my family is looking to get my sister a cavalier or sunfire, probably a 96 or newer, and we're kinda wondering about reliability with high miles? the only mod would be a CD player. thanks!




I love all cars, domestic and import, can't we all just get along?

1968 Camaro; 360 SBC (.040 over 350), carb, intake, cam, headers, balanced; TH350, shift kit; 3.73 Posi

an OLD pic of the camaro. it is now primer in the process of being painted.

My 2000 with about 52000 miles hasnt let me down yet. Ive only had it for about a year though. Runs great and puts up with the hard driving I do.

Mine was really reliable up until recently and has just now starting to have some issues. Keep in mind the car is 9 years old with 100,000 miles on it so it has done pretty well by me. I'm still trying to figure out what exactly is wrong with it whether it be brakes, exhaust or something else.Once I get these minor things worked out I expect it'll be good to go again for awhile .

Mine too has been reliable. I'm currently at 124,000 on my '97 Cav. No major repairs yet unless you count a water pump, wheel bearings, etc.






--04 Blazing Copper Mazda 6 s

Mine has been a very reliable car the only problems I have had is the stock brakes suck on cavaliers so i up graded with better brembo rotor (works awesome) and the same problem with almost everyone else with a cavalier the dash crack. But the engine runs like a top with 102,000 miles. 99 Z24 5spd.

My 01 Cavy had just over 72K on it when I was rear ended and the car was totaled. the worst problem i had (aside from having a blown suspension because I took the "cheap route" when i lowered it) was a minor oil leak from the valve cover. Was fine after I replaced the gasket (and the valve cover itself because I cracked it by over torqued one of the bolts)

Check out the Third Generation forum. There are threads there about the longevity of 2.4L and 2.2L versions.

Third Gen

131k on my 99 base model with the 2200 engine. only big problem was the head gasket just this last winter. other than that only minor things.




5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY FREEBIE GIVEAWAY - CLICK HERE TO ENTER
What you know about Street Racing anyways? Only what Fast & Furious taught us....
SO EVERYTHING!

Only problem i had was my water pump went out at about 60-70k. Every other major problem was because of my driving habits

170k on my '97 fire, no big problems other then regular stuff(head gasket is going)


<img src="http://www.j-body.org/registry/scotfire/images.jpg">.

My 1999 2.4 with just under 90,000 miles has been completely reliable. The only time i sat was when i the battery finally kicked last summer, but that's something to expect. I'd feel confident to drive it any distance, it still drives/shifts/handles like when i bought it back in August of 2000. I have also drag raced this car several years, but i'm right on it with maintenance.

i bought a 02 ls sport new

i modded the hell out of it, and i couldnt have asked for a better car.

23- 28,000 and that car was aweasome, not a thing went wrong.

keith-

I have to agree with, Stargrrrl now that my car is fixed! Car feels like brand new again after spending $370 on her and I consider that stuff to fall under general maitenance. Needed a new power steering pump and exhaust work to keep it short and sweet. With over 97,000 miles on it I was sitting at a couple lights today and had to check my idiot lights a couple of time to make sure it hadn't stalled... Yes, it was running that quiet and I didn't have that normal bobbing and weaving you feel in some of these engines - it was just perfectly smooth and quiet.

Had my '99 Z for 95,000 miles (had it since it was new) and never had to take it to a shop... not even any warranty work at the dealer!

Rob





Sold 2/2/05

my '96 Z24 had to have the sunroof tracking replaced once at 27k miles - $1500us, under warranty thank goodness
also had the water pump replaced once under warranty at about 30k miles, and it needed another when i traded it at about 73k miles. i never saw the price for this repair.

then came the '01 Z24. nothing ever got fixed aside from regular maintenance stuff. there was an odd issue with loose steering feel that never got resolved in the whopping two years i bothered with it. the dealer saw me five times for steering before i gave up. i knew they were spitballing when, the final time, they said they'd tightened a tranny mount. (??)

general rule of thumb on any j-cars, like most others out there: if you take care of it, it will take care of you. just be ready for the regular items, and check to see that old recalls and service bulletins have been dealt with, and you should be okay. the '96 and newer engines are quite capable of lasting up to and beyond 150k miles even when used & abused.




Have you seen the turbo wagon?

14.069 @ 98.91mph
229.1hp & 261.7ft/lbs @ 6psi
no tuning time

my 92 cavi curently has a fuel leak and paint problems and a bunch of other @!#$ i cant deal with,,,,so im savin my cash and polishing it up and try to trade in on a newer cavalier or somthing

97 cavi RS, 2.2L 5sp, got it at 121,xxx and now at 129,xxx, only things i done so far where front brakes and new plugs besides oil changes..although my control arm bushings are going, its runs great, leaks nothing, and i would trust it to be driven across country!

My '96 Cavi has 316,000kms and just passed its e-certification with flying colours. Major work has been an intake gasket at around 70,000kms (by previous owner) and the clutch and drive-shafts by me a month ago.
I bought the car with 305,000km in November.

I bought my 2002 base model new and the only thing it had done to it was the passenger side sunvisor fell apart. Replaced under warranty. Did the front brakes but that's regular maintenance. I'll add that parts are very reasonably priced for GM small cars in general. No unpleasant surprises at the parts store.


God bless America.