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Chevrolet Cavalier
2171 messages, Last post on Aug 23, 2012 at 6:41 PM
You are in the Chevrolet Cavalier Forum.What is this discussion about? Chevrolet Cavalier, Sedan
#751 of 2171 by teo
Jan 11, 2002 (5:37 pm)
The Cavalier is an unsafe tin can. If you want to drive around in a 20+ year old design, go ahead be my guest.For the rest of us, we are looking forward to the 2004 Chevrolet Astra that should help GM re-ignite the samll car segment that they abandoned long ago...around 1981.
Roger Smith, the GM CEO known as the bean counter of the first degree, is responsible for much of the maladies that still affect GM to this day. This individual is the craftsman behind the embarrasing J-Body cars and all its brilliant derivatives such as the Cadillac Cimarron, which was the LOWEST point GM and Cadillac could ever get to in the industry.
I don't want a 20 year old unsafe and dubious piece of junk. I want a WORLD CLASS safe, reliable, modern, high quality and reliability and enjoyable to drive Opel Astra in my driveway.
Some of you seem not to have been to Europe in recent years. I have seen/driven the current Euro Astra and it is 1 million light years away and then some from the Crapalier.
Enjoy your Crapaliers because GM is shelving this antique relic very, very, very soon.
#753 of 2171 by ehaase
Jan 12, 2002 (11:00 am)
Unfortunately, I have read some information from auto insiders on other forums that suggests that the Cavalier won't be replaced until 2005 or 2006.
Following is an article I read describing GM's small car plans for the next few years, based upon a GM presentation to financial analysts on 1/10/2002:
#754 of 2171 teo by dindak
Jan 13, 2002 (9:03 am)
Cavalier replacement is likely 2+ years away. Saturn ION is your best bet coming this fall.#755 of 2171 Those embarassing J bodies by dweezil
Jan 14, 2002 (8:13 am)
also appeared as and had input from Opel/GM Europe and were [and have been] built all over the world including Germany. See "The Rise and Fall Of The American Automobile Industry" by Brock Yates, which details the development story of the J car.There is nothing posted here that has not been untrue in most cases. It also does not make the idea that simply because it comes from Europe, it's automatically a world beater, and the examples I have given prove that. And itr also doesn't change the truth of what I have said.
I am sure it is true that the Next Gen. Cavalier will be be vastly "improved". My point is that the current example does what it is supposed to do inexpensively and efficiently.There are those out there though, who cannot have an objective discussion about this car without making unsubstantiated claims such as:"it's a 20 year old design which it is NOT [and which was explained in some detail several posts back, do these things not get absorbed?] or "my friend has one and it's a POS".Perhaps I'll go onto the VW Jetta or New Beetle forums and post the same statement about my friend's Rabbit.There's no credibility in that.
There is a definite element of snobbery in reference to the Cavalier [or any inexpensive car]and that seems to hold true for any item made available to the masses. The socio- anthropologists have been sneering at the suburbs for years. People made fun of the Model T, the Beetle as well [which was out of date the minute it started production]and any other item so called "commoners" embraced.Regardless of the fact that IT WORKS!!!!
I have gone onto the maintenance forum and read the posts for the New Beetle and Jetta. Fine German engineering, but I've never seen the kind of problems referenced THERE, or the arrogance of the dealerships shown to those with problems. Haven't heard of any 2.2s burning oil and needing rings at 15,000 miles and on and on.I thought if you paid more you got better quality???? I thought Eurodesign was superior.......I guess all those "cheap parts" on Cavaliers are less worthy than the expensive ones that so many seem to be replacing on the VW sites.
I am matching absurdity for absurdity. Homerkc has summed up the reasons for a new and "improved " Cavalier very well.
BTW: The Cimarron may have been a really lousy Cadillac.....but it was a GREAT Cavalier! :-}
#756 of 2171 by tomcat630
Jan 14, 2002 (8:21 am)
"Pontiac Lemans as well as the Chevette were all OPEL designs" They were based on them, but watered down and built much cheaper.The LeMans was based on the 80's Kadette, which in Europe was considered a good car, but Deawoo made the LaMans cheaply and we know the rest of the story.
The Chevette was a RWD Kadette and wasn't so bad until it was outclassed by competitors by 1980.
My opinion is that the Cavalier needs up dating, if they keep the J platform, then it should have new chassis components and other parts to make it more solid.
#757 of 2171 just for reference by alpha01
Jan 14, 2002 (8:55 am)
The focus has now been recalled a total of EIGHT times since its introduction in 2000.If quality is "Job. #1" at Ford, I cringe at the thought of what Jobs #2 and #3 are.
~alpha
#758 of 2171 recalls by tomcat630
Jan 14, 2002 (9:00 am)
VW just announced a recall campaign, but I don't see any lynch mobs as the Focus has gotten. The recalls fixed problems and by now should be done.Back to topic..
#759 of 2171 Thanks for clarifying by dweezil
Jan 14, 2002 (12:19 pm)
just keep in mind that it doesn't necessarily mean the design is good and to replace with something troublesome is not exactly "improvement".There is a market for cars that simply get the job done. I hope the next generation Astra/Cavalier is a good one, but I have my suspicions that no matter HOW good the next one is; it STILL will not satisfy many of the posters who have an irrational hatred for them.
#760 of 2171 There IS bias by homerkc
Jan 14, 2002 (8:58 pm)
Dweezil, I agree that there is bias against American cars today. Consumer Reports loves all foreign cars, hates all American cars. I just read their comments about the Dodge Intrepid (I own one, and it is a great car - the most trouble free American sedan in model year 2000, I understand.) They picked at items, sure, but their bias is seen in their wording. They are much more complimentary of similar rated features in speaking of the Japanese cars. Trust me, the transmission on an Accord does NOT shift smoother than the Dodge automatic, however, you would never know that from reading their text.The American manufacturers have caught up in many ways, and produce some fine cars. Some auto writers will take a decade of excellence before it registers with them.
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