Aveo is Not Your Dad’s Chevrolet…Daewoo?
Several years ago lackluster Daewoo sales in the United States prompted GM to rename the brand. After all, many people may not purchase a Korean built car in the US, for fear of not being able to find auto parts. Many repair shops may not be want to work on a Daewoo. Any shop will work on a Chevrolet and parts are easy to find and cheap compared to import parts prices. The Daewoo Lanos and now the Chevy Aveo with a the 1.6 DOHC seems to be a good little car. Great gas mileage and sufficient power for a miser.
Owners should be advised however, that lack of maintenance could wipe out all the gas savings. Let me explain. The timing belt is scheduled to be changed every 60,000 mi. If the water pump or timing belt fails it will most likely cause severe damage to the cylinder head and valves. A recent customer in a local car repair shop here in Tampa declined a maintenance timing belt on their Aveo that was way over due to be changed. Their car had the original timing belt with 102,000 miles! It was around Christmas time, when the shop recommended the belt for preventive maintenance, the cost was around $300, that probably was the reason that they declined the job. About a week later the car was towed in on the hook with a stripped timing belt. The car ended up needing a rebuilt cylinder head along with the new timing belt for a grand total of around $2200.
Want to read more about this automotive repair? See this Tech Article. Also if considering doing this job yourself, be sure to get theKent Moore J42492-Aor the equivalent Draper specialty tool. Any comments on this car in general? Or has anyone changed the timing belt on a Daewoo 1.6, feel free to comment.
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The Chevy Aveo is not a bad car at all even though its built by Daewoo. The fact is there was more Ford Taurus cars breaking down in 1999 then Daewoo Lanos vehicles, Ford made junk cars in the 90s and Daewoo embarrassed Ford. Daewoo went under for ceo corruption not lack of sales. As for timing belt goes, thats the only glitch in the Aveo/Lanos. Their belts are not good quality, Gates rubber company belts should be the only ones used. Also use a all metal timing tensioner/pulleys from Gates or Beck Arnely. The factory water pumps are flawed also, use a high tech pump with a silver aluminum sprocket rather then a black sleel sprocket on the end, this will help with less heat because aluminum transfers heat colder than steel which in turn will allow the belts to last longer. Use old fashion anti-freeze thats green not red. THE TIMING BELT SHOULD LAST THE ENTIRE LIFE ON THE VEHICLE AFTERWARDS.
Thanks Tony. Owners of these cars should also keep in mind that if a cam or crank seal leaks onto the timing belt, the timing belt will need to be replaced also. Engine oil breaks down the belt and can cause it to fail prematurely.