1984 Chevrolet Chevette CS from North America - Comments

Muffler rusted through.

Vacuum leak.

Broken shocks.

Nothing else other than regular maintenance.

My first car, or more or less the first car I've ever owned personally. And perhaps my favourite car I have ever driven (and I've driven 250+ HP cars). The Chevrolet Chevette.

I have owned this 1984 Chevette for almost a year now and I have had nothing, but enjoyment out of it. It has proven itself to be a reliable tough little car time and time again, taking everything I throw at it and more. Seriously, I doubt anyone could build an economy car this tough anymore.

The overall look of the car is pleasing to the eye. It's unique shape, and the lines the car sports are much nicer than the "blob" cars of more current years. The tires don't look too small for the vehicle (which is a problem the newer Chevrolet Aveo's and Honda Fit's have, the tires aren't proportioned with the car's body). And being a sub compact, the car fits nicely into almost any parking space (which is helpful when you're a full-time student like myself)

Moving onto the interior, while being made of cheaper plastic, fits the car well and retains design elements of earlier muscle cars. The dash is a great example of this, with its classic gauges and simple, but detailed design. It was one of the many things that drew me to the car. The seats are also of classic design, but really need to be "broke in" before they become comfortable. There isn't much headroom in the back, but nobody really buys a sub compact as a family car anyway. However there is a lot of trunk space, especially if you put the back seat down, which can make it invaluable on trips if you have a lot of luggage.

Gas economy is great for a 3-speed auto. Topping off around 33/40 MPG. Though with this great economy comes a drawback. The car's 75 HP and 2800 lbs weight makes it very slow in acceleration. Though with a few modifications it isn't much of a problem, and the Lotus-like handling and braking more than make up for the car's inability to give you a speeding ticket.

Chevettes get an undeserved reputation for being bad, when their only major fault is that they're slower than most other cars. Hopefully GM eventually sees that there is still a demand for basic parts to keep the Chevette road worthy. One day, someone there will see the Chevette for what it truly is: a classic car with a lot of guts.

Best use I found for any Chevette was to mount a 60" mower deck under one.

Original poster here. 93000 kms on the odometer now.

Apparently my car was running on the 2 front brakes only, the rear drums were shot. Had the whole system and master cylinder replaced, and now it's hard to stop without putting the passenger through the windshield at the lightest touch. I didn't know a Chevette could stop that well :)

Adding in a few mods to compensate for the slow acceleration (hood scoop, K&N filter, T-5 transmission swap), and I'm planning on re-doing the interior.

The car is still running excellent, despite the harsh winter conditions (-72 degrees celsius anyone?), two 60 lbs bags of salt in the back for traction and a daily commute of about 45-60 kms. I will definitely need a bigger alternator though. Lights + heater + wipers + big stereo = very dim lights at night.

Still a great car, though I am looking into another car for modding purposes and winter driving. The winter is really harsh on that old 1.6 litre engine.

Original poster again. This car keeps getting better and better. It's literally a Franken-vette, with parts from so many different years makes and models, it's borderline crazy. The T-5 5-speed has gone in, and while it does need its bearings replaced (makes a lot of noise, but it's old and from a junkyard, so it is understandable), the car's acceleration and gas mileage have drastically improved and it's very fun to drive. We're using a Honda Accord console that almost fits in like it belonged there. The clutch was for a Brazilian Chevette, and the shifter is from a Pontiac. The seats from a 1990 Cavalier Z24 bolted right in and are much more comfortable and sportier looking than the stock buckets. More updates soon, when the transmission is fixed.