Picked up an ecotec cavalier

[cchase]

Originally Posted By: rjundi
The undercarriage rot is alarming to me. There is no care involved with that portion of the vehicle. The only thing an owner can do is park their car in the ocean or ocean front to make it accelerate.

Although I have heard heated/warmer garages and salt do not mix well.



Parking on dirt, too.

 

[eljefino]

I bought it from someone who lived in a shabby condo/apartment complex a few miles from the ocean. They had a paved parking spot there. Car bears the remnants of a New York registration/ inspection sticker combo; maybe it lived in Buffalo before?

Car has a Maine title and wore Maine plates but never got inspected here for at least a year.

 

[GMFan]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
I bought it from someone who lived in a shabby condo/apartment complex a few miles from the ocean. They had a paved parking spot there. Car bears the remnants of a New York registration/ inspection sticker combo; maybe it lived in Buffalo before?

Car has a Maine title and wore Maine plates but never got inspected here for at least a year.

I was going to say that white strip is definitely remnant of a NY state inspection sticker.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: eljefino

Car has a Maine title and wore Maine plates but never got inspected here for at least a year.

How did they get away with that? I guess ME doesn't have an automated system? In NC, you have to get your inspection done first and only then will you be able to register the car. Shops transmit inspection results directly to the DMV when the test is done.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Originally Posted By: eljefino

Car has a Maine title and wore Maine plates but never got inspected here for at least a year.

How did they get away with that? I guess ME doesn't have an automated system? In NC, you have to get your inspection done first and only then will you be able to register the car. Shops transmit inspection results directly to the DMV when the test is done.


Your assumption is correct, it is an all paper system. Mechanics fill out "stub sheets" like you'd find on a ledger checkbook with the info that winds up on the sticker... VIN, mileage, date, etc. Additionally, emissions testing is done with any OBDII scan tool and the I/M results transcribed onto a 4x5 chit of paper that gets mailed off to a warehouse, presumably to never be recon'd again.

Guy got away with it because he never bumped into a cop who looked at his windshield. The DMV doesn't know or care if you're inspected.

Spent $4.36 today on a brake line and now it stops. No hot glue. Less than a sub sandwich. Had most of a quart of DOT 3 in the trunk.

 

[Vikas]

Were you paid to haul this away?

 

[TooManyWheels]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Were you paid to haul this away?


Knowing jefino, he probably traded the guy even for a box of old postcards he picked up at a yard sale for $0.50. Before you know it, that eroded clearcoat will be replaced by a rustoleum roller job (very convenient that black is a stock Rustoleum color (not that there are any custom ones)), and this will be back on Craig's List. Heck, he might even clear the tree debris out of the cowl.....

 

[SteveSRT8]

A tired old car with tons of abuse. But still running. And it won't cost much to get it running and driving well again.

Say what you want, these cars are great cheap transportation. Take a lickin' and keep on...

 

[97tbird]

LOL! love the dash pic!
what a heap but what a great story! Eljefino is one brave dude

WTH is a 'service body' light?

 

[eljefino]

A service (wrench) light is for non-emissions issues, mostly if the body control module has a hiccup.

As for financing the thing, I cashed out of a 92 toyota cressida with 230k miles and a declared bad head gasket to get into this thing. Buyer said, that's not a head gasket, you have water in your gas. Mm ok. I did see that car drive by a week later, not smoking, so good for him.

 

[eljefino]

Breaking ecotec news: This is not a numbers matching car. There's a VIN on the timing cover and it's not the same one on the dash.

 

[01rangerxl]

So this original owner managed to destroy an Ecotec! Nice! Do you have his phone or email? Try to get the story.

 

[TooManyWheels]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Breaking ecotec news: This is not a numbers matching car. There's a VIN on the timing cover and it's not the same one on the dash.

Darn. There goes the collector value....

 

[eljefino]

Ok, so the car has 161k on it, why does the oil change sticker in the windscreen say to do it at 151k?

My scan tool also reports that it was driven 8600 miles with the CEL on.

But, great news, the ABS light was throwing codes that professor google mostly said were for the LF wheel. I had a spare semi-standard GM connector on an old saturn engine I have sitting here, and spliced it in. Did not move the car, and the ABS light went out. (One code was for open circuit.) Backed it up and the ETS off light went out too. I changed my gas cap, cleared the CEL, and it hasn't come back, though I haven't gone far enough to reset all of the I/Ms. Tested the ABS on wet pavement and it worked, blinking a "Low Trac" light at me like I'm some sort of buffoon.

So, for those keeping track at home, all the dash lights turned off. Except now it's low enough on fuel to turn on the "check gauges" light.

In its near future, new spark plugs, a muffler strap, and, hopefully, a state inspection. Slightly further out are an OCI and a couple used tires. 205/55/16 on a cavalier for crying out loud!!!

 

[daves87rs]

Sad, but true. See so many Cavs in that shape...

Love the story though!

Guess my 04 Cav is lucky, because it has no rot underneath..but then again, it's well cared for...

What model is it? LS?

 

[eljefino]

Don't see much for badging. It's a 2 door coupé, has AC, a sunroof, and the radio display reads out what song is playing. It's like a mini Camaro.

 

[daves87rs]

If it has power locks, but no body kit (or 16 inch wheels), it's a LS.

Wanna say the the tire size for that model was 195/65/15.

But of course I have the base model and lame 14s...

 

[daves87rs]

Wait-I see foglights in that pic, she's a LS Sport-

De- badged , maybe owned by a ricer in the past...

 

[javacontour]

So much for you plans to get rich turning this classic

Looks like you are making this work for you.

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Breaking ecotec news: This is not a numbers matching car. There's a VIN on the timing cover and it's not the same one on the dash.

 

[shell_user]

I wouldnt mind seeing a UOA on the oil and the filter when you do the oil change. Since this vehicle seems to be very neglected.


adam