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Comments
you can't blame GM for this, every manufacturer has dealers that are "bad apples".
In thinking about it again, please note that I skipped some of the standard electrical and airbag safety steps, like disconnecting the ground cable from the battery. (Probably because I didn't.... but anway.)
rpms. Especially when starting car and in park.
Idling drops to about 1000 rpms when in drive.
Would appreciate any help in determining problem.
Thanks.
Sorry, but what is the TPS?
Thanks.
Then, a couple of seconds later it will dive to idle 600-800 and then jump back up to 12-1500. It will seesaw from there, oscillating every couple of seconds, at which point I'm usually stopped and the idle stopped RPM remains displayed.
There is no audible change in engine tone (like a hiccup before a stall), or lurching from the transmission.
I've been ignoring it, but the TPS comments got me thinking. It doesn't happen during normal cruise travel, just when the throttle input is released. Any thoughts on that one?
In case I was not clear, the car is moving in gear at 25 mph, but the RPMs can decline all the way to 550 (below idle actually) and then jump up to between 12-1500, then back down to 550, then up to 1100 (speed is now ~20 mph).... Once stopped, they usually hold at 650-700.
I would only expect the RPMs to decline to idle while the car is moving if the transmission were disengaged by moving the selector to neutral.
I'm suspicious this is not an engine/tranny issue, but more of an electrical issue. The drivetrain is fine, but the readings are off, electrically.
There may be no connection, but I think this started happening after the ignition harness was replaced on recall. hmmmm.
vinny: it was the amount financed, and I didnt sign the rebate to the dealer. I dont believe so anyway.
If only I knew of Edmunds before I started car shopping
When was the accessory drive belt last replaced?
Could the noise be emanating from the compressor?
I don't know how you are with mechanics so it might be best you have a shop do it.
The power wasn't too bad, and the AC was nice and cold. However, that's where the good ended. The interior was dark, cramped, and uncomfortable. Every time I sat in the driver's seat, I could feel my body hitting its frame (definitely needs more padding). It was loud and brash on the highway. The entire interior rattled when hitting seemingly small bumps in the road, which also made the suspension bottom out. The tires squealed when cornering as well.
It's beyond me how Chevy even still manages to sell this car. Then I see that the rebates are up to $5000 now, so it makes sense.
The Pioneer DEH-P77DH smooths out the road noise, even with the stock speakers. I have an LS, so the 4speed/OD auto smooths out and reduces the road noise more than the standard auto tranny, imho.
Hoya: This did have the 4-speed auto and traction control in it. The powertrain was nice, but the suspension, handling, interior, and durability sucked.
I saw today that the new Daewoo Chevys are priced and coming. Perhaps they are a good stop gap till the Cobalt comes.
That also comes at a 50% premium. According to Edmunds, the list of vehicles in that class are as follows:
Neon
Focus
Civic
Accent
Elantra
Rio
Spectra
Protege
Lancer
Sentra
ION
Aerio
Forenza
Corolla
Echo
The Mazda, Toyota and Honda are probably the best of the competitors, but none of them are available in an LS equivalent trim for under $15K.
The cars may not feel durable, but my long term experience with two of them is otherwise.
As for the other attributes, I look at it this way: I can go from point A to point B (commute) for 6+ years in a $10K car, or in a $15K car. It boils down to perceived aethetics versus raw economics.
The Lancer has a $2000 rebate right now, meaning you could probably get one for $15k or so. You would pay a little more, but the car is light years ahead of the Cavalier in refinement, space, and comfort IMO.
The Cavalier is a nice car if you're just running around town or commuting a short distance in it. I commute 80 miles daily, and the Cavalier would kill me because it's too uncomfortable to drive personally. To each his own I guess.
Isn't that a problem for almost every car in the class? Is that really an issue unique to the Cavalier?
the limited room inside
The 96 body design is roomier than the earlier one. Again, is there a car in the class that is roomier? (seriously, researching that on 15 cars is time-consuming.)
and the cheap feeling of everything from the doors' way of closing to the interior that felt like it would break off in my hands if I were too rough with it.
Well, maybe the 2002s+ are different, but the 97 has been durable in this regard. I think the chintzy material is GM standard, up to at least the $33K Montana.
Also, the Cavalier is pretty roomy for the fact that it's almost 10 years old in its current design. It's not airy inside though, like the cars listed above or even Toyota's Echo.
The 96s are not durable in the regard of the interior. My best friend has one, and it's a total rattle trap. A 1998 base coupe I test drove felt the same way, and this was about 3 months ago. Maybe it is a GM thing, but it's unacceptable nonetheless.
Using a GM Visa I could take another $ 1000 off that, making it an even better deal.
I'm willing to bet that the car would go 200k miles with few mechanical problems.
Would I like driving that car? H..ll no!
A friend still has a 1996 2-door with 135K that has been through $1000s in repairs, including a brand new transmission at 100K, ignition, fuel injector, water pump, and a couple batteries.
Someone else I know blew 3 head gaskets within 10K miles in their Cavalier with less than 70K miles on it. The person finally dumped it and got something else, getting tired of repairing the car every time they turned around.
The current Cavaliers are a throwback to the 80s in the small car class. They are uncomfortable, unreliable, and unsafe. The only good thing about them seems to be the Ecotec engine.
In my experience, Cavaliers are quite reliable. In the first one, we paid for a clutch, struts, and an alternator.
There have been no repairs on the 97 except for regular maintenance items, most of which occur at 5 years (plugs, wires, coolant, tranny fluid (based upon where I live), etc.).
As for safe, I've had to execute emergency maneuvers in both vehicles I've owned (on snow and in heavy rain) and the handling with ABS (standard equipment) and OEM tires was exceptional.
Now the IIHS doesn't think much of the Cav, but the NHTSA shows it to be about, to above, average. I think one will find that most GM vehicles fail to get the highest marks.
While I think the current Cavalier is very dated, it's not unreliable and it generally carries an "average" rating in magazine reliability ranks. Powertrian is solid as a rock.
We leased a 99 with the old powertrian for 3 years and had 1 trip to the shop for a rear end rattle which turned out to be a faulty shock.
I saw on CarsDirect.com that the leftover 03 Cavaliers have a $4500 rebate on them. I guess that's pretty good, since a loaded LS Sport would end up costing about $15K loaded, if you're willing to compromise on the aging chassis and safety as compared to other cars in this class. I bet a used 01-03 would be even cheaper if you could find it. Beware of resale value on the new ones, and definitely buy GAP insurance on any of them or you will lose your shirt if you car's totalled anytime soon.
Sorely needed was a drain plug on the transaxle for routine fluid changes. (Nine quarts of Dextron is hard to drain - and messy - without a drain plug.)
A 1 1/2" X 1 1/2" X 1/4" thick piece of steel was welded to the pan by a professional weld shop. Then I drilled and tapped for a 3/8" tapered pipe plug.
Whoops. The weld had a flaw, and the transaxle
leaked badly.
After removing the pan again, I went to a different weld shop for the fix.
The second weld shop explained what the problem
had been. It was the galvanized coating on the
pan. This makes it extremely difficult to weld
either with a torch or electric weld.
At the second weld shop they even tested the pan
for 24 hours by filling it with oil and letting
it sit. This to insure that their repair was
good.
I'm sure glad that I didn't try to use my amateur
welding talents. I had no idea what a coating of
galvanize would cause.