Old Veteran Car Dude

I have a 2010 Victory Red SS Coupe with 700 miles. I have had it for about a week and a half.

I pulled the rear wheels and took some time looking are the rear brake calipers. These calipers have been on GM's parts shelves for over 15 years. I used to work for Cadillac, and back in the day (late 80's early 90's), not a lot a GM products had rear discs. It was only available on special order, or high end models.

The combo service brake/ emergency brake caliper is unique to GM. "screwing-in" the piston to do a brake job was common knowledge in the GM service departments.

Apparently, GM has not learned much in 15 years, as the sliders on my 2010 SS were bone-dry, as were the pad backing plates. I used GM anti-seize compound on everything and then reassembled the calipers and pads.

The rotors look good, but the pads are very soft. Too soft IMHO. I ordered some ceramic pads and will install tomorrow. Will do a follow up in a couple of months.

Another thing I noticed that I did not like, is that fact that my headlights are made in Mexico. I understand that GM has factories all around the world, but Mexican headlights do not inspire me. It's nothing racial; it is the fact that Mexico is a third-world county, and education is compulsory to the 7th grade only. To continue to the 8th grade, you have to pay. If you have no money, then the 7th grade is as far as you go....

I'm sure that GM Mexico only hires the best........

Is there a quality alternative to the factory headlights?

Thanks, Old Veteran Car Dude

YelloEye

iTrader: (3)

Lmao I like this guy. The best step up on headlights is to just retrofit some projector lenses into them.

Wangspeed

iTrader: (2)

To be fair, even though the headlight is made in Mexico, it's only made to the GM spec and quality control. If you want to greatly improve your lighting situation, do what YelloEye said. This means you'll have to take the lens covers off of the headlights though. The best way to do this is to have a spare set of stock lights.

All the aftermarket headlights suck. The LED and halo stuff is absurd. Depo offers some that don't have the extra crap, but the lens quality is questionable. Use stock.

Here are mine, painted black with Infinity FXR projectors:

cmatthewb101

iTrader: (4)

Cause Cobalts are well known for that

RyRidesMotox

Dang wang... those wipers are massive! Look like rain-x specials from here.

Vet car dude... you sound as **** retentive about automobiles as me.

raver0789

^^^^ LOL

not as much as I have been these days.

Jeffs 06SS 2.4

I hate the headlights. They are not near bright enough.

Old Veteran Car Dude

Well, I suffer from a disease called "perfectionism". It's a curse. One strives to perfect everything around himself, only to fail misserably when confronted with the reality that there is nothing perfect in this world.

It seems as though GM put most of its effort in the mechanical engineering of the SS, but used the cheapest bits and pieces off the parts shelves to complete the car and keep costs down.

Little things like.....

1) Cheap plastic headlights (where are the HID's?)
2) No dome light
3) Non-illuminated accessory plugs
4) Solid rear axle
4) A single horn (WTF?)
5) Rear seats that fold without spending 10 minutes moving the seat belts out of the way.
6) Front seat belt height adjusters
7) Front seat belts that stay inside the seat guides where they belong.
8) A weighted glove box door with dampeners (would feel less cheap)
9) Glove box light
10) Standard blue-tooth
11) Door locks that cannot be accessed from the drivers seat with either hand unless you have a double-jointed spine.
12) Ugh....I will think of others, just give me time.....LOL


Old Veteran Car Dude

Grishbok

it all depends on whats truly important to you. I mean, change the things you can, and be content with the things you can't. If you want perfection you won't find it. If you want a good all-rounder, get a bmw/audi/merc. I mean, have you seen the interior's of most supercars? Saleen S7, Koenigsegg, Ascari KZ1? Most super-cars interior leave A LOT of room for improvement, PARTiCULARLY the mclaren and enzo. This cobalt is an econo-car with heightened focus on performance, not luxury. The things youve listed are all things you can buy and install yourself.

RyRidesMotox

Oh the biggest thing that makes me mad is the bumper and how it doesn't fit well around the light housing. there is a gap in mine. OOOHHH it makes me so mad... Then I just start the ol girl up and remember, I bought this thing for the motor, thats about it. Great set up for $20k. The seatbelts kind of are height adjustable but you gotta move the whole dang headrest to do it. And I agree the bluetooth kinda blows. The cars that don't have a sunroof have a domelight... Course all the 2010 cobalt SS cars have a sunroof, not an option. Wait til you change the oil... the lid for the canister oil filter will **** you off as much as me most likely... there is **** all up in the way its ridiculous.

northvibe

iTrader: (1)

I heart you OP

Ya the cobalt lacks any good creature comforts at all compared to competition. But at least the handing and power is good...well my valve cover is leaking oil... but better than a blown piston hahha.


The gen4 headlights are ok BUT run only hid's in them...they are from china...guess what happens? stress cracks. the stockers arent bad, but ugly yes. retrofit is the best option or painting the chrome parts black or to a color of your car.

The rear brakes are horrendous. I'm just going to swap pads and rotors this spring. I agree on wtf were they thinking.

Wangspeed

iTrader: (2)

How much did you pay for your car? I think you bought a car in a much higher class than me or something :P Just retrofit some in. Don't stuff HIDs in without a retro though. You'll annoy everyone.

Okay, I agree. Very obnoxious. They left it off any car that has the dome lights. I installed a dome light and swapped all my interior lights to LEDs. It's easy. I would have gotten one without the sunroof if I could, but unfortunately, it wasn't possible.

It's not a solid axle. It's a type of torsion beam. The entire thing twists. The swaybar is welded inside of it. You can see it in there. It actually works quite well. Aside from the lack of adjustment, I have little complaints about it. If you're curious about it:
https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/susp...y-bars-202507/

Be happy they used a Fiamm horn. One of the best. It's a Fiamm low tone. I went and bought a Fiamm high tone and put them together. Sounds very Italian.



Nothing wrong with that. Hell, we get full ipod/iphone control in a cheap ass car.

Not a problem in my sedan

SSlobalt

The Mexican-thing was racist: don't be fooled into thinking otherwise. I agree with the statement, though. You can usually tell when someone makes a racist comment that they know is racist because their comment will start with, "I'm not being racist, but...."

Old Veteran Car Dude

My wife is from the Philipines, and she tells me all the time what a rat-hole infested, corrupt, dirty place it is. Is she says it, is it considered racial?

Sorry, but I don't buy into the "tolerance" diatribe that spews out of the mouths of social progressive types now a days. The older I get, the more intolerant I become of tolerant people

But that is for another forum, let's talk about our Cobalts.

Has anyone tried to unlock their drivers door by using your hand/ arm without damaging a vertebre or disc? It takes a while to get used to "pushing" the door lock button every time I want to get out.

Old Veteran Cantankerous American Car Dude

PS: to all the Pinoy's out there...Mabuhay!

SSlobalt

If my car is idling and I want to get out, I have to reach across my body with my right arm and pull up the lock. My wife already hates my car, but this is the first thing she hated about it.

umrdyldo

iTrader: (1)

Power locks are a man's best friend.

I had manual locks and windows and man what a pain in the ass.

Old Veteran Car Dude

I think I can reach the door lock with my right hand if I reach across my chest, and twist my spine to the left. Now, if I lost about 40 pounds, that would make it easier still.

I'm getting my ceramic pads today and installing them. Let's see what happens............

Old Veteran blah.....blah...

SSlobalt

You can't unlock the car with the power locks when it's idling.

I hope you're older than I am, or I'm gonna start feeling bad. I'm 40, btw.

northvibe

iTrader: (1)

oh i HATE the damn car not unlocking the door when leaving the car...@#$@$# thats annoying.

umrdyldo

iTrader: (1)

I have no idea what you are talking about.

Give me the steps to repeat it. Sounds fun.

TorqueSSter

Must be a coupe thing - I started the car, closed the door, and locked the doors. I then proceeded to flip the switch back & forth, unlocking & locking the doors.


I could see that being a PITA , though, if you could not.


Britt

xray_racer

I'm pretty sure you can disable the automatic door lock so the doors will never lock unless you tell it to.

SSlobalt

Did you used to be on a site called TRS and go by the username Brittstang? Just curious.

TorqueSSter

I putz around on Stangnet from time to time under 99 T/A .

Been a while, though. I was just getting to "know the enemy " as well as checking info on the Machs - really nice cars with a bad azz shaker ala the old Trans Ams.


Never owned a Stang, though. The new 5.0 may change that, although not anytime soon.

Britt

SSlobalt

Werd