Class of 1986: Cavalier Z24

[Stéphane Dumas]

Article from Hemmings blog
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2...-cavalier-z24/

[MrCritical]

Was a fun car to drive at the time.

Personally, I liked the notchback, but talk about a rubbery shifter!

[Z284ever]

I always preferred the notchback as well.

I'd love to see a modern equivalent of the Z24. It was good formula. Good low end torque, decent handling, all wrapped in a pretty inexpensive package with good bling. Chevy sold those things like hotcakes.

[W.A.F.U.]

I had an 87 Z24 and two 90 Z24s back in the day. They were great for their time.

The Cobalt SS turbo would be today's equivalent and a far more than worthy successor.

[Z284ever]

I had an 87 Z24 and two 90 Z24s back in the day. They were great for their time.

The Cobalt SS turbo would be today's equivalent and a far more than worthy successor.

You talk as if you can still buy a new Cobalt SS.

[W.A.F.U.]

You talk as if you can still buy a new Cobalt SS.

Maybe if we talk enough, we'll get a Cruze SS with all the things that made the Cobalt SS turbo great but in a higher quality package.

[Z284ever]

Maybe if we talk enough, we'll get a Cruze SS with all the things that made the Cobalt SS turbo great but in a higher quality package.

A "Cruze SS" would probably be too big/heavy/expensive to be a proper replacement for the Cobalt SS or even the old Z24. A Sonic SS would probably be a better fit.

[tbirderic]

After my sister got her driver's license, we went to look at a '91 Z24 with 83,000 miles that was listed at about $3000, this being around 1999. The car had been in an accident and was the victim of a poor respray, though it did look smart on parade. She passed on that car, but I've always had a soft spot for 91-94 Z24's. Even after all these years they still look sharp.

[ledfoot73]

We bought one of these new for my wife in 86. I loved the car back then. It was a heck of a lot more fun than the Nissan Sentra she had before it. Sure it wasn't that fast and had the typical fwd torque steer, but for it's day it was a fun package with respectable handling, a torquey motor and the required standard transmission. The problem was it was the least dependable vehicle we've ever owned. The car would just randomly die, have to be towed to the dealership and repaired, something to do with the new engine computer management system, they could never exactly tell me. Well that happened several times. The wonderful space age electronic dash went black and had to be replaced twice. I believe they said it was a throwout bearing retainer that required removal of the transmission about 4000 miles after the warranty went out that sealed the deal and we got rid of it. Really did like the car, despised the dependibility, tried to talk her out of a new 91 Mazda Miata later, she bought it and it really woke me up to how much fun a great handling little rwd car can be. No more FWD vehicles for us.

[prowlerjc]

I always liked the hatchback 'four-eye' version the best. I actually considered ordering a V6/5spd wagon with the F41 suspension in 1989, but found a Civic Si on the lot for a much cheaper price.

Plus, I drove a Grand Am with the Quad4/5spd, and the shifter was pretty vague and notchy.

Still, I'd like to have an 86 Z24 hatch. Good looking, and practical.

[RoyG]

Had a Sunbird 1984 rather than the cavalier. I wanted to get the OHC Brazilian made 4 banger rather than the OHV in the Cavalier. Fun car to drive but didn't have balance shafts. Also, had poorly designed cooling system and had head gaskets issues. Think the Cobalt was a major improvment over this vintage. And Cruze is in another world.

[paul8488]

Don't care much for the hatchback, but I'm a huge fan of the notchback.

[demonspeed]

...I've always had a soft spot for 91-94 Z24's.

I agree. They nailed it when they put a proper spoiler on the trunk after dropping the luggage rack. The cowl hood was neat for the times as well.

[Sal Collaziano]

I thought it was a pretty cool car for it's time.. I was driving F-Bodies, though, so I didn't want one of these. Still, I liked them..

[GMC72]

I'll always remember the night my buddy got his driver's license. His Dad was part owner of a dealership in town and gave him a brand new '90 Z24 convertable for the night. We decided to drop my car off at my place a go cruising in his car. We raced down the entrance road to my community and took a corner a little too fast (close to 120km/hr). He lost control and slid up onto the median. Then he hit something that caused the car to almost flip (the top was down as well). Needless to say, he didn't drive anything for a while.

Of course when he graduated a few months later, his parents gave him a new Firebird for college.