Chevrolet Cavalier

dindak · November 2001

If I ever bought another Cavalier I would definitely upgrade to the new 2.2L Ecotec. 140HP all aluminum and co-designed with Lotus. It's a nice motor. They have a new Z-24 sedan and the LS also comes standard with it.

malibu99 · November 2001

Is the redesigned Cavy coming out in 2002 as a 2003 model or in 2003? Wondering if this is the last year they will produce this body style.

dindak · November 2001

New 2.2L Ecotec is in this year (2002) as an option. I think it's well worth the extra bucks. New model will be in early 2003 as an 04 model from what I hear. The new Saturn ION on the same platform will be out in the fall of 2002 as a 2003 model.

malibu99 · November 2001

Great!

My fiance and I want to buy a 3rd small car to commute to work and we think the new Cavy will be a great choice. I'm wiling to wait :-)

The Echotech should be smooth, I think I'll test drive one just for the heck of it :-)

dweezil · November 2001

certain years that have had head gasket problems: 92-93, 95-96.An extended warranty on 92-93 is not a re call, but a notification of a warranty extension for that particular problem and all companies do it.Honda did it in the mid 80s when it's CRX engines were snapping timing belts at 60,000 miles, then quietly added replacement @ 60,000 to the service schedule.
Those sites referenced in the posts above were interesting, but I expected to find several dozen posts, not the 3 or 4 on the site.
It's funny but on the Neon site you'll find a history of head gasket failures not isolated to a run of one or two years but every year up to 2000/2001.The defenders are just as passionate and those who were burned just as angry. It's also interesting to note that the service departments and corporate responses are just as arrogant and destructive of customer good will.
In the maintenance forum I haven't seen any 2.2 problem topics.It seems the bulk of those gasket problems were confined to certain years only.
As for C/Reports: The current Used Car Special Edition lists the 97,98,00,as average in their need for repairs having improved to average.
Now before anyone mistakes me for a partisan booster, the 99 has dropped to worse than average, and I own one of those. 25,000 miles and no problem. The rattles Cavaliers are famous for yes, but the 2.2 has gotten smoother as it's broken in. Never stranded me,just got back from a 2000 mile round trip with no unscheduled stops.
Have to take it in for inspection and rear brake clunk. But I'm not real concerned, the dealer service dept. is pretty good.
Concerns me to see another all aluminum wonder from GM. Part of the reason I bought the Cavalier was for it's old fashioned cast iron block and push rod yester-tech engine.Given the Vega 4 and the Cadillac 4.1 and all it's leaks and problems, well....
I tell you guys this just to help put it in perspective. Were I having problems I wouldn't hide it. No one likes to admit they were mistaken about a car they put their money [and sometimes heart] into getting. I love mine regardless of C/R's reliability data and the general dismissal of the Cavalier because "Everyone KNOWS they're "junk".My experience and that of others does not bear that out.BUT if someone has been let down by that same brand, no amount of discussion is going to change their mind.It does help to be made aware of potential problems though. THX, Dave

lyn58 · November 2001

We bought our daughter a new 2001 Cavalier last December and it only has 6,000 miles on it. It has now started making a clunking noise every time you turn the steering wheel. Anyone else experienced this? Will be making an appt. to take it in to local dealership to find the problem.

joe3891 · November 2001

The fuel milage is the same,with the eco-tec you gain 15 hp and some torque.I thing i'll stick to old fashion push rod engine.Btw the new Opel v-8 engine is all aluminum push rod with 2 cams 3 valves per cylinder variable intake timing & 300 hp out of 4.3L.

dindak · November 2001

lyn58 : Sounds like the intermediate shaft is bad. I'd get it replaced under warranty.

dweezil/ joe : Ecotech is actually a GM Europe engine and has proven to be very good. It's smoother and more powerful than the old 2.2L with same mileage. I've driven both and would definitely go Ecotech next time.

7937 · November 2001

lyn58, dindak is right. There has been a TSB on the intermediate steering shaft. It was not lubricated at assembly and causes a slip-stick condition. The P/N that must be replaced under warranty is p/n 26050292. Just be sure you let the dealer know that you are aware of what is causing the problem.

dweezil · November 2001

you are GOOD!!!!
Dindak: thanks for the info.I got the brochure for the 2002 models. I almost flipped when I saw the new "avacado green" color. I MAY have to trade: soooo 70's.Would be interested in trying out the Eco-Tech at least
Another aluminum piece I failed to mention was the Saturn "S" engine, which, again if you go onto other Edmund's sites, you discover it starts eating oil at about 30,000 miles. I may be weird; but I am fascinated by that, because no one seems to know where it goes!!!I don't really see that as a problem perhaps because I have owned so many beaters in my time - besides; if it needs to eat you have to feed it.
I keep forgetting that the Chevette was one of GM's most long lived and popular designs and it too was based on an Opel/World design.It would be full circle for the Cavalier as initially the J body was to be built around the world and had plenty of input from GM Europe. Hence: the Vauxhall Cavalier and the Opel version.
Hopefully there will be a positive result for the next gen. Cavalier.Those little Chevettes ran forever and were wonderfully simple.
I'm with 7937; though: cast iron block, push rods, OHVs. I don't think they'd have many problems at all if the HEAD was CAST IRON as well.
Sometimes cutting edge technology is NOT progress:-}!

dinu01 · November 2001

...so they start eating oil at 30000 miles and parts need already to be replaced? Well built, reliable, great handling. What's not to like?

PS: Should have gotten a Protegé. HAHA!

I know you guys will get back at me, but seriously, look around at other cars before buying a design that's out of date.

dindak · November 2001

The 3800 was out of date 10+ years ago. It's one of the smoothest, most fuel efficient and powerful V6 engines in the world. It's pretty much bulletproof to boot! Old can be good in the car world.

ehaase · November 2001

That's why GM is designing a new OHV V-6, with up to 230 hp, in a few years.

regfootball · November 2001

is FAR superior to the old GM pushrod 2.2.

I've had a few relatives who have owned Cavaliers and Berettas with that old GM 2.2. No way in hell I woulda put up with the problems they had.

I have driven the Saturn L many times with that new DOHC Lotus Ecotech motor. FAR SUPERIOR. Where do I begin? Smoother, quieter, better gas mileage, better quality. Its a welcome step forward for GM. 20 years ahead on the auto evolution scale compared to the pushrod motor.

dindak · November 2001

The Ecotec is the way to go if you can afford the upgrade. I admit though, the old 2.2L I have isn't awful and has good off the line performance.. At idle, it's really quiet too.

Do they sell the Z24 sedan in the U.S.? Noticed it wasn't listed on the Cavalier web page.

tazereli · November 2001

If people are praising the old tech 2.2L, how far can the ancient 2.5L "Iron Duke" be from making a comeback?

black01coupev6 · November 2001

A co-worker had purchased a 2002 Cavalier Z24 sedan.

dindak · November 2001

Hummm. Wonder why it's not listed at chevrolet.com? They only have the "LS sport sedan".

How does he/she like it? Does it have the 2.4L or the Ecotec?

black01coupev6 · November 2001

Well she did love it but the dealer called her back 2 weeks after she bought it and told her she couldn't get financed for the car. Good thing for her, she had financed $20,000 for the Cavalier and with a high interest rate (husband's credit is horrible, hers is decent) was paying $460 a month for 60 months.

Kicker is when she got her trade back her speakers that she had just had installed in it were missing. Then after she took the car home she tried calling the dealer and saying that the speakers were gone. I told her it was tough luck. She should've noticed that before she took the car home.

She had the 2.4L if I am not mistaken. It was black with power everything, alloys, fog lights, and a rear spoiler. No sunroof though, but I don't think that's even an option in the sedan.

joe3891 · November 2001

Z-24 will be gone as soon as they run out of 2.4 engines,which will be very soon.

dindak · November 2001

Z24 will be available in Canada with the Ecotec starting in a couple of months according to my dealer and the gmcanada.com web site. Perhaps it will go away next year here.

teo · November 2001

http://www.edmunds.com/news/autoshows/articles/48020/page008.html

teo · November 2001

http://www.edmunds.com/news/autoshows/articles/48020/page007.html

fangio2 · November 2001

the same 2.2 design that is in my Leganza?If so will the turbo bolt on?

ehaase · November 2001

The Daewoo engine is an older design from Holden in Australia. The Ecotec is a new design that debuted with the 2000 Saturn L series.

fangio2 · November 2001

whether steel or aluminum,same bore,stroke etc.I could be way off base,but I thought the basic design was from Opel with Holden,Daewoo and Saturn(?)modifying it to meet their individual configurations.

occupant1 · November 2001

by the way, my post 559 was about other Cavalier owners (fellow Dallas taxi drivers), not my own experiences

but I did own a Cavalier that I suspected of the head gasket leakage problem...

the car I owned (1994 Cavalier sedan, 2.2L/automatic, about 85K) never had a bad enough head gasket to cause overheating...

a Chevrolet dealer confirmed that this problem that I had, with the external coolant leakage, was similar to what happens with covered 92-93 and other year cars, and told me this car would not be covered for 2 reasons, it was a 94, not covered, and because the car was not overheating or losing "a significant amount" of coolant...

so count me out on having replaced the head gasket, it never happened that way, the lady I sold it to just turned 105K on it and hasn't replaced it yet, her Jiffy Lube does have to top off the coolant every change, but never more than a quart or so...

lyn58 · November 2001

Thanks dindak and 7937. You guys were right on the money with your diagnosis. The dealer replaced the intermediate steering shaft. No more clunks! Thanks again for your advice.

dindak · November 2001

It's funny, I have no mechanical training, but over the years of experience and reading forums like town hall you really do pick up a lot of knowledge. I certainly can't fix anything major on my cars but I certainly have a better idea if the service dept. is trying to rip me off.

Glad the car is fixed.

joe3891 · November 2001

Update 2000 LS ,20,000 miles no problems can't even visit the dealer for warranty work,maybe the next 10,000 miles.

dweezil · November 2001

Thanksgiving Day. Need tire rotation, It's going in tomorrow. No problems so far.

dweezil · November 2001

started eating oil at 30,000 miles.And no one knows the quality of this Eco-Tech engine till it's been on the road in the US a few years.It was the Saturn engine I was referring to, NOT the 2.2 Cavalier engine.But that's sort of the attitude one gets about these cars, people are so eager to trash them,they don't even bother to actually read the posts.

black01coupev6 · November 2001

need to read these posts to know someone with a Cavalier that's had problems.

dweezil · November 2001

joe3891 · November 2001

Success is always knocked,j-body 20 yrs and still here.

dweezil · November 2001

so you know most people, eh? Common "wisdom" and all that? Folk lore,urban legend, collective thought processes.Why,"Most people" have a friend of a friend of a friend who was actually THERE at the hospital when Rod Stewart had his stomach pumped.[Or fill in the celeb./scandal/location to suit]
It proves my point: people just drop into a topic to dump.Why;everyone KNOWS the 220,000 to 300,000 Cavaliers that have been sold every year since the 95s came out are ALL bad!!Everyone KNOWS that a clapped out 10 year old 600 dollar car is a reliable gauge of a brand new model of the same line. GET REAL."Why, my friend bought a 94 with only 98,000 miles on it and the radio didn't work. It was real junk!"
"Most people" and "everyone knows": not useful or constructive.

dweezil · November 2001

That says it all. No one is trying to hide anything or make up stories about how much like a Rolls these cars are. Just like in high school with it's cliques and snobbery.'Ewwww, your parents bought you a CAVALIER??? They suck.'And on and on.
It doesn't improve the level of discussion nor does it provide any help or enlightenment on the topic.
People love Corollas, but Chevy Prisms "aren't as well made". "Most people" will tell you THAT too.

regfootball · November 2001

seems to be as well made as the toyotas. Not one problem so far in almost three years.....yet because its a "chevy"...oooooo it must be junk.

dindak · November 2001

Saw a Z24 sedan this weekend at a lot out of town. Looked very nice, but the sticker was taken off so I'm not sure if it had the Ecotec or the old 2.4L in it. It was bright red with a 5-speed and appeared fully loaded with a moon roof.

alpha01 · November 2001

is more likely viewed as junk (which I don't think it is) because of its very high rate of depreciation compared to the Corolla which sells second hand quite easily. not true the Prizm.
I don't think that "being a Chevy" damns a vehicle... after all... the Corvette is Chevy, is't it. I think the fact that the Cav chassis design is older than I am has more to do with its negative, or apathetic, reception.
Hell, the current Corolla is coming under fire for being a design that dates back to 93, nevermind 82.
just my opinion,
alpha

tazereli · November 2001

maybe the fact that your prizm is a toyota corolla in sheeps clothing is why you've had no problems.

regfootball · November 2001

possibly.....I'm not a huge GM fan, however, I used a GM card to help buy it AND IRONICALLY my final choice came down between the Cavalier and Prizm. Chose the Prizm really because it felt tighter and better engineered.

I'm not really gonna diss the Cavalier though. Had the Cavalier been equipped back in 99 with the Ecotec that is now available today....it may have swayed me to buy the Cav as the Cav was a bit cheaper and little bit more roomy. But I really prefer free revving DOHC motors and that was a big factor with the base Cavalier only having the OHV. I have driven the Ecotec in the Saturn L and its a sweetie and I can surmise it would change the driving experience of the Cavalier greatly.

A friend had a Sunfire to 80k miles and it served him quite well so I don't think the Cavalier is lemon or anything like that.

Ultimately, another big factor in my choosing the Prizm over the Cavalier was that I felt the Prizm interior was less cheap looking and had better seats and controls. The Cavalier is no Kia, but the Prizm seemed nicer....that and its steering and ride were better.

But I'm totally ok with the car having a chevy badge vs. a Toyota. I don't really get hung up on that. Let the idiots waste their time worrying about whether they have the Toyota vs. Chevy. I'll just smile cause I got a solid car for a decent price.

vocus · December 2001

There is a 1997 Cavalier sedan on EBay for sale, and the bid is currently $305. I was thinking of buying it as a commuter car, but not sure if I want to or not. It's got 127K miles on it, and the left front fender is damaged so the door kinda sticks, the ad says. What do you all think?

dweezil · December 2001

Wouldn't be bad if none of the running gear is affected.For that kind of money you could afford to make a few repairs if it needed them.
Would make a great commuter hack for a couple of years, you probably wouldn't get cheaper cost per mile numbers.

edswords · December 2001

Cavalier folks, Dont get too riled up by Vocus. I have seen his post all over this website preaching the virtues of his Protege. He single handedly ruined the Neon site. Dont let this happen to you.

I am a 2000 Neon owner being tempted by the current Cavelier deals and 2.2 engine. I thought I would read some current posts by owners and imagine my surprise when I saw his name here too.

Just remind Vocus that there are constant rumers that Masda's parent company, Ford, is seriously considering cancelling the currently slow selling Protege platform in favor of the award winning Focus platform.

Imagine, rebadged Focus's being sold as Proteges!

ehaase · December 2001

The next generation Protege, around 2004, will share the same platform as the next generation Focus. They will share the same engines. Protege sales are up about 20 percent for the year, since Mazda made some major improvements to the car.

However, I know several people who have gotten good service out of their Cavaliers and are very pleased with them.

vocus · December 2001

I knew some people who had good luck with Cavaliers too, that's why I got one. I probably just got a lemon, and that's cool (not for me though). It just was my first "newer" car, and I was very disappointed of all the problems with it, especially since it was 3 years old at the time and only had 31K miles on it. Maybe I just got a bad one, but it still didn't make me feel any better.

Edswords: You can believe I have had all these cars or not (a total of 5 in 4 years, along with the borrowed Neon which was my roommate's). I don't really care. This forum is to tell one's opinion of something, and that's what I did. Those who do not like it don't have to read it.

dindak · December 2001

My only complaint with the 2.2L is lack of refinement. Low end power is good and the 4-speed transmission is excellent. If you can swing the extra $$, get the 2.2L Ecotec upgrade. It's smoother, has more power and gets the same mileage.

joe3891 · December 2001

The 2.2 is just like the Corvette engine pushrods.

homerkc · December 2001

What have you heard about the next generation Cavalier? I assume it will use the Ecotech engine family. Is it due in 2004? Hatchback bodies as well as sedan? I just read that the Opel and Cavalier may be on a different platform than the Saturn S series replacement... I have GM card rebate money and am very interested in learning about the next Cavalier.

Chevrolet Cavalier

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