Drove a cobalt today

[charbaby]

Hi Nick,
I sat in the Cruze and also, the Camaro that was on the showroom floor next to it. They both felt the same(too narrow). The seats make me feel pinched in the hip/shoulders which also bother my neck in the process.

But, OTOH, the 2011 Equinox that my buddy bought and the Malibu parked nearby were both fine. I guess I just like a wide seat as this is what I am used to...RX-300 and Altima. Both have extremely wide and supportive seats and the Lexus could be the best I have ever sat in this side of a Lincoln or Caddy.

GM's dash placement is still too high and too close for my liking even in the new BUICK's(and I really like them!) But, you have to understand what I have been driving over the years. Cars with low dash/belt lines and great outward vision(thinner pillars). Many older Honda Accords felt as if I were driving a gocart! Low dash, hood/cowel and steering wheel in you lap with a large picture window like a minivan. This is what I am used to.

There are still come vehicles that make me feel this way(less clostrophobic interiors). Although many vehicles are coming standard with blind spots, more and more!

 

[Blinker]

I read that article from "The Truth About Cars" and as a G5 owner I'd have to agree. It's the same exact car as the cobalt, minus a different front grille, tail lights, trunk lid, rear bumper, and is nearly an exact replica. However... I was never fond of the cobalt looks and if it weren't for the G5, I wouldn't have purchased a GM car. I must say that as a teenage college student when I got this car, it has held its own very well next to my friends and classmates that own scion tc's, Mazda 3's, and other cars of the tuner crowd.

I let a friend borrow my car for two days while her 2006 civic was in the body shop. When she gave it back she asked if it had a V6. To her it was more powerful than her car. I don't know about the 4 door cobalts but the 2 doors models, along with the G5, are liked very much by the younger generations such as myself, the target market for these cars.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: rjacket
...
Cobalt and other cars before it reflect an American functional instead of quality approach and a less sophisticated buying public.


Manufacturers keep doing that. It doesn't seem to work and it's insulting to the US buyer but they keep doing it anyway.

The original Omni/Horizon was most of the French Simca design with a VW motor. Apparently the French are very good at making a car with a soft ride and tons of body roll still handle acceptably. There are a few detractors but overwhelmingly, the owners of the original Omni/Horizons liked them. So Chrysler dumbs it down. Cheapens the suspension for a more "American" ride. Stuff a larger 2.2 engine in it that does not significantly improve performance and returns less mpg.

When Volkswagen moved production to Pennsylvania, they took what may have been the best combination of fuel economy, sporty driving, and practicality in the '70s and dumbed it way down, "for American drivers."

The first iteration of the US Market Escort: 'Nuff said.

Occasionally Honda gives us a taste of what the rest of the world gets. When the Integra Type-R was finally released to The States, dealers were marking them up $5000 and still selling them. So Honda pulls the plug. Your dealers are making money and you take it away.

Ford practically ruined the XR4Ti in bringing it to the US, and then charged a premium for ruining it.

GM sells Opels through it's Buick dealerships and then for whatever reason decides to stop and sell Isuzus badged as Opels instead. Granted the Isuzu probably was the best of the T-chassis GM cars but it was still not an Opel Manta. And given that Japanese car sales were starting to really take off at that time, it makes absolutely no sense not to just call the Isuzu an Isuzu. Not a "Buick Opel by Isuzu".

I could continue ad-nauseum but I'll spare you that. To summarize, Car companies think Americans are stupid and bad drivers. It's so bad that many Americans think that anybody from Europe (or Japan) is automatically a superior driver to an American. (which is categorically wrong but I digress)

 

[Hokiefyd]

Char Baby, I must agree on dash placement. I really don't care for the current trend of high dashes and high door sills. I much prefer lower dash lines and better visibility. I often ride with my arm on the window sill. Even my Camry's window sill was too high. Something like a Camaro or 300 is a non-starter for me. I do hope they get back to "how it used to be".

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
... I really don't care for the current trend of high dashes and high door sills. I much prefer lower dash lines and better visibility. I often ride with my arm on the window sill....


Current?

The first time I propped my arm up on the door sill of my '74 260Z it felt like my elbow was up by my ear.

Try going from a 260Z to a 4th gen Civic. The Civic door sill feels like it's too far down. Like it was down by my waist. And the pillars are so skinny that it's close to being a convertible in visibility when you are used to the Z-car.

 

[SLCraig]

I'm glad you agree, it is one of the worst cars I've ever been in. I hate the Cobalt with a passion. Reliable or not, it's not a nice place be in.

 

[PF52]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
I really don't care for the current trend of high dashes and high door sills. I much prefer lower dash lines and better visibility. I often ride with my arm on the window sill. Even my Camry's window sill was too high.


Unfortunately this seems to be the trend nowadays. The Avenger rental we had recently had window sills so high it was fatigueing to ride with the arm on the sill. The windows on the new 300s are tiny and high too; compare them with the old 300M from 2001 and its a night and day difference. I've never sat in a new Camaro or Challenger, and don't want to.

 

[Blinker]

Setting all the car talk aside, I hope your grandfather is doing well. It's no walk in the park when family members are in the hospital, especially elderly ones. Im sure we've all been down that road before. Unlike cars and other material objects, people cannot be replaced...

With that being said, I hope you enjoy your new cruze! Please post some used oil analysis and let us know about how the car holds up because myself and many others would definitely consider getting one when the time comes.

 

[Nick R]

Well so far I have 10,000 miles and haven't had any repairs. I did get the TCM reprogrammed, but that was completely voluntary and didn't really need to be done.

 

[Blinker]

Sounds like it's off to a good start. It should treat you well for many more miles and years from now.

 

[cchase]

High beltlines and thick pillars are here to stay unfortunately, at the cost of visibility. Soon we'll all be crashing in to all the other cars and pedestrians we can't see, but everyone will always walk away.

Getting into a car older than about 7 or 8 years is a refreshing change of pace compared to the claustrophobia of newer cars.

I often feel that one could apply a formula to calculate the rake of future windshields on cars and the thickness of the A-pillar just by looking at the progression through the years, industry-wide.

 

[mechanicx]

I don't like a car to have bad visibility or feel too claustrophobic but I dont like a car to have a too low dash and window sills and sit too high up like some older Accords. It's like you are on display and lack privacy.

Besides, high belt lines, short glass and thick pillars along with lower slung seating probably gives a car chassis a higher strength to weight ratio and contributes to a lower center of gravity. Glass is quite heavy and mounted at the top of the car obviously but doesn't contribute much to the structure. Also it can potentially allow more Sun load into a car's interior. A/C systems are no as effective as they use to be.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
I don't like a car to have bad visibility or feel too claustrophobic but I dont like a car to have a too low dash and window sills and sit too high up like some older Accords. It's like you are on display and lack privacy.


For awhile, all the Hondas were like that. It was the "engineless" design. Prelude, Accord, Civic... all had low sloping hoodlines, low beltlines, thin pillars...etc... It was actually really good for visibility. 2nd only to a convertible with the top down.

 

[hattaresguy]

Yeah I have rented a couple and they were all dreadful. But than again I don't like anything cheap or FWD so I hate most rentals.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
Nick you're probably a little spoiled, you should've had to drive cars like Escorts and Tempos back in the day

. They'd make a Cobalt feel like an upscale vehicle.


A little spoiled?? Please!

Nick I do appreciate and enjoy the effort you put into you posts, but dude, you would have hated driving 25+ years ago.

I liked my 2007 Cobalt LS, 4dr, auto. It met every expectation I had for it. It cost me $12100 + tax brand-new. Shoulda hung onto it given what they're retailing for now.

Joel

 

[Cutehumor]

wife's grandma quit driving due to health issues. she gave us her 09 cobalt LT. 35mpg hwy sure is nice with the gas prices now. also, since I'm "moving" up from an ecotec to a OHV engine. the engine is way more refined than my 2.2 OHV. It's nice not to hear the OHV piston slap!

 

[charbaby]

Originally Posted By: JTK
Originally Posted By: mechanicx
Nick you're probably a little spoiled, you should've had to drive cars like Escorts and Tempos back in the day

. They'd make a Cobalt feel like an upscale vehicle.


A little spoiled?? Please!

Nick I do appreciate and enjoy the effort you put into you posts, but dude, you would have hated driving 25+ years ago.

I liked my 2007 Cobalt LS, 4dr, auto. It met every expectation I had for it. It cost me $12100 + tax brand-new. Shoulda hung onto it given what they're retailing for now.

Joel


Ya know, all of these statements are true really!
I remember cursing my '84 Truismo until I drove my buddys' 79 Chevette. (OMG! as "Oldman" would say/PawnStars). That Chevette was a POS! But, so was my Turismo, just not as much!

I guess if you measure todays cars or even a recent '10 Colbalt with cars of yesteryear, todays cars and the Colbalt are more refined and better build for the most part. The Colbalt compared to the cars in it's class(year for year/dollar for dollar) may be at the lower end of the market segment in terms of quality/refinement or even reliability. But, I guess it all depends on what your used to driving. I think the Cruze has changed that!...Finaly!!

Listen, I wouldn't trade any car today for some of the Iron that I drove years ago. Sure, those cars of yesteryear were something in their day but, all the ones that I owned were problematic to say the least. Even the new ones at that time! It was always something but, I'm also speaking of beyond 25 year ago. More like 35-40 yeas ago. 24 years ago, I bought my first '88 Honda Accord and drove it for 18yrs and 340K miles...Great car!

Today, I love lookin' at the older Iron at car shows but man, all the ones I had, I learned all of my skills on'em. Otherwise, they'd be in the shop all the time.

Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
wife's grandma quit driving due to health issues. she gave us her 09 cobalt LT. 35mpg hwy sure is nice with the gas prices now. also, since I'm "moving" up from an ecotec to a OHV engine. the engine is way more refined than my 2.2 OHV. It's nice not to hear the OHV piston slap!


Exactly! As I stated in my first Re:
Those whom I know, love their Colbalts! Great MPG and they run'em to 200K miles. But, it all depends on what your use to driving.

I've gotten a bit spoiled myself in the last 20-25 year or so!
I can actually drive through a puddle of water without having the engine stallout on me cause the wires/dist/cap got wet. FWD has gotten me through the snow while using regular A/S tires without any issues. And I don't have to pump the gas pedal 8x for the engine to start. And that's just the basics; I could keep going on and on!

Today I am fussy but, I derserve to be! I earned it!
My back & neck aren't the best so, I want it all. If it wasn't for the fact that I excercise regularly, I'd probably be in a wheel chair...JK! I hope not

 

[PF52]

Originally Posted By: Char Baby
And I don't have to pump the gas pedal 8x for the engine to start.


LOL I sure don't miss that about the 70s! Too many cars had a "routine" that had to be followed exactly to get them to start - particularly in the winter....

 

[Jarlaxle]

Coldest I recall in my old Jeep J-20 (Carter BBD 2bbl on an AMC 360) was about -15...pump the gas twice (above about 5 degrees, once was fine), trans in neutral, and turn the key. Usually fired on the third or fourth turn in sub-zero weather...first or second in warm weather or with a warm engine. The sum total of very-cold-weather prep it got was 5w30 engine oil (instead of 15w40) and a piece of heavy cardboard or plastic blocking half the radiator.

 

[sciphi]

My friend's 2006 Cobalt LS coupe ($13k OTD) got him through college and 4 years of work with very few complaints. He traded it on a CPO 2011 BMW 135. It was an okay car, but man, it was definitely built to a price point. I'd love an SS/TC sedan, though!