want to get a cobalt ss (non-supercharged due to $$)
Ive been reading some of the reliability and problems with the car and im getting kinda worried. Seems like the sunroof and the brakes get really bad right away.

1.)What other problems or weakpoints seems to be in common with the cobalts or a certain year i should stay away from?
2.)Any mods worth it on the 2.4 besides a CAI? (because i do that to every car) cheaper side under $400 per part
3.) would u buy the car agian if u had the chance?
4) any word on how the trans holds up? i hate it when they go poop on u

I know that how u drive the car also has to do with whether or not it breaks and ive beat some cars in the past and i wont be doing that again.
thanks for the help!

 

It's really how you drive it. You shouldn't have any problems at all. The sunroof thing is kind of a cheap fix so I wouldn't really worry about that if it does happen. The trans (you're getting manual or auto) are rated for a lot more power then what is stock, so again, as long as you treat it right you won't have a problem. You can get a full exhaust with the CAI and a tune a make some nice power over stock.

 

Being that I drive a 2.0 S/C I cant speak too well to #2, but overall:

1. Axles (only a real concern once you start creeping into SS S/C power territory), sunroof (warranty fix), paint peeling on interior (hasn't happened to me). The '07 and '08 models are better than the '05 and '06 models, buy newer if you can afford it. There are a few threads about reliability issues too, go poke around and you'll find more.

2. The CAI is nice for the 2.4 I hear, but really a mod being worth it is really up to you, the bang per dollar goes down the more you mod, so a CAI may be all you want to do.

3. No, but I'm getting a V-8 once I drive this one into the ground

4. Trannies holding up are in direct proportion to how well the driver handles them. Chirp second every time and do a few WOT clutch slips, and your tranny burns out. The trannies on these cars are fine, they're just not as forgiving of driver error as you may be used to.

 

thanks fellas keep em coming

 

My 06 LS went to dealer twice in year one -- both times for factory recalls -- no other problems
My 07 SS NA hasn't been back to the dealer since I bought it in July 07 (do my own oil changes).

.....knock on wood....!!

 

B&M Shiftplus if it's an auto, instant shifts for $30 (mine chirps tires on 1-2 shift).

 

I had a 2.4 auto for a year... nice car... but I hated the crappy traction control and brakes that constantly needed work... also the cruise would love to stop working in the middle of a long road trip.

Traded it for a SS/SC... been happy ever since... no major problems with this one. Brakes are fine... cruise hasn't acted up once (knock on wood)... and no traction control to worry about.

 

2.4 is a sweet ride man... lol. Def. a mod-worthy car, don't how much you wanna spend, but if you spend any money at all you wont be disappointed, i can tell you that, however like badju said...more mods = less bang for buck, but that's with any vehicle. I like the trans, never had a problem with it's feel or quality, and would def. buy the car again if put in that position. My brakes squeal a bit when the car starts and it's cold (due to a little builup I think) but other than that, I've only had the car back for cosmetic things. (I take it to the dealer for a lot of the service, cause they hook me up, and I make sure ANYTHING covered under warranty is immediately fixed, whether it needs to be or not) Also, I'd go manual if i were you, just a preference of mine, but if you're looking for a sporty car...automatic just doesn't do it for me, not in these vehicles.

 

I would definately say that the 2.4 autos main problem is the automatic... 4 gears is not enough.

Get a 5-speed... learn to drive it if you don't know how... it's really not that hard (SS/SC was my first 5-speed car). You'll get a lot more enjoyment out of it.

With the VVT the 2.4 motor loves the high RPMS... and the 5-speed is much more suited to keep it there than the auto IMHO.

 

i had a 2.2 and ive got to say it was pretty nice. stock wise it had great potential. unfortunately the speed wasnt exactly what i was lookin for and the aftermarket was lacking. it was still a fun DD. i havnt been too much into how its been goin lately due to gettin another project car but i had the orphan 06. get a newer model