Topic: CD Article: 1995-2005 Chevrolet Cavalier, Pontiac Sunfire

[Shnak]

Lol @ "too low to the ground".  I lowered mine 1.5" and my GF lowered hers 2".  Along with strut bars, sway bars, subframe braces and Nice sticky tires, it handles pretty well for a FWD tin can.

I really like that you take your car for what it is and not try to make us believe that it's the best thing since sliced bread. One of my friends in particular bought a 2000 Sunfire GT about 3 years ago and from hearing him talk about it, you'd swear it was a Porsche. At least you when you talk about your car, you know what it is, and appreciate it for what it is. 

[Spiderman]

I really like that you take your car for what it is and not try to make us believe that it's the best thing since sliced bread. One of my friends in particular bought a 2000 Sunfire GT about 3 years ago and from hearing him talk about it, you'd swear it was a Porsche. At least you when you talk about your car, you know what it is, and appreciate it for what it is. 

Definitely, but I'm sure that a J-body with the proper suspension setup would probably surprise most people with it's handling, but I would never think it's better than any car that's actually designed with road handling in mind.  I feel that alot of people underestimate some of the potential of a J-body, but I also feel that some J-body owners overestimate their cars way too much, lol.

I'm a very skeptic person and although I enjoy the way my car handles (modified the way it is, handles way better then stock), I can't say that it's better than anything else because I honestly haven't test driven everything out there.

I'm sure I'd be blown away by trying a Porcshe or an M3 or even my personal fav, a Saab 93 Sport Sedan (I love that car).

I'm sure I'd actually be pretty damn impressed with the handling of the new Corvette (by impressed I mean I'd realize how shitty my car actually handles, lol), but when you see it pushed to the limits on a show like "Top Gear", the Corvette is extremely sloppy on the track compared to other high end sports cars.

[marky mark]

Okay, so I see alot of pros but mostly cons here about the Cavalier/Sunfire. How about posting the YEAR you are referring to, when commenting. Many auto mechanics wikll tell you these cars are bang for your buck - on the money. The drivetrain quality is a huge improvement for the earlier years (before 2000) I'd say 2001 - 2005 are good buys for your money. How about that 2.4L Twin Cam. It mated well with the auotmatic (2000 Sunfire). Just took one for a test drive. It compairs to my old 94 Plymouth Acclaim with a V6 3L Mitsubishi / 4 speed automatic.

[mdxtasy]

How about that 2.4L Twin Cam. It mated well with the auotmatic (2000 Sunfire). Just took one for a test drive. It compairs to my old 94 Plymouth Acclaim with a V6 3L Mitsubishi / 4 speed automatic.

Impressive.  a model year 2000 vehicle matching up well with a car 6 years older.  Better get them before they're gone.   

[PJungnitsch]

Back in 2002 I helped a friend shop for a small car and (after a lot of test driving) she settled on a used 1999 Sunfire (auto, not sure what 4 cyl). Used Hondas and the like were a lot more expensive and she'd had pretty good luck with her 1994 Sunbird. Talked to her again the other day and it's been fine, all she's done is replace tires. Seats are not that great for long distance driving, but otherwise it has been perfectly good for an 'appliance type' car, and it didn't cost much more than what I paid for my motorbike.

Noted at the time that there was a big difference in interiors between the Cavaliers and the Sunfires, Cavaliers were painfully cheaply made (like a lunch box with flashing everywhere) while the Sunfire was quite ok, much better than the latest generation of Chrysler products.