Lipstick on the pig: how to improve a cheap car?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Got some moog strut assemblies on the way. I took the wheels off this afternoon to do a good visual/shake test of the suspension; the tie rods were in pretty decent shape and the ball joints didn't feel too sloppy. The strut assemblies on the other hand needed a little more than just the mounts, so I figured I'd just order a whole assembly. Tires may go on next week after payday.
 
Good on you. I checked out an 04 cavalier last weekend and something was binding in the steering, figure upper strut mounts.

Did I mention it had 285k miles?
laugh.gif


My BIL had a cavalier where I made one good from two, and binding struts were "a thing" with it, too, at lower miles.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Good on you. I checked out an 04 cavalier last weekend and something was binding in the steering, figure upper strut mounts.

Did I mention it had 285k miles?
laugh.gif


My BIL had a cavalier where I made one good from two, and binding struts were "a thing" with it, too, at lower miles.


There's a tsb out for a clunking steering shaft caused by inadequate lubrication. I had the front end up and the wheels off yesterday and they were binding up pretty good when I turned the wheel.
The tie rods don't have any play at least but those are quite a bit cheaper than two strut assemblies! I've had good luck with moog suspension stuff in the past, I've heard the quality can be hit or miss lately but I'm hoping at $100 each the struts are good for a while.
Originally Posted By: turtlevette
None of this stuff mentioned makes the car less boring. Now a 50shot of nitrous....

And you can remove it and put it on your next ride.

I think regardless of what's done to the car it will either be A) boring but at least comfortable
or B) ricey
it is a cavalier after all!
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
Originally Posted By: Mykl
Fresh struts, balanced tires, and an alignment can do a lot to make an old car feel new again.


This is so true!


It does make a huge difference. The Mazda in my sig (girlfriends car) just got new struts tires and an alignment. It handles like I imagine it did when it was new.
 
I've always had a few J bodies on hand over the years....

- pick a solid high mileage tire. In the 14 inch side, will help a bunch to smooth things out. Don't waste money on high end tires, when something like a uniroyal tiger paw or Sumitomo/ General tire will do the same for much less...

With the monroe rebate right now, it could save ya some extra cash....will also help bunches. New control arms will better the steering.....

Dynomax-nuff' said.

tint-please get the good stuff-car has a large greenhouse, and makes the car look like poop if it comes peeling right off.....

good radio will help too...you'll never get rid of all the noises in this thing.....
 
Originally Posted By: glock19
Originally Posted By: slowdime
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
A lot of the squeaks and rattles could probably be reduced by a judicious tightening of fastners and relacement of broken or weak plastic trim attachment bits.
The most cost effective improvement you can make with any car is a set of better tires.
The Michelin Defender you mention would not be my first choice for any car.
Too costly for what you get, IMHO.
Do a little research and find a tire noted for good compliance and quietness. Shop around, since tires are always on a deal in some desirable brand and model somewhere.
If you're going to be driving this beast for at least another couple of years, a set of better tires would be well worth the expense.
Don't underestimate how much a good set of tires can do to transform a sow's ear of a car.


At $100 a tire they're certainly on the pricey side. I found a list of the top 10 quietest tires, not sure how accurate the list is but defenders were on there. I'll look at some other one's and see what fits the budget. Tires would cost quite a bit more than the suspension since I'll be doing the work myself on the front end, but tires are the only point of contact a car has with the road so good ones are never a bad investment. It's a shame the new tires the previous owner put on are [censored], but I suppose he was planning on selling it anyway so I can't blame him.


According to TireRack the General RT43 is quieter and cheaper (in your size $60 vs $100 per tire) than the Michelin Defender. Might be worth considering as an option.

Link to comparison on TireRack



+1
 
My brother stripped everything from the interior, lined it with 1/2" fiberglass mat, and covered that with 1/8" rubber sheet, glued at every seam and sealed around every hole in the firewall. Covering the wheel wells helps, including in the trunk, and apparently strut towers transmit sound. Sheet rubber is cheaper than Dynamat.
 
If the underside of the hood has no sound-proofing (from pix I see, some do, some don't) you could peel a sheet from a wreck and quiet the engine a bit.
 
Originally Posted By: turtlevette
None of this stuff mentioned makes the car less boring. Now a 50shot of nitrous....

And you can remove it and put it on your next ride.




I have been tempted do do this on the ciera! Just not sure if the stock injectors can maintain enough flow.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top