Chevy Aveo Hatchback

busiris · April 2005

I have recently purchased a black Aveo LT Hatchback with all the options except engine heater. This car replaced a 1998 4-door Metro LSI, which was getting a "little long in the tooth". The Metro was adequate in-town transportation, but nothing I would want to take out on the Interstate highway.

So far, I am very pleased. The largest problem that I have read about on this car so far is the clock issue. If it is true that the clock it the main problem with this car, I think I can live with it.

However, I cannot see why GM did not offer cruise control as a factory option on the LT models. Just doesn't make any sense to me why that option was not available...

I have seen that Rostra (www.rostra.com) manufactures a cruise control kit that is specifically for the 2005 Aveo (they make 2 kits - 1 for manual transmission, and 1 for automatic transmission-their part # 250-1753, for the auto transmission).

Has anyone had this installed on their Aveo? If so, what does the installation look like...in other words, does it look and perform like a factory installed unit, or does it look like a "cheap add-on"?

Any other suggestions about adding cruise to this car?

lngtonge18 · April 2005

Where are you guys seeing the revised looks? I'd like to see what the new 06 model looks like. Thanks. Also, do both the sedan and hatchback have the turn signal repeaters on the front quarter panel?

csandste · April 2005

which we're not allowed to point to or mention.

heirmuller · April 2005

Hi gang, I just bought a new 2004 hatchback leftover and got a good deal for Canada at $9888 minus $1000 loyalty minus $700 GM visa. My car is the base model 5 speed. I notice that maybe I am having trouble getting use to the car or maybe just a break-in deal but I find shifting 1 to 2 very jerky no matter if I shift low rpm or high. When I get back into the gas, it really is jerky. The other shifts are fine likely because of the bigger ratios. Do you guys with the 5 speeds find shifting out of 1st gear at low rpms is best. The rpms seem to hang up a little if you rev past 2500-3000 in 1st. What do you think? Otherwise the car work nicely with 500kms on it so far. Can't buy a used anything for the price I paid.

randydriver · April 2005

shifting from 1st to 2nd took a little getting used to for me also but I guess I just adapted to it and dont even notice any more.......no the same shift as my 99 metro but still good.

randydriver · April 2005

Did anyone notice when they got your car that the tires did not have a lot of air in them. After driving for a couple of tanks of gas and noticing a very mushy ride, I decided to check the air in the tires and low and behold there was only 23lbs in them....so I knocked them up to 32lbs and my mileage was better and I have a ride I am more accustomed with.

parky129 · April 2005

I also had a Metro and the Aveo is a more refined car, no problem with wake disturbances fro passing semis or from following same on superhighways. I installed the Rostra cruise control at around 600miles I now have 7500 miles on my 2004 5door. I love it, both the car and control. When returning in the spring from Florida using the cruise 100% achieved 38-42 mpg Us with automatic transmission. The cruise is an easy install since the unit is custom made to just bolt right in, the control stalk is the only drilling necessary and it installs on panel just below turn signal. Cruise will engage at around 28-30 mph, just about what a factory unit would. Try it you will like it. Rostra makes cruise controls for quite a few original equipment manufacturers.

parky129 · April 2005

Check drivers door post, manufacturer recommends 30 psi.Some inflate to higher pressures but I stick with manufacturers reccommendations. Got as high as 38-42 mpg US on trip home in spring from Florida.

randydriver · April 2005

I saw the tire pressure on inside of the door and looked at the max on the tire also and went with that .....the 2lb difference does not affect the ride and it will not wear the tires differently. Thanks for the reply...

fish8 · April 2005

Did you say you have your tires inflated to the max stated on the tire?

randydriver · April 2005

yes

fish8 · April 2005

Don't you think that is a bit dangerous? Engineers advise certain tire pressure that works best for your cars dynamics. If your tires needed to be at the max pressure stated on the side of your tires, wouldn't Chevrolet advise that? I am really just curious of your rationale.

busiris · April 2005

Anyone out there notice that the clock seems to drop 1 or 2 minutes a day? My dealer knows of no suggested fixes or recalls. Has anyone else had this problem, and if so, what did you do?

csandste · April 2005

Mark Salem used to be a fixture in the St. Louis radio. Like Click and Clack he actually owns a shop in the Phoenix area. He got too busy to maintain a show in the St. Louis market. He was generally pretty knowledgeable. FWIW I like to keep tires at about 36 psi. That won't hurt the tire and will maximize mileage (both gas and tire), in my Malibu and my Elantra before that, 36 didn't present any real problems. The big risk is underinflation, remember the Ford-Firestone fiasco.

http://www.marksalem.com/salem-faqs/default.asp?Action=Q&ID=55

"How much air should I carry in my tires?
----------------------------------------------------------

There are three different places tire inflation information can be found. Your owners manual will deal with proper tire inflation, there may be a tag describing proper tire inflation procedures in the drivers door area, either on the door or on the jamb or there is inflation information on the sidewall of the tire. Dont be surprised if all three dont match.

The inflation information on the tire will describe the maximum inflation of that tire cold. This is the most that tire should ever be aired to. The owners manual may describe a slightly lower inflation number. Anywhere in between will be fine for any car or SUV or light truck. But remember this:

Using the higher inflation numbers (35-44 psi) will keep the tire cooler, give you better fuel economy but you will sacrifice ride quality. The ride of the car will be harsher than with softer tire pressures.

Using the lower inflation numbers (28-35 psi) will give you a soft, smooth ride but your tires will run hotter and your fuel economy will be between 1-5% less than with fully inflated tires.

I always inflate my customers tires to the maximum inflation figure written on the side of their tire. The only exception is a "Z" rated high performance tire, like ones on a Corvette, Camaro, 300ZX. I do not inflate them to their maximum of 44 psi, but use 35 psi as our upper limit on these tires. Otherwise the ride is way too harsh."

randydriver · April 2005

I have always (26 years) ran my tires at the higher inflation amount and have not ever had any problems with wear or other. Learned that in the 2nd gas crisies in 79. I was a common thing to do then.....funny people have forgotten that.

dkuhajda · April 2005

The Aveo rides funny with significantly overinflated tires, especially on the highway.

Do not forget the correct way to measure the tire pressure. Tire pressure ratings are for a COLD tire. This means that the car had to be sitting in the shade (not sunlight on the tires) for a couple of hours to reach ambient temperature. Any other time and you are not getting a correct reading.

10% over door label PSI is never a problem. This actually will allow for some PSI drop when the outdoor temperature falls and still be at or slightly above recommendation.

The PSI rating in the door is to give the maximum, flattest, proper footprint of the tire to ground with a normal load in the vehicle, 4 people. Overinflation raises MPG by reducing the amount of tire to road contact, hence less friction. You are now riding on the center part of the tread of your tire. Underinflation causes the outer parts of the tires to be the main areas of contact. Both situations are not good for best all season traction. However, it is better to be slightly (and I stress slightly) over inflated versus under inflated.

herronm · April 2005

Randydriver,

Where did you get your car? Any service problems? I'm from Greenville by the way.

ceestand · April 2005

I've got a 2005 LT hatchback in black. Over 3200 miles on it.

The only mechanical issue so far is a rattling in the vent fans at the lowest setting, but it comes and goes. My clock keeps perfect time. Also, while there is ample room for me to sit in the back(6'00"), when we put my nephew in a car seat in the back, the passenger seat had to slide way up.

I am averaging 23mpg with about equal city/highway use. I think the ratings listed by Chevy must've been made with a 0-60 time of around a minute. The Aveo has no problem keeping up with other cars in acceleration (often ~4k on the tach) or highway speed (often > 70mph), just be prepared to eat fuel economy to do it. At least with the automatic.

As for tire pressure, I always go with 95% of the max listed on the tire. Different tires will have different PSIs. The OEM Aveo tires may be consistent with the door listing, but that's no guarantee it will always be that way. I'll trust the tire's specification over the car's generalization any day. Besides, once my warranty is up, I'm planning to replace with larger wheels.

I changed the oil at 1500mi, should've done it earlier. Brought my own oil and filter, I have no idea what the stealership uses, but they only charged me for labor using my stuff.
Oil: Chevron/Havolene supreme dino 5W30
Filter: K&N HP1001

randydriver · April 2005

I got my car at Ray Huffines Chevrolet in Plano at Coit and Plano Parkway. My mileage is around 31 around town..37-40 on long trips. The car has just 2600 miles on it. One service problem the night I picked up the car.....the dome light was burned out and I had it replaced at the dealer.

lngtonge18 · April 2005

I think those that would rather look at the tire's specification instead of the car manufacturer's has a misunderstanding of what those ratings actually mean.

The sidewall number is simply the max psi that the tire can be run safely at without blowing out when hot. It's there to cover the liability of the tire manufacturer. This rating would be the same whether the tires were on an Aveo or a Town Car. The psi rating on the door jamb is what engineers for that specific car have determined is the optimum trade-off between fuel economy, ride, and safe handling by providing the proper tire contact patch for the suspension setting and weight of the car. Going a little above this rating will give you better mileage, slightly harsher ride, and slightly quicker handling. Going to the max tire rating is simply unsafe, particularly when the road is wet, in emergency manuevers, and at highway speeds. You risk losing control of the car. Not to mention a much higher chance of damaging a tire and/or wheel when hitting bad bumps. Going to different brands of tires or even different tire sizes doesn't matter. You would still go by the rating on the door jamb.

csandste · April 2005

I agree that taking a car up to the maximum on the tire side wall is over kill.

Just heard some guy on TV post Bush news conference. Having everyone get their tires up to recommended psi would save as much gas as Anwar.

busiris · April 2005

Glad to hear the news about the cruise control...I got in touch via email with Rostra.com and they sent me the installation manual for the Aveo cruise kit...very helpful and pleasant folks to deal with. I have a Rostra unit ordered and hope to have it installed by the 1st of next week, just as soon as it arrives.

I think the Aveo is light years ahead of the old Metro, but I have noticed what several other folks have written about earlier in this forum. The clock seems to lose about a minute a day, and one time, it reset the time to a totally new time, several hours and minutes off from the correct time. My dealer doesn't know (or says he doesn't, anyway) about any clock issues.

Of course, I can live with this issue if its the the only problem I encounter. It does seem strange, though, for an electronic clock to have problems in this day and age.

randydriver · April 2005

A cruise control sounds like a good ideal.

I used to have a 99 metro black basic model with a/c and a 5-speed got about 36mpg around town,buy on the open road I was getting about 45-47. It only had 38,000 miles on it when I got rid of it. I sure do miss it.

I have not had any clock issues but I hear about it alot from here. Hope I dont in the future.

parky129 · April 2005

If I remember my Metro's right, mine had a 3 cylinder engine around 1000cc, 12 inch tires and weighed much less than my Aveo. It also rode worse was less quiet on the road and was a less comfortable seating position. The Aveo has it all over the Geo except for gas mileage which is lower because of weight and larger engine.

randydriver · April 2005

found all my paper work from my car....I am doing some spring cleaning.......and came across the window sticker,and the brochure. I was 149 inches long 93.1 inch wheelbase 1830lbs with 3cyl and 5-speed. 13 inch wheel and tires, mine was a 1999 modle much more car that the 89-94 models Oh the color was Black Licorice. Engine size is 993c.c..The car looked like it just came off the showroom when I traded it in.

Lets see my Aveo is about 500lbs heavier and 17 inches longer and has a 1.6 liter engine about the size of the old Chevette engine. and my mileage is 5-6 mpg less in town and 5-7 less on the hiway..but more room and better ride and some extra accessories.

Hey when is that new Aveo suppose to be coming out. Seems awful close to the last models to change so fast.....I know the Kalos has been around longer.....but still.

busiris · April 2005

I had a 98 Metro 4 door LSI, and it was a great means of transportation (locally, that is...). Traded it for the Aveo. Great mileage, but not much on the creature comforts. The one thing that I liked the most about it was the durability of the interior...I try to take care of my cars, but everyone has the occasional accident when a drink spills, etc. The interior looked as good the day I traded it as the day I bought it (60K miles). I hope the Aveo does as well.

I have emailed GM about the "slow clock" issue and will report what, if anything, they tell me. I hope to have the cruise control in by the 1st of the week, but it looks very promising.

Also, I noticed that GM has some on-line service manuals for some of their cars in pdf format that you can download, but the only ones available so far are the owners manual and some type of "new owners" brochure. I'll check occasionally to see if the manual becomes available. In the meantime, you can go to www.daewootech.com and download a manual for the older Lanos, which may be of some help to someone...

afagan · April 2005

Hi,

My clock is not working well, either. I took it in to the dealer and he said that there was nothing he could do...something about an "update for the computer" not being available yet.

Frustrating!

busiris · April 2005

I sent an email to Chevrolet about this problem, and the response I received is below (I have removed the specific "request number" for this complaint from the text).I will post the additional information on this problem as I receive it...

The text of the email follows...

Good evening! Thank you for contacting the Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center. Congratulations on your new vehicle purchase of your 2005 Chevrolet Aveo. I am sorry to hear of the clock concern that you are experiencing with your vehicle. I understand that the clock loses 1-2 minutes a day. You have to reset it on a daily bases. I understand your frustration and I hope that you have not received any negative feelings as to your perception of Chevrolet.

I have documented your comments with the Customer Assistance Center and I am investigating your concern. I will contact the Service Manager to discuss your concerns. I will follow-up with you on Wednesday, May 4 between with an update or the final resolution. If you have any further information or comments, please contact us using the information provided below.

If you should need to contact us in the future, simply reply to this message or call our Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-222-1020. Customer Relationship Managers are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Eastern Time.

Again, thank you for contacting Chevrolet.

Sincerely,

Mxxxx Axxxxxxx
Customer Relationship Manager
Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center

randydriver · April 2005

my interior on my Metro was in pristine condition....but I had noticed in some older models the dash top would fade to and get all crusty and nasty I hope my Aveo takes after my Metro.

Has anyone heard if we will get the 3-door model? I really like the way it looks and I showed a pic to my sis who is thinking of trading in her 99 Mustang for an Aveo.

poncho167 · April 2005

Hello, I have read every post thus far and find the Aveo very interesting. I drove an Aveo at the GM autoshowinmotion.com touring car show last fall and was quite impressed. In my opinion for the money it can't be beat.

I currently drive a Chevy S10 and previously had a Pontiac Lemans (1988) that was basically an Opel Cadet with final assembly by Daewoo. From my understanding it was a Daewoo 1.6 L engine, with a German Getrag transmission. The car was a pretty descent commuter and I believe I averaged around 30 mpg all-around. I kept it 4-years but it continually had electrical problems everytime it rained. I never knew if it would start if there was a lot of moisture in the air. The ignition coil was placed in a bad area and evidently was not insulated enough from the moisture.

I originally started looking at Grand Prix's, Malibu's, Monte Carlo's, and a couple others, but I think I would like to have some money left over so its currently a decision between a Cobalt and Aveo.

lngtonge18 · May 2005

I saw one of these at my local dealer. An interesting color for sure. Very 50s, as is the pastel blue. However, up close, the color has a dull metallic finish to it, making it seem it wouldn't hold its shine too well in the long run.

randydriver · May 2005

I saw a sedan at the dealer in that color and it looks very cool. I think it would hold up very well.

ceestand · May 2005

Well, let no one say I won't admit when I'm wrong.

After visiting several sites, including the NHTSA as well as the SAE (who won't tell you the color of the sky without charging you), I've found that the pressure rating inside the door is the one to use.

In fact, the NHTSA has a fun little Flash presentation about tire pressure. They also say that the tire pressures listed are cold ratings and that driving as little as one mile can change the temp in the tire. Kind of makes the air pumps at gas stations worthless huh?

dkuhajda · May 2005

The air pumps at the gas station are to get you by if you have a tire way low on pressure and to top of the tires after you already know how much to add.

You measure the air pressure early in the morning on your Aveo and notice that all four are exactly 4 psi, say 26psi, low from door rating. You drive to the gas station and remeasure the tires and now measure 31psi. How much air are you going to put in the tires? Should be 4psi which will give you a hot measure of 35psi. Even though the air you are putting in is a different temperature and the temperature of the air in the tires will change as soon as you put it in, it will come out very close the next morning to the correct value.

Like I said before, it is better to be slightly, ever so slightly, over inflated up to a few percentage with no ill effects rather than under inflated.

noblejr · May 2005

I am considering the 2005 Aveo LT Hatchback, and I would just like to know if anyone knows how large of rims it can have? I know that the site says that it comes with 14's, but it also mentioned the fact that the car might be better suited with larger tires/rims... let me know if anyone has customized there's and has this info....

cswain20 · May 2005

Have you heard how the Rostra cruise control works? Please let me know!

chrisducati · May 2005

In Europe the some Chevy Kalos, which is the same car as the Aveo , come with 15" alloys and a lower ride height. They also get a two door model. Check out Suzuki Canada Swift + site. They have a lot of items for the Swift+/Aveo/Kalos. Look up the Kalos Blue for some Ideas on custom looks... also the Kalos Dream ,which was the show car that the Aveo was based on :shades:

parky129 · May 2005

I have had a Rostra cruise control since last year, November to be exact. Over 8000miles and no problems. Easy install, two different units one for automatic and one for standard transmission. I have the automatic, get between 30-42mpg depending whether in town or on a trip. It takes about 1 1/2 hour to install since I am a senior and not too limber anymore. Love the cruise, would be lost without it.

rsmith1 · May 2005

afgan, Take your car back to Chevrolet. My Dealer agnowledge that there is a problem with them and they are replacing them as needed. They will only replace the clock only if you complain.

busiris · May 2005

I have been speaking with the GM help line, and they say there are no records of Aveo clock problems. Of course, we owners know differently...

Your dealer seems to have additional info. Would it be possible to get the name and city where your dealer is located? I just don't want to replace 1 bad clock with another bad clock.

busiris · May 2005

I am having it installed on Monday. They had to order the kit, and it took a little over a week to get it. I'll let you know how it works, but I expect no problems, as Rostra makes many OEM cruise control units for several manufacturers...

I'll get back with the results after a few days of testing the unit...

busiris · May 2005

The official GM response is that there are no known problems with the Aveo clock.

However, as more Aveo's are sold, I expect that response to change. What I have learned from this, though, is that speaking with or emailing the Customer Support and Service Center about a problem is a complete and utter waste of time. Not that I expected anything much different.

And GM wonders why it continues to lose market share.

As for me, I will just wait a while before having my clock replaced...The car is such a pleasant experience that I would have bought it even if it didn't have a clock...after all, who buys a car to get a clock???

parky129 · May 2005

I agree although my clock is working fine, I purchased car in November 04 and have 8300miles on it. There has been no problems with my Aveo since purchase, unlike several new cars in the past that were full of defects. I notice that there are a few radio stations that give incorrect time signals and later come on with the correct time (usually PBS stations). If I had found a car previously that was as troublefree as this one is I wouldn't have hesitated to purchase a new car.Last new vehicle was a 1996 Astro Van.

iluvmysephia1 · May 2005

really Chevrolet's, they're Daewoo's rebadged as Chevrolet's. I say this because people tend to give Daewoo a bad name (that is if they've even heard of them before!!) as far as automaking goes. It's not true, though. Daewoo was doing a good job of producing cars but their South Korean leader turned out to be corrupt. That and several other factors, at least one of them being the South Korean economy, combined to doom Daewoo in the car business. I have a sneaking suspicion that us car nuts never even heard all of the story "behind the scenes" that helped lead Daewoo into oblivion. They were some $17B in arrears when they were "rescued" by GM. I will congratulate GM on acquiring Daewoo. That was a very smart thing for them to do. Very smart.

Enjoy your Woo's...I...I mean your Chevrolet's.

poncho167 · May 2005

Daewoo has been supplying cars to Suzuki as well and was at one-time considered the best of the Korean cars.

I used to own a Pontiac Lemans (1988) that was a Daewoo in disguise. It was a descent car, but I usually had starting problems when ever it rained.

From what I have seen and heard, this car is far supperior to any past model.

There are quite a few rebadged cars on the market from different automakers, as well as motorcycle makers sharing models like Suzuki and Kawasaki. This is a smart business decision that fills a void in their product line, and saves a consideral amount of money.

poncho167 · May 2005

I drove an Aveo last year at the GM autoshowinmotion.com test drive last year and was very impressed, but I continually hear people saying it is this or that.

I sat in a 5-door model yesterday and was as impressed as I was last year. The interior plastics are as good or better than any other economy car. In my opinion plastics are plastics, big deal, poor excuse. The manual transmission didn't feel any different from the many others I have driven. It didn't feel like it was going to fall-over or fail as some have mentioned, it felt like any other manual transmission. The clutch pedal feel seemed a little light in what I am used to, but I am sure that is fine.

randydriver · May 2005

The Aveo is a good quality car......a lot of people don't know much about cars so they just parrot what they have heard....it has a different feel than my last car but different still than the previous....

The interior is very good and the paint quality is also. I think you will like the car.

parky129 · May 2005

On several other Aveo websites that I monitor and belong to, there are people who treat their car as if it is a big toy. They modify it, race it and treat it as if it is a throwaway object. They aren't having too many problems with the car , except for problems they are creating. They have bragged about reving engine up till rev limiter kicks in then popping clutch, reving to limit and popping clutch with rear brake engaged to spin wheels. The only problems were breaking transission strut braces. They are also modifying suspension components and complaining about cheap original equipment quality, but until thy abused the car the so called cheap components held up fine. I have had my Aveo since November 2004 and have had NO problems with the car at all, I have had many new cars in my 50 years of driving experience and this is the first New car with a defect yet to show up! I drive the car as if it is mine, rather than as if it is rented. I use the cruise control most of the time and get between 30mpg and 42mpg, depending on where I drive. I have automatic transmission base model 5 door and love it.

csandste · May 2005

Low end cars are often abused, that's the real thing that lowers their value...

randydriver · May 2005

yes I have noticed over the years people that buy low end cars usually dont take care of them or dont know how. Otherwise the cars are really good overall.

Chevy Aveo Hatchback

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