Very dependable transportation
This car has been extremely reliable. With the exception of general wear and tear items, no major repairs have been made to the little diesel.
The diesel engine and transmission have been flawless. It has never failed to start and will start in all weather from 20 degrees to over 100.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 11th July, 2004
A waste of money
Gas sending unit was missing on car from factory, first time gas was put in, it spilled all over ground.
Leaked water on feet from dashboard.
Electrical shorts, lights went out if you beeped the horn.
New breaks/rotors at 15,000 miles, and every 20K thereafter (never happened on any car since)
Paint peeled from air dam while washing car after 2 yrs.
This car exemplified why the Japanese made such headway in the 1980's. It was a piece of garbage.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 26th November, 2002
Brazilian Chevettes were sold in Latin America from 1973 to 1993 or later. Even though they are not exactly the same car as the USA version (they are Opel Kadett carbon copies, but with engines similar to the USA models) they proved to be little tanks, not too comfortable, but really durable. By the way, at the same time the various Chevette models were sold here in Uruguay there were many Japanese competitors which sold a lot of cars, nicer and better equipped, at good prices. If you look at the street now, very few Japanese survivors from that age are running in good shape, whereas a lot of Chevettes are still around.
Ugly, slow, extremely reliable. Needs to make a comeback
Body rusted behind rear wheels at 195,000.
Fuel filter clogged at 100,000.
Valve cover replaced at 121,000.
Seats wore to the springs.
Paint faded.
Rear window fell out of the rubber cowl.
Radiator went at 300,000.
Rear passenger door quit working around the 376,000 mile mark.
Ceiling fell down around 250,000 miles.
This was the ugliest, most uncomfortable car I ever owned. It was also the most durable and reliable of all the cars I have ever owned or will own.
Fastest speed was 65mph.
Very reliable.
Very economical.
Very easy too work on.
I drove it seven miles on a blown front tire at 45mph and all I had to do to it was change the tire and realign a year later.
It rolled into a lake and when we towed it out and let the engine dry, it fired right up.
It was in many accidents and never failed to start.
Rear wheel drive made it bad on snow, but it also made it far more reliable than the front wheel drives of today.
When I got rid of it the engine was so smooth that I could balance a nickle on it while it was running.
I think car manufacturers should return to a simpler time. Not all of us can afford a car with super technology or all the gizmos.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 4th April, 2001
Make a comeback? you must be joking.
This ANCIENT car is reliable enough but has very inadequate (unsafe in my opinion) brakes, inadequate engine power (but they DO go more than 65mph), dangerously bad traction in snow and the front shock absorbers have a habit of poking through the underbody when you least expect it.
Please leave these doggy old cars where they belong - in the past.
3rd Jul 2003, 21:59
Obvious Far Eastern Bias. Someone cannot recognize the good merits of a car that outlasted many full sized Americans and all the Imports of its era...
There are still fewer of these in scrap-yards than its contemporaries (and more still driving on the road). Amazing, considering that it was the most popular car in the US in the late 70's and early 80's with over a million produced for at least 4 years running!