The Chevy Vega: the Worst Detroit Car Ever?

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I had a 73 Vega Kammback wagon with a stick shift. The aluminum engine was really bad with the oil consumption; but I liked the car so much that I changed out the engine twice. I loved the handling (my previous car was a Jag XKE). I was in a traffic situation once where I had to change lanes fast! I jerked the wheel and the car seemed to just move sideways - I'm not sure I could have done that with the Jag. The styling was very clean and it was a really cute little wagon.

Bill Weymouth of CA 1:44PM March 30, 2012

Worst ever? I am an alumni of GM mistakes, two Corvairs, two Vegas, a Monza 2+2, Chevette, Citatation. I guess I am just hopeful because in many cases I was able to correct their biggest flaws with off the shelf GM parts. It annoys me that They didn't solve the problems themselves when everything required was at their fingertips. Bean counters be damned! They made that extra profit off me correcting their arrogance! Shame on us both!

Mike Forsythe of KY 6:38AM January 29, 2012

I had a 1973 Vega - at 50,000 miles, I was getting 30 MPG and 100 miles to a quart of oil. It output a huge smoke screen when I started the engine. I knew a another guy that was running 90 weight gear oil in his, and it still burned oil. I traded it on a 1975 Ford Pinto - (stop laughing). Actually, my Pinto was a pretty good car - it served me well. Between the two, the Pinto was a much better car. After several more Detroit vehicles, I bought my first foreign car in 1993. I've never considered Detroit junk again.

Kipp of TX 9:04PM December 19, 2011

I bought a new red with white stripe 72 Vega GT for $2600. It was the only new car I've ever owned and I'm now 59 yr. old. Despite the fact that I had to put 2 engines, 2 trannys, a timing belt, and a starter in it, I had alot of fun in the car. I had it 6 years and sold it for $300 after driving it 88,000 miles. You would not believe the abuse I gave the car - speed shifting (reason for the 2nd tranny - missed a gear with 5 or 6 guys in the car), doing burnouts, running it top end (93 mph), and always trying to get rubber in 1st and 2nd gears. Aside from the mechanical problems mentioned above, the old Vega absorbed all my abuse and kept on going. The last few years I owned the car, you could sit in the driver's seat, pull the vent open on the passenger side (down by the floorboard) and could see the road. The front fenders started rusting out in 2 years. GM gave me a new engine at 50,000 miles, but it soon started burning oil just like the 1st engine - about 1 QT of oil every 200 miles. When I got my first job out of college with the State of Illinois, I bought a nice old 66 Corvette Coupe (350 HP, 4 speed), but the old Vega remained my daily driver for 3 more years until I decided it was time to part with it. I know that Vegas get a bad rap, and they deserve it, but mine was reliable, fun, could take a beating without breaking, and was fairly economical. Vegas ought to be collectors cars now. There are none left. The last one was sent to the crusher 20 years ago! I hold many fond memories in my red Vega GT.

Jim H., Springfield of IL 12:50AM September 25, 2011

Orange, shakes and rattles like crazy, but I love the car. My sister had one in 1974, purchased new, and it was a neat little car. Problems were worked out by 1977 I guess, mine still runs with the original motor and everything. It's orange and turns a lot of heads. People ask questions about it. Some think it's a Gremlin. Just a fun car. I had a 72 that was a rust bucket and the engine blew. Up to 1973 they looked great until they had to place those bumpers on them. I think it's fun to drive mine now.
I don't know why people don't think the 78 Monte Carlo was the worse, I bought one new and it was complete junk.
I still won't buy a new Chevy or GM, since 1978 let them learn that people don't forget.

Dianne of ID 7:30AM August 30, 2011

THE CHEVY VEGA WAS THE BEST DRAG RACING CAR IN THE 70's AND 80's BECAUSE IS VERY LIGHT FOR RACE...!!

DRAG LEGENDS INC. 7:32AM August 13, 2011

First of all let me say I'm a died in the wool buy American patriot, and I currently own a Chevy Corvette Z06 and a GMC Sierra P/U. In 1970 I bought a brand new Chevy P/U for $2000 to haul motorcycles to the races, followed by a '72 Vega (Lime Green with white interior), which also cost $2000. I lived in San Diego at the time. In the evenings I went to Grossmont Community College and there was a guy with a Porshe 914 which we used to race each other down the curvy hills. My motorcycle racing ability probably took over any design deficiencies in the Vega as I beat him more than half the time. My 1970 Yamaha DT1's also had a sleeveless chrome plate cylinder like the Vega. Yamaha abandoned that scheme real fast. The first negative experience was when we were visiting a relative in Lake Havasu when it was 120 deg F out. The potting compound on the firewall melted and all the idoit lights and gauges turned on all at once. The only way to bring it back to normal was to get it out of the sun in a garage and let it cool off. We had to leave early in the morning to get back to S.D. before it would hiccup again. By chance, in the same year I relocated to Colorado and sold the car before any of the other bad things, that I didn't know about, could happen to it. I still think fondly of it and thought it was sporty.

Mike of CO 7:02PM August 05, 2011

My first car in 1974 was a 71 Vega wagon. It was silver with a black vinyl interior. It had a single barrel carb and a 2 speed auto trans. I put an 8 track tape player in it and thought it was cool. It started to overheat right away. I didn't know much about cars back then. The car was slow, drank oil, rusted out, didn't have any power. Gas was cheap back then and when it was running, it got me around. I remember loading it up with friends and it barely moved. It literally couldn't make it up hills with people in it. The brakes were terrible too. I had to replace the brake pads every year. They would wear down to the metal and grind. I spent more money on it than I paid for it. It was practically new when I got it and wore out so fast. The mechanic kept telling me to sell it everytime he fixed it. I endured flat tires, the muffler fell off, the battery platform rotted and the battery bounced around until it cracked. It was a nightmare that couldn't be compared to problems that all of my other cars combined had. Vegas were famous for overheating. They were just poorly designed and built.

Rick Harris of NJ 7:24PM August 01, 2011

i had this "77" in 1983. was a great little car as long as you kept oil in it.the rear seal leaked somethin awful! from nd to wv it leafed 34 quarts! no rust problems though. i guess all the oil on it kept the elements at bay.

rick p of WV 7:54PM July 24, 2011

My first car was a 74 Vega. Brought it from an older coupe up the block and it had only 54,000. Thinking I would get many miles from it was a mistake....it burned alot of oil and rusted faster than it moved! Yet is was my first car and first love...

Mike of IL 3:15PM May 21, 2011