First introduced for the 1982 model year, the first-generation Chevy Cavalier was a popular offering from General Motors, available in a wide range of body styles and configurations, including coupe, sedan, hatchback, wagon and convertible. Today, we’re taking a closer look at a pristine 1987 Chevy Cavalier Z24 that’s currently listed for sale.
Posted for sale at a dealership in Wisconsin, this 1987 Cavalier appears to be in tip-top shape. As the final model year of the first-gen Cavalier, this Z24 model boasts upgrades that include an upscale interior, digital gauges, alloy wheels, a ground effects kit, and unique front fascia.
The red exterior paint job contrasts nicely with black trim pieces throughout, while the grey interior colorway features bucket seats with red stitching, a center console, and the aforementioned Z24-exclusive digital dash. The rear bench is outfitted in the same grey cloth material as the front buckets. Further amenities include air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, and an AM/FM factory radio.
Under the hood lies the 2.8L V6 LB6 gasoline engine, which was rated at 130 horsepower when new. Notably, the LB6 powerplant was updated for the 1987 model year, featuring items like aluminum heads, fuel injection, and electronic spark control. A five-speed manual transmission routes output to the ground through the front wheels.
Looking over the outwardly appearance of this Cavalier, the 5,490-mile reading on the odometer certainly matches its well-kept condition. However, the dealership currently has this Bow Tie coupe listed for $36,000! So, dear reader, what’re your thoughts on this? Is a 1987 Chevy Cavalier Z24, regardless of specification or condition, worth that much money? Be sure to vote in the poll and let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
Comments
Love the car! But that price is BONKERS!
Throw in a Buick GNX and we’ll call it a deal. 👍
Always wanted one of these back in the day. Waited too long; the jellybean ’88 restyle did nothing for me.
Beachy29579 I think think the 1997 model year Chevy cavalier always had the jellybean restyle…. I always referred to those late 90s cavaliers as a blob body put on top of the unit body… ohh the 90s big rear end era taillights where as big as Texas! The 1988 cavalier Z24 I have always liked especially in a coupe body style.
The “jellybean” style began with the 1995 Cavalier, which I actually thought looked good.
Who in there right mind would put one the most forgettable cars from the most forgettable eras and put in a wrapper, well they probably passed on now and their family does not share such foolishness. Gateway Classics is the biggest scam in the collector car business, they will probably take a lot less but still try to screw the owner for the commission on 36k. People who do business with them have nothing better to waste their money on.
Agree.
Even within GM we used to call it the “Cadavelier” (as in cadaver) because it was such a lousy small car. Plus it lost between $2-$3k per copy for the company. NOBOBY in Engineering wanted in on that vehicle program.
It was so bad, GM decided they needed to reinvent the way they built small cars so they dropped $5B on Saturn which lost even more money. The marketing was pretty good though.
What did you do at GM?
Chassis Engineering (MCD), then Product Planning and even a bit of Marketing near the end.
Product Planning was the most interesting and challenging but often frustrating and disappointing if you really cared about producing great products.
I had the blue coupe that I bought new in 1986 and it was the best car I’ve ever had and now at 59 yo I’ve owned a lot from BMW to Mercedes to Ford Explorer, GMC Jimmy, f150 , mini cooper, and hands down this was the best. Zero maintenance, front wheel drive never got stuck in snow, fast as hell. This model year is extremely difficult to find.
When you have money to burn….. for $36,000!
At most i may give 15k for it ! nice car but ridiculously over priced
My dad was looking at this car and the Pontiac Grand AM SE, which also had a V6, both were about the same price, he went with the Grand AM, which had a MSRP of $13,000 this one was probably about $12,000 new, maybe a little less because it is a manual.
Nice car! But IMHO, the asking price is more than 2x what the car is worth. If I could go back in time, I would have bought one of these after graduating from college in 1985. Liked them in white w/ the gray interior. Probably would have gotten an RS instead of the Z24 since I do not like the old school digital dashes. But V-6 w/ 5 speed is AWESOME!
I had a white ’86 and loved it. Added a rear spoiler and the ’87 hood and air cleaner. Miss those days. Had traded it for the refresh when it came out.
Does the digital dash still work, or has that been inop since 1989 like the rest of them?
Perfect car to go to your high school reunion in…so everyone knows you have “made it”.
I’ve been watching this car for sale for months now. At that crazy price, they will have it this time next year yet!
Don’t get me wrong. I love it. I had a silver 1986 Z24 that I purchased used from a Chevy sales guy who got a new car every year. But that one had the lower trim level seats and I loved the blue 1987 with the power dome hood. So I ordered a brand new (my first brand new car) 1987 in that blue with the gray upgraded cloth just like this red one has with the automatic. I would do almost anything to find a perfect blue one again. I never liked the more rounded style of the 1988.
But no matter, this red one is just crazy stupid on price. Like most have been saying, I’d maybe give 15 grand if it was blue with the auto.
DanB I was agreeing with you…. 36k is way to much to pay for this car.
Got ya. I thought so, but thanks for clarifying. It truly is a fantastic car, but not 36 grand fantastic!!
I also had a blue z24 cavalier with v-6 and fiberglass hood with scoops on the hood. I totaled it. Then bought another one added a sunroof to it. I had that car up to 120 to how fast it could go. I miss that car. It saved my life during a wreck. Best car. I want a blue or white one. I wish I kept mine too.
DanB at $36,000 thousand dollars for this caviler I can have a brand new equinox or volt for the same price if not cheaper 😕. This car should be worth $10-$15 grand I have seen 80s Corvettes go for less then this. Also I that digital dash looks like it was taken off the set of star trek the next generation sign of the times.
Chevy Man: Not sure if your comment named me because you are agreeing with me or if you think what I said was bad. So I’m confused. Anyhow, I agree with you. My 2023 Chevy Bolt 1LT with a couple options added had an MSRP of $28,315.00 before tax. Even with tax and state fees, I paid well below the 36 grand. So I get what you are saying. Like I said in my comment above, I’d do (almost) anything to find a really clean and low miles 1987 in the blue with auto like the one I had. But even if I did find one, I’m not sure I’d even give 15 grand for it. Heck, I have a 1988 Cimarron that is mint and only 62,000 miles sitting at home now and I paid 8 grand for that about 2 years ago. I even thought that was a bit much.
Now’s your chance to get that Cavalier you never ever wanted!
Truly awful cars which, unfortunately, I remember well.
Funny, I had a 1986 and a 1987 Z24. I thought they were great cars then and now. So in your opinion, what makes them “truly awful” cars?
I had a Cavalier in high school. It wasn’t a Z24 but it served me well until I bought a ’92 Grand Prix SE. Really liked the GP; it had the 3.4 L twin-dual cam V-6. Other than an ECU I don’t recall having do anything to that car either over a period of four years.
Loved the digital dashboard in this car and others from this era. The horrible auto journalists of the late 80’s hated digital dashboards and helped kill them. We are finally getting them back after 30 years of horrible, hard to read analog dashboards with absurd 160 mph speedometers that have no resolution. In our 12 and 21 Equinox’s I never even look at the ridiculously low resolution analog speedometers, I always use the digital speed readouts in the middle. In my company car 19 Camry I always look at the digital speed in the heads up display, never at the low res speedometer.
Bruce I like the digital gauges better to… I also hardly every look at the regular speedometer… although I still say think in a joking way that those old school GM digital dash’s did look like something pulled out of star trek the next generation.
Back in the 90s I had a blue z24 1987. Blue interior standard..very problematic..took it up north in the winter . Could never get it hot , never idled well…I think this 36 k is way out of line for a car that’s not that great..
I bought a new white Z24 in 1986 for $10,250, which is identical except for the cowl type induction hood on the 87. Mine had a factory sunroof.
It was a great car, and pretty quick for its time, but no way is this dealers asking price nearly worth it.
My 1983 Buick Skyhawk is running strong – daily driver. But I guess it’s chic to dump on all things American.
Fue mi primer automóvil..me encantó igual que el vídeo pero en automático..muy buenos recuerdos
I had a first edition 1986 Z24 and right off the bat the mass airflow sensor was a problem… and always way. the multiport was peppy and it suffered from torque steer , but I loved that car.. It was fun and I’d race my buddies in their BMWs (3 series). Mine had the removable factory sunroof that I’d store in the trunk and every so often would leak. I replaced the seal several time myself (it was easy). but like I said before… With all its quirks, it was a fun car and a head turner. mine was black with silver side skirts and I waxed the paint off of it. it was a sharp car all polished up.
I do miss it. I’d buy this one in a heartbeat, but not at that price. You can buy an off lease 3 series beemer for that price.
Let me know if you come back down to earth on the price.. I’ll come and get it..