Chevrolet (Geo) Prizm

dverespey · April 2002

I saw in an earlier post a mention of cleaning the EFI. How are folks doing this? Gas additive?

I have a 92, with about 155k on it, great commuter car. I see no reason why it won't last another 100k.

jim222 · April 2002

This 1999 Prizm has 60k on it. The front suspension, especially on the right side, sounds as though it could use some lubrication. It makes creaky sounds going over bumps. It just started and seems more pronounced after it has been driven for a while. There are no grease fittings and the manual doesn't specifically say anything about needing lube in the front end.
Anyone have knowledge about this?

harris5k · May 2002

My sister's 96 Prizm is having the same problem with burning a quart every 1,000 miles. I was checking this site to see if someone else found a fix for the problem. She has the 1.6 liter engine with 65,000 miles and does all of the recommended maintenance. The dealer could not find any leaks or oil on the outer part of the engine. This oil consumption didn't occur for the first 60,000 miles. Help would be appreciated. Thanks.

mazdaboy · May 2002

i have a 2001 prizm. i like the car so far but i was aghast when i loaded the car with 3 friends and filled the trunk with luggage and stuff..

aghh..the rear end of the car looked like it was going to bottomed out! it was one scary sight! i had to drive 75 miles slowly!!

my dealer says there is nothing wrong with the car!

is this normal?

Kirstie_H · May 2002

One major daily newspaper is looking for folks who drive 2002 or 2003 yellow or orange cars, and another major daily newspaper is looking for folks who successfully or unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate the purchase prices of their vehicles at the end of their lease terms. If you care to share your stories on either or both of these topics, please send an e-mail containing a short summary of your experience and your contact information to jfallon@edmunds.com no later than Tuesday, May 14.

Thanks much,

Jeannine Fallon
PR Director
Edmunds.com

regfootball · May 2002

that's normal.....the suspension on the car isn't built for "maximum duty" like that.....unfortunately.

I had a 99 and it was the exact same.....now just for fun try to maintain 85mph on the freeway all loaded down!

lwendt · May 2002

I have 1999 Prizm LSi. Love the vehicle. Don't like a crunching sound on the front left end that occurs sporadically. Seems to be linked to the temperature. I've had it checked twice at two different dealerships. Of course it doesn't make any noises then! However, anyone know of this problem?

andrewk · May 2002

My wife and I have been thrilled with our '94 LSi that had 134k miles on it, but decided to trade it and take advantage of the $3000 rebate. With the limited inventory, we had to settle for a 3 spd AT. Reading this column after the fact, I am just a little disappointed with some of the comments about the tranny. But on the other hand, I don't foresee it to be a problem given my wife's use of the car. If this '02 is anywhere near the car that our '94 was, we will be happy campers. I was truly saddened to hear of the Prizm demize. I would have like to have waited a year or two longer before getting a new one, but didn't have that option. We simply couldn't pass up getting this car slightly less than invoice plus the $3k rebate. My wife is very happy and that's all that counts. You know the old saying... If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

infinia1 · May 2002

i wasn't planning on buying for a couple more years, but my 93 sunbird is nickel and diming me to death and i'm sick of it! since i have so many discounts available, i'm thinking prizm is the way to go. i may also consider cavalier but i am sure prizm is a better car without ever driving either. i drove a sunfire the other day and it was cheesy. cheap interior, gaps, weak engine, etc. i've found a prizm lsi with alloys, 4 spd auto, side airbags, child seat, cd, abs, msrp 19,078. i talked dealer down to 17,864. does that sound like a good price? plus i have an oldsmobile certificate for 1000, 3000 rebate, gm card 550 dollars, gm grad program 400. that make final price of 13,078. it was the only one i could find in 5 states with 4 spd auto and abs! can anyone convince me prizm is the way to go versus cavalier? why? like i said, i'm sure prizm is a better car overall, plus i noticed the mpg is far better on prizm than cavalier. but cavalier is less expensive......

regfootball · May 2002

when i was shopping, we were choosing between a cavalier and prizm. After driving the two, I knew immediately I wanted the Prizm. Then my wife drove them, and she is NOT picky....but.....she also immediately noticed the Prizm is a much better car. We bought the Prizm and sold it after 3 years (for a bigger car) but it was a joy to own and completely trouble free. It was a quality piece. You don't get the feeling of a well built car in a Cavalier.

That said, I would try to scrounge up the extra cash and buy a new 2003 Corolla, or a Mazda protege or Focus , over the Prizm. The only reason being is the Prizm is a bit tight inside in comparison. The incentives are a strong pull, but if you keep the car a long time you will be glad you spent the extra for a slightly bigger car. The 2003 Corolla a way bigger and more luxurious yet is just as economical and not too much higher in price.

But I do understand wanting to keep the price down. If you do decide the 2002 Prizm is the way to go, let me say you will have made a good decision.

regfootball · May 2002

Aleros and Malibus dont cost much more than what you are looking at for that Prizm. If you could find an Alero with the 4 cylinder Ecotec 2.2 motor and an Auto, the ABS is std.....and its a much more substantial car. Plus the ecotec motor is very good with MPG, new Saturn L's with the same motor get 35mpg! Plus Olds is gashing prices on the Alero because of the impending demise of Olds.....5/60 powetrain protection available!!!!! I'd bet you could get a nice Alero GX pretty darn close to 13 grand with all your available discounts!

Here's a quick calc I did at carsdirect.com

YOUR CAR: 2002 Oldsmobile Alero 4dr Sedan GL1 (note the GX is the base model, the GL1 as priced has power windows, locks, etc.) as of May 22, 2002

CarsDirect.com Price $17,144
(Incentive or rebates included in price)
MSRP $20,215
Invoice $18,744

Subtract another 1000 for Olds certificate, gm card 550 dollars, gm grad program 400 and you are at about 15200....i guess that is 2200 more than the Prizm.....I know that can drive up your payment 50 bucks a month if you are tight on cash.

andrewk · May 2002

As I stated in message #561, we just bought an '02, but we didn't get all of the discounts that you are eligible for. We had absolutely no doubt that this was the car we wanted based on our '94. In fact, with the use of GMBuyPower program, I had this car picked out and a $40 below invoice price from the dealer, all through the 'net and email.
The Prizm is not a big car, but neither am I (5-8) or my wife (5-4). If you are substantially bigger you may want to consider something bigger. If you take real long trips, you may want something bigger. But for our circumstances, this car is perfect.
As far as a Cavilier, I have never been in one, nor do I ever plan to get in one. Yes, this Prizm has a Chevy badge, but its the Toyota powetrain is why we are on our second Prizm. Otherwise, we wouldn't own a Chevy.

infinia1 · May 2002

regfootball, i already do own a 00 alero. the oldsmobile dealer in my area is horrible so i take the alero to the chevrolet dealer where i am treated like royalty. there's not much choice in wyoming. that's one reason i am looking at chevrolet, plus all the discounts i already mentioned. that's also why i must stick with gm, this time at least. andrewk, my wife and i are the same size as you and yours, so if it fits yous it will fit us. except we do have a 1 and 2 year old. but like i said this is just to replace the old sunbird which is actually probably a little smaller and i've never seen a 3000 rebate before! the only other car i would consider in this class is civic, but we all know how much more that costs and this time around price weighs very heavily in my decision. thanks again!

regfootball · May 2002

well i know you will be pleased with the Prizm 100% if you go for it. Ours was entirely trouble free for 3 years before we traded up for a Diamante.

My brother in law went through 2 cavliers in about 6 years time....oddly enough my sisters' Beretta had a 13 year life......

I bought the Prizm knowing it had Toyota quality and it did. Got to use my GM card dollars on it also. GO FOR IT!!!!

infinia1 · May 2002

i was ready to buy the red prizm i wanted and searched all over for just to find an lsi, 4 speed auto, cd, abs, combo and it sold 1 day before i could make it to denver to buy it!!! but........they have a taupe demo that is equiped exactly the same with 3700 miles. msrp on the taupe demo and the red one i really wanted is $19078. on the red one i had talked them down to $17864. that's 8% off msrp. i was ready. so.....on the taupe demo with 3700 miles, they want $17500. that's only $364 for 3700 miles which is about 10 cents per mile. what do you all think? it's never been titled so it's still considered new so that i can use all my discounts still. is this a fair ammount ($364) for 3700 miles? what do you all think is a fair counter offer? hurry...time is ticking!

britton2 · May 2002

I have an '01 Corolla LE - it doesn't have a CD player or ABS - it has the 4 speed auto tranny and power windows, locks and mirrors and cruise control and the all-weather guard pkg - I paid $14,250K for mine (before tax, etc) - I understand these 2 cars are very similar - the $17864 sounds a little high to me - even with the CD player and ABS - my Corolla has been great so far and I highly recommend so I also recommend the Prizm - good luck with your counter-offer

infinia1 · May 2002

well, i got them to go down another $300 so far. so they want 18163 before incentives. what does everyone think? i'll probably give them $500 to hold it so i don't lose it this time.

regfootball · May 2002

the prizms were a lot higher priced than the corollas, i think it was because GM was on to the fact that SO MANY gm card holders were cahsing in their rebates on them.

I've seen current model year used Prizms with like 10,000 miles on them for under 10 grand.

Infinia, time to go on a hunt! Maybe you should have an agent from carsdirect.com get the car for you, and you'd still get to use all your incentives.

regfootball · May 2002

CarsDirect.com Price $15,622
(Incentive or rebates included in price)
MSRP $19,758
Invoice $18,272

this was for a fully loaded (every option)Prizm LSi. Subtract the college grad and GM card rebate and whichever options you dont want (sunroof?).

I think CD could get you the car you want, and new.

infinia1 · May 2002

thanks! i didn't know about carsdirect. i'll go see. but i do know this car will be hard to find. i've looked in ut co wy mt ne nd sd ks id on gmbuypower and i cannot find and lsi with 4 auto cd and abs!

infinia1 · May 2002

i called them and i don't think they can help me. don't they go thru local dealers? there are no prizms around here in wy. do i have any other options? are there other sites like carsdirect that may be able to help me?

britton2 · May 2002

check out autotrader.com - also, I saw a 2001 Prizm in my local paper with less than 9K miles on it for about $9000 - of course, I don't know if it had the 4 speed auto tranny but it did have a CD player - I just think that price is too high - check around - also look at cars.com and priceline.com to see if they have the car you want - print out carsdirect.com's price and take it to the dealer - see if he'll match it

regfootball · May 2002

maybe the carsdirect reps can only go within a certain region......might actually be better to try to communicate with them online rather than directly via phone.....i don't know off hand of any other web sites but my BIL used carsdirect and had a pleasing experience.

infinia1 · May 2002

well on memorial day i finally got my prizm in denver! i did try carsdirect but i had already searched 5 states and what they found i already had. plus i would have been charged extra shipping. even without shipping the quote i got from gmbuypower was less than cars direct for the same exact car at the same dealer. i did have to settle for a 5 speed instead of 4 auto and a base instead of lsi but mine does have pwr windows locks windows cruise abs cd alloys tilt so it's almost a lsi. the only other thing i would want is the keyless which is standard on lsi. according to edmunds invoice is 15810. i paid 15700! plus all the mentioned discounts. final price was 11700. i couldn't use the 400 gmgrad dollars since i didn't finance with gmac but i did get smartcare instead thru gmgrad which covers maintenance for 3 years! i am very happy with this car and it seems so much better built than my 00 alero. today i went to the local dealer to have them remove the dealer logo from the rear. i hate those things! i am not a rolling billboard. thanks everyone for your help. i love this car and i am so glad i didn't get a cavalier!

mpyne · May 2002

what color did you get??
im a 2002 corolla owner and so far my car is been pretty good. Nice weather is really making my car run great right now. kind of rode rough(suspension) in the cold weather though (geo metro didnt do this)But im really protective of this car and notice everything baout it.

give us an update after youve had the car for awhile

britton2 · May 2002

good for you! I am very happy with my '01 Corolla (4 speed auto) that I've had for 14 months - as mpyne said, keep us updated -

regfootball · May 2002

congrats...keep us posted on mpg

hyperion1 · May 2002

I have a 1996 Prizm with the 1.6 engine. The manual says I need a valve adjustment at 60,000 miles. Is this correct for this engine?

pat · June 2002

The Town Hall is about to take on a new look in an effort to make content more easily searchable and accessible.

Have you seen the Letter from the Town Hall Manager on the Town Hall Welcome page? If not, you might want to follow that link to have a look.

And hang on to your seats. Change is never easy - for any of us - but resolving the Search problems we've had will be worth the pain.

Pat
Sedans Host

arkainzeye · June 2002

i wouldn't worry about that. i have a 1994 prizm with the 1.6 engine (5-speed) it has 80K miles on it and runs like a champ. I believe in valve adjustments i used to work on Japanese Motorcycle and atv's. but with the car's i consider it more like a recommended service more so than a needed one. "we" also have a 1992 toyota previa mini-van that asks for the valves to be adjusted at every 60k miles. the van currently has 160k miles on it, and has never had the valves adjusted. And just so i don't get yelled at by all the nuts out there. the Toyota service dept even told us that it isn't necessary to have the valves adjusted every 60k. they told us that you usually Only do it when you suspect a problem. I mean it is up too you. if it makes you sleep better at night, then go ahead and have it done. but it will cost you a few hundred $$$ .. And you will notice no proformance difference. "unless" your valves are really out of adjustment, but in that case you would be getting backfiring & or really poor proformance from your engine right now.. that's just my 2cents. by the way my 1994 prizm. is unbelievable. it rev that engine to the moon and back. i put wider tires on it i went from the 175 to the 185. and it handles NOW in turn like a little mini sports car. and with that 5-speed it really makes it fun to drive. I bought that car when i needed a car to get to and from school and work. but i never thought it would be lasting me this long. + it has never been in the shop for anything other than inspection and emissions.! and it always passes both, with no troubles. I started to drive it hard, because i think iwas trying to kill it. just so that i had a reason to get something else. but i ended up getting something else anyways, BUT kept the prizm and gave it to my parents. btw it is a LSI.

mbnut1 · June 2002

A. It is suprising that a car of that vintage would require a valve adjustment. It seems that nearly all modern cars have hydraulic lifters which eliminate the need for valve adjustment.

B. If it truely requires valve adjustment ther is some risk of engine damage by not performing the adjustment. The risk is that the exhaust valves would have to little clearance and remain slight open and then burn. If this would occuri then you would need to get a valve job.

I would verify that the car doesn't have hydraulic lifters and if that is the case I would follow the manufacturers guidelines..

hyperion1 · June 2002

The local Toyota dealer said to not worry about the valves. The Geo owners manual does indicate an adjustment is needed if valve train noise or tappet noise is present.

squeak6 · June 2002

I now have 141,000 miles on my 1998 prizm.... everything is ok with the car just need to clean the seats and floors ( I do have water in the truck ) I'm getting about 309 miles on a full tank of gas ( well that's what it reads when the light comes on..) ..... I wanted to change the spark plugs ( what's the best kind... ) as always thanks for your help... ** any additional things I can do to keep her running...?

jacob111 · June 2002

I got my 95 LSI 1.8 auto this Feb. Started about one month ago, we found it's hard to start, especially this first time of the day. Battery is fine, 'cause we jump started other cars, and hooked with a corolla didn't solve the start prolem. Later on we found press the accelerator helped little bit, since putting some gas in the cylinder before starting sounds reasonalbe. But just few days later, that trick no longer worked. We still have to try pressing either the brake or accelerator or nothing to get it started. It sounds like a starter problem. If so, how much does it cost? We can still get it started, just very hard the first time of day..... Thanks for any information/advices... =:)

dpl9598 · June 2002

I have a 98 Prizm with 83K miles on it. For some reason, whenever I use any of the air controls inside the car (it does the same thing whether I use the heat or a/c), the fan makes makes lots of noise and on the highest speed, you can feel a vibration in the car - you can feel most of the vibration in the gas pedal. also, the air does not blow nearly as hard as it once did. what happened? The car has been in storage for 4 months, just got it on the road 2 weeks ago and it did this. Could something be stuck inside the air vents or is the fan blown? any help would be appreciated.

infinia1 · June 2002

i love this car more and more every day!!! although shifting gears gets on my nerves....oh well like i posted earlier it was the last one loaded decently. no problems yet at 3000 miles but then again unlike my alero i didn't expect any. definately glad i went with prizm instead of cavalier. now that i have one i see them everywhere! i never noticed them much before! does anyone know where i can get a hood deflector? chevrolet doesn't offer one and neither does any other place i've looked. thanks..

mcdawgg · July 2002

Congratulations! I'm glad you love your Prizm.
I have owned Corollas (my work car) for the past 13 years (a 89 and a 99), and the only unscheduled maintenance I ever had was to replace a starter motor ($140) at around 95,000 on my 89. I sold my 89 at 140,000 miles (still looked and ran like new). I just wanted a new one.

Shifting "gets on your nerves?" After you get used to it, you'll probably never buy an automatic again. I have only driven sticks, and it makes even a Corolla more fun.
Enjoy!

gyurecs · July 2002

Just purchased 2001 LSI on the east coast...for daughter to take to school..did alot of research on Edmonds..real happy with the vehicle...4400 miles (correct) power door locks, windows, power sunroof, cruise control, air, 3 speed $ 10,990. Hope to have this car get her through school and use for many years afterward...

carlrjr · July 2002

Just took delivery today on a 2002 base Prizm: Red, 5-spd, CD player, tach, alloys, and rear defroster are the only options. Dealer was kind enough to locate for me since only 3-speed autos were available in my area.
This is a very smooth, refined car for the money, espcecially after the $3000 rebate.

infinia1 · July 2002

welcome gyurecs and carlrjr. i'm a recent new owner too! this is one great car!

i've noticed the rear seatbelts don't retract too well. i have to "help" them into "retraction". is this normal? also i'll ask again...does anyone know where i can get a hood deflector?

arkainzeye · July 2002

my 1994 prizm i think is one of the best cars i ever owned. i gave it to my parents, because i bought a Chevy tracker, but from time to time i drive to prizm just to make sure everything is A ok with it. and i just cant believe that this car has never been in the shop YET for anything other than inspection & emissions ! it is a 1.6 lSI with all the bells and whistles. it is a 5 speeds, which makes this thing SOOOOOO fun to drive. this little car Moves.! but from the start i used Sythetic fluids in everything. engine and transmission. it never needs oil added between changes either. I'm about toi change ALL the fluids again. but this time i am going to use AMSOIL sythetic fluids. and extend the drain intrevals. it is great that this little engine ONLY take 3 Qts !! so it makes it very easy to use the good stuff, unlike my tracker which needs Almost 6 qts ! 8(
i just wanted to say that this prizm is one of the best cars that i have EVER owned!!

csandste · July 2002

was the best of the Corolla platforms with the possible exception of the 03's. Much better than decontented 98-02 models of Corolla and Prizm. Better than the 94-97 Corollas too. Great car.

eneth · July 2002

You can add the 93 Prizm to the list - that generation ran 93-97. A review of the 93 Corolla I saw before buying mine mentioned that Toyota could easily have put a Lexus badge on it and no one would have been the wiser - after 10 hard years on the road, it is still as tight, solid and mechanically sound as the day I bought it. Like the 92-96 Camry, it'll go down as one of the best mass-market cars ever produced.

ken137 · July 2002

I had a 90 prizm that was the best car that I ever had. I bought a 01 last year and has been very disappointing, I have rattles everywhere, bad front axle and just had the tie-rods replaced. Cannot wait to get rid off this poorly made car.

alpha01 · July 2002

Indeed, the new 03 Corolla is one sharp piece of engineering-offering, for example, a small family alot for their dollar. The only problem with the 93-97 Corolla/Prizm was the elevated MSRPs. In 1993, the Corolla LE cost about $17K well equipped with ABS, and now for 03, the Corolla LE, which is far better a vehicle, is about the same $17K.

eneth- quick note: of the many Camrys we've leased or owned, my mother disliked our 95 quite a bit- front brakes often locked up prematurely, interior trim problems, squeaking seats.... got out of that lease early, and she has insisted on ABS ever since. ABS on that car would have been nice, but at that time it was about &1100 on our 4cly. Hers and my father's favorites were the 91 we had, and the current 02 that we just got.
~alpha

laroche73 · July 2002

I'd agree with arkainzeye and csandste regarding the mid-90 Prizms. My girlfriend owned a '94 and it was a very reliable car. The only thing that needed to be replaced in 8 years of daily use was the alternator. OK, we also replaced the tires this year. She'd still be driving it today except for the recent run-in with an SUV. The Prizm was totalled, the engine compartment crushed, but she managed to walk away unharmed. The SUV that ran the red light came away with a few scratches, which is also something to consider before deciding on your next vehicle.
BTW, my sister recently bought an '03 Corolla and she loves it.

infinia1 · August 2002

...if anyone knows where i can get a hood deflector for my 02 prizm. and...if anyone else's rear seatbelts don't retract without some help???

mberry3 · August 2002

Just wanted to say, I have a "95" LSI 5-speed and it has been the best car I have owned. This is fun to drive, great on gas, and I have over 113,000 miles. Just changed the brakes at 100k and put my third set of tires. Still have original clutch which is still in good shape. My dad has the same year car and it just cracked the 100k mark w/ just a bad alternator last month the only failure. We have both never owned a car longer than 2 years before this car and I believe the 93-97 Prizm is an excellent generation of build quality.

najensen · September 2002

Has anyone had problems with the fuel systems on the 2001 Prism. I've had sensor replaced 3 times, several other parts, fuel filter, etc. The engine light keeps coming back on. Thanks!

hethmarie · September 2002

I had a 2001 with the same problem with the rear seat belts not retracting. The dealer fixed them in less than 30 minutes for free.

Chevrolet (Geo) Prizm

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