Would a performance chip do anything beneficial for my 2002 Cavalier?

I own a shop, and have first hand knowledge of this. First one must realize all vehicles are set-up (programmed) to run at sea level. As this changes, adjustments must be made in order for the vehicle to perform its best. This is like saying all shoes will fit the same guy. Messing with the program will not burn up the engine. You cannot make that drastic of changes to the program, and it still run to begin with. You can benefit from a programmer, and get more power out of your vehicle by doing so. Don't expect massive changes like you would see with the diesel trucks, but modest increases can be obtained, but opening up the exhaust, adding a cold air induction system, and a few other aftermarket tricks can in fact get you quite a lot more power out of your Cavalier. There will be a fine line when it comes to getting the vehicle to pass an emissions test, but with the programmer you can go back to the original set-up, and be just fine. A GM must be flashed in order to get this power out of it. At the bottom is a few companies to check out, and you will see what I mean. Glad to help out, Good Luck!!!