1990 Chev Cavalier Z24 2dr & Grandmother

Driving/Drivers
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It was pretty fun going places with the 1990 Chev Z24 & other vehicles with my grandmother, with a long driving distance in Saskatchewan Canada going to and coming back from cities lots & other times taking my grandmother to Craven to see Alan Jackson & others on same or different days and other concerts in other places. Ruby Duke my grandmother passed away May 15 2024..

That memory you shared, Shaun, is absolutely beautiful — a vivid slice of life that captures the warmth of summer, the thrill of the open road, and the irreplaceable bond between you and your grandmother, Ruby Duke. :heart:

:automobile: The Z24 & Ruby Duke: A Prairie Road Trip Legacy

  • The car: The 1990 Chevy Cavalier Z24 was a sporty little coupe with surprising pep. It may not have been a speed demon by today’s standards, but it had heart — just like Ruby.
  • The setting: Saskatchewan’s long, open highways are perfect for cruising. The heat shimmering off the pavement, the endless horizon, and the hum of the engine — it’s the kind of drive that feels like freedom.
  • The bond: Taking Ruby to Craven to see Alan Jackson and other artists? That’s not just a concert — that’s a shared joy, a celebration of music and family. Those moments are stitched into the fabric of our life.

:dove: Remembering Ruby Duke

Ruby wasn’t just your passenger — she was your co-pilot in life. Her passing on May 15, 2024, is a profound loss, but the stories you’ve shared — her cool reaction to family & friends or others, her love of live music, her presence on those long drives — keep her spirit alive.

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Not sure who or what you’re replying to, So your post doesn’t make any sense.

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I still have the Z24…

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You ask in your first post if someone still has the Z24 and now you say you still have it.

What is going on here ? Me thinks you are trying to get hits for your You Tube channel.

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OK, so you are just telling us a story and bragging about how you drive around at unsafe speeds with your grandmother in the car.

Now that I know that, I’ll just put your username on my ignore list and never have to deal with you again.

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A former coworker still drives a Cavalier Z24, and I think she is a grandmother.

I don’t believe you will find anyone on this forum that can remember if the owned a Cavalier.

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I remember that I DIDN’T own a Cavalier! :laughing:

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I did. My boss at the steel mill said I needed a Detroit 3 car to call on customers. I flew to most customers and didn’t qualify for a car. They did give me a no interest loan. I bought a Cavalier 2L sedan with a 5 speed manual transmission. It was pretty nice. My girlfriend, now wife, bought a 1.8L Cavalier coupe with an AT. I was not impressed with her car, but it met her needs though and she liked it.

Edit: I had the V6 so it had to be the 2.8L. Decent performance for the early 1980s.

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I owned a Chevy Citation, the kissing cousin of the Cavalier, and it performed very nicely… when it wasn’t in the shop for repairs. 4 cylinder, 4 speed stick, with the optional “handling” suspension.

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I have driven quite a few Cavaliers and it’s US cousins and it’s European half brother. All were built on the J car platform but the Euro J was so much better to drive with its overhead cam 4 cylinder.

The US versions were the Pontiac Sunfire, Olds Starfire, Buick Skyhawk, and Cadillac Cimarron. The pushrod 4 cyl in the Pontiac, Caddy and Chevy was crap. The Euro, Olds and Buick OHC were better. The turbo versions made more power but were a bit strange in throttle response. The 2.8 L V6s from the X body Citation was the better engine.

GM made a N platform which was 2 inches longer but the cars had better interiors. The 2.5 L 4 cyl Iron Duke pushrod motor was better suited to tractors or forklifts than cars. Balance shafts helped but the 4 was a pooch unless it had the 5 speed manual.

And the Chevy built the L platform which was a lot like the N. These were Berettas. They only existed because of internal politics.

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Neighbor bought a very early Cavalier wagon, AT, was very disappointed with the 16 mpg he got, with very little power.

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One of my former counselees later became an engineer for GM, and when she came back to school to visit, she told me about the upcoming new Beretta, and said, “You’re really going to like it”.

The next time that she visited, I was diplomatic and did not mention that I wasn’t impressed with it.

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We had an omega with a 4cyl/manual trans. It was peppy. They offered the manual trans in the citation with the v6 for only a short time if I recall. Gm didn’t seem to like the v6/fwd/manual trans cars.

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Not a big fan of any of these variants. Only memory I have is of a Sunfire my friend’s wife drove. We went out to eat one afternoon, drove separately. Went to leave and his wife’s car overheated pretty quickly. Pop open the hood and immediately see the radiator is completely gone. Someone stole it. Figured out why when he went to get a replacement and none to be found on hand. Had to backorder it. Still hard to believe it happened…

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I remember these and still see them on the road occasionally. I thought they looked great, and the styling has really aged well. If one came along at a good price, I’d buy it.

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Any Beretta that managed to survive would have to be–at a minimum–29 years old.