Dear Karl Stracke,

Please lick my *****!

Very respectfully,

-Black SS/SC 06

 

What still confounds me about that article is they say the cobalt "underperforms" compared to it's competitors. Last time I checked the Balt has best in class power and fuel economy, while being less expensive.

 

"The Cruze follows another GM small-car flop, the Chevy Cobalt, which failed because it looks dated, is noisy, has a chintzy hard-plastic interior and doesn't perform as well as competitors. Americans bought just 105,000 last year, compared with about three times as many Toyota Corollas."

just read that off yahoo..........you have got to be kidding me

 

Ya just shooting themselves in the foot!!!

 

They seriously are! I see on average 10 times more cobalts on the road than any other car.

 

Anyone who buys a Corolla has to be a moron...its the most dated, underperforming, boring, overpriced appliance money can buy. Not only is it a complete piece of ****, but its also been involved with the recent Toyota recalls, including failing steering systems. Really nice.

 

I haven't been on the site for a while, so this is the first time i've seen this. I'm trying to figure out what the dude is thinking with that comment. It looks like he wants people to think "They've done better with this car." But at the same time, it's as if he's a college student turning in a report while telling the professor "I don't see how i'm passing this class, that last report I turned in was utter crap. This one, on the other hand, I actually tried." Doesn't seem like a good strategy.

 

get him quick hes an undercover civic fan boy. trying to kill gm RAWR lol

 

The title is my prophecy. If GM thinks the Cruze will appeal to and compete with the throngs of top quality imports, they have a-nudda-ting-kummin' baby..... It looks like a scaled down Malibu. Nothing more, nothing less. Sporty? (like a Cobalt coupe) No. Generic middle of the road "buy one for your precious recent college grad who would probably be a female" ? Absolutely. GM finally gave Chevy a small, hot looking little entry level small car with the Cobalt coupe (who would buy a sedan with the weird triangular crap tail lights anyway? I almost agree with the GM Exec on the sedan! Sheesh! They even did an SS version of that!!!!)

Soooooooooooo... after finding out earlier today that you can't do a very long post here because the goofy system signs you off after a period of time......... Arrrrrrrggghhhh....
Let me try to recap what I nicely typed in detail a few hrs ago only to lose it !
A. GM will loose with this generic looking everybody's small well built car.
B. I don't have any rattles,squeaks, or other negatives with my 2008 base LS coupe with a factory rear spoiler. It's nice, it's comfy, and the rear end looks cool (hot). I drove an '09 SS and other than the spirited 2nd gear speed, I found very little worth the high price tag. In fact, it had a cheaper feel over bumps and made creaking noises too! Go figure.
I think the base LS coupe was one of the best values ever made for the way it looks, rides, accellerates ( yes - accellerates...) and just generally makes you feel like you got alot for your money. Period.

Soooooooooooo... after finding out earlier today that you can't do a very long post here because the goofy system signs you off after a period of time......... Arrrrrrrggghhhh....
Let me try to recap what I nicely typed in detail a few hrs ago only to lose it !
A. GM will loose with this generic looking everybody's small well built car.
B. I don't have any rattles,squeaks, or other negatives with my 2008 base LS coupe with a factory rear spoiler. It's nice, it's comfy, and the rear end looks cool (hot). I drove an '09 SS and other than the spirited 2nd gear speed, I found very little worth the high price tag. In fact, it had a cheaper feel over bumps and made creaking noises too! Go figure.
I think the base LS coupe was one of the best values ever made for the way it looks, rides, accellerates ( yes - accellerates...) and just generally makes you feel like you got alot for your money. Period.

 

Generic sells. Just ask Toyota and Honda.

 

**** like this happens when retards run the show

 

guess Gm forgot there are alot of folks, young and older, who don't have a lot of money but would like to have something sporty looking. The base LS was cheap price, good looks, good all around performance and value. Plus, it looked like a "Chevy" for nostalgia's sake. So does the HHR...is that next on the chopping block in favor of something that looks like a small Traverse? I'm just glad I got a coupe with round red tail lamps while the sphincter boys in marketing were taking a latte' break. Not bringing back the "Stingray" moniker is another example of general mundaneness mentality. (GMM) Stingray is one of the most widely recognized badges of all time, following Corvette. If it were cheap enough - and I don't mean Camaro prices - people would plunk down 17 or 18 for a fun looking radical flared 4 banger with a name that is to die for (just ask Steve's surviving kin... ok bad joke ... sorry... too soon?)

 

Ya I just bought a used 07 Ss/Sc with 19k on it....twice already its been in the shop for 5th gear issues, the leather on the shift knob is coming OFF the sunroof plastic trim fell off, and the button is no longer mounted to that metal piece inside that holds it from dangling i hear squeaks, the high rise rear spoiler is not only gay but is noisy and blocks the rear view mirror.....I hate to see what happens when I hit 50k miles....I may just trade it in for a Ford!

 

True.

The Civic and Corolla are generic, boring, bland, uninspiring, unattractive, and cheap - yet people still purchase them in the millions.

If your market is boring idiots, cater to them anyway.

 

LOL.

You're comparing the Cobalt (2005-2010) to an unreleased (U.S.) Ford platform (2011+)?

If you compare apples to apples and your argument is invalid. You also fail to note that most of those cars are ABOVE the price range of a Cobalt therefore SHOULD have better materials.

You also seem to like to make blanket statements such as "every other car manf. can produce a better car" without backing your statements up with any info. If you think Kia's are of better build quality than GM then I don't think you know what you're talking about. But that's what you said right? "EVERY OTHER car manf. can produce a better car."

You can go ahead and say whatever you want but it's obvious that you don't think before you speak.

 

the fiesta is here now. GM build quality is pretty shitty. Look at all the control arm issues and knock issues with steering columns in all of their sedans from the last 10 years. GM may have a quality ecotec engine which I can say...has many issues, oil leaks etc. but as a whole they lack, if you pick specific vehicles sure. Every company has a specific vehicle thats quality. Kia koup's interior look nicer than the cobalts, as much as I hate kia.

Go ahead and be a biased jackass, I just speak truths and you dont want to listen obviously. My 1996 sable had a better interior.

Base cobalt:
coupe : 14,990
sedan: 14,990

Base mazda 3 sedan
15,345

base fiesta
13,995

You are comparing bases. The point I had was a SS cobalt lacks interior and creature comforts, while a ms3 priced pretty much the same is well beyond upgraded above the base model. While the SS is almost exactly the same, except seats and a "leather" steering wheel.

 

You're still missing the point that the Cobalt is a 2010 and the Fiesta is a 2011. You're still comparing unequal things. Close to a "fair" comparison would be the 2011 Cruze vs 2011 Fiesta which still is an unequal comparison. The 2011 Aveo is what is competing "head to head" with the Fiesta for the smallest end of small economy cars therefore a comparison of 2011 Aveo vs 2011 Fiesta would be the only true fair comparison.

You can throw those base prices out but we all know absolutely no one is paying $14-15k for a base LS off the lot.

 

...i mentioned a handful of cars, you have chosen to keep the fiesta. Well even the mazda 3 is only $3xx more and is MUCH better. The aveo is the biggest pos, even CR says it fails as being a car. msrp is msrp. no one pays that fine, but then a mazda buyer wouldnt pay msrp either. so your point is void.

 

You do have a point about the MSRP, but all I have to say to that is Mazda has not been doing many specials since Ford has not been the major shareholder.

I would like you to let me know how my comments have been biased also. I'm just pointing out the fact you're comparing cars that shouldn't be compared and saying one is bad because it doesn't match up to the other.

I have no brand loyalty other than to U.S. automakers in general. I'm from Metro Detroit and with that said I have family that works for each of the Detroit 3 and want all 3 to succeed.

I'm not playing favorites with brands or makes (not sure how you implied this). I was strictly pointing out that your argument wasn't sound.

With that being said, they should probably reconsider their choice of VP of Global Vehicle Engineering. What executive would bad mouth a product they are STILL SELLING? Not to mention the effect it's going to have on resale (not that it was very great to start).

 

^^^^ maybe he is ignoring the fact that the next generation Aveo will be out next year to compete with the new Fiesta? Maybe he doesn't know there's a next generation Aveo? LOL!

If you compare the CURRENT generation focus to cobalt, it all depends on what you're looking for, I'll give the focus a thumbs up for interior styling but Cobalt has more tq/hp/fuel economy, handles better and the outside is a toss up base model for base model. They're both old designs from 5+ years ago (reskin on focus or not), if you look at 2011 Cruze vs. Focus, thats a fair comparison as is next generation Aveo (out next year) vs. new Fiesta (just released).

To compare anything else, is just not fair, but myopic. If we compare the current focus to the cruze (which will be out in a few months anyways) thats just as outrageous a comparison as the previous poster made, yet no one is doing that.

As far as hating on a used cobalt you bought, there's a reason you got the car, cheap, and used. The saying goes, buyer BEWARE...for a reason. Consequently, if you have the money, MAN UP and buy new, no issues no abuse, a 'virgin' car if you will. I bought used, got hosed over and found out about problems that were not disclosed to me upon purchase and then when I had the opportunity to upgrade from my SS/SC to a brand new Turbo SS I jumped on it and have 20700 on my 09 SS Its an excellent machine for what it is, I don't massage the dash, I drive it hard and it handles well/accelerates well. If you want a dash massager vehicle go buy a new Cruze or a luxury car, LMAO. / Fail

 

We've been enjoying our LS since we bought it new in '06. I think the car was a leap forward compared to the "J" bodies. The car was lowered and 18's put on as well as tinted windows. We get compliments on it all the time. Can't think of better car for 12k back in '06. Just my .02. Thanks

 

the new aveo isnt even out yet so how can we judge it yet....either is the cruze for that matter

 

i used to be a big Cobalt champion. Heck I have owned 2 of them and driven them for about 4.5 years. I think they are solid cars and built very well. Also they are super reliable.

Each car had only 1 minor problem (noisy heater fan and something wrong with the radio).
I never thought anything was "wrong" with the interior. It wasn't the hippest, most stylish interior but....

CONS:

Hated the electric steering. Vague and lifeless feeling.

Suspension was awful. It could corner very well but it handled every single road imperfection HORRIBLY. Okay I get it---sport suspension.

But that doesn't have to equal awful ride quality!

Just rented a 2011 Mustang GT convertiable. It took bumps very well----soaked them up!

The 2.4L Ecotec and 4 speed auto is a bad combination. It whined and sounded loud (not in a good way) and strained.

I really liked my 5 speed coupe (2.4L as well) but then again I stepped up my an 87 Mazda 323!

My wifes Aunt has a Mazda 3 2.3L (07) and I love that car. All my complaints about the Cobalt are not present--it's slower and a bit harder on gas though

Hope the Cruze is better--but they need some more powerful engines and more bodystyles.

 

Well I got rid of my Cobalt, and bought a new pick up truck. Wish I did it a long time ago and never bought the Cobalt

 

got rid of mine to. Glad to have it gone. It was fun for its time. But even when i had it I couldn't back up the quality. You get great #'s..... but **** quality.