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Detroit, 9:50 PM
Tue Dec 1
29 posts in the last 24 hours
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11/29/09
My big question is how well and how fast will the car age under normal use?
Will the plastics and the craptastic clips that hold them start breaking off in your hand like past/current GMs? Will interior panels start loosing their coatings and peel away like the dash finish paint like my always-garaged 21st century Sierra at 5 years old? I went through a brake release lever or two, a glove box latch, and innumerable squeaks and rattles from the hard polystyrene construction.
Are the components designed to live on the edge of their design spec under normal use like the ABS modules of my Sierra's sibling GM trucks/SUVs (ever hear one humming constantly? That's it. $1600 replacement due to underdesigned transistors and no snubber diodes FTW whee! So common there's actually a thriving rebuild market if you know where to look.)?
Will the transmissions outlast the first 100k with their plastic bushings and stamped shell gears (yep, been there too. Got 51k out of the first one.)?
When you factor in that their profit margins for this vehicle are razor thin (I understand they LOST $10 for every Cavalier built at the end of that model, hoping to make it up in financing and service), it doesn't bring a lot of confidence to their latest nameplate. Agreed with all the others they need to STOP RENAMING THINGS every other model cycle. A new name and marketing campaign doesn't make your car any better.
11/29/09
11/29/09
In reference to the Cobalt, it is a bit of an enigma to me. The styling is not offensive, but not groundbreaking. The interior is miss-match of cleverly thought out details and cheap materials.(i.e. the Cobalt has a TPS readout that shows the psi of each tire..very nice compared to more expensive cars that just have one glaring light when one tire is 3-5 psi below the specs. but conversely the seat material is easily stained and the dash is hard plastic). I'd say the Cobalt is 70% of what it should be.
If the Cruze can improve on the refinement of the current Cobalt , then it will do well.
11/29/09
11/29/09
What it all really comes down to is the product. If the product is good, people will notice your new car with its new name. Look at the Fusion.
11/29/09
11/29/09
11/29/09
11/29/09
/dreading 11 days of rental car...thought they are very good at helping you appreciate what you own
*I'd really like a Fit, but those aren't at all common as rental vehicles. I'd even take a Mabiloo, if the price is right.
Less $'s spent on car = an extra few hands at the blackjack table
11/29/09
11/29/09
Heart-click for making my rental car shopping list one car shorter.
11/29/09
(1) Stupid name.
(2) Weak engines.
(3) GM had better not kill SAAB
11/29/09
11/29/09
And doesn't the Sentra come with a six-speed, anyway?
11/29/09
I find it incredibly depressing that it's virtually impossible to buy an economy car that was manufactured in America or Canada.
11/29/09
11/29/09
11/29/09
1982 Chevy Cavalier: Don't Call It A Monza
1975 Chevy Monza: Don't Call It A Vega
1970 Chevy Vega: Don't Call It A Corvair
But seriously, "one of the most real world-tested GM products prior to a U.S. launch." Kudos to them; that's far more than the previous four offerings had.
I'm dismayed at the Watt's linkage rear suspension. It was "technically advanced" back when James Watt invented it in the 1780's. Honda's been doing four wheel independent suspension on the Civic for how long? But anyway, maybe next generation they can do something like a short-long-arm suspension.
11/29/09
Just be glad they're not still using a live axle. They'd do it, too, if it was a nickel cheaper.
11/29/09
11/29/09
11/29/09
Still, I was hoping that GM would go for a "small fun cheap" car, something like the Civic Si or Scion tC. Hopefully they come up with a way to deliver that in a few years, but a nice-riding compact car sounds great for the majority of their market target.
11/29/09
This just goes to show that your average consumer has no need for the latest and greatest. At least 95% of the driving public encounters virtually no situation where these suspensions wont perform as well as fully independent suspension.
And if you do some research online you'll find people have pretty good things to say about Watt's linkages. Just because some technology was invented a long time ago doesn't mean it's somehow inherently inferior. You'd be surprised by the number of supposedly cutting-edge automotive technologies that were invented a long time ago.
11/29/09
11/29/09
11/29/09
Ford's been considering selling an Focus RS mk3 here and GM best step up to the Plate with their competitor. if it isn't the Cruze it best be a Next-gen Astra.
I'm also thinking that the 1.4l turbo should see some use in the Aveo. It could use the extra power and efficiency. It might just redeem the Aveo if done right. It'd be a good stop-gap until a new subcompact can get to market.
(The Spark is really going to compete with the Smart and the 500 more than the Fiesta in my book.)
11/29/09
Still, I've spent more than enough time around Cobalts, and they're a decent little car, for people who don't care about cars (the SS is pretty good) - it looks like GM's made steps in the right direction.
11/29/09
11/29/09
O RLY?
I am enjoying delicious apples, and they are clearly better than your orange.
11/29/09
11/30/09
11/29/09
I like turbo fours, but 2 hp and what ten/twenty ft/lbs more torque make me wonder whether it really offers much advantage. Turbos are great fun, but you do have to contend with the lag.
Bust a six speed manual and big numbers for highway cruising are quite attractive.
11/29/09
11/29/09