Just joined the forums and hopefully I won't get too sour a welcome as a traitor returning back to GM.

I have had mostly GM cars, had a '96 Cavolier and then got a '05 Malibu V6 and then when my wifes grandparents died we interited their '94 Chrystler LHS.

Having 2 cars that I had no payments for I had the opertunity to get a "fun car" before settling down to have kids.
So I defected and gave the Malibu to the wife and took the LHS as my "beater car" and bought a '02 Honda S2000 (I know, I know but it really is fun and I got a good deal on a lot of get up and go).
Well it's been about 2 years now and the Chrystler is looking pretty ill having been through 3 owners before being given to us and probably won't make it completly through the winter.

I am hoping to have the S2K for one last summer though before the LHS dies and I have to sell the S2K cause I can't afford 2 car payments and 2 full coverage insurances and chances are by the end of next summer a kid will be on the way.

So now I am starting doing some research as it looks like I will probably be either buying a new or low mileage 1-2 year old car and want to come back to Chevrolet if she will take me.
I have seen reviews a plenty and for lower end cars they usualy have a pretty wide range between good and bad but from what I have seen it looks like a Cobalt will be the car for me.

This long story pretty much comes down to the simple question..... Is getting the 2.4L worth paying the $5,000 more then the LS version?

I won't be tuning, I won't be drag, street, or track racing it but I do like to have fun (sometimes a little too much fun) so I am not sure if I should spend the extra money for a whole 25hp, rear disc brakes, and slightly better suspension and wider tires or just admit I'm not 19 anymore (29) and get the LS as my stepping stone from sports car to mini van and eventualy a Rascal Scooter.

Any imput would be greatly apreciated.

Thanks in advance
-Fr3AkAzOiD

 

i upgraded from a 2.2 to a 2.4 and it was DEF. worth it!!!

but my 2.4 is loaded & my 2.2 was base, so my opinion is biased... I got my 2006 2.4 for $15,500 with 8400mi on it, & ive seen LS priced used at $13,000. So the price difference used actually isnt that big. I say if you can find a good used 2.4 go for it!!

 

I know they are discontinuing the SS Supercharged next year but the LS Sport looks to have the 2.4 engine (and hopefully disc brakes and suspension, havn't checked yet).

If I can find one for like $15k - $16k like you payed for it I could and probably would go that route.

Is the get up and go differance noticable?
Comming from a car that is 150LB lighter then the Cobalt with an engine generating 244HP I am worried I will feel like I am riding a snail.

Also I horibly remember the body roll in my '96 Cavolier......please tell me that there have been improvements. I don't want to feel like I am riding a moon bounce on wheels.

I hate wasting sales reps time but I feel I may need to test drive both versions to aleaviate some of these fears.

 

i just heard today (dont kno if this was posted yet or not) but they will be coming out with a turbo ecotec for the sport compact cars.... only problem is that they are redesigning the layout again and changing the cobalt name... I heard from two different car dealers today and they were both basically the guys who run the places. so i kno there are gm workers on here so input about this?

 

Sounds like something GM would do.

I had just Googled for 2008 Cobalt info and the website that was top of the list said the SS/SC would be discontinued, didn't check date though, could have been old news.

BTW just stumbled acrost a CLEAN Cobalt......man I hope I have enough $$$ to make mine look like this.

https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/complete-cars-101/sale-2006-ss-s-c-46502/

 

there is a noticable difference in body roll from the 2.2 & the 2.4...

the 2.4 has much less roll then the 2.2.

Yes the ss/sc is discontinued in 2008, and it is RUMORED that the 2009 will be a turbocharged LNF cobalt.

the 2.4 did get a name change to the the Cobalt Sport in 2008.

ofcourse the cobalt is not going to compare to your s2000, but if you could find a good deal on a used 2.0(supercharged) it will def. not feel like a snail.

And i think you will still be happy with the 2.4... you have to remember you cant compare a sports car to a economy car, ofcourse you will find things that the sports car does better at, but you will probably find a bit more comfort in the SS

 

I will prob go with the 2.4 after dealing with the supercharger issues I had in my Sea Doo jet boat....effen ceramic bearings breaking down and getting sucked into the engine internals.

Took a big loss on selling that after the repair costs and remaining loan.
A lot of people who supercharged their S2Ks ended up killing their engine also.

I am kind of weary about superchargers and turboes.

Thank you for all your replies though.

 

If you get a top of the line 2.2 like the LTZ (since its the sedan) it will have a bunch of nice little ammenities. or you could go with the 2.4 sedan and it will have the zip and room for the family.

I have a LT coupe with everything and I love its got some zoom and is definitely fun to drive especially after MINIMAL upgrades.

 

forget a balt and get a g5 gt =] haha

 

g5's are nicer inside then the cobalt if you ask me

 

i just like it because noone has them around here.

 

I'd definitely suggest going for the 2.4 SS/Sport over the 2.2. Suspension is better, 4-wheel disc brakes (you get drums in the back on the 2.2's), more ponies under the hood, nicer interior amenities, and you don't take any hit on the MPG with the 2.4! My choice was easy when it came to choosing the 2.4 SS. BTW, I have the sedan version and I love the extra room and easy access to the rear seats (despite having no kids of my own yet).

 

go for the 2.4

 

i have a 2.2 and wish i had gotten a 2.4. get the 2.4 you will be much happier with your purchase. good luck

 

yea reign, thats the rumor that ive heard so far from a few ppl but some say that we will be losing the cobalt name... i mean that seems kinda odd for only 05-08 production (i think thats what itll end up being) i guess i will have to check out for the shows to see if gm will release any info if that is true or not. if you have any info let me kno

and i coulda swore on www.chevrolet.com that they say the inside space is the same except the coupes have like .2" more headroom in the front and like a 2 inches in the back less than sedan altho for the rest i thot the coupe had more room. i may be wrong, havent checked in a week or so for the specs. correct me if i am wrong

 

i liked the 2.4 better than all of the others.

like you, i was worried about SC problems down the road, and i didn't want the "boy racer" styling"

the 2.4 is no snail, at least not for it's place the world, it runs well, pulls strong and is just the right mix of sporty/practical.

 

 

the 2.4 is less of a snail with a snail on it lol but i do like the interior of my bros 2.4 over mine but i couldnt afford nething other than the bare necessities lol altho ive been slowly upgrading with mp3 cd player and some other interior looks

 

the coupe actually does have more leg room and such, i drive the sedans all day long as i work as a lube tech at a chevy dealership. and from what i've found being a somewhat taller guy the coupes especially the 2.4 coupes have much more leg room. and the pickup is much more noticeable in the 2.4's then the 2.2's. and the suspension in the 2.4's are sport tuned so they will handle alot.

 

I second this and you grt awsome rims

 

i kinda figured that the sedan would be bigger but i couldnt recall exact specs last time i checked n im bein too lazy now to get off css.net lol but if you are goin to have more than 2 ppl in ur car n are gonna be gettin in n out of the car often n short drives the sedan is much more convenient for that (as everyone would expect) cuz i hated gettin out the back of my friends cuz of it seems like ur sittin low n have to duck to miss the seat belt (if its thru the holder, which mine n his always are) and its a pain in the ass

 

As for me, I am happy with the 2.2 I got a 2007 ls, base for 11999, new, with 30miles on it, I did 15 of the miles. I am happy with it, no real problems other then one comp fart, which cleared up with unhooking the battery, and hooking it back up. I get 35.6 mpg currently, and my only mod is, removal of the silencer, and adding of a gmpp intake.

But over all, so far it is a really good car for the price. The stereo deffently leaves something to be saught after. but other then that, it's a nice car.

 

i got mine for under 10K

 

Well I went down to the local dealership last night after they closed and checked out a few LS and Sport models, that $4,000 price differance is getting to me but if it feels that different when I drive them and either way the insurance will be less then my S2K I think I will be picking up a Sport next year.

I will give an update after I take a test drive Monday.
I already have a 8.5 mile test drive loop mapped out around the dealership. I hope they let me take it out solo or the sales man doesn't freak out if I push the car a little.

Thank you for all the info

 

Chevy is having a sale right now and I bet you could get an '07 Malibu Maxx decent if you liked your Malibu, especially since they are releasing a new one in a month or two. Right now I kinda wish I had kept mine. Lots of space (more than sedan), decent utility, V6.