It would seem that something could break down in the transmission of a car whose most powerful engines are just over 100 horsepower? You won’t believe it, but it is in terms of mechanics that the Chevrolet Aveo has obvious punctures. The CV joint boots and the joints themselves are not particularly durable; even on cars with a weak 1.2, these parts fail after driving for one and a half hundred thousand kilometers.
Lightly tapping CV joints can last quite a long time; many particularly thrifty drivers do not change a part that seems to be out of order and only stuff more lubricant under the new boot. Surprisingly, the design lasts for tens of thousands of kilometers.
In the photo: Chevrolet Aveo 5-door (T200) "2003–08
Most cars are equipped with manual transmissions of several series. All of them trace their origins back to Opel’s F 10/F 13 gearboxes and even remain interchangeable with them. True, Korean cars do not use high-tech release bearings combined with a hydraulic cylinder; they make do with a classic “release bearing” with a fork.
The design of the D 13 box, which was installed with 1.2 engines, is frankly unsuccessful. It's just a collection of bad decisions in manual transmission design. Thus, weak bearings often began to hum at mileage of up to 70 thousand. The shafts are relatively reliable, and repairs in the event of severe wear are relatively inexpensive. But the synchronizers also fail, the fifth gear gets stuck, the differential suffers from welding of the satellite axle... And on top of that, the oil seals still leak, which often leads to the “draining” of the gearbox and its rapid death. In general, as in the song, “life is on the edge”...
In the photo: Chevrolet Aveo Sedan (T250) "2006–11
To prevent the boxes from dying in batches, the oil change intervals were repeatedly shortened during the warranty period - the latest unofficial recommendations suggested changing it every 30 thousand kilometers. Unfortunately, many car owners consider this unnecessary. By the way, regular ATF works great in the box instead of the original oil; this is a frequently practiced substitution. But it’s still better to change the gearbox to a D 16, even if this entails some modifications to the mounts and replacement of the drives.
In stock D 16 is installed on 1.4 and 1.6 engines. This manual transmission also has Opel roots and is close in design to the F 16. The only troubles here are oil leaks through the seals. Otherwise, this is a fairly strong unit - in any case, it gets along with such weak engines without problems.
Cost of front brake pads
for the original
2,077 rubles
Against the backdrop of troubles with the manual transmission, the operation of the Aisin automatic transmission looks like the height of reliability. After all, they installed a 60-41SN / 60-40LE box here, which easily withstands the torque of 1.4 and 1.6 engines and does not even overheat. With regular oil changes, it can withstand 200-250 thousand kilometers until the first repairs - replacing the gas turbine linings and cleaning the valve body and replacing the linear pressure solenoid. And even for “racers” who do not change their oil on time, the first problems rarely appear before 150-200 thousand mileage.
Noticeably less common with 1.4 engines is a weaker version of the automatic transmission, Aisin 81-40LE. This version of the box is essentially little different from the 60-40LE, but withstands noticeably less torque. In addition to all of the above, the planetary gear is also at risk. However, it is still less hassle than with a manual transmission, and with careful operation, the service life also exceeds 200-250 thousand kilometers before major repairs.
Motors
The Aveo didn’t have that many engines, but nevertheless, there is a little confusion. Many people still call the engines of the E-TEC II family “Opel”, although they have never installed them on European cars.
In general, all E-TEC units are developed on the basis of GM licenses and Opel developments, but they are modified by Daewoo and manufactured in Korea or Australia. Despite the common design, there is a difference with European models.
Before restyling in 2007, the B 12S 1 and F 14D 3 engines were installed with a camshaft belt drive. These are sister engines on a modified Family I block. True, the 1.2 engine has only 2 valves per cylinder, while the 1.4 already has 4 - respectively, and the cylinder heads are significantly different.
After restyling, the engines were replaced by the B 12D 1, this is the Family 0 family with a timing chain drive and 16 valves and the F 14D 4 engine, which belongs to the “old” Family 1 family and has a timing belt drive, but in design is more reminiscent of European engines and That’s why it’s called “Opel” by many.
It is quite easy to distinguish the motors. Which 1.2 is installed can be seen from the design: the new motor is smaller and its timing case is not visible - it is a chain one, after all. 1.4 engines can be distinguished by their nameplate power: the newer one has 101 hp, versus 94 for the old one. Well, on the top cover the inscription “Ecotec” instead of “E-TEC” proudly flaunts. The shape of the timing case and the location of the attachments are also different.
All belt motors have a well-developed design with sufficient service life. Even small 1.2s can travel 200-250 thousand kilometers before a major overhaul with replacement of the piston group, and when using high-quality oils and short replacement intervals, the mileage before intervention in the piston group will be more than 350 thousand, there are plenty of such examples.
But, unfortunately, there are nuances. At a minimum, all owners will encounter leaks of seals and gaskets. After all, the crankcase ventilation system here is primitive and needs to be cleaned, and the hole in the throttle body simply becomes clogged. Oil seals should be changed whenever possible, and gaskets should only be used fresh, without reinstalling.
The cooling system is not made of the best materials and is prone to cracking of pipes, expansion tank and thermostat. The latter is not very scary, because the temperature drops minimally, which makes life easier for older engines in hot climates, but in winter, owners suffer from underheating of the interior.
Radiator cost
for the original
8,933 rubles
Plastic cylinder head covers on 16-valve 1.4 engines are also not ideal; there are frequent cases of warping and oil leaks into spark plug wells. Well, the EGR valve on all engines not only heavily pollutes the intake manifold, but also significantly reduces the power and service life of the engine.
Motors with catalytic collectors also risk the piston group when it falls off; this usually happens with runs of more than 150-200 thousand kilometers, but starts in severe cold can lead to earlier failure of the catalyst. Well, leaks in the gas tank ventilation system due to the tube rubbing against the rear shock absorber can lead to its contamination and problems with the pump and injectors.
There are also troubles specific to each engine model, and more serious ones. For eight-valve 1.2 B 12S 1, if oil change intervals of 10 thousand kilometers are not observed or low-viscosity oils are used for runs of more than 100 thousand kilometers, the camshaft beds can lift up. And this is serious. By the way, Opel ones with 8-valve engines or Nexia ones with 1.5 engines are suitable. The reason is a clogged oil supply nozzle. By the way, it is recommended to drill it out, if the motor is still alive, to a diameter of 1.2 mm. And the timing belt needs to be changed not according to the regulations, but after 60 thousand mileage, and together with all the rollers. And change the pump no less often than after one timing belt replacement.
L-arm cost
for the original
3,976 rubles
The restyled B 12D 1 engines have a relatively short timing chain resource, about 100-150 thousand kilometers. And therefore it is worth listening carefully to the sounds of the chain during a cold start. The chain is thin and breaks easily, but more often it just jumps and bends the valves.
With F 14D 3 engines the situation is even more unpleasant. Incorrectly selected clearances in the valve-bushing pair cause them to “hang,” which over time leads to burnouts and other unpleasant consequences, including destruction of the camshafts. The recall campaign has long passed, but there are still cars that have been suffering from this problem for a long time, and the owners valiantly ignore all the symptoms.
Poor starting and decreased compression for this engine with mileages of up to 150 thousand kilometers most often mean a quick repair of the cylinder head. Well, or replacing it with an Opel one, which is also a good option and even cheaper. High-voltage wires also need to be changed regularly; often the engine loses a lot of power precisely because of them. The intake manifold becomes dirty, the vacuum drives do not work correctly, the throttle becomes clogged, and the idle air valve requires regular cleaning.
The F 14D 4 is initially free from such a problem, but it also has its own subtleties. Thus, the condition of the intake manifold flaps most often does not allow the development of full power: EGR and oil from the crankcase ventilation system are to blame, as well as weak plastic flaps.
Individual ignition coils are noticeably more expensive than wires and ignition modules, and they easily fail due to oil leaks. So you will have to regularly, at least once every 60 thousand, change the cylinder head cover gaskets if you do not want to change more expensive parts. Phase regulators may knock when starting up. The problem is most often in the valves or contamination of the valve nets, but if you drive for a long time with a knock, then the phase regulator couplings themselves will require replacement.
And watch out for oil leaks from the couplings, otherwise the timing belt may fail much earlier than expected. The valve clearances need to be adjusted - the engine does not have hydraulic compensators. An electronic throttle is required, otherwise there may be dips in speed when switching and strong idle “swimming”.
A rare 1.6 engine is usually the F 16D 4, as on, it was installed only on cars for the USA, so Aveo with such an engine is rare among us. But in operation it is no different from the F 14D 4 engines.
In the photo: Chevrolet Aveo Sedan (T250) "2006–11 Summary
The first generation Aveo is a very inexpensive car. True, it is not very cheap to operate - at least if you use dealer service and do not delve into the essence of the problems. And if you approach repair and maintenance wisely, then spare parts are inexpensive, and the work usually doesn’t cost exorbitant amounts of money, because everything here is quite simple.
Your voiceWe bought a car for my wife. Hands-on, the speedometer shows 12,000 km. Before that there was a Mercedes C 180 1995 for two. I’ll say right away that I still can’t get used to it. What can I say, heaven and earth. Budget car.
1. Appearance: Beautiful. Attractive. Aggressive with a kick. Recognizable.
2. Internal volume: Requires praise.
3. Interior: Noble and worthy of its price.
4. Trunk: Good volume. One minus is that the arcs on which the lid is held “enter” the trunk space and thus do not allow bulky items to be placed. Clearances are required for these arcs.
5. Engine: torquey, although up to a speed of 120 km (volume 1.2), then it’s unpleasant.
6. Control: at low speeds it holds the road well, after 90 km/h you have to catch on the ruts.
7. Gearbox: normal gearbox, with comfortable shifting.
8. Tomosa: good brakes, but I can’t compare them with Mercedes ones. It's more comfortable there.
9. Winter starting is beyond praise. One minus - the frozen gearbox in the hydraulic booster whistles. For some reason they pour thick oil there. It whistles for about 10 minutes, then goes away.
10. When it’s cold in the car, you can’t say that it’s hot, but this may be because the cabin filter has not been changed. And the fan blows very well.
1. The front struts get in the way when cornering. You can't see anything at all. Even when passing pedestrians, you have to move your body back and forth in order to inspect the area behind the counter. A couple of times I almost ran over a pedestrian. You can't see him from behind the counter.
2. Noise insulation: out of 10 points 6. The wheels can be heard very well. The noise outside the window (street noise) is very well muffled. On a long journey, the noise of the wheels is simply tiresome. (again in comparison with Mercedes) it’s completely quiet there. You can speak in a whisper.
3. Engine. This is one irritation. I will never buy a car with a weak engine again. I myself am a mechanical engineer, I guessed that the weak engine was a marketing ploy, but I didn’t think it was that bad. In a word - do not buy a car with a 1.2 liter internal combustion engine. The consumption on my Mercedes, which weighed 1.5 tons and had a volume of 1.8 liters, consumed 8-9 liters in the combined cycle, 7-8 liters outside the city. This same Aveo eats the same amount, no less, and at a speed of more than 120 km/h, gluttony increases. I talked with Aveo drivers with 1.4 liter engines. The consumption is really economical.
4. The suspension just irritates me, spoiled by Mercedes comfort. It’s simply not pleasant to feel every convolution as your fifth point. Before Mercedes, I had two VAZ Sevens. I also drove them around Russia, and the comfort of the Seven’s suspension is an order of magnitude higher than the comfort of the Aveo’s suspension.
Conclusion. The car is good. It is worth the money and still finds its buyers today. For those who are planning to buy it, I advise you not to buy it with a 1.2 liter engine. No savings, just expense. The engine has to be constantly revved up. As a result, its resource is reduced and fuel consumption increases. At 1.2 liters the balance of power and weight of the car is disturbed (1.3 tons). At 1.4 it is more correct.
If you drove on hard suspensions, there will be no problems with adaptation, but you cannot remove the front strut anywhere - it will interfere with you. Although I was thinking, my height is 180 cm, for those who are shorter it may not bother me. On the other hand, the wife also complains that she can’t see anything, and she is 168 cm tall.
Look, choose.
Good luck on the roads.
You can buy a new or refurbished gearbox for a Chevrolet Aveo T250 1.2 F12S3 in our services. You can buy a gearbox (manual transmission) for a Chevrolet Aveo T250 1.2 in the case when your repair gearbox will be significantly more expensive than buying a refurbished or used gearbox.
You can buy a gearbox for a Chevrolet Aveo T250 1.2 from the following options:
1. Used Chevrolet Aveo T250 1.2 gearbox- This is a box that was removed from another car and presumably it can work. As a rule, such gearboxes are removed from damaged cars. Some have mileage data, some don't. The warranty on a used gearbox is 5 days from the date of purchase.
2. Rebuilt gearbox (manual transmission) Chevrolet Aveo T250 1.2 is a gearbox that had a certain problem and it was fixed. The remaining spare parts and components on it are usually not changed or even touched. For example, the 2nd gear gear in the box did not work. The client leaves such a box, installs another, and this one simply eliminates the specified problem. When something else will fly in such a box, no one knows. The warranty on the rebuilt gearbox is 1 month.
The smallest Korean-made Chevrolet sedan (ex-Daewoo is now owned by GM and produces cars under this American brand) has recently appeared on our market. Russian buyers greeted this model quite favorably - more than 7,000 of these cars were sold in our country during the year. To maintain its position in the fierce competition, General Motors is already introducing the next version of Aveo to the market. The new sedan will be sold in parallel with the previous generation hatchback. To get acquainted with the new product, we went to the north of Italy, to the city of Trieste.
INEXPENSIVE cars are always chosen especially meticulously. Here the subjective concept of “like or dislike” often fades into the background. In addition to the price and dynamic characteristics of the model, a potential buyer will definitely be interested in the trunk volume, ground clearance, fuel consumption in different modes, and even the frequency of regular maintenance. This is explained not only by the abundance of offers in the price category “up to $15,000,” but also by the understandable desire to make the most efficient use of the limited budget allocated for the purchase of a new car.
Therefore, standing in front of the stand with the keys to test cars at Trieste airport, I set myself up in a kind of rational-skeptical mood:
– What can you choose from?
“Here is the whole range of modifications we offer,” says the girl with the GM badge on her lapel.
– You can take an Aveo with a 1.2-liter engine and manual transmission. Or with a 1.4-liter - it is available with both “mechanics” and “automatic”.
The salon, which was considered the strong point of last year’s Aveo, has not changed fundamentally.
I figure that the flagship 94-horsepower version should be nicer and more interesting on the go than the basic 72-horsepower version:
– Hmm... How much will Aveo cost in Russia in the most expensive version?
The girl checks the specifications:
– It will be a car with a 94-horsepower engine and an automatic transmission. Its estimated price is $14,000.
- However!
The back of the rear sofa is foldable and allows you to increase the volume of the trunk.
We also recommend test drives of competing cars Chevrolet Cobalt
(4-door sedan)
Generation II Test Drives 3
(4-door sedan)
I’m willing to bet that the Italian representative of the company did not watch the classic Soviet film adaptation of “The Twelve Chairs,” but she unmistakably caught Ippolit Matveich’s skeptical intonation:
– Take this one, bright yellow... It has a 1.2-liter engine and a manual transmission. The price of such a car will start at $11,000. Four-channel ABS and four airbags are standard.
- I'll take the yellow one...
I think that the majority of Russian buyers of golf-class models would approve of this choice - about three thousand dollars saved in my virtual budget remained. The appetite of the 72-horsepower engine promises to be modest, and I hope the car will not disappoint on the move.
Along highways and serpentines
The parking lot, where dozens of Aveos were crowded, resembled a toy store window. Despite the cloudy weather (it was snowing outside, which is not at all typical for Italy, mixed with rain), it seemed that the parking lot was flooded with sun. Bright multi-colored cars just by their appearance lifted the mood.
But as soon as I drove my yellow “Aveo” out of the line of others like it, the feeling of being a toy suddenly disappeared somewhere. A completely normal, “adult” car, which, even despite its frivolous coloring, looks, perhaps, more expensive than the money they are asking for it.
“Chevrolet Aveo” of the previous generation personally always seemed disproportionately narrow to me, which did not at all add to the car’s attractiveness. The new model is free of this drawback - it has become wider, more solid, if you like - more monumental. In proportions, “Aveo” now resembles the older “Lacetti”. And the increased length made it possible to increase the trunk volume by 20 liters compared to its predecessor. From now on, it reaches 400 liters - an important factor when traveling to the country.
By the way, the total length of the new Aveo is off the charts at 4.3 m. Thus, formally the sedan is at the very top of its segment and is about to move into a higher golf class.
At first glance, the car looks more expensive than the money they are asking for it.
The interior, which was considered the strong point of last year’s Aveo model, was not fundamentally changed. It was only slightly refaced, making it a little better. No, the quality of the plastic remains the same, not the highest, but acceptable level. Many already familiar details have also been preserved. For example, the steering wheel, seats, and ashtray at the bottom of the center console were migrated from the old model to the new one without any changes. However, in general, the interior is stylistically close to the older models of Korean Chevrolets. Quite a high, almost minivan-like seating position, well-thought-out ergonomics, nothing gets in the way and nothing, or almost nothing, irritates. The only thing that seemed inconvenient was the location of the manual transmission lever - it was too moved back, so when shifting you had to move your elbow behind your back.
On the Class Boundary
ON THE EXPRESS, I didn't have to regret my choice. Equipped with a modest engine, the Aveo 1.2 quickly picks up speed close to the rated maximum speed. It’s only when the speedometer needle crosses the 140 km/h mark that the car begins to “float” unpleasantly on the road - apparently, the overly soft suspension has an effect (although, by the way, it has become a little stiffer compared to the previous Aveo).
In general, the engine, as they say, is enough. Even if there are two adult men sitting in the car and both weigh a hundredweight. The real lack of power of the 1.2-liter engine is felt only during risky overtaking and on mountain roads. Climbing up the winding serpentine road, the car often required lower gears, down to second. This is where doubts arise: maybe you should have preferred a more powerful engine? But, on the other hand, how often do you have to drive on mountain roads? I suspect that most potential buyers from central Russia will not. And then there is no point in overpaying, unless, of course, the car is regularly used under maximum load: four to five people plus luggage. An additional consolation for economical users will certainly be the fuel level indicator, the needle of which barely deviated from the maximum during the 100-kilometer trip.
The overall impression of the trip can be characterized in one phrase: if you don’t demand the impossible from the Aveo, it won’t let you down. By its nature, the car turned out to be close to... home appliances. Just as the manufacturer put a certain set of functions into it, that’s how it performs them. No more, but in no case less - only what the money was paid for, no additional bonuses are provided. And in this case they are not required - most sensible people are perfectly clear that if you stuff 5 into a washing machine designed for 4 kg of dirty laundry, then nothing good will come of it...
Chevrolet Aveo T250 is a restyling of the previous version, and not a new generation, as everyone thinks. Although visually it seems that this is a new generation, since there are many changes. There are new engines, suspension characteristics have been changed and much more. Let's discuss everything in more detail.
Exterior
The appearance has changed quite well, a new hood with more prominent reliefs has appeared. There are also other headlights in front, they are larger in size, and the filling remains halogen. The small radiator grille is highlighted by a huge amount of chrome, which visually makes the car more expensive. The massive and embossed bumper of the model has air intakes at the bottom. In that area there are round fog lights with chrome trim and also a chrome horizontal line that connects to the optics.
The side of the sedan has surprisingly strongly swollen wheel arches, which cannot but please, especially a completely young audience. There is a stamping line approximately in the middle, and there is also a similar one in the upper part. The oval-shaped turn signal repeater is noticeable, but it is small.
At the rear, attention is immediately attracted by the rather large optics with good color design. The trunk lid is pleased with the presence of a spoiler, as well as a slightly protruding line that corresponds to the size of the turn signal on the optics. A massive car bumper will please you only with its relief shape at the bottom.
The Chevrolet Aveo T250 sedan was mainly popular, but there was a 5-door version 5D and a 3-door 3D. Since our country loves the sedan more, here are its dimensions:
- length – 4310 mm;
- width – 1710 mm;
- height – 1505 mm;
- wheelbase – 2480 mm;
- ground clearance - 155 mm.
Specifications
| Type | Volume | Power | Torque | Overclocking | Maximum speed | Number of cylinders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1.2 l | 84 hp | 114 H*m | 12.8 sec. | 170 km/h | 4 |
| Petrol | 1.4 l | 101 hp | 131 H*m | 11.9 sec. | 175 km/h | 4 |
| Petrol | 1.6 l | 109 hp | 150 H*m | - | 4 |
In our country, only two engines were sold, but there are actually 3 of them in the line. Of course, they do not stand out with high power, but they are enough for ordinary city driving. Now let's discuss them in more detail.
- The first unit is a 16-valve 1.2-liter engine. It is, of course, naturally aspirated and produces 84 horsepower and 114 units of torque. With this engine, the sedan accelerates to the first hundred in 13 seconds, and the maximum speed is 170 km/h. Consumption is around 7 liters in the city and 5 liters on the highway.
- The second engine in the Chevrolet Aveo T250 line is 1.4, which produces 101 horsepower and 131 H*m of torque. The dynamics have become better, namely 12 seconds to hundreds and 175 km/h maximum speed. Consumption is more - 8 liters in the city and also 5 liters on the highway.
- The 1.6-liter engine is the most powerful in the line. It is also naturally aspirated, but already produces 109 horses and 150 H*m of torque. Unfortunately, there is no data on how much it consumes and what its dynamics are, but most likely they do not differ much from the previous engine.
The car has an independent suspension at the front, the well-known MacPherson strut, and a semi-independent system at the rear – a beam. The car is stopped using front disc brakes, which are ventilated. Drum brakes are used at the rear. The gearboxes in the lineup are as follows: 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic. The car has front-wheel drive.
Salon
The interior quality of the Chevrolet Aveo T250 is, of course, not at a high level, but all this is justified by the cost of the car. Armchairs with slight lateral support and fabric upholstery are used. There is more or less enough space in the front, but there is very little space in the back. The rear sofa, designed for three people, is not particularly comfortable and there is little legroom. There is a cup holder on the tunnel for rear passengers, which is definitely a plus.
At the very top of the dashboard there is an electronic clock. The center console has round air deflectors at its very beginning. Below them is a standard radio, which has many buttons and a small monitor, it displays information about the radio station or track being played. The climate control unit looks good - a small monitor, two knobs and a number of buttons. At the very bottom there is an ashtray and a cigarette lighter.
The tunnel received a large niche for small items, a gear knob, and a parking brake lever. By the way, the glove compartment of the model is small, it’s difficult to fit documents. The driver will get a 4-spoke steering wheel, which has a small number of buttons. The instrument panel received analogue sensors for the speedometer, tachometer, fuel level and engine temperature. There is also an uninformative on-board computer.
The trunk of the Chevrolet Aveo T250, unfortunately, does not allow you to increase its volume by folding the seats. The trunk volume is 400 liters and, in principle, this is enough. By the way, this car was tested for safety by EuroNCAP, and there it received only 2 stars out of 5.
Price
The model can be purchased on the secondary market if desired, and in principle you should not pay attention to the equipment, since the differences are minimal. For an average of 250,000 rubles you can buy this car and enjoy your purchase.
Whether to buy it or not is, of course, your decision and it depends only on you. It seems to us that there is very poor equipment and poor security here. Therefore, we will not recommend it to you, but will simply leave the final decision up to you.
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