[AT] OT: Chevy Chevette (was Re: Yellow Farmall now cold starting

Mon Jan 3 10:29:40 PST 2011

Ford's version (at least for the Taurus and the Merc Sable) wasn't much 
better.  Luckily when the connector on my company Sable started spewing 
I was close to an independent repair shop which fashioned a good repair. 
  The next week a coworker driving the same model Sable came into work 
one morning with the spew.  I knew exactly what was wrong without 
opening the hood.
We got a recall notice about a month later.

People frequently decry Chrysler's reliability record but my 2002 Dodge 
Ram has never given problems.  I'm sure there are others with issues but 
so far not me.

My 2001 Malibu has had a few "issues" most of the minor variety.

All the above are better in my experience than US built vehicles from 
the 1970's/1980's.

David
NW NC

On 1/3/2011 12:29 PM, Cecil Bearden wrote:
> In 95, GM went to those quick connector heater hoses at the engine.  I have
> had to repair 4 that I have had in those years because the pewter hose
> connection breaks off in the manifold.  Then have to cut it out with a
> hacksaw and a punch.  Takes about 2 hours time with me laying on my belly
> over the engine.  Now that I have gained weight it probably will take 4
> hours because I have to stop and breathe!!!!    I talked to a used car sales
> mgr at a chevy dealership that did a lot of commercial trucks.  He said he
> noticed that he was spending about $1800/truck in the 95 to 98 year models
> on trade ins to prepare for sale..  He checked into it and found that the
> mechanics were replacing the manifolds because of the hose connections
> breaking off into the manifold.
>
>   I quit chevys because  the 94 suburban I had went through 4 air cond
> compressors.  I then had to replace the dryer which would freeze to the
> evaporator line in the firewall and result in a new evaporator and 6 hours
> of taking the dash apart to replace.  I vowed then to never own another GM
> product.   I can work on the under dash stiff on a Ford.  However it has no
> room under the hood.  I still like Gm trucks because I can get into them
> easier.  I have to jump into the Fords because the floorboard is about 6
> inches higher.  Now that I am older this means a lot...  Pickups are not
> built to work out of anymore.  Too many yuppies using them to drive to
> work.....
>
> Cecil in OKla
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Will Powell"<william.neff.powell at comcast.net>
> To: "Antique tractor email discussion group"<at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Sent: Monday, January 03, 2011 11:02 AM
> Subject: Re: [AT] OT: Chevy Chevette (was Re: Yellow Farmall now cold
> starting
>
>
>> Hard to believe fond memories of a Chevette posted here... My sister had a
>> Chevette, what a piece of junk. I remember replacing the main bearings on
>> the standard transmission for her. What a pain. I think it had about 50k
>> at the time.
>>
>> I guess it was a step up from the Vega, which I had also repaired for a
>> friend. Burned a lot of oil. Chevy had made such great cars up until the
>> Vega. I owned a 68 chevelle with a 6 cyclinder 250. What a great
>> dependable car. GM missed the boat with the Vega. Then, the Chevette,
>> which was only a little better. It was not constructed well. Steering
>> wheel was out of round, everything fell apart in the interior. I recall
>> the brakes were not so great.
>>
>> My father then owned a Citation, not too bad, lots of computer issues. The
>> iron Duke did run well.
>>
>> And now with the 6 cylinder Chevy's around 1999. Every one of the engines
>> have weak intake manifold gaskets. I have replaced the gaskets on my
>> Fathers 1999 blazer and 1996 Monte Carlo. He also had to replace the same
>> gaskets on a buick le sabre he used to own. In manufacturing there is no
>> isolated incedence... If one fails, they all fail. In my opinion that
>> gasket should not fail. My father is still loyal to GM... I don't know
>> why... Maybe its because his 1999 blazer has brought us closer together? I
>> repair something on it practicly every weekend...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Mike Sloane"<mikesloane at verizon.net>
>> To: "Antique tractor email discussion group"
>> <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
>> Sent: Monday, January 3, 2011 11:22:45 AM
>> Subject: [AT] OT: Chevy Chevette (was Re: Yellow Farmall now cold starting
>>
>> I don't know about your terrain, but when I worked for NJ Bell back
>> about then, we quickly found out that a Chevette with auto transmission
>> and 4 people in the car wouldn't make it up the steep hills. Drivers had
>> to either plan different routes or drop off two people, top the hill,
>> discharge the passenger, and then go back to fetch the other two! For a
>> single driver just going around town they were OK but taking them out on
>> the Interstates was always a challenge. When there were Chevettes in the
>> vehicle pools, employees would cheat, bribe, and lie to avoid having to
>> take one out. Bell used to keep cars and trucks almost forever, but the
>> Chevettes' life cycle was the shortest I ever saw. :-) That is not to
>> say that the other cars Bell bought were perfect - there were Chevy
>> Vega's that died on the side of the road, Ford Pinto's, Rambler
>> American's, and some other rolling disasters that time has kindly erased
>> from my memory. And people wonder why the Japanese car companies ended
>> up with 55% US market share after a while...
>>
>> Mike
>>
>> On 1/3/2011 8:36 AM, charlie hill wrote:
>>> That should have read '80 Chevette.
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: charlie hill
>>> Sent: Monday, January 03, 2011 8:10 AM
>>> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
>>> Subject: Re: [AT] Yellow Farmall now cold starting
>>>
>>> Rob I had an 8- Chevette. It was the standard gasoline version, 2 door
>>> and
>>> stripped down. I bought it to commute to a construction project. People
>>> laugh at them but that was one tough little car. I hauled 3 other guys
>>> with
>>> me every day. All but one of us over 200 lbs and a lot of times we had
>>> heavy tool boxes in the back. It wasn't unusual for someone to be late
>>> coming out of the house and I'd have to hustle because if you didn't get
>>> through the "brass" gate by 7 am you had to go back home and miss a day
>>> of
>>> work. It would cruise along at 80 mph or better with all that load and
>>> never complained.
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