Hello!

I'm doing some heavy homework on an '09 Cobalt SS T/C, but I'm a little apprehensive on pulling the trigger until I get some experienced folks' opinions.

So about the car I'm looking at:

• It has 206k miles on the car, has been the owner's daily since 2015 @ 50k.
• Car seems well-cared for. Has some aftermarket mods 'n such.
• Suspension feels great, though the owner used non-brembo pads for replacements which resulted in some squeaks during breaking.
• The radiator hose has a leak according to the owner, so he tops off coolant to keep it up.
• No rust on the frame that I could find. Garage-kept (mainly.)

My biggest (immediate) concern: A code P0627 Fuel Pump A control circuit / open. The owner mentioned this was due to him putting in Opel injectors without a tune, and I'm still doing a lot to learn about cars, how they work and whatnot. Is this something anyone's come across? Is this a problem with long-term use of these injectors like this?

Other than that, I'd dare ask: Is it risky business buying a Cobalt SS with 200K+ miles on it? I've fallen in love with this car, but I don't want to risk it turning into an immediate money pit upon buying it.

 

Unless it's an incredible steal I wouldn't, that's a LOT of miles on a car that was probably honked on pretty hard & with the owner doing things and not tuning properly I'd be worried about what else is wrong

 

My two cents worth:

As nice as the seller might seem, don't take him for his word - that's how a great deal of people get burnt;
You can extend belief/trust, but get a second opinion, so that you're not left holding a large bill.

I would suggest you find a reputable shop which offers, and get a pre-purchase inspection done on the car - and specifically tell the shop what you have observed, or any other concerns you might have.
I am doubtful that the fuel pump error has to do with the injectors, but I am not in any way an expert on this.
I would also be wary of a coolant leak - if it is just a leaky hose, that's an easy fix, but my though immediately went to - that if a guy is willing to do an injector swap (not a small task), why would a hose leak not be taken care of(?)

The mileage is a bit high, but honestly, that's just the way it is for a nearly fifteen year old car that has been driven daily - higher mileage is going to be more and more common.

My daily (coupe) is about 190k miles, and the sedan is about 154k miles - but of the two, the coupe is a night and day difference in how it handles and drives (admittedly, I bought the sedan as a fixer-upper);
The coupe handles like a new car, while the sedan continues to have issues I haven't completely ironed out;
I am the original owner of the coupe, and I believe that we are the third owner of the sedan.

 

I am having some doubts, can I ask some questions?

 

I second Soundjunky's concern with the coolant leak. May be a simple hose or could be a leaking head gasket or the infamous "porous block" where coolant can leak into the oil. Check the oil, sometimes it can appear as overfull. A pressure tester you can rent from a local auto parts store for free usually will reveal the coolant leaking location

 

i am pretty sure this is not one of those "porous blocks" - I believe those all weeded their heads out a decade ago.

Plus anything getting into the crank case would not come out the exhaust.

I am more over concerned that the car was driven hard on an aggressive tune, and something broke.

 

Any update?


 

Check the oil, sometimes it can appear as overfull. A pressure tester you can rent from a local auto parts store for free usually will reveal the coolant leaking location