Photos by Victor Ceicys.
Wordless Outtake: Someone Doesn’t Like Their Chevy
– Updated on August 4, 2025
Photos by Victor Ceicys.
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I had a first gen Cruz and thought it was a good car. Of course it was a lease and was returned before the warranty ended so not a lot of opportunity for issues.
Now if this badge was available for my 91 Lumina…..
LOL. My mechanic had a first-gen Ford Escape, and had recently sold it to one of his co-workers. The co-worker immediately put that same “ShitBox Edition” badge on it!
In its defense, the Escape was a good little rig. I forget how many miles it had on it when my mechanic sold it, but it certainly served its purpose.
As for the first-gen Cruze, I rather liked them, because they seemed a bit big for a small car. The closest experience I have with one though, is that a few years back, a friend of a friend had one, and he was having some kind of cooling system problem. I don’t remember if it was the radiator, intake, or what. He ended up dumping it for some small-ish VW crossover. I forget what year his Cruze was, but this was around 2017, and I know he was still making payments on it.
The 1.4 Turbos are very problematic, with multiple issues including cooling.
The 1.8 NA units are bulletproof. Only problem was in the North American market,
you could only get that engine in the cheapo LS.
I have had two of these, a fully loaded and nicely modded 2012 LTZ 1.8 KDM unit when I was living in South Korea, and a Lordstown built 2015 LS when I forced to return to Canada for spell during you know what. The Korean one had much better build quality. The only good thing I can say about the latter one , is when I sold it back to the dealer I bought it from, I got almost as much as I paid 325 days before, due to the so-called car shortage..
Like other obviously pejorative phrases, this one is sometimes used endearingly, with irony. I’ve owned and loved several cars that I’ve used this term for.
Absolutely. There is something cheerful about a cheap, rough but reliable beater. That said this looks pretty nice for that sort of beater. But everyone’s perspective or definition of beater is a little different.
Professional Grade.
Don’t leave the windows down. Neighborhood cats might know how to read.
I’m glad I’d swallowed my coffee before I’d read this…
These first-generation Cruzes are automotive cockroaches. They are all over the place here in northeast Ohio. Of course, they were made just up the road in Lordstown, which may explain their regional appeal.
Even though the oldest models are going on 15 years old, they seem to weather our salt-strewn roads rather well (which is more than I can say about the predecessor Cobalt).
Should have been on a ’74 Monaco with a broken cigarette lighter.
“I don’t believe it. It’s that shitbox Dodge again.”
Anybody remember George Carlin talking about the Country Shitbox and Turd Coupé?
Life is good when you like the idea of a nameplate like this, but have nothing to attach it on.
I could have used this on one of my vehicles. I had it for 47 months and it was out of service for 49 days. Was I every happy to get rid of it!
Where do you get one of those badges? If it was 3D printed, setting it up took a lot of work! There’s drawing the CAD drawing, porting the file over to be printed, then having the black plastic metallized! If it was mass produced, all of that is part of the process, except instead of 3D printing, they would use the CAD file to build an injection mold on a CNC machine, then metallize batches of the badges in a vapor deposition chamber! Either way, how do I get one!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/155125252812?var=0&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338590836&toolid=10044&customid=6d38ae1f91581792eda3cb37ff649645
https://www.walmart.com/ip/RAINB-1Pcs-Shitbox-Edition-Emblem-Chrome-Badges-For-Chevy-Ford-Car-Truck/3306460587?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101137532&adid=22222222222000000000&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=s&wl2=c&wl3=10352200394&wl4=pla-1103028060075&wl5=&wl6=&wl7=&wl10=Walmart&wl11=Online&wl12=3306460587_10001156893&wl14=Shitbox%20Edition&veh=sem&msclkid=06f998c548d1133393d7fded26ede295&gclid=06f998c548d1133393d7fded26ede295&gclsrc=3p.ds
https://www.amazon.com/SHITBOX-emblem-Replacement-Silverado-Chevrolet/dp/B08DNS22MC
https://www.etsy.com/market/shitbox_edition
Does Walmart sell them in their stores too?
More appropriate ON the store?
Sort of cute and appropriate .
I’d maybe prefer an “ECONOLUX EDITION” one…….
-Nate
My guess was that this badge was an accessory for the Equinox.
Describes my ’69 Beetle.
What a money pit.
Never entertained the idea of owning a VW again.
The cheap wheel covers indicate this to be the base LS model with the 1.8 liter engine. Therefore, no hate can be directed toward the 1.4 liter turbo. I have a 2017 Cruze and I take care of my daughter’s 2013 Cruze. Use full synthetic oil and stay on top of the cooling system and there will be no problems.
I’ve got a 1st generation 1.4lt turbo Australian built Holden Cruze. It rides nicely, handling is ok for suburban driving. The 1.4lt turbo has a suprising turn of speed for a heavy small car, and is fairly economic engine compared to the last generation same model year 2.0 ltr Japenese built Mitsubishi Lancer which is a smiliar vehicle but poor handling hard riding cheap vehicle. Being a bit of Mitsubishi fan boi, it’s hard to say the Holden Cruze is a much better car.
Only issue I have had in 7 years ownership is the automatic gearbox oil cooler return line from the radiator connection broke (a 20 cent plastic seal broke for a $400 fix) losing all oil from the gearbox.
Overall I’ve owned fast cars, pratical cars, and runabouts and the Cruze has bettered my expectations. While this model has proven to be an unreliable sh*tbox my example has been a pretty good car, so far.