New to us car/beater

[53' Stude]

Hello again. So girlfriend is probably picking up a 98' cavalier with under 70k on it, no rust and its a 4 door. Anything we should know or look out for? I am thinking of using the MaxLife I have tons of stashed and not sure on filter. Thanks for good info and suggestions and advice

 

[jacky]

you have alot of cars

 

[53' Stude]

I have 2, she has a caravan and had a Durango that rusted apart. She wants this car so we can teach her daughter in 1 year to drive and I can teach her car maintenance

 

[mrsilv04]

Any experience with Volvo wagons?

 

[53' Stude]

No, never owned a Volvo

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Any experience with Volvo wagons?


He's hoping you're Technologs, a flamboyant former member.

Look for rust on the rear unibody "frame rail" arches where they go over the axle.

 

[53' Stude]

Thanks Eljefino's for the good info. Yeah I kinda got a bad vibe from mrsilv04

 

[qdeezie]

Is it the 2.2 or 2.4L engine? I had a '98 Cavalier with a 2.2L engine I drove over 350,000 miles.

 

[53' Stude]

2.2 engine QDeezie

 

[Hakkinen]

Change all the fluids and just use the $3 Purolator Classics at Walmart and she'll run for a long while.

 

[jacky]

i was gonna say use maxlife and a ac-delco filter
but you seem to disagree with all my opinions

 

[53' Stude]

Thanks

. Yeah probably going to do trans fluid change and p/s fluid change Friday after work

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Any experience with Volvo wagons?


He's hoping you're Technologs, a flamboyant former member.

Look for rust on the rear unibody "frame rail" arches where they go over the axle.


I think he was just taunting the OP with an inside joke.
The OP is obviously not GHT, since GHT would have had more knowledge than he exhibited if he had worked in a shop mounting tires and doing alignments as the OP has said he does for a living.
He would have also had access to the knowledge and advice of working techs, something that most of us aren't.

 

[53' Stude]

Very well said and thanks fdcg27, yes I am fortunate to have 3 older, wiser seasoned technicians that I greatly respect just like on this great site

 

[JaFlo]

The 2.2 was a good engine. Very low tech and reliable. They did have some headgasket issues, so check for coolant leaks, especially on the end of the head near the transmission. My wife had a 97. We got rid of it with 190k and it still ran and drove fine. I used 5w30 maxlife in it every time.

 

[53' Stude]

Thanks for that info and I will keep my eye on it

 

[bbhero]

Hey man.. My lady had a pontiac Sunfire with same motor.. As others have stated this car has a darn good motor and transmission. My lady's car went 214,000 miles with no isues with both. Now the coolant system was another matter.. had to replace the whole system at 200,000. Water pump 5 yrs before that. So keep an eye on that .. Otherwise a very strong little car.

 

[artificialist]

Do you have a good selection of oil filter removal tools? The OHV Cavilier has a stupid oil filter location.

Also look into changing other fluids. Replacing the PSF with a turkey baster is highly recommended. Synthetic PSF helps steering in cold weather, Royal Purple and Pentosin are easiest to find.

Does this car have an automatic transmission or a manual? If you have an automatic, do a pan drop and filter change.

Low viscosity brake fluid is said to help the ABS cycle more quickly, especially in cold weather. Pentosin makes some and sells it at NAPA and Carquest. Odds are that your current brake fluid has excessive water, used up corrosion inhibitors, and is a nasty shade of brown or green.

 

[53' Stude]

Did fluid changes and p/s fluid change also with Valvoline MaxLife fluid. Brake fluid too. Have tools for filter change also and already did oil change on this car. This is 2nd cavalier I owned btw

 

[53' Stude]

I didn't use any synthetic fluids either as I M not putting that in a beater