Well, the Nissan sold fast - I was putting the "For Sale" sign on it and a neighbor bought the car on the spot.

I got $500 more than what I paid for it. All I did was change the headlights.

Now my daughter does not want the Cavalier - not as good on gas as the Tercel.

I bought a 2000 Suzuki Esteem for her (from Craigslist).

A few problems with the Suzuki-

Check engine light came on.

Door locks missing or broken.

Does not have a CD player - just stock radio/cassette player.

Some cosmetic scratches.

Good things about it-

Cost only $1615 - KBB is $1875.

Gets good gas mileage.

Is about the same size as a Tercel (kind of looks like one).

My daughter is happy with it.

Cavalier will be going up for sale-

Convertible is good in the summer!!

Anyone interested??

i knew she wouldnt like the caveleir. can we call send her a nice card to say 'i told you so' ?

broken door handles are an easy fix, available on ebay, who knows what the CEL is until you pull the code, i dont think the esteem is actually MADE by suzuki...

little research, the body is all suzuki but the engine and possibly trans are Mazda.

i knew she wouldnt like the caveleir. can we call send her a nice card to say 'i told you so' ?

 

broken door handles are an easy fix, available on ebay, who knows what the CEL is until you pull the code, i dont think the esteem is actually MADE by suzuki...

little research, the body is all suzuki but the engine and possibly trans are Mazda.

The Cavalier's nickname was Crapolier.

i knew she wouldnt like the caveleir. can we call send her a nice card to say 'i told you so' ?

 

broken door handles are an easy fix, available on ebay, who knows what the CEL is until you pull the code, i dont think the esteem is actually MADE by suzuki...

little research, the body is all suzuki but the engine and possibly trans are Mazda.

The handles are fine - just the locks are missing or broken.

 

The CEL codes were P0304 and P0133.

I reset the CEL and will wait to see if the codes return.

The Cavalier will be going up for sale as soon as the Suzuki has door locks fixed.

I took the lock off the trunk and brought it to a locksmith.

He made a key and we tried it on the driver's door.

It seems like it would not go in and it turned out there was a piece of a key broken off in the lock.

The locksmith removed the piece and the key works good.

Now I need a passenger's side lock (it is missing).

When it stops raining I will put the trunk lock back in and pull the panel and see if the lock is inside the front door.

More to follow.

I took the lock off the trunk and brought it to a locksmith.He made a key and we tried it on the driver's door.

 

It seems like it would not go in and it turned out there was a piece of a key broken off in the lock.

The locksmith removed the piece and the key works good.

Now I need a passenger's side lock (it is missing).

When it stops raining I will put the trunk lock back in and pull the panel and see if the lock is inside the front door.

More to follow.

I put the trunk lock back on the trunk lid and it works fine.

 

The driver's door lock also works well.

I took the passenger door trim off and there was no lock on/in the door.

I ordered one from the locksmith ($50 + tax). It has to come from Washington D.C. area and will take a week.

More to follow.

The car seems to be almost exactly the same size as the Tercel.

The tires are the same size, although I have not needed to try the bolt pattern for similarity.

One of the difficulties of Suzuki ownership is the availability of parts - not as common as a Toyota.

I don't recall ever seeing one at the local junkyard.

Cavaliers are awful. I had an 84 in the early 90's and by the time I got 126k on that thing it was ready for the yard. Something tells me I will not witness such a thing with my Corolla at that point.

Her Suzuki has a clutch problem, which I intend to fix.

I ordered a clutch kit from e-Bay and I am waiting for it to come.

She will not sell the Cavalier until the Suzuki is fixed.

Anyone have access to instructions for Clutch change on a 2000 Suzuki Esteem??

I have drained the fluid, removed the battery, disconnected clutch cable and electrical sensor connections.

I started taking out the bolts - removed the starter - but am having difficulty accessing one bolt in the front.

It is blocked by the cross brace and also the exhaust.

Do I have to support the engine and drop the brace, or do I lower the exhaust??

Any suggestions??

I supported the transaxle and removed the mounts.

Lowering the engine (and the brace) a little gave me access to the last bolt.

The exhaust had a bolt on the heat shield that would not come off.

What's the best way to separate a transaxle from the engine (without causing any damage to either)??

smack the trans with a dead-blow hammer and spray some lube around the pins. rock it back and forth/up and down if needed until it seperates then slide it back and lower it down.

smack the trans with a dead-blow hammer and spray some lube around the pins. rock it back and forth/up and down if needed until it seperates then slide it back and lower it down.

Do I have to remove the passenger's side driveshaft, or can it come out when I separate the transaxle from the engine??

 

 

I removed the passenger's side driveshaft and then used a prybar to separate transaxle from engine.

I am just waiting for replacement parts to arrive.

Clutch changed.

Car runs good.

I am now more familiar with the standard and how to change clutch parts, especially on the Suzuki Esteem.

I would even be willing to tackle the job on a Corolla.

Nothing teaches better than a good experience.

Now my daughter wants to keep the Cavalier (maybe because it has a convertible top?).

She also has the Suzuki Esteem.

Both cars need a window regulator - The Cavalier is power and the Suzuki is manual.

More to follow.

ha, she sounds a little spoiled.

ha, she sounds a little spoiled.

Too bad the Suzuki is not a convertible, then the choice would be obvious.

 

I don't mind her having two cars, because the second is also a family spare.

My oldest daughter got a flat on her newer Corolla and she borrowed the Suzuki for a couple of days.

She misses the standard (she had a stick-shift on her totalled 1995 Corolla).

Howard, why don't you make her buy a Corolla?

Howard, why don't you make her buy a Corolla?

What makes you think he hadn't tried?

 

Howard, your family have gone through quite a lot of cars already!

Howard, why don't you make her buy a Corolla?

What makes you think he hadn't tried?

 

Howard, your family have gone through quite a lot of cars already!

I did try to convince my daughter to get a Corolla, but after having a Tercel, she grew to like them.

 

My family does go thru cars frequently (probably more than the average).

I personnally must have owned 30 cars, so far - and that does not include the motorcycles.

Most cars I buy need work and after I fix them, drive them a little, I put them up for sale.

My current Corolla I have had for 3 years and 30,000 miles - so far.

I once had a Ford Econoline van for 13 years - that is a record for me.

I also own multiple cars at one time and that is not usual for most people.

I always look for good cars to repair and then resale - e-Bay and craigslist, plus around my neighborhood.

I am auto recycler (in my own way).

My idea of a shopping spree is going to the local junkyard for used auto parts!

My daughter has sold the Cavalier - now she is driving the Suzuki.

She paid $2000 for the Cavalier from a friend and got $3300 for it - not a bad deal.

I paid $1616 (includes shipping) for the Suzuki from e-Bay and she gave me the money from her $3300.

The Suzuki needs a little work, but runs good.

She has tried installing three CD players in her Suzuki and shorted them out three times.

That short burns out the AM/FM stereo portions of the player.

Now she successfully installed a cassette player with AM/FM.

At least she can play my tapes (I have over 300 Cassettes)!

She has tried installing three CD players in her Suzuki and shorted them out three times.That short burns out the AM/FM stereo portions of the player.

 

Now she successfully installed a cassette player with AM/FM.

At least she can play my tapes (I have over 300 Cassettes)!

sounds like she's not wiring it up correctly or they're really cheap decks. is she using the metra wiring harness and using the correct one? might be worth your and hers money to let an audio shop be the one blowing up radios trying to make it work.