Now I am really going to kick the Cobalt.....

[daves87rs]

This car is killing me....

This is why you should never help family out (by buying one of the cars)...

I took it to the dealership and found some stuff out:

- My slow to shift trans (only when cold) is common on the year of my Balt for some reason (2006)

- That even though the brakes were strange (pedal), they were fine.

Part that surprised the heck out of me: all FOUR steelies are bent- two pretty good. Now, the ride issue it has I thought was due to the fact that it is due for tires, but I wasn't expecting that....how does that happen, anyways? I didn't realize that there was that many potholes around here...

Now I expected a few issues...but wow, this is getting silly.....

The cool thing the dealership did was letting me back to the work area and really get a good chance to look over the car, something I have not been able to do due to the cold and the snow....

Fun part was I had half the shop BSing with me while helping me out...

I'd kick my cobalt, but I'm afraid the wheel might fall off.....

[the_yellow_dart]

At 101,000 km:

I have replaced:

Oil (and filters)

Wiper blades

Tires

Taillight bulb

That's IT.

I'm extremely happy. I realize this is not everyone's situation, but I just had to support the car which has been so awesome to me.

edit: forgot the filters and bulb

Edited March 1, 2008 by the_yellow_dart

[ocnblu]

Mr. Dart, good lord, 101,000 km? I thought that yellow thing circling the earth every day was the sun. I stand corrected... it's Super 'Balt!

[Intrepidation]

That sucks man, sorry to hear that it's been so troublesome for you. How do all four wheels get bent?

Besides the poor city fuel economy, cheapo interior and that one time the tranny didn't want to shift, the Cobalt I had was trouble free.

[Dsuupr]

40k with our 2005 with no issues. We loved it. We got great gas mileage, but we also had a manual.

[daves87rs]

At 101,000 km:

I have replaced:

Oil

Wiper blades

Tires

That's IT.

I'm extremely happy. I realize this is not everyone's situation, but I just had to support the car which has been so awesome to me.

Nice.

My buddy picked a 05 Balt so he could park his truck w/ 50k on it......it has 75k on it now.

He has the same things done as you, save for a headlight bulb....

[daves87rs]

That sucks man, sorry to hear that it's been so troublesome for you. How do all four wheels get bent?

Besides the poor city fuel economy, cheapo interior and that one time the tranny didn't want to shift, the Cobalt I had was trouble free.

I'm guessing that "other" owner....

I haven't put that many miles on it yet....haven't hit that many potholes yet....

[daves87rs]

40k with our 2005 with no issues. We loved it. We got great gas mileage, but we also had a manual.

If I wasn't in the burbs...and it wasn't light city-I'd consider a manual in a heart beat....

[Turbojett]

just regular oil changes and replaced the tires/wiper blades once each. Though I don't think refilling the washer fluid every time I turn around counts as too much of an inconvenience.

I have a manual, too, and I drive the HELL out of the thing. No problems.

Edited March 1, 2008 by Turbojett

[A Horse With No Name]

You'll get it sorted out, don't sweat it.

When you've run it 278,987 miles and your droping it off at Michigan Metal Recycling this will seem like small stuff.

Offer to kick my wife's Mazda is still open, BTW.

Chris

[Oracle of Delphi]

Sorry to hear you are having problems.

[ocnblu]

This is why I never buy used.

[2005 EquinoxLS]

I am with oncblu. If I want used cars I already have 2 of them And I know what they need. I would like to stick with new. Leasing works out well for me provided I get the terms I got on the Equinox. Next time though I may get an Impala. I would rather lease a new one than buy a used one that somebody either didnt care about or a rental at the hands of everybody. I guess I am lucky that I am with the majority around here where FWD doesnt bother them.

[daves87rs]

This is why I never buy used.

Eh, I normally don't either..I kinda "picked" it up...

[daves87rs]

You'll get it sorted out, don't sweat it.

When you've run it 278,987 miles and your droping it off at Michigan Metal Recycling this will seem like small stuff.

Offer to kick my wife's Mazda is still open, BTW.

Chris

Tempting, oh so much....

[knightfan26917]

Eh, I normally don't either..I kinda "picked" it up...

*grins devilishly*

Then, instead of kicking it, "pick" it up again ... and throw it . he he

Seriously, though, sorry you are having problems. Mom and Dad have had no problems (that I know of, anyway) with their used 2007 orange Cobalt sedan.

Cort:34swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve&pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"What you said when you left just left me cold and out of breath" ... Chris Daughtry ... 'Over You'

[Intrepidation]

Somestime you get a used car that is a troublesome money pit and sometimes you get one that is very reliable and drives like new.

[ocnblu]

True, Dodgefan. But there are so many "off rental" used cars on the market these days, and rental cars get abused horribly. Even a private owner, if they have buyer's remorse, may treat their car badly until they can get rid of it. Just be careful if you need to buy used.

[frogger]

Wow I thought you lived and worked right downtown

At 101,000 km:

I have replaced:

Oil (and filters)

Wiper blades

Tires

Taillight bulb

That's IT.

I'm extremely happy. I realize this is not everyone's situation, but I just had to support the car which has been so awesome to me.

edit: forgot the filters and bulb

[daves87rs]

*grins devilishly*

Then, instead of kicking it, "pick" it up again ... and throw it . he he

Seriously, though, sorry you are having problems. Mom and Dad have had no problems (that I know of, anyway) with their used 2007 orange Cobalt sedan.

Cort:34swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve&pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"What you said when you left just left me cold and out of breath" ... Chris Daughtry ... 'Over You'

Very true...

[Intrepidation]

True, Dodgefan. But there are so many "off rental" used cars on the market these days, and rental cars get abused horribly. Even a private owner, if they have buyer's remorse, may treat their car badly until they can get rid of it. Just be careful if you need to buy used.

Yeah, I was extremely lucky with my used car purchase.

[the_yellow_dart]

Wow I thought you lived and worked right downtown

I live downtown, I work in Pickering.

[daves87rs]

I live downtown, I work in Pickering.

Usually cars get beaten up downtown...you should see my neighbors Impy...

[Cory Wolfe]

True, Dodgefan. But there are so many "off rental" used cars on the market these days, and rental cars get abused horribly. Even a private owner, if they have buyer's remorse, may treat their car badly until they can get rid of it. Just be careful if you need to buy used.

That's why you don't buy used cars that were fleeted. Duh.

[daves87rs]

That's why you don't buy used cars that were fleeted. Duh.

Though I've seen fleet cars in better shape than some of the used cars on th lot...

[knightfan26917]

True, Dodgefan. But there are so many "off rental" used cars on the market these days, and rental cars get abused horribly. Even a private owner, if they have buyer's remorse, may treat their car badly until they can get rid of it. Just be careful if you need to buy used.

*nods*

Yep. Mom and Dad's Cobalt is not a former fleet/rental car ... and they love it. Previous owner switched out headlights, though....

Cort:34swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve&pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"Love don't come easy" ... Baillie and the Boys ... 'Wilder Days'

[A Horse With No Name]

*grins devilishly*

Then, instead of kicking it, "pick" it up again ... and throw it . he he

Seriously, though, sorry you are having problems. Mom and Dad have had no problems (that I know of, anyway) with their used 2007 orange Cobalt sedan.

Cort:34swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve&pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"What you said when you left just left me cold and out of breath" ... Chris Daughtry ... 'Over You'

The orange color on that car is HOT!

Chris

[daves87rs]

*nods*

Yep. Mom and Dad's Cobalt is not a former fleet/rental car ... and they love it. Previous owner switched out headlights, though....

Cort:34swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve&pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"Love don't come easy" ... Baillie and the Boys ... 'Wilder Days'

Custom bulbs?

[daves87rs]

UPDATE:

Add running rough to that list.....

Why me?

Got it my parents garage right now...working on it....

[vonVeezelsnider]

You can kick my Cavalier too...

In fact- you can kick it WITH your Cobalt :AH-HA_wink:

[daves87rs]

You can kick my Cavalier too...

In fact- you can kick it WITH your Cobalt :AH-HA_wink:

Then we could trade them in for a few Impys....

[vonVeezelsnider]

2 Impalas, one Deville with Night Vision.

Edited March 4, 2008 by vonVeezelsnider

[knightfan26917]

The orange color on that car is HOT!

Chris

No kidding! I LOVE that color ... been thinking about using that color when one of my MCs needs to be repainted .

Custom bulbs?

Yeah ... but, I don't know what they are ... they're just ... weird. One of these days, I'll have to snap a pic and post it.....

Cort:34swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve&pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"Surely this can be explained" ... Lonestar ... 'No News'

[2005 EquinoxLS]

Gee Cort. You could paint the 1981 that color. Would match the interior better than the others.

[enzl]

The off-fleet and rental myth is just that.

While it is true that some suffer abuse from users, the fact is that the maintenance programs for most fleets and all rental co.'s is infinitely better than the short term lease owners and 'buyers' remorse' trades that make up the other half of the young, used vehicles in the marketplace.

We sell pre-fleeted vehicles all the time. Less come back with problems and customers get good deals. I don't see what's wrong with that.

[CARBIZ]

The off-fleet and rental myth is just that.

While it is true that some suffer abuse from users, the fact is that the maintenance programs for most fleets and all rental co.'s is infinitely better than the short term lease owners and 'buyers' remorse' trades that make up the other half of the young, used vehicles in the marketplace.

We sell pre-fleeted vehicles all the time. Less come back with problems and customers get good deals. I don't see what's wrong with that.

+1

[vonVeezelsnider]

The off-fleet and rental myth is just that.

While it is true that some suffer abuse from users, the fact is that the maintenance programs for most fleets and all rental co.'s is infinitely better than the short term lease owners and 'buyers' remorse' trades that make up the other half of the young, used vehicles in the marketplace.

We sell pre-fleeted vehicles all the time. Less come back with problems and customers get good deals. I don't see what's wrong with that.

Thank You- After Four Fleeted Vehicles, we just haven't had any problems related to owner's abuse.

[the_yellow_dart]

The off-fleet and rental myth is just that.

While it is true that some suffer abuse from users, the fact is that the maintenance programs for most fleets and all rental co.'s is infinitely better than the short term lease owners and 'buyers' remorse' trades that make up the other half of the young, used vehicles in the marketplace.

We sell pre-fleeted vehicles all the time. Less come back with problems and customers get good deals. I don't see what's wrong with that.

My father's Grand Prix was a rental. 90,000 km so far with no problems.

[daves87rs]

2 Impalas, one Deville with Night Vision.

[daves87rs]

The off-fleet and rental myth is just that.

While it is true that some suffer abuse from users, the fact is that the maintenance programs for most fleets and all rental co.'s is infinitely better than the short term lease owners and 'buyers' remorse' trades that make up the other half of the young, used vehicles in the marketplace.

We sell pre-fleeted vehicles all the time. Less come back with problems and customers get good deals. I don't see what's wrong with that.

I think it's mostly what people hear.

One friend's dad bought a fleet mailbu that has 60k on it with no problems, but our neighbor's G6 has been in the shop more times than I can count....it just depends.

I would be fine with a fleet car though.

[knightfan26917]

Gee Cort. You could paint the 1981 that color. Would match the interior better than the others.

You might be right.

Though ... I wouldn't mind seeing the '76 in that orange color, either ... especially with the black interior......

Cort:34swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve&pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"We go through life so sure of where we're headed" ... Brad Paisley ... 'Find Yourself'

[daves87rs]

You might be right.

Though ... I wouldn't mind seeing the '76 in that orange color, either ... especially with the black interior......

Cort:34swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve&pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"We go through life so sure of where we're headed" ... Brad Paisley ... 'Find Yourself'

That would be cool...

[NOS2006]

If it makes you feel any better, I finally (after about 5 months) got a good clutch in my car (I've been going back and forth with issues for a longgggg ass time now) and am almost able to drive it (just need the wheels on! and I'm doing a tranny flush).. except we're getting pounded with snow tonight!

[2005 EquinoxLS]

You might be right.

Though ... I wouldn't mind seeing the '76 in that orange color, either ... especially with the black interior......

Cort:34swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve&pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"We go through life so sure of where we're headed" ... Brad Paisley ... 'Find Yourself'

That could work too. I forgot the interior of the 1976 is black. Could try that with the 1981 Bonneville. :AH-HA_wink: Nahhhhhhh. Dont know how that would be with the vinyl top on it.

[Cory Wolfe]

If it makes you feel any better, I finally (after about 5 months) got a good clutch in my car (I've been going back and forth with issues for a longgggg ass time now) and am almost able to drive it (just need the wheels on! and I'm doing a tranny flush).. except we're getting pounded with snow tonight!

Clutch issues, eh? :wink:

Edited March 5, 2008 by blackviper8891

[NOS2006]

Clutch issues, eh? :wink:

Meh, pain in the ass thing. I replaced the stocker just to do it and the brand I got was complete $h!. I couldn't get it bled completely, so I got it to a point where I could half-ass drive it and took it about 5 miles away to a trans shop. After charging me $40 and working at it for three hours with various methods, they couldn't get it to bleed either; they actually made it worse. I had to pay another $40 to get it towed home.

After getting it home I said screw it (this was a couple days before I had to get back to school for the semester) and my dad said I could borrow his leased GP since he was DD'ing the Grand Am and nobody was using the GP. So that was sweet, but I did buy a '92 Bronco halfway through the term. I drove the Bronco for a couple months and came home. My dad told me to use the GP again because the Bronco started stalling and running like $h! once the cold weather set in. Well, it was winter so I really wasn't in a big hurry to get the Cobalt done since I didn't want to drive it in the winter anyway, so I've been driving the GP daily.

Anyway, I decided about a month back to get a whole new clutch assembly and tear the car apart. My buddy and I would tear it apart whenever we had time after work or whenever. So after taking it apart, I found the problem: the throwout bearing that came with the new clutch was blown and leaking all over. I decided to replace the whole clutch to a different brand and finally got it all put together after a long saga last night. The wheels are still off the car and I want to change the tranny fluid over to Royal Purple tonight, but I was definitely able to drive it last night. Still on stands and only two wheels on, I started it and let it run for about a minute last night and it seemed to run fine for not being started in a couple months. Keeping the clutch in the whole time (I finally have good clutch pressure!), it seemed to push in and out of every gear (though I didn't let up the clutch because I was on stands) without a problem; I couldn't get it in/out of gear before the latest clutch swap.

So hopefully the issues are settled just in time for spring to hit...!

[daves87rs]

Meh, pain in the ass thing. I replaced the stocker just to do it and the brand I got was complete $h!. I couldn't get it bled completely, so I got it to a point where I could half-ass drive it and took it about 5 miles away to a trans shop. After charging me $40 and working at it for three hours with various methods, they couldn't get it to bleed either; they actually made it worse. I had to pay another $40 to get it towed home.

After getting it home I said screw it (this was a couple days before I had to get back to school for the semester) and my dad said I could borrow his leased GP since he was DD'ing the Grand Am and nobody was using the GP. So that was sweet, but I did buy a '92 Bronco halfway through the term. I drove the Bronco for a couple months and came home. My dad told me to use the GP again because the Bronco started stalling and running like $h! once the cold weather set in. Well, it was winter so I really wasn't in a big hurry to get the Cobalt done since I didn't want to drive it in the winter anyway, so I've been driving the GP daily.

Anyway, I decided about a month back to get a whole new clutch assembly and tear the car apart. My buddy and I would tear it apart whenever we had time after work or whenever. So after taking it apart, I found the problem: the throwout bearing that came with the new clutch was blown and leaking all over. I decided to replace the whole clutch to a different brand and finally got it all put together after a long saga last night. The wheels are still off the car and I want to change the tranny fluid over to Royal Purple tonight, but I was definitely able to drive it last night. Still on stands and only two wheels on, I started it and let it run for about a minute last night and it seemed to run fine for not being started in a couple months. Keeping the clutch in the whole time (I finally have good clutch pressure!), it seemed to push in and out of every gear (though I didn't let up the clutch because I was on stands) without a problem; I couldn't get it in/out of gear before the latest clutch swap.

So hopefully the issues are settled just in time for spring to hit...!

Hmmm..makes me want to take a peek ay my trans just to see what is going on.....

I forgot that Royal Purple makes trans fluid, because it took me a few seconds to figure you weren't taking about motor oil...

As soon as spring rolls around, I'll be able to pull the Balt off the road for a while....I just warmed up the Cav coupe last night before the storm, and she is taking this winter pretty well considering she has sat a good part of this winter (sucks that it sleeps outside though )

I'm still debating what to do with the rims (new steelies, used steelies, aftermarket)

If it warms up here in by in the next few weeks I'm going to do a Wix combo (fuel/oil/air filter) and switch over to Mobil 1.

Later this year (when I put some miles on it) I'll do a rad/ trans flush...I'll have to see what I will use....

[NOS2006]

I've been on Mobil 1 since Day 1!

GOOD NEWS! I took the Cobalt out for a casual drive for the first time in over five months and for the first time since getting the Spec Stage 3 clutch and 9lb Fidanza flywheel in and it worked out very well! Except for the Trailblazer SS trying to race me and I had to just watch because I'm breaking in.. that was sad.

[daves87rs]

I've been on Mobil 1 since Day 1!

GOOD NEWS! I took the Cobalt out for a casual drive for the first time in over five months and for the first time since getting the Spec Stage 3 clutch and 9lb Fidanza flywheel in and it worked out very well! Except for the Trailblazer SS trying to race me and I had to just watch because I'm breaking in.. that was sad.

Yep, I've seen quite a few TB SS's around here...that could have been interesting...

Since I'm the second owner of the Balt, I wasn't able to give it the oil it wanted...

Wife's car has Mobil 1 since 2nd oil change-Eco still runs like new...

Both the Balt and the coupe get Mobil on this change...then they will all be on it.

[A Horse With No Name]

I've been on Mobil 1 since Day 1!

GOOD NEWS! I took the Cobalt out for a casual drive for the first time in over five months and for the first time since getting the Spec Stage 3 clutch and 9lb Fidanza flywheel in and it worked out very well! Except for the Trailblazer SS trying to race me and I had to just watch because I'm breaking in.. that was sad.

Cool!

Chris