91 Cavalier...Diamond in the Rough??

[american_revolution_2005]

I found this 91 Cavalier where the Aries was. You can see the $150 Aries in one of the pics. It still is there 2 months later. Anyways, this car was a two-owner car. It was bought in 94 as a used car by the parts manager's mother at this dealer. She babied it and drove it for 12 years. It needs some rocker work and the engine needs cleaning. The interior is almost spotless. The new car smell can even be smelled. The rear seat still has the dealer plastic on it. There is some rust on the bottom of the doors as well but a lot of it is dirt. It hasn't rusted through anywhere and is still original paint. There is one dent in the passenger side rear door. Minor though. It has 140,000 kms on it and they want $200 for it. What do you think?

[Guest YellowJacket894]

I'd like it better if it were an RS coupe. And either black or maroon in color.

Otherwise, not too bad. You would need to take the car to a car wash to get the crud off of the engine. If you got it, would you invest any money into appearance parts or . . . ?

[american_revolution_2005]

If I got this, I would pay money only to repair it. I would do cosmetics on the rockers or sand them down or something and then get some touchup paint. I would also pop out the dent.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

Well, if you know you'll be happy with it, and you know you can't buy that T-Type, go for it. Just make sure it's what you want, I can't stress that enough. (Being unhappy with what you buy leads to some rather interesting situations. It's how I've wound up with six guitars -- three of which I don't really need or play, for that matter.)

[american_revolution_2005]

I have been looking at these Cavaliers for a while and parts are so easy to come by with the 2.2L and many of these Cavaliers being in the junkyards.

[american_revolution_2005]

It is just a small one in the door. It wouldn't even be neccessary.

[FAPTurbo]

Hate to tell you, but I always thought those cars looked shiesty, and the brown REALLY makes it look like, well, like... um... yeah...

For $200, I guess it's great... but if I were you, I'd just keep saving, or somehow grab that Buick.

[loki]

looks like it got a pre 96 MY alternator on it (fan's on the outside). lol

looks clean, in a horrible tan way lol

but seriously, just guessing but if the tranny has 0 problems i bet it'd be at least easy to work on if anything went wrong.

interesting find

[Drew Dowdell]

Needs a valve cover gasket job STAT.

[american_revolution_2005]

Valve Cover job? How can you tell or is it just normal for these cars?

[Drew Dowdell]

Valve Cover job? How can you tell or is it just normal for these cars?

look a the front of the engine, there is oil all down the front. it's leaking onto the exhaust manifold. Have you seen this car running? Make sure you see it running after it's had plenty of time to warm up, I bet the oil smokes up.

*should* be a fairly easy fix

[Buickfosure]

Well just so you know the power you are pushing with that 2.2L engine for a 1991 cavalier 95 hp @5200 rpm

and 120 ft.lbs @ 3200 rpm. Its no speed machine but the trans should hold up well. Just make sure you check it out and make sure the front floor areas are not wet since in alot of sunbirds and cavaliers will get a small rust hole just under the windsheild in that water drainage area but other then that its a durable first car.

[american_revolution_2005]

I started it up and it sounded pretty good. I had the hood open. I let it run for 10 minutes while I checked the exhaust system. I got suspicious of all that mess anyways. I haven't seen it smoke up. I can tell this car has had plently of new stuff put into it. It has a new radiator, new alternator, etc. The oil and the rockers concern me. This has been burning some oil because there were a couple of oil bottles in the trunk. If the valve cover job is done, will this prevent all this?

[GMTruckGuy74]

Hey, it's a cheap ride, so if it can be made reliable, then go for it on that basis alone. However, if you want to drive something that you feel is cool and sporty, then try for the Buick T-Type. When I was 17 back in '92 and had my '78 Camaro in a friend's shop for some minor repairs, he lent me his '84 Olds Cutlass H/O for the day (good daily driver, needed work). I felt like a million dollars driving that car! Of course my parents also had an '83 Grand Prix LJ that I thought was cool too, so I think any of the G-body coupes are great. I say go for the Buick

[daves87rs]

Being the owner of that generation of Cavalier, what do you want to know?

(I have that 93 tealish wagon we all like to make fun of... )

Anyways, looks to be in decent shape...

Very little rust..Good-though these cars tend to rust..alot. If you buy it- keep it CLEAN.

Get the cover fixed..it will do wonders....

2.2s of those years are very hard to kill..they will hold up to a lot.

A co worker has a 92 and it just passed 200k....

very slow...can get out of it's own way though...

any other questions, just ask...

[american_revolution_2005]

Can the rust on the rockers be fixed cheaply to pass safety? How much would the Valve Cover job be?

[daves87rs]

Can the rust on the rockers be fixed cheaply to pass safety? How much would the Valve Cover job be?

Depends if you plan to do it yourself or not.

If the rust is light, you could do it pretty easy...guessing with 20-25 bucks in supplies..

As far as the cover job-not too bad. That depends on the shop..and what they need to replace...checj around...

[american_revolution_2005]

I work at Canadian Tire so I could see what it would cost there. The rust on the rockers isn't too bad. It hasn't rusted through. It just looks horrible.

[daves87rs]

I work at Canadian Tire so I could see what it would cost there. The rust on the rockers isn't too bad. It hasn't rusted through. It just looks horrible.

Just make sure you get the rust off, and cover it up good.

I can't think of the name at the moment, but there is a primer/spray that will help protect it....

[american_revolution_2005]

I know we sell rocker guard. I don't like bondo so. I found the exact touch up paint as well. I also looked at the Valve Cover Gasket and it was like $20.00. This car may need some exaust work so I got prices for that as well.

[daves87rs]

I know we sell rocker guard. I don't like bondo so. I found the exact touch up paint as well. I also looked at the Valve Cover Gasket and it was like $20.00. This car may need some exaust work so I got prices for that as well.

Sweet.

I don't it will cost more than a few hundred to do everthing you need to get done....

One thing I thought of though-check those hoses!

I'm going to need to replace one myself here pretty soon...

They can fall apart over time...

This way you don't have to worry about leaking coolant....

[american_revolution_2005]

Cool. Maybe my mom would let me get it. My dad turns down everything I see. This needs work, but it is work I could even do for cheap.

[daves87rs]

Cool. Maybe my mom would let me get it. My dad turns down everything I see. This needs work, but it is work I could even do for cheap.

Worse come to worse, park it in the garage while fixing it up....

[american_revolution_2005]

Our house has a 3-car garage so that won't be a problem. My mom moved out anyways so we only park the Expy in our garage. Two extra spaces for two more cars

[daves87rs]

Our house has a 3-car garage so that won't be a problem. My mom moved out anyways so we only park the Expy in our garage. Two extra spaces for two more cars

[76ChevyTrucker]

If you can't get the buick, this would be a good car. As far as parts go, you're looking really inexpensive for parts on one. They're really reliable little pieces of work. The valve cover gasket job would stop any oil from leaking OUT of the engine, however, if its got a lot of miles on it, I'd be wary of the valve stem seals leaking a little and letting it burn a little oil through the exhaust system. If you can drive it, get it out somewehere and stomp on it, watch for a puff of blue smoke from the tailpipe. Normally if there is, its probably burning a taste of oil. Nothing too major to worry about, but it will slowly lose engine oil if this continues. Although with that said, if it is burning oil, you're looking at yanking the head off and having it reworked (not a cheap job). But that's enough of my naysaying. Good luck with it.