2002 Chevrolet Cavalier Base 2.2 from North America

Summary:

Chevy will build my next car too

Faults:

Oxygen sensor @ 68,000; repaired under warranty.

General Comments:

The car has been everything I could have hoped for.

Other than the oxygen sensor, it has never had a wrench on it.

I had plugs, wires and automatic transmission filter/fluid replaced @ 120,000.

Everything works, but the AC/heater won't blow only out of the dash vents; probably leaves.

I still get 33 highway, 26 city.

Better seats, better ride, quieter, much better mileage than her 1998 Accord (V6) whose paint seems to be evaporating. The Accord will scoot though.

I even bought my son a used 2002 in 2007 for college, and his has been trouble free (he tore up 4 or 5 used imports before this car, so everyone has been surprised).

Let me add that it's 92% domestic content also.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 23rd June, 2011

23rd Jun 2011, 06:56

Your Cavalier was built in Mexico and IMPORTED to the USA. I love the Cavalier, as I too have one, but to claim it has better seats than an Accord is outrageous. The Honda Accords are built in the USA, while the Cavalier/Sunfires were built in Mexico, so I seriously doubt your Cavalier has 92% domestic content.

Also, you claim your Cavalier never had a wrench on it. When the oil was changed, did you unscrew the engine bolt with your fingers?

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2002 Chevrolet Cavalier 2.2L 4 cylinder from North America

Summary:

This is an unreliable, dangerous, high-maintenance, just plain awful car

Faults:

I have had to get the rear wheels re-aligned three times in two years.

The lighting needs to be replaced almost constantly. The lights will dim and brighten at random. I have bought a new bulb at least once for ever single light on the car in the past year. At one point the module for the rear lights went out and they would stay on, sometimes unknowingly, resulting in a few dead batteries. After it was replaced, because of the idiotic place in which it is set, it put pressure on my brakes. This then lead to about two weeks of brake issues until finally the ridiculous culprit was realized.

The engine loses a significant amount of power with the air conditioning on.

The fan for the A/C broke.

It is extremely difficult to change the oil.

The CD player broke and ate my disk.

The cigarette lighter broke.

The rear view mirror fell off.

Drivers seat has a weird lump in the back that gouges me and causes back pain.

It is extremely terrifying to drive this car in any kind of questionable weather. Wind, snow, rain, anything will make this car dangerous to drive, even with brand new tires and a clean bill of health. This is the main reason why I am getting rid of it. I honestly feel like if I continue to drive this car for one more winter, I will end up at the very least hospitalized.

General Comments:

This car is completely awful. It handles terribly, breaks down constantly, and needs a new part literally once a week. Even with regular maintenance, this car is totally unreliable.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 30th May, 2011

19th Jun 2011, 01:09

You stated it brakes down constantly and is unreliable but yet all the problems you list have nothing to do with mechanical problems. It is actually running. Annoying things, yes, but having a motor seize up or transmission go out are things that would go under "unreliable or breaking down".

29th Jun 2011, 18:29

Constant issues with the battery (a new battery I might add) and electrical wiring as well as alternator issues has caused me to be stranded multiple times in this car.

I am not here to argue that it is a bad car, I am simply here to share my experience with anyone wanting to purchase it.

2002 Chevrolet Cavalier from North America

Summary:

Good car, but you need to keep up with the maintenance

Faults:

The car has loose hub caps and they are very noisy.

I did figure out how to tighten 2002 Cavalier loose hub caps by adding a #17 1 1/16" O.D. x 7/8" I.D. x 1/32" O Ring that I bought at a hardware store in the plumbing department. I am sure it will work on other similar hub cap designs as well. Ken Meyer 404-275-9163 for photos of the process.

General Comments:

The car is running fine at 150,000 miles.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 23rd July, 2010