1996 Chevrolet Cavalier review from North America
"Good strong runner, a definite yes for the price"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
This was a very strong running car.
The Muffler rattled, but was not a major concern.
The Thermostat locked, causing the car to run hot. a $20, half hour fix by myself.
The front end had to have new constant velocity joint put on, but this was after 130K km.
The valve train "ticked" but really caused no damage to the cam or rockers. I had it checked by a mechanic before I had boughten the car.
The A/C system leaked, and the leak was never found. I got tired of having to charge it each spring.
General comments?
I really liked this car, I could depend on it through thick and thin. It was great on really cold winter days, always starting.
It drove well, and responded really nice on highway and in city. Winter driving was a breeze for this car.
The fuel economy was awesome, I could get about 700+km to a tank, and it only cost $35 to fill.
The safety features are great, I was in a roll-over with this car and came out unharmed due to the Airbag system and the belting system.
The 2.2 engine was pretty peppy for this car, it only got bogged down when carrying more than 2 people, understandably!
Fashionable and fun to drive, This car gets some high marks.
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| I love my Cavalier, and I'll keep it forever |
| A poorly made money pit |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1996 |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.2 Manual |
| Performance marks | 10 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 96000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 202000 kilometres |
| Date of Entry | 7th August, 2002 |