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I love/hate my Cobalt

245

Comments

  • ccroyccroy Member Posts: 1
    I love my car, 07 Cobalt. I've already put alot of miles on it, because I'm in sales. I've bought a new mazda (the transmission blew with no warranty) and subaru (it was a bad luck car). Nothing beats my Cobalt. I took a chance on an American name, and I'm glad!
  • justus3justus3 Member Posts: 21
    I just purchased a new 2007 Cobalt LT Coupe last week. So far I really love the car. It's a definite improvement from the 2003 Dodge Neon that I just traded in. I really hope the Cobalt will be a better car for me than the Neon was. Time will tell.
  • okko1okko1 Member Posts: 327
    what type interior did you get
  • justus3justus3 Member Posts: 21
    I didn't get the leather interior, just the regular cloth, dark gray.
  • justus3justus3 Member Posts: 21
    I've owned two black vehicles and although black looks good on a vehicle, they're h*ll to keep clean. Black cars show every speck of dust. Any dark colored car shows dust though. Black is mostly just a matter of preference. My new Cobalt is burgundy colored and even that shows the dirt, but I don't care. Still love it so far.
  • tonyjccctitonyjcccti Member Posts: 1
    i love my 2007 ls but i cant find any good parts for it, i want to get new heads and cams, any clue who makes some?
  • okko1okko1 Member Posts: 327
    try gm performance they have a step by step 300hp build all parts available
  • poncho167poncho167 Member Posts: 1,178
    Yes they do, I think the Cobalt performance catalog is like $20-25. It has all the engine mods including special race engine blocks available. The Cobalt shattered every performance record that the Honda's Civic had established. The naturally aspirated Cobalt in 2005 beat the Civic top speed by over 30 mph, something like 220 mph, of course with modifications. Cobalts are the prefered car at the drag strip as well and win every major title. A Cobalt has seen 7-second quarter mile times, maybe even less by now.
  • cobalt4lifecobalt4life Member Posts: 2
    hey just wanted to let you guys know about my experience with my cobalt. i just bought it about a month ago, it has 11,000 miles on it and it came with the warranties a brand new card would. so far i love the car. i live in iowa and we have hot days in the summer and cold snowy days in the winter. so far this summer i have had ice cold air conditioning. when i first bought it it had 9,500 miles on it and i left the dealership paying around 15,000 for it. ive had no problems up to this point. i have heard a lot about the key problem on the 05's and 06's but nothing on the 07's. i am 6'2" and about 250 pds. and there is plenty of room in this car for me. we were even able to fit a couple of buddies in the back seat. yes they were have the size of me, but they still fit! i do a lot of driving because im in the sales business and so far all i can say is that i love this car! i recently put tint on the rear windows and let me say it really does make the car look attractive. ive had a lot of comments so far on the car. i originially wanted to buy the cobalt ss but im glad i didn't because i got into enough trouble driving my old firebird with the ole' cops lol. i get around 29mpg in the city and about 34 mpg highway. im sorry to hear about others and the problems they have been having with there cobalts. maybe gm decided to make a lot of changes for the 07 to avoid the problems from the 06 and 05. not sure. i just know that i haven't had this much fun and reliability in a car since my old 1986 nova! :) thanks for reading my post and i hope that this post may help another customer looking for a cobalt to purchase and love for a lifetime! :)
  • grosloupgrosloup Member Posts: 239
    What a nice post you wrote there cobalt4life. It's positive and interesting.

    I'm looking forward to buying a Cobalt next year. Can't decide over the Coupe SS (not supercharged) or the Coupe LT. I've always driven Vans or S.U.V's. This would be my first car. I want (and have) to buy something more economic and the Cobalt looks just right. My only concern is winter driving. We get pretty big snowstorms here in Canada and I always wonder what's the Cobalt performance in snow, sleet and freezing rain?

    Just a little question. How old are you? I'm 50 yrs old and people tell me that the Cobalt is for young people, especially the coupe model. They say at my age I should get a sedan. Where's the sport look in sedans?

    By the way, with the back windows tinted and red. your Cobalt must be the nicest in town.

    Take care.
  • poncho167poncho167 Member Posts: 1,178
    The majority of people who come to the forums come here for advise or to voice their displeasure of something or another. Looking at any auto forum will always have someone complaining of one thing or another, but it is nice when people have something nice to say. Most people don't have problems with their Cobalts. That city mileage is pretty impressive. If you haven't already done so try checking the mileage manually after filling up the tank and zeroing the odometer and tell us if it made a difference. The onboard display is pretty nice when its accurate, and I am sure they are pretty close overall.
  • justus3justus3 Member Posts: 21
    Oh poop on those who say a 2-door is for young people, lol. I'm 35 and just bought my 2-door LT two weeks ago. The color of mine is called sport red tintcoat which basically looks kinda dark red/burgundy and I am getting my windows tinted next weekend. I think window tint really accessorizes a vehicle, makes it look good. There is no law saying you have to be in a certain age bracket to drive something sporty and nice. And as much as I hate to say, I find it rather humorous to be driving something that attracts the attention of a younger crowd and when they pull up next to you they get one hell of a surprise, haha. Heck with it I say! Go for the coupe and enjoy!!!
  • cobalt4lifecobalt4life Member Posts: 2
    hey thanks for replying to my post. im 23 yrs old, but, my uncle whom is 49 is going in tommorrow to sign papers for the cobalt lt thats yellow. he drove my car for a day and absolutely loved it. the tint is great for any car, especially if it is a red color. i had mine proffesionaly done and it really makes a difference. when i got to sit in my car, the car is actually cooler because their isnt so much sunlight coming in. in iowa we can have as dark as we want on the back 3 windows, so i did .02% visibility. makes it kinda harder driving at night but besides backing out of my driveway, im good to go! :) ive also filled the tank up 5 times and thats how i got that city number. im not sure, but i think since the car already had some miles on it, it must have gotten the bugs out or something. the most amazing thing about this car is the fact that when you want it to go, it goes! ive had a lot of vehicles pull up(mustangs, camaros, etc.) and when i put the pedal down, they definately pay attention! its an affordable car for all ages and when i went on a trip to minneapolis this weekend, i saw a cobalt coming up on my left. and if i were to guess how old he was i would say probably 56 yrs. old with a big ol'e smile on his face! thanks for your time reading this!
  • okko1okko1 Member Posts: 327
    i am 52 years old and i am not going through a middle age faze. my cobalt has put the fun back in driving. i don't care if it's the fastest or the most luxurious. the reason i don't care is because thats not why i bought it. it looks slick and it's a blast to drive also not to be underestimated. it is not fast from the dig but from 35mph to 100mph it is as fast as i want and will go around a corner. and as for room there is plenty for me so thats enough.
  • cmhj2000cmhj2000 Member Posts: 381
    56 going on 18, had to take the plunge.

    Getting an 07 LT on Mon. Hope it doesn't fall apart.
  • poncho167poncho167 Member Posts: 1,178
    Like anything else, it shouldn't unless you don't maintain it.
  • wr_guywr_guy Member Posts: 13
    I'm 47 and just bought one for my daughter. I love driving a small car again and while it is a little noisy, it handles and rides very smooth. The motor has some real power too.

    Best $11k I ever spent on a car.
  • poncho167poncho167 Member Posts: 1,178
    Glad you like it. It should be a good dependable car for your daughter. Most four cylinder cars are noisy, but I think the Cobalt is one of the quieter ones especially with that the insulated steel body panels that they use.
  • cmhj2000cmhj2000 Member Posts: 381
    07 LT 1 W/Auto & cruise but it only has 50 miles soooooooo

    Bottom line is I've test drove 6 of them and waited until, hopefully, most of the bugs have been worked out.

    Mine is a later build, 7/07 so maybe from here on out things will be pretty good. Can only hope! ;)
  • guyman63guyman63 Member Posts: 3
    I like it alot, some of the other Cobalt Message Boards don't have a soul who is over 25 yrs old. I'm 44. Plan to purchase a Cobalt next year. My wife isn't crazy about the idea, is loyal to her Hondas. But I want a small, affordable, American car and that's it. I'm from NJ - anybody else?
  • ladyncarladyncar Member Posts: 2
    I bought my Cobult back in 2005 and I find my silver car losing the paint fading on both sides of my car with the trim. I can't believe what I am reading on here abnout my car the key sticking it has happened twice to me so far and now the fan isn't working for the air and heat when you turn it to the highest setting 4. And of course the paint fading. I am calling the dealer and taking it over next week. I hope the trim is under warranty as I still only have 25,000 miles on it. Any one else having this problem with there cobalt.
  • ladyncarladyncar Member Posts: 2
    I bought my Cobalt back in 2005 and I find my silver car losing the paint fading on both sides of my car with the trim. I can't believe what I am reading on here abnout my car the key sticking it has happened twice to me so far and now the fan isn't working for the air and heat when you turn it to the highest setting 4. And of course the paint fading. I am calling the dealer and taking it over next week. I hope the trim is under warranty as I still only have 25,000 miles on it. Any one else having this problem with there cobalt.
  • times2times2 Member Posts: 45
    I bought my 2006 Cobalt LS (Sedan) last August. Between the end of the year rebates and my GM cashback, I got it for less than 10K. It's pretty basic with the only extra option being Cruise Control. It's a 5-speed, manual windows, locks, etc. I'm 42 - very happy with the car as a commuter car. I usually get around 34mph with it back and forth to work, and have no work done so far other than oil changes. I'm at 15,000 miles so far. I say, if you can get a good price, go for it.
  • cmhj2000cmhj2000 Member Posts: 381
    07 LT 1 sedan W/Auto & cruise.

    Only has 200 miles on it but am having a blast with it. Makes me feel 20 years younger, don't know if that's a good thing yet. Might not be if the cops watch me too close.

    One minor problem that I'm not going to worry about. The detent spring for the left side dash door, that hides the trunk release, fell out. Door still works OK so no biggie, probably will fix it myself when I feel like it.

    Otherwise, glad I bought it. Had put it off for year and maybe that's a good thing since the first year or 2 of a new car & more so with the economy class usually has several bugs.
  • irismgirismg Member Posts: 345
    The 1986 Nova was actually a Toyota Corolla. I'm not surprised at the reliability there. I had an '87 Nova for 11 years!

    I hope you get to report back in a couple years to tell us how the Cobalt's been running for you! It's the longevitiy I'm mainly interested in reading about.
  • cmhj2000cmhj2000 Member Posts: 381
    From an old fart that drove pickups, vans and SUVs for years with the last being a 05 Pontiac Vibe, this car is a blast. It's nothing like my old camaro, chevelle and Nova from the 60s/early 70s but it's just plain fun to drive.

    Maybe my next car will be a convertable!
  • okko1okko1 Member Posts: 327
    i think us old guys just haven't had any fun driving for a long time. my wife says i am having an affair with mine haha :shades:
  • cmhj2000cmhj2000 Member Posts: 381
    LOL okko,

    My wife decided to try mine out for a few days. Right now it's parked in her stall. Hmmmmmmm should I be worried? Naw, Chevy makes em' every day.
  • agtnew7agtnew7 Member Posts: 1
    ha ha, read and dream on. No one should be that loyal. These cars have problems which are well documented.
  • kittychick314kittychick314 Member Posts: 2
    I'm really happy that you have had no problems with your '05 so far. I have to say when I bought mine I was really nervous because of all the problems people were having. So far I have had to replace the transistor pack and the blower moter (I just got it used about two weeks ago). Thankfully the dealership I bought it from took care of it (because of how soon I started having these problems) but it has no remaining warrenty on it (I bought it with 40k miles on it).

    Before I bought my Cobalt I had a '97 Ford Escort and while it wasn't the best car I had no major issues with it...dealing with an almost brand new car and having to replace things on it makes me really upset.

    While the Cobalt has some great features that my old car didn't have I find myself almost dreading to drive it because of all the safety problems people have had and the issues I have already had to deal with. Should I trade it in or should I give it some time?
  • georgecavaliergeorgecavalier Member Posts: 54
    This was my first new car pruchase and I had a couple requirements: It had to be inexpensive without looking like it, it had to be good on gas, and last but most important it had to be a GM. I bought one of the last 2007's in January. A Victory Red LS coupe. The only option was the auto tranny. After rebates, trade in, etc I got it for $10,300. I got $1,000 off because I was related to a former GM employee. My last car was a 2001 Chevy Cavalier Z24 which wasn't too reliable (rare for a Cavalier) but I decided to give Chevy another shot and so far so good. With a difference of 2hp and 3ft/lbs of tourque the car is just as quick as the Z24 although the handling is softer. I love the look of the coupe better than the sedan... the only thing I want to change is the wheels since the hubcaps look kinda dorky. The interior is alot better than the Cavalier although the door panels should be dual color like the dash. I love the DIC and auto headlights. The only thing that I miss from the Cavalier was the RDS and keyless entry (I have manual locks on the Cobalt). I don't miss power windows since the manual ones are more reliable. I would compare this car favorably against any other car in its class. In response to that comment about Consumer Reports saying this car is unreliable I will quote George Costanza (Seinfeld) "I am the consumer." If this car stays reliable I will be back in a Chevy showroom again.
  • poncho167poncho167 Member Posts: 1,178
    Consumer Reports is not a legitimate source for auto information based on their surveys only given to subscribing members and other contraversal practices they have employed including last years child safety seat apology.
  • okko1okko1 Member Posts: 327
    amen poncho!!
  • georgecavaliergeorgecavalier Member Posts: 54
    Really? I'm glad that I use my own judgement. I know some people to consider that publication as the Bible lol.
  • gerald41gerald41 Member Posts: 37
    Consumer Reports is a Joke. Even though I just bought an 08 LT-2 Cobalt loaded after my 06 Cobalt was totaled I still own a 94 Cavalier which I've owned since new. Consumer reports gave my car a terrible write up in it's day needless to say the Car is still running as a second car to my family with 165,000 miles on it and it still has many original parts in it. The car has been trouble free since new and has never left me stranded. So much for consumer reports,lol.

    As for my 08 Cobalt I love the car , better than my 06. Seems like the ride is better, I never liked the Michelins that came on my 06. The Hankooks on my 08 ride much better. I put a set of Goodyear Assurance tires on my 04 Impala and love them, probably would put them on my Cobalt when the time comes for new rubber.
  • cmhj2000cmhj2000 Member Posts: 381
    Well, I knew it would happen. I took her car one day to do some work in it at my buddies garage. When I got home my car was gone, with her in it!

    I was informed this weekend she was taking it every day.

    Can't really blame her, can I?
  • poncho167poncho167 Member Posts: 1,178
    It's interesting that a car that gets a red dot with CR for reliability can be as little as having a bad history of power window or driver seat motors being defective, or subpar. It does not reflect on the cars ability to start every day and be virtually maintenance free nor accumulate longterm high mileage. Most consumers think that reliability is based on the car being able to get them to work or start every day.

    An Astro/Safari van not to long ago got a bad reliability rating based solely on a seatbelt buzzer being less than 1-second too short in going off. Other than that the van was rated very good.
  • dispencer2dispencer2 Member Posts: 299
    Rented a Cobalt for a week in Kauai in January and am sold on it. I never got less than 28 mpg and it had a comfortable ride. Has anybody done any long trips in it? I sold my 2006 Impala because the seats were uncomfortable and my back hurt after 6-8 hours in it on the road. I can drive my '03 Deville all day on a trip and actually walk upright when I finally get out. Not so the Impala. In any event despite CU the Cobalt seemed like it would be a good economy car that looked good. I had the silver LT coupe with the Alloy wheels and the neat white gauges. The only other thing I may order is the Pioneer stereo. Has anybody compared it to the regular stereo? I had the Bose on the Impala and it wasn't worth the extra money. The regular stereo was fine.
  • okko1okko1 Member Posts: 327
    the pioneer is a good factory system. it has a sub and a couple more speakers. i also had a bose system in a gp. i like the monsoon in the wife's car best. i am just not much for after market systems for new cars. :shades:
  • poncho167poncho167 Member Posts: 1,178
    I have only driven Cobalts for short rides. The Cobalt seats before the car was released were designed by a world famous auto seat builder for comfort. I read an article on the seats alone that said they may be slightly on the firm side but that is because they will give less fatigue on long highway miles. So yes, from what I read and heard you should be able to drive this car cross country and be wel rested afterwards.

    Todays car stereo's are so good that I don't see a reason to swap radios. My last four vehicles had Alpine stereo's, but no more. The standard Delco may be just fine because Delco's have always been the best stock radio on the market.
  • sbadattitudesbadattitude Member Posts: 2
    im sorry to hear you had such bad luck with your cobalt. the one i bought im the 2nd owner. its an 06 cobalt ss. i bought it with 5100 miles on it. its everything i could ever have wanted in a car. my car now has almost 12000 miles on it. i only have had it since oct of 07. i had one problem and that was my car was vibrating when i was trying to stop. i took it back to the dealer and they turned my rotors. thats all it was..i know that every car has trouble at one time or another. it may be just a default car. not all cobalts are bad. i would not trade mine for anything. every one has their own oppinion. im really sorry to hear that you had such bad luck with it. :shades:
  • gvsunursegvsunurse Member Posts: 28
    I drove my 05 Cobalt from Lansing, Michigan to Philadelphia...and it SUCKED...seats are very uncomfortable for that long of a drive. My 2001 Grand Am's seats were MUCH more comfortable. Cannot wait to get out of my lease...I've had nothing but problems with this car...but it was the first model year so I would hope they've got all the glitches out...I was one problem away from it being declared a lemon.
  • gvsunursegvsunurse Member Posts: 28
    Re. the stereo - I test drove one with the Pioneer system...honestly, there's no need to spend the extra money...the base system in the Cobalt is better than the Monsoon stereo that was in my Grand Am.
  • gerald41gerald41 Member Posts: 37
    Depending on the Model your considering you can get a Cobalt LT -1 for 13,000 when GM runs there special rebates and you get it for Invoice. My neighbor bought a 2008 LT-1 for 12,900 with an automatic tranny. Where are you going to get a car with power windows, locks cd-mp-3 player ac power steering and brakes new for that price. Plus the coupe has a nice aporty look to it. 3 on my block have bought cobalts since the start of the year. Loved the car sold after they saw the price.
  • poncho167poncho167 Member Posts: 1,178
    Yes, most of us have heard your stories before.
  • steve333steve333 Member Posts: 201
    I just got Michelin Primacy tires. They replaced a set of Goodyear Assurance Comfortreds that I originally bought to replace the OEM Pirelli P6.
    The Comfortreds are not a good fit for the Cobalt. The rubber is not stiff enough and control is poor.
    The Michelins are much better however they tend to track in the rain grooves of the freeways in San Diego. Its very annoying but theres nothing I can do about it. The other thing I noticed about the Michelins was that there is a lot of excess rubber on the tire. I expected to see a little of it but some pieces are big enough to grab with my fingers. I found that a little odd.
  • mytemp095mytemp095 Member Posts: 1
    I am currently renting a new Cobalt and it it the worst car I have ever driven. It is very uncomfortable. The handling is poor. The gas milage is below average, only 15 mile per gal. for the city and 28 for the highway. If you want a much better car get the Mazda3Speed. Better pickup, handling, comfort and gas milage. My 2003 Honda Accord V6 has a better pickup and better gas milage than the Cobalt!
  • steve333steve333 Member Posts: 201
    You're renting a Cobalt and you already know what the mileage is?
    I smell a troll.
  • okko1okko1 Member Posts: 327
    kinda comparing apples to oranges aren't we. :P
  • poncho167poncho167 Member Posts: 1,178
    That's interesting because I rented a Mazda 3 2-months ago because they were out of Aveo's and it was a descent car, but not quite to my liking for a compact car but I had no reason venture over to the Mazda forum to trash it. Though the Mazda probably has the best style in the compact class, the front seating is rather cramped and because of its design there are too many blind spots. Though descent cars, Mazda's aren't known for mileage and are usually at the bottom of the charts in that catagory. Cobalts have very good sure footed handling, mileage, and arguably best in class engines (Ecotecs) no matter which level of car you get. The recent Car & Driver buyers guide said this is a great all day driver.

    I also felt you had a made up a story for whatever reason, and don't sound sincere. Why even bother coming over to this forum?
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