Chevrolet Cavalier

dindak · March 2003

We had a 99 Cavalier on lease until last spring. Returned it because we needed something larger. Car had no issues except the brakes pads had to be done before it was returned. Car was reliabile but uninspiring. Great value though, especiallly the the 140hp Ecotec this year.

vocus · March 2003

What are the rebates up to now? I have seen alot of Cavaliers on the road recently, all 2003 models. High rebates might have something to do with it...

lovetosavegas · March 2003

I believe they are going 5K under MSRP plus loyalty rebates in some markets plus GM credit card rebates. Sounds like a new car for the price of used. And I wouldn't call that ecotec engine an obsolete technology.

vocus · March 2003

I surely wouldn't pass up a Cavalier with a GM rebate, a rebate, a loyalty rebate, and low financing either. No way!

forester13 · March 2003

Probably bought one of the 1st 2003 Cavs, last October. So far, 3,000 miles, reliable, no rattles. On a recent highway trip, got 33 mpg!
Not bad.. car is good value considering you get the ecotec engine, even if other similar-cost cars may have more bells and whistles.

vocus · March 2003

Only 3000 miles since October?!? Man, I wish I could drive that little amount...I have put 10K since November 02 on my car.. :0

gabagooo · March 2003

just purchased a 2003 Cavalier LS 2-door (dark green). It is equipped with the auto, CD, sunroof, and power windows. I did a lot of research on the car before buying and had read a lot of negative reviews and comments. But I really liked the car. Now that I own it, I really like it. I test drove a Taurus, L200, and Focus - the Cavalier leaves them all in the dust. It has lots if power, features, and space that make it a good car for me. On the down side, my insurance went up a bit due to it's class. But I am looking forward to good gas mileage and easy parking (I traded a 2002 Silverado). At only 144 miles it is great, but time and mileage will tell, but I am very pleased. Pros: features, price and rebates. Cons: seat support.

jdmorton · March 2003

I think you will enjoy your Cavalier. One of the things that you should start to get over is how others feel about whatever car decision you made. Since you did do some comparison shopping and test-driving of different vehicles, you have a feel for what the competition has to offer. As for reviews of different cars, well, take them with a grain of salt. Don't believe everything you read, and realize that people writing them have a lot of different agendas - me included.

Any reason you didn't look at either the Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla? I didn't either, but my daughter has a 2001 Civic EX. A nice car, but I got a very similarly equipped Cavalier for over $4,000 less. Her's has a moonroof, but I find that I'm too tall for one (6'-2") in almost every car that has one - I also need to sit up straight because of past back problems. A moonroof is not something I want in a car.

jdmorton · March 2003

Another sporty car?

It took me awhile to figure out that the Protege was a Mazda;-). Any particular reason you're hanging around posting the Cavalier message board? Not that you're not welcome, but usually owners of other cars don't post at other car sites, unless they have a specific reason to. Did you have a Cavalier at one point, or did you post for your cousin?

vocus · March 2003

Not true. I post on alot of sites, including this one. I used to have a 96 Cavalier though...

dinu01 · March 2003

He got a used 1990 Integra 4 dr 5SPD w/187.000 kms (NOT miles!) for $4200 Canadian. The car runs well and looks great (no rust). And guess what? The interior is still better than a brand new 2003 Cavalier. Not trying to be rude or to cause "tension" here, just pointing out how a well-made 13-yr old Japanese car still has a better, more solid interior than a brand new GM product...

Like Vocus, I post in many boards here: it's what being an enthusiast is all about: getting a cleared picture of the WHOLE automotive spectrum, not just the car you own.

Dinu

buggywhip · March 2003

The Cav is selling well lately b/c GM is discounting it HEAVILY. I'm sure its mechanicals are reliable, it probably drives well and I love its new styling; but let's face it--the car is a dinosaur.........I sat in a Cav at the auto show. The seats were cheap and unsupportive--reminded me of lawn chairs. The interior was cheap plastic. The entire car wallowed when I moved in my seat. Cramped, no head room. I was unimpressed.........the Ecotec is a great engine, though. Probably the best base econobox engine out there.

vocus · March 2003

I am surprised you liked the new styling. I like the new front end, but the rear taillamp treatment is the ugliest of any vehicle currently produced.

dindak · March 2003

I didn't like the rear either, but it's grown on me.

The interior is poor on the Cav though, about the worst in small cars. That said, for a short haul commuter car it's a bargoon.

regfootball · March 2003

had they not updated the Cav engine, well....wow.

The Ecotec is a pretty decent motor. Its too bad they couldn't do an interior freshening and some handling tweaking to the Cav....if they did that the car could still be a decent seller for a couple more years until they get the new Delta based Cav in there.

I keep hearing about a supercharged ecotec option available as an accessory. It would be kinda cool if there was such a thing. You could buy a stripped base Cavalier (with a sunroof) and plunk the supercharger on it, go out and buy your own supportive front seats and you'd have a way cheap version of the Neon SRT (which by the way is getting mondo good reviews).

jdmorton · March 2003

...to quote a famous cartoon character.

Dinu and Vocus - I also post on several other boards. I can't say I'm really a car enthusiast, but it is fun to read some of these message boards to learn things (and get a few laughs). Those posters at "Inconsiderate Sellers" and "Inconsiderate Buyers" can really go at it sometimes. As always, though, don't believe everything you read. Just because someone posts a lot, or long, doesn't mean they know what they are talking about (and that includes me!). Dinu, hope your cousin enjoys the Integra. By the way, for those of us in the US that still haven't "converted" to the metric system (even though Congress gave the go-ahead in 1975), 187,000 km is roughly 116,000 miles.

Dindak - I actually like the rear end of the '03 Cavalier. I like the front end, too. I agree that it makes a great commuter car. It also makes a good "starter" car for someone without much money.

Buggywhip - Not sure what you mean that you could make the whole car "wallow" when you sat in the seat. At 6'-2" and 260 lbs. I can make any vehicle shake just by sitting down in the driver's seat! As for the seats themselves, I like the one in the LS because it causes me to sit up straighter, which helps with my back problems.

As always, it's good to get other opinions and ideas.

vocus · March 2003

I saw ad an in the local newspaper this past weekend where this dealer was giving double rebates on Cavaliers. That means basically a brand new car for $8000 (base Cavalier, $14,000 - $6000 in trouble rebates). I would DEFINITELY take one at that price!

dindak · March 2003

You can get a base 5-speed Cavalier up here for about $12K (maybe less). That works out to be less than $8K in US$.

blackz24 · April 2003

I belong to the J-Body organization, which is devoted to the Cavalier, Sunfire and Sunbird body style. From what I have heard is that alot of the Chev / Pontiac dealerships when ordering a new Cav / Sunfire you can put on this option code on the order, which sends it to an outside performance group that will put on just about anything you want AND will be incorporated with the sticker price with a warranty.

I also heard that the Ecotech thats in the SAAB's will be dropped in the Z24 in the near future.
That's 220 horsepower. Cool!

vocus · April 2003

Why would they drop 220hp in a Cavalier? Also, it's the LS Sport now, not the Z24 anymore. The Cavalier can barely handle the 140hp it has now...

dindak · April 2003

Z24 is still alive and well in Canada (both sedan and coupe)

I can't see them droping a Saab motor in a Cavalier, but the supercharger rumors have been around for about a year. Wouldn't be surprised to see it. They really should do something as the Z24 currently offers no more HP than the base $12000 car.

vocus · April 2003

They killed our Z24 for the 2002 model year and renamed it 'LS Sport'.

They also use these very ugly, K-mart looking chrome wheels on those models now too. Yuck.

Since the Cavalier's design is so old, I would think they would replace the car before worrying about paying to put a new, sophisticated engine in it.

I have seen supercharged 2.4L engines, so it definitely can be done in the Cavalier. The 2.2 should be able to accept one as well.

dindak · April 2003

The Red Line ION coupe gets a 2.0L supercharged Ecotec. That's what the new Z24 should get on the next generation Cavalier. I guess it couldn't hurt to pop on into next year's Z24 if they want. Current model can use all the help it can get. Don't think a new Cavalier is coming till 04.

shawnc2 · April 2003

I have read a few reports about the winshield wipers parking in the wrong place, namely directly in the drivers view. I read multiple complaints on the National Highway and Safety Commission, but I don't think GM is doing anything about it. Anyway, I read hear that it's a problem with the wiper relay and that soldering it fixes the problem. Does anyone know where this relay is? Is it integrated with the motor? I have the Haynes Manuel (useless for things like that) and there's no mention of the relay.

thanks

vocus · April 2003

I have seen many a Cavalier with its wipers parked in the driver's view, so I know what you mean. I don't know about what to solder either, maybe you could speak with the dealer about it.

joe3891 · April 2003

properly is a switch tab broken off in the motor assy,I don't know the repair other than replacement.I understand after 97 a redesigned motor came out.

caesarslegion · April 2003

much punishment can these little 2.2 cavaliers take? Local dealer now has 2002 models with low miles for $9k. Seems like a deal. Cant be any worse than my ford escort.

rogertc1 · May 2003

Just picked up 95 Cavalier for $3000. with 78K miles for daughter in HS. When i drive distance for a while and i stop at a light/stop sigh the cars stalls out and will not restart for a few minutes. I have read of trans, head gasket and even trans control units going bad. Do I need toi take it back? What does it sound like???
Thanks
rogertc1@yahoo.com

caesarslegion · May 2003

Well to me it doesnt sound too serious. It might be a sensor or maybe something to do with needing a tune up. Is the car over heating? Thats one big sign of a head gasket that has blown. If not I wouldn't sweat it, just take it back and have the dealer look at it.

rogertc1 · May 2003

The car is not over heating at all. There does not seem to be antifreeze in the oil, and i have full power. When I come to a complete stop the engine kind of stalls out, kind of like if it had a manual trans and one doesn't push in the clutch but not so severe. It has an auto. It will start again however when I put it in gear it stalls the engine. After a little while and a few attempts it finally takes off. The transmission seems to shift smooth. No clunking.

caesarslegion · May 2003

It could be many of things but to me it sounds like a cheap fix. My mercury did the same thing once and it turned out to be a fuel filter. It was about $20 fix. Have a mechanic you trust look at it.

jdmorton · May 2003

It might be the TCC solenoid. On my 1989 Chevy Celebrity one day, the car would stall out every time I came to a stop (with the transmission engaged). Like your car, it had an automatic transmission. The car would stall in any forward gear or reverse, but not in park or neutral. Once I shifted out of either park or neutral, the car would stall unless I 'floored" it to keep it running and moving. Once moving, it did not want to stall.

Now, if I could just remember what TCC stands for! Its associated with the transmission.

I took it to the dealer I bought it from. The exact problem showed up when they did a computer diagnostic test. In February 2001, it cost me about $230 to have the problem fixed. It is a fairly labor intensive fix, as the parts came to a little over $50, and the labor was almost $170. The remainder was PA sales tax of 6%.

jdmorton · May 2003

Here's an interesting problem that's happening with my '03 Cavalier. I preset 18 radio stations (12 on the two FM modes - FM1 and FM2, and 6 on the AM). My wife drove the car this week and said that the radio stations are no longer the ones I preset. The next morning, when I drove to work, the stations were all as I had programmed them. Yesterday, my wife took the car shopping, and it happened to her again. When she got home, she had me check the stations. Sure enough, all 18 preset stations had changed. Last night while she and I went out, I preset 5 FM stations that we normally listen to. Today, I went to re-establish the other 13 radio stations, and all 18 were back as I had originally programmed them.

This means that somehow the preset stations are being overridden by something (since they are still in the radio and reappear), but I don't know what is happening.

Anybody else ever have this happen to them?

I'll have my dealer look at it when I take the car in next.

joe3891 · May 2003

is set to the person that last used the RKE,the dealer can turn that feature off.

rogertc1 · May 2003

I took my car back. They determined head gasket was not issue. It was a Toyota dealer so after i explained causes I found on the web they called a buddy Chevy mechanic who said it probably was the Transmission control selionoid as they are repaired frequentyly and they have a lot on hand. My dealer is going to repair it for me for $100. which I think is fair. Still a nice little car for my daughter.
thanks for info. Great board!!!!

"It might be the TCC solenoid. On my 1989 Chevy Celebrity one day, the car would stall out every time I came to a stop (with the transmission engaged). Like your car, it had an automatic transmission. The car would stall in any forward gear or reverse, but not in park or neutral. Once I shifted out of either park or neutral, the car would stall unless I 'floored" it to keep it running and moving. Once moving, it did not want to stall."

jdmorton · May 2003

I'm not familiar with the acronym RKE and I don't have my owner's manual handy.

jdmorton · May 2003

That's also one of the reasons why I come here - someone usually has had the same problem and can give you pretty good advice as to what to have your mechanic check for.

joe3891 · May 2003

is the remote keyless entry.

vocus · May 2003

I had the same problem with my 1996 Cavalier, but it used to start right back up. Check the fuel pump.

rogertc1 · May 2003

Mine was a bad TCC solenoid as it runs like a top now. My daughter is happy as am I. $3000. was a good price for the car. Very attractive car.

shawnc2 · May 2003

I've read several messages about the wipers parking in the drivers field of view when they are turned off. I was experiencing this and tried replacing the motor with a remanufactured motor from Autozone. After many agonizing hours of trying to figure out why the wiper mechanism was binding with the replacement motor, I discovered that the replacement motor was turning in the WRONG opposite direction!! I put my old motor in again and everything worked OK except that the wipers don't pop up that first inch or so to start wiping. They wipe from the resting position. I don't know if I lost a small part to the wiper mechanism when I was changing the motor, but at least they don't block my view anymore. I did have to adjust the postion of the wiper arms to accomodate for the loss in the initial inch or two of "pop-up", and they don't quite make a complete wipe, but at least they aren't blocking my view when they are off. I basically lost that 1-2" of movement, but it's not noticable. Beware of remanufactured motors!!!

jdmorton · May 2003

quite the doofus! Thanks for pointing out the (now) obvious to me. As I was logging off my computer after making the comment to you regarding RKE earlier this week, it dawned on me what RKE stands for. I used the other remote to program the radio, so now both "work" properly.

I gotta either stop posting so early in the morning, or go to bed earlier so that I can think more clearly when I get up! ;-)

joe3891 · May 2003

you have it straightened out,you never said you had rke but i knew you did to change radio settings like that.

rogertc1 · May 2003

From readings on my meter it seems my alternator has took a dump on my 95 Cavalier for my daughter Kayla (Only puting out about 9.5V and no shorts). While looking at it...right out front. I notice it doesn't seem to have a tension adjustor. Any hints to installing a re-built? Also is the drive belt hard to install?

Thanks
Roger

ajitknox · May 2003

hi,
Even though my car is a 1996 2D coupe, i found that you guys are very knowledgable so i will go ahead and ask the question. I bought a 1996 cavalier and the mechanic said that the transmission fluid is burnt. Cursory checks by 3 other mechanics (transmission mechanics) said that there is no problem and even if it is thre,its not a big deal. One of them suggested that he would drain the old fluid and check the transmission and put the old fluid back since the new fluid would wear the rubber linings. Another mechanic was dead against that idea and told to put new fluid. Does anyone know, what to do in this situation.Thanks

joe3891 · May 2003

go to autozone.com then clk on repairs,they have a good Cavalier section.

joe3891 · May 2003

have a pan drop with new filter and new fluid,DON'T do a flush.

shawnc2 · May 2003

I am looking to swap doors on my 97 RS coupe due to a break in. I got quotes from a body shop for repair and they were CRAZY! ($800), but I found the same color at a junk yard for half that, but it's from a Z24 with power windows. Has anyone tried swaping from crank to power windows? I want to know if I can still use my crank assembly because the trim from the new door isn't the same color. I'm assuming the doors are the same size (I hope).

rogertc1 · May 2003

A TCC Selionoid and a alternator and my very pristeen car works great!! A great car with lots of parts in the junk yard for my daughters 1st.
Roger

ajitknox · May 2003

hey guys,
Thanks a lot for the help. The stereo in my car is not working properly since the sound is not very clear. I was just wondering,can i buy a stereo from Ebay and fit in my car. will it work fine? also,can i do this myself if possible or do i need to take it to a mechanic? any idea how much the labor charges are.
Thanks a lot guys

Chevrolet Cavalier

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