Full Test: 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS Coupe

[steve333]

As a Cobalt owner I would say be careful about buying one. Mine has been nothing but trouble and the car has TSBs out the yinyang.

[CobaltSScrazy]

TSB's? Please educate me, thanks.

CobaltSS

[FAB454]

TSB: Technical Service Bulletin
if there is a regular problem with a vehicle (ie 1/2 the cobalts that are sold have a problem with there driver door latch failing)
they send a memo to the dlrs. how to repair the problem,part #s, warranty labor time etc...

[DuSpinnst]

Originally Posted by CobaltSScrazy

TSB's? Please educate me, thanks.

CobaltSS

TSB = "Internal Voluntary Recall"

If your vehicle exhibits the TSB symptoms they update the car with the fix. Otherwise they don't.

[steve333]

My car was driving really bad lately, felt like suspension/shock/strut/steering problems. Brought it to the dealer they insisted nothing was wrong with the car and blamed it on the Pirelli P6s which have 38,000 miles on them.
Just spent $600 on 4 Goodyear Comfortreds, rated very highly, and there is no change at all in the way the car handles bumps! The guy at Evans Tire said it feels as if there is no cushioning at all in the struts and shocks, it just clunks over them. He said the dealer needs to either replace them or at least take apart the struts and check it out because there is no way the car should feel like that. As he said, the car feels like poop. He actually said that. Pretty funny.

[EldoFan]

Originally Posted by TuffG929

I can't understand why so many people hate the Cobalt's styling. I know it's boring but isn't at all ugly or polarizing. At any rate, this is the best review for a Cobalt that I've ever seen. I just hope that word gets out that this thing is awesome.

You don't??





The J-Car is dead.....the styling should've died with it (though the pics I found aren't the best, you get the idea)

Regardless....it's quite a feat Chevy can now be taken seriously in the sport compact arena.....especially liked how the reviewer mentioned it trumped the Mazdaspeed 3!!

[kain01]

Huh, you can sort of see some cavalier in it I guess, but still I think it looks ten times better than a civic or a corolla. Stylewise I'd give the mazda speed 3, but performance wise this is the way to go.

[unkillsam]

Originally Posted by kain01

Huh, you can sort of see some cavalier in it I guess, but still I think it looks ten times better than a civic or a corolla. Stylewise I'd give the mazda speed 3, but performance wise this is the way to go.

The problem is the cheap materials. The steering wheel is cheap. I sat in a 2008 Malibu and I couldn't believe it was the same steering wheel design it just felt so much better.

The dash is cheap and booring, and so are the gas/break pedals (no rubber) the glove box, and a multitude of other things.

I hope that Chevy benchmarks the Astra and then surpasses it for the 2010 Cobalt because I would like to buy another one but after 2 years I am already tiring of my SS/SC because of the cheap materials.

[Toto]

Originally Posted by supraracer

I was concerned when I learned that the Chevy engineers were taking notes from OPC because their previous efforts on the Opel Astra VXR just weren't that impressive. Sure it had the power, but it couldn't go around corners to save it's life. Fith Gear recently did a test comparing the VXR vs. the Focus RS and the Focus spanked it despite being down on power. Thank goodness the Chevy engineers had the since to do some developement on the 'ring.

Okay.

At the start of the fourth round of the OPC Race Camp, Opel unveils the Astra OPC “Nürburgring Edition”, a limited special edition version of the successful three-door model. The “Nürburgring Edition” emphasizes the connection between the racetrack steeped in tradition and the Opel brand. The Nürburgring, and in particular the legendary Nordschleife, are rightfully known as Opel territory, as this is where Opel production cars are extensively tested during their development stage. Manuel Reuter first highlighted the OPC models’ performance power in 2005, when he set a circuit record with the Astra OPC in this vehicle class. With the special Astra OPC “Nürburgring Edition”, Opel now raises the connection to the Nordschleife to a new level.

http://www.gmeurope.info/social_medi...g-Edition.html

[genjy]

Originally Posted by kain01

Huh, you can sort of see some cavalier in it I guess, but still I think it looks ten times better than a civic or a corolla. Stylewise I'd give the mazda speed 3, but performance wise this is the way to go.

The Mazdaspeed3 has mechanical LSD standard. That alone is a huge advantage over the Cobalt SS in terms of handling (LSD is optional for the Cobalt SS).

Acceleration-wise, I think they should be about the same, give and take some human factors.

[JJ26]

Originally Posted by blkwrxsti

I've got to agree with this (I know what my screenname says, but it's really not even close). Add in the 27 mpg goodness of the cobalt, and I'm not sure why chevy wouldn't sell 200,000 of these. Also, I'm thinking a limited slip and a good set of snow tires will make the SS a perfectly wonderful car in the snow and mud. Who "races" in the snow and mud anyway? The goal there is just to get where you're going and keep the shiny side up.

That was only a joke about the snow and mud. You know how Subaru owners usually say that they'll always be faster in the snow/mud. Its true if somewhat neither here nor there. Honestly, I'm not sure this car would be very good in the snow even with snow tires. I still think it's too much power through the front wheels to be very good in the snow. Although my old WRX was some what interesting in the snow sometimes it was much better than my Eclipse. Haven't had the STi in the snow yet...but I would love to play with mine in it!