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Chevrolet Cobalt

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Comments

  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    I said goodbye to my Cobalt on Monday, April 13, 2009. I had only owned it for ten months, and it only had 16,377 miles on it.

    It was a good car, and I hope it finds a good home, but I got the itch to trade for a Toyota Yaris after helping my son negotiate a deal on one for himself on March 16, 2009.

    I have given up a compact car in favor of a subcompact, but the Yaris has enough room to suit me, and I should see a huge increase in gas mileage. No, not enough extra gas mileage to make the trade economically sound, of course, but what the heck, I just WANTED a Yaris.

    I was getting 27 to 28 MPG in my normal driving with the Cobalt, and I hope to see about 40 MPG with the Yaris. Others with similar driving conditions are getting that kind of mileage.

    I now have power windows, power locks, power mirrrors, and remote keyless entry. I also have cruise control. Maybe if I had gotten the Cobalt LT instead of the stripped down LS, I would not have been so anxious to trade, but knowing me, I probably would have anyway. :)

    I gave up some things in going to the Yaris. No automatic headlights or daytime running lights, no DIC, no XM radio, and no play-on feature with the radio when the key is removed from the ignition. I gave up the killer acceleration that I had with the Cobalt, but the Yaris has decent power.

    Good luck to all of you Cobalt owners. I think the Cobalt would have served me well for a long time, but the itch to trade got the best of me.

    Tom
  • steve333steve333 Member Posts: 201
    I don't think I've ever actually heard of someone wanting a Yaris, more like it was the only thing they could afford and they had to have the MPG.
    Not trying to rib you (maybe a little :P ).
    If I were you I would have just traded in the Cobalt LS for an LT. I drove a Corolla once and it was like driving a lawn mower. I can't imagine how driving the Yaris will be on the Freeway.
    In any case, good luck with it.
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Thanks, Seve (I think). :)

    I don't know why the Yaris is so appealing to me, but it IS. I'm having a ball driving it so far.

    I could have actually traded for a Cobalt LT for less than I spent in getting the Yaris, with all the GM rebates. Even without those rebates, I think I might have been able to get a 2009 Cobalt LT for about the same money. The sticker on the Yaris was $16,514. Would that be about the same as the sticker price for an LT?

    I got 0% financing for 60 months with the Yaris, which is a good deal for me.

    Tom
  • donniedonnie Member Posts: 24
    While driving at night, it seems the headlights are aimed only about 30' in front of my Cobalt. I looked in the owner's manual, and it says all I need to adjust is a 6 mm socket wrench to adjust. From what I can see, it appears there's a sort of small metal cylinder stuck on top of the 6 mm bolt so I can't get the socket wrench to mesh with the bolt. Do I have the wrong approach? Would appreciate some advice on this problem. Thanks. donnie1930
  • dispencer2dispencer2 Member Posts: 299
    I'm 5'10" and the seat didn't go back far enough for me in a Yaris. The difference in ride between a Cobalt and Yaris is tremendous. I also think that my Victory red Cobalt Coupe looks like a sports car next to the econobox Yaris. It is a Toyota and will probably run 300,000 miles but I drove it for a day and that was enough. Why didn't you get a Civic? At least it looks good. Each to his own.
  • aladdinsanealaddinsane Member Posts: 182
    I'm deciding on whether to purchase a Cobalt uplevel LT coupe, but I'd like to know if the front seat are comfortable enough for long drives. I've read in some reviews of this machine that the front seat cushions are flat and definitely brutal, so to speak, after cruising for a while...it's something that a short test drive just won't reveal.

    I hope the Cobalt is continued, at least, for part of the 2010 model year. Its replacement, the Cruze (please General, change its name to NOVA!), doesn't interest yours truly in the least even with improvements like electronic stability control, etc. I still think Chevy should have continued with the Cobalt and improved it instead of replacing it with this Cruze, IMHO!

    Hope to hear from y'all...

    Many thanx...

    Peace!<-AladdinSane<- :shades: -
  • laserbluelaserblue Member Posts: 313
    Well, let me start by telling you that the front seat is better in the Cobalt than in the Impala. Go figure!
    What I don't like about the front seat cushion is that there to short resulting in thigh pain (in my case) on long distance drive but in revenge you have enough leg room to change position once in a while, it helps a bit. But you'll get used to it.

    Yes, the Cobalt came out in 2005 and already changing it's name, what a shame. Like you said...lets call it the Cobalt again for a couple of years and improve it instead.
    CRUZE what a idiotic name. I really can't understand G.M.
    People like the Cobalt as it is, it's popular and a good seller and G.M. is changing everything again...the name, the body.
    They really want to be in trouble.
    Did you see the Chevrolet "Orlando" (suv / van) coming out in 2011 ? Another ridiculous idea of G.M.
  • aladdinsanealaddinsane Member Posts: 182
    Amen, Laserblue...!!!
    I thank you for your reply. I appreciate it! I hope to hear from other owners here too concerning their experience with Cobalt's front seat comfort.
    The General's suits should have re-thought the Cobalt too and continued with the line, improving it and making it a class leader, instead of starting with a whole new replacement line. If it ain't broke don't fix it. But no...If if ain't broke throw it out and start fresh with something new, untried and maybe untrue, if you get my drift. Little wonder G.M's in trouble. I agree: change is good...but I also believe that good change can come in evolution...improving what is, and keeping with it until it's beyond "just right"...much like VW did with its original Beetle (R.I.P)...Am I making sense? I hope so.

    Again, many thanx...

    Peace!<-AladdinSane<- :shades:-
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Karl:

    The Cobalt was a fine little car, and I can't believe GM is even THINKING about discontinuing it. I just felt like it was time to move on to something that would last about a gazillion miles and get great gas mileage.

    I think the Yaris fits the bill very nicely, and I am having lots of fun driving it. I have kept up with my gas mileage on every fill-up so far, and the overall average MPG is 37.07. Not too bad, huh? That little car is really fun to drive, even though it doesn't come close to having the acceleration of the Cobalt.

    I have moved from a compact to a sub-compact, so I realize that there are some sacrifices to be made in order to gain on fuel economy.

    As far as looks, I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as they say. I like the looks of the Yaris sedan just fine. I'm not crazy about the looks of the hatchback "Yarii."

    I'm happy with the Yaris, but I would recommend the Cobalt to anyone for a compact car.

    Tom
  • poncho167poncho167 Member Posts: 1,178
    Cruze is an idiotic name? You must not like the majority of auto names if you think this is bad.
  • steve333steve333 Member Posts: 201
    The majoriy of car names aren't embarrassing.
    Cruze is embarrassing.
  • poncho167poncho167 Member Posts: 1,178
    Embarrasing how. Have you really thought this through or are you just upset that the Cobalt is being replaced.
  • laserbluelaserblue Member Posts: 313
    They can't even spell it right. How can they build it right?
    I still say it's idiotic, ridiculous and shameful to name a car that you can't even find the word in the dictionary.
  • poncho167poncho167 Member Posts: 1,178
    A lot of cars out their with worse names and not in the dictionary. Would something like G38 or C220 be better? Give me a name not a number.

    I didn't care for the Cobalt name either but it grew on me as I figured. The Cavaliar name was a good one.
  • laserbluelaserblue Member Posts: 313
    I got lots of laughs (and still do) every time I mention that I've been rear ended last year by a "Probe" and I got badly hurt.
    A "Ford Probe" that is.
    I bet it made you laugh to?
  • dispencer2dispencer2 Member Posts: 299
    I drive my LT Coupe regularly to Ft. Worth -6.5 hours - and have had no problem with the seat and my back. On the other hand my 06 Impala LT had a worse seat. My back was hurting after an 8 hour trip to Colorado.
  • dispencer2dispencer2 Member Posts: 299
    You will probably get a lot of service out of it. I routinely get around 23 in town with the Cobalt and have gotten 41 on one of my road trips where I kept the speed down to around 63-65. Normally I get 38 and 39. I especially like the fact that the Cobalt seats don't hurt my back on long trips. The seats in my 06 Impala did. My basic problem with the Yaris was the fact that the seat didn't go back far enough. I'm not crazy about Toyotas except for the Avalon. They seem to have a stiff performance ride. GM cars are more comfortable and familiar.
  • dispencer2dispencer2 Member Posts: 299
    I wonder why you didn't get a Corolla. It competes with the Cobalt for size and still gets decent mileage. Also the Scion coupe looks like the Cobalt and is still a Toyota. I assume that you were interested in the Toyota because of its reliability but the people who experienced engine sludge won't agree. Toyota's customer service is terrible. They consistantly blame the customer on things like the engine sludge problem and only take action after a class action suit. Frankly you can have Toyotas.. The worst car I ever had was a 1984 Tercel. It was very reliable in the two or three years I drove it but it was difficult to speak in it because of engine and road noise. My 1980 Dodge Colt (a Mitsibishi) was a far more comfortable car. I had a top of the line 2006 Solara for a month before I could find someone to take it off my hands. It rode stiffer than my 1986 Silverado and convertible flex was terrible. I drove a coupe before I ordered the convertible and they drive and ride differently. I wasn't aware of that. Solaras are history now because of rain leaks, flex, and many other problems. Consumer Reports loved them though. Luckily I only lost $2,000 in the 200 miles I drove it. Toyotas have good resale prices. My Cobalt is far better -and better looking - than any Toyota I';ve ever rented or driven.. Each to his own.
  • steve333steve333 Member Posts: 201
    The Corolla is garbage. It may be reliable but the engine is like a lawn mower and very unpleasant to drive with any gusto.
    The Cobalt has a lot more power and handles better. For anyone who actually likes to drive the Cobalt has it all over the Corolla.
    Now a Mazda 3 on the other hand................great car.
  • petras2petras2 Member Posts: 104
    I'm considering an extended gm warranty for my '09 cobalt. To get the best internet price, I have to buy before 12k mi. or 1 yr. With the std 100K/5yr powertrain warranty, I'm wondering if it is still worth it to do so. Any opinions regarding reliability from owners that have had their cobalts more than 3yrs? Thanks..
  • dispencer2dispencer2 Member Posts: 299
    What price have you found? I used to buy the 100k Protection Plans for my Buicks and always found different prices at different dealers. Any GM dealer can sell you a Protection Plan. The Chevrolet dealer here pushes third party warranties. I wouldn't have one if it was free. I've considered an extended warranty for my Cobalt but it is about 9 months old -with 5,000 miles and the only warranty repair I've had was the steering column replacement which is common. I've had very good luck with GM cars in general up to 100,000 miles and 5 or 6 years when I normally used to sell them. I think that a decision should be based on the price of the extended warranty and how far you drive in what time span. In my case -this is a second car and I'm retired - I'd reach the 5 or 6 year mark long before 100,000 miles so I'd opt for probably a 6 year 60,000 mile plan. I'll sell it around that time.
  • petras2petras2 Member Posts: 104
    I got some gm extended warranty quotes from Black Pontiac Cadillac (www.gmoutlet.com) that were considerably cheaper than others. For example a 6yr/60k, o deduct was $675, 100 or 200 deduct plans slightly less.. I got these quotes several mths ago and they are good till oct/09..
  • dispencer2dispencer2 Member Posts: 299
    Thanks - I might go that route with them. This is a reasonable price considering what repairs cost nowadays.
  • byrta777byrta777 Member Posts: 4
    I have an 08 chev colbalt that is making a rattling noise on a cold start. Took it in today and they think it could be the air pump injection. My colbalt has less then 25,000 miles on it. Has anyone else experienced this type of problem?
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    Can you describe the noise more and when does it occur. Is it continuous or a short pulse of noise.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • byrta777byrta777 Member Posts: 4
    It only occurs during start up after it has sat for several hours. I notice it most in the morning. Noise is hard to describe but almost a bubbling sound. It goes away fairly quickly once the fan kicks in then I don't ever hear it again until it's been sitting for a few hours.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    I'm a recent new owner of 2008 and I hear a sound after idling for about 10 seconds on a cold start that's different. It lasts for about 4 or 5 seconds. I thought it might be the ABS system cycling. So I'm interested in your noise whether it's normal or something abnomal.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • byrta777byrta777 Member Posts: 4
    I bought it used with around 20,000 miles on it and have only had it for 2 months now. It is still under factory warranty so it's covered but I'm just curious as to why something like that would happen when it only has 25,000 miles on it. I get nervous about things like this after reading so many of these blogs. The dealer is keeping it over night to hear it on a cold start in the morning they are thinking at this point that it is the air pump injection but want to make sure. Is the noise you hear right before the fan kicks in? Mine is. I will let you know what they tell me tomorrow.
  • tcaloftcalof Member Posts: 29
    "Is the noise you hear right before the fan kicks in? Mine is."

    What fan are you referring to? The blower fan for the interior vents? The radiator fan that comes on at high engine temps? The same radiator fan that comes on when the HVAC is in A/C or Defrost mode?
  • byrta777byrta777 Member Posts: 4
    Yes, it's right before the fan kicks in. I don't know exactly what the fan is but it is. I wouldn't think it would be teh high engine temp fan since I normally hear it when I start it up cold, so it could be the radiator fan. The fan sounds normal to me it's just the noise I'm hearing right before that is abnormal. What year is your car?
  • tcaloftcalof Member Posts: 29
    Since a diagnosis based on your symptoms is impossible without actually hearing the origin and type of noise, my advice is take it to someone you can trust.
  • laserbluelaserblue Member Posts: 313
    My new neighbor just moved in an he owns a 08 Pontiac Vibe still on warranty.
    He was asking me if he can go to our local G.M. dealer for some repairs on his car? The problem is, we don't have a Pontiac dealer in our town only a Chevrolet dealer. I told him that any G.M. dealer will repair his Vibe even if it's a Chevrolet dealer.
    But just to make sure because there's nothing that Chevrolet sales that resembles a Pontiac Vibe..
    What do you think?
  • cmhj2000cmhj2000 Member Posts: 381
    Wrong forum however,

    Any GM dealer "might" repair it for him. However, since Pontiac is still a franchise getting warranty payment is unlikely. Best ask before inserting foot.
  • laserbluelaserblue Member Posts: 313
    If I have this right, the're won't be a 2010 Cobalt next year?
    I heard it will be replaced by the "Chevrolet Cruze"?
    When will the production and sales of the "Cruze" begin?
    What will be the MSRP?
    They said that the Cobalt replaced the Cavalier would be superior to it and now I heard that the Cruze will replace the Cobalt and be superior to it to.
    Looks like the Cruze will be something to look at in 2010.
    Will the "Cruze" be out in the same time for the U.S. and Canada?
  • steve333steve333 Member Posts: 201
    Yup, they changed the car's name to Cruze. How messed up is that? A horrible name and all it really will be is a better Cobalt, with a wider track, a better interior and a Korean designed exterior and interior.
    Cost is not known at this time and availability will be determined later.
    I am not a happy camper.
  • laserbluelaserblue Member Posts: 313
    I was looking forward that our next car would be a 2010 or 2011 Cobalt Coupe but with that "Cruze" replacing the Cobalt, they kind of slam the door in my face.
    Well.....I'll wait to see what the Cruze looks like but as I see it's going to be only in the Sedan style...no Coupe? Yuck!
  • aladdinsanealaddinsane Member Posts: 182
    Steve...
    There WILL be a 2010 Cobalt, but only for a limited time until the Cruze makes it debut in the latter part of '10. Minor tweaks expected, maybe a new exterior color, but that's about it. NO coupe with the Cruze. Bummer! I agree with you concerning the lack of a coupe: YUCK! :(
    Peace!<-AladdinSane<- :shades: -
  • dispencer2dispencer2 Member Posts: 299
    I think that GM is shooting themselves in the foot. I wouldn't consider a compact 4 door because frankly they look like econoboxes. I rented two 4 door Cobalts on trips and they felt cramped. Small doors, small windows, etc. I have a Victory Red 09 LT1 coupe and will probably keep it for years since I only put about 6,000 miles a year on it. At least it looks sporty. If I were going to buy a 4 door smaller GM car the Malibu would be my first choice..If GM doesn't build a sporty compact coupe lots of other people do and that's where I'll head.
  • snappy3snappy3 Member Posts: 13
    I am about to purchase a Cobalt. I always buy snow tires and put them on their own rims. Are there any aftermarket bargains to be had to buy rims and tire pressure sensors? thanks
  • tcaloftcalof Member Posts: 29
    Try www.tirerack.com
  • bporter1bporter1 Member Posts: 229
    For the last few days when I get in my car in the morning or the afternoon, the radio automatically will start flipping through a couple of stations on its own. For example; if I am listening to XM 8 it will go to XM 7 or 6. It does te same thing in CD mode too. The tracks start changing and so on. It seems to happen when I touch the volume control, and or go over a bump. I drove over to the dealership this afternoon, but by the time I got there it had stopped. Very hard to duplicate. Of course dealer says "well come in when it is doing it". This is not the first time for this problem, and I am afraid that after the warranty runs out I will be stuck with a bad radio. Any suggestions would be helpful. My car is a 2007 Cobalt LTZ with the CD changer. :confuse:
  • dispencer2dispencer2 Member Posts: 299
    And you DO NOT want to have a problem with a GM radio outside of warranty. There is no repair. GM just replaces the radio at $300 plus. There are some companies that repair GM radios but they are hard to find outside of very large cities or require you to mail in the radio. In the past GM (Delco) wouldn't sell repair parts. I had a '97 LeSabre with a bad tape drive. This is a unit which simply unplugs from the main radio but it wasn't for sale anywhere. I ended up buying a used Olds radio that was identical. The car radio shop got them from salvage yards. If you have the least problem with your radio while the car is under warranty make a big fuss until the radio is replaced. Do not give up. Take the car in until the people are sick of looking at you. This goes for all GM cars unless something has changed.
  • dispencer2dispencer2 Member Posts: 299
    Going in tomorrow for my second steering column in 6,000 miles on the 09 Cobalt coupe.. If something rattles up front when you are on a washboard surface you might as well take it in. Something to do with the electric steering. Has anyone else had this problem? It seems to be common out here in New Mexico.
  • bporter1bporter1 Member Posts: 229
    I will be dropping my car off this week overnight at my local dealership to see if they can duplicate the radio problem. I told them it seems to happen in the morning when it is a little cold, and sometimes it happens when it gets hot. My warranty runs out very soon. I really hope that tey can find the problem. To me it seems like a loose connection in a jack plug or something. Anyway I will keep everyone posted. :confuse:
  • bporter1bporter1 Member Posts: 229
    Left the car at the dealership, but of course they could not duplicate the problem. The service advisor I did talk to said "that they will order me a new radio anyway". So far the old radio is working fine. I will keep the updates coming.
  • cgchevycobaltcgchevycobalt Member Posts: 5
    hello i went to get my car inspected and i cant get it done because the codes on the car and got them pulled and the codes are P0030,P0036,P0102,P0135,P0141,P0443 and i went to the dealer and asked them and they told me to change some parts which was the Evap Purge Valve and the O2 sensors 1 & 2 and the MAF and the Gas Cap. But the car is still coming up as the P0102 and the P0443 and there Pending codes and i need to find out how to get the Engine light off for good and not come on no more any one help that knows about the Emissions on the Cobalts. Mine is a 2005 Chevy Cobalt (2 Door)
  • dispencer2dispencer2 Member Posts: 299
    I have an 09 LT1 coupe with the ebony cloth interior and 8,000 miles on the car. I bought it in September 2008. The left side of the driver's seat -the left bolster and the left side of the middle section (where your back would be) are pilling and showing wear. This is amazing for car upholstery. I've had Buicks with velour seats that ran 100,000 miles or more and were 10 years old with no detectible wear on the driver seat. I don't wear sandpaper pants. Does anyone else have this problem? I'll probably have to get leather from now on.
  • steve333steve333 Member Posts: 201
    This is a warranty issue so don't hesitate to bring it back to the dealer. They will have to reapholster it or replace the entire seat. That shouldn't happen. I did have the fabric come loose from the bottom of the cushions on my '06 but they got new clips and its been fine ever since.
  • dispencer2dispencer2 Member Posts: 299
    Thanks Steve. I'll take it in -I was planning to. It is amazing because automobile upholstery normally wears like iron. Has anybody else had this problem?
  • iluvnannyiluvnanny Member Posts: 5
    In August I took my '09 Cobalt to the dealership because water was leaking from under the dashboard onto the passenger floorboard whenever I ran the A/C. 7 visits, 6 rental cars, and 3 months later they figured out the problem (the heater core) and fixed it. They also caused a number of other problems in the process (stained upholstery, weird engine noises, broken pieces of plastic molding, areas where the dash has not been put together properly, etc.) but whatever. I was pretty okay with everything until a number of additional issues cropped up;
    the fan now stays on for about 45 sec-1 min after I get out of the car, usually only after a short drive and in both warm and cold weather. not too unusual but it never used to do that. I don't recall ever hearing the fan running when the car was off in the past. anyone have any feedback on how long that fan should stay on? The coolant is usually around 240 degrees when driving around 40mph for 15-30min
    also, it now takes an inordinate amount of time for the cabin to warmup. last winter I remember it heating up really fast, within 5 minutes. now it takes between 15-20 minutes to get warm. feedback from anyone regarding warmup time? I used to have a cavalier and it also warmed up remarkably quickly. I live in upstate NY, so its been around 40-50 degrees lately.
    last but not least, a screw just fell out from under the dash while I was taking a sharp corner. It doesnt look like a particularly load-bearing screw and more probably holds the dash together, but I think I have to take it back in to the dealer. I really wanted to never have to see them again, but I'm getting nervous. does anyone know if I have to have warranty work done at the dealer where I bought the car? can I take it to any dealer?
    any input would be appreciated. thanks!
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