1999 Chevrolet Cavalier LS from North America - Comments

Front brakes replaced at 25K miles.

Tires replaced at 25K miles.

Front passenger door: Lock rubs the hinge when opened.

Front end: Have had unusual wear to the tires after only 25K. Had the tires replaced and balanced along with alignment, only for it to repeat itself after only 5K miles.

Rear brakes serviced at 30K miles.

Tires balanced (again) and rotated at 30K miles.

Overall the Cavalier is a very reliable and dependable car (that's why I purchased it). I really enjoy having the car. It's a sports car hidden in a family sedan. But to keep the car would cost more than I paid for it. I know that expenses come with every car you get, but having to purchase new tires every 25K miles is unheard of.

Maybe your tires were what was bad and not the car?

I'm NOT saying that the car is bad. It is a great little car and I have enjoyed having it. I found out recently that everyone I know that has a Cavalier has had problems with the alignment of the car (it gets thrown off really easily) which causes the tires to wear unevenly. I have already had the car aligned three times in two years and I'm not one to hit pot-holes or curbs. I have to constantly make sure that the tires aren't wearing unevenly so I don't have to drop hundreds of dollars ever 25K miles. Other than the alignment problem I have no problems with the car.

My 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier LS 4 door Sedan has been a very good car. Oil,Lube, and filter every 3000 miles due to dry hot climate in Arizona. New tire at 54000 miles and front brakes at 62000 miles and now has 65000 miles.

Correct alignment depends on the tires' proper size, right? I remember the Cavalier's base tire size was 14-inch, but the Z24 and LS models came with 15-inchers or bigger instead. The Z24's 2.4L 4-cylinder engine had 150 hp and the base's 2.2L had 110 hp, so it seems bigger tires are needed to handle the extra 40 hp. If I remember right, the LS had the same 2.2L as the base's, but it was considered more of a "luxury" model (you had to get this one if you wanted a 4-door with power windows, for instance), and this one came with bigger tires for this reason.

Anyway, my point? This car is the LS model with the 2.4L engine and tire size wasn't mentioned here, so the author of this review might want to make sure that 15-inch (or bigger, up to 16-inch), NOT 14-inch tires are being used. Maybe 150 hp is too much for 14-inchers on this size car.

Tire size has nothing to do with car power. The larger the tires the more you will stick to the pavement, but at only 140hp it doesn't mean anything. Your still don't have enough power to need wider tires.

Just because a tire is 15 inch does not mean it is wider than a 14 inch.