wise in the Honda. The 3.1 might not have been faster than a 4 cylinder accord, but there are all kinds of other attributes that a 6 had and a 4 didn't. Still holds true, but now we're reverting to tiny turbocharged buzzers.
Man my friend had one of these in black and he bragged constantly about how fast it was until I took him out in my 89 Chevy Beretta GTU it wasn't even fair! But we used to have fun running against each other!
This was the first car I ever purchased back in 2000 (94, red, 39000 miles). I love the look of it, but I did have my share of issues. I had a short in the electrical system that stranded me on the highway. I had an alternator go bad (common issue). I broke both door handles. I had a headlight switch go bad (no instrument panel illumination), and finally it developed an oil leak that got so bad I didn't keep up with it one week and I killed a bearing. Sold it for $600 on eBay. I still miss it though.
I used to sell Chevy, Geo, and Olds in the mid 90s and there were some great oddballs like the Lumina LTZ you're referring to. But my fav was the Olds LSS: big brick-looking thing with a mouse fur velour bench seat... and the fire-breathing supercharged 3800 V6. I'll never understand what GM was thinking with that car but it is truly a nutjob classic.
I recall test driving a used 3.4 lumina sedan back in the late 90's. . . was a little reluctant to buy the GM DOHC. Ended up buying a Euro with the 3.1.
@@sqmotorsports9230 You could also get the blower 3800 in a Park Avenue...my neighbor had one. Beige Buick sedan...with the supercharged V6. He reported you could pass a state trooper at 90 and not even get a second glance. Retired it with 280,000 when the transaxle failed, it was also starting to rot.
I love these old test reviews on new cars at the time. As a mechanic I can see how all these cars and trucks have done over time. Btw, I hated when these z34’s came into the shop,that dual ohc was cramed in the engine bay.
@@MrJones-tu5tg they were. I had a 95 Z34 that blew a valve cover gasket on the rear bank... as I recall (and this was 1997 we're talking about here so it's a little fuzzy) it was a 14 hour job
I remember a rumor from the July 1992 issue of Automobile magazine that Chevy was losing so much money on the W-body design that they were considering cancelling the second generation Lumina and Monte Carlo and instead -- bringing back a Chevy sedan version of the A-body platform! (They would have essentially revived the Celebrity). At this point the A-body was still being made by Buick and Oldsmobile, this consideration was because the A-body was still making money for GM. Imagine how much longer the already long-running A-body platform (1982-1996) could have been made for if this had happened.
I remember running one in my 95 gt thinking see ya buddy. But surprisingly he hung a lot closer than I thought he would. Those z34s would run. Years later i bought a 98 monte z34. Sweet ride.
Hot ride !!! My father had the '93 Lumina APV, it only died in 2013 with 155k miles.....it wouldn't run on all 6 anymore. I loved the way that van could pull to 45mph, it had a 160hp 3800 Series II with a 3-speed AT though.
The getrag 5 speed manual was actually standard- the 4 speed auto was optional. Back in the day I owned a new black '92 Z34. Great car with an incredible factory sound system.
I had the Pontiac flavor of this back in 91' as a demo for the Pontiac dealer I worked for.That Grand Prix was a looker in Bright Blue metallic and it could move with the 5 speed.Only had it for a few weeks before it got sold out from under me.Good Times
Ah the days when you had to have muscle to drive a car LOL, I love these cars back in the 90s but I could never afford one, I ended up getting a 1997 lumina four-door grandma car later on. Best car I ever owned and honestly the most comfortable even today
A Lumina Z34 with a 5-speed stick????? You've got my attention. Damn I miss the 90s! I was in my teens when these were new and I don't ever remember seeing a manual transmissioned Lumina, even back then. I have to admit, I like it!
I owned one of these with a stick shift 5 speed manual. Had a “fast forward performance” chip in it - it sounded awesome and had tons of top end power - revved over 7000 rpm with the modified chip.
I bought a '90 Z24 from a guy who also was selling the matching '91 Z34. I really wanted the Lumina but he was out of his mind for the asking price for the condition of the car.
No worries, I enjoyed your story and I do love the Z24's as well. I've never owned either car but loved the digital dash option in the Z24 and the looks of them.
@@jiggity76 the digital dash was a neat option. Mine didn't have it, but probably a good thing since we all know how well the GM digital dashes lasted lol. That Z24 was a little rocket, 90 was the first year of the 3.1L by but also the last year for the 3 speed automatic. It shifted so hard full throttle from 1st to second it chirped the tires. Fairly sure it had a chip in it when I got it though because it would truck right past the GM stock fuel cutoff of 108 and steam all the way up to 135.
In high school way back when a kid’s dad bought him an N/A 944 and he bragged about how he’d beat everyone if they wanted to race him. Another kid took the bait and raced him in his Z24 (the smaller, boxier model). The Z24 roasted the 944. The 944 owner stopped talking so much after that.
Such a small list of domestic offerings from the 70s to today that one would consider collectible, but this is definitely one of them. I always wanted one. Only ever found 1 (with the 5 speed) and it was trashed so I never did get to own one. GM never did promote their more special vehicles, I don't know why.
I owned an '88 Corsica LTZ - But ultimately between this Lumina Z34 (1992) and the Beretta GTZ (which was basically a Corsica Coupe lol) those two were my dream cars. Punchy V6's, attractive, aggressive styling, front wheel drive heaven! LOL! These were the days! Then.... the 1996 Impala SS came out and my life changed FOREVER!
I really like these cars and the cutlass Supreme, the 3.4 was a great sounding engine, and had decent performance. The 1st gen and 2nd gen Taurus SHO however would run circles around these gm cars even tho on paper they had about the same power.
Z34 Coupes could hang with or outperform cars costing double the price in 91. GM was starting to make good cars again by the early 90s. They gave the rare Z34 a power bump and refinened it in 92 . Some magazines got low 15sec quarter miles with them. They would handle and accelerate as good , or better than any coupe in its price range , as did it's GM cousin Pontiac Grand Prix GTP. The Thunderbird SC was competitive, but too heavy and pricey .The only superior coupes from that era were the Acura Legend and Lexus SC300, but they were much pricier . As we're the BMW 3 series . It's interesting that all of these cars were capable of 15 to low 16 sec range quarter miles (fast in 1991) using 90s period 6cylinder engines and 30 year old transmission technology. Many 2020 era sedans are only moderately faster overall, and aren't necessarily more fun to drive than these 90s performance cars!
I had a 1991 z34 Dale Earnhardt edition, basically a sticker package. That black was hard to keep clean and avoid swirl marks. Got alot of compliments on it!
I owned a 1995 Monte Carlo z34 that car was beautiful and turned heads. The factory dual pipe exhaust on each side let out a throaty growl when it was punched.
Your door handles will break. If the wind blows and this door closes on your childs leg it will snap like a chicken wing, but enough about the doors, lets get into the interior. It will melt and stick to you, better get used to wearing dark gray pants. But enough of the creature comforts, you wont have them long. The ac compressor breaks and leaks as does the condensor so get a travel cooler, you will need it. And then there is the engine, a blender of oil and coolant. If the engine doesnt blow the transmission will go. And after you replace all of that the pin holding the castle nuts will rust away and the entire drive line comes apart. All this if you can see out of the terrible driving position long enough to break the car before you total it. Oh yea, without abs these things lock and spin.....lol, award wining vehicles.......lol.
I have a 1997 Lumina with 220,000 miles on it. Regular maintenance , new tires every 2 years or so and keep it washed and waxed and it's good as new. Air is ice cold and heat is warm as toast. car still has get up and go and cruises on parkway at 80 quiet and smooth as ever. car treated me right all these years.
Mike Schiavoni, Hi, I was a GM mechanic working for Chevrolet for 20 years, Yes this car would not last, No quality at all I agree, But most of what you said was either off base or exaggerated. Abs was on it at time of sales, Spin-outs, don't remember that tale either.
My grandma has a 92 Lumina sedan, its blue on blue and only has 92,000 miles on it. I've always wanted it lol. Would be cool to find an old Z34 manual someday.
Back in 1995, in a moment of weakness, I traded a 1989 Mustang GT convertible on a 1992 Z34, black with an auto. I still kick myself for doing that. I will say the Z34 looked great on the outside, even still today, but it was a vague driving experience to say the least. I traded it less than a year later on an 89 RX-7.
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In 1998, I was only 12 years old when my family and I migrated from Iran to this great country called the USA. We resided in the beautiful Washington state and after months of hard work at the factory my dad was finally able to purchase a cheap used car so he could take the family around on the weekends.
The car he purchased was a 1991 Chevrolet Lumina in dark blue with 190k miles on the clock. We LOVED that car. It was roomy enough for the 5 of us, very comfortable, smooth, quiet and reliable. I still remember when my brother and I along with my dad used to spend hours together cleaning the interior and the exterior of that car on every Sunday afternoon. This is a very special car for me.
Wow thank you for the LIKES guys, really appreciate it that you took the time to read my comment. Writing that comment brought back good memories from the 90s when my family and I first migrated to the U.S.. I thank my parents everyday for bringing us to this country where we were given a second chance to start a fresh, honest, peaceful life. Some people take it for granted, but take it from an immigrant who moved here 22 years ago legally that this country is the greatest country on earth.
MAGA
A big difference from the Paykans and Renault 5s you were used to, I’m sure...
Matt johnson GTFO with your negative bullshit.
matt johnson grown up. He said this was a special car to him. I had a 1991 Pontiac Bonneville four-door and only two of the four doors opened, in high school and had good memories, yeah the car was trash but it was special to me.
I owned one of the first 100 Z34 off the assembly line from 1991. My uncle worked at the Oshawa, Ontario assembly plant where they were built and he won the opportunity to buy one at cost in a company draw. He drove it for 10 years and 250k kms before I bought it from him, and I put another 50k kms on it when I was in my early 20s. They required a good deal of preventative maintenance but at 300k kms the original engine and 4-speed transmission were still running strong and the car was in like-new condition when I sold it, after which I lost track of it. Even with the automatic, the kick-down to 7000rpm was very un-Chevy like back in the day and lots of fun and sounded great. I had a 93 Lumina Euro 3.1 as a daily/winter driver at the same time, but the Z34 was an entirely different beast and I'm happy to have owned something from the period when GM was still taking a few risks.
My friend here in pei Canada had a grand prix with this setup she was guick
GM was bipolar with their risk taking in that time period. They came out with the Fiero, but didn’t improve on its fiery faults. They badge engineered the F out of their models. The Cadillac Allante was poorly executed and over priced and when they finally put a decent performance wise (Northstar) engine they killed the car after a year. Their minivans were hot garbage along with the cavalier based models. Midsized vehicles and trucks were ok.
Back then you went to any dealer and GM paid shipping/destination cost to the dealer. You orderded directly from dealer at GM cost.
GM actually had to turn down the power in this from it's original 275 hps, because the tranny couldn't take it. Fiero guys loved swapping the LQ1 engine in. not bad with out decent header and exhaust on it.
@@w41duvernay they made a lot of power even for today
I was 16 when this version dropped... And boy did I want one. Still looks good tho
I was also 16 and wanted 300zx turbo.. 300 ho, 300 lb ft
@TristansAdventures I had a 90 Beretta GT V6. Totally underrated car. I totaled it racing after barely a month in ownership (oops, lol). I wanted the GTZ too tho.
@@haroldlee6923 oh hell yes the 300zx. I think most of us that age period wanted that, a Supra turbo, 3000gt or RX7 since a Lambo and Ferrari weren't exactly obtainable. LOL
I was 16 also when these came out. I remember thinking they were pretty futuristic looking, but my 1980 Monte Carlo was my ride. What I really wanted was a 5.0 Mustang LX 5 speed. Didn't get it until four years later 🙂
@@layne4376 lol u just made my day with that comment!
That is one of my favorite GM cars of all time in the 90s. I had a 1993 Chevrolet Lumina z34 Coupe and black with an automatic transmission., and a friend of mine had a red Chevy Lumina Euro 34 sedan we thought we were the shit back in the day!
I had a red '94 Lumina Z34 back in '99. ONE OF THE BEST GM CARS I EVER HAD!!!
the W body was a good platform too bad they stopped making them in 2016
What was the last W Body in 2016?
@@ericbritton9346 2016 Chevrolet Impala Limited (9th Generation) was the last of the W Body GM 10 Platform
@@zamarta2408 cool beans
Footage of this car is more elusive on RUclips than it should be.... thank you Motorweek!
I remember being so confused when I was young because the Lumina was a coupé and a minivan 😂👍
Yeah. They're marketing team dropped the ball.
They did name their dustbuster van the Lumina "APV" to distinguish it from the sedan/coupe model, but yeah, they should have used the Venture name from the start!
Car : Lumina, Eurosport, Z34.
Minivan : Lumina APV.
Later on the minivan got renamed to : Venture, Trans Sport, Montana, Silhouette, later after that, Uplander and Montana, but the Montana kept its name, while Venture name got dropped and got replaced with Uplander.
Lumina, Monte Carlo, Impala, Grand Prix, Regal, Century, Lesabre, Riviera, these are W body platform cars.
The U body platform such as the Venture is similar to the W body platform such as Grand Prix, and bunch of the parts will interchange, from both platforms.
The minivans always reminded me of one of those star wars tie fighters.
When you would see them at night on a road up ahead of you 🤣
They used the name on the minivan thinking it would help fudge sales figures of the “Lumina” nameplate so that it would be in the same range and reach of the Taurus, Camry, and Accord.
It didn’t work....
The car stood out when it was new. For the day, it looked good too.
I bought a '93 Z-34 in 1994 and absolutely loved that car. It was a nightmare to work on a starter or alternator, but was very reliable otherwise. Mine had the 4-speed automatic and ABS brakes. It's too bad Chevy had to neuter the engines on these because they didn't have a transmission at the time that could handle all of the power they were capable of making. I've since read that 260+ HP was easily attainable with different cam profiles and a few other tweaks.
Yep. They were originally pushing 275-300 horses. The alternator was a nightmare. So was the o-ring oil leak that necessitated pulling the head to fix properly. Leaked oil all over the damn place. Had a GTP, the interior was a bit more plush.
@@smokesgtp Pro tip: You didn't have to remove the cylinder head to fix the oil leak. My dad and I removed the intake, used a couple of small picks to lift up the dummy plug, finessed an o-ring around the plug, then clamped it back down. It never dripped another drop of oil.
@BB.......... yeah, that was a good idea. I used a bunch of JB weld with another o-ring underneath and it held up for the last 25k or so I had the car.
For the day, they offered a lot: decent price and performance and good comfort. It was only a few years before that 200 hp was Camaro and mustang territory
I have always loved the look of these and I still think they look good honestly.
They still do is right. I wanted one of these and can't remember why I didn't get one.
Chevy's in the early 90's were sick. Z34's Z24's GTU's GTZ's, some of the slickest looking cars ever made.
Ever made? Good grief man..
@@doylee469I agree with you, they haven't seen the likes of a 70 SS Chevelle or a 57 Chevy.
My first car was a 92 Z34 5 speed. God I miss it so much. You don't know what you got til it's gone! And mine has been gone for 14 years 😭
The only thing bad about them aging is that it's hard to find parts for that uprated 5 speed. It was only used with the 3.4 DOHC.
@@halohunter5217 and the Chrysler TC by Maserati. But that's even less common than the Z34!
Neat cars, too bad coupes don’t exist today in American line ups.
ATS Coupe (current)
ELR
CTS Coupe
Camero? Mustang?
Infiniti Q60
Yeah the Corvette would be much cooler if it only had two doors...
@@theKevronHarris
You think Infiniti is American?
Days of Thunder , ring any bells?
Lumina Nascar version
That was what I was thinking haha
Since you mentioned it, I have a basic question to ask: what engines did Nascar racers have back then? Did they still have V8s and RWD? Because in another MW Retro video (of the '88 Beretta GTU, title is "The spirit is willing...") the racing Beretta sounded like having a V6...
@@McBeamer94 back in 1990 , the engine was a V8 650hp
I'd like to follow this statement up by Robert Duvall (the head pit crew mechanic & builder of the City Chevy Tom Cruise Stock car) when he said *"THERE'S NOTING "STOCK" ABOUT A **_STOCK CAR!!"_*
I still want to get this car.
In 1996 i turned 16. I bought a 90 Lumina base V6 from Metra in Chicago. No hubcaps. Only AC and a 3 spoke steering wheel were the only options.
To this day. It was been the most reliable car I have ever driven. I drove it my Junior and Senior year of high school. And let me tell you I beat this car from morning to night. I did the littlest maintenance one can do to keep a car alive. It never broke down. Never left me stranded. It started on the coldest Chicago winters. I still think about this car
Here's a crazy tidbit. The original Z34 Lumina was supposed to be a V8; a 305 specially made to be mounted transversally in the W-cars. So, the idea of the W cars having a V8 is not a new concept at all. GM just decided not to utilize that ability until the final generation of the W cars. On that note, the 5.3 found in those V8 W cars is not in any way, shape, or form related to the 5.3 found in the trucks.
I was 19 when this came out and I wanted to trade in my Beretta GT for one just couldn’t afford the payments😂
It was so much more exciting back then to go to your Chevy dealer or any other dealer and look at the new cars today they’re just all the same SUVs
No the Z26 was the next level up Basically just included ground effects
That little motor was a badass
When I was in high school a friend of mine had one of these, black with a manual trans. For the 90s, it was fast and fun. He was a dumb ass and trashed the car. Had he taken care of it, the car would be worth something today. The manual is/was extremely rare!
One of my favorite early 90s Chevrolet cars. My sister had a 93 Z34 as her first car back in 1997. In the same color and look as the car tested in the video. Loved every bit of that car.
one of my high school friends had this back 2001. he called it the"Z" he ended up selling it to keep up with his coke habit😳
Damn that's just sad, sold the car due to coke habit.
Great car.
30 years ago, 200 horses meant you were getting somewhere fast. I remember the day my parents bought a '94 Maxima in 1995 with 190 horsepower. My dad kept commenting how quick it was during our first drive
@helicopter weewee : I would have kept the Lumina, instead of trading it for the Prelude, the Chevy is more stylish than the Prelude.
@@theroyalcrownedtiger2946 at an engine shop I worked at, we used to have a guy that would come back after payday on Friday lunch and be really hyped up.
Yep, he sold his van that was a time capsule cherry he got from his grandpa.
I wanted one of these so bad! I had the regular lumina coupe. It was a great car. I drove the hell out of it.
This was my dream car when i was teenager
I wanted one of these so bad when I was younger! The odd thing is I seen one about a week ago and it was ran down but I was still admiring it lol
In the 1990’s sedans had so many options. From Front Split Bench Seats to Manual Coupes.
Now we're in 2020 and there's hardly any sedans to choose from anymore, damn certainly none of them being American
I owned a '92 Z34 dressed in black and upholstered in grey. I had the 4 speed automatic with a power sunroof and equipped with one of the best features of the car: the optional Bose sound system. I loved that car.
I have to say the Chevy sedans from that era had a distinct exhaust note to them. I remember even seeing the wagon models with the "Euro" decal on the back having a somewhat cool exhaust sound
I just bought one. Bone stock survivor car. Absolute blast to drive!
Thank you MotorWeek for uploading this SD video in stunning 1080p 60fps.
I remember walking into the chevy dealership in 94 to get the all new impala ss. I was ready to trade in my 89 grand prix but couldnt afford the payments and insurance. I walked away with a 94 z34 was definitely a cool car for the year i owned it. It was rear ended during spring break 96. Got my impala that year. 😊
I remember seeing 0-60 mph tests with the Z34 hitting more like 7.5 secs. 8.1 seems too slow. See a lot of wheel spin off launch in this video.
Motorweek is known for having slower times compared to the likes of MotorTrend, Car and Driver and such. Guess they just have better drivers working for the magazines
@@ohguy1991 Not at all. The magazines use less ideal conditions and are not as realistic as MW's.
My GTP w the 3.4 ran low-mid 15's. 8.1 is a slow 0-60 time.
@@jefferyrobertson7520 that was a typical auto time also. 5-speeds were right around 7 flat-7.3.
Well this was a pre-production model.
I always liked the unmistakable exhaust note of the Euro 3.1
I had the 2.8 in my Beretta. My grandpa referred to it as 'that damn GM bark'. I loved it, especially in a tunnel or parking garage.
I have the Euro 3.1 and I agree. :)
Characteristic of the gm 60 degree v6
I saw one on Craigslist here in Seattle a few weeks ago...,surprisingly it looked like it was in pretty good shape.
I think that car is at the point where all of the "typically cared for" examples have long been crushed or rusted away in scrap yards, only the ones that were meticulously cared for are still around. Hopefully people are preserving a few.
Was it blue, think that is the same one I seen.
I love the Lumina. Always will. We had an original 1990 Euro 3.1 that we took delivery of in June of '89. It had the one year only grille like the one in the beginning of this film. I could roast the tires at will with that torque monster 3.1 liter. Cavernous room inside as well. The dash and wheel are top notch. GM made a home run with the Chevrolet Lumina.
Do you have a MotorWeek Retro Review from 1984, showing Joyce Braga in white pants?
It's not uncommon for me to see a GM pickup or SUV from the early 90s, but I can't remember the last time I saw a Lumina of this generation.
What was left of them about all died out by 2008-ish... I'm sure there's still a few out there, but it's been at least 2 or 3 years since I think I last saw one.
Because trucks just lasted longer. And people don't mind driving some old beat up, rusted out truck as a work truck. Its just not the same for an older car of the same time period.
Cash for Clunkers ate up a lot of cars of the late 70's to 2000 vintage.
I grew up seeing these early 90's Luminas and Lumina vans all over the road growing up in the Ohio Valley in early 00's, but I haven't seen either in many long years. I miss seeing these cars and the Dustbuster vans so much.
This man's description of vehicles is beyond my comprehension!!
Loved these cars. I had a 92 Lumina Euro. My mother bought it new in 92, and I bought it from her in 2001. I had for about 6 years, right up until the entire electrical system crapped out on it. LOL
Regardless it was a great car. Very comfortable for long road trips.
Cool video, nice to see one of these with a 5 speed, I had a 96 Monte Carlo Z34 for a couple of years, I remember a big issue with the 3.4 DOHC motor was hard starting when warm, nobody could fix it, was kind of embarrassing, otherwise a nice car, I traded it on a 98 Z28 and didn't regret it for a minute!
I had a 1992 Lumina Euro 4-door. Had the full gauge package 17" wheel upgrade and it was Maui Blue plus the reliable 3.1 V6. Got almost 3k off of sticker too.
Always liked the Pontiac Grand Prix GTP sibling.
Kinda reminds me of my old 1990 Beretta GTZ
I remember seeing someone showed up at a chicken restaurant in a Z34 Lumina in black that's in good condition about a month ago in Bamberg, SC while me and my 14 year old sister picked up some Sunday dinner at a chicken take out restaurant.
Amazing motor it's got. I had a buddy back in 2005 who owned one
I saw one of these back in the summer and lost my mind. It'd been years since I'd seen a Lumina, and to be a hot Z34? That was just cool icing on the rare cake.
I would buy one of these today over anything in its class today . I had one it would get 27 mpg. 22 mpg. If I put my foot in it . I had 386,000 miles on it when I got rid of it and it was still running strong. I replaced it with a 98 Subaru Legacy GT that was the worst car I ever owned. And now G.M. Is making nothing but junk.
Hunter Fisher couldn't agree more man. Before 2009, GM was in its prime. You couldnt give me anything they make these days for free.
@@LrulestheworldM8 3.6 v6 is still being used. Gm should have perfected the 3.8, maybe twin turbo it.
1995-1999 Monte carlo Is the same shit
@@LrulestheworldM8 you mean before 2000
Well you can probably get one of these on Craigslist for $275.
Thank you for another new GM video. It is much appreciated. I hope more will come especially the Oldsmobiles I want to see and other GM brands or footage that was GM related like the Quad 8/ Quad 4 footage from back then as well as Ninety Eight/ Touring Sedan road tests before 1991. I remember this car. Thank you again.
Had one of these. It was a very early production model that I ordered well before it came out. Not a bad car. Had it 4 years when we traded it for a Monte Carlo Z34 that was fraught with issues.
The 1st gen Lumina/Lumina Coupe seemed to be better cars than the 2nd gen Lumina/95-99 Monte Carlo.
"Walk of Life" on the radio there.
I worked at the corporate headquarters of a major car rental firm and GM supplied most of our fleet...and the Lumina was a staple in our rental fleet. I don't think we had the Z34 in the fleet though. We did keep the W Body Olds Cutlass Supreme International Series as an upgraded version of our "full size" category...I had one for a week. OK to drive but the interior trimmings and switch gear quality didn't inspire long term confidence.
Much to our renters frustrations...we would get request for Toyotas and Hondas for rentals...which some of our franchise locations carried but if you were renting at a corporate location...you were 90 percent guaranteed to get a GM car...and we still carried the long in tooth Olds Ciera and Buick Century as well...
I know someone who has a '96 Cutlass Supreme survivor. While you are correct, all the interior bits have fallen apart, this car has been through Hell and back including an impact with a deer, and it is still alive 24 years after production. Double-edged sword.
I have zero idea why anyone would want to drive a honda or toyota of that era. Buzzy, cheap plastic feel, and just generally unpleasant to drive, they were not making good cars. Yea, they lasted quite a long time before they rotted away, but you dont really want to drive a tan corolla with tan seats and a stock radio.
Id take the Oldsmobile over the foreign brands any day.
Max C It depends on how the cars are taken care of. Thats usually how far itll go. The cutlass supreme was a fantastic car that didnt get the credit it deserved in the 90s.
That's an incredible story! Do you remember the color combo of the International Series Cutlass? I currently have a white with red cloth interior 91 International Series coupe with the LQ1/auto combo.
@@jiggity76 I do. It was a 1991 Cutlass Supreme four door sedan international series. Red exterior with silver or gray cladding. A gray cloth interior. It was kind of a tweed cloth. The seats were multi adjustable with power headrests. It had an automatic transmission but I don't recall the engine..for sure a V6 but probably the 3.1...
My car was in the body shop for a week so I used my employee discount to rent one. We usually get what ever is available and apparently that was it. Back in '91, it was during the recession and our purchasing department decided not to buy Cadillacs as our luxury category....which upset our frequent renters who usually received a free luxury class upgrade....so the International Series Cutlass was our "luxury" car substitute for them...I probably got one of the first ones in the fleet and enjoyed driving it.
I like how the door handles are verticle and up high. I had a regal like that
I had a 91 lumina with 3.1 and that was best car I ever had
Way back when I had a white 1992 Z-34. I got more compliments about that car than my friends did that had Camaros, Mustangs, Cutlass’, Montes, etc. Such good times in that car. So sexy & so fast. I love & miss that car.
I always liked how they tucked the door handles into the b-pillars on the W-body coupes.
These were nice cars back in the day. I think the styling has aged well. I remember the suspension was far too soft though for a car with a sporty 2-door image. Tons of traditional American float going down the road. There was little to nothing separating the Lumina, Cutlass Supreme, Regal, and Grand Prix in terms of driving character. They all floated down the road and had oversized, sofa-like seating. Strange considering they all looked dramatically different from each other and had different personas. I do miss these cars though. The Lumina definitely had the worst laid out dashboard of the group. Tiny gauges spread across the dashboard.
94 Cutlass Supreme coupe was my first new car, 90s emerald green...I was 20. Agree with your observations (also later owned a Grand Prix GTP), but oddly, it was exactly those things that drew me to it over something like an Accord. American cars back then just had a substantial feel that most Japanese cars didn't have...along with V6 engines which were out of reach price wise in the Honda. The 3.1 might not have been faster than a 4 cylinder accord, but there are all kinds of other attributes that a 6 had and a 4 didn't. Still holds true, but now we're reverting to tiny turbocharged buzzers.
I've always loved these
Man my friend had one of these in black and he bragged constantly about how fast it was until I took him out in my 89 Chevy Beretta GTU it wasn't even fair! But we used to have fun running against each other!
Such a beautiful car. How come its not popular ??
Lumina was a big seller in the 4 door 3.1 version back in the 90s
The thumbnail animation brought me here... SLAM THEM GEARS YOUNG BRO!
This was the first car I ever purchased back in 2000 (94, red, 39000 miles). I love the look of it, but I did have my share of issues. I had a short in the electrical system that stranded me on the highway. I had an alternator go bad (common issue). I broke both door handles. I had a headlight switch go bad (no instrument panel illumination), and finally it developed an oil leak that got so bad I didn't keep up with it one week and I killed a bearing. Sold it for $600 on eBay. I still miss it though.
Back in the early 90’s my parents had a plain Jane Lumina sedan that somehow had this engine in it. No idea why it got it but it was a hoot to drive!
I used to sell Chevy, Geo, and Olds in the mid 90s and there were some great oddballs like the Lumina LTZ you're referring to. But my fav was the Olds LSS: big brick-looking thing with a mouse fur velour bench seat... and the fire-breathing supercharged 3800 V6. I'll never understand what GM was thinking with that car but it is truly a nutjob classic.
I recall test driving a used 3.4 lumina sedan back in the late 90's. . . was a little reluctant to buy the GM DOHC. Ended up buying a Euro with the 3.1.
@@sqmotorsports9230 You could also get the blower 3800 in a Park Avenue...my neighbor had one. Beige Buick sedan...with the supercharged V6. He reported you could pass a state trooper at 90 and not even get a second glance. Retired it with 280,000 when the transaxle failed, it was also starting to rot.
@@Johnny96ri my dad had one of those, a 1995 Ultra. I used to burn Fox bodies at stoplights in it for giggles. :)
4:29 What's that guy doing with that long stick?
Clutch actuation and shifter feel!? I haven't heard a car review mention that in a long time.
I love these old test reviews on new cars at the time. As a mechanic I can see how all these cars and trucks have done over time. Btw, I hated when these z34’s came into the shop,that dual ohc was cramed in the engine bay.
I heard that they were a bitch to work on
@@MrJones-tu5tg they were. I had a 95 Z34 that blew a valve cover gasket on the rear bank... as I recall (and this was 1997 we're talking about here so it's a little fuzzy) it was a 14 hour job
Had the normal version of this model in 1992. I enjoyed the car till 1997.
Good ol' GM
I remember a rumor from the July 1992 issue of Automobile magazine that Chevy was losing so much money on the W-body design that they were considering cancelling the second generation Lumina and Monte Carlo and instead -- bringing back a Chevy sedan version of the A-body platform! (They would have essentially revived the Celebrity). At this point the A-body was still being made by Buick and Oldsmobile, this consideration was because the A-body was still making money for GM. Imagine how much longer the already long-running A-body platform (1982-1996) could have been made for if this had happened.
I remember running one in my 95 gt thinking see ya buddy. But surprisingly he hung a lot closer than I thought he would. Those z34s would run. Years later i bought a 98 monte z34. Sweet ride.
the "5 speed strangler" strikes again
Hot ride !!!
My father had the '93 Lumina APV, it only died in 2013 with 155k miles.....it wouldn't run on all 6 anymore.
I loved the way that van could pull to 45mph, it had a 160hp 3800 Series II with a 3-speed AT though.
Didn't know this car came in manual, my brother and I both had a lumina. I had 2 door Eurosport his was a z34.
The getrag 5 speed manual was actually standard- the 4 speed auto was optional. Back in the day I owned a new black '92 Z34. Great car with an incredible factory sound system.
I always wanted one
0:52 John: THE MR. HYDE IF YOU LIKE, OF AN OTHERWISE SEDATE NAMEPLATE! LOL
I had the Pontiac flavor of this back in 91' as a demo for the Pontiac dealer I worked for.That Grand Prix was a looker in Bright Blue metallic and it could move with the 5 speed.Only had it for a few weeks before it got sold out from under me.Good Times
Ah the days when you had to have muscle to drive a car LOL, I love these cars back in the 90s but I could never afford one, I ended up getting a 1997 lumina four-door grandma car later on. Best car I ever owned and honestly the most comfortable even today
A Lumina Z34 with a 5-speed stick????? You've got my attention. Damn I miss the 90s!
I was in my teens when these were new and I don't ever remember seeing a manual transmissioned Lumina, even back then. I have to admit, I like it!
I owned one of these with a stick shift 5 speed manual. Had a “fast forward performance” chip in it - it sounded awesome and had tons of top end power - revved over 7000 rpm with the modified chip.
I bought a '90 Z24 from a guy who also was selling the matching '91 Z34. I really wanted the Lumina but he was out of his mind for the asking price for the condition of the car.
91 was the first year for the Z34. They were made in the first gens until 94. Very cool cars!
@@jiggity76 my mistake, edited accordingly
No worries, I enjoyed your story and I do love the Z24's as well. I've never owned either car but loved the digital dash option in the Z24 and the looks of them.
@@jiggity76 the digital dash was a neat option. Mine didn't have it, but probably a good thing since we all know how well the GM digital dashes lasted lol. That Z24 was a little rocket, 90 was the first year of the 3.1L by but also the last year for the 3 speed automatic. It shifted so hard full throttle from 1st to second it chirped the tires. Fairly sure it had a chip in it when I got it though because it would truck right past the GM stock fuel cutoff of 108 and steam all the way up to 135.
In high school way back when a kid’s dad bought him an N/A 944 and he bragged about how he’d beat everyone if they wanted to race him. Another kid took the bait and raced him in his Z24 (the smaller, boxier model). The Z24 roasted the 944. The 944 owner stopped talking so much after that.
My 91 lumina was bulletproof
Such a small list of domestic offerings from the 70s to today that one would consider collectible, but this is definitely one of them. I always wanted one. Only ever found 1 (with the 5 speed) and it was trashed so I never did get to own one. GM never did promote their more special vehicles, I don't know why.
Those hood vents though...
Functional at that!
I owned an '88 Corsica LTZ - But ultimately between this Lumina Z34 (1992) and the Beretta GTZ (which was basically a Corsica Coupe lol) those two were my dream cars. Punchy V6's, attractive, aggressive styling, front wheel drive heaven! LOL! These were the days! Then.... the 1996 Impala SS came out and my life changed FOREVER!
I really like these cars and the cutlass Supreme, the 3.4 was a great sounding engine, and had decent performance. The 1st gen and 2nd gen Taurus SHO however would run circles around these gm cars even tho on paper they had about the same power.
Z34 Coupes could hang with or outperform cars costing double the price in 91. GM was starting to make good cars again by the early 90s. They gave the rare Z34 a power bump and refinened it in 92 . Some magazines got low 15sec quarter miles with them. They would handle and accelerate as good , or better than any coupe in its price range , as did it's GM cousin Pontiac Grand Prix GTP. The Thunderbird SC was competitive, but too heavy and pricey .The only superior coupes from that era were the Acura Legend and Lexus SC300, but they were much pricier . As we're the BMW 3 series . It's interesting that all of these cars were capable of 15 to low 16 sec range quarter miles (fast in 1991) using 90s period 6cylinder engines and 30 year old transmission technology. Many 2020 era sedans are only moderately faster overall, and aren't necessarily more fun to drive than these 90s performance cars!
I remember the Celebrity Eurosport as well, loved these models.
There’s a sales training video for the Celebrity floating around.
How about the 1987 Chevy Celebrity VR four-door sedan.
I remember seeing an uncamoflaged prototype near the Mesa Proving Ground as a kid and being super excited.
I had a 1991 z34 Dale Earnhardt edition, basically a sticker package. That black was hard to keep clean and avoid swirl marks. Got alot of compliments on it!
I owned a 1995 Monte Carlo z34 that car was beautiful and turned heads. The factory dual pipe exhaust on each side let out a throaty growl when it was punched.
Very Pretty Car. I Remember These Car's On The Road. I Want One Right Now Tonight 🐹
I drive my 1991 Chevy NASCAR everyday! Same color! Love this car!
I love the looks of the dual exhaust tips
These are so cool, they may look incredibly 90s, but they’ve aged wonderfully! Still look interesting & sporty to this day
For the time, it wasn't the best, but at least it was a step in the right direction.
beautiful car, I always wonder do they properly break in these vehicles before this floor it like this?
God I wanted one of these in high school.
I have yet to find one of these in the color combo I want. Black with black or grey interior and a 5 speed. Most were sold with automatics.
These were only available with red , grey or beige interiors
I'm sure most of the black ones that have survived all have about 5% of their clear coat left.
Your door handles will break. If the wind blows and this door closes on your childs leg it will snap like a chicken wing, but enough about the doors, lets get into the interior. It will melt and stick to you, better get used to wearing dark gray pants. But enough of the creature comforts, you wont have them long. The ac compressor breaks and leaks as does the condensor so get a travel cooler, you will need it. And then there is the engine, a blender of oil and coolant. If the engine doesnt blow the transmission will go. And after you replace all of that the pin holding the castle nuts will rust away and the entire drive line comes apart. All this if you can see out of the terrible driving position long enough to break the car before you total it. Oh yea, without abs these things lock and spin.....lol, award wining vehicles.......lol.
I have a 1997 Lumina with 220,000 miles on it. Regular maintenance , new tires every 2 years or so and keep it washed and waxed and it's good as new. Air is ice cold and heat is warm as toast. car still has get up and go and cruises on parkway at 80 quiet and smooth as ever. car treated me right all these years.
Mike Schiavoni, Hi, I was a GM mechanic working for Chevrolet for 20 years, Yes this car would not last, No quality at all I agree, But most of what you said was either off base or exaggerated. Abs was on it at time of sales, Spin-outs, don't remember that tale either.
All maybe true but the fucking throttle response was amazing and that was my mother's vanilla white lumina
@@bobmack5196 the. Damn throttle response was a blast...About as much fun around town as my Corvette
I hate to say it but you are right about everything falling off in five years tops. And I am a Chevy man.
Gm was headed in the right direction back in the day. They could've had the sports car market on lock had they continued
Had one of these in black and back then it was pretty fast compared to anything not souped up.It surprised alot of people for sure!
My grandma has a 92 Lumina sedan, its blue on blue and only has 92,000 miles on it. I've always wanted it lol.
Would be cool to find an old Z34 manual someday.
Back in 1995, in a moment of weakness, I traded a 1989 Mustang GT convertible on a 1992 Z34, black with an auto. I still kick myself for doing that. I will say the Z34 looked great on the outside, even still today, but it was a vague driving experience to say the least. I traded it less than a year later on an 89 RX-7.
"A moment of weakness", i understand you haha... But its never too late to buy another mustang!