It has been almost three months since my 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier was awaken from a very long slumber.
Since dropping in a new battery and topping off the tank, I have put on the mileage. Pictured above was the odometer when the Cavalier was first started mid-summer.
Here are some more recent numbers.
From then until now, the only money spent on the car had been insurance, gas and an oil change (along with a new air filter and that was just under $100.00 CDN).
In my part of Canada, winter tires are mandatory on vehicles traveling on most highways and mountain passes from October 1 to April 30.
Although the General Tire Evertrek RT that came with the car had pretty decent tread and were M+S (Mud and Snow) rated, I decided I wasn't going to take any chances with the near future changes in road conditions. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, I have been driving, as opposed to flying, from home to work and back, a distance of around 2280 kilometers (or about 1416 miles for you other folks), round trip.
When the deal to get the car was made three years ago, the previous owner threw in a set of winter tires on rims. However, Goodyear Ultra Grip Winters sat uncovered outside and had questionable tread (that stack of tires on the left side of the picture, that would have been them).
I didn't trust myself to find the time or the motivation to try and swap the tires and rims on my own, so an appointment was made (by my wife) to take the Cavalier to a tire shop. After the technician took a look at what I had in the trunk (and backseat), I was told the tires were no good, being badly weather checked and from 2006. Alrighty then. To add insult to injury, they wouldn't have 195-70-R14 sized tires to replace the bad winter ones for at least a week (too late for me), but the could mount 195-65-R15 on my summer rims, same day.
So now, after spending $824.10 (I could have replaced the entire car at that price, based on what is currently for sale in my local market), I now have a complete and matching set of 15 inch Sumitomo Ice Edge on the Cavalier (the price includes the storage of General Tire Evertrek RT's that used to live on those very same rims).
Without sounding too over confident, bring on winter!
