Ownership Cost for 1985 Chevrolet Cavalier (Type-10 Convertible)
Estimated: $50540 over the next 5 years
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Total
Depreciation
$3765
$1807
$1581
$1431
$1280
$9864
Insurance
$1451
$1502
$1554
$1609
$1665
$7781
Fuel
$2229
$2295
$2376
$2471
$2582
$11953
Maintenance
$2763
$2912
$1907
$2523
$2291
$12396
Repairs
$977
$1138
$1298
$1417
$1627
$6457
Taxes & Fees
$1411
$1411
$1411
$1411
$1411
$2090
Total Ownership Costs
$12595
$9815
$8921
$9582
$9628
$50540
Body Class: Cabriolet/Convertible
Displacement CC: 2800.0
Displacement CI: 170.86648346525
Displacement L: 2.8
Doors: 2
Engine Configuration: V-Shaped
Engine Cylinders: 6
Engine Manufacturer: Chevrolet
Fuel Type Primary: Gasoline
Make: CHEVROLET
Manufacturer: GENERAL MOTORS LLC
Manufacturer Id: 984
Model: Cavalier
Model Year: 1985
Plant City: Lordstown
Plant Company Name: GMAD
Plant Country: United States (USA)
Plant State: Ohio
Seat Belts All: Manual
Trim: RS
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
1997
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
IN DECEMBER 1999, I EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE COOLANT LEVEL AND THE LOW ENGINE COOLANT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. I ASSUMED THE THERMOSTAT WAS FAILING AND HAD A LOCAL SERVICE STATION REPLACE IT AND FLUSH THE RADIATOR. SEVERAL DAYS LATER THE LOW ENGINE COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. UPON INSPECTION, I HAD LOST SOME COOLANT AND EXPERIENCED THE SMELL OF HOT COOLANT WHICH I ATTRIBUTED TO THE RECENT RADIATOR FLUSH. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE SERVICE STATION AND THE COOLANT SYSTEM WAS PRESSURE TESTED TO CHECK FOR LEAKS AND PASSED. AFTER BEING IDLE FOR OVER 1 WEEK, ON JANUARY 3, 2000, I CHECKED THE ENGINE COOLANT LEVEL AND IT WAS LOW. I FILLED THE ENGINE COOLANT RESERVIOR TO FULL AND AFTER SHORT TRIPS THE LEVEL HAD HELD AT FULL. ON JANUARY 4, 2000, WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, I EXPERIENCED A ROUGH IDLE AND IN ADDITION TO THE LOW ENGINE COOLANT LEVEL ILLUMINATING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ALSO LIT UP ON THE DASH. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, HAWTHORNE CHEVROLET, EXPECTING TO HAVE THEM FINALLY RESOLVE MY PROBLEM AND THEY INFORMED ME THEY SUSPECTED MY ENGINE BLOCK WAS CRACKED AND ESTIMATED THE JOB AT OVER $3400.00. I NOTEICED SERVICE BULLETIN #'S 67-62-04, 970501776109 & 970501738309 POSTED ON YOUR WEBSITE REFERS TO SIMILAR DEFECTS AS THOSE I HAVE EXPERIENCED. IF THE ENGINE HAS A DEFECT, WHAT RECOURSE DO I HAVE? I HAVE FOLLOWED THE RECOMMENDED MAINTAINANCE SCHEDULE AND FEEL FRUSTRATED THAT GM AND HAWTHORNE CHEVROLET KNEW OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS BUT FAILED TO TAKE THE PREVENTATIVE MEASURES TO AVOID PERMINANT DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE SERVICE STATION WHERE I HAD THE THERMOSTAT REPLACED AND THEIR CONCLUSION IS THE HEAD GASGET HAS FAILED OR THE HEAD HAS CRACKED, BASED ON THE FACT THAT THERE ISN'T ANY COOLANT IN THE OIL PAN. I RECEIVED AN ESTIMATE OF $950.00 FOR THE REPAIRS. I'M NOT A HAPPY CAVALIER OWNER. I THANK YOU. *AK
1985
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
FIRE ERUPTED IN THE DASH WERE THE RADIO WAS LOCATED RUINING THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WAS OFF AND PARKED AND THE ENGINE WAS NOT AFFECTED. NLM