Overview & Reviews

The 2.3-liter Quad 4 is replaced after just one year by a 2.4-liter twin-cam engine. Four-speed automatic transmission includes traction control. Daytime running lights debut, remote keyless entry is optional on LS and Z24 and base models get new interior fabrics and an Appearance Package.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 73.00

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  Trouble - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By colorsendinink - September 8 - 10:10 am

  i just bought this car with 71,000 miles and its already giving me problems. i took it back to the dealer 3 times to get it repaired because it overheats all the time. the car has no power whatsoever. one good thing about it is the gas mileage, thats awesome because i have a long commute to school every day.

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  Cant wait to get rid of it! - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Jon - May 6 - 1:03 am

  I bought this car with 68,000 miles on it, and it was in OK condition. 4 years later Im at 92,000 miles and I cant wait to get rid of it. I have massive oil leaks from several spots on the engine, my radiator hoses blew a few months ago and I too have headlight issues due to faulty wiring. Road/wind noise is unbearable, more so then the constant chatter of the plastic interior and rattling of the suspension. On cold and rainy days the engine tends to flood itself. ALL the seals leak in this car leading the interior and trunk to get wet. The entire electrical system in this car is horrible. Apart from the headlight problems, the electrical system tends to give out at high speeds.

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  crap - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By bad choice - September 16 - 2:00 am

  This car is crappy. Not only is it ugly,its crap!!! i hate my cavalier, i have spent 19,600 something, repairing it so far, yes, nearly 20 grand of repairs for this 15 grand car. WHYdo u ask,well i dont know, BUT CAVALIERS ARE THE WORST CARS EVER!!!!!!!!!!

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  Isnt there a lemon law? - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By eakwave - February 23 - 2:00 am

  I have had to fix or replace the air conditioning, brakes, clutch, head gasket, and two valves before I even hit 50,000 miles. Of course, most of this happened about six hours after the warranty was up so it all came out of pocket. Gotta love Chevy.

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  Big Problems and Hefty Bills - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By midnyte_sun - August 4 - 2:00 am

  Ive had this car since 1998 and it ran fine for the first year and a half. Then it started having all kinds of problems. At 85,000 miles Ive had these problems: Electronic Modulator busted, water pump busted, engine constantly overheats, a/c, vent, heating only works at max, catalytic converter busted, oxygen sensors malfunctioned, and I get horrible gas mileage : 275 miles on a full tank. (Ill be nice and wont even include new tires, shocks, struts, brakes, etc). Total repairs: $7,000+

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  My car is always broken! - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Unsatisfied cavalier - May 16 - 2:00 am

  I have had almost everything fixed and it just keeps breaking down. I bought it used as a bargain, and it has been far from that. Ive put more money into than I paid for it just three years ago. Off the top of my head, things that have been replaced are the entire cooling system, the computer chip, brakes more than once, air conditioner, and the inside is falling apart!

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  why i dislike my Cavalier - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By 311 - April 14 - 2:00 am

  My 1996 Cavalier has been a very reliable car, besides that it is a poorly made car. This car is a basic ecnomy car, it will never be anything but an ecnomy car not even the z24 will be more. The horsepower to weight ratio is pretty bad(130HP to 2617lbs) , the Torque (120 ft-lbs) is also pretty bad. The interior of the car is very cheaply made, from the seats to the steering wheel down to the side door panels which always seemed to be crack on every Cavalier. If anyone is thinking of upgrading a Cavalier i would highly disapprove, go out and get a sports car and dont make the same mistake that i did.

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  Avoid like the plague - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By taken4aride - March 6 - 2:00 am

  Fuel pump-August, 2002 $800. TRANSMISSION-January, 2003 $2300. Head Gasket-Febraury, 2003 $500. Total mileage of this car is only 68,000. This is, without a doubt, the absolute worst car that I have ever owned. The above list is only a small sample of the problems with this car. Many problems similar to other reviews (motor mounts, shoddy interior, etc).

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  fooled - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By miffed - August 31 - 2:00 am

  Had a chevy z-24 prior to buying the standard 2 door coupe and loved it!! So much has gone wrong with this car I dont even know where to start. The transmision is new, the engine gasket, numerous brake problems, water pump, new trunk latch, alternator, and much more that I am forgeting about at the moment. I am so fed up with chevy that I now refuse to buy another GM product!!! I would advise any one looking into buying a car to stay away from the cavalier. The only good thing about the car is the sticker price but you will end up paying alot more.

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  Not what its cracked up to be - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Scrubb - March 21 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this car new. Immediately the interior trim started to rattle, which I cant stand. Soon after, the interior trim started to fall apart including the center armrest lid, seat trim and finally the seat itself. I found that the paint job chipped and scratched very easily. It didnt seem thick enough. The muffler began a strange and bothersome rattling at only 25k. The head gasket failed at about 50k and the water pump failed at about 55k.