New Girl

[Autobotchipmunk]

Hi, everyone!

Just thought I'd introduce myself here. I don't have any pictures of my Sport-Red '05 Aveo5 LT Sport package yet, because it's in the shop and I didn't have a camera when I first started got it and didn't ever get around to taking photos of it because I wasn't finished decorating it. I'd like to take some once I do get it back, though.

I started off with a White '04 Aveo5 without a spoiler back when I was about 2 years into college and had a horrible wreck that totaled the Buick I owned before that. I'd originally wanted a station wagon because of the ability to roomy interior and being able to transport lots of stuff at once - and I'd planned on using the back to make a napping bunk for those long breaks between classes, but that's a different story. They were out of my price range, and the dealer decided to show me this new little car Chevy had come out with. It looked sort of silly at first, but at the same time kind of cute, too. It was brand new, but the price was still super affordable, and so I test drove it. And I loved how much pep it had! I was sold! I loved it and used it as my home-away-from-home (as I'm sure most College Students do) for a full year until one day, I found myself at an intersection where there had been a rough wreck. I was stopped at the red light, and a 1-week old Chrysler sports car stopped behind me. The SUV behind him, however, didn't. And so "The Egg" was totaled when the SUV crashed into the Chrysler and the Chrysler into me. Needless to say, I had extremely terrible luck with cars when I was younger, especially since I'd already had a fender bender in it months earlier that required the bumper be replaced.

I was extremely sad to see it go. I loved that little car! It was my baby! So I decided I would replace it with another!

I started my search, looking mostly at blue Aveos, since I have an uncontrollable attraction to the color. The problem was that the only Aveo that came in that super-beautiful pearl blue I found myself so enthralled by was a four-door. There was a dark blue Aveo5, but it just didn't call to me. So I finally decided to choose the 4-door, and we drove back up to the dealer the next day to buy it.

When we got there, we found sitting on the lot, waiting for us from the shipment they had received only an hour before, a sport-red Aveo5. For some reason, the little thing grabbed my attention and smacked me around mentally, pulling me away from the little pearl-blue number that had entranced me so much before, and I knew I had to have that one instead, even though it was the higher-end model and thus 5000 more then the first one had been! I test drove it and tried the entire time to keep from squealing in glee at it. The Egg hadn't had any automatic door locks or cruise control or power windows, so I was pretty happy to see those were on this model. I drove 2 hours a day for school and work, and cruise was a wonderful thing to me. The electronic options also made me fall even harder for the little thing when we got out after the test drive, the dealer turned and pressed the automatic lock button on the key fob, and I heard it give the most adorable, high-pitched, happy-sounding chirp I'd ever heard come from an automobile. Not even the dealer knew they did that, and we both laughed so hard! It was like the little thing was happy it had found an owner so soon! I decided right then that he was named "Chipmunk," because it reminded me of the chatter the little guys made when we saw them every year on our camping trips. (Yeah, sorry if it sounds weird, but I tend to think of my car as having a personality. I forgot how creepy it could be until just now...)

I got him about the time Transformers came out and rekindled my childhood obsession, and so he ended up being my outward expression of my nerdiness towards the series. Over the years, I ordered decals to put on his hood and elsewhere. I have a large, black vinyl Autobot logo on his hood, a couple of small aluminum Autobot badges on him, right where a hood ornament should be and on the rear directly underneath the "Aveo" badge as if it were part of the same emblem, and a small, silver vinyl decal on the gearshift. I also plan on getting a pair of red and black Autobot-logo'd seat covers for the front, and have been looking for a logo'd steering wheel cover. Unfortunately, I've only found a Decepticon version for the steering wheel, so I might have to skip on that. :/ I also would like to get a set of the wheel badges, though I'm still debating whether or not it would be best to leave the Chevy-emblem visible or make the change. It may be overkill at that point, and go from "turning him into a 'Robot in Disguise'" to being obnoxiously overboard.

I've had a few problems with it over the years. Not long after I bought it, the driver's side door handle on the inside came "unglued," I suppose you could say, and rattles in the setting. It's not that big of a deal, so I just ignore it instead of making a fuss at the dealership. The locking-pin on my gas cap door cover sheered off and wouldn't keep it closed some time after that, and I didn't ever get around to fixing it until now. I also had the ignition switch die last year. Since I work for GM in cust support, I know that that's a common issue with some of their vehicles, so I just shrugged and got it repaired, since it was out of warranty and wouldn't be covered anyway. Now, at around 67000 miles, I've had a vacuum hose (or something of the sort) go out, and the radio has fried itself and won't turn on, according to the mechanic I've taken it to.

Still, even with the issues, I love my Chipmunk, and I can't wait to get it back from the shop! I never really expected to be that much of a fangirl for a car I owned, but I adore it! Up until today, I didn't even know there were other people out there who were as crazy about their mechanical pets as I am! I came here looking for solutions to what types of radios I could get to replace the one that died, and found this forum. I always cracked jokes about how adorable it would be to see someone trick out an Aveo - especially the 5-door versions - and when I saw that there was an entire forum here devoted to just those sorts of things, I was so tickled! I didn't even know it was possible to do that!

So I came here looking for help on my radio issue, and I think I'll be staying here just to spend time with more crazy Aveo fans like me! Just seeing the modifications people have made to theirs makes me want to get into mechanics just so I can learn how to do it myself! I'd love giving the Chipmunk even more pep then he already has!

Hope I'm not too dorky for you here, and that my newbiness doesn't get to be too much. :P Hopefully I'll be able to take my car for a "bath" once I get him back, and then take pictures to "show him off." I know everyone here has one of their own and mine will probably look pretty silly compared to the extreme mods some have done, but I still love bragging on it!

TL;DR - I love my Aveos and am happy to find other people like me! I didn't even know places like this forum existed!

[serega12]

Wow, that's one vivid story... and welcome to the forum again. The story explains your nickname. One thing I didn't catch from your story, is your current Aveo an automatic or manual? And I don't think one can be too dorky for an internet forum. To some people - if you're in ANY forum, you're already dorky.

[Scotland]

Nothing wrong with being a Transformers geek! My car is fighting the Decepticons all on her own over here! I only have Autobot wheel centres and a badge on the steering wheel though!

[Daox]

Welcome to the site. Don't worry, you'll fit right in.

[LarsBud]

Welcome and I think we all can’t wait to see some pics of your Aveo 5. So what year is he?

[petrified.rabbit]

i only made it to the point where you went to the dealer... i'll read the rest later, welcome!

[Autobotchipmunk]

haha yeah, I tend to get wordy, sorry. I didn't realize how long that was until I clicked "submit." O_O

It's a 2005 and an Automatic. I don't know how to drive a stick shift, though I'd love to learn. :P Especially since my other car love is Lamborghini. Though they're out of my price range, if I ever saved up to get a used one, I'd have to learn pretty quick how to shift.

Ooooh, You have a steering wheel badge??? I was looking for one of those! Did you just put a sticker-style badge on, or did you find a specific steering wheel replacement to install??? I know they have them for Camaros and other vehicles, but couldn't ever find one that would work for Aveo! I'm glad to see there are other TF Aveo fans here, too! Have you guys seen the red Aveo Transformer that was given out if you test drove an Aveo around the time the movies came out??? Uuuugh, I want that thing so bad, especially since it's the same color as my car! hahaha

ETA: My member status on under my icon cracks me up. My grandma calls them "Ay-vee-ohs," and I'm always like "URRGH! "Ah-vay-oh!"

[Z34guy]

Welcome. That entire first post looks like something my girlfriend would type. o.o
You'll like her. bloodyteehee646. Her Aveo is also a loaded hatchback, hers is a 2006 though. The only option hers doesn't have is the moonroof.

[bloodyteehee646]

Welcome, hun! lol, that does sound like something I'd type, but instead of saying "squealing in glee" I just say, "squeeing". Then again, I have my own language half of the time anyway. I'm so sorry to read about your Egg! I own two cars at the moment, a '98 Olds Intrigue and my '06 Aveo hatchback in the gorgeous pearlescent blue that you described earlier. The Intrigue was, and always will be, my first and true vehicular love. Not even the sportiest Lotus Evora, the most trumped up Buick Grand National, or the most pink Fiat 500 Barbie Edition will ever replace my Intrigue. IMHO, my Intrigue, named Odette Pavlova Noir, the black swan, is the best car ever. She is like a sumo ballerina. Big and chunky where it counts, yet graceful and exhilarating as well. Unfortunately, OPN's engine went BOOM for no reason two weeks after I bought her, and I was a mess. More importantly, I had no wheels, and my mechanic is slow as heck when it comes to repairs, so I opted to get a second car. I was torn between Little Baby Brain (that's its name until I figure out if it's more of a girl or a boy. See? Like in Alice in Wonderland, we're all strange here ) and a silver Caliber. I literally was geisha shuffling back and forth between the two cars at the dealership, then I finally said, and I quote, "Oh, who am I kidding? I want the cute little bowtie-mobile!" So, that's how I got my cute little Aveo, and I'm very happy with it, as is my mom, who wanted me to have an econobox from day 1. She actually drove it yesterday and SHE loves it now too. She says it's by far the easiest car to drive ever, and she likes the feeling of being propped in the middle of the car, whereas in her Sentra she feels like her butt is going to scrape the ground.
But in any case, we're glad to have you here. I've only been a member for a couple of days, but this seems like one of the nicest, most laid back forums I've EVER been on. Z34guy and I are members of another car forum that is basically a bunch of ill-tempered grease monkies beating each other over the head with torque wreches 24/7, and the few female members are either miserable beeyotches or are hiding in a corner saying, "Please...save me." So yes, this forum is actually HAPPY. Then again, I can't imagine very many roid ragers driving Aveos. What would they have to threaten people with?
"I'LL SMASH YOUR HEAD IN MY ITTY BITTY LIFTGATE! RAAAAAAAAHHHH!" lol, that wouldn't work too well. And yes...I talk too much, sorry.

[Z34guy]

with Odette, Ari (Bloodyteehee646) opted to keep her instead of junking her, much to my surprise. Last month, my sister died (sad yes yes. Let's get on with it.). My sister had a 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP Supercharged.... which happened to not only be the same year as Ari's Intrigue but used the same platform and was even built in the same factory. So we got to thinking "Engine swap?"> Now we're trying to find a local shop to do the swap since Ari doesn't know how to do it and I lack the proper tools. Beside it gives the Pontiac a second chance at life. As to why we're using the Pontiac as a parts car instead of driving it?.... My sister smashed it into a telephone pole trying to avoid a deer almost 2 years ago. We'd been trying to save up to fix it for her, but now with her gone, we just want the car gone.




As with your first Aveo, I'd have paid through the ass to have it repaired... but then again, I'm me.