Cabalier good/bad

[Pentium]

Hi,

I am CNG car shopping to replace a dinosaur juice burner. The Cavalier is about the right size and sounds promising.

So what's the good and the bad if I were looking for Cavaliers say in the 2001-2004 model range in the say 15,000 to 50,000 mileage range? We do tend to keep our cars for a LONG time. 100k to 200k miles. I want something reliable, safe and comfortable enough for a trip of 250 miles. I like it being a bi-fuel for emergencies.

Thanks!

[Highmarker]

Re: Cabalier good/bad

Pentium,

THE GOOD

Chevy reliability - all mechanical parts (transmission, engine, brakes, etc.) are very reliable. CNG components - they are all separate components. The high pressure regulator is separate from the low pressure regulator which is separate from the gas mass sensor which is separate from the throttle body. All components are fairly priced (high pressure regulator ~$300, low pressure regulator ~$120) with the exception of the gas mass sensor ~$1800 . Diagnosis can be troublesome at times, but there are some checks you can run through to narrow it down to a few components that might be causing the problem. You will get better fuel economy out of an '03 or '04 than you will out of an '01 or '02 (better technology on the engine - can't beat the Eco-engine)

THE BAD

I already mentioned the high priced gas mass sensor and the diagnosis troubles. Some problems are easy to spot, others require taking it to a certified CNG mechanic. Fortunately, you have CNGChat.com. Search the forums here, there is a lot of useful information regarding the Cavalier. If I had to mention something bad about the Cavalier, I would mention the range, 5 GGEs don't get you very far, but that is the case with all CNG cars (no room for tankage). Some say that the Ford Contours ride smoother than the Cavaliers, but I've never rode in a Contour. Where it is a bi-fuel, you need to make sure that you run adequate gasoline through the system. The gasoline system will gum up if not used often (a full tank of gasoline every 2 months).

Hope this helps.

[CNG MOTORS]

Re: Cabalier good/bad

Something to add with the 03 and newer no low pressure reg or gas mass, they are injected 03 and up. Cavalier not as good as a Honda GX but it is bi-fuel and makes for the best substitute if you can't make the Honda work. I put 75k miles on one in 18 months, this was before I started CNG Motors, it was my personal commuter to Tucson and back. Drove like a champ. You won't get 1m miles that you would in a GX but 350k miles should not be a problem for a cavalier. Hell the cabi's in PHX are getting 500k-600k miles out of their FORD CV's

[freedml]

Re: Cabalier good/bad

I'm liking the Cavalier more and more.

CAVALIER GOOD
great air conditioning

HONDA BAD
GX-specific parts like the HPR and fuel tank sender are $1800 and not necessarily stocked in the US (had to wait 6 weeks for an HPR). Also some GXs have the CVT which wears out under 100k miles ($3000 for a rebuilt, $6k new). It remains to be seen whether the new/rebuilt CVTs will last longer. Fuel injectors and individual cylinder coils also wear out and are pricey new.

[Ben Lurkin]

Re: Cabalier good/bad

Something to add with the 03 and newer no low pressure reg or gas mass, they are injected 03 and up. Cavalier not as good as a Honda GX but it is bi-fuel and makes for the best substitute if you can't make the Honda work. I put 75k miles on one in 18 months, this was before I started CNG Motors, it was my personal commuter to Tucson and back. Drove like a champ. You won't get 1m miles that you would in a GX but 350k miles should not be a problem for a cavalier. Hell the cabi's in PHX are getting 500k-600k miles out of their FORD CV's

You're pretty optimistic if you really think you will get 1,000,000 miles out of a Civic, or any vehicle for that matter, without any major overhauls. All things being equal, I would think the Civic would be a lot closer to the Cav. based upon the shop I was partners in.

If you throw enough money at it though, anything could run to 1M.