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Chevrolet Cavalier

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Comments

  • 79377937 Member Posts: 390
    Intonge18, please don't worry about it. We all make mistakes and in this case it's nothing serious. It's just a discussion about motorcars. Cheers.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    We took in my wife's 1995 Cavalier in March with 43,000 miles on it; it was suffering from the infamous head gasket leak. It was replaced under GM's "secret recall."

    Well, now it's only six months later (48,000 miles on the car now) and it's leaking again. After sitting in the dealership shop for FIVE DAYS, they finally got around to looking at it -- and they're saying one of the HEAD BOLTS is broken. Yeah right. Now WHO would've done THAT? Maybe the incompetent service guys as they overtightened the head after the repair in March? They're saying they won't cover it.

    We planned to keep this car until it hit 80,000 miles or so. My wife doesn't drive it very much, and it still looks new. But now we're already shopping for a replacement (and it WON'T be a GM product) for a car that has only 48,000 miles on it. What a piece of crap.

    Meade
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Take it to CarMax and sell it to them. You will get top dollar for it, and then go get something else. But beware, because Cavaliers don't hold their value that well.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Ya got a lemon, it's too bad. The Cavalier is a generally decent car. We have our second now (a 99) and it's been perfect. Great commuter car.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    The problem with the head gaskets in 1995 through 1999 Cavaliers is documented. They even issued an unpublished recall on the head gaskets for '95s and '96s that covers the head gaskets for 7 years/100,000 miles.

    BTW, I just heard back from the dealership. It was a broken bolt and TO MY AMAZEMENT AND DISBELIEF, they admitted that they probably overtorqued the bolts back in March. Therefore I'm not going to be charged.

    But read what the Service Manager told me -- I can't believe he told me this little "secret":

    Chevy's recall instructs their service departments to replace the head gasket but keep using the old head bolts, which goes against Chevrolet's OWN service guidelines that instruct their mechanics to use NEW HEAD BOLTS each time they install a new gasket.

    Looks like another example of GM cutting corners at their customers' expense to me. But I've learned my lesson now. My days as a GM customer are numbered. What's the adage? "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on ME."

    (But I'd replace "fool" with "screw" in the above adage.)

    Meade
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    On this forum is the only place I have heard positive things about Cavaliers. Everyone I knew who had them (about 5 people, including myself) have had nothing but problems with them. A shame, because I loved my Cavalier when I had it because it was so cheap. But that's the problem: It was soooo cheap.
  • malibu99malibu99 Member Posts: 305
    I've had the opposite experience. My fiance just bought a 2000 Cavalier LS, my best buddy has a 96, I drove a 95 in school ( it was the campus schuttle),one of my closest friends from high school has a 94 and they are all extremely happy with the cavalier, no problems whatsoever. So I'm affraid to say that dindak does not have a lemon, you just have a bad dealership. When it comes to cars we all have "friends" who have nothing but trouble with their cars. From experience with Toyotas and Hondas my family had nothing but head aches and the repairs were too costly. The only good experience is my uncle, he still has his early 80s Toyota pick up, the rest was awful. So in the end it depends where you ask and who you know......
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Well maybe it is a lemon, but with over 20K on it in a year and a half, it's been fine. I have owned only GM, Ford and Hondas in the past 10 years and the GM cars have been the best. The Cavalier is only our el-cheapo to work and back car. We also have a 2000 Intrigue and it kicks butt. It wasn't cheap though.

    In my opinion the Civic and the Focus are better cars, but they also costs more. We are leasing and it would be $50-60/month more. To me, that's the gas money for the month.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    ... until it hit 42,000 miles. Then everything started to fall apart. And she's only driven it 48,000 miles in six years ... at 8,000 miles a year, it hasn't seen a rough life either.

    Maybe you're lucky ... so far. But go and read the "consumer complaints" section on NHTSA's web site. Just enter Cavalier for 1995 through 1999 and have fun.

    We are far from the only ones experiencing these problems.

    And Malibu99, I don't think the problems with my head gasket have anything to do with the quality of my dealership. And GM didn't publish a "hidden recall" to cover their asses about this problem because of a few blown head gaskets here and there. This is a major, major problem ... and what makes it even worse is that they elected to cut corners when remedying it.

    But don't just take my word for it ... go to the NHTSA web site and read the complaints of others who have played Head-Gasket-of-the-Month with their Cavaliers.

    Meade
  • malibu99malibu99 Member Posts: 305
    Oh well it sucks to be you. If the dealership screwed up using old bolts then that is a bad dealership whether you like it or not. 48,000 for a 6 year old car makes me wonder. Oh well too bad. Not saying you are the only one with the problem just saying that there are just as many happy owners with trouble free Cavaliers out there but hey who am I to say so. Life is just so tough at times. Good luck.
  • iusecadiusecad Member Posts: 287
    he could have had a Neon!


    j/k ;)
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    You're missing my point. The recall campaign from Chevrolet INSTRUCTS -- do you hear me? INSTRUCTS the service departments in ALL DEALERSHIPS -- NOT JUST MINE -- to re-use the old head bolts. If you didn't go to the NHTSA web site and read the Consumer Complaints section yet, you need to. Then you'll see how many folks are going through this. The recall doesn't fix the problem. It's a temporary "band-aid" fix to save money. Go and read it -- it's not just me, my friend! (I haven't even complained to NHTSA -- so in the theme of your statement that there are gazillions of happy Cav owners out there, I'll charge that the several dozen who have complained to NHTSA represent quite a few more unhappy customers.)

    I wish you luck with your Cavalier. And I hope you get rid of it early unless you want a maintenance nightmare on your hands. This will be my last post about this; I have all the proof I need sitting in my driveway and on NHTSA's web site. Did you watch Dateline NBC last night? Did you see how NHTSA's now in trouble with Congress for not doing anything about all the consumer complaints about Ford Explorers losing their tires? Now Ford's on the hot seat along with Firestone. I have a feeling NHTSA's going to become a lot more accountable in the coming months.

    Just remember what I said. If you keep your Cavalier a few years, this discussion will come back to you.

    Meade
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    It's too bad about your Cavalier, but I'm sure we are not all going to face the same problems. Now correct me if I'm wrong but, you have't paid for any of these repairs so I'm thinking GM has taken care of you. While it is a pain to deal with, you will have a car that works in the end.
  • malibu99malibu99 Member Posts: 305
    I understand that the problem with your head gasket is real, yes I know about the issue. What I am saying is that this is not the case for evry single 2.2 out there. And yes there are far more happy Cavalier owners that the ones that complain. Far more people buy another Cavalier when they are ready for a trade in than the ones that don't. It's a fact. I'm really sorry to hear that you are having this problem but believe me look up the NHTSA data for the 1994 Chevy Berretta and look at the complaints. I was told the same thing about me Beretta but guess what that was a trouble free, I repeat, TROUBLE FREE car. In my years of owning Chevies none of them have failed me and our Cavalier is one happy car. It's economical on gas, fun to drive, gets us from A to B with no hasle. Sorry your car gave your trouble but just because your car is a lemon and the ones in the NHTSA are lemons ( also keep in mind tons of those complaints are repeats or duplicates ) doesn't mean the whole car nameplate is bad, after all they are Chevies best selling car. Oh and before you give me the whole fleet thing ( really it sounds like a scratched 45) go to autosite.com and check the sales figures, those DO NOT include fleet sales. So stop complaining GM is fixing your car without you having to pay a penny, get over it.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    The A/C and power steering stuff I paid myself to the tune of $300, even after the Chevy guys admitted that it was caused by the way these hoses were mounted so that they contacted the serpentine belt WHEN THE CAR WAS MANUFACTURED. And even though we had taken the car in three times under warranty to complain about a squeaky belt -- each time they thought it was the belt and replaced it. Turned out it was squeaking because it was rubbing on other engine components! I called Chevy's 800 number, hoping to find someone who could help, and they basically told me, TOUGH LUCK since you're 3,000 miles out of warranty. They wouldn't listen to the fact that we'd been complaining about it since day one.

    And I was told Thursday that if any more head bolts break, they won't cover them. Nothing like generating nice, closed-ended comments like that to guarantee repeat business. You know, when my 1994 Mazda truck started having pre-detonation problems at 52,000 miles (2,000 miles out of warranty), they stood behind it and covered it under warranty. I met with Mazda factory reps who came to my dealership from Maryland to meet ME and discuss my vehicle's problem. They kept working on the problem until resolving it two years later at 98,000 miles, and none of the work ever cost me a CENT. They paid for loaner cars (sometimes up to a week), a head check and resurfacing, new intake manifold, new engine computer, new oxygen sensors, new ignition module -- quite a hefty bill -- all after my original warranty had expired. That's one reason I'm driving a 2000 Mazda now -- even though I had a Mazda "lemon" (built by Ford, actually), they treated me right -- at the corporate AND dealership levels -- and won my repeat business.

    My 1988 HYUNDAI EXCEL (hey, I was in college and needed a cheap car) lost its transmission 4,000 miles out of warranty. Hyundai offered to (and did) pay HALF of the $800 cost of the repair.

    You know, there are ways to keep customers, and there are ways to lose customers. My profession is marketing (not for a car company). Chevrolet, in my opinion, at both the corporate and dealership level, has a long way to go before I'll ever consider being their customer again. And I will preach my hatred of their corporation and our dealership until they prove otherwise.

    Wouldn't you do the same if YOU bought a product that broke down all the time, and the manufacturer AND service people wouldn't stand behind it? Don't fault me and say "tough to be you" for acting like any normal person would. And I'm not fretting over it -- you seem to think I'm sitting here crying in my Corn Flakes. These forums are for sharing ideas and experiences, and I'm sharing mine. I've made my decision. No more Chevrolet products!

    Meade
  • malibu99malibu99 Member Posts: 305
    Tough to be you. Sounds like you just buy bad cars. God only knows what you do to the cars. If I were Chevy and you were 3,000 miles out of warranty I would also say "Tough luck". Really feel bad for you but oh well. I had my hood re painted because I scratched it myself brushing snow off the hood. I brushed a whole chunk of ice off of it and scratch it from the beginnig to the very end of the hood, one long nasty line. I was out of the 12,000 warranty for the paint defects but when I went to the dealership I told them the story and they didn't even bother to call Chevy, they just filled out a warranty claim and painted the hood and the front fenders ( color matching technique) for free. I gave them a nice Thank you and when i walked out they said " anytime Mr. gonzalez just bring her back if you are not happy with the paint job or if you find any defects". Chevy and their dealership have stood behind the product in every case ( had the hood cable snap on my Beretta when it had 38,000 miles and they replaced it at no cost). You just sound like the kind that goes to the service department with attitude written all over you. If I were the dealership I wouldn't even bother fixing it. Remember, you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar and that is true.....
    Good luck with your next car when it breaks down, sound slike a pattern of bad cars. Really though, better luck next time.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Wow, you have a lot of car problems.

    All I can say is, $300 into a 6 year old car isn't much. They have fixed everything and you have a working car. Speculating that something else will go wrong is pointless as the car is getting up in years. They can't warranty the product indefinitely. I don't think you have a lot to complain about. Don't buy another Chevy.. be happy.

    BTW.. Ford and Mazda are basically the same company.
  • malibu99malibu99 Member Posts: 305
    Also, I just want to make it clear that I am not saying that you are lying or anything. I believe everything you have said, all I am saying is try a different approach, sometimes it really helps. I don't wanna sound like I'm attacking you just giving you a different point of view. Good Luck!

    PS: Sounds like you are more concerned with excellent service. In this area no one beats Saturn. Try trading the Cavalier for a Saturn SL their service will take your breath away. The dealership by my house cleans and vaccums the cars when they are done servicing them and as an added touch of care they leave a mint on your dashboard. Execllent service, try that brand and you might find what you are looking for. Good luck!
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    I broke a head bolt brushing snow off my car.

    I busted a power steering pump and a/c line because I was breathing too hard.

    No, gentlemen ... I had these problems because I bought a crappy car.

    For some reason you have to resort to name-calling and personal put-downs to try to prove your point. I've made my point. Have fun with your Mr. Gutwrench products!

    Bye bye!
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    If it matters, most people I know have had problems with their Cavalier. Just because the select few in here have not, maybe you all are the minority.

    And MD is right. No reason to call names because someone doesn't agree with your point. Make sense?
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    You may have a crappy car, but the repairs haven't cost you almost anything and I have never called you a name. All I said was, you have been unlucky with your car(s) and you have received decent service from your dealer.

    No the Cavalier isn't the greatest car in the world, but most people are generally happy with them.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I had a crappy car, and the repairs didn't cost me a penny because it was still under warranty. That's not the point. The point is if the vehicle were better made and/or engineered, there would be zero problems with it. I know things break, but not major ones like MD described in such short mileage. Also, though it didn't cost a lot, it's a real pain in the butt to have to run back and forth to and from the dealer and also, it reduces the confidence you have in a car after it breaks so many times.
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    You just had a lousy dealership experience! Are all Chevy dealers as bad as yours? Of course not!
  • malibu99malibu99 Member Posts: 305
    Just because most people YOU know that means it's a bad car because we all know that you just know everyone who owns one and since your group of "friends" had "bad" ones then the rest of the world is just like yours. And since the number of people complaining here represents the vast majority of the world we also know you are correct.

    MD has a choice, trade the car for a Saturn if service is the concern or keep the violins going with the car he or she owns.
  • occupant1occupant1 Member Posts: 412
    I have asked before, does the 7-year/100K warranty apply to second or third owners, or just the original owner? I would think it would transfer to the new owner. My car was built in 12/93 and has almost 89K on it, and it misses and uses a small amount of coolant. Lemonbusters says it has a blown head gasket but it neevr gets hot on me. James Wood Chevy in Denton, TX says they won't replace it because I'm not the original owner. Is this a line? Should I try other Chevy dealers? I really want to sell this car, I don't need it anymore,. but I can't get good money for it if it is blown.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    I agree, he has a bad car. Maybe you did also. Most Cavaliers are good though and the car (according to JD Power) has average reliability. While I sympathize with anyone who has had bad experiences, coming here and making blanket statements that Cavaliers all suck just isn't right.
  • hamilton1hamilton1 Member Posts: 1
    Are u a mechanic? Ive got question on my 93 cavalier
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    First of all, I'm a "he". If you'd read my posts, you would have read that the Cavalier is my WIFE's car.

    Second, not everyone in the world has an endless supply of cash. Purchasing another car isn't an option for us right now. We were kind of hoping (actually, EXPECTING) that a modern car by any major manufacturer could last more than 50,000 miles before turning into a maintenance nightmare. Obviously we made the wrong choice.

    We WILL eventually wind up purchasing another car. But it won't be a Saturn -- they're made by GM too. Nope, we'll be heading to the imports. And before you start in on me, just think about what you'd do if you were in my shoes. A car is a major investment for us (I would think for anyone), and we don't feel like taking any more chances. Sure, an import might have trouble too -- there are no guarantees. I'm not closed-minded enough to think like that. But I've taken my chances with GM and lost. So it's time to try something else.

    And teo, how can you keep saying I "just had a lousy dealership experience?" Are you not paying attention? The problems I've had (and have been continuing to have) with this car were manufacturing defects! We aren't even taking the car to the same dealership we bought it from! The dealership had nothing to do with the faulty head gasket GM recalled, the head bolts GM told them to use again when GM's own service manuals tell them to replace them with new ones, or the a/c and power steering hoses that were mounted so that they rubbed against the serpentine belt!

    The car was MADE poorly. Maybe yours wasn't. That's wonderful; enjoy it! But I'm not going to take the chance again. That's all I'm saying!

    Meade
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    That specific warranty applies to whomever owns the vehicle. Doesn't matter is you're the 20th owner, they have to fix it before 7 years/100K.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Better luck with your new car purchase. I would avoid expensive Honda/ Toyota products. Nissan and Mazda are probably the best import values.

    Don't blame you for changing, but please don't infer from your experience means all GM cars are "crap".
  • malibu99malibu99 Member Posts: 305
    You already had imports and you had bad experiences with them. You are making no sense. Calculate how much you are spending by financing new cars vs the cost you had to repair your AC ( $300 according to you). I guess I'll see you again at a Mazda, Honda, Toyota , or Nissan forum complaining about a car. Good luck!

    PS: This doesn't mean these are bad cars but md appears to buy the lemons of every brand he touches. Good luck!
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Actually, if you read the Mazda Protege 5 forum, he has one of those (2000 ES model from what I have read), and it's been trouble-free for 7000 miles. I would much rather trust a Mazda, Toyota, or Nissan than a Hyundai or Chevrolet any day. My mother has a 1993 Pontiac (70K) right now that's always in the shop. It's junk, as was her 1994 Pontiac that this one replaced (150K).

    And if you read the leading consumer magazines, the Cavalier, Malibu, and most American cars have average or lower reliability. Most foreign (Japanese or European) cars have average or better reliability. American cars may be cheaper, but low price alone doesn't equal value.
  • malibu99malibu99 Member Posts: 305
    Save your comments for someone who cares. The truth is that Chevy has never let myself or my family down. They7 have all been truoble free. Since they PROVED to be quality cars to us we are buying them rather than acting like an un intelligent person and follow reviews from magazines. you obviously can not think for yourself. So one car was troublesome for you and you switched, that is a reason to do so but reading a magazine and following it. I can't wait for the day that magazines publish that it is cool to jump off of a cliff or into a canyon or something. That would really get rid of some people in this world that just take up space. Well that was kibda off the topic but i still think it would be funny. Anyhoo point is vocus I don't care what the magazines say, the cars themselves have proven them wrong in my family and in the end it's all that matters my friend. You can keep your Ford wanna be car, let's see what happens down the road.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    No, all GM cars aren't crap. My dad and stepmom both have Buick Rivieras and they're fine. My experience, however, makes me hesitate to buy anything built in America ever again -- yeah, I'm even hesitant to buy Japanese products assembled here. Read on.

    If you'll notice, my 1994 Mazda pickup was a piece of junk too -- as you point out, malibu -- but did you know that since 1994, the Mazda B-series trucks have been re-badged Ford Rangers? My truck had Ford's 2.3-liter four-cylinder in it, and all the electrical and mechanical trimmings -- all proudly stamped with "Motorcraft" and "Ford" labels. The only thing manufactured by Mazda on the entire truck was the transmission, which is also used in Ford's Ranger.

    My new Mazda Protege that Vocus spoke of was built in Hiroshima, Japan (yeah yeah, I've heard all of the bomb jokes) and has been flawless for the 7,200 miles I've put on it since I bought it in May. The 1992 Protege that I had before making the stupid decision to trade it in on the truck went 82,000 miles without ONE problem. I never did anything but change the oil and perform the recommended maintenance.

    See a pattern? Of the cars I've had, my Japan-built Mazdas have been flawless. My domestic-built vehicles have been what's-wrong-this-time maintenance nightmares. You'll probably be quick to point out that I had a 1988 Hyundai Excel whose transmission died. And if you do that, I'll say fine -- if you're going to put Chevrolet and Hyundai in the same category, then you've actually strengthened my point. In fact, the late '80s Pontiac LeMans was built by Daewoo -- a Korean company facing bankruptcy that even Ford won't purchase (Ford nixed the deal this morning). So maybe I just need to stay with cars that were built in Japan, because to date I've had NO PROBLEMS AT ALL with ANY VEHICLE I've owned that was made in Japan.

    Meade
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    "Most foreign(Japanese or European) cars have average or better reliability".

    I agree a few brands have better reliability, but in general American cars are at average or above in reliability. VW, all Korean and a few Japanese makes are below GM. Like I said before, the Cavalier is probably one of GMs weakest models.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    attacking Vocus this time. Why can't we have a civil debate without you spouting off with personal attacks? "Save your comments for someone who cares"? Obviously YOU care what he has to say, or you wouldn't bother reading and responding to his posts.

    Malibu, we're really doing the same thing. You're staying with Chevrolet because they've never done you wrong. That's great, and I wish you the best. I'm staying with Mazda (built in Japan) because they've never done me wrong. I share my opinions, you share yours. See how this works?

    Meade
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Interesting that "Cavalier is probably one of GM's weakest models." If I were GM's president, I'd fire the people responsible for that if it's true.

    Think about it ... the Cavalier is GM's bread-and-butter car. I'd bet (I don't know, but I would bet) that the Cavalier is the top selling car made by GM -- at least here in America. On top of that, the Cavalier, since it's low-priced, is probably the first experience with GM products for a lot of young people. To cause a behavior change and win a GM customer for life, maybe they need to rethink the quality of their entry-level vehicle.

    Meade
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Exactly the marketing strategy I thought about before. I know the Cavalier was my first experience with the GM family and it was the same with many of my friends who bought them. They were all our first cars. Now, I will probably never buy another GM product (or American for that matter) again. It didn't cost me anything for the repairs done to my Cavalier because it was still under the basic warranty, but the time and trouble of running back and forth was enough to make me never want to buy another one.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Actually GM's bread and butter is trucks. They make about $400-500 on a Cavalier and about $5000 on a big truck. That's 10 Cavaliers for 1 truck. Further.. the truck market is growing, small car market is shrinking. What would you put your resources in to?
  • mark194mark194 Member Posts: 15
    My daughter is currently driving a 88 Cav with 169,000 miles on it (2.0 liter auto). Parts are easy to come by and the car is easy to repair. I just replace the front brakes, struts, and coil springs. It barely took me an afternoon and I'm talking about rotors, calipers, and brakes lines. This car has not had any major problems.
  • occupant1occupant1 Member Posts: 412
    Reliable Chevrolet in Richardson confirmed that this car has the cylinder head to engine block joint head gasket leak that has a Special Policy on Canadian 1992-1993 models. So since mine is a US-sold 1994 model with the exact same manufacturing defect, how do I get it fixed for free? I have already picked up the car since they refuse to do the work for free. It still misses and hesitates badly. What can I do now? Who should I call and where could I take the car? Other Chevy dealers I have called say the car will not be covered. This is supposed to be a 7-year 100K warranty and the car is a 1994 with 88,905 on it. I really can't afford a $800 head job and gasket.
  • joe3891joe3891 Member Posts: 759
    The US warranty is 2.2 eng.95-99 7yrs 70K.I had a 94 cav. with a 2.2 an the head gasket leaked.I called the dealer to see if there was any warranty and they told me they would fix it for $350.my engine had 80K so it still would not be covered,I think they plan it that way most leak after 70K.I do mechanic work so I replaced it myself for $14.I feel for the people have to take there car to a shop,the bills are very high.$800.must for more than a gasket change,I just replaced my gasket an 40K later with no problems sold it at 120K.I wish you luck.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Our head gasket in our 1995 Crapalier died at 42K. And then it leaked again -- turned out the dealer's mechanics had broken a head bolt -- at 48K. Now (49K) you can still smell coolant when the engine's warm. Can't wait to get rid of this bucket of bolts.

    Meade
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Go check out http://www.lemonaidcars.com and click on "secret warranties watch" to the left of the screen. It may be of some help concerning the head gaskets on the 1994-up Cavaliers.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    "Our head gasket in our 1995 Crapalier died at 42K.And then it leaked again -- turned out the
    dealer's mechanics had broken a head bolt"

    Well that's not GMs fault, that's your dealer's fault. Don't blame the car.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    If the head gasket blew in the first place, apparently the engine wasn't made to be durable. If the head hadn't blown, the bolts wouldn't have been messed up. Therefore, it's GM's fault in the long run because they made a crappy engine. Also, the 2.2 is the same design since 1991. You think they would have gotten it right by the 1995 MY.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Absolutely. But they fixed it under warranty, so GM did it's part. The dealership screwed up from there.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Didn't you read my posts on this a couple of weeks ago? You replied to them, so you must have. I'll help you remember one key point ... GM INSTRUCTED their dealers to re-install the SAME head bolts when replacing the gaskets under the "recall." This goes against GM's own service procedures that call for installing NEW head bolts after head work is performed. In other words, in GM's effort to cut costs on fixing THEIR problem, they created a new one.

    Alas, GM caused the head bolt problem because used, corroded head bolts are not supposed to be re-installed and re-torqued after head work! Go read ANY GM service manual!!!

    Meade
  • joe3891joe3891 Member Posts: 759
    I used my head bolts again an 40K later every was going great.Your broken bolt was a fluke,Ive never replaced head bolts on any gasket replacement an have done a lot of 6.9 diesel engines.An never had a 6.9 ever break a bolt.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    It's easy to say "get rid of the car" and all, but the car he's speaking of (1995 Cavalier) is paid off. Isn't it nice not to have a car payment on a car? Well I am sure Meade feels the same way.

    Plus, the car has less than 50K on it. It shouldn't be blowing anything yet. It's just an excuse Chevrolet uses to cover up their poor manufacturing, and a poor excuse at that. I guess, like my mother used to say, a poor excuse is better than none at all, right? The bottom line is if Chevrolet would have made the engines correctly in the first place, the head wouldn't have had to be replaced and there wouldn't be all this drama to cause the second occurence. Secondly, Chevrolet sent a memo to the dealers that said specifically NOT to use the same head bolts. No matter who has done it, the manufacturer sent a letter saying NOT to do it. When you are a dealership, you listen to the company, and not do what you feel like to save on some shop supplies.
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