Fixer upper...

[daves87rs]

Hmm....this is interesting.

My wife wants to keep her Cavalier. (people want to keep cavaliers? )

The current plan was to upgrade her car, aka the "family" car, to a nice used Liberty or Nox, and delegate her 03 to my beater 4dr, thus allowing me to have fun with the next new car. (cruze, focui, Aveo, Mazda 3, etc...)

Two reasons for her logic:

1. A real vacation. Italy, Europe, someplace far and cool....

2. To see if we decide to expand the family. There's a good chance of that, so she might want to wait until we need it to save a few bucks.....

I have a slight issue with this, but not much. I guess the fact that the car is almost 7 years old might be why. The Cav has been very dependable, and it still in pretty good shape.

It's got lots of life yet, with only 55k on her car.....

With a few updates, I think it could happen. Struts(all 4) reaplaced, new brushing/bearings, and down the road, I thinking a new starter (it's annoying right now, I'm guessing about a year or so left), and fixing the rust underneath the doors.

I can do it (and it would save money), but I don't know.......I"ve always been the guy to let her have the better car, but she wants to make that call.

Then again, I know quite a bit about cars now(And a crapload about j bodies in general), so......

[A Horse With No Name]

Keep it and run it into the ground, big time.

IF it doesn't go to the junkyard when your done, your not doing something right.

I like her idea of a real vaccation. Next year I plan to come to Michigan, and Z06 and I are talking about getting C and G guys together for Autocrosses and track events. Wouldn't suggest running the J body open track, but it would be fun to autocross.

LeMons is kind of on hold for right now, but other things may be in store.

Chris

[daves87rs]

Hmm...sounds like fun...I could always auto-x my cav (the 04) for fun....

Granted, it's would need a few upgrades...it's bone stock right now.

I guess my thinking at this point might be to start saving for two cars, and have a small on hand fund for her car in case something does happen......

[A Horse With No Name]

Given that the economy is going to be in the tank for a long time to come...

You may want to plan on living on a cash basis for a very long time.

It's what I'm thinking about.

Chris

[daves87rs]

Given that the economy is going to be in the tank for a long time to come...

You may want to plan on living on a cash basis for a very long time.

It's what I'm thinking about.

Chris

Very good point.

[Intrepidation]

Well, she's happy with it, and keeping it saves you money. I would let her make the call on it (since its her car) and let her be happy.

I won't name any names but some people here think they should be in charge of what their significant other drives and buy what they think that person wants (or rather what they want). That's not right IMHO.

Plus its been good to you, you love the things and the repairs mentioned will be much cheaper than a newer car. So all the more reason to keep it.

[daves87rs]

Well, she's happy with it, and keeping it saves you money. I would let her make the call on it (since its her car) and let her be happy.

I won't name any names but some people here think they should be in charge of what their significant other drives and buy what they think that person wants (or rather what they want). That's not right IMHO.

Plus its been good to you, you love the things and the repairs mentioned will be much cheaper than a newer car. So all the more reason to keep it.

Very true.....(can't help I grew up around these things )

She wants to do things that are more important than cars..And I can respect that.

And I think we could really use a vacation anyways....

And she still says I can have the car I want anyways.....

I must have a pretty good wife....

[A Horse With No Name]

Damn, Dave...she's going to let you have that Prius after all?

She must be a great wife!

Just kidding. My wife chose a first gen Scion xB, which we bought new...so far, after 118,000 miles, its doing pretty good. Wife wants a Volvo C30 Next.

Chris

[daves87rs]

Damn, Dave...she's going to let you have that Prius after all?

She must be a great wife!

Just kidding. My wife chose a first gen Scion xB, which we bought new...so far, after 118,000 miles, its doing pretty good. Wife wants a Volvo C30 Next.

Chris

Yep...with full body kit and custom wheels...

True, we've been through some tough times together.....

[A Horse With No Name]

All the more reason to enjoy the 'balt and the 'cavi with her.

Your only young once. When I was younger my wife and I were doing something on a rather freqent basis...think flat blade or phillips...small VW compact...you get the general idea. Still happens on a damn good regular basis now, actually...

Hopefully your keeping the Mrs. very happy in this regard.

So what are you really thinking, Dave? I think a Cobalt 2 door at some point would be a great car for you...esp. if you could get an SS Supercharged or Turbocharged.

Chris

[daves87rs]

All the more reason to enjoy the 'balt and the 'cavi with her.

Your only young once. When I was younger my wife and I were doing something on a rather freqent basis...think flat blade or phillips...small VW compact...you get the general idea. Still happens on a damn good regular basis now, actually...

Hopefully your keeping the Mrs. very happy in this regard.

So what are you really thinking, Dave? I think a Cobalt 2 door at some point would be a great car for you...esp. if you could get an SS Supercharged or Turbocharged.

Chris

True.....

Funny you say 2dr Cobalt.......mine currently is a 2 door.

Though I'd like an SS......

[daves87rs]

And my Cavalier is a 2 door too....

Only one four door car at our house......

[A Horse With No Name]

Sweet! Love the two door in both cars...

Chris

[daves87rs]

Just gotta decide what I want to do with My Cav though....

Granted, I've been eye balling some KYBs, BFG Traction TAs/Cooper responses/Cs4s, and a strut bar....

[A Horse With No Name]

I run BFG on the Miata, decent tires.

Seems like car and driver in august perhaps did a great article on performance tires.

Given your care...both cars ought to be immortal. Ever see the old Woody Allen movie where a guy wakes up like 400 years in the future...finds a VW beetle in a cave...and it starts!

It won't be a beetle, it will be your Cavi. Someone will flush out the fluids, put in some fresh Mobil 1...and she'll be good for another 400 years.

Cavi is white, yes? What color is the 'balt?

Chris

[daves87rs]

Hers- Silver

Mine-silver

Balt-silver

All Ultra Silver Met...crazy....next car will not be silver, that is for sure...

So, the BFG are okay? What would be a good DD/ fun time tire?

My buddy has the CS4s on his....car handles really well for 14s....

As does my buddy's Sl1 on cooper responses.....

[daves87rs]

And gotta figure what product I want to use on my dash, since it is being driven more.....

DF's suggestion of Meg's quick detailer looks like a good idea.....

[A Horse With No Name]

The Quick detailer will work well.

LOVE silver cars. NICE choice. Forget what BFG tire I have exactly...but def. not a winter tire. I run Blizzacks in the winter, and my winters are much more mild than yours.

Also like the tail light treatment on the two door Cobalt. Used to ahve a 71 Chevelle with the round tail lights...the 'balt from the rear reminds me of that car. Plus the swept roof line on the two door is one detail item GM just nailed on these cars. Gassed up next to a red two door SS Supercharged last night after work. WOW...what a car.

Chris

[daves87rs]

That's pretty much the same thing I thought when I look at them ..interesting. Great minds must think alike. :AH-HA_wink:

Yeah, the silver holds up well....I was even able to bring back the color well on the Cobalt (I'm the 2nd owner). I need touch up paint though.....

I could even go with the Sumi HTRs that are on the Cobalt....they handle pretty well for a tire. Reminds me every time I step back into my Cav of those OEM goodyears....

[A Horse With No Name]

For a real summer tire Faulken Azenis seem to work well...but don't expect 50,000 miles of life out of them. Maybe more like 20,000 or so. But boy...what a difference.

We need to have a Michigan get together next time Z06/Michael is up there.

Chris

[daves87rs]

For a real summer tire Faulken Azenis seem to work well...but don't expect 50,000 miles of life out of them. Maybe more like 20,000 or so. But boy...what a difference.

We need to have a Michigan get together next time Z06/Michael is up there.

Chris

Agreed....