I agree with you 100% Jonn. I have a '96 Lumina 3.1 and have owned it since '99. I've also owned a '71 Triumph Spitfire, '74 Celica, '71 Vega, '73 Charger/440, '83 Taurus, '84 Mazda GLC, '84 S10 Blazer, and a few cycles. (Damn, I never realized just how many cars I've owned over the years!)
And guess which one comes out on top of the heap? Yep! My Lumina. Most dependable, easiest to fix, and least-expensive-to-maintain car I've ever owned. I'll be sad to let go of it, when that time comes. And I may never do it!
Also, I think this car is one of the best basic car designs there has been since the late '60s. Everything (with the exception of the rearward spark plugs) is relatively easy to reach and replace. Kudos to Chevy for such a fantastic machine!
BTW, mine has 148,000 miles on it...
~Annah