Chevy Cobalt XFE

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

.....or whatever the high end model is.....

Since I can't afford the Camaro RS/SS, I was looking (just looking) at the Cobalt.....neat little car IMO.....

Anybody have anything GOOD to say about 'em?

TIA

 

[Lugnut]

.....or whatever the high end model is.....

Since I can't afford the Camaro RS/SS, I was looking (just looking) at the Cobalt.....neat little car IMO.....

Anybody have anything GOOD to say about 'em?

TIA

The body styling is boring as hell but the supercharged versions can be righteous little pocket rockets with a few bolt-ons.

 

[kwillia]

.....or whatever the high end model is.....

Since I can't afford the Camaro RS/SS, I was looking (just looking) at the Cobalt.....neat little car IMO.....

Anybody have anything GOOD to say about 'em?

TIA

My 17 year old son had opportunity to drive one recently and was very surpised at how much he enjoyed driving it. He said it handled very well and he noticed the average MPG reading was way up there near 30 MPG. His exact words to me were, "Hey ma, I hate to say it but if you are really going getting a nice day-to-day car to drive... you should consider the Cobalt."

 

[glhs837]

Assuming you are talking about new, the top end model now is SS, which has been switched over to turbo instead of supercharging for additonal power, and its apparently a pretty good car. right in the top of the class in the "pocket rocket" class. Turbos just work better for small motors, generally speaking.

Its a GM so, you will give up a little in creature comforts and spit and polish over its competitors, the Mazdaspeed 3 and the Subaru WRX, but on the upside, you will save a few bucks and can say you bought domestic.

One alternative, if it fits your needs (its a two door, and used, but certainly cheap speed) is a used Chrylser SRT-6. I spotted one over at PF Dodge yesterday. I'm ambivelent about the Crossfires in general, not pro or con, same I feel for the SLK Mercedes it is a sister ship to.

But, just as I love my SRTs, I admire almost anything AMG branded, and the SRT-6 is really just a rebadged AMG SLK32. 330hp, and just a blast to drive. No stick shift, its an auto with autostick. for 18K, its a great deal.

If you need more info on the Cobalt SS, I recommend a visit to cobaltss.net, it is the number one forum for them, with thousands of owners you could talk to.

 

[gsxr2005]

They suck ! They are not a good power plant platform . Nore does the enigne hold much power and things always seem to break . Dont waste your money on that ..


Go New Honda Civic SI .

 

[glhs837]

What do you base that "not a good power plant" on? As far as the engine "not holding much power", stock it makes almost 70 more than the 197 of the Honda, and the Mazda makes even more. I havent followed the search for moer power, but I know the Dodge 2.4 was happy up to over 350whp, so turbo domestiv doesnt automatically mean grenade.


This doesnt make the Honda a bad car, just not as fast. And to be honest, a bunch of folks would be perfectly happy with the Honda, but some folks want more power.

 

[itsbob]

.....or whatever the high end model is.....

Since I can't afford the Camaro RS/SS, I was looking (just looking) at the Cobalt.....neat little car IMO.....

Anybody have anything GOOD to say about 'em?

TIA

It's NOT a NEON? :shrug:

 

[glhs837]

Now Bob, be nice to Neons Mine was a great little car, with great power, how many stock motors can take a +145 horsepower (+%65) wheel horsepower increase (from 215 to over 360) with no issues beyond needing higher speed rated tires?

She had 75K when I sold her, and I drove that car to its limits on a regular basis. Normal Neons? Eh, those I dont know

 

[itsbob]

Now Bob, be nice to Neons Mine was a great little car, with great power, how many stock motors can take a +145 horsepower (+%65) wheel horsepower increase (from 215 to over 360) with no issues beyond needing higher speed rated tires?

She had 75K when I sold her, and I drove that car to its limits on a regular basis. Normal Neons? Eh, those I dont know

I had a Neon, and couldn't wait to get rid of it..

In all of the Gov'ts wisdom, they crammed my 6 ft 3 inch frame into a Neon.. More than once my hand got jammed between my leg and the steering wheel.. sending me in possible never endeing right or left turns.

The brakes also didn't work until they warmed up for awhile.. NICE suprise when coming from the house in the morning down the side of a mountain.. I only ran that stop sign ONCE and never went down that road again in that car.. had to "step down" the mountain one road at a time..

 

[itsbob]

I've had three Dodges in my life (including the Gov).. A Dodge Omni GLH.. FUN Car, but within 30,000 miles was replacing CV Joints.. but damn if that car couldn't carve a corner. Within six months of buying it left me broke down on the side of the road with a cracked Distributor..

A Dodge Full Size van, the brakes went out within the first 60 days of me buying it new.. going down the interstate.. and could NEVER use the Emergency Brake cause it wouldn't release, EVER.

And my most awesomeness Dodge Neon.. biggest crap car on the planet..

My FAVORITE GOV?? Chevy Corsica 3.1! THAT was a ROCKET, and my favorite POV was the Chevy Lumina 3.1 Euro.. Had it for three years and traded it in for a Lumina MiniVan.. MISTAKE!!

 

[glhs837]

Yeah, the Shelby Dodges could handle, but were plagued by leftover stuff from the late 70s and the fact that Ioccoca couldnt/woulnt fund special parts, CS had to work out of the parts bin a lot. Those CVs were never intended to handle that power, and hard cornering to boot. My 85 Shelby Charger, thing had two fuel pumps, one (stock) in the tank, a second booster pump outside the tank to feed the turbos increased fuel needs. Shelby just couldnt get a single pump past the bean counters.

The base Neons, yeah, drove one a few days as a rental,, not fun. Basic car 1.0, but you get a lot of that in this class. And really, the Neons a moot point in this conversation, since they havent made them since 2005.

 

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

Assuming you are talking about new, the top end model now is SS, which has been switched over to turbo instead of supercharging for additonal power, and its apparently a pretty good car. right in the top of the class in the "pocket rocket" class. Turbos just work better for small motors, generally speaking.

Its a GM so, you will give up a little in creature comforts and spit and polish over its competitors, the Mazdaspeed 3 and the Subaru WRX, but on the upside, you will save a few bucks and can say you bought domestic.

One alternative, if it fits your needs (its a two door, and used, but certainly cheap speed) is a used Chrylser SRT-6. I spotted one over at PF Dodge yesterday. I'm ambivelent about the Crossfires in general, not pro or con, same I feel for the SLK Mercedes it is a sister ship to.

But, just as I love my SRTs, I admire almost anything AMG branded, and the SRT-6 is really just a rebadged AMG SLK32. 330hp, and just a blast to drive. No stick shift, its an auto with autostick. for 18K, its a great deal.

If you need more info on the Cobalt SS, I recommend a visit to cobaltss.net, it is the number one forum for them, with thousands of owners you could talk to.

"Turbos just work better for small motors, generally speaking."
I had a '92 Plymouth Laser AWD (A.K.A. Mitsubishi Eclipse) 2 Liter turbo; 5 speed; my first brand new car and my first "toy." AWESOME little road rocket.
I LOVED IT! What I'm saying is, 'I know about the 2 Liter Turbo's and I like 'em.

I was looking for/wishing for a new car ('09 or '10), but I; like many of us; don't have a He**uva lot O' green to be throwing around. /:-\

My M&D just got a Base 2010 Traverse. It doesn't have ALL the bells & whistles, but IT'S BRAND NEW. I think it's pretty snazzy; but me being just me, myself and I; I don't really need anything like that.

Right now I drive a '97 Chrysler LHS. It was a 'gift'; I'm the third owner (that I know of); I like it a lot; and it's still a good car; but it's getting on 'nickel dime me to death time.' Time to make a wish list, I guess.....you know.....'I wish I could get that'; followed by 'I wish I had the money.....'

 

[glhs837]

Yep, well, your first thing will be to find out exactly what you can/will spend, set a max value, then work from there with you various wants and needs as vectors.

Me, when I didnt have much to spend, the SRT-4 Neon was the right car for me, max power, right from the factory, great handling, 20K. Loved that car. When the kids got bigger, and I had more to spend, and my knees couldnt handle the day to day grind of a clutch, the Charger fit my bill fine.

So, define your budget, then what you want the most, and it kinda solves itself. But do these things, and pretty much get set beforehand. NEVER go to a dealer without a deal already set down to the dollar, otherwise your bringing a knife to a gunfight.

Confessions of a Car Salesman

Read and learn. If theres any part of it you want help with, speak up, glad to help. Me, pocket rocket class, brand new? Depends on you various needs for power/handling/soul/spiffy interior/gadgets.

 

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

Yep, well, your first thing will be to find out exactly what you can/will spend, set a max value, then work from there with you various wants and needs as vectors.

Me, when I didnt have much to spend, the SRT-4 Neon was the right car for me, max power, right from the factory, great handling, 20K. Loved that car. When the kids got bigger, and I had more to spend, and my knees couldnt handle the day to day grind of a clutch, the Charger fit my bill fine.

So, define your budget, then what you want the most, and it kinda solves itself. But do these things, and pretty much get set beforehand. NEVER go to a dealer without a deal already set down to the dollar, otherwise your bringing a knife to a gunfight.

Confessions of a Car Salesman

Read and learn. If theres any part of it you want help with, speak up, glad to help. Me, pocket rocket class, brand new? Depends on you various needs for power/handling/soul/spiffy interior/gadgets.

Well, I've done the "road rocket" thing when I bought that '92 Laser brand new.

I was just "looking" at the '09 or '10 Cobalt XFE because 1) It's a new car, but it's one of the less expensive new cars and 2) I'm looking for something that will get out of its own way.

Believe me I'm gonna do a lot of homework before I even think of committing to anything. Foolheartedly, I almost committed to buying an '09 Pontiac G8 a few months ago. I went to my bank and applied for and got the loan; had the 33 thousand-something dollar check IN MY HAND, but more level heads prevailed and I turned in the check and paid two days interest. /:-\ Oh, well.....