What Can You Tell Me about Cobalt?

[vonVeezelsnider]

Well upon going down to the dealer to get the oil changed in the Cavalier this morning, My dad went with me and we decided to wait for the car, so we browsed the showroom to kill time. We checked out a black 2007 Cobalt LT that 'twas fairly well equipped and remarked that it would probably be better for my mother than the Maxx, he current daily car... I think, along with him, that the woman is just dangerous with any more than 4 Cylinders. We were treated to a 20KPH over the speed limit ride yesterday in the Maxx illustrated this thought pretty well... Well I knew that there were some late model DeVilles on the used lot and we waddled out there to check them out. We didn't even get out to the Caddies before a 2007 Cobalt LT2 (1SB) sedan in silver crossed our path. It has 20K kms on it and they want $14900 for it. It has a spoiler, CD/MP3 player, Remote Start, Pioneer Sound System, 16 inch Alloys, XM Radio, steering wheel audio controls, leather wrapped shift knob/steering wheel, fog lamps, Automatic, and the 2.2L Engine, Traction Control, ABS, and Driver Info Center. My dad and I got some specs on it and a GMPP, the car is in good shape, floated the idea we turn in our increasingly frustrating 17MPG Venture a few months early and buy this beauty for my mom, rather than him buying an Allure or GP for himself in Feb. The Maxx and Cav will of course stick around.

I don't know alot of Cobalt Owners... but is there anything anyone can say for this car? How is the Cobalt? What were your impressions of it? Is this a good buy?

Any help is of course appreciated.

[daves87rs]

While they are not the most exciting car, they are quite good cars...

I know quite a few people with this car, and everyone is pretty happy with them....

My Aunt has a 2007 sedan with nearly 27k miles on it...and she is not easy on cars, either. Trouble free miles, takes a beating (though most of the miles are highway)asks for more, and has no problem getting over 30 mpgs.....

My brother has a 2006 coupe with 30k on it...and he is not easy on cars..period. You should see what happened to his first car....Anyways, he does a good amount of freeway driving too, and it gets anywhere between 28-35 Mpgs depending of how he drives....It has been a sound and trouble free runner even if it looks a little beat up....

My buddy has a 2006 sedan with 21k, and the only problem he has had with the car has been two flat tires...he had a Cavalier before (02), and he loves the pick up the Balt has.....

I myself like the Balt', and would have np problem owning one. I like the looks of the coupe, and it handles quite nice.

I could whine about the inside, (not really, I own a Cavalier myself ) the car itself is nice for the money...

[CARBIZ]

Is she paying cash? I mean real CASH, not borrowed against a line of credit or something. If she's not, then a new one a 0% for 60 months and NO mileage would be a better deal, IMO.

$16,300 (what that used car would be on the road, my guess) works out to be $3,756 interest at 8.5%, the prevailing bank rank. $2,829, even at 6.5%.

You can't beat 0%.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Nope... plenty of money in the bank for us so yeah, just like the Malibu, withdraw 14995 + GST from car account... use it to pay off car immediately.

Edited October 20, 2007 by vonVeezelsnider

[Intrepidation]

I lived with the car for 2 months so I got to know it pretty well.

It's a good car overall. The interior is cheap with some build quality issues, but it doesn't rattle. Folding seat releases are in the trunk within easy reach, but the seats themselves don't fold totally flat. The steering wheel is nicely shaped and sized, the power delivery is good and brakes are great with good modulation. The steering does feel a bit artificial though. Gas mileage is decent on the highway but not that great in the city. Back seat is cramped unless you move the front seats half way forward (I'm 6'1"). Nice features like 1-touch wipers, information center, auto lights. Rock solid on the highway even at 100 mph.

Basically, if you can live with the cheap interior and less than spectacular fuel economy it's a good choice. That being said, shopping around for other compacts isn't a bad idea either...you know, unless you're totally bias against anything besides GM.

My average mpg was 18/30...lowest was 16.8 and highest was 32.2, with overall average being 24.5

Edited October 20, 2007 by Dodgefan

[vonVeezelsnider]

unless you're totally bias against anything besides GM.

I am well acquainted with the artificial feeling steering... We do have a Malibu, so we are used to this.

A new one with all the equiptment lists at 22K MSRP BTW

Well I'm not opposed to some Fords and Chryslers, but My dad does have a Bias/Rabid Brand Loyalty (every car but two, that he's ever had had been GM)... So it's either a Cobalt now or a W-Body with similar mileage in February. We also have connections @ the dealer and they might be able to knock even more off that price. I know a deal when I see it, as does my dad. My mom just stays out of it and lets us decide (given she likes the car).

Edited October 20, 2007 by vonVeezelsnider

[Dsuupr]

My wife and I had one for 40k miles. It was trouble free and got great gas mileage (over 40mpg). We would not have gotten rid of it if our kid wasn't so rough on it and we wanted something bigger. We woudln't hesitate to get another one.

[Drew Dowdell]

I can say that having only 4-cylinders is not going to prevent 20kph over the speed limit runs.

[Brougham-Holiday]

My aunt has a black 06 LS sedan with 23,000 miles and outside of a flat tire there hasnt been a single problem with it. The car rides well and has power windows, a/c, cd, and many other features that make everyday life easier.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Had my mom and my dad test drive it today... (both the one we were looking at and a new one). Consensus was bad, so I guess H-Body + W-Body Plan for 2008 remains intact. After driving it, my mom called it a Tin Can, my dad called it 'no significant improvement over the J-Body'. My mom went so far as to say the Cavalier was the better car... keeping in mind that after driving the Maxx for a month, she called the Cavalier a piece of crap, it (Cobalt) mustn't have jived with her.

[Oracle of Delphi]

W W W W !

[vonVeezelsnider]

W W W W !

Long Live the W-Body!

My dad's a Pontiac man so he likes the GP, but my Mom and I both are prodding him into the Allure/LaCrosse because the interior doesn't have to be black and the exterior design will prolly age better IMO.

Edited October 21, 2007 by vonVeezelsnider

[vonVeezelsnider]

I can say that having only 4-cylinders is not going to prevent 20kph over the speed limit runs.

Seemed to work well for 10 years in the Cavalier. The car wheezed and shifted rougly... she didn't want to/didn't think it was capable of speed because it had 4 cylinders. The Malibu has, according to her "Whiplash Power" in comparison and she likes the sound of the 3.5 motor in hard acceleration (satisfying throaty sound).

What is she doing to the poor thing?

[Oracle of Delphi]

Long Live the W-Body!

My dad's a Pontiac man so he likes the GP, but my Mom and I both are prodding him into the Allure/LaCrosse because the interior doesn't have to be black and the exterior design will prolly age better IMO.

I stand with your dad! :AH-HA_wink:

[vonVeezelsnider]

I stand with your dad! :AH-HA_wink:

Not surprised lol... My mom's main gripe is the lack of rear-seat headroom. and keep in mind that it'll be an Ex-Rental, not a shiny GXP like yours... We're talking GP GT vs. Allure CX. Impala is right out (front seats hurt his and my back). 3.8L Motor owns 3500 VVT any day. Also keep in mind that there's another year deductible-free on the bumper to bumper warranty in favour of the Allure.

^^ PCS Driving His Car in Switzerland ^^

Edited October 21, 2007 by vonVeezelsnider

[FloydHendershot]

They're all tin cans at that price point. Ex-rental? is that correct? Yeah, I wouldn't get too close too that one.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Former company lease. Not a rental but a lease for a higher up in a company as it was fully loaded LT2. We've actually had great luck with the ex-rentals and leasebacks we've had over the years (purchased from GM Dealers of course). The 1989 Grand Am, 1994 Trans Sport and the Malibu MAXX were/are all leasebacks or ex rentals, so not afraid of them. I don't think the car's a tin can, but I think it's a matter of my mom getting spoiled by the Epsilon platform for 8 mos.

[Dsuupr]

I wouldn't disagree that the Epsilon is a better platform, though we thought the overall quality of the interior was better in the Cobalts vs the Malibu.

What about the 2008 Malibu? It seems like they would be worth the extra cost over a W-body. My parents had one of the original W-bodies (1988 Supreme), my wife and I have had two (1998 & 1999 Intrigue), and my parents had a 2000 Regal. The later versions held up well, but I do think that any of the modern W-bodies float too much and don't feel as nailed down as the Epsilons & Cobalt.

[vonVeezelsnider]

I wouldn't disagree that the Epsilon is a better platform, though we thought the overall quality of the interior was better in the Cobalts vs the Malibu.

What about the 2008 Malibu? It seems like they would be worth the extra cost over a W-body. My parents had one of the original W-bodies (1988 Supreme), my wife and I have had two (1998 & 1999 Intrigue), and my parents had a 2000 Regal. The later versions held up well, but I do think that any of the modern W-bodies float too much and don't feel as nailed down as the Epsilons & Cobalt.

I'd agree with you on the interior, I think that, while it's not laid out as nicely as the Malibu, It does seem quite obviously more well put together. 2008 'bu is pretty much out of the Question. My dad hates fours, and since the car is for him, it would only be considered if it was the six. He wants to spend around 20K, which means we could get a nice leaseback W-Body, either a GP or an Allure, or even a Lucerne CX if we wanted, with low miles, nicely equipped. A 3.6L 2008 'bu is going to approach about 30K up in Canada at least because we are still paying more compared to you lucky Americans who get to pay less for cars (I'm sure the MSRPs will gradually come down). He also doesn't want to buy a car in it's first model year. So yeah, he's a picky bastard and that's why.

[Oracle of Delphi]

I'd agree with you on the interior, I think that, while it's not laid out as nicely as the Malibu, It does seem quite obviously more well put together. 2008 'bu is pretty much out of the Question. My dad hates fours, and since the car is for him, it would only be considered if it was the six. He wants to spend around 20K, which means we could get a nice leaseback W-Body, either a GP or an Allure, or even a Lucerne CX if we wanted, with low miles, nicely equipped. A 3.6L 2008 'bu is going to approach about 30K up in Canada at least because we are still paying more compared to you lucky Americans who get to pay less for cars (I'm sure the MSRPs will gradually come down). He also doesn't want to buy a car in it's first model year. So yeah, he's a picky bastard and that's why.

Let dad get a Grand Prix GXP, it doesn't float!

[CARBIZ]

I'd agree with you on the interior, I think that, while it's not laid out as nicely as the Malibu, It does seem quite obviously more well put together. 2008 'bu is pretty much out of the Question. My dad hates fours, and since the car is for him, it would only be considered if it was the six. He wants to spend around 20K, which means we could get a nice leaseback W-Body, either a GP or an Allure, or even a Lucerne CX if we wanted, with low miles, nicely equipped. A 3.6L 2008 'bu is going to approach about 30K up in Canada at least because we are still paying more compared to you lucky Americans who get to pay less for cars (I'm sure the MSRPs will gradually come down). He also doesn't want to buy a car in it's first model year. So yeah, he's a picky bastard and that's why.

Wow, where do I start?

First model year? What part? The door handles? The engine, the platform, the tranny, pretty much everything is borrowed or outright stolen from either the Aura or the current Malibu, so other than maybe the guages on the dash, everything else is parts bin. However, yes, until probably March, the new Malibu will be expensive, so the current Malibu will be a far better 'deal.'

Undoubtedly, she is spoiled by the Maxx which does have a pretty decent ride and handling characteristics. The Cobalt would pale next to the Maxx, for sure. However, it is a travesty to say that it is not an improvement over the Cavalier. I drove pretty much every model of Cavalier from '99 onward, and the tweaks that have been made to the '07 Cobalt (suspension, steering) make it an improvement even over the '06 Cobalt. After the last major refresh on the Cavalier ('03), it actually became a decent car, although I have always maintained that GM's 'Achilles Heel' has been the seats. The Cobalt seats are noticeably better, but the cloth is ghastly (except on the coupes where the 'sport' cloth' is much better).

I had a (then new) '01 Cavalier for about 3 months (I guess I must have pissed off the manager) and it had no trouble doing 140+ km/hr on trips to my sister's. The 2.2 pushrod was not a glamorous engine, but it was willing. When they dropped the ecotec into the Cavalier in '03, it finally made the Corolla look bad - but then that isn't saying much either! The Cavalier was quite noisy on the highway, however. The Cobalt is better, the Malibu 4 cylinder is a little noisier ('07 at least) and the Impala much much nicer.

A lot of times people's first impressions spoil everything. I've had people refuse to even get in a car that they didn't like the color of, but then see the identical car on the lot in a different car and get all excited over it.

Different strokes for different folks. When a lady tells me her '87 Caravelle rides better than anything she has driven since, I just shut up.

[Intrepidation]

Between W-body and Delta the choice is obvious...go for the Cobalt.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Between W-body and Delta the choice is obvious...go for the Cobalt.

Let dad get a Grand Prix GXP, it doesn't float!

It's more a matter of personal preference. I get the feeling 68 would hate my father... FWD fanatic, sees the B-Pillar as essential. I digress. My dad's been renting alot lately when he goes on the road because we're coming to the end of warranty mileage wise on the Venture and he wants to keep as many miles off as possible. He's driven the W-Triplets Extensively... He likes the GP and the Allure and doesn't like the Impala. More importantly, he, for a 55 year old, likes the floaty ride alot, he's like, well, a bit older than he really is in taste of cars. I'm not saying he's gonna put a landau top on it, but he loves the W-Body for some reason. I wish I could talk him into an Aura with the 3.5, but he just hates Saturn with a passion (he called their customer experience communism once.)