Chevrolet Cobalt: Tell Chevrolet What You Want!

Karen_S

Post your suggestions for the Cobalt here.

nkeen

The car is nice, but I'd suggest the following:

1) Make the supercharged engine available on the 4 door SS. Why does GM not "get" that hot 4 door Q cars are a good idea.
2) Introduce a "spoiler delete" option on the SS sedan. The idea of a spoiler on a 4 door sedan is absurd -- it looks ridiculous and is a deal breaker for me.

allfiredup

It's funny that you mention that about the spoiler on 4-doors, I totally agree. There are some 4-doors that don't look too bad with it, like the Mazda3, but my preference by far is no wing on my sedan. I own a Mazda3 now and it was almost impossible to find one that didn't have a spoiler tacked on. It really has become a craze (derivative of the word "crazy").

What really amuses me is when you see one on an otherwise non-sporty car. Picture a maroon Toyota Camry, plastic wheel covers on 15-inch wheels and that rear wing spoiler tacked onto the back. Even worse, something like a Kia Rio or Hyundai Accent econobox with one.

I also agree on the supercharged 4-door option. Great idea, hopefully they'll offer it. I think the SS 4-door is a sharp car, although I look forward to a mild refresh front and rear on the Cobalt line. They're just too plain at both ends, though the side view is quite nice.

poncho167

The SC engine will likely be seen in the HHR before the four door Cobalt. I agree, four door cars do not need a spoiler.

ron_m

I agree with you guys about rear spoilers on 4-door sedans. Especially mid-sized, family oriented FWD cars. My '02 Lexus IS300 sports sedan came with a very small rear air dam, not a wing, and I don't particularly care for it either. The day I bought mine off the lot they didn't have any IS300s without a rear air dam--or I would have purchased one.

We all know for a fact that there's simply no way that any of these mid-sized, FWD sedan drivers will ever gain any sort of aerodynamic advantage by having a rear spoiler attached to their cars. Nor will they ever find themselves in a driving situation where it could possibly be a factor.

Ron M.

allfiredup

I checked out Cobalt inventory a few months back, just to see what dealers had. Amazingly, there were tons of base model (now called LS) Cobalts with rear spoiler, but with plastic wheel covers. Who in the world would pay $275 for a spoiler on a base Cobalt? I'd think that money would be much better spend on power door locks or cruise control. Perhaps that's why there seemed to be a lot of these in inventory, nobody is buying a car so equipped. I also rode thru a local Chevy dealer and there were a lot of Aveos with spoilers, too. Talk about dorky looking.

This is by no means just a Chevrolet phenomenon. When I went to a Honda dealer to test drive a Civic, a bunch of the Civic Sedans (basic DX and LX models, again with plastic wheel covers) had big rear wing spoilers and they had the audacity to charge $599 for them!!! WTF?

I can't blame the dealers or manufacturers for this, though. Obviously if they can make money off of it, it only makes sense for them to do it even if it is gaudy looking. It's the 00's version of vinyl roofs and wire wheel covers.

poncho167

The Aveo five door looks ok with the spoiler but not four door sedans. Gimmicks like spoilers are trying to get back at the previous props that dealers liked to sell such as rust proofing, fabric treatment, and paint sealent, which come standard on GM cars and some others. The first four door car that someone pointed out as ugly with a rear spoiler was the Ford Taurus. Now that was a homely car.

A lot of people are convinced that spoilers are important on a car to make it sporty, for what ever reason that's needed. If I ever got a vehicle with the name sport, off- road, or maybe even 4X4 on the side, I probably would want it removed.

allfiredup

Grand Am's with the side cladding and overall cheap looking exterior were notorious for rear spoilers, too. I'm so glad that most G6s I see on the road don't have one.

ron_m

- Change the console design in a manner such that the emergency brake handle isn't positioned directly underneath the center armrest/storage compartment. I noticed this in a Cobalt sedan over a year ago, so maybe this one has already been addressed by GM.

- Offer the LT sedan with body color-matched door handles instead of chrome. In other words, offer an LT upgrade package that omits all of the chrome exterior accents.

- Offer the LT sedan with an option package that includes the SS-like dash trim instead of wood grain. Maybe the LT can already be ordered this way. Not 100% sure about this one.

- Add a nice interior trim piece to the rear edge of the headliner near the top of the rear window glass. The coupe that I recently rode in had an exposed, jagged headliner edge that looked pretty ratty. It should be covered up better.

- Seat bottom cushions could be a bit more comfortable. Thicker padding perhaps?

- Offer customers a better cloth seat fabric material.

- Address the problem pertaining to owners' keys getting stuck.

- Determine the root cause for so many owners' CD players issuing the 'Disc Error' message--and correct the problem with the stereo head units.

These are all minor changes in my opinion. However, I do feel as though they are all needed.

t_l_mack

Many customers have complaints about the Cobalt shutting off sporadically. Chevy needs to serious look into this before they are approached with litigation.

eegad

Bought a 2007 LS sedan recently. My initial "constructive criticism" comments for Chevy are as follows:

1. Put a center armrest with storage under it *standard* in all models. I know the LS is the low end model, but leaving out an armrest just seems *SO* petty and cheap on the part of Chevy.

2. My own personal opinion is that the speedometer and tach should have their positions reversed. Depending on your size and tilt-wheel setting, the left half of the speedometer can be obscured by the steering wheel as it currently is. Swapping positions would allow better visibility for all wheel settings and driver heights on the speedometer.

3. Why is there a mirror on the passenger sun visor, but not the driver side? I don't get that.

4. Rethink the steering wheel. It's "acceptable" as is, but would be much more comfortable without a bar in the center bottom area (just my opinion, since I like to hold the wheel along the bottom area). Just two thicker side supports would be better.

5. On the one hand I love having the cd player be a standard piece of equipment. But the radio reception on my car is pretty poor. Don't know if that's just a problem with mine, or typical overall. But there's more static/break-up in this radio than in any other car I've ever owned.

Otherwise the Cobalt is a pretty decent little car for the price. With a few tweaks, it could be a great little car.

gary045

Make a hatchback like the Mazda3, and up the HP. Some people won't buy anything but a hatchback in a small car.
Have the fit and finish, design, and quality of the Saturn Astra. Opal Astra = Europes best selling car,
per Car&Driver, the interior is better executed than cars costing twice as much as $16K.

gary045

Oh yeah, and a couple more things. Make it with the quality and reliability of a Honda or Toyota,
and the warranty of a Hyundai.
Then all your problems will be solved... Now get busy...

gary045

Yes, Ford just paid Mulally $28 million to to turn the company around, for 4 months work in 06, with little or no results so far.
GM should hire me for $56 million a quarter to get them on the right path to beat Honda and Toyota. It's a no brainer to me...IMHO

cmhj2000

This would be nice, not necessary but nice.

okko1

whats up with the paint every time i get in or out of my car there is another mark at the door handle. i have never had this problem with any other car reguardless of color

poncho167

A scratch mark?

okko1

yes it seems like the clear coat is soft or something. i was able to take some wax and elbow :confuse: grease and get rid of some of them.

poncho167

I would consult the dealer about it before you do anything more. There is mild rubbing compound available at most automotive stores that removes fine scratches, but I am not sure how much material is on the handle.

As far as the stage two and performance exhaust I really counldn't answer it. It would make a difference as with any four cylinder car like the Cobalt, but the question is do you have the extra money to spend. I would go on google and do a search. There is a couple Cobalt sites that I have been to in the past that have information and a forum with people who have done modifications.

okko1

actually it is th area between the handle and the edge of the door. it was only on the drivers side until i took a client to lunch and then the same area appeared on the passenger side also have a small area at rear bumper at trunk lid. it just seems that anywhere anything touches it it leaves a visible mark almost like someone was using a pencil on it. it's got me confused :confuse:

irismg

Dear Chevrolet, I need the cloth used in the LS to be a little less like a bedsheet and more like the thick, soft velour I have in my base Corolla. I need for Chevy to keep in mind those of us with wider hips when they design their bucket seats. Also, put some foam on the steering wheel so that it doesn't feel as if it came off a Tonka toy. And please keep that beautiful blue granite color choice for exterior, a matching interior would be nice! Those are my suggestions.

poncho167

Chevy doesn't make the seats for this car. The were designed by a well respected seat builder who works for several auto companies. The seats went through a lot of testing before the car was even released.

Two or three colors for interiors are what you will see with most auto companies. If you start making more it get real expensive and doesn't justify the cost.

irismg

The forum heading says tell Chevrolet what I want, that's what I want. Not to be crass or anything, but I don't give a *&^% what they have to do to give it to me.

poncho167

You got me there.

georgecavalier

I just bought a 2007 LS coupe and most of what I have to say is minor.

1). ABS should be standard on ALL Cobalts. My 1992 Cavalier came standard with ABS.

2). Power locks and keyless entry should also be standard.

3). Sedans should get the rear of the coupe because it looks sportier and less generic.

4). Redesign the center console with an armrest (that doesn't block the E-brake).

5). Make the door panels 2-tone to match the dash.

6). Put the latches that fold the rear seat inside the cabin and not in the trunk.

7). I love GM but they need to stop badge-engineering their small cars. I really don't see the need for the Pontiac G5.

poncho167

The lack of folding rear seat latch in the cabin is that way for security purposes. If you left your car unlocked than anyone could pull the seat easily back to access the trunk.

okko1

this is also so items such as open containers and firearms and other such items are more difficult to access from passenger area of vehicle.

georgecavalier

You make a good point but this is a suggestion of mine since it's kinda an inconvenience. I live out in the middle of nowhere and never had trouble like that before but since we all don't live in a secure area I guess it could be a problem having latches inside the car.