I just traded in my cavalier 2.2 ecotec with 119000 miles, not one problem
with it. it probably could have gone another 100000m I did change oil and filter
every 3 thousand. just bought a 09 hhr with 2.4. hope to have another trouble
free years with this one.
gladness.

(knock on wood)....the ecotec being an all-aluminum, chain-driven DOHC engine, it is engineered to last a long time.
No timing belts to worry about changing(or neglecting)

based on the 33k miles per year average that I drive, my 2006 HHR 2LT(2.4) had 32,xxx when I bought it 12/31/07
it now has 84,5xx miles on it.

I plan to keep it until 2014...by then, I expect to see well-over 200k miles out of it.

My last car had a similar engine configuration. it was twice the size...
4.6 DOHC all aluminum V8.
It had 182k when I sold it to a friend...it ran better than the day I bought it, when it had 52k.

Just take care of your maintenance, warm the engine up before driving aggressively, and repair any problems right when they are discovered, and there is no reason a OHC engine cant last for well over 250k miles...and then some.

GM has come a long way since the 4 cyl motors they used in the Vega..... ;)

My first new car was a 72 Vega GT wagon. I had almost 18,000 miles of trouble free ownership.:roll:

I had a couple Vegas' along the way.. Biggest problem with them was the cylinders did not have steel sleeves..

Pistons rode up & down on aluminum.....that couldn't last long.

But certain machine shops were boring the blocks to accept steel liners they made also, to press in like the Big rigs have..(cept the Big Diesel motors are not aluminum)...

The hottest Vegas' were the Cosworths' & pricey too..

I drove my 4 cyl '74 Vega about 90 miles @ 90-100 MPH out to Riverside Park in Agawam Mass back in the day.
It farted & sputtered into town when we were done at the park.
When it **** the bed I took my plate & stereo and left it.
I never got notice for abandoning it.
First gearhead that saw it down a side street with no plate went and got his hook or flatbed.
It probably won some races sporting a built 350 or something.