Coming in as a replacement for the Monza, the Chevy Cavalier isn’t a car that we see a lot of here on Barn Finds. And if we do, they’re normally a Z24 and/or a convertible model. They were made starting in 1981 for the 1982 model year so they can be 39 years old now, although this 1991 Chevrolet Cavalier RS is “only” 29 years old. This one can be found here on craigslist in Strasburg, Pennsylvania and the seller is asking $2,500. Thanks to Mitchell G. for sending in this tip!
I know, I hear ya, a four-door Cavalier?! What in the Sam Hell is wrong with you guys? Obviously, this car touched a nerve with the gentleman who sent in the tip and all I can say is that if you want to see vehicles other than Chevy Cavaliers being featured, feel free to send in tips for the types of vehicles that you want to see featured on Barn Finds. We like to mainly show vehicles that have been sent in as tips by readers, so send in those tips for all of those hidden, dusty, $1,200 Hemi Cudas that everyone want to see here!
The Cavalier was made for the 1982 to 2005 model years for North America and, oddly enough, a joint venture between General Motors and SAIC Motors (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation) – a company that makes Buicks, Cadillacs, and Chevrolets for the China market – started manufacturing them in China in 2016. I know, this post just keeps getting better and better!
This car looks great for being a 29-year-old Cavalier. Being a four-door sedan doesn’t help the value or desirability but at least it’s an RS model, which was in-between the VL and Z24 models. Only the VL and RS models were available with four doors. The interior looks well-preserved in this 91,400-mile car, both front and rear. The biggest bummer with this entire car for me is that it has a THM-125 3-speed automatic transmission rather than a 5-speed manual. That made drivers wait an extra two seconds to get to 60-mph.
The engine is Chevy’s 2.2L inline-four which had 95 hp. It could use a good detailing but they say that it’s well-maintained and the AC even works.
A cool design and engineering feature took a cue from the popular Ford Taurus of the time: the front end was redesigned to draw air in from the front bumper and the designers could then give them a solid grille, or what we would normally know as the front grille which was now a solid panel. That’s yet another interesting thing about a 1991 Cavalier that I bet a few of you didn’t know about. A little saloon trivia for you there, courtesy of Scotty G. Almost every vehicle is interesting in some way and we can learn more about cars and the world, in general, if we dig deeply enough into a subject. So, all in all, with all of that trivia and those interesting tidbits added up: any thoughts on this ’91 RS Cavalier? (cringing, waiting for the “Two too many doors!” comments after all that, bringing me back down to earth)
The common perception about these is that they are junk, however, in my area this is the car that (in huge numbers) still carries the less fortunate among us around town. They had to have been a decent car.
They’re still in my town in spades also
These are GM’S equivalent to a cockroach. They do nothing particularly well, but very hard to kill.
They actually are decent cars that serve a purpose and typically have a long life with proper maintenance. I have a 99 as a second car. It has 234k miles and is still going strong. I do prefer the looks of this particular bodystyle better, the one for sale here though. The 99 I have is an incredibly boring car but it serves it’s purpose very well.
They are indeed good little cars. I know because I had 4 of them. As for the number of doors, 4 is by far the most practical and I only had one two door- an 82 J2000 – a car that originated in California. The paint was shot on it because of the sun exposure, but it was a great little driver that I couldn’t pass on. There was so much right with GM’s j-cars, that I would buy another in a New York minute.
They were decent basic transportation. Z24 models offered some mild excitement. Other than that, throw away cars. So this is notable for simply still being around.
I remember driving by the Lordstown plant back in ’91-92 on I-80. One of these would always be featured on the pedestal up front.
I bought a super-clean ‘93 RS sedan like this one with the 3.1 V6 and a 5-speed off the original owner a dozen years ago for $500 out of pure nostalgia for the days when Cavaliers and Sunbirds filled my high school parking lot. Fun as having a tire-squealing V6 econobox from the 90s was in theory, the Cavalier was small and uncomfortable for my six foot frame in daily use and I sold it a few weeks later for $1100. Looking at the price here I should have put it in the Barn!
I drove many of these back in the day as rental cars. Every rental fleet seemed to have these 25+ years ago. Now they are a rare breed. They were decent for what they were. Not exiting, but functional and got one from point A to point B.
I had slot of fun in my bright blue 91 Z24. It was a tire smoker even with the automatic. Interior fit and finish was suspect however.
Some 4-door sedans look just as good if not better than their 2-door brethren (1970 Chrysler 300 comes to mind). This Cavalier unfortunately is not one of them. The coupes were not ugly cars but Gawd that roofline is just awful.
I had a V-6 station wagon which was a good car and fun to drive. Being in the Northeast, rust eventually killed it. It was a peppy, reliable car.
They actually are decent cars that serve a purpose and typically have a long life with proper maintenance. I have a 99 as a second car. It has 234k miles and is still going strong. I do prefer the looks of this particular bodystyle better, the one for sale here though. The 99 I have is an incredibly boring car but it serves it’s purpose very well.
I had three over the years. Looking back, I’m glad it wasn’t four!
No small car should have an automatic transmission. Small cars with manuals can be fun as they have the now extinct feature of being light weight.
My daily’s have always been economy cars, as I got older I decided I should get a grown up’s car. I had a Volvo S60R with a six speed and tried a Lincoln Town Car, I enjoyed both but I’m back in 2016 Fiesta with 1.0 Ecoboost and 5-speed.
Small cars are just more fun and the money I save goes to my hobby cars.
In 1992 my college buddies and I drove one of these to Florida and back from Oswego, NY. I remember taking the night shift on the drive somewhere in Georgia and looking down to see I was going almost 90! The ride was so smooth I hardly noticed! (ha ha)
I love seeing these old die-hards! Really any little old lady grocery getter! And the bits of history you seem to dig up.
I bought one of these , a 1990 with a 5 speed at a dealer auction in Newburgh, NY in 1996, It had 100,000 miles and no one wanted it so I got it for $700. I gave it to my mother in law who immigrated from Colombia and only drove stic shift cars. She had it till long after she was no longer my mother in law. Never gave a bit of a problem till it had something like 170k and the clutch went and my ex wife junked it.
I had a ’94 black Z24 with 3.1 and 5 speed. I’d still own it today if rust didn’t get it. I sold it about 8 years ago after 10 years of ownership. It had 232,000 miles on it and still got 26 mpg! Had good lines and was comfortable to drive. I got it used as a second vehicle in high school as my lifted GMC Sierra loved gas stations. These were popular by me as well as the Beretta’s. Still don’t see why Chevy changed the name to Cobalt, still looked like the next gen Cavalier.
I like seeing these oddballs, better than the same mustang, Camaro, Chevrolet, or mopar cars and Porsche’s. Rather see a bus , an old Mazda, or many unknown weird cars, a hearse, old truck in cornfield, etc. It makes better reading to me, then throw in the known big blocks etc.
While I only had the 91 Z24, we had an 84 and an 85 sedan in the family. They weren’t exciting, but they were good, honest cars that did everything asked of them. The 85 was black with a beige interior. I remember it had the same type of steering wheel as the Camaro. I might say it was a nice looking car. First year for the quad headlamps I believe.
I live in New York State… so i haven’t seen one of these in the wild (in any condition) in probably 15 years. But I agree… you want to crap all over these, but they were a pretty stout little vehicle.
They were okay cars. I actually like this generation for looks. I did drive one or two, but didn’t own them. The V6 was the way to go. I like the two door, but if it’s your only car? 4 doors is just SO much more practical. Both for any passengers or for hauling stuff, or having a dog. I’ve had a couple 2 doors bigger than the Cav, and as much as I loved them, I had several occasions in which more doors would have been really handy. I’d drive it. Put a decent stereo with bluetooth, good set of tires, and if the air and everything else is still functional, I’m thrilled. These days, I find myself in SUVs for practical reasons, but a small car can be fun to drive, especially one made before they got too complex to casually tinker with. These are so cheap and easy to fix!
I had a bunch of these back in the day. The 6 cylinder ones are more fun, but the 4 cylinder one didn’t suck either.
If life were different for me at the moment, I would have considered buying it. Doesn’t matter though, ad is down. Someone got a reliable, economical & now unique daily driver!
I don’t think it has to many doors I like just how it is. A normal car today has for doors a just think it’s shallow comment on such beautiful in my view a nice antique Chevy. Growing up we had a two door Cavalier. Great car it was and I actually like the look of this one better!!!
My first car! Looked exactly like this! Drove it into the ground in ten years- but it was super reliable. Great memories!
Had an ’86 wagon with automatic that I bought new for my mom. She loved it until she passed away. Bought myself a ’91 RS 2-door with a 5-speed. That was a fun little car to drive. Scared the crap out me one morning on the way to work. Turned onto a 2-lane highway and shifted through the gears and kept my foot planted on the floor. Hit 123 mph when the governor kick in. Scaring the yahoo out of me thinking I blew the engine. Backed off the pedal and hit it again and she went back up with no problem. Never had a mechanical issue with either of them.
I remember hitting 120mph in my 91 Z24 Cavalier with the 3.1 liter 6 cyl. I backed off at 120, but it felt like it had moreand the engine didn’t kick out. I’ve wondered how much faster it would go, I guess you have answered that question for me.
Yup 123 was it. And yeah it felt like it wanted to go more. It was a fun little car to thrash about.