Used Cars - Chevy Cruze

Cydkar

Well-Known Member
Apr 12, 2006
26,550
12,069
113
Looking for a used car for my kid. I see a number of Chevy Cruzes in the 2010-2014 range for sale at reasonable prices. Any experiences? My daughter thinks they are cute but I've aleways been a Toyota, Honda, Nissan guy, for the most part. TIA.
 

CyTwins

Well-Known Member
Jan 20, 2010
80,179
65,789
113
Ankeny
Looking for a used car for my kid. I see a number of Chevy Cruzes in the 2010-2014 range for sale at reasonable prices. Any experiences? My daughter thinks they are cute but I've aleways been a Toyota, Honda, Nissan guy, for the most part. TIA.
My mom had one. She seemed to like it. They're very small though
 

cyfan92

Well-Known Member
Sep 20, 2011
7,395
11,761
113
Augusta National Golf Club

Sister has a 2013 and it's decent. Smallish, kind of noisy going down the road but it gets really strong mileage (mid 40's MPG on the highway going 70, low 40's going 75). Overall she has liked it becuase of how many miles she has put on it and how great the fuel economy is. $75 round trip to drive from Denver to central Iowa for fuel costs

Friend got a 2011 and has sunk thousands into it. If it wasn't paid for and cheap to drive, he'd have a different car
 
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CivilCyclone

New Member
Oct 31, 2017
5
7
3
31
Meh, mediocre at best. I just got rid of my 2015 recently. After selling it, I looked back and realized I had about 1-2 medium priced maintenance costs per year. Great MPG though and no major breakdowns through 90k miles so I couldn't complain too much.
 

StormnClone58

Well-Known Member
Jan 24, 2008
1,817
285
83
West Des Moines
We have one in this year range. Its my wife’s daily driver. She loves it, and i dont hate it. We plan to give it to our son when he turns of age.

There are known issues with the cam shaft cover/pcv valve, water outlet pump, and occasionally thermostat. If you are even moderately handy, you can make these fixes on your own, if necessary.

Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions.
 

flynnhicks03

The Man That You Love to Hate
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Apr 11, 2006
3,337
2,832
113
www.mapcon.com
Looking for a used car for my kid. I see a number of Chevy Cruzes in the 2010-2014 range for sale at reasonable prices. Any experiences? My daughter thinks they are cute but I've aleways been a Toyota, Honda, Nissan guy, for the most part. TIA.

I avoid older, high-mileage Chevy's and Fords at all costs.
 

Three4Cy

Well-Known Member
Jan 19, 2010
3,988
2,493
113
West Des Moines
They are a great kids car! One daughter drives a 2017 Hatchback, other daughter drives a 2018 sedan. I drove both of them (lots of highway miles) before giving them to my girls. I've had no major issues with either one of them. My 2018 I was getting 40mpg on the highway before turning it over to my daughter. My daughter that drives the 2018 goes about a month on a tank of gas just driving back and forth to school.

If you were in DSM, I could point you to a great 2014 that my niece drove and just traded in. It has 46k for miles and was treated incredibly well.

My first was a 2014 diesel - that car had get up and go and easily got 45mpg on the highway.
 

jcisuclones

Well-Known Member
Nov 23, 2011
4,579
4,680
113
Ames, IA
I have a 2014 LT model and have had no issues, minus a power steering issue that was covered by warranty. Aside from that, no issues in the 4 years I’ve owned it.
 

NWICY

Well-Known Member
Sep 2, 2012
29,353
24,759
113
2011 bought with 28,000 miles now up to 180,000+. Mine seems to get around 30 mpg. It's needed a new water pump and the little gears replaced that flip the diverters between the defrost and floor vents, that was $10 of parts and $400bucks labor. Saw it getting fixed all the gauge clusters were pulled, yeah it was 400 bucks but I had no desire to try that one myself. It's an ok car just transportation. For the cost it's ok transportation.
 

NWICY

Well-Known Member
Sep 2, 2012
29,353
24,759
113
Looking for a used car for my kid. I see a number of Chevy Cruzes in the 2010-2014 range for sale at reasonable prices. Any experiences? My daughter thinks they are cute but I've aleways been a Toyota, Honda, Nissan guy, for the most part. TIA.

In answer to your question probably get something newer than a 2011. Seems from the responses in here the newer ones are more dependable than the older ones
 

CycloneWanderer

Well-Known Member
Nov 4, 2007
7,975
5,040
113
Wandering
We have one in this year range. Its my wife’s daily driver. She loves it, and i dont hate it. We plan to give it to our son when he turns of age.

There are known issues with the cam shaft cover/pcv valve, water outlet pump, and occasionally thermostat. If you are even moderately handy, you can make these fixes on your own, if necessary.

Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions.

I've got one (>100k miles) and had all three above issues at one time or another. Still a decent drive.
 

Gonzo

Well-Known Member
Mar 10, 2009
23,516
25,801
113
Behind you
Looking for a used car for my kid. I see a number of Chevy Cruzes in the 2010-2014 range for sale at reasonable prices. Any experiences? My daughter thinks they are cute but I've aleways been a Toyota, Honda, Nissan guy, for the most part. TIA.

Can't speak to the Chevy Cruze but as a dad who recently has gone through the whole buying a used car for my kid thing, Godspeed to you. It's been pure anxiety for me and I'll never buy a high-mileage (100k) used car again. Good luck.
 

Dr.bannedman

liberal
Aug 21, 2012
8,677
9,872
113
that island napoleon got sent to
I had a 2014 (last year with the 5 year, 100k warranty). thank god because a bunch of stuff took a **** around 65k. turbo went out whatnot.

it was totalled by a drunk driving 80 year old parked in front of my house

idk if i'd do it again.
 

Cyclone06

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Apr 11, 2006
3,531
2,170
113
Urbandale
I once had my insurance guy tell me (when the cruz's were fresh) that insurance companies do not like them and rates are high. No real reason why but the comment stuck with me.
 

NWICY

Well-Known Member
Sep 2, 2012
29,353
24,759
113
I had a 2014 (last year with the 5 year, 100k warranty). thank god because a bunch of stuff took a **** around 65k. turbo went out whatnot.

it was totalled by a drunk driving 80 year old parked in front of my house

idk if i'd do it again.

Is this part true or did you make it up?
 

CyCloned

Well-Known Member
Oct 18, 2006
13,534
6,883
113
Robins, Iowa
I looked at several of them for a friend's son, and that is kind of the market the car is for. Decent design, not a great ride and the ones I saw were very likely to be rusting out at the bottom. Have a friend that has one and he likes it, but he is not real particular about the ride. I personally would not buy one, but I wouldn't say they are terrible either.
 

Dr.bannedman

liberal
Aug 21, 2012
8,677
9,872
113
that island napoleon got sent to
Is this part true or did you make it up?

this is completely true. guy had progressive insurance... what a nightmare to deal with because they guy was in the hospital and 800 insurance companies are a *****. had to go through my insurance (full coverage) and they counted sued (or whatever its called) progressive.

I PAID THE CAR OFF THE MONTH BEFORE
 
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