28th Jan 2005, 14:17
Wow, you've definitely made your decision on Cavaliers it appears. Go out and buy a Camary or Accord if it makes you happy. They were reliable cars for many years, there is no denying that. I do not have too much experience with the new Accords, but I would like to genuinely caution you that I do have somewhat extensive personal/direct experience with multiple late model Toyotas that have been highly problematic. There was a judgment against Toyota for several of their '96 - 98 models (including Camary) with faulty emissions equipment. There are also well documented problems with faulty head gaskets causing engine sludge, leading to early engine failure. More recently, the Toyota Tundra models have been having internal engine problems, and suspension problems arising from faulty engineering. With several of these problems, the cars can not pass inspection, placing an extreme hardship on their owners.
You are quick to bash the Cavalier, from what I believe are laregely preconceived notions about American cars. However, I really do not think you have had any personal experience with Cavaliers. I have in fact had personal experience with multiple Cavaliers going 200+ thousand miles, one of which was in my own family, and others owned by friends of mine.
American cars have had their problems in the past, and it was in fact models like the Camary and Accord that made the American auto industry do some needed soul searching, and once again make quality a priority. Now it may in fact be the Japanese car companies (Toyota in particular) who are relying too much on their reputation, and letting their quality slip.
You say I lose my credibility by calling the Cavalier a great car, as if the Cavalier being a bad car is some kind of unquestioned doctrine in the automotive world. Believe it or not, not everybody agrees with you. Take a look at the Cavalier reviews and you will see that I am not alone in liking that car. I even have my own review up their if you want to take a guess which one it is. I can assure you, we are not all suckers.
Please go out and buy whatever car makes you happy. The important thing however (and this applies not only to car buying), is that you are objective, and think for yourself when you make decisions. Again, I very strongly suspect your comments have come from preconceived-notions/bias you have acquired, that really have no basis with fact. From my own experiences, I really believe I have enough experience with cars to make that statement.
This is a great site that should not be used for reviewers to accost each other. I did not take your comments as such, and would like you to please know that I mean no offense by what I have written. I just wanted to speak up, as is the purpose of this site, when I believe a car I like and know to be a good model, is being unfairly maligned.
27th Sep 2005, 14:50
I have owned an 87 Cimarron for 7 years now. I have not really had any major problems with it. My car has around 200K miles on it and it still has plenty of power. Maybe the earlier Cimarron’s were not so hot, but the later ones with the 2.8L were great.
29th Sep 2005, 23:31
How is the Cimarron bad? The Cimarron seems to get a bad rep just because it was a rebadged Cavalier, which I think is absolutely ridiculous.
21st Oct 2005, 17:26
I have a 84 cimarron with 55000 miles and had few problems just this year (alternator, battery, electric windows, electric mirrors doesn't work, the motor can stop because it become too hot some times, loosing oil and gas, fog lights don't work, powerstering's strap broke..
It is my first car so I don't know if all this problems are normal, but I like this car.. very spacious!
21st Feb 2006, 12:27
I don't really care for the Cim either (personal experience), but it is a member of the Cadillac family and it was an innovative idea, even though it never really worked out. Nonetheless, I am looking for one to put in my Cadillac collection. It deserves to be there, no?
7th Mar 2006, 08:55
Some cars of every model are destined to fall apart. I'm convinced most of it has to do with the owner, but part of it is luck. I've owned several Cavaliers in my life, and now that I own a Cimarron, I can say that a simple rebadging is not all that Cadillac did with this car, though the later models certainly show this better than the earlier ones.
As for Cimarron becoming a sought-after collectible, anything is possible. In the right circles, a Cimarron in excellent condition could fetch some major bucks. I say "in the right circles" because too many people, a double-stamped nickel is worth five cents, but to a collector, it could be worth thousands, depending on several factors.
7th Mar 2006, 18:41
Hope springs eternal I guess.
Sorry, but unless you're able to dupe some 18 year old into paying "major bucks" for your Cimarron, it's going to be worth about $100 retail.
21st Aug 2007, 23:49
The cimmaron was no better or worse than any other small domestic FWD car from the era. ford tempo or dodge K-car anyone?
6th Jan 2008, 01:56
If the Cimmarron and other GM J cars were so bad, then why did GM sell so many J cars?
GM probably sold more J cars than Toyota and Honda sold Corollas and Civics combined. The reason is the Cavalier and various other J cars were cheap and reliable transportation. Many car rental companies, utility companies, and various other companies bought fleets of these things at a time, and you don't even have to look very hard to see J cars in abundance on grocery store parking lots, mall parking lots, highways, byways, etc...
The Cimmarron was not the worst car ever. GM used the same concept on the Cimmarron that they used on the Escalade, which is nothing more than a rebadged Chevy Tahoe/GMC Denali. But people don't seem to complain about this. In fact the Escalade is often glorified by the rappers, athletes and the media. So if you have a Cimmarron, don't be ashamed of it. It's not a bad car.
And for the 1 comment about the Cimmarron having a problem with a choke; that person couldn't have possibly had this car, because the Cimmarron was never carbureted, so it never had a choke.
1st Jan 2005, 18:41
I happen to agree with this reviewer that the Cavalier is a great car. They are affordable, very reliable, easy to work on, and the parts are cheap. I have seen them routlinely go 200K+ miles, including one of my previous Cavaliers. I drive a Cavalier now in fact, and can emphatically say, it is not a Mercedes...thank God!! If you feel you need to be seen in a Mercedes, go right ahead and buy one... spend your life's savings on it if the ego trip is that important to you. I could buy ten of them, but I wouldn't be caught dead in one. I do not believe in throwing hard earned money away. You sound a little like Micheal Moore yourself with your own ranting and raving.