Chassis lubrication?

[tylerdurden2816]

So my GF drives an 05 Cavalier, and until recently I was completely unaware of just how poorly she takes care of it. Honestly I hate GM's and the Cavalier may be the least thrilling vehicle of the 90's (besides maybe the Escort lol), but it is her only car and she's not in the position to buy a new vehicle in the foreseeable future, so I have taken it upon myself to at least do the basics for her to keep the car rolling, as described in the manual. Apparently the chassis is supposed to be lubricated every 6000 miles? I'm sure she hasn't done that since day one, and honestly the knocking and rattling while driving in it is testament to that, so it's something I need to look into. My question, since I didn't get a manual w/ my MM, do we have a similar chassis lubrication regiment, or was this no longer a thing by 2003?

[fastblackmerc]

So my GF drives an 05 Cavalier, and until recently I was completely unaware of just how poorly she takes care of it. Honestly I hate GM's and the Cavalier may be the least thrilling vehicle of the 90's (besides maybe the Escort lol), but it is her only car and she's not in the position to buy a new vehicle in the foreseeable future, so I have taken it upon myself to at least do the basics for her to keep the car rolling, as described in the manual. Apparently the chassis is supposed to be lubricated every 6000 miles? I'm sure she hasn't done that since day one, and honestly the knocking and rattling while driving in it is testament to that, so it's something I need to look into. My question, since I didn't get a manual w/ my MM, do we have a similar chassis lubrication regiment, or was this no longer a thing by 2003?

If you still have the OEM parts...... control arms, u-joints, sway bars, etc. there are no parts that need to be greased or lubed. Most aftermarket replacement parts have grease fittings.

I'd rather drive the Escort than the Cavalier......

[Mebot]

So my GF drives an 05 Cavalier, and until recently I was completely unaware of just how poorly she takes care of it.

I don't know why, but this first sentence just cracks me up [emoji28]

[Mr. Man]

The Escort and Cavalier wagons were the least likely cars to be stolen in the 90's. I drove our Escort wagon like I stole it while commuting to NYC at the time. Great little car and bullet proof.

[tylerdurden2816]

The Escort and Cavalier wagons were the least likely cars to be stolen in the 90's. I drove our Escort wagon like I stole it while commuting to NYC at the time. Great little car and bullet proof.

I said least thrilling, not least capable or reliable! And in that sense, the Cavy has been better than it should be to her, mechanically anyways. In terms of electrical stuff, well...it's still a GM...

[tylerdurden2816]

I don't know why, but this first sentence just cracks me up [emoji28]

I say this bc last year she ran it damn near dry, luckily the car shuts itself down in that instance instead of killing itself. So I thought that was an isolated incidence. Then the last month or so she's been saying she needs to get around to an oil change again. I assume she's close to 3000, or maybe even a few hundred over. Then yesterday she says it again and then mentions she's now at 8400 miles and ten months time on the car since the last change, and that the oil light has come on and gone off a couple times! So I immediately take her to Wally World, get oil n a filter, go back to my house, change the oil. The oil is thick as a milkshake, there's sludge on her oil filler cap, and only one or MAYBE two quarts came out when I drained the oil pan. I'm letting her drive the car a month (bc she puts very little miles on per week now) and we're changing it again just to clean all the :censor: out of it! It's not fair, she goes 8400 miles on an oil change and gets an oil light, I go 3500 or so and with no light or warning of any kind kill my engine. Which is another reason why now I'm getting kinda OCD about regular maintenance.

[whitey]

Get rid of her, problem solved. No offense, but you dont need the idiocracy ive read about this chick and her lack of car maintenance. It will bring headaches later on down the road, and you always have Rosie Palms and her 5 sisters.

[J-MAN]

Post pics of said girlfriend. Would you want someone else changing her oil?

[massacre]

+1 on pics of GF

[tylerdurden2816]

Lol, we'll see about that, but rest assured, she's worth the effort of having to maintain her vehicle in addition to my own.

[Logizyme]

Apparently the chassis is supposed to be lubricated every 6000 miles? My question, since I didn't get a manual w/ my MM, do we have a similar chassis lubrication regiment, or was this no longer a thing by 2003?

yeah, every other oil change you need to lube the frame and chassis with elbow grease, and check the fallopian tubes.

[massacre]

OMFG I just laughed so hard. I was just kidding about the pics BTW.
Chicks don't think about cars the same way we do, just keep busting her balls relentlessly until she gets it.
Works for me.
Or you can tell her that Oprah said to change your oil, that works for some of the older demographic....

Sorry my attempt at humor has fallen short.

Kinda on-topic,
Did you grease the cavalier?

[champ1173]

OMFG I just laughed so hard. I was just kidding about the pics BTW.
Chicks don't think about cars the same way we do, just keep busting her balls relentlessly until she gets it.
Works for me.
Or you can tell her that Oprah said to change your oil, that works for some of the older demographic....

Sorry my attempt at humor has fallen short.

Kinda on-topic,
Did you grease the cavalier?
I laughed, and pee'd myself a lil. :)

[mnrauder]

I use to be a locksmith. The chevy cavalier and the 2006-2013 Impala would bring me so much business.

[tylerdurden2816]

OMFG I just laughed so hard. I was just kidding about the pics BTW.
Chicks don't think about cars the same way we do, just keep busting her balls relentlessly until she gets it.
Works for me.
Or you can tell her that Oprah said to change your oil, that works for some of the older demographic....

Sorry my attempt at humor has fallen short.

Kinda on-topic,
Did you grease the cavalier?

No, I haven't been back under there yet. I should investigate possible grease points, but unless the guys at wherever she's been getting oil changes done at has been doing it, nothings been greased for years already. So my thoughts are 1) not really a big rush on it at this point and 2) probably will be a waste of perfectly good grease, at this point I imagine pumping it in and it just oozing right back out the other end of the part. Then I get to explain to her how she's damaged multiple components through carelessness. But yeah, I'm gonna do it, I was just crazy busy this weekend. This was my weekend with my daughter, which leaves me know time to play with cars.

[tylerdurden2816]

It's just funny bc she's always considered her car such a low maintenance vehicle. It's because she just doesn't fix anything or replace worn components! As long as it keeps running though, she thinks it's fine, she doesn't care the drivers window doesn't work right, that the gauges don't work or that her suspension is completely shot and makes all kinds of squeaking and clunking noises. It keeps starting and getting her to work and she's happy. As you can imagine, I do the VAST majority of the driving, I think in the three years I've known and then dated her, I've probably been in her car less than 5 times.

[lji372]

Lol, we'll see about that, but rest assured, she's worth the effort of having to maintain her vehicle in addition to my own.

Pics or we won't believe you :flamer:





:D

[massacre]

And here we are again LMAO

[MERCULES]

Pics of chassis and bumperettes would be appreciated.;)