I just got done trying to do something with the headlamps on my daughters 2001 Cavalier. She was complaining they are dim, etc. After looking at how the whole system is designed and made you really have to wonder if GM wants to stay in business. I don't think I have ever seen anything so lame in my life. That was the last GM product I bought and it will definately be the LAST GM product I buy. I am still awestruck that any company would actually produce anything like that. Little tiny pathetic plastic adjusters that strip out as soon as you put a wrench on them. The play in the joints that hold the assembly on is ludicris. The rust underneath the car and in the engine compartment is unbelievable. My 99 Ford F250 was almost like new underneath when I traded it 4 months ago. I could have bought a Corolla or a Civic for about the same money. I really feel like a complete idiot right now. Never again.

 

Yeah i heard nothing but problems with those cars just lemons in my opinion lots of people have had them and had lots of problems go figure no wonder they replaced the cavalier with the cobalt im not sure about the sunfires though they replaced them too but not sure if they where lemons too probably but not suree

 

They were junk from the first day they built that car. People wonder why Toyota, Honda, & Nissan are selling more and more cars and trucks. I just can't figure it out.

 

I don't understand it either! I have many friends/acquaintances that will own what turns out to be junk gm's, and there's plenty to choose from not just the cavalier, and turn right around and buy from gm again or buy foreign and not even give Ford a look, let alone a chance. I never could understand that, probably never will!

 

I have to completely disagree with you, The Cavalier is probably one the best small cars ever. I have yet to personally know someone who had problems with there Cavi. I know of at least 4 that have well over 200k My uncle just sold that's right sold his 84 300,000+ mile Cavalier and it ran perfect it's the rust that he didn't like.

 

I'll never believe he didn't put some trannys in that. My brother was a partner in an Electronic Company in Silicone Valley and he bought 6 of them and after 9 months, traded them all in, They were junk, he was a Chevy guy until then, He went to Ford even his personal car was a Probe GT.

 

While I don't personally like cavaliers, their engies and trandmissions are built very well. Thye do have a lot of simple things go wrong, but very rarely do they have a major problem. They do have a tendency to rust, but no more than any other car of the era. i think they are a much better car than the escort. Civics and such seem to be built better, but the drivetrains seem no better than the cavi as far as dependability. They all rust.

 

I have to disagree also. My ex wife bought a 99 cavalier with 33,000 miles. I do most of the maintanance on her vehicles. I thought,oh boy here we go, I am gonna be working on this car a LOT. you know what? the car has 150,000 HARD miles on it(the only way she knows how to drive is gas on,brake on,no coasting to stop or letting the car slow down on it's own). The only things I have done to the car are brakes and basic maintanance stuff. oil changes,air filters,ect. If I ever was looking for a small car,I would definatly consider a cavalier.

 

I had a cavalier for 12 years, and the only thing I replaced was the alternator. I did the normal services. Two brake jobs, two batteries. All you people do on this site is knock GM, and other american vehicles. Keep saying that, and you won't have to worry about GM or Ford because all you will be able to buy is Japanese cars and trucks. Then see what kind of car you will drive.

 

Right on!!!! Should buy Pontiac Vibes...........ooops; better not, they're Toyota powered.

How about the Saturn SUV..........nope, it's Honda powered.

I know.........the new Chevy Aveo. OMG!!! It's made in Korea!!


I'm gonna get a used Mercury Villager........WHAT!!! It's a Nissan???

Really like the old Ford Aspire.......what's that? Made in Korea??? I'll be.


Maybe GM and Ford know something we don't???

 

Dad always gives me crap about looking at Nissan's as nice cars. I reminded him that his Dodge truck isn't American:

Engine: built in Mexico
Transmission: built in Canada
Final Assembly: St. Louis MO
Company owned by: Germans.

When I called his Cuda a German car, he almost removed me from the will.

 

For the most part the cavaliers around here are junk. My cousin's parents bought my cousin one (brand new) when she graduated (03) within a year the thing fell apart. I have never seen an attractive looking cavalier/Z24, and most are riced so bad you could wash them in soya sauce. I think for the most part, cavaliers were apt to falling apart, not all of them but a good % did.

 

Just to clarify a few points here.
#1 It's not bashing when you call them like you see'em. The headlight assembly on the 2001 Cavalier is junk. End of story. If anyone thinks it is a quality design, they would have to have some pretty low standards to say the least.
#2 No, not all cars rust to the same extent. Sorry, but take a ride around CT and you will see what brands are rust buckets and which ones aren't. 99 f250 Ford NOT RUSTY. 2001 Cavalier VERY RUSTY. SAME STATE. SAME WINTERS, SAME SALT ON ROAD. If anything the FORD saw a LOT more salt as I always took it out to plow. My daughter doesn't like driving in the snow. I wish I still had the truck so I could post pictures of both. Yes, the truck cost a lot more.
#3 I have had no drivetrain issues with the Cavalier so if you tell me it is good, I'll believe it.

 

You could have bought a Corrola or Civic for the same amount of money? You definitely are somewhere other than my neck of the woods.

 

I bought it new, not used. Used big price difference. New, not so much.