It's Been Over a Year Since the Last Chevy Cavalier Post

I was a sucker and bought one new from a dealership.

BAD MOVE EX LAX!!

TROUBLE with a capital T.

I also bought an S10 pickup truck new.

Another bowel movement.

I will never buy anything made by Government Motors,from any of their divisions.

I have a 1973 Chevrolet 1/2 ton,made when they still put quality in them,and it is not for sale.

IMHO: GMAC Finance ruined GM quality in my opinion.

They discovered they could make more money financing them than by selling them.

Quality became JOB ZERO! And has remained there ever since.

You the one that started all those posts... when did you get rid of it... last year maybe?

I took the Cavalier far down into the boondocks and parked it beside an outhouse.

I left the key in it and a note saying if you can crank it you can have it.

6 Months later,I went by to check on it.

Someone had stolen the outhouse,and left the cavalier.

The farmer that owned the land fenced it in and put in goats and free ranging chickens.

The chickens use it to roost at night,and the goats are now enjoying the cavalier to play king on the mountain.

Goats love to climb on anything that will make noise underfoot.

At least the goats and chickens have found a good use for it.

I own a 2007 GMC Sierra 1500 (new body style). It has a whopping 48K miles on it and it's been okay at best. The dash is cracked (cheap plastic), the phone charger covers (two little covers that flip open to expose the 12V receptacle) have broken again (2nd time for both), the rear view mirror glass is going bad (mirror part) - 2nd time, passenger side recline lever replaced, steering wheel replaced, idles rough (did it since new), fuel economy stinks (4.3 V-6 gets 17mpg on a good day - I just got 15 mpg doing 80+ on a long trip), eats tires (on 2nd set and fronts looking like they have 10K left on them) and is a slug going up hills.

The good is that it has never left me stranded. Regular oil changes (5K miles), on 2nd battery, 2nd set of tires and runs okay and looks okay - paint is actually great shape.

A little bit of my history with GM :

1985 S10:Drivers side rear mirror fell out,it broke when it hit the ground.I was parked at the time.It had been stuck on to the housing with what looked like cold snot.Still under warranty,I took it to the dealer thinking they would replace the glass portion.

Nope! had to order a new assembly.

Took 2 weeks to come in.Another week to schedule the repair.The mechanic had no idea how to replace the mirror assembly.Took six hours to get the truck back.The shop foreman said the guy was new and didn't have much experience.

Ok,I let that slide.

At 2000 miles,it started idling rough.Called dealer,they said to give it more time to break in.It was still doing it at 5000 miles,so I took it to the dealer.

They arranged to pick it up where I worked the next day,and brought it back when I called them after work,had to wait about an hour for them to bring it back,and they were only 5 miles away.

They knew my work hours,and had promised to have it ready by end of my work day.

The shifter was greasy,the floorboards nasty,fresh dirt and grease on mats.

The surging was gone, but it was idling at about 2000 rpm.

Took it back,waited,waited,waited ,finally got it back after about 4 hours.

Idle ok.

Skip ahead to 50,000 miles,and a basket-full of troubles:

I was going over a maintenance check and while checking all my hoses and belts,and there was a hard spot in the vacuum line going to the EGR control solenoid.

Further inspection revealed a plug had been put into the vacuum line.

Took it back to dealer and they said they did not know how it got there,but they removed it and the surging came back.

The shop foreman checked it out,and he said there had been a modification order about putting a restricter in the vacuum line.He added the restricter and returned it to me saying it was fixed.I didn't get around the block it was surging again.

I took it right back.He tried everything. He removed the restrictor.

Still surging.Finally,he told one of the mechanics to replace the EGR Valve.

Problem solved.

I figured this was just an unethical dealer,and vowed to never buy from him again.

So,silly me,I bought a CAVALIER from a different dealer,50 miles away a couple of years later.

And don't get me started on the CAV.;Same story only worse.

Up till then,I had always been a Chevy man.

Now you could not give me anything that Government Motors makes.

I have a 1973 1/2 ton,with a 454.

Not for sale.

This was when they still focused on quality,not profit to the exclusion of all else.

They still have not paid back all of the government bailout money;

Sure,they said they did,but they took money from one government fund and used it to pay off another,giving the impression that they had paid it all back.

They should have been allowed to fail,along with Chrysler but they had too many politicians in their pocket.

As I have said before,figures don't lie,but liars can figure.

I will stick with the foreign named vehicles made in the USA.

I have a story about my 1991 S-10, but I wouldn’t bore you about it,,,, maybe. Lol

Come on!!! Let's hear!

Well, I bought a new 1991 S10 in June of 1990. And I did something I don’t normally pay do, and that’s took out a 100,000 mile extend warranty.

well, worth it. I had taken it in at least 8 times, for warranty issues,... I was starting g to sweat, when it was coming to 100,000 miles. Most were mechanical, one was a recall, that I never got, the paint was shedding off. And when I took it in, they said, their not doing it to all people who bought the S10, only when there’s problems... and how they checked, he took a 2” masking tape,... press it on the paint, and tore it off... and now it was just bare metal showing.

anyways, in 1994, the front knuckle went out on the FWD and I took it in, they gave me a loaner car... I believe it was a Cavalier.... I mean a lumina

they don’t do that any more. Anyways, I got a call to let me know that the part was on back order, and as soon as the part came in, they’ll give me a call...and then Soon after GM went on strike. Well, I was driving that loaner car around all summer.

are you awake yet... anyways...

On a hot August day, I had to put gas in, stopped at my usual gas station, filled it up,... and went in to pay for it,... I was standing in line for a few minutes, and decided I needed a cool drink... so I cut out, got my drink and started at the back of the line again.

got to the counter.... I didn’t look at the total and just paid for it.

well, I got a call from the police department about 2-3 weeks later and he left a message... that I drove off, the policeman mention the gas station attendant stated she recognize me, and I was a regular, and the policeman said just give the station a and him a call and get this settle up.

then the policeman mention, you know, we had a hard time tracking you down... they traced the vehicle to the car dealership, and they had no record who they loaned the car out to... fortunately for me, he saw the humor in that, and asked to give him a call.

well, I called the gas station, and settled that out... I then called the number the policemen left, and the one that answered, said he wasn’t available, and if he could help.

i explained the situation with to him, and he was got in a twist, and stated he’d arrest me on the spot.

well, I cut him short, and explained, the investigating police officer already has this worked out.

Well., the desk jockey wasn’t going to leave it at that, and continued to show his dominance... I cut him short, by telling him, I understand the reason why they put him behind the desk, and asked if there’s anything else?... with the exception of replying ‘No’ he was speechless.

and said my good byes.

Back to the story, needless to say after the truck hit 100,000 miles, I had little issues with it, until I drove it to the salvage yard at 225,000 miles.

It took 100,000 miles to get the bugs out! Amazing. Great story!

It takes a well run company like GM to not have a part for your truck all SUMMER!!! At least they gave you a loaner to use.

Back in 2017, I leased a Jeep Patriot. At 181 miles, the check engine light turned on. The dealer gave me a loaner car - was suppose to be one or two days. They changed a sensor and voila ... voila ... voila ... ummmm. There's something still wrong with your car! I kept the loaner for about 3 weeks. I had a 90 mi/day commute and I piled miles on their loaner. After many hours of talking to the experts in Detroit, they figures out it was a pinched wire. They replaced it and I got my car back. I kept the car a few more months and sold it. I'm not a fan of the car.

My brother in law had a Pontiac Sunbird (aka Pontiac Cavalier) that he drove to 250K or something crazy like that. I always gave him a hard time, but that POS kept going and going and going.

After that turd, he got a real car. A Toyota Highlander that must have 300K plus miles.

Ya, well in GM Defense, they GM employees was on strike...

Pontiac sunbird,... now this isn’t a competition... but....

living on the farm we had people ask to pull them out of the ditch,... usually in the winter time. This was in the dead of summer.

I was about 14-15 years old at the time, and a fellow came in out yard, and Said, that he was teaching his wife how to drive,.... and his wife panicked and put it in the ditch. asked if me, if my dad could pull the out... I mentioned my dad wasn’t aroundM and there was a liable issue if I did any damage to the car... the wife started crying... and this gut looked to be in his 50’s... red hair, looked to be short tempered, i imagined he was pretty hard on her... so I agreeed, but I said, you’ll have to hook up the To his vehicle... for out, he was a retired firemen from Chicago.

and ways,... I got the tractor out and followed him about 1/4 mile down the road... and he stopped... he said here’s his car... I couldn’t see it. Turned out,... she really put it in the woods about 100 feet. She clipped off, a couple of cedars that were 4”-6” diameter.

i looked over the situatation, and I could believe what I was seeing... the car literally bull doze through the woods... and with the exception of a few scoff marks on the paint,... there weren’t any dents... the grill did have a minor crack on it...

I looked under the car, and saw, one of the trees she clipped, the remaining stump was holding the car up. I actually could have spun the car like a top if the trees weren’t on the sides of the car also.

I well this guy could not get good hook on the dam car,... so when I crawled under it, I fastened it more secure. TheN I took the trees she clipped off, and shoved it under the tires.
he said she panicked, and floored the gas pedal...

by this time, this guys was literally bitching at his wife. Told me pull this @#&$& %&@$#$ out, I don’t give a $#&@$ what happens to the car.

well, I couldn't do that,... and finished with the prepping the car for the pull. When I had it done, I Then told him, To get in the car, I’ll put tension on the line,... you back it it out...

he didn’t think it was going to work,... but I think he was just doing it to make his wife feel worse.

We pulled it out, and I could not believe it... after clipping and shearing these trees, this car, there was absolutely no damage to the car.

The guy was rather surprised also,... offered me $100, I felt so sorry, for the wife,... I declined it, told them to Enjoy the rest of their weekend...

and then they drove off.

well, I was alway happy that cell phones weren’t available when I was that age (Evidence)... but I sure would have loved to have capture a Kodak moment that time...

Wow, that was one heck of a Cavalier!

Just kidding

Do you remember what kind of car it was? I'm thinking it had some pretty heavy chromed steel bumpers!

I looked, it was a Pontiac Sunbird.

i showed my dad,... I’m thinking, he thought I made it up to cover something up. Lol....

Maybe Pontiac put some "secret sauce" in their Cavaliers.

Pontiac Sunbird = Cavalier with Pontiac badges.

I love how European cars drive, feel and sound - they're also pretty good looking too. But they aren't cheap to keep on the road - even worse here in the US, where mechanics are licking their chops when you pull in for service. Even more when the car is towed in!

I've had the best luck with Japanese cars. We had an unbelievable Lexus - 216K miles with only maintenance. Not one thing broke on the car! Toyota and Honda vehicles have been great for us. Had a Suzuki XL-7 that was a good car, but thirsty! An Infiniti M45 that I thought would've been a better car. Burned oil (from 28K miles and on), had a flat spot in the starter, broke two exhaust manifolds and had a few other problems as well. But it was FAST!!! And being a sleeper made it a great car to drive fast ... up to a certain point, then the suspension made the car feel unstable. Nissan 240 SX was a good car, but nothing special. Mazda Millenia was a complete piece of garbage. No Subaru. No Mitsubishi. No Isuzu. No Korean cars either.

No Daiwoo, Daihatsu. No Hyundai or Kia either, but those two brands have improved dramatically in the last decade.

GM, Ford, Chrysler (Jeep included) have been a big let down for us. The last two good domestics we've owned were my mom's 1981 Monte Carlo (with a 267 V-8) and my 1980 Camaro (with a built 305 V-8). That's a long time ago!