Pulling my 2005 Aveo out of storage for the first time in 4 years this week

I didn't do much special, the car was stored outside and I didn't cover anything up as I don't have much of a vermin issue where I stored it, maybe its different where you are. The only thing I did was start it up and move it around every few months (but it sat for 6+ months straight over this winter because the winter was particularly bad here and I also changed the oil every year, that's really it, overall it came out pretty good except for the few things I had to do which are mentioned in the thread.

So, the struts are now replaced and the car handles much better, the driver's side was completely shot and had almost no resistance left and the passenger side was so-so. The whole thing was super easy and quick if it weren't for the lower bolts on the stabilizer links, they gave me 1+ hour of trouble combined and the driver's side had to be cut off in the end). I have lots of pictures so when I find time I may contribute a write up on the process.

We also had a guy come out on Sunday and replace the windshield glass so the car is pretty much done now, I just have to replace the valve cover gasket because I now 100% know i have a leak as when I checked the spark plugs the spark plug wells had a nice pool of oil in the bottom leaking down from the valve cover gasket.

Some pictures from replacing the struts.

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I had to cut my end links off too. I really have gotten use out of my grinders. The valve cover is easy. The instructions say you need a bit of gasket seal here and there, that's just really to hold in place when you flip the cover over. If you careful you don't need the gasket seal.

Whooohoooo!!! Took a trip to the junk yard today to scope it out before next Saturday's $50 all you can carry day and I couldn't be happier. I found a 2007 Wave in the same blue with the passenger side doors in perfect condition.

I don't know if you can tell but in the last picture I posted there is damage to the passenger side rocker panel and the bottom of the doors. I bought the car like this and got a good deal because of it. So hopefully come next Saturday I will have two new doors for only $50 and then I will pull out the dent in the rocker panel as soon as I have time and money for the puller kit I need.

Very cool. Princess Auto?
9 pc 5 lb Slide Hammer Dent Puller Set | Princess Auto

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Originally Posted by PoisonIvy

Very cool. Princess Auto?
9 pc 5 lb Slide Hammer Dent Puller Set | Princess Auto

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Exactly the one I was going to get!

Another update! I was successful in getting a new set of doors for the passenger side of my Aveo and I installed them this past weekend as well as taking the opportunity to put in some new 6.5" speakers I had had sitting around waiting to be installed.

Everything went pretty well and I think I have the alignment pretty good, the speaker install was easy and I had my father make me some spacers out of wood that did the trick pretty nicely. I also scored a bunch of other good parts including a new valve cover, gauge cluster, shifter and a grill that isn't cracked.

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And here is an up close picture of the damage I was dealing with on the old doors

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Now I just have to take care of the rockers. So far this will only cost me a little over $100 to fix, the body shops I went to when I first bought the car wanted $1300-$1500

No pictures to show for it this time, but we did a ton more work so I figured I would post an update.

We could not get some vibrations at highway speed to stop even after the struts were replaced and we had the wheels road force balanced so we ended up practically rebuilding the entire front end suspension.

We now have new:

- Ball Joints
- Steering end links
- Two new front wheel bearings
- Rotors
- Ceramic brake pads

She drives like new on the highway now! And the steering so so much tighter and responsive.

Also the odometer on the gauge cluster went so I had to replace the cluster with a junk yard one. Who knew the odometer reading was stored in the cluster itself though? I figure it was fed from the cars computer. So now the odometer shows about 50,000KM more than the car actually has so I had to document that well for future.

Still haven't got to pulling out that dent, but I have the tool now. Also just picked up a new valve cover from the junk yard to replace the one I can't screw the plastic valve cover cover to anymore because the screw holes rusted so I will be replacing that and putting in a new gasket and spark plugs now that oil won't be leaking into the spark plugs anymore with a new gasket.

Good job man. Very happy to see the Aveo being used again!