Chevrolet Cobalt Prices Paid and Buying Experience

lee_w

Share your buying experiences here!

mb-s65

Or are you guys waiting for GM's "rebates" on these overpriced units....

frank11

GM sent me plenty of those - $750 dealer rebate, $2500 GM card topoff promotion and $500 military. What I am waiting on is for GM to deliver Cobalt coupes to dealers. Cleverly GM will not deliver these until after Jan. 3 2005 when all these rebates expire - at which point I will buy a Scion Tc.

duncan36

I dont think the cars overpriced compared to Civics or Corollas, but the market perception because of the Cavalier is that Chevy compacts are sub-par. This will hurt resale so yes i'll wait for rebates.

mrs. smitty

This is where GM is going to go wrong because I was actually considering the same thing. I have been waiting since advertised on commercials and now they said maybe not until late March early April. So I am also looking into the Scion Tc.

steveracer2

I have seen it in ads for months, now I want to drive one before I get excited about the car. I see it as a good alternative to the Civic, since that car went to struts....

Maybe I will keep my Impreza, but I want to buy American if I can, and the car looks a step up from that junk J before it...

prdm

Just placed an order last night. Apparently they don't make many manuals so this one had to go to the factory. Expect delivery in four weeks. Final price to be determined depending on applicable rebates/incentives effective on delivery. MSRP is $17,775 and dealer is offering $16,276 less whatever rebate is available at the time.

Painless process, no BS from the salesman or the closer. No attempt for undercoating, scotchguarding, armor protecting, etc. Nice experience.

mazda04rx8

Good luck with your new car (when you get it) The price seems reasonable since dealer cost on this vehicle does not give a lot of room to negotiate.
I am waiting for the supercharged version. Hopefully these cobalts will hold their value better than the cavaliers. Let us know how you like the vehicle after you drive it for a while

prdm

I won't be driving the car. It's for the kid's last year of college and beyond. The '95 Neon he currently has (since '97) doesn't inspire a lot of confidence anymore though it owes us nothing. Parental worry is a strong force.

brianma

> at which point I will buy a Scion Tc.

Have you actually driven one? While the TC looks good and seems like it should perform great on paper, it doesn't. The 2.4L engine is very course at high RPM and doesn't like to be revved. The interior is also a bit on the cheap side. Compare the corners around the roof pillars and headliner to the Cobalt (heck even the Focus) and you'll see where Toyota saved the money to price the TC so low. And you'll pay MSRP at most Toyota dealers for the car which makes it less of a value. The Mazda 3 and Cobalt offer much more for the out the door price than the TC.

brookesmithey

I also just ordered a cobalt LS coupe. I am very excited for it to get to me, not many people have one yet and I think it is going to be a great car. I did get a $1500 rebate, but I would have bought the car anyway. I drove a cavalier before this car, and while I was going to get a civic, I am very pleased that chevy came out with a sportier and better equipped car.

richards38

Anyone who might consider a well equipped Cobalt at a price of $17,000+ should think again and drive the Cobalt after driving a Honda Accord LX.

The Accord is larger (so harder to park) but it's a much better car than most compacts and the price might be almost the same. The Accord is likely to hold its value much better than the Cobalt, too.

The Accord LX has standard side curtain airbags, ABS, and many other features that might be extra-cost on the Cobalt.

But don't rely on my opinion--just drive the Accord after you test the Cobalt and see if the Cobalt still makes sense ...........Richard

moparbad

$18K Cobalts are discounted to $15K in Chicago area. If I were to buy one, I would qualify for an additional $2,600 in incentives including GM Card.
Accord LX automatic is selling for $18K.
The Accord is nice....however, this IS the Cobalt topic.

mdaffron

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/050602/gm_discount.html?.v=2

Meade

moparbad

Supplier pricing is HIGHER than invoice minus last months rebates in most situations. It would cost more for a Cobalt in June than it would have in May with rebate and Hot Button. Employee discount for everyone may be good for GM, it is not great for the consumer.

merckx

I almost bought a Cadillac STS 5/31,and June prices appear to be higher. The GM site says no other incentives apply,despite what the Yahoo article implied. I also wonder if no additional dealer discount can be expected with this new pricing idea.

stan6201

I just got an ls coupe loaded with the 1sb sport package, leather and all the audio options. It drives great, feels great and the audio is fantastic. About $2.4k under msrp -$500 rebate -$2250 gmac credit card rebate. Paradise Chev in Temecula, CA treated me right and had the only car with the equipment and color (burnt orange with side air bags) in SOCAL. So far I think I got a great deal on a very good car and just can't believe how good the Pioneer speakers sound. :P

nyguy1

Just bought a brand new cobalt with absolutely no options. I am so happy with it after my first 1000 miles. I paid $8999 as a smartbuy and think it is the BEST car I could have gotten for that little money.

vondutchteam

any updates? everyone like their cobalt.. i am going to buy mine tommorow.. it is a great alternative to the many other cars i looked at.. Mazda seems to try to charge a lot for nothing.. and no rebates or incentives.. im excited to bring home the cobalt..

bryce712

how are cobalts priced so low up there? thats insane i gotta find out from my dealer if i can get that price for mine. are you part of some special group or something for big discounts? in VA if i bought mine at 18k with the dealers cash allowances of 1500 id be payin even more even with that discount.

nyguy1

Don't let the name fool you. I am from NY but I was in Texas when I bought my Cobalt this summer. It was a GREAT deal and it was advertised in the Dallas Morning News. Remember it was a car with NO OPTIONS which means a 5spd stick shift. It was just what my son wanted however. After putting over 5K miles on it I can tell you that the car is great. No problems whatsoever. Never needed to go back to the dealer. We get 38mpg on the highway around 26 city type driving. Very satisfied.
I don't know why this car was so cheap but it must have been the loss leader that they advertised to get people in the door. They did try to upsell me but didn't give much problem when I insisted that the ad car was just what I wanted.
A big rebate was because of agreeing to the smartbuy way of financing. The rebate was 2750. They now only offer $1800 rebate for the 2006 model.

micweb

I am trying to figure out what kind of mileage to expect if I get a Cobalt stick shift. The best mileage I have ever had is 35 mpg - from a Scion xA stickshift and from a couple of Dodge Neon stickshifts. I have had the same commute during the last 5 years, almost all freeway with some slow and go sections. I got 30 mpg with a couple of stick shift Golf's, and currently get 31.5 mpg with a Focus ZX3 with the California PZEV 2.0 liter.

Your report of 38 mpg freeway is on the high end of things, but in line with individual reports on the fueleconomy.gov website. Can you explain a little about your methodology - are you reporting the freeway mileage based on the trip computer, or based on consistent fillups and manual calculation? Is this based on a couple of long trips? Is the city mileage based on a commute? Just curious, not doubting.

nyguy1

I will be happy to share my MPG methodology, I agree that only with that understanding do MPG numbers mean much. The 38 mpg I report is based on fillup to fillup calculation of long trips that are near 100% highway driving. I view this number as approaching the best you could anticipate barring major downhill driving or driving with a significant wind at your back for extended periods of time. It is interesting to note that my calculations have always been within .5mpg of the computer display the car calculates itself. I did not have much confidence until I verified this amount over at least a month of driving.

My city MPG report is a commute type calculation and is much less meaningful since each tankful has its own special circumstances. Weather, traffic, extra highway driving all have served to vary the mpg by 2-4mpg.

I still love the car and am please with the mpg for a car of this size and price.

Kirstie_H

Make sure to share this info in our general Chevrolet Cobalt discussion - since this one focuses on pricing, others may miss your message in here.

kirstie_h
Roving Host
Host, Future Vehicles & Smart Shopper discussions

vabrave

Im trying to help my brother get reliable transportation for a low lease payment (he is a college student) - looking at $1000 total out of pocket an $200.month or less - any info appreciated..Thanks

nortsr1

kirstie h.....
I notice that there is a $1000.00 rebate on the Cobalt and another $500.00 incentive. The $500.00 incentive...Is that added to the $1000.00 if you finance through GMAC??? or what do you have to do to get that $500.00 extra???

kyfdx

You don't have to do anything to get the extra $500... From the Edmunds incentive page... it is a customer rebate..

2006 Cobalt

nortsr1

kyfdx,
Thanks for the fast response.

nyguy1

Here is one man's opinion on GM in general and the Cobalt in particular.

How dumb does GM think we are? Today they just announced a reduction in prices (MSRP). The last incentive round had a rebate of $1000 on a Cobalt. Now they have reduced the price of the car by $1000 and eliminated the rebate. Do they really think that this will stimulate sales? It will if we buyers are stupid and fall for the advertisements that will come out telling us of all the prices they have cut. WHAT CUT? Looks like business as usual to me. GM puts an inflated MSRP on their vehicles then comes up with quarterly reductions of one sort or another that usually amount to the same value. This is very confusing to the buyers and has them waiting for a better deal to come along. Here is a simple idea. Build a good product, price it fairly, treat customers with respect, stand behind your product, and advertise your business philosophy. Customers just might become just what you want LOYAL!

I, for one, am insulted by the deal of the month club idea and the short term business philosophy that GM takes concerning sales and service.

micweb

At the end of the day, shopping for a car involves, well, comparison shopping - using internet tools and services, checking MRSP's and histories of sales and rebates, and actually pounding the pavement. There's no "magic bullet."

One aspect of car buying is the "percentage of residual values" thrown around. American cars get a black eye for not holding their value - but maybe they do better than the guides indicate, if you take into account actual selling price and not MSRP.

gomez1

hi folks,i was just about to sign on the dotted line to complete my purchase of a 06 cobalt ls coupe.while in the buisness office i was told there was going to be a 650.00 dealer fee added to my purchase price.i was livid and this killed the deal for me and i left the dealership.glad i didnt sign any papers and they would not budge on the fee either.i took my buisness elsewhere.anyone have this problem of excessive dealer service fee's.??

homerkc

I don't understand GM's pricing. They seem to think they can charge a premium price, just because their costs are high. Here in Kansas City, you can buy a Toyota Corolla for about the same price as a similar Cobalt. For that price, the Corolla provides better MPG and much better resale value. A Focus is much less than a Cobalt, and in my opinion, is at least as good a car, even after all these years on the market. For their premium price, you might think they would offer a best in class warranty (like Hyundai's), but instead they offer one of the worst warranties. Wake up, GM, it's not the 1960's and you do NOT control pricing in the USA.

nyguy1

I had a similar experience with a 2004 Vibe a while back. The correct move is to leave just like you did. I was told not to worry about the extra fee since they add it to all cars. I walked....they called me back and eliminated the fee. Dealers wonder why they have such a poor reputation? It is dealings such at this that give it to them. Has anyone tried to actually read the fine print in some car ads and see the huge downpayments or balloon payment writen in print 1/10th the size as the monthly payment?
Remember when you walk into the dealership it is war. The dealer has many bullets in their guns and the customer has only one. The ability to walk out. Use it when the dealer starts to shoot at you. The dealer will try to get every last dollar they can from you.....your job is to prevent this. If they think you are quibbling about a small about tell them that so are they, the same small amount you don't want to pay is the small amount they are demanding. Same coin different side. Do your homework and DONOT let them pull the wool over your eyes. Most will try.

mike21us

The huge fees and deceptive practices are what you find when you go to the BIG CITY to buy. Most people think that if you buy in the BIG CITY vs. the little dealer that they will get a better deal in the city. WRONG!!! All dealers pay the same price TO THE PENNY for an exact identical vehicle as far as what in on the vehicle. The city dealers mark the vehicles up which is called (adjusted market value). Some thousands of $$$. Then they lure you down there, with an extra 3000 dollars off what your local dealer will discount it. It is deceptive and it is dishonest, and it gets most people. Whos is really pulling the wool over you eyes, the big city dealers is who. You think you have done your homework, you have put up a fight, you have WON, not at all, you have still got suckered into a bad deal. I've found that most bad experiences come from those of us that say....we will go to the big city dealer, where they are cheaper, and then you get burnt, and think all dealers are like that, and they aren't. Your best bet is to stay with your local dealer, small town dealer, etc. It has nothing to do with city dealers moving more volume at all. They all pay the same price, to the penny, the cent. So stop going to the fancy , slicked back hair, and leather chair dealers in the huge cities, and you wont have to worry about putting up your defenses, and you WILL get a better deal.

johnnymurph

You might be overlooking one big plus - by cutting $1,000 off of the sticker in lieu of a rebate, you can qualify for the lower financing rate, which is sure to follow. As of now, you can only pick and choose one or the other. This can make a big difference in the cost during the life of the loan. Believe me, rebates and 0% financing will be back, and you have already saved a grand.

chipkarsicker

Saw an ad in today's local newspaper selling a new 06 cobalt sedan, LS auto, CD, for $11,995. Plus they take your trade-in for @ least $3,000 no matter what. Called after lunch and was told it was sold.

chipkarsicker

Or GM is the only one to offer the 5% redeemable credits for buying a new car?

dwormsbe

So, I jumped in. After alot of research and looking I bought a 2006 Cobalt LS for $10,999. This is the most basic 5-speed, unit I could find. I figured the less toys the less to break down or fail. Drives well and seems very capable, so far like it much better than my '04 Focus zx5. My six year old is impressed that you can crank up the windows without the car running.

micweb

Congratulations! Sedan or coupe? My Coupe, LS with stick shift, is much faster than most of my former Focus ZX3's - the only one that came close was a 2003 ZX3 with the 2.3 liter PZEV engine (Ford briefly used the 2.3's instead of the 2.0's in California).

It's also a lot quieter.

And you're gonna love the DIC (driver information center, trip computer) and automatic headlamps.

Isn't the price great?

dwormsbe

Thanks, I got the sedan. So far it's been great and you're right, this car would dust the Focus. Too early to tell but I think it's going to get better mileage.

burningstariv

Just thought I'd add my experience (new here by the way ). I previously drove a '99 Cavalier Coupe (leased and buy option at end of the lease) and after much research decided I wanted to get a 2006 Cobalt LS Coupe. I went to the dealer where I got my Cav but the particular guy I got the Cav from now works at another dealership. Anyway my father and I got stuck with some 1950's holdover salesman who was very enthusiastic to get me into the car, fill out the papers, get a co-signer blah blah blah. All this after he offered me no money down, drive it off the lot. I returned the forms and regretttably told him I couldn't have a co-signer because the only person I could consider was my mom however she and my father are in bankruptcy so that isn't reliable. Immediately his attitude changed to sour and said "well we'll get you a used Cavalier". Well I was driving a used Cavalier, my own! The finance guy told me there was no chance I was going to get my '06 Cobalt. He told me to try other places to see if I could get something else. I understand the game but was a bit frustrated that no one would help me out. Needless to say there was 1 guy who worked at the dealership who got my paperwork and pushed and pushed to get me financing. GMAC wouldn't touch me at all. He called me a few days later and said "I can get you approved for an '05 Cavalier". I said "No thanks, I'm not interested" and hung up the phone. Lo and behold 1hr later he calls back and tells me I'm approved for my '06 Cobalt. The very same one I test drove. I met with him and he told me he called at least a dozen different financial institutions to get me the $$. My credit isn't go great and what saved me was I never missed a payment on my Cav from day 1. I am truly indebted to him. My only regret is that the stodgy old "you're gettin' nuthin'" salesman got the credit for the sale :mad:
I didn't get any extras save an automatic transmission and a rear spoiler. Paid approx $16,500 and at the end of 6 years it's all mine. I could only get a straight buy, no lease of which I'm glad. For as many years I had the Cav it could've been mine 3 years earlier had I not leased it.

times2

How about a 2006 Cobalt LS Sedan with Cruise Control for 12,500 including the 750 rebate?

vivisimonvi

For a bare bones vehicle (this is the same LS Cobalt and mine has automatic transmission) that is what I paid for here in South Texas. OTD total was $13175. I had my parents help me purchase this as my first new vehicle. This doesn't have any other dealer added options, and no power anything (not even floormats). Not to confuse "Luxury Sedan" of the former Cavalier LS, there's nothing fancy about the Cobalt LS (it is the lowest series of the Cobalts).

I think I got a good deal. My parents have dealt with the same guy before in the past so the experience wasn't uncomfortable. We even haggled him to get the windows tinted after quite a few "I cannot do that" responses

times2

Well - now as of today (08/29/06), there's now another $500 cash back for a total of $1250 back in the Cobalt. So that makes the price $12,000 even. Then I applied my $2700 of GM Card Earnings for a final price of $9300. You gotta love that for a brand new car.

jaltenbach

I don't see how you were able apply $2700 of GM Card Earnings towards a 2006 Cobalt. The latest I saw in print was up to $1000 on a 2007 Cobalt. Am I missing something?

times2

I had the Original GM Card, and never "upgraded" to the newer card they offered. Under the agreement of the original card, there was never any limitation on the amount of money that could be applied up to the $3500. Someone else in my office used her full $3000 on a new Pontiac G6, and shortly after, they sent her the new card, with the new limits. So, I may be getting a new card shortly, but so far, I haven't.

jaltenbach

I also have the original GM card and have never upgraded. Although I used my accrued earnings at the time to purchase my 1988 Grand Prix, my earnings were under the amount ($1500) I thought was allocated for the car at that time. I currently have a little over $1700 built up since then and am looking to replace my wife's 1991 Pontiac Grand Am. Are you saying that I can use all of my $1700 on, let's say, a 2007 Cobalt? I'm sure I saw recently where earnings only up to $1000 is allowed on a 2007 Cobalt. Any information would be helpful.

times2

If you call the 1-800-847-1000 on the back of your card, you can ask them if you're eligible to use the full amount of your earnings on the Cobalt. Let them know that you still have the original card. They told me over the phone that I was eligible to use the full amount.

jaltenbach

I took your advice (the number is 947) and you were right. Now, instead of the $1000 I thought I was only going to be able to use, I'm good for nearly $1800. Thank you for that info.

times2

Sorry about the typo. Glad to hear you can use your full amount. Hope you get a good deal. I now have about 3,500 miles on my '06 Cobalt LS sedan, and I haven't had any problems. Getting about 33 mph with the 5-speed.

jaltenbach

Am currently in negoiations with dealer. Being offered $13,600 for 2007 Cobalt Sedan LT with only option automatic transmission (no trade). I still think this is high. Any other opinions out there?