shawn672

Stock are 170hp for the Cobalt and 240 for the Malibu. GM always has great deals on Malibu's, the price is within a few grand, is it not an obvious choice to get the Malibu??


Don't get me wrong, I love the Cobalt, it's hip and looks great, but for nearly the same price I think the Malibu is a step up.

MaJ

The malibu is more a sporty luxury car. The SS 2.4 has more potential though. Ultimately it ends up depending on what you want out of your car.

These are roughly the 1/4 mile times.

2006 Malibu SS - 15.310
2004 Malibu Maxx - 16.100
2006 Cobalt SS 2.4 - 15.390

Jimmys2007CobaltSS/C

iTrader: (1)

the 07 is 173-175 hp and the 06 are 171hp stock

shawn672

Is the Malibu much heavier? I could use a little extra space then what the cobalt offers...but it's such a sweet lookin car

roccobladr

eh not a big fan of the malibus. the malibu ss is pretty nice though. the 2.4 NA ss balt i think has alot more support and aftermarket.

ItalianJoe1

iTrader: (10)

I actually really like the Malibu Maxx SS, its kinda odd but it handles really nice, has some *****, and is different. I also like the factory aero kit that it comes with. I see a blue one around here sometimes that looks pretty sweet.

blackngold20

Yeah Malibu's are tight...but economy wise I'd go with the balt. Gas is too high

celicacobalt

malibu is ugly

BakNBlack

malibus are nice, but heavy and they are not going to have any damn mods for them. if you are going food shopping in it get the malibu. you want fun get the balt, its simple. i cant understand why someone would get the 2.4 balt ss anyway. not that they aren't nice, its just not that much more for the sc. unless you are going for the turbo kit then the 2.4 is actually better then the sc in my opinion

sushidog

I went with the 2.4 over the ss/sc for the automatic transmission.

BakNBlack

yeah thats cool, why would you rather have the auto?

Jackalope

Thats the same reason I got my 2.4, the wife didn't even want to try to learn to drive a 5spd.

But thats ok the SS/SC is going the way of the dinosaur after this year anyways while our 2.4 may not be called an SS anymore it'll still be around. And as soon as the 2.4 is the only one left you can bet the farm support for it will take off!

BakNBlack

yeah but just because they dont make it anymore doesnt mean parts will become scarce, i think there will still be a good market for them

Jackalope

Oh thats true. What I ment was the market for our 2.4's will take off since there's no more new SC cars. Not that your stuff will go away but ours will be the only NEW CAR game in town so it would stand to reason the parts support would go up.

suburbanrobot

ditto 2X
I get a regular Malibu as a loaner, I am totally impressed w/ what GM has done w/ the latest of the Malibu's. I had the body stlye before and those are crap. I know the Malibu is not the prettiest of cars, but from the inside it's really nice (nicer than my SC). Even the bsae one handles fairly well!
I like the blue MAXX SS's, I would get one as a second car if I had the extra $$$ (would still keep my SC).... my advice DRIVE THEM ALL!!!

artawesome

i believe the cobalt ss needs high octane, malibu just needs regular.

Vetteman99

i drive mine with regular and its fine go for the cobalt cause its just much more fun and stylish not to pretty lookin at a malibu at a car show

blackngold20

no the 2.4 doesn't need high octane, neither does the sc by car manual instructions. However, we all know what haappens when you put regular in the sc

I think 2.4's are a nice car especially economy wise also there is a distinct difference in price between ss/na and ss/sc. $18, 900 and $21, 950=$3,050 difference not including tax, title, and tag and options mainly for the ss/sc which makes that $21, 950 usually higher. With the difference alone you can get a decent turbo kit for the 2.4. So, in answering the question above why would anyone get a 2.4L that might be why. So far as the automatic...lol I don't know. I'll stick with Jackalope's reasons

Jackalope

^ ^ ^ ^ Yup, the wife.

css9450

You guys make it sound like having an automatic is like having herpes or something.

Wait until you're 40+ and two decades of working construction does bad things to your knees.

blackngold20

why did you only use half of my response. I didn't say it was bad I stated that people have different reasons to get one

shawn672

With the Malibu only weighing about 200lbs more, but having 60 more hp. Unless you added a turbo to the Cobalt, you're not getting anywhere near 240hp...correct?

blackngold20

Its 3,476lbs. A 576 lbs difference.
Here's vehicle info
http://www.newcars.org/cars/chevrole...malibu-ss.asp#

shawn672

Not sure where you got your numbers from but here they are:

Malibu SS: 3,476 Pounds
Cobalt SS Sedan: 3216 Pounds



260lbs difference


Now lets say you added GMPP Intake, Cat-back Exhaust, and Exhaust Manifold...you might be able to pump out close to 200hp.


So:
Malibu with 240hp
or
Cobalt SS with 200hp and weighs 260lbs less

Will the weight difference make up for the difference in power? Malibu has the V6 vs the little 4-banger.


Tough decision...



edit: According to Dragtimes.com the Malibu SS gets about 15.310 seconds @ 91.020mph. While the Cobalt SS 2.4 gets about 15.5-15.6 seconds at around 90mph.
Doesn't seem to be much difference really...I guess I'll still try and get the Cobalt then..just looking for the next best alternative.

roccobladr

only reason to get a car like the malibu is if you need the extra room it will provide. other then that, i really dont see why you wouldnt take the 2.4 ss