Are you happy with your Aveo?

[byron84]

I first got mine (a 2004 hatch) thinking it would be useful as I was starting my own business, and needed something I could put enough stuff in, at the same time not costing me too much or wasting too much gas. It fit the description, I had bad credit, and I was able to get approved at a shady used car place.

At the time it only had 50,000km and still had warranty coverage. It drove perfectly fine, and I got the brake pads and spark plugs changed for free.

On one hand, the car has been good to me considering I wasn't very good to it. Drove it through some places that, only a truck should have driven through really. Taxied some stupid people around in the back seat that I really shouldn't have, a few too many times... put a lot of heavy stuff in the back a few times, etc. Let the car sit in a parking lot for ~5 months rarely getting driven (I was living elsewhere), started driving the car daily again when I got back. All bad things for the car... but it hasn't failed me.

In more recent times I started to be nicer, driving it better and doing more preventative maintenance as I should always have.

Anyhow, I used to be kind of critical about the car and didn't really like it. I can't fault the thing though, it has taken abuse and has never failed me even in the winter.

Coming soon is timing belt change, don't want to wait on that one.

I need to change the shock top mount bearings, possibly contributing to some of the noise. The rear suspension is sagging quite a bit, but again I think that's my own fault.

Now it has around 90,000km and nothing has ever broken on it... So that's 40,000km without problems - pretty decent, no?

I can't say that it gets good mileage though, cause it doesn't. The absolute best I've been able to manage is just under 140km on just under 10L of gas, which is OK-ish, but can't be reproduced if I do it with a full tank, or go faster than 90kph, or have other people in the car, etc. All those things kill the mileage dramatically. People all seem to be under the impression that it's some kind of super economical car, but it's not at all. It's just normal... I had a Lancer and got very similar mileage with it.

All in all, I'm more or less satisfied with the car; but unsatisfied with the horrible financing that I agreed to take.

I would consider trading it for a newer Aveo when I'm ready, but I think I'd rather something a bit more fun to drive. It drives fine, and I prefer it over other less torquey small cars, but it just isn't really any fun at all.

What are your thoughts? Do you like yours?

[Aveoguy]

I am in a similar boat. when i first got the car i was gung-hoe and excited, until i got used to driving it. like you said, the gas mileage isnt great ( my gf's EGT gets better gas mileage, and is WAY more fun to drive)

Then there's the handling... it down right SUCKS!!! if you take a on ramp or corner at 80kph your ass end is almost guaranteed to break loose.

If you are looking for an everyday grocery getter that you arent going to drive fast then this is your car. and well.... who doesnt want to go fast? lol

[AdamHatchback]

When I first got my Aveo in 2004 I checked out the brochure and liked what I saw. Appeared different and I needed a reliable daily driver. About a year later I sold my Z24 show car and decided I want to do some work with the Aveo. Lol soon after I had the entire car about laying in pieces and started shaving door handles and whatnot. I am happy with it! now its 2010 and the car has 12,500 miles on it and runs better than the day I bought it. Its a fun car and I am happy whenever I decide to take it for a ride on a nice sunny day

[whitefish]

Pretty much in the same boat as you guys.

What bugs me is that I've read that the Cobalt gets better gas mileage, yet is a heavier car!

Oh well. I almost bought a 2005 Camry instead of the Aveo. Good thing I didn't

[LarsBud]

Love my 2009 Areo5, but I did fix the sway issue shortly after I got it and keep on fixing the things I don’t like. For the price it’s a damn good car and a match to any other car in its class. That’s what people need to remember, look at apples to apples not apples to stake.

[byron84]

Love my 2009 Areo5, but I did fix the sway issue shortly after I got it and keep on fixing the things I don’t like. For the price it’s a damn good car and a match to any other car in its class. That’s what people need to remember, look at apples to apples not apples to stake.

Good point. I don't know about putting money into mine though, I noticed a few tiny little rust spots starting... If I sell now though, I lose too much on the financing - if I sell later, I lose too much on depreciation. If I keep it... well I still spend more.

I guess financially in the long run, it's best to keep it. Unless I can manage to trade it in for a newer one without too much of a hit. I do want something more fun to drive though. The Cobalt/G5 are not bad, I've driven them before. I wonder if they're as reliable as the Aveo or more?

[serega12]

I am totally happy with my Aveo. I got it with a thought of having it as my daily commuter that I can have a little fun "souping up".. and that's exactly what it turned out to be.

[dmeech]

I am really happy with my Aveo. Ive had it since new August 2005 and have only had 2 minor hiccups in the way of issues. Ive currently got about 113,000km on it and its running strong.
The major downer about the car was the audio components werent good, but ive replaced all the speakers and headunit soon after getting the car.

[serega12]

I am really happy with my Aveo. Ive had it since new August 2005 and have only had 2 minor hiccups in the way of issues. Ive currently got about 113,000km on it and its running strong.
The major downer about the car was the audio components werent good, but ive replaced all the speakers and headunit soon after getting the car.

What setup did you go with?

[Monzaveo]

Man, great question...

From my own experience with my car..

My overall take is that, knock on wood, at 73k miles my '06 Chevrolet Aveo SVM, has been an incredible value. I'm very satisfied with it so far.

Had my credit rating, and bargaining skill's been better, I'd have avoided the extra 5k in financing.
Or if I'd paid for the car in full at the 11,000 price tag (w/warranty, and paint protection options, tax, ect.) It would have been the steal of the century aside from the 8k dollar metro's they had just before y2k.

So yep, I'm happy with it.

Even though my dealership upset me by resetting the alignment to a new spec when I told them to just leave it alone, aside from the check needed to "qualify for tires for life"
- the tires were all worn perfectly evenly, and the car handled and drove perfectly and got excelent milage right from the start.
So no reason to change things. The machine indicated a mis-spec due to the steering wheel being locked down off center.
They wouldn't put the car back onto the rack, without me paying for another alignment.
I could have bitched up a major storm...but I saved my blood pressure, and just rode it out until I could afford another one.
Well that was about 40k frustrating miles of lane-change-happy fun!!!

I finally, recently had the car reset, and now I'm back to a much better handling car, although its still not exactly the way it used to be, and probably never will be again.

Are there any annyoances? sure, there's a few small issues the dealer could never get right..

Even with those, I'm happy with my desicion to get one so far.

Incase anyone cared to know...