Opinions Please on the 2004 Chev Cavalier

[Jokersmoker]

thanks in Advance
Jokersmoker

 

[vi edit]

***Preface***

I'm not a GM Hater

*** End Preface***

There are better alternatives - the Mazda 3 and Honda Civic are just far superior cars not counting price.

 

Get a Nissan Sentra or a Toyota Corolla for a lower price. However, if Chevy is offering 0% financing, it might be a better deal to get a Cavalier, as foriegn deals aren't the best for financing now.

All in all, I'm not a fan of the Cavalier, but it's definitely cheap to work on and do maintenance on. Parts will be cheap.

 

[MovingTarget]

ummmmm.....no link? 😕

 

[Iron Woode]

Don't disable the top speed limiter. :Q

 

[Vette73]

Decent car being you can get a really BASIC one for high 9's to low 11's and a filled up one for less the 14K. Add that in with a very low % you are set.

 

[Rent]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
***Preface***

I'm not a GM Hater

*** End Preface***

There are better alternatives - the Mazda 3 and Honda Civic are just far superior cars not counting price.

pretty much my sentiments - I'd look at the Civic, the 3 isn't bad, and a Focus if don't have some horrible bias against ford like alot of people here seem to have.

 

[Kaieye]

If your buying new, get a lancer with 100k mile warranty on the power train. But if I were you, I would buy a 1.5-2.5 year old car and with the money you save from the depreciation, I would spend a month in Europe. Then I would spend a month in Asia the following year!

 

[OS]

my uncle has a cavalier and the car is losing compression at 90k miles.

I wouldn't buy one, it's like the 2nd most ghetto car GM makes and GM was never known as the quality benchmark. Oh yeah and the design is a decade old. If you are dead set on the cavalier at least wait for the cobalt and maybe they will fix the shortcomings. What good is buying a cheap car if it needs internal engine work before 100k?

 

[vi edit]

pretty much my sentiments - I'd look at the Civic, the 3 isn't bad, and a Focus if don't have some horrible bias against ford like alot of people here seem to have.

My only beef with the focus is that it's on the board for an overhaul in the next year when it shares platforms with the Mazda 3 and the Vovlo S40.

 

[BurnItDwn]

hmmm ... Caviliers go for between 10 and 11 thousand I believe. If you are certain you want a new car, and your budget is between 10 and 11 thousand, than go for it. However, if it were me, I'd buy a bigger & better used car like a 300M or a Corvette.
I hate small cars.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn
hmmm ... Caviliers go for between 10 and 11 thousand I believe. If you are certain you want a new car, and your budget is between 10 and 11 thousand, than go for it. However, if it were me, I'd buy a bigger & better used car like a 300M or a Corvette.
I hate small cars.

yea my next car choice is gonna be hard... a Cav or a Corvette ... man thats a tough one 😉


But also the newwer cavs have the updated Eco motor, same as the next gen car. Good motor if taken care of. Also NO timing belt, always nice.

 

[MovingTarget]

Originally posted by: OS
my uncle has a cavalier and the car is losing compression at 90k miles.

I wouldn't buy one, it's like the 2nd most ghetto car GM makes and GM was never known as the quality benchmark. Oh yeah and the design is a decade old. If you are dead set on the cavalier at least wait for the cobalt and maybe they will fix the shortcomings. What good is buying a cheap car if it needs internal engine work before 100k?

A car's life always depends on how good it is taken care of/driven. Don't knock the old cavaliers. Personally, I don't like them either...unless of course they had the 3.1v6. I used to own one of those. They are really fun to drive. I tried a 4cylinder when I was looking for a new one and was sorely dissappointed.

 

[Antisocial Virge]

Put it this way, we paid more for a used Honda than we could have got a new Cavalier for. Most people we talked to agreed that was the right move. "Crap" and "throw-away car" were how some people described Cavaliers. Wifes Aunt has a cavalier and has good luck but its definetly not something to get excited over, styling, performance or basically anything.

 

[OS]

Originally posted by: MovingTarget

A car's life always depends on how good it is taken care of/driven. Don't knock the old cavaliers. Personally, I don't like them either...unless of course they had the 3.1v6. I used to own one of those. They are really fun to drive. I tried a 4cylinder when I was looking for a new one and was sorely dissappointed.

My uncle's car is the current gen j body. The entire family aren't abusive drivers and they have owned several corollas without incident. I will give that the new ecotec motors they are putting in the cavaliers these days are supposed to be pretty solid motors against it's competitors, but durability is so far unproven.

My first car was an 86 cavalier with 85 HP worth of fury. Though back then, domestic econoboxes were still half assed and it was built like a tank. Mechanically it was actually quite sound. Some guy in hatch once sped through a red light, and into our cavalier and the car took only moderate damage. My whole family was in the car at the time, everyone was fine and the hatch took serious damage. My parents ended up selling the car with only 80k miles on it for $300. If it weren't for the lack of parking space, I would have bought it for myself. 😛

I wouldn't buy one new though, there are much better cars for just a little bit more money these days.

 

[StageLeft]

Piece of sh*t. Wouldn't drive one for free. Honestly, it's like the worst car on the road for the money. At least with a Kia you don't pay much for it. Steer clear.

 

[ohtwell]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Piece of sh*t. Wouldn't drive one for free. Honestly, it's like the worst car on the road for the money. At least with a Kia you don't pay much for it. Steer clear.

Why does everyone bash Cavaliers? I've had mine for 3 years, it has over 160,000, and I haven't had to take it to the shop in two years, with the exception of routine stuff. They aren't as bad as some of you make them out to be.

I think Cavaliers are excellent cars. 😀


: ) Amanda

 

[Rent]

Originally posted by: ohtwell

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Piece of sh*t. Wouldn't drive one for free. Honestly, it's like the worst car on the road for the money. At least with a Kia you don't pay much for it. Steer clear.

Why does everyone bash Cavaliers? I've had mine for 3 years, it has over 160,000, and I haven't had to take it to the shop in two years, with the exception of routine stuff. They aren't as bad as some of you make them out to be.

I think Cavaliers are excellent cars. 😀


: ) Amanda

Be prepared to be flamed by all the import fanbois

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: ohtwell

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Piece of sh*t. Wouldn't drive one for free. Honestly, it's like the worst car on the road for the money. At least with a Kia you don't pay much for it. Steer clear.

Why does everyone bash Cavaliers? I've had mine for 3 years, it has over 160,000, and I haven't had to take it to the shop in two years, with the exception of routine stuff. They aren't as bad as some of you make them out to be.

I think Cavaliers are excellent cars. 😀


: ) Amanda

You got lucky 🙂

 

[ohtwell]

Originally posted by: Rent

Originally posted by: ohtwell

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Piece of sh*t. Wouldn't drive one for free. Honestly, it's like the worst car on the road for the money. At least with a Kia you don't pay much for it. Steer clear.

Why does everyone bash Cavaliers? I've had mine for 3 years, it has over 160,000, and I haven't had to take it to the shop in two years, with the exception of routine stuff. They aren't as bad as some of you make them out to be.

I think Cavaliers are excellent cars. 😀


: ) Amanda

Be prepared to be flamed by all the import fanbois

They can bring it on! I stick by my opinion.


: ) Amanda

 

[ohtwell]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: ohtwell

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Piece of sh*t. Wouldn't drive one for free. Honestly, it's like the worst car on the road for the money. At least with a Kia you don't pay much for it. Steer clear.

Why does everyone bash Cavaliers? I've had mine for 3 years, it has over 160,000, and I haven't had to take it to the shop in two years, with the exception of routine stuff. They aren't as bad as some of you make them out to be.

I think Cavaliers are excellent cars. 😀


: ) Amanda

You got lucky 🙂

Yes, I guess I did. Twice!! 😀


: ) Amanda

 

Originally posted by: ohtwell

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: ohtwell

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Piece of sh*t. Wouldn't drive one for free. Honestly, it's like the worst car on the road for the money. At least with a Kia you don't pay much for it. Steer clear.

Why does everyone bash Cavaliers? I've had mine for 3 years, it has over 160,000, and I haven't had to take it to the shop in two years, with the exception of routine stuff. They aren't as bad as some of you make them out to be.

I think Cavaliers are excellent cars. 😀


: ) Amanda

You got lucky 🙂

Yes, I guess I did. Twice!! 😀


: ) Amanda

I think Aves2K would argue that you've been lucky more than that! 😛

 

[ohtwell]

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: ohtwell

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: ohtwell

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Piece of sh*t. Wouldn't drive one for free. Honestly, it's like the worst car on the road for the money. At least with a Kia you don't pay much for it. Steer clear.

Why does everyone bash Cavaliers? I've had mine for 3 years, it has over 160,000, and I haven't had to take it to the shop in two years, with the exception of routine stuff. They aren't as bad as some of you make them out to be.

I think Cavaliers are excellent cars. 😀


: ) Amanda

You got lucky 🙂

Yes, I guess I did. Twice!! 😀


: ) Amanda

I think Aves2K would argue that you've been lucky more than that! 😛

:Q:Q


😉😛


: ) Amanda

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: ohtwell

Originally posted by: Rent

Originally posted by: ohtwell

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Piece of sh*t. Wouldn't drive one for free. Honestly, it's like the worst car on the road for the money. At least with a Kia you don't pay much for it. Steer clear.

Why does everyone bash Cavaliers? I've had mine for 3 years, it has over 160,000, and I haven't had to take it to the shop in two years, with the exception of routine stuff. They aren't as bad as some of you make them out to be.

I think Cavaliers are excellent cars. 😀


: ) Amanda

Be prepared to be flamed by all the import fanbois

They can bring it on! I stick by my opinion.


: ) Amanda

That's because it was under constant use. THere was an article a few months ago about a guy whose Honda completed a million miles without any major repairs, he said that there is no magic or tricks other than keeping it under constant use. I think that applies with lots of cars, not all, but lots.

 

[m2kewl]

Originally posted by: AgaBooga

Originally posted by: ohtwell

Originally posted by: Rent

Originally posted by: ohtwell

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Piece of sh*t. Wouldn't drive one for free. Honestly, it's like the worst car on the road for the money. At least with a Kia you don't pay much for it. Steer clear.

Why does everyone bash Cavaliers? I've had mine for 3 years, it has over 160,000, and I haven't had to take it to the shop in two years, with the exception of routine stuff. They aren't as bad as some of you make them out to be.

I think Cavaliers are excellent cars. 😀


: ) Amanda

Be prepared to be flamed by all the import fanbois

They can bring it on! I stick by my opinion.


: ) Amanda

That's because it was under constant use. THere was an article a few months ago about a guy whose Honda completed a million miles without any major repairs, he said that there is no magic or tricks other than keeping it under constant use. I think that applies with lots of cars, not all, but lots.

when did a domestic ever clock a million miles? 😉