Faults:

Had the radiator replaced in about 2001, heater core in 2007, and alternator twice. The driver's seat has had much use, obviously, considering the amount of miles I have put on it, so it has deteriorated on the side by the door.

General Comments:

I love this car! I have driven it all over the western US and commuted in it off and on, and it's still running. It's reliable considering today's vehicles, and I liked it so much we added a 2003 Cavalier to our household. I must say the 4 door 1994 Cavalier handles much better than the 2003 2 door. The 1994 hugs the road well and handles quite well for a 4 door vehicle. It has a strong body that still feels like it was made from steel, versus the tinny body of the 2003. The backseat is tight - good for kids, but not for anyone over 5'8". The power is good for a 4 cylinder, except on hills unless you get a good running start. All in all, I would recommend this car and will drive it until it drops since the resale value at this point is nil.

Faults:

I had a starter problem shortly after purchasing this care. Manufacturers defect. Replaced by dealer.

I kept up the basic maintenance for this car and I didn't have any major repairs at all. Muffler/catalytic converter went well into the kms.

Really good engine, recommend the 3.1 over all of them.

Drove primarily highway miles.

Oil leak started (ran over a dead animal is the culprit) car went down hill.

General Comments:

This is absolutely the best car I have ever owned! I previously couldn't justify buying a new car, but this was my first.

I drove this car HARD. Like a truck and she took it mile for mile. It was always loaded down with something... rocks or dirt in the trunk or filled up to capacity with people with no noticeable difference in the handling.

Sporty, very fast pick up and a fun car to drive too. Pulling out onto highway via ramps is lightning fast and surprises the heck out of cars that 'appear' to be faster! :-)

I absolutely loved this car and it was good to me, unfortunately after I hit/ran over a deer (big one for this car!) She started to go down hill, with oil leaking into starter case and such. So I had to retire it, someone else picked it up to fix up for his son and apparently he's still driving it!

Lots of room for traveling.

Faults:

110K miles - vacuum leak was the cause of stalling in traffic. Problem was that the transmission wouldn't come out of higher gears after a full stop. Mechanic fixed it in 5 minutes.

100K miles - A/C compressor gave up. $700 for a GM compressor, so I didn't fix it because I prefer the windows down anyway.

130k miles - head gasket leaks antifreeze out the front of the engine and has for a few thousand miles now. Not detecting any antifreeze in the oil or internal components, I've opted not to repair it and just add a gallon of water with intermittent antifreeze monthly.

130k miles - rough idle occurs when conditions are damp or when water gets splashed in the engine compartment. I am suspicious that the coil pack has a crack and operates like an old distributor would with water in it.

170k miles - driver's power window ceased operation. I replaced the window switch cluster in the center console and the window motor itself, but neither has remedied the problem. Concluded that low voltage in aging wiring is the culprit.

180k miles - interior lights/turn signals "go dark" with no evidence of blown fuses. Turn signal cruise switch was replaced by myself at 150k miles due to a bad switch, and this is the first significant problem since the replacement.

As you can tell, I don't have a lot of money for repairs, so this is great car for a "cheap-skate". Change the oil and you'll be just fine.

General Comments:

I am amazed that this car accelerates like new with 182,000 miles on it. Mostly highway miles and it gets in the neighborhood of 30 mpg consistently.

70 miles a day for this car, but I would be a little uneasy about a long trip. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but 182,000 seems like a ton of miles for an American car.

The interior is very user friendly, but it's not a roomy family car like a Buick. It was fine with one child, but it's really only good to pick up kids from school.

The appearance and paint are great for having a life outside. The Midwest salt hasn't destroyed it yet.