The Cavalier wasn’t necessarily Chevrolet’s most successful model in history, but the revamped generation introduced in 1988 recorded strong sales with almost every new release.
The first iteration launched in 1988 was a surprising hit with over 322K units, while the 1989 model year witnessed major growth, especially thanks to the coupe. The GM brand sold over 376K cars, with the coup accounting for over 227K units, up from only 158K in the previous year.
Sales declined slowly in the next few years, eventually dropping to 225K cars in 1992. The generation ended in 1994 when Chevrolet sold approximately 282K units.
A 1989 Cavalier landed on eBay a few days ago courtesy of seller bodywork1111, who claims that they recently pulled it from a garage where it’s been parked for years. The car has a sad history, as it was driven home by the first owner, spent only a short time on the road, and then parked in storage.
It remained in the same spot for years until the owner passed away. Humanity almost forgot this Cavalier existed, so the car spent more years in the garage until the seller discovered the vehicle and pulled it “to save it from being left to die.”
You don’t have to be a diehard Cavalier fan to tell that this example is still solid, and the owner says that all parts are still on the car. This makes sense, considering the original owner parked the car in their garage and forgot it existed, so this Cavalier never served as a donor for another project.
The Cavalier retains its original parts, and the 3.1-liter engine that was installed by Chevrolet is still under the hood. However, it’s unclear if it starts and runs, but considering the vehicle spent years in storage, it’ll probably need an overhaul before it can put the wheels in motion again.
This Cavalier looks surprisingly good, and the first thing it’ll need is a good wash to determine what needs fixes and what must be replaced. A good mechanic should be able to decrypt more information about everything happening under the hood, so contact the owner, discuss all the details, and arrange an in-person inspection to get a clearer picture of the car.
This 1989 coupe seems to be an easy project for someone looking for a cheap daily driver that’s not necessarily a brand-new car, but it’ll certainly be interesting how high the bidding goes for this one. The owner posted it on eBay with a reserve, with the battle starting at $200, though the reserve won’t let the car sell that cheap. The digital fight will end in four days, so fingers crossed that this Cavalier finds a new home before it’s too late.