1998 Chevrolet Cavalier 2.2L Ecotec OHV

Summary:

Low-maintenance, but not very well designed

Faults:

During a panic stop, rear brake line busted. Work out of warranty, but not that expensive from a dealer.

Adhesive for the drivers side door weather stripping is failing on the top section. Simple fix.

When engine is first started, every once and a great while, while first accelerating, engine will hesitate slightly and sometime stalls. Have not had dealer diagnose yet.

General Comments:

I inherited vehicle from grandparents who hardly drove it. Cannot comment on value. Have dealer perform all work. I work full-time and go to school about 40mi away full-time. Can't function with a broken car. Don't want to use an independent mechanic just to save money. Cooling system is poorly designed. Only one electric radiator fan where most front wheel drive cars have two. When not using A/C, fan doesn't turn on till a higher temp than normal. Temp guage shows high increase in temp. Dealer says this is normal. Doesn't work very well in heavy stop and go traffic in the summer in Tampa, FL. Might replace stock fan with an aftermarket dual fan setup with built in thermo switch. Lots of creaks and groans in the suspension. Ride quality is so-so. Seat is not very comfortable especially for long trips.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 5th January, 2005

18th Apr 2006, 18:56

The cavalier was described 100% correct. It's a great car, but the Temp gauge is always above normal and A/C unit is a reject. I would recommend this car to people who are "Responsible" enough to keep up with the maintanance on time. Remember you are getting what you paid for and this is not a Cavalier (Carefree) car.

1998 Chevrolet Cavalier Coupe 2.2L

Summary:

This is a reliable no frills starter vehicle

Faults:

The steering wheel started to crack and peel at 45,000 miles.

The battery died at 50,000 miles.

One time, the passive theft security system malfunctioned and shut the car down while I was driving. I was able to remove the key and restart the car in neutral while the car was moving even thought the steering wheel locked itself in a turned position. The problem was a worn key which did not allow proper contact with the microchip embedded in the key. The problem never happened again.

General Comments:

The car has been very reliable.

The car is noisy and squeaky and in the rain there is a lot of road noise. It sounds like the window is open when it rains.

The seats are not comfortable on long trips.

The visibility is excellent.

The car is very responsive during emergency maneuvers.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 16th August, 2004

1998 Chevrolet Cavalier LS 2.2L

Summary:

Good car, poor performance

Faults:

The first day driving the car after two weeks of it sitting in the driveway, the ABS system stopped working. Local mechanics can't figure out how to fix it.

General Comments:

Car takes abuse daily with no problems besides the ABS system.

The engine is very weak (115HP) and the car is slow. It runs 0-60 in over 11 seconds with the automatic transmission.

Handles well, good ride quality.

As a people mover, it does a good job.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th February, 2004

1998 Chevrolet Cavalier Base Sedan 2.2L Gasoline

Summary:

Dependable and cheap

Faults:

Transmission broke down around 56000 miles.

Engine occasionally overheats, resulting in a loss of power.

Cup holders not ergonomically placed.

General Comments:

Decent fuel economy.

You can run the engine hard as you want with no wear separate from normal wear and tear. Very durable.

Not real fast.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 3rd November, 2003

14th Jun 2005, 21:15

How can you label a car whose transmission dies at 50-some thousand miles reliable or cheap? Maybe cheaply made, cheap to buy, and because of the super-abundance of the need to replace parts, cheap parts, but definitely not cheap to run. I'd get pissed if my transmission went out after 200,000 miles.

In reply to 14th Jun 2005, 21:15

13th Dec 2011, 12:18

So you are telling me that all the clutches and bands in the transmission are suppose to never wear out in a car? Get real. Some cars, no matter what year and make, are built on a Monday morning, and someone installs something wrong, and it fails prematurely.