# Teenager Buying A Used Cruze - What To Look For?



## cyberris (Jun 19, 2014)

Hey, I'm 17 years old high school student and I'm in search of a first car. My parents are buying it for me (<3), but I have to pay for gas, so I was looking for something very fuel efficient. Their budget is $15,000, but they're open to go over slightly if I absolutely love the car. We've been searching for a bit for used cars and I narrowed it down between Chevy Cruze and the Honda Civic due to the high gas mileage, features, and price of each.
We've mainly been looking at 2011-2012 models of each. 

I'm 90% decided that I'd like a Chevy Cruze. The interior and exterior of the cruze are just so much more superior than the Civic, which lacks excitement and is such a bland looking car. I realize the Honda Civic is suppose to be way more reliable, but I just can't get past the ugly exterior. 

My questions are:
1. Am I making the correct decision? Is this a good car for a teenager? I would really like a reliable car that will last me through college. I treat my current car pretty well (was mine, but now it's my older brothers again as he's back from college), and doubt I'll be driving more than 6000 miles a year. Can the cruze be reliable for these next 5-6 years?
2. With a $15,000 budget, what year, style, and amount of miles should I be looking for? 
2a. For example, should I try to find a lower mileage cruze that may not have as much features as a cruze with more miles.
2b. Should I go for the 2011 instead of the 2012 because it will be cheaper and I can get one with less miles? What are the differences between the year and do they make it worth it to get a higher mileage 2012 cruze instead of a 2011 one. 
3. Will getting a cruze with lower mileage increase the reliability of the car a substantial amount, or is it fairly negligible. 
4. If you were to buy a used cruze for $15,000, how many miles on the car would you be looking for? Something low like 15,000 or something moderate like 35,000-40,000?
5. Is there anything I should specifically watch out for (good or bad) when buying a used cruze? Either that I should make sure the car has, or I should make sure while test driving it?

I drove around a 2012 Cruze 2LT and loved it. It was incredibly nice and had tons of feature with a $15,200 internet price (16,000 in person), but the car had 55,000 miles on it. 

Thanks!


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## Ger8mm (Mar 13, 2014)

You can answer all your questions just by sitting here and reading other peoples problems in the maintenance part of the forum. Your better off just reading and searching on here.


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## trevforever (Feb 20, 2014)

Yes you are making the best decision. My parents bought me a 2014 cruze when I was 18 I just turned 19. I couldnt be happier the car is perfect. I get 34 mpg.

1. Yes best decision is getting a cruze
2. Not sure. Mine cost about 23 or 24 thousand total.
3. fairly negligible.
4. Not sure check autotrader or something like that
5. If you can get a cruze with rs package. To me it makes the car look amazing.


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## mjspiess (Nov 11, 2013)

I prob. won't change your mind, but considering a car is one of the worst investments you can ever make, you should try to do it as cheaply & reliably as possible. If your parents are willing to essentially give you $15k, if I were you, I would buy a '99-'02 Saturn SL1 5 speed, '00-'02 Chevy Prizm 5 speed or '00-'02 Toyota Corolla 5 speed for $3k and put the extra $12k in the bank for college, rent, down payment on a house, etc.

Heck, I drove a $900 1992 Plymouth Sundance all 4 years of college & 2 years of grad school. Any car is generally reliable as long as you maintain them, preventing failures instead of reacting to them. If you want something VERY fuel efficient, buy a Geo Metro. My 1995 Geo Metro was the first car I bought after landing a job after grad school. I bought it with 183k miles in 2008 for $2,250 & it now has 277k miles still averaging 50+ MPG. I bought my 2011 Cruze Eco for $13k and it had 36k miles.


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## dhpnet (Mar 2, 2014)

I wish I could have had a Cruze when I was a teenager. My first car was an old, broken down 1964 Ford Falcon. The Cruze is so much better it's almost unbelievable. 

I also considered the Civic, but after driving the Cruze I never looked back. And, I am still very happy with the decision. Civics are boring. And no bow tie to plastidip.


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## Eddy Cruze (Jan 10, 2014)

dhpnet said:


> I wish I could have had a Cruze when I was a teenager. .


I wish I had parents who bought me a brand new Car for turning 18? It didn't used to work that way!


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## Soopah_Troopah (May 18, 2014)

The only thing i would check when test driving is if when the heat is on whether or not you can smell antifreeze, seems like some have it and some dont.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Look for a 2012/13 1LT/2LT if you want leather. Should be in your price range. Do not buy a 2011.

Preferrably one still under 3/36 warranty. Run a Carfax - make sure it wasn't in an accident - if the price is "too good to be true" compared to others, avoid it - there's something wrong with it.

Oh, and I can't stand the new Civics. I loved the 2001-2005 generation, but since 2006, they took all the soul out of the car.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Eddy Cruze said:


> I wish I had parents who bought me a brand new Car for turning 18? It didn't used to work that way!


My first car was as old as I was, may it rest at the bottom of a scrapheap.


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## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

> Look for a 2012/13 1LT/2LT if you want leather. Should be in your price range. Do not buy a 2011.


 Yes agreed 2012 and up have less issues. Interesting story, was at a Honda Dealer in March and looking at trading my Cruze for an Accord Sport. The Honda sales guy told me my ECO had a really nice interior. I have been in recent Civics, no match for a Cruze.


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## cyberris (Jun 19, 2014)

Thanks for the information everyone. My parents have always been pretty nice, and it wouldn't be a stretch to say that I'm spoiled, lucky, etc. I can't really deny that...

I live in an upper-class area, and I assume that may make prices slightly higher if dealerships think they can get more out of you. Gas prices in the area are often 20-30 cents higher than areas just 20-25 miles away. Might raise prices slightly, not sure how much though. 
I haven't really seen any 2013 Cruzes though within the budget, unless they had insane mileage on them for a one year car. 

I have been focusing on the 1LT, but I'm mainly looking for a car around 20,000-25,000 miles. Finding a 2012 Cruze 1LT with 20,000 miles within the budget is almost impossible nearby.


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## Joegonzales22 (Oct 26, 2013)

With 15k you can get a great Cruze with lo mileage. Best of luck and post pics when you pick out your mate!


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Definitely shop around at dealers outside your area then. I've gone 3-4 hours to buy a car before.


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## nick993 (Dec 30, 2013)

I drove 2 hours away for a GM Certified Pre-owned 2013 2LT with 40K miles for 14,900. It's possible to find.


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## pL2014 (Dec 29, 2013)

I agree with the advice to buy a car for 3-5k and save the 10-12k for other things (including maintenance on the older vehicle).

To answer your direct question, I would also agree to stay away from the '11s and search for something with low miles. I ended up not finding exactly what I wanted and bought a new one. I spent more than 15k however (and I'm not 18 either....).

My first car was also roughly as old as I was. '78 Olds Cutlass. Great car. I miss it to this day.


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## cyberris (Jun 19, 2014)

I'm not sure if my parents would entirely be okay with me buying a car and pocketing the rest of the money. I haven't talked to them about it. They would probably be open to it if I said I would put it into a college savings fund, instead of just putting it into my bank account to spend. Now I have a whole nother thing to think about..

Also I don't think my parents would want to drive over an hour to look at/buy a car. My dad especially hates having to deal with car salesmen, so he would not be happy if we spent two hours driving to a location, another two hours debating costs only to not come to a decision. 

I'll be on the lookout for a low mileage 2012 LT. Preferably an rs trim, but I would be fine with regular. 

Any other tips?


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## mjspiess (Nov 11, 2013)

If you have $15k cash, search craigslist. Even if you don't have cash, you can still finance through a bank. You'll pay a $2-3k premium simply stepping foot onto a dealership. Don't buy the warranty. That's another $2k+. Don't forget the taxes too... How's that $3-5k used car looking now? It will surely teach you how to maintain a vehicle, which is far more valuable than the car itself.

Not sure where you live, but here in Lansing, MI craigslist, there are Cruzes for as little as $12,900. Here's a 2013 for $13k with 16k miles: 2013 chevy cruze


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## Mrhawaiibound (Jan 12, 2014)

Lucky you!! I had to buy my first car. Which was a 1998 civic coupe. It was very reliable but like everyone says, looks pretty boring. I've had three other used civics before I bought my 12' Cruze. Which was my first new car, bought it two years ago when I was 18. The Cruze is a pretty reliable car, the two years I've owned her, I haven't run into anything serious. I'm a mechanic for a living anyway so whatever happens I can fix but it's a really great car. Just don't go for the 2011's. I hear the transmissions are way crappier in those compared to the 2012's and so on. Gas mileage is really outstanding. I'm averaging about 31-32 mpg and I do about 85% city driving which is pretty awesome considering it's only rated at 22 mpg for the LS. I say go for the Cruze. You won't regret it!!


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## cyberris (Jun 19, 2014)

My dad said he's known a few people who have tested their luck at buying cars through craigslist, and they've never been satisfied. They always have some sort of problem that made them regret the decision.

I'm sure there are times when you could get a great car, no problems, and saved a ton, but that problem requires lots of research, knowledge on buying cars from individuals, and a bit of luck. We'd rather not take the risk. 

Clearly from the comments, there seems to be quite the difference between the 2011 and the 2012 cruze's.
Now I wonder, is there much difference between a 2013 and the 2012 cruze?


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## Mrhawaiibound (Jan 12, 2014)

There's a few interior tweaks between those years but not much.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

I can relate OP. I bought my first car at 17, was $14k and I split it with my parents 50/50. Far from new though, but was about five years old at the time and pretty reliable. I too come from a well off area where it's actually not uncommon to see parents buy their kids brand new $30k cars. And then in some cases, they happen to be company cars from an employee in the family at Ford/GM/Chrysler.

The transmission was a little different in 2011, and the gearing was a little different so that they didn't get as good of gas mileage as the 2012+. Not a huge difference, but notable.

I can see the argument from people above saying you should get an older car and save money for repairs. I mean, that's probably the more economically wise decision, but it may not fit with your future lifestyle. I went away to a small private college that was a few miles from a bigger town, so everyone had to drive to go to a store, etc. Having to worry about an older car and reliability isn't worth it IMO, when you'd have to possibly find a place to have work done on it and fit it into your busy schedule. After all, it's college, your time is better spent getting *****, getting drunk, or oh yeah, maybe doing some homework haha.

I don't personally care for the LS trim, and particularly the engine with it. But that's from a car enthusiast's perspective. If you simply want the car for transportation, you could certainly look at it and save money. In fact, you might be able to work a deal on a brand new stripped down LS, which would get you a full warranty, and be not too far above $15k.

From a fuel efficiency and overall cost standpoint, I think finding a low mileage 2012 1LT or Eco is your best bet.


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## Two7elevens (Apr 26, 2014)

I'm just around your age and I got the Cruze as my second car.. First being a '99 Sunfire and I must say it is the best car for a teenager. Also is much better than the sea of civics out there 

But mine was an oddball as the owner was in a rush to get rid of the car. Its a 2012 LTZ excluding RS package with only 13k(KM) for $15k. But when I searched in the dealer lots, the similar Cruzes would've cost $20k plus. So try to look for an used one and you may just save a few grand. However, I won't recommend getting a brand new 2014 one. Used > New.
Get the 2012 or even 2013. I've heard that the 2011 ones has a bit moar issues because its the first production year for NA. 



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## marden64 (Dec 1, 2013)

If you have the chance, run the VIN for any open recalls the car might have.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Ha, after going through 9 kids on this issue, guardian of two, two adopted, four the hard way, and one stepkid. A car that wasn't worth adding comprehensive and collision insurance to it. Liability insurance was bad enough, had to be the maximum, because if they were involved in any accident could take my home away and all my savings.

The law use to be 21 years of age before these kids could own a car, but was later changed to 18. At this time, could transfer the title to their name and was free of liability so they only needed the minimum permitted by the state. They didn't have any thing, so didn't have anything the state could take away. But comprehensive and collision, was still a major issue, $$$$$, so drove these older vehicles until they were 25 years old. By this time, graduated from college and could afford to buy their own cars. 

Sure can't afford to buy a new car before then, insurance rates are so darn high. Is darn a permissible word on this board?

For all these years was doing the repair work on these darn things, they would have to work a dozen hours at minimum wage jobs just to pay for an hours worth of labor. Stepdaughter is coming home this weekend for me to do some work on her car. This is June, in August, she will be 25, then she is on her own, and I will be free of this very long chore. 

Watched a 17 year kid on the news last night with the super increasing price of gas. Said he drives a jeep that only gets 16 mpg, so his dad is letting him use his car. Doesn't like him to use it, but he can't afford to put gas in his jeep.

Wasn't this way when I was a kid, could find excellent cars for under a hundred bucks, basic liability was something like 40 bucks every six months. Times have sure changed since then. Today, 10 thousand bucks would only buy a POS. Then the parts are positivity outrageous. 

What changed over the years? Also back then, that dirty word, deductible didn't even exist in auto and health insurance. Talking to my son about this yesterday with a grandson diagnosed with diabetes type 1. New super high deductible health insurance and bills are coming in like crazy, already blew his flex plan. Another new rotten dirty trick of our rotten government. Use to be able to deduct all of your eyeglasses, medical, and dental expenses on the lower part of IRS form 1040. Can't do that anymore, and only can deduct above 10% of your gross wages on schedule A. So besides getting all these super high bills, has to pay state and federal income taxes on it.

Just bend over and smile.


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## Rich+Cruze! (Apr 8, 2014)

To get back to recommendations, you have already heard the shop around mentality, which is always nessicary for buying a car. If you can find a certified pre-owned, go with that, it will give you some peace of mind. 

Next identify the engine/transmission you want. Most people here seem to prefer the 1.4t/c, which should last you the life of the car as long as you keep fresh synthetic oil in it (this goes for most modern engines, and is important if you forget things... you can get away with forgetting oil changes a lot more with proper synthetic - NOT A SUGGESTION). If you want the standard transmission, it will take some shopping but you should be able to find it.

Things to look for/ignore are pretty standard. Drive on the freeway and let go of the wheel and see if you drift. If the is a slight ticking noise from the engine I wouldn't worry about it, most likely the injectors and we have multiple instances on the forms of people with ticking (on my car you can hear ticking with the hood open, but really have to listen if closed, I think this is a good reference). Verify that any recalls have been taken care of; I don't think there have been any particularly dangerous ones on the Cruze however I wouldn't want to deal with it as a second owner. People have mentioned the antifreeze smell from the heater, this is probably one of the biggest duds to watch for. 

I am of the opinion that the Cruze is the correct choice in your price range, and I remember being in school and having mechanical issues with my car and not being able to repair it - I just didn't have the tools or the space to work on it. As long as you don't crack it up it should be fine for another five years.


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## tracepk (Aug 20, 2013)

Gonna be tricky to find a 12/13 with low miles. Id recommend staying away from 2011s as they were the first (US) production year of the vehicle and had quite a few issues while GM was working the bugs out. $15,000 is a bit of a tricky amount to work with unfortunately. If you find a used cruze 12 or newer for 15k its gonna have a ton of miles or damage on it. Now keep in mind this does vary a lot from place to place.But where im at a used 2012 eco with less than 50,000 miles is still a $17,000-18,000 car. However I wish you luck in your search, maybe you'll stumble across something lucky. Might check craigslist for private party stuff. Could also possibly look into a brand new spark, which you can buy with tax and licensing for under 15k and get a brand new car with full warranty.


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## abhylash831 (Sep 13, 2013)

cyberris said:


> Thanks for the information everyone. My parents have always been pretty nice, and it wouldn't be a stretch to say that I'm spoiled, lucky, etc. I can't really deny that...
> 
> I have been focusing on the 1LT, but I'm mainly looking for a car around 20,000-25,000 miles. Finding a 2012 Cruze 1LT with 20,000 miles within the budget is almost impossible nearby.


I bought a 2012 2LT with 37,000 miles for 14K. You will have to shop around for it. It might be difficult to find but certainly not impossible.


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## YeeYee (May 16, 2014)

I got my 2012 1LT RS w/ the all-star package, 6 spd, and 9500 miles on it for $16K from a dealer. It even was GM certified so I got an extra 1 yr, 12k warranty with it. Got rid of my 2012 Malibu 2LT for it, so it sucked giving up the heated seats, but it was a good deal and gets way better mileage. Just shop around, deals are out there if you look hard enough.


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## Austin9991 (Oct 7, 2013)

Just don't get one with the RS package, in my opinion the rear with rs package doesn't look good, and it limits any future mods (diffuser etc.) you can do, and trust me if you're part of this forum you will end up modding something.

If they offered the RS package with a modified rear (without the ugly plastic insert) and put a simple black diffuser id be all over it though.

I agree with above posters though, at least a 2012, and probably 1lt would work best for you


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## 99_XC600 (Feb 24, 2013)

You sound like the perfect CarMax candidate. Since you're parents don't want to deal with the hassle. Let CarMax bring the car to you, no hassle and no stress. It's probably the easiest way to purchase a car...not the cheapest though. Here are the results of a nationwide search for your criteria.

CarMax - Browse used cars and new cars online


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

While the Cruze is a nice car, but in your case why not buy a brand new Sonic with no miles and full warranty.


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## nick993 (Dec 30, 2013)

New cars lose their value so quick. I love having a cpo. Still get all the warranties and maintenance plans that come with it and saved me about $10k. 


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

nick993 said:


> New cars lose their value so quick. I love having a cpo. Still get all the warranties and maintenance plans that come with it and saved me about $10k.
> 
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


A $15,000 car bought new and kept for 5 or 6 years is not going to lose as much as a 3 year old used car for the same money, not to mention most of that time will be under warranty.


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## cyberris (Jun 19, 2014)

Ended up buying a 2012 Cruze LT with added features of a sunroof and premium sound system. Had 32,000 miles. The price was just under $15,000 (something like $14,918 not including taxes and other fees). The car is absolutely amazing and I want to thank everyone for the help. I've driven it about 40 miles and absolutely love it.


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## Erastimus (Feb 9, 2012)

Hey kid, learn how to drive a manual shift and then go looking for a used Cruze with manual shift. All sorts of fun to drive and they will negotiate with you because they are hard to get rid of because almost everybody is fat and lazy and they don't want to put out the effort to have fun shifting the car manually. The automatic transmission in the Cruze is horrible. I will repeat that in case it didn't sink in - the automatic transmission in the Cruze is a piece of crap.


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## Erastimus (Feb 9, 2012)

Oops, too late. It has an automatic, right?


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

My 1st car was a brand new 2002 Dodge Neon SXT with 19 miles on it. I got it after saving up all year when I went to my 1st duty station in Korea. Hated the car and Dodge dealers soo much I traded in for 2003 Mazda 6i in like almost a year later. If you have the cash in hand, find a cheaper well maintained car driven by an old lady to bingo and church.


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## cyberris (Jun 19, 2014)

Erastimus said:


> Oops, too late. It has an automatic, right?


Yeah it's automatic. 
I don't doubt you and I guarantee there are many times where a manual are way more fun than autmoatic. But there are other times when I'm not going to want to deal with it. Automatic is good for all situations, manual is only good for most. 

But yeah, I have heard the automatic isn't the best on the cruze, but I can't say I'm expecting anything top notch from the engine considering how nice the interior and exterior is for the price.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

LOL I was late as well! Manuals are fun after the 1st few months. I hated a manual for the 1st 3 months of ownership but then my mind grasped the concept of it not being a chore to drive. Driving requires soo much thought process that I forget what I was mad about after a short drive. Car in front slows down so you need to pick a lower gear and rev match it. Going around this corner from 38 mph to 29 so I need to pick a gear to pull me back up to speed. I need to pass 4 cars... a/c of and 3rd gear here I go! Drving both a 1.8 and 1.4 auto and manual I say the manual is way faster and responsive to the throttle inputs. 

Remeber you are on a budget so don't go crazy on the mods. Intake is a waste and expense you don't need to invest in just yet. A tune is also gonna be on the wish list farther down the road. Spark plug gap check, quality fuel, and maybe a resonator bypass/foam filter delete is all I will say do.


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## cyberris (Jun 19, 2014)

Merc6 said:


> LOL I was late as well! Manuals are fun after the 1st few months. I hated a manual for the 1st 3 months of ownership but then my mind grasped the concept of it not being a chore to drive. Driving requires soo much thought process that I forget what I was mad about after a short drive. Car in front slows down so you need to pick a lower gear and rev match it. Going around this corner from 38 mph to 29 so I need to pick a gear to pull me back up to speed. I need to pass 4 cars... a/c of and 3rd gear here I go! Drving both a 1.8 and 1.4 auto and manual I say the manual is way faster and responsive to the throttle inputs.
> 
> Remeber you are on a budget so don't go crazy on the mods. Intake is a waste and expense you don't need to invest in just yet. A tune is also gonna be on the wish list farther down the road. Spark plug gap check, quality fuel, and maybe a resonator bypass/foam filter delete is all I will say do.


I know absolutely nothing about modding cars. 
Can you provide any links to what mods are popular on cruzes, guides on mods, explanations, etc?
Also what are the benefits?

I've seen quite a few people mention them in this thread, but not much explanation, and it seems as if people assume I already know what they are. I obviously know it means to change or add something to the car, but I don't know exactly what kind of ones people do for cruzes, and I looked and there didn't seem to be an area of the forums specifically for cruze modifications. There may be and I'm just bad at looking. 

Thanks


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## nick993 (Dec 30, 2013)

This a good one to look through
http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5387


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## Rich+Cruze! (Apr 8, 2014)

For mods the only one that I really think makes a difference is adding bluetooth:
http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/137-...bluetooth-a2dp-bluetooth-audio-streaming.html

For mechanical mods, there is the remove intake resonator and check sparkplug gap threads that have a lot of attention. If you aren't busy they are a decent idea just to get some experience under your hood but don't expect much of a difference in performance.

If it snows you might want to consider a second set of wheels and tyires, but I haven't driven in the snow yet so if any other members could chime in on snow performance that would be great. If it snows with hills have chains in the trunk.

You seem pretty level headed, but just a friendly reminder DON'T BECOME A RICER. If your exhaust is louder than the engine something is wrong.

Other than that basic maintenance. I'm still waiting for a Chilton manual to be published for the Cruze which is a decent first resource. If you want something very generic check Auto Maintenance for Dummies out from your library. Keep synthetic oil in the engine and keep up with changes, I always change right at 20% oil life.


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## new2012ChevyCruizeowner (Jan 25, 2021)

I wanted to start my reply by thanking everyone for sharing! I am seriously considering purchasing a 2012 Chevy Cruise in the next few days, and find this information very helpful!


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## new2012ChevyCruizeowner (Jan 25, 2021)

One question. When I test drove it, I did notice a Whining sound. Does anyone have any idea what that might be, or if it will cause me problems down the road?


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

new2012ChevyCruizeowner said:


> I wanted to start my reply by thanking everyone for sharing! I am seriously considering purchasing a 2012 Chevy Cruise in the next few days, and find this information very helpful!


Welcome Aboard!

This is a really old thread, although there are a few of the respondents still around. You may want to start your own thread in the 
*Gen1 Powertrain.*

Having said that, look at my reply in another thread:

Looking at buy a 2012 Cruze


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

This one is also pretty good:









Should I Buy a Cruze? Looking For Input and Your...


Hello everyone! After my old Protege5 got totaled, I began looking up cars to replace it. The Cruze appealed to me for the following reasons: The 1.4L turbo engine is reported to be peppy 6-speed manual option Good looks Within my budget of willingness to spend 9-10k Very low miles for given...




www.cruzetalk.com


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