I'll be 27 next month (we are in May now, right?) and I'm married with no kids. Now the wife and I are trying to have a baby. Right now I've got an '05 Cobalt SS. Believe it or not, the wife picked it out!

Anywho, for the last week we've been house and car sitting for some friends while they are on vacation. So, I've been driving his '03 Grand Am GT. It's an automatic but it's fully loaded. Leather seats, sunroof.. the works. Now I dunno if I'm getting old, but I was kinda diggin' that car! It is a V6 and it's definately not as quick on the get up as the SS is, but it seriously has me considering buying a 2nd car or at least something "upgraded" from the SS when it's my car's time to give up the ghost.

Any thoughts from anyone in my age range or older? Any input is appreciated! Thanks!


Looz

 

The Cobalt is a great car but a two door one isn't very family orintated.
If you can afford it a second car is great new or used.
There are so many options for a new or used family mobile.
You just make your choice, but if you can't afford a second car (like me) then you may have to say good bye to the Cobalt.

 

Just a little perspective. I am 46, own an '05 SS and I had a rental Grand Am when my wheels were getting refinished. Also loaded and lots of room. As a car for my wife maybe, she drives a'05 Sunfire, fully loaded. For me the Grand Am is just to boring and the room is not needed, our kids are grown and the wifes car is big enough. I liked the get up of the Grand Am but nowhere near enough to buy one, in fact I am spending big bucks making a much faster SS. I would hope that ar 27 you aren't older now, because what the hell is going to happen to you when you are say, 47? Just something to think about. Oh yeah, 27 was when my first daughter was born.

 

Pontiac Grand Prix GTP

Its got the best of both worlds. Supercharged and its 4 doors for the new family additions.

 

i had a grand am gt, the car was awesome, i loved it until it got totalled!

 

How about the Cobalt SS Sedan? Same good looks... 2.4 performance... and 4 doors!

 

28 here and i know where your coming from... If you going to say by to the Cobalt(that baby seat is not gonna work on that back seat lol) Just gonna say this.. MALIBU SS(even the regular Malibu) Nice sice for a family of up to 5(not tryin to put more kids on you already lol) and if u get the SS once the wife and child are not in the vehicle.. u have 240 horses to play around with..... Plus u can work that Chevy dealer for the most for your car.

I drove the Malibu Maxx also... if you dont mind hatchbacks that car is NICE!!! about the same room as my chevy blazer... same hp... and smaller so ... a lil more get up... and the highway mileage is very good.

 

i have an 05 SS/SC.. im 35 have four kids and a wife, kinda comes with it. she didnt like the car at first, but she has warmed up to it. just dont pre plan your life around what "MIGHT" happen. i never planed on any of our 4 kids, just lucky i guess! we get around in the car ok kids are not to hard on it, but we also have an expedition for those family trips........

 

Impala SS. Great car, awesome interior, STi killer to boot. A guy that races at the road course I go to has one. Those suckers are FAST. So it'd be like adding 2 doors to the SS/SC, a shitload more power, AND a way nicer interior...

 

42 married with 2 kids, we have an 06 Cobalt SS and an 04 Trailblazer EXT, best of both worlds here but the blazer sucks the gas so it sits alot, family trips is about it, oh and of course grocery shopping

 

28 here (as of April), got a 69 camaro, 4-6mpg, all power by "arm strong", it's brutal loud and smelly (aaaahhhh gotta love raw gas lol). 06 SSs, loaded, had many other cars, of cours I'm not married, but yea I can relate, because back "in the days" I used to drive the early 80's gray primer cars (like 81 malibu) with tweaked Small blocks and no AC (in Fl mind you)...now, for everyday driver, if ain't got leather and doesn't make me coffee I ain't even looking (although I thought a nice little blower instead of a coffee maker would cut it, and it does, gets me to starbucks faster lol).

I think it is just a stage, you hit 30 range, have kids, then you turn 50+ and your iner kid comes back out and you buy a Z06, then comes heads cam blower and then you have stupid power...you'll be ok big man

 

HUH?

 

I traded in a 2002 Grand Am SE for my G5 GT. I find the interior of the G5 to be two notches above the Grand Am easily.

Plus the V6 is an absolute gas pig in around town. I would get about 240kms to a tank doing my usual routing. The G5 gets 450kms with a smaller tank.

 

or get a Mercury Maurader they are bad ass cars.

 

hell yea maurader is sick!

 

ever consider the Pontaic GTO?

 

Oh yeah the Trailblazer SS is out too... but as stated earlier... Gas well kick ya A SS. I have a S-10 Blazer and i only drive that when im not in the mood to be shifting gears in my Cobalt lmao

**** EXXON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL

 

Have you considered an STI or an EVO. Those cars are 4 doors and if you still want the performance as well as something you can put baby seats in those are some possible choices....

 

whats wrong with a child seat in the back of the cobalt? I grew up with my moms dodge daytona turbo forget the stupid soccer mom mobiles. keep the SS!!!

 

I'm 27, married w/2 kids. I have a babyseat in my SS, and it works out fine. But my car taste has changed somewhat. When you have a family, survival is more important than being cool. For instance, I think the new RAV4's are nice. I'd also consider a Highlander Hybrid.

 

Exactly what I was going to recommend.

 

I'm 32, wife and 2 kids and i purchased one of those Simpson Harness Racing Seats for babies and it looks real good in the back of the old Cobalt SS. Your only as old as ya feel...

 

HUH?

 

Cobalts are a small car. Even with only one kid it is tough to hold cargo and a stroller in the back. Better to have extra room than not enough. It is amazing how much cargo you need to cary with you when you have a kid. And if you have twins or triplets....

I would say best bet is a Malibu SS/Malibu Maxx SS/Pontiac GTP. They are bigger, have good power and are pretty functional while still achieving good mileage. The new 3.9L Equinox SS (or Torrent GTP???) may be worth the wait too. They are pretty nice and functional, with decent economy for an SUV.

Now, if vehicle cost or fuel economy is no concern, get a Trailblazer SS or Impala SS. Hell, get an STS-V and have a 469 HP family sedan to whop the ricers with!

 

my mom has one of the new impala ss (300hp fwd)

if i was to get a bigger car for the family it would be one of those