View Full Version : Logevity of cobalts


umrdyldo
06-19-2008, 11:50 AM
I'm having a discussion about longevity of cars with my GF. I'd like to know the mileage people are getting out of ecotecs.

Even as far back as the cavi 2.2L ecos.

She still has the Honda knows best mentality.

SS4EVER
06-19-2008, 11:53 AM
My younger brother is driving my 01 Cavalier w a 2.2L ecotec, thing has almost 120k miles and is still going strong. Only things on the engine we've replaced were a motor mount @63k miles and just recently we had to replace a air flow sensor.... If you take care of them they'll last... Problem is the rest of the car will fall apart before the engine and tranny go!

Joeyavhu
06-19-2008, 11:54 AM
Woo Hoo.. I take up 100% of the poll. Lol

New cars today though, you can expect to live for a while, WELL above 200,000 without much serious maintenance.

OrngBalt
06-19-2008, 12:09 PM
Ive had a 88 buick regal which lasted 170k, I had an 87 Grand Prix which last 160k, and a 95 Dodge Intrepid which would have lasted significantly longer than the 145k that was on it. It started and ran amazing, but the body was screwed from accidents and I decided to buy the Cobalt. Cobalt has 40k

umrdyldo
06-19-2008, 12:15 PM
well i have 42,000 with no problems at all.

I don't think most people understand that technology is much better and a 4 cylinder tends to run for a long time due to lower amount of moving parts.

an0malous
06-19-2008, 12:16 PM
my sunfire ran strong to 220k miles

ilovecars
06-19-2008, 12:16 PM
woops.....read the question wrong

i havent put 125+ lol

miniman2004
06-19-2008, 12:29 PM
My mom had a 99 Cavi and it had 205K on it before my brother rolled it. Im pretty sure the only thing the replaced on it was the serpitine belt.

rrutter81
06-19-2008, 12:48 PM
45,000

expecting 200,000 if i keep it maintaned....maybe more if I go crazy with keeping internals right.

SilvrLT
06-19-2008, 12:55 PM
Well I hope my balt lasts as long as my lil brothers 97 sunfire, That car has 232,000 mi on it still runs strong, but you can tell the car is tired and wornout when you go up hills verry slow

Acey
06-19-2008, 01:01 PM
My younger brother is driving my 01 Cavalier w a 2.2L ecotec

No 2001 Cavaliers had the 2.2L Ecotec. For 2001 it's either the 2200 OHV or the 2.4L LD9, or he has a 2002 with the L61.

Grimlakin
06-19-2008, 01:35 PM
I have over 20k on mine.. but just at 21k had a new engine put in under warranty.

WhiteSSBalt
06-19-2008, 01:48 PM
45k on mine.

Cobalt2921
06-19-2008, 01:51 PM
As of now there are 50 miles on my brand new LT :D

SS07
06-19-2008, 01:52 PM
I think im just over 17K

Sholt_c33
06-19-2008, 01:58 PM
Just rolled over 3800 KM's...had it three weeks!

Acidangel_5.0
06-19-2008, 02:00 PM
56k miles on the ss/sc and still running good.. still have not encountered 1 problem since i bought the car.. just routine oil changes and washes :)


88 5.0 still kicking strong at 188k miles with a fully built top end

LamboW9
06-19-2008, 02:01 PM
30k on mine

Sanat
06-19-2008, 03:21 PM
40k n' some change for me.

chevy cobalt 08
06-19-2008, 03:26 PM
2200 miles on mine

Helltime
06-19-2008, 04:40 PM
Just over 11k on mine, should be over 13k after i get back from my vacation. IF i keep the car (probably won't because i want an ss/sc or ss/tc) i don't know what to expect, i tend to beat on it at the track and get on it alittle on highway on ramps.....but i do maintain it well.

BallsoutBalt
06-19-2008, 04:43 PM
about 42k for me, but the engine had to be re-built after 35k from adding mods.
Pulley, injectors, CAI, Header.

I would only recomend this car if you don't add any mods to it and even then I think you could do better.

NS06G5
06-19-2008, 04:51 PM
Just rolled over 3800 KM's...had it three weeks!

Holy crap! Drive much? :lol:

cobalt_driver
06-19-2008, 04:56 PM
34k on mine. almost 2 years old july 5th. not bad. n im a delivery driver. :)

ecotecon18s
06-19-2008, 05:01 PM
I put 74K miles on my first SS/SC in less than 2 years. Then it got totaled. So I bought another one with 26K and now its at 34K...

BTW, the previous car had Stage 2, 2.85 pulley, full exhaust, K&N intake, and a few other things, and would keep up with my buddies newer Stage 2+ balts with WAY less miles

cougar2588
06-19-2008, 05:05 PM
i have 47,000 miles on my car and my suspension has gone to shit. i just had it looked at yesterday and the results were that both my left and right control arms have collapsed, both my left and right front struts are blown and both my left and right rear shocks are leaking.

ill add that i baby my car and will purposely avoid certain roads because they have bad potholes/railroad tracks on them. im not impressed at all with the quality of this car. o well, u get what u pay for.

blkcobalt
06-19-2008, 05:08 PM
I have 67,300 miles on my Cobalt. I never had problems, just rountine maintance. (knock on wood)

chris88z24
06-19-2008, 05:10 PM
If you don't beat on it they will last a very long time. Preventative maintenance is key when it comes to prolonging the life of your car.

ViSiONZ
06-19-2008, 05:11 PM
37k on mine & no major problems at all.

Omega_5
06-19-2008, 05:11 PM
My cobalt has pretty low km's on it... but I know a few guys who have Eco Cavy's with over 180k miles (300k kilometers).

cougar2588
06-19-2008, 05:12 PM
If you don't beat on it they will last a very long time. Preventative maintenance is key when it comes to prolonging the life of your car.

i wish this were true.

joeworkstoohard
06-19-2008, 05:12 PM
i'm almost at 50k, and i've had no major issues, in fact the only problems that i've had were things that i can blame on me doing dumb shit.

like that trip to the drag strip after which the clutch didn't last long...

PenguinPIE
06-19-2008, 05:15 PM
the ecotecs and the auto tranny are quite robust... also with the 100k mile warranty there's not much else to go wrong

alleycat58
06-19-2008, 05:19 PM
My mom had a 99 Cavi and it had 205K on it before my brother rolled it. Im pretty sure the only thing the replaced on it was the serpitine belt.

I also had a pre-Eco Cavi and it lived to about 210k.

Before that 1985 Buick Skyhawk with the Quad 4. That blew at 275k.

Dad's Blazer is the champ of the family. 345,000 miles and it finally threw in the towel.

i have 47,000 miles on my car and my suspension has gone to shit. i just had it looked at yesterday and the results were that both my left and right control arms have collapsed, both my left and right front struts are blown and both my left and right rear shocks are leaking.

ill add that i baby my car and will purposely avoid certain roads because they have bad potholes/railroad tracks on them. im not impressed at all with the quality of this car. o well, u get what u pay for.

So wait. Your struts have made it to their expected replacement mileage and you're bitching????? Especially if road are so bad you have to purposely avoid them.

Seriously.

Control arms, sounds like a result of rough roads if you don't drive it hard. But shocks and struts going out at 45k isn't unheard of, in fact around where I live that's quite normal. If you live somewhere with a mild climate where you get few potholes and the roads are decently maintained, I could see hitting 60-65k or more on stock shocks/struts. I live in Western PA and summer the roads are fine, but in winter we get nasty potholes. So most people replace shocks and struts around 35-45k.

That's like bitching that you've passed 40,000 miles on the car and have to replace "shitty" brake components.

I'ma subscribe to this thread so I can come back when I have over 75k on the car and bitch about my shitty stock clutch going out...

NWAE Cobalt
06-19-2008, 05:23 PM
So far, 35,5xx

gf has 52xxx on her balt

both 2.2l

cougar2588
06-19-2008, 05:33 PM
So wait. Your struts have made it to their expected replacement mileage and you're bitching????? Especially if road are so bad you have to purposely avoid them.

Seriously.

Control arms, sounds like a result of rough roads if you don't drive it hard. But shocks and struts going out at 45k isn't unheard of, in fact around where I live that's quite normal. If you live somewhere with a mild climate where you get few potholes and the roads are decently maintained, I could see hitting 60-65k or more on stock shocks/struts. I live in Western PA and summer the roads are fine, but in winter we get nasty potholes. So most people replace shocks and struts around 35-45k.

That's like bitching that you've passed 40,000 miles on the car and have to replace "shitty" brake components.

I'ma subscribe to this thread so I can come back when I have over 75k on the car and bitch about my shitty stock clutch going out...

so let me see if i understand this. cars are supposed to fall apart little by little before they even hit 50,000 miles? i could start naming off dozens and dozens of ppl i know with cars older than mine, and with more miles than mine, and none of them have had to replace most of their suspension compenonts yet. and i gaurantee that very few of those dozens and dozens of ppl baby their cars like i do mine.

so to answer your question, yes i am bitching because its pathetic that these cars were built with shocks/struts/control arms/brakes/rotors and many many other parts that all last less then 50,000 miles. but like i said, you get what you pay for.

alleycat58
06-19-2008, 05:40 PM
so let me see if i understand this. cars are supposed to fall apart little by little before they even hit 50,000 miles? i could start naming off dozens and dozens of ppl i know with cars older than mine, and with more miles than mine, and none of them have had to replace most of their suspension compenonts yet. and i gaurantee that very few of those dozens and dozens of ppl baby their cars like i do mine.

so to answer your question, yes i am bitching because its pathetic that these cars were built with shocks/struts/control arms/brakes/rotors and many many other parts that all last less then 50,000 miles. but like i said, you get what you pay for.

LMAO. Alrighty then.

The only LEGITIMATE beef you have is MAYBE with your control arms. MAYBE...and even that might be a stretch depending on how often you inspect your suspension. Which if you just noticed all this damage at once is not often.

I better call my BMW buddy and tell him that his M is a piece of shit because he just had to replace struts at all 4 corners at 42,000 miles.

The facts are that suspension parts are the first to go because they do the most work on the car under the most amount of stress. Brakes go first around 30-40k, shocks and struts will go around 40-50k, control arms, tie rods, etc will depend on how long the other components last and how well maintained the car is.

joeworkstoohard
06-19-2008, 05:43 PM
where i live, most of the roads are flat and straight, even lowered, my car's shocks seem pretty decent for 49k on them, but i don't expect to make it to 60.

alleycat58
06-19-2008, 05:43 PM
Not trying to be a dick, it just blows my mind that you think 47k is a "rediculous" time to have to replace struts when you live in Michigan. I'd be extremely happy with that. I know a lot of people with WAY more expensive cars than mine that live near me that have been replacing suspension components on average around 35,000 miles.

cougar2588
06-19-2008, 05:45 PM
LMAO. Alrighty then.

The only LEGITIMATE beef you have is MAYBE with your control arms. MAYBE...and even that might be a stretch depending on how often you inspect your suspension. Which if you just noticed all this damage at once is not often.

I better call my BMW buddy and tell him that his M is a piece of shit because he just had to replace struts at all 4 corners at 42,000 miles.

The facts are that suspension parts are the first to go because they do the most work on the car under the most amount of stress. Brakes go first around 30-40k, shocks and struts will go around 40-50k, control arms, tie rods, etc will depend on how long the other components last and how well maintained the car is.

forgive me if im wrong in saying that its a shame cars are not made to last over 50,000 miles.

and if jackolope isnt the least bit upset that he had to replace 4 struts on a car that costs well over $50,000 brand new, i'd be surprised. when you buy a car, especially a BMW M3, you assume the car will at least last you 60,000 miles before you have to do major repairs.

alleycat58
06-19-2008, 05:45 PM
where i live, most of the roads are flat and straight, even lowered, my car's shocks seem pretty decent for 49k on them, but i don't expect to make it to 60.

That's usually how it goes. Mine started to leak a while ago, but I'm just letting them go until this winter. 56k miles they are MORE than due for replacement. I've had the front passenger rebuilt. It blew out at 31k after hitting a pothole. (Screw you, PennDOT!!!!)

cougar2588
06-19-2008, 05:46 PM
Not trying to be a dick, it just blows my mind that you think 47k is a "rediculous" time to have to replace struts when you live in Michigan. I'd be extremely happy with that. I know a lot of people with WAY more expensive cars than mine that live near me that have been replacing suspension components on average around 35,000 miles.

sorry i "blew" your mind.

silentd
06-19-2008, 05:47 PM
its not the car.... its the driver.... if you drive it hard... it wont last... if u drive it like a 90 yr old grandma.. it will

tell her to STFU and stick it in her pooper

joeworkstoohard
06-19-2008, 05:48 PM
That's usually how it goes. Mine started to leak a while ago, but I'm just letting them go until this winter. 56k miles they are MORE than due for replacement. I've had the front passenger rebuilt. It blew out at 31k after hitting a pothole. (Screw you, PennDOT!!!!)

lol, penndot? shit, i grew up in philadelphia, state roads are a dream compared to that shit.


but yeah, i have no major complaints, although, i do notice that now, if i sit still, and just turn the front wheels back and forth, lock to lock, you can hear a small pop as they come off centre.

if memory serves, on front struts there is a small bushing at the top of the strut, and i think that bad boy is going out on me. i'm just waiting until my next round of goodies is installed and working before i tear this bitch apart again.

alleycat58
06-19-2008, 05:49 PM
its not the car.... its the driver.... if you drive it hard... it wont last... if u drive it like a 90 yr old grandma.. it will

tell her to STFU and stick it in her pooper

:lol:

The only "suspension" thing that amused me was my best friend and her husband had a 2007 Si sedan. Appearantly there's a TSB and/or recall on them...their front struts died at 7500 miles. THAT's unreasonable.

riko540
06-19-2008, 05:56 PM
I know a guy who has 300,000 miles on his 94 Saturn and its still in great running condition.

R&C_rallySS
06-19-2008, 06:02 PM
I'm having a discussion about longevity of cars with my GF. I'd like to know the mileage people are getting out of ecotecs.

Even as far back as the cavi 2.2L ecos.

She still has the Honda knows best mentality.

Everyone who is smart knows that some type of cars do last longer then others. The main point is all about how you take car of it. Oil changes always on time is the biggest part to that and not beating the crap out of it. Of course fixing anything that breaks and keeping up with tune ups also is a big part. My best friend has a cavy with over 100, not sure exactly how many miles though.

adamo41188
06-24-2008, 09:58 PM
28xxx and im a delivery boy for 6 more months =]

tREBs
06-24-2008, 10:01 PM
keep to your maintenance schedule and your car should last a while...

Helltime
06-28-2008, 06:19 PM
I am on a decent length trip right now and i must say, i am impressed with my balt, so it will probably get alot of miles from road trips from now on. Its cheap on gas (35mpg while running 75-85 is pretty damn impressive to me) and as long as i remember to take my wallet out of my back pocket its pretty comfy to drive in too. I have a goal to visit the 48 continental before i turn 25, so with another 38 to go I might just see how long it takes before this car drops :lol:

Mnatvyc1223
06-28-2008, 06:22 PM
cobalts longevity = forever with a 2.8 pulley and above!!!:lol:

Evil C
06-28-2008, 06:29 PM
[QUOTE=alleycat58;2489019]I also had a pre-Eco Cavi and it lived to about 210k.

Before that 1985 Buick Skyhawk with the Quad 4. That blew at 275k.

No J-body in 1985 had a Quad 4. Im almost certian You had a 2.0 Possibly the 2.0 turbo.

Billig ss/sc
06-28-2008, 06:49 PM
I'll turn 15,000 tomorrow or tonight.

yellowltcoupe22
06-29-2008, 01:59 AM
im bout to roll over 128,000 miles on my 06 balt (bought in oct. 05) and i've never had any kinda serious work done to it.. just normal maintinace and she's still runnin great..

Helltime
06-29-2008, 02:17 AM
im bout to roll over 128,000 miles on my 06 balt (bought in oct. 05) and i've never had any kinda serious work done to it.. just normal maintinace and she's still runnin great..

Holy hell! Are you serious? thats some serious miles for only 2 years or so.

CobaltDude81
06-29-2008, 10:49 AM
38k on mine, front struts went. the new ones dont feel any better than the old ones.