If you take care of it and maintain it, how long do you think it should last? I guess milage would be the best gauge of longevity.

 

no clue, depends on the model, wait a few more years for the answer to the question really

 

The car is too new for anyone to really know yet.

 

 

if it lasts like my Cavaliers, a really really really long time.


Scott

 

I hope it lasts atleast 10 years because that's how long I have to wait before I can get another car.

I would assume it would be good for atleast 200,000 miles if it were well maintained. I've had beaters go that long.

 

I would like 5 problem free years, anything after that is a bonus in my eyes, once things start wearing out good luck.

 

I'd have to agree. I plan on keeping mine for at least that long. Hence why I'm staying light on engine mods.

 

I want to get 5 years of reliable transportation out of my cobalt. At the rate that I drive, I would have about 150k miles on it.

 

GM cars last about ten year. Then they start to rust. (In general) I would assume the SC would start losing its zeil after about 150k of hard boosting.

 

GM cars do not rust anymore, since the late 90's GM has had everything plated and protected just fine. I live in Salt Lake City where salt is on the road six months of the year here. My '98 Burb with 140K miles looks awesome still with no rust.

I say somewhere between 150K miles for a stage II SS S/C and 200K miles for a 5 speed LT.

Just change the oil and service everything as it comes up in your owners manual and you should be good.

Some easy rules to follow:
#1 Do not drop the clutch at high RPMS, drive train shock is bad.
#2 Keep Engine load/RPMs low untill she's up to operating temp
#3 Follow GM's recommended maintenence schedule
#4 Take her out to the desert for some high speed runs every now and then with some STP, you'll need to blow out the carbon since they run so rich
#5 Keep the wheels/tires stock, over-sized wheels and tires help your bearings, axles, CVs, and brakes wear out much faster.

 

i think it's like anything.... if you take care of it, it will last a long time... if you don't take care of it, and beat on it all the time, it won't

 

I see no reason why we won't see guys going 200k+ in these. That is the guys who take care of them of course.

 

I'm with the others on this one. I would like to get 5 trouble free years out of it. My first vehicle was a 1985 Chevy K20 Custom Deluxe. We sold it with 110,000 miles on it in 1999 and it was still going strong. My dad ordered it new in 1985. So, we got 14 years out of it and only had a light overhall done just before selling it, basically a ring job. The only other parts we ever had to replace were the fuel pump (mechanical, 13 years) and the clutch after 12 years. If I ever have another vehicle last that long I'll be a happy man.

 

Whoa I didnt think we were talking about cars that have been babied here. No way mine is gonna last more than 120k lol, 10 years tops before mine starts to rust guaranteed (lots of salt here)

 

I had a 1997 Cavalier before this car that I beat the hell out of. It had 160,000 miles and was in perfect working condition. No corrosion.

 

I wound up with a lot of rust on my Beretta, but it was older - a 91. Drove it all the time in the winter, so it saw a lot of salt. Also it had the GM peeling paint issues, so they had repainted it for free under warranty and I think the paint prep contributed to some of the rust issues.

Still ran great after 300,000 miles though. I miss it.

 

if you want a car for longevity....get a honda

 

are you high?

i've had 6 Cavaliers... all were 2.2L OHV and 2.0L OHV engines. All went over 200,000 miles with NO real issues other than normal wear and tear. Three of these six cars are still going strong. The 96 is pushing 300,000 miles on the ORIGINAL engine and 3-speed automatic transmission

as for corrosion, foreign cars, for some reason, are more susceptible to salt and sand damage than domestic cars. Up here, Hondas, Toyotas, Nissans, Volkswagens and Subies don't last any longer than anything domestic.

i am confident that my Cobalt will go beyond 200,000 miles with ease.

Scott

 

...and be gay? I don't think so.

 

There is a guy on j-body.org with an 02 eco cav that has like 160K on it already and he has had no major problems yet.
Saterns used an older verson of the ecotec befor it was even called that and they get 200+k out of them with no problems and that motor is not as good as this one.

I think the 2.0 SC cars will go 200K if not beat on badly and the 2.2L-2.4L cars can get 250-300K if not beat on and taken care of.

And as for rust. My freinds 98 cavy has holes in the rear fenders right behind the doors. I have no clue haw it happend but most cavys that rust out do it right there.

Gm gives a ten year 100K warrenty on rust threw. But most cars brake that 100K limit in 6-7 years. Time is realy what rusts a car. And thats GMs way of not paying for your rust!

Later

 

should last you for as long as you want it too... the more you take care of it the longer it will last

 

Im not going to knock handas but they dont make cars like they used to man. The older ones I would say yes but any thing newer is not any beter then most every onther car out there.
And they have been geting cheaper and cheaper in how they build cars for the last 5-7 years now.

Say waht you will but my 89 civic was almost imosable to kill and yet my freinds 02 is in the shop all the time.

I hates that car so much but owes to much on it to get rid of it.
So he just keeps fixing it till he can get something beter.

And the Ecotec is one of if no the best 4 banger on the market today. The K20 sucks! Get on the honda forums and they are blowing the things up all the time and they cost more to fix when you do blow them up.

And you have to pay more for the car in the first place. Higher INS, More for the plates for it (There based on the cars value), And they cost more to fix when they brake or get wrecked.

Ill stick with my cobalt thant you.

 

guys im sorry about that post, my ****** brother was on my name and made it

 

well i still drive this 98 cavalier (140,000 miles) and has not had anything break on the engine, tranny, drive train, suspension. just normal maitenence like oil, plugs, filters, tires, schocks. Heres a story when my dad owned the car before me, he ran the car on 3 cylinders for 8 months before replacing the failed spark plug. no damage to the motor?! nope... but just recently the auto tranny has been slipping in warm weather and when I accelerate faster than usual with. I suspect the seed of the problem came from never having the tranny fluid changed!

I think my 2.4 should last around 200,000 miles, maybe more...