Faults:

The side molding fell off when it got hot outside.

General Comments:

I bought a 1982 Chevy Chevette with a Diesel engine and a 5 speed manual transmission. The car took a while to build up speed, but I was in no hurry. I have not seen a car since that could match the mileage I got back then. The fuel tank held about 11 gallons. I drove from Pittsboro, NC to Towanda, PA one night without ever refueling. It was low, but I traveled almost 550 miles on that one tank. Where is that Isuzu engine today; I've been waiting to buy another car with this engine and mileage!

Faults:

All damage or problems with this car were caused by rough driving except for the regular brake replacements.

General Comments:

As a teenager in the '80s I was allowed to drive my parents 4 door 'vette'.

To the people who think they are poor in the snow I have driven in snow over the hood, up hills with all season tires and down groomed snowmobile trails to a friends hunt camp. They are prety much unstoppable. Anytime we had a snowfall we were out in the worst of it and the car never let me down. It was a blast to drive.

Seating capacity 13 teenagers plus beer. (I am older now, but it seemed like a good idea then).

It was gutless, but I still managed to get speeding tickets. I SERIOUSLY abused the car (RE:the 'DUKES of Hazzard') to a point that our mechanic said that it must have been in an accident. It was always cheap to repair and ran great. We sold it to a friend of mine and they drove it into the mid 90s. (Maybe longer, I do not know)

If they were not so gutless and had poor brakes they would have been way more accepted.

A friend of mine had a Scooter version, he had the same driving style as me and it took his abuse. It was rolled on its roof one night with 4 passengers, they got out, no injuries, rolled it over, bunjied the hatch closed (got bent), and he drove it for months before pulling it off the road.

If you want a safe car for a teen to drive a chevette is it. To the people who think that they are unsafe, All cars are only as safe as their drivers. No car can protect you in an accident no matter how well built.

To the people who say that old cars are junk. You may be happy being brainwashed into thinking new cars are safer and better. That is what big business wants you to think. All I find is they have refined them more. They are way more expensive, get the same mileage, cost more to fix, and people still get killed in accidents every day.

I had a lot of fun in a 'vette' and probably would not have survived in other cars.

Faults:

Small oil leak.

Brake seal in left rear tire went and leaked fluid into the brake drums, brake pads wore down on right rear and left front tires. Replaced at 490000 clicks.

Ceiling fabric hangs down.

Dirty dirty engine, so it doesn't always spark. Needs cleaning, though this is no fault of the car's.

Little arms for the heater and such controls are broken.

Screw attaching the wire to the battery had no threads.

Timing belt, replaced it once, comes loose frequently and squeals.

Brakes squeal.

Right front stabilizer bar missing a bush so it rattles around going over bumps.

General Comments:

You can't say this car won't die. At over a half a million kilometers, it's still kicking, and the thing is 22 years old. It's such a great, dirt cheap car. All those who complain about it, go get a fancy Civic or something. For those of us who just want to get from Point A to Point B without fuss or repair, GET A CHEVETTE!

Handles great, I find the brakes work excellent now that they have been replaced. All those who complain about the brakes need to realize that these aren't your fancy power brakes! Why do you think the cars are so cheap :P!!

Also, the Chevette was built in a time where cars were still made of metal and not the plastic stuff that most cars are now. Test your car by putting a magnet on it. Not a strong magnet, but a regular old fridge magnet. Anyway, this fact is what makes the car so durable and tough.