[El Savaje]

I was out of town thursday night when the clutch gave out on my Sunfire coupe. The gears were jamming and grinding bad all the way home and early friday morning, it would not even crank. I tinkered with the hammer in the shift forks but I believe that it is jammed to the point of no return. I had it hauled in to the local body shop and they gave me an outragous estimate on what it would cost to buy a new transmission, so I descided to take my hard earned cash and look around for something that is a little more modern then the mid 90s Sunfire. I want a V6, but I'm not picky on size. My girlfriend drives a avenger coupe from a few years back and that is pretty sleak, but a little anemic. I really liked my Sunfires motor as I had over 150k miles on it before this, so I really want to stick with the general if possible. What are my best bets on certified pre-owned used cars from the general that is economical both in initial price and at the pumps( gas in town: $3.60!!! ) no need for space since it will be for me and my girl only. Any advice will be welcomed, thankyou!

Juan

 

[Mischief007]

How new of a vehicle? What is your budget?

I'm tempted to say Cobalt Coupe and if you have the money, the SS.

 

[Smaart Aas Saabr]

Sounds like you just popped the line for the clutch system so it won't disengage, unless you ate the transmission trying to shift without the clutch...

 

[El Savaje]

I'm hoping to keep it as low as possible, and also looking for a 6, so that rules out the cobalt. Nice car though, especially the SS.

I could have saved the tranny had I not been as far from home as I was. My friends and I had been out at a club and it was early in the morning and we all had to work the next day. I was the DD, so we all piled into my car with a 100 mile trip ahead of us to get back to town. The clutch gave in just as I pulled onto the road. We had no time so I used all my strenth to yank the shifter around and wound up riding most of the way home in third. I am surprised it made it back, to be honest.

 

[GMfan1111]

You could go with an N bod Car. They come with either a 4 banger or a 170 horse V6 and when equipped with said V6 they are actually pretty agile. They are also pretty efficient with MPG's as well (I usually get an average 27 to 30 miles per gallon in my V6 equipped Malibu). The two I'd look at in particular are the Olds Alero and the Pontiac Grand Am (the Malibu's styling is too bland for some folks). however it depends on your budget

 

[El Savaje]

Isn't the Alero a 'granny car'? Thats what I have always thought it was, anyway.

I like the grand am, especially the coupe. Can you get a stick in it with the 6?

 

[CobaltSScrazy]

LS1 99+ Fbody...that should be your car, great fuel economy for the power, stunning styling and a 6speed.

I'd get a GTO if you are concerned about quality/reliability, superior chassis to Fbody, less prone to breaking, and a world class interior with same powerplant. Problem is boring arse GP/Grand Am looks...but great everything else.

If you go import, Civic Si or used RSX-Type S

CobaltSS

 

[El Savaje]

GTO?? LoL! Never in a million years afford that!

The Grand Am is lame looking but how about its motor and tranny? Superior to the Sunfire?

 

[likearock00]

You know that you can actually drive a stick without a clutch and not destroy it, right? If you catch the revs just right, normally you can pop it in and out without too much damage. Tractor trailer drivers do it all the time.

I'd look into a Grand Prix. They're pretty cheap and abundant if you absolutely need a V6. A Mazda6 or Altima would be nice too.

 

[KillerMRK]

Can we have a budget? Then maybe we'd be able to make realistic suggestions.


Before such:

Grand Prix Coupe, they're cheap, and if you get one with the 3.8, extremely reliable.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2001...ERCHARGED_W0QQitemZ170212335587QQcmdZViewItem

That one's supercharged too! 240 horses of go-fast Pontiac!

 

[El Savaje]

It was so late and I had lost sleep the night before. I was shooting Savage energy drinks left and right, and I was still not at the top of my game. What are the chances that I could catch the revs just right? Thats why my cars sitting at the shop while the boys vainly work to get it going again.

GP or Grand am?

 

[CobaltSScrazy]

G6 4cylinder...5speed.

Get that.

Turbocharge it, there is tuning for the L61, get a 04 sedan and have a BLAST! If I wasn't hell bent on a Turbo Cobalt SS or comparable new car from GM, I'd do that myself, but a coupe and a FAST car are a must as is a car payment under 400$/month +insurance+gas. I *could* do a Camaro or CTS but then I'd be looking at 600-800/month and I thought about a 1LT vette...but I can't devote half my paycheck upon graduation to a car!!! (when I have student loans, living expenses, and further classes on my mind and to pay for)

CobaltSS

 

[GMfan1111]

GTO?? LoL! Never in a million years afford that!

The Grand Am is lame looking but how about its motor and tranny? Superior to the Sunfire?

fifth gen cars came with either a 5 speed manual or a 4 speed auto. as for the motor if your talking about the V6 then it is superior. The 3.1 liter V6 like the one in my car makes 170 horsepower. The bored out 3.4 liter variant makes 175 horsepower but both engines share the same 210 lb feet of torque rating (at least to my knowledge). However if you want to put more fun in your commute I'd recommend a Buick Regal GS, Monte Carlo and Impala SS, Riviera, Park Avenue, or Pontiac Grand Prix that is equipped with the 3.8 liter supercharged series II V6. or you could go for a car with a non supercharged 3.8. That engine gets decent MPG's as well and is nearly indestructible if cared for properly

 

[Smaart Aas Saabr]

You know that you can actually drive a stick without a clutch and not destroy it, right? If you catch the revs just right, normally you can pop it in and out without too much damage. Tractor trailer drivers do it all the time.
.

Big trucks are a bit different as they are unsynchronized gearboxes, so the "real" way to shift is to not use the clutch, otherwise you will make the gears grind because they are moving at different speeds... a car tranny has synchros which allow "mindless" shifting with the clutch but when you try to shift w/o clutch it isn't as easy on the box.

 

[01sunfire01]

i had a sunfire and i miss it. that little 2.2L motor runs forever. i sold it and bought the 2007 pontiac g5 gt. go check out the g5 they are nice litle cars just like the sunfire was. alot of people who had sunfires are tradeding them in and geting the g5. if you want something alittle bigger get the g6 but with the V6 i hear the 4cly is a little slow,

 

[MonteCarloSS86]

W-body Monte Carlo?

 

[EldoFan]

W-body Monte Carlo?

I'd agree here........either the Grand Prix or Monte Carlo (both 'W-body' cars) would be great if V6 power is a priority :yup:

 

[F14CRAZY]

'06 G6 GTP coupe or sedan (3900 V6, 6 speed manual) or '07 G6 GT w/ Sport Package (same thing)

 

[El Savaje]

I ate Domino's with a friend of mine from that town I was at the other night and we got to talking about this prediciment, and he has an old vw rabbit that he swears by. It is ancient but he says that the agility and fuel efficiency more then make up for the lost performance. With no need for space with a family he recomended it and is willing to sale me his for $2400, since he has other front line cars. What do you think of this?

 

[Wolfman01]

Big trucks are a bit different as they are unsynchronized gearboxes, so the "real" way to shift is to not use the clutch, otherwise you will make the gears grind because they are moving at different speeds... a car tranny has synchros which allow "mindless" shifting with the clutch but when you try to shift w/o clutch it isn't as easy on the box.

Wrong. I put 108K on a Dodge Ram 2500 CTD, only using the clutch to start and stop. I drove a Chevy C1500 W/T in the same manner. When my neighbour and I messed up on a clutch job on the Hijet, I had to float the gears on it to get back home. I can shift my Aveo without the clutch, as well as my Cherokee. I don't grind gears, mess up the synchro's or bend shift forks. I learned how to float gears during my tenure driving trucks. In a synchromes transmission, not using the clutch simply takes the synchro's out of the game.