Used 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier Coupe Consumer Reviews
everywhere and back
i was giving this car as a present from my parents in high school in 2006 it had 40k miles on it, and it was a good little first car, drove me everywhere i needed to go, im 6" ft so its not the biggest and i couldn't fit more then 3 people in my car. i went to college in Oregon and did very well in the rain, considering im from arizona and that's where the car had lived most of its life, i drove 3 hrs every weekend from the coast to portland back never let me down. the longest trip this car has taken was a 16 drive to san fran and was perfect, sold it 96k miles and only did routine maintenance, brakes oil change, never had to replace clutch, did have to replace soarks at 90k
Solid work car, with plenty of quirks.
Bought this car from a buy here-pay here lot with $160k miles for a ridiculous price. Been reliable so far, but has SOOO many little problems. When I first bought it, the instrument cluster would go haywire at at random times, which was later attributed to moisture in the electronics. The climate control has an annoying click on any setting but recirculate, and the knobs broke to boot. the shifter has a disconcerting grind in it going into fourth gear. The interior is virtually destroyed, and the body isn't much better. okay, so now for the positives: it's been unwaveringly reliable for the past 6 months! The only expense I've had has been tires. All in all, a solid driver.
Push it Off a Cliff
This is a long review. What I mention can be very important to anyone who is serious about buying this car. Skip to the end if you want my recommendations. In 2010, I bought a base model 2dr Cavalier with a manual transmission for around $4500 with around 104k miles on it. I look back now and I can tell you that it was NOT worth that, even if KBB said so. In 2016 I sold this car to my friend for about $550. In the 6 years I owned it I had put around 60k miles on it and I was so glad to get rid of it. Good things: it's a mode of fairly reliable transportation, heating and A/C still work, road noise isn't too terrible. Bad things during the time I owned it: rocker panels were rusting badly behind the doors, intermittent wiper mode didn't work properly (wipers got stuck mid-cycle), suspension, front seats, back seats (anyone taller than 5' 9" should NOT sit in the back), seat belt harnesses are uncomfortable in front seats, trunk lid latch (occasionally when going to use the key to unlock the trunk, the key wouldn't be able to open it because the socket for the latch would twist when turning the key and would not allow the latch to release). Bad things I had had fixed when I owned it: air vent control (Under the right conditions, if you force the air vent control knob, it will bend the cable that it uses to switch between airflow directions. After this, it is stuck in one airflow direction and cannot be changed. The dash has to be removed and a new cable has to be installed.), timing chain (This one worried me. It has been reported in forums that, after 100k miles, the timing chain starts to not get enough oil and the chain breaks causing engine damage. I'd like to say I had my chain and other components replaced at around 128k miles.) Driving this car was dreadful. The suspension was soft and it cornered like a barge. The brakes were there and they got the job done. Acceleration is what you can expect from 2.2L 4cyl. Steering was quite floppy. There was a long throw in gear changes but it shifted smoothly nonetheless. Looking at this car is not much better. I realized later that what I should have had was a hatchback or at least a 4dr vehicle. This car is NOT practical. Yes, you could get yourself a 4dr Cavalier but they look even worse than the 2dr versions. Recommendations: 1. Use it for a winter beater. 2. If you travel less than 5 miles to work every day and you don't plan on ever driving more than that in one trip, you should be fine. 3. DON'T BUY THIS CAR! If you're looking for a compact Chevy that isn't built in Korea, look into a 4dr Cobalt. They're more practical than the 2dr, they look way better than a 4dr Cavalier, and they aren't terribly expensive. Do your research and pick a car that fits you. I clearly made the wrong choice.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
coolest car ever
Traded 03 cavi. For a another 03 cavi cause I wanted the sport pkg and manual tran. Car handles great. Fun driving it around with Windows down moonroof open and radio cranked up. I can go 3 to 4 weeks on a single tank of gas. I took it on a 14 hr road trip to Texas this past summer and that was fun. Has been reliable since only a few minor fixer uppers. Cluster wouldn't work when it got over 90 degrees and the car was sitting out in sun. Easy fix I just replaced it. And one of my wires on abs broke off front tire. That's it.
The Cavalier That Could
I bought my cavalier on 4/28/10 w/ 85,xxx miles on it. Was prior salvage. I bought it for $4k. Initially, I was very concerned it would break down or something, or if it was just going to die on my way back home. But I fell in love with this car. Not one problem out of it, and I drove it till it had 100,000miles on it. Had two things go bad: A ratchet thing on my muffler that had fallen off from going down my gf's bumpy driveway($25) & tires. Now, it was in a wreck 4 days ago from me hitting a deer. Just want to say, the seatbelt and airbags saved my life. It's a very well built car. And I went to the salvage yard to look at my car, as soon as I put the key in, it started right up. Reliable
So Many Problems
I have an 03 cavi with 130,000 miles. There are so many things wrong with it I'm not sure where to start.. I bought it used a year ago. The speedometer doesn't function at all, the whole dashboard doesn't function when it is hot outside. It burns through a quart of oil every week or so. Smokes out the muffler when I press on the gas after stopping, which is now held on to my car via tape. Cracked belt. Air only works when it wants to. I hate this car. There are so many things wrong with it & I can't even save up money to buy a new one because it needs so much maintenance.
Great car for the money
I bought this car in 2002 and have about 97,000 miles on it. I just had to replace the fuel pump ($600), replaced the brake pads, and have put new tires on the car. Other than that, regular oil changes and the car drives wonderfully. It may not be the fanciest car around, but for someone on a budget, it is perfect.
Love My Yellow Cav
I love my little Cavalier. It has gotten me from A to B everyday since day one in 2003 when I drove it off the lot. When I first brought her home, I had numerous little problems, bad wiring harnesses that blew my blinkers out weekly, rusty roters that caused a pulsation, blew my speakers too but, In 8 years the only major problem was a fuel pump after owning it for 7 years and 110k. It's peppy for a 4 cly. 2.2 automatic. Best car ever! I lover it and I don't want to sell her but I need room for little ones.
okay car
This car is average at best. bought brand new in 2003 has 180K on odometer. Automatic Z24 in canada model. Car drives well, with smooth automatic transmission. Gas mileage is average. Have had to replace driver side auto window motor 3 times. Other than that regular maintenance.
Never buy governmert motors
bought the can new with 7 miles on it. around 350 miles the heater switch went on it. Next one happen around two years after owning the car. wife called and told me car will not stay running. I ran the car about a mile to the house, with it stalling about 100 times. this is 36,000 the fuel pump went. well the good news was that the car was too new for the bolts to rust. I changed it. around 54,000 miles the gauges on the dash went hay-wire. Stepper motor bad, easy fix with the dash pulled apart. Now that the car is 12 years old and 97,000 miles the motor went. I have a ford ranger close to 200,000 miles only thing went was the timing belt. I love my ford!!! NO MORE CHEVY!!!!!
A piece of junk!
Bought this car brand new with 3 miles on it. Thought it would be a great reliable car. WRONG! I had every stupid little thing go wrong with it possible. I replaced the rear turn signals about 20 times and finally the dealership did some fixing to it. Didn't work cause I Still had to replace it once a month. The windows, BOTH, broke and wouldn't go down so I had to have my father fix them several times. The interior lights had issues with flickering constantly. Another electrical problem the dealership fixed and it restarted again. Had some engine issues but luckily my father is a mechanic so it didn't cost too much.
This car is junk
Poor design, I'll always regret this purchase. I should have bought a Toyota or Honda
Best car for the price
An excellent car for the price you pay for it. It has great handling, always reliable and stylish. I've owned two cavaliers and neither ever gave me any mechanical trouble.
Disagree W/ Edmund's Review
The 03 is the best. Not sure why Edmund's feels this car is old. If you look from a pract point it rcvd new fascias,eng in 03,trans is new design. The int. not as cheap as you say,as for the rest of the car, just so much you can do when something works. Why is it that when imports changes fascias Edmunds hails as comp redesign,when U.S. manf does it is insgnfcnt,car is still old design? Elantra is worse,I drove both. Only feature that beats Cav is the 100k war,doesn't help resale. If you read the small print you can't sell it out of your family doesn't help resale. Do a REAL test,drive each w/30k. You find why the CAV CONS RATING is high.
Fast and Fun
When I first got in the car it seemed to just fit me like a glove.I stepped on the gas and I took off like a bolt of lightening. It looks real sporty and it is real roomy.I don't feel like I'm in a sardine can.I love it........
My Cav
Fun to drive. Less road nois would be a plus.
Heap of junk
You get what you pay for. Broke down 3 time in 6 months. Major electrical problems.
Very Suprising
I was very suprised in how peppy the engine is. For the price, I dont think there is a car that will match it. The interior is cheaper than others but it is still pretty sturdy and can handle wear and tear from people and dogs. Because of the peppy engine, it is very fun to drive! Also gets better gas mileage than listed.
It's Alright
At first glance this car caught my attention. Sporty inexpensive and fuel economic! This car drives smooth. Power is OK. Exterior is OK as well but overall this car was a great purchase. And yes the cup holders were a bad idea!
2003 Cavalier
OK car. Bad tailight sockets-recalled, r/r power steering pump 22k, fuel pump 55k, dash guage cluster gone haywire at 45k, needed calipers at 75k, rear window defog not working 65k.
Good value
My car has over 145,000 miles on it and virtually trouble free. Only the fuel pump replaced (at $500 at 5 yrs and 125k mark) the rest was maintenance: tires, serpentine belt, battery, brakes, but nothing at all expensive. 2/3 of the mileage is freeway; the rest local. I drive 70, get 35mpg without air, 33 with air on. 5 speed. no frills, except CD player. No issues and no worries.
Good cheap car
Bought this 03 Cavalier used, 125000km on it, it has 175,000 on it 2 years later. This car was my hero in bad times once I was finished school looking for a job. It is so cheap to maintain and repair. Somebody hit my car and ran, I bought a new bumper for 40 bucks from somebody and put it on. Nothing has gone wrong with this car, except a fuel pump, because all I could afford was to put 5 bucks of gas in it and ran it on the light the whole time (my own fault). You will dust standard Civics and Corollas in this thing, not any Japanese cars give you 155lb feet at mid range. Fuel economy is excellent. Car gets a bit rattly with age, but so does any car. Buy it!
Never Again, will i buy a GM product
I bought my cavalier new in 2003 and i am not hard on a vehicle. But since i have had this car new it has been thru 3 sets of brakes and rotors, 2 times to have the horn fixed, first time was under warranty second time cost me some major money. The fuel pump went and that was a major blow to my pocket book. Over all the car is ok but when it comes time to fix something you better have a brinks truck in your back pocket to fix the stuff that goes wrong. I have a 94 S-10 that has 126000 miles on it and it hasnt cost me near what the cavalier has cost me. So i will never buy another gm product again.
6 good years together
I just traded in my 2003 Cavalier for a 2009 cobalt. I really enjoyed driving it and had no real issue in the 160000 km. Rotors warped by 20k and again at 40000. Replaced with inexpensive after market brand and never had another problem. Wheel hubs were done while car still under warranty.I did very little maintenance, oil changes every 10-15 k, nothing else the owners manual suggested. It always started even in - 30 Celcius -22F. I got over 800km on a tank several times,38US mpg 6.1 l/100. I never really took good care of it and in 6 years it never let me down. I was impressed by the acceleration, 0- 100 km in 8.5 seconds is not bad for a car that cost 13 grand tax in.
I love my cavalier
This is my very first car. I've had it for almost 2 yrs now and have over 110K on it and it's still running strong. AC works amazing and so does the heat. It gets regular oil changes and tune ups and has amazing gas mileage. I've done alot of driving in it, miles at a time sometimes and it doesn't ever have a problem. I've gotten into one accident with it and it was just exterior damage, and the car looks and feels like it never happened. Nothing major has had to be fixed on it yet. Runs very well in the snow.. Very reliable car!!
Drives well...when it drives
I keep my cars in great shape - my previous car was a 30 year old VW in mint condition. This car - well. Under warranty: Bearings some sort of alternator shelf? catalytic converter Covered because though not under warranty, acknowledged problem: ENGINE (faulty block - if your engine goes - INVESTIGATE AND PUSH!) Not under warranty: brakes and rotors - constantly warps rotors within first 5,000 kms. $400 Fuel pump at 125,000 kms - although thousands of complaints, claim it's a "fuel supply" issue and not a fuel pump issue. Yes - apparently, by the thousands of complaints, it's one all over north America. nice one, GM. interior poorly setup - cannot use heat knobs with cup holders full.
lemon yellow lemon
I bought this car new in 2003 and thought it would be a good car for my needs. I had it in for repairs 5 times under warranty and count fewer times since. Now it has headlight problems and turn signal light on passenger side blows out every 2 to 3 weeks. I would never buy a GM car again!
love my cavalier (CA-VAUL-E-A)
This is a fun car! I purchased a 2002 cavalier LS coupe with the sports package and it is nice. It handles very well and is good on gas. Also, I was able to take advantage of the rebate offer, which saved me a lot of money. If you want a sports car, but do not have "sports car money" I recommend this car. Make sure that you get a coupe with a sports package. This car is really nice. It far exceeds what I expected. Chevrolet has come a long way with the Cavalier!
wonderful car
I bought my car used, and there is nothing better then an cavalier, i love the look and the style! It's an hot car, i will be driving one for years to come!
The Cavalier (2003)
*One of my friends recently bought a new Cavalier and found out that it had a big makeover. She got inside and said, "This is the car for me!" It drives fast, but not too fast. It looks sporty, but its personality is for city streets. The car is fun to drive and could use a few more features and a new interior design.
The Great Cavalier
This car is great for a new driver. I got this car when i was 16 and i still love. It's so easy to drive. It almost takes no effort at all.
2003 Cavalier Rocks!
I almost didn't even look at the 2003 Cavalier based on Edmund's review. First, the base model is available with an automatic, while Edmunds says it is not. Also, they say the car is antiquated, but it has new sheet metal and a new, modern engine coupled with a fairly new 4 speed automatic. They made negative comments about build quality, but the paint is excellent and the gaps between the sheet metal are uniform. No squeaks/rattles. I am glad I bought the 2003 Cavalier. While I think the world of Edmunds, they need to be a little more thorough in their reviews of all cars, not just the real exciting ones.
I LOVE IT!
Just got my new Cavalier and I just can not belive what I got for this price! The power is excellent, great stability, and great performance.... am I doing 80?? and I paid how much for this baby??....Lots of attention on the road. Great looks and very comfortable. I love it! I love it! I love it!.
Great for the Money
With just a year left in college, I was looking for an inexpensive car with some style and power, and i found it! Finally, a car I can afford, look good in, and drive anywhere!
Good, Fun Car
I just purchased this vehicle not too long ago. I had a 97 Cavalier and it was ok. This one is a 2003 LS Sport Coupe. It is a blast to drive and the exterior styling is pretty nice. The interior is nothing to get excited about but that is ok.
2003 chev cavalier 2dr there GREAT!!!!!
I REALLY LOVE THE WAY THIS CAR DRIVES,IT,S EXACTLY WHAT WAS LOOKING FOR,I DID;NT EVEN DRIVE THE CAR BEFORE I BOUGHT IT,BECAUSE IT LOOKED SO GOOD! EVERYTHING WORKS GREAT,GOOD STEREO SOUND REALLY DRIVES VERY WELL,HANDLES GREAT,I HAVE NOTHING BUT GREAT THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THIS CAR!!!!!!
my first new car
This is my first new car. It has great gas mileage and plenty of cargo space for when I go to college or to drill. It also has the torque that all chevys have to blow away those imports.
Cheap Fun
This car is affordable and fun to drive! It is exactly what I was looking for. It is really cute too! The new Ecotec four-cylinder is fast- for a four cylinder. (16 sec in 1/4 mile.)
AWESOME CAR.
I LOVE THIS CAR IT HAS EVERTHING THAT I WANT. AWESOME ON FUEL. REALIABLE. I WILL NOT STOP BUY CHEVY PRODUCTS. I'VE HAD SEVERAL CHEVYS AND I HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THEM AT ALL.I GOT A GREAT DEAL ON IT TOO.ESPECAIALLY WITH THE AWESOME REBATES THEY HAVE NOW.
Great Buy!
I had a 98 Neon before I bought this car, and so far the Cavalier has been much better. It rides on air and if you do not watch the tach, you would not know that it shifted gears at all. I got the LS SPORT and the groud effects make the car look awesome! The stero system in it is awesome too, has great sound and the XM Radio is a must as well. With automatic, cruise, power locks, windows, the keyless entry, 16 inch wheels and fuel economy, this car is definitely for you if you are looking for a good afforadable car.
03 Ls Sports coupe cavalier
All in all the car is great for begining drivers. its safe, reliable, and fun to drive!
So far so good...
In July 03 I purchased a 2003 5 speed, 2 door. I have slightly over 300 miles on it so I can't say much about reliability. Seems like a decent car for $8840 (time will tell). I'm certainly convinced that the $14K sticker price is just another marketing scam. You would be a fool to pay that much for any car like this. You know thay made profit on what I paid! I hate the marked up sticker prices and the facade that the rebates are real. Insults my intelligence.
2003 Chevy Cavalier
Manual 5sp.transmission is smooth, 2.2L/140hp engine has adequate pick up and acceleration. Very smooth and quiet ride. Suspension and handling are excellent. Would like to see how it performs in the snow. Braking is excellent. Overall a great performer, for a basic car. Exterior design is beautiful. Paint appears of excellent quality. Interior design is lacking a bit, though. It's definitely NO FRILLS, and driver seat comfort isn't that great. It's functional, to say the least. Definitely a good car, overall; and I always find Chevy engines to be very reliable. With the $5000 rebates offered on 2003 models, this car is a great deal.
Annoyed!
Decent car for the price. However, I am writing this review because I am wondering how RMcoolX managed to purchase a 2003 Cavailer for $7k. RMcoolX please detail out your rebates that brought a $14k car down to $7k.
Good car
Fun car to drive to drive with the 5 speed trans, great gas mileage, very quiet motor.
My Own Personal DeathTrap
This wasn't my idea to get this car. My parents bought it for me and i wish they hadn't. I've been to the dealership 3 times since i've had it and i only have 7,000 miles on it. Both back tail lights went out. MY Trac Light go off everytime i hit the slightest bump. Oh and stopping in the snow or rain is a joke. It feels like it won't stop and thats just scary.
Great Car!
I previously owned a 93 Cavalier. I had great luck with the car. I owned it for 6 years and the worst thing that went wrong was the head gasket... but hey it was ten years old. I found it to be a reliable dependable car so I decided to purchase a newer model.
review
very execellent car, it is my first and it is a very good car for a teenagers
A love/hate relationship
I purchased this car a little over a month ago and it was the biggest mistake I made. The seats are so-o-o uncomfortable! The unadjustable lumbar is a killer. I'm out of work now with a sprained back!