Has descent pick up for a 2.2 4 cyl. and good milage. For the most part reliable and looks nice. Very good first car and college student.

Alternator went out 3 times along with battery twice. Make sure to get a waranty on any alternator replacement. Excessive rust, must be taken care of immediatly or it will get alot worse fast. Plastic panels inside break crack and fall of, though not very serious. Factory stereo is not good, though when replaced with a good cd player and good speakers it sounds excellent.

I feel that this is a very good first car with no serious problems at 130,000 miles other than a bad rust problem. Not very fast but for a 4 cyl. not bad.

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-Acceleration is enough to put you back in the seat, though obviously, its no race car; makes very good use of the base engine
-Very resilient; I drive my cars brutally -hard turns, quick starts- and many have broken in my hands...the Cavalier is the only one that stood up to the abuse
-Repairs aren't too costly, that is, if you'll ever need any
-Resistant to road noise, even at high speeds
-Sporty, attractive car that doesn't demand high insurance fees

-Plastic bumper color looks very tachy in some schemes
-Four-door models have a considerably less appealing appearance than the coupes
-Factory hubcaps look pretty lame; if oyu have the money, I'd opt for the alloy wheels

I've had plenty of cars, and broke almost all of them. I could some up the entirity of my driving years with a couple shattered transmission fragments. Three cars have lost their trannies to my abusive driving style, yet the Cavalier stood up to more abuse than any of them and came out thoroughly unscathed!
Reliability is only good if you have some power to back it up. No, the Cavalier is no race car, but its got enough power to make even the most level-headed driver get carried away. The throttle is surprisingly responsive and the acceleration is more than ample.
I eventually lost this car to another family member (long story), but there isn't a day that I wish I could get it back. If I had the cash, you can bet a Cavalier would be my first choice!

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I had a 1989 Mercury Topaz on which I broke the transmission...then I had a 1995 Saturn SC2 that I broke the transmission twice in...I also had a 1990 Plymouth Laser on which I broke two trannies and required two clutches.......the Cavalier is the only car I've ever driven that has required no repairs! Unbelievably reliable, especially if you demand a little more than a boring, slow commute from you car.

I love the color (red), it is really cute (coupe with a spoiler) and it gets excellent gas milage. Even though it is almost 6 years old, it still runs pretty decent, and the paint is still in good condition.

The starter has went out 3 times and I have had it almost 2 years, and the engine knocks a little. The starter is going out again in it and I don't really know what to do about it. When I first bought it, it had it would slip out of park and I would have to SLAM the gear shift into park to get it to start. The dealer fixed that though and I have no problems since with that.

I would recommend this car for people who do not have to withstand bad condition roads. You feel every single pothole and bump you go over in this car. I also recommend it to people who drive long distances, one of my friends had a cavalier similiar to mine and drove it 170k without changing the oil one time and it still ran. This car will go FOREVER! I do not recommend it to people who do not like being smashed by car doors though, they tend to close themsevles from time to time.

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Well, I had a 1986 Oldmobile Delta 88, so I think this car is alot better.

bought the car 1 1/2 years ago with 45000 on it, and the only repair ive had to perform is rebuilding the alt. (caused by a faulty ground on an amp)
and fixing the locks on both doors
sporty, quick, good on gas.
reliable, durable.
fairly smooth ride and good cornering

gets rough at 110

I would more than recommend this to anyone

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87 Nissan Sentra, do i really need to say anything

very dependable, very very few repairs, first tone up 100,000 miles mpg very pleased with, comfortable, has gone through all the snow that is not deeper then the clearance allowed

not enough room in the back when seat now all the way up

Redcommend it highly. We are getting ready to trade this car and just wish there was a way to tell the next owner how dependable it has been, how economical it is to operate..I really hestitate getting rid of it but we are will be retiring in the next couple years and want to get a newer car before we do.....this one has over 118000 miles on it. Also, daughter has an 86 Cavalier that has been as dependable as this one has ...would give it an A+ times 100 recommend it for any and everyone, not just first time buyers but anyone wanting a reliable fine car.

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what can I say, earlier Cavaliers or other older Chev

Rare find, a 4dr. Cavalier with the 60 degree (3.1) V6. Strong acceleration with the larger engine. Lots of features that are easy to see from a better than usual GM dash design. Solid handling. Excellent heater and A/C. No Rust. Better than average factory stereo. Great price, and cheap to run.

Cramped interior, especially the back seat. No airbags. ABS system activates way too quickly on slippery pavement. Gas milage isn't great for a small car. Jittery ride on everything but smooth pavement. Cooling system not the greatest, and tough to work on because of how the V6 was shoe-horned into the engine compartment.

This is my second Cavalier. The 89 was my first car (isn't everyone's first car a Cavalier?) and calling it a piece of crap would giving it too much credit. The 93 is a drastic improvement; a very good small car when equipped with the RS package and the V6. It performs great, but the brakes take some getting used to. GM messed up with the ABS systems on these cars big time! Also it has all the drawbacks you would expect in a smallish car, and that performance the V6 gives you takes its toll in gas milage. Except for a bad heater core, its been a trouble free, dependable car. Starts in the coldest western NY winter every time. Parts are cheap too cause GM put the 3.1 many of the cars it made.
For a first or second car this is great, I would recommend it. Its a bit small but would be fine for someone who does not carry passengers all the time. If given the chance I would buy this car again.

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1989 Cavalier- it was a 4-banger and got great milage. Seemed a bit bigger inside too. But other than that its no match for the 93.

Rare find, a 4dr. Cavalier with the 60 degree (3.1) V6. Strong acceleration with the larger engine. Lots of features that are easy to see from a better than usual GM dash design. Solid handling. Excellent heater and A/C. No Rust. Better than average factory stereo. Great price, and cheap to run.

Cramped interior, especially the back seat. No airbags. ABS system activates way too quickly on slippery pavement. Gas milage isn't great for a small car. Jittery ride on everything but smooth pavement. Cooling system not the greatest, and tough to work on because of how the V6 was shoe-horned into the engine compartment.

This is my second Cavalier. The 89 was my first car (isn't everyone's first car a Cavalier?) and calling it a piece of crap would giving it too much credit. The 93 is a drastic improvement; a very good small car when equipped with the RS package and the V6. It performs great, but the brakes take some getting used to. GM messed up with the ABS systems on these cars big time! Also it has all the drawbacks you would expect in a smallish car, and that performance the V6 gives you takes its toll in gas milage. Except for a bad heater core, its been a trouble free, dependable car. Starts in the coldest western NY winter every time. Parts are cheap too cause GM put the 3.1 many of the cars it made.
For a first or second car this is great, I would recommend it. Its a bit small but would be fine for someone who does not carry passengers all the time. If given the chance I would buy this car again.

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1989 Cavalier- it was a 4-banger and got great milage. Seemed a bit bigger inside too. But other than that its no match for the 93.

The looks, how it handles, factory stereo, trunk space, comfort, design of interior (everything is very accesible for the driver), roominess, comfort of being a passenger, reliable.

Not much pick-up, runs hard and engine knocks a little when cold.

I would recommend this car because it has been reliable, I feel comfortable and safe when driving it. For being 11 years old, it still runs pretty well, and I know it will be around for a few more years!
A person who wants a great car for a great value would benefit from this auto. It's a great used car for a student, or someone who needs a reliable ride. It's not a luxury or fancy car, but the money you pay for the car you get is great. I would recommend this car to anyone.

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great peppy power from the 2.8 litre v6. the styling is great. never gave me a problem. i like the interior and the easiness of installing a stereo. i love this car. it will kick the crap out of any civic or stock integra. i like the power windows the power door locks.

the trunk noise with the stereo on. the lack of abs and the stock rims are kinda ugly but other than those minor dislikes i still think the car is kickass.

i would recommend it to any guy/girl that likes a sporty look and decent power.

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buick century, the buick was a tart cart compared to the z

looks good, brake service at 125 000km

engine rattles all the time, AC compressor is starting to make noise when the unit is off, front seatbacks didn't lock on the day I picked it up from the dealer, blew out the transmission (3 speed automatic)at 32 000 km!! leaky head gasket needed to be replaced after 4 years

To their credit GM has looked after everything so far (even stuff outside of waranty...after some heated arguments. Somebody said it in another review, check the V.I.N. and make sure that the car is not a product of Mexico.
I hear that cavaliers as a whole are pretty good but stay away from 1996.

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Ford Contour Sport - looks sharp, but typical Ford brakes problems