Bye Bye Aztek, it's been fun......my new ride is.....

[regfootball]

gonna pick up the new (and i do mean new) car either late tonight or Friday noon.

they gotta bring it back from IOWAY.

I love my Aztek, gonna miss it, but it was time. 113,600 or so. Decided not to expend a few thousand on all the things it needed or should have in the next 12 months to ensure it would be worth keeping another 2-3 years. Didn't want to chance the tranny up and giving out since its been temperamental and foreshadowing its demise. And it turns out got a decent amount on trade for it as well.

We rode it hard and put it away wet.

When i subtracted what I am getting from it for what I paid, it was 12,900 dollars spent for 113,600 +/- miles. I don't think that Honda Pilot has me beat in that area.

I put tires on it at 70,000. The ones on there now still look good for another 30-40,000. Aside from that the only repairs the car has seen is just the front wheel bearings under warranty. I did brakes at about 70k although it seemed like they need them again soon. No tuneup, no battery, just a couple radiator and tranny flushes.

Right now economically we're not in a position to get anything elaborate. So we chose to go for economical and basic. It's our second vehicle, meant to help keep our vehicle costs down and hopefully have some fun.

Shopped a lot of used cars. Shopped several new ones too. Decided I didn't want to chase all over the midwest to find that used car exactly the way I wanted (and still spend too much...used car prices are through the roof). Looked at some nice new stuff that is simply too pricey or didn't want to commit to the lease right now no matter how good the deal was. We had to sacrifice some utility since the Aztek was the utility king.

Had no luck finding that used Astra I really wanted equipped the way I want and the price that made sense. Too bad. Needed to move on.

I wanted to pull the trigger on a 2011 Hyundai Sonata lease and got cold feet. I sort of fell in love with the car. Having had some family members help us out a bit in the last year, and not totally certain how our careers are working out here though the next twelve months we felt politically it was not a good idea to commit to a lease right now, nor, drive such a nice new car. Despite all of us knowing the Sonata is just another midsize you can get cheap....it exudes the illusion of a much more expensive car----to other people. One you might have a hard time explaining to some folks who you know. The ability to get 'that car' or a Taurus, Regal, or LaCrosse will be there in the future. There is no shortage of cool stuff to pick from.

I am tired of Ford. I love my FOrds, the last 5-6 Fords all fantastic cars. But right now I just didn't want one. The intelligent yuppie a-holes are jumping on the bandwagon now, so I am ok getting off that bunch for awhile. And really, most of Ford's lesser priced vehicles are getting stale. They just refreshed the Fusion but it already feels old. Fiesta is not quite here yet and is underpowered anyways. A bit pricey too.

So I figured why not and decided to stick in the GM fold. Well, Pontiac and Saturn are gone. Turn to Chevy. It came down to the HHR which I love.....and the Cobalt. Which everyone knows is a solid little car.

I decided to just go cheap as possible. I figured with the glut of used HHR's on the market I could always get one of those later. I wanted something new, and as it turned out much cheaper for me. Either tomorrow night or early Friday going to pick up the new Victory Red (same color as the Aztek) Chevy Cobalt LT sedan. MyLink package (USB/bluetooth/leather wheel and shifter/ABS), alum wheels, power windows, mirrors, locks, cruise.

5 speed!

As a pontiac owner I got that 1k Susan rebate, and there is a total of 4k other factory rebate on the balt right now if you use GMAC who gave us a great rate. I used the big GM card balance I had saved up as well. No Traverse or Regal or LaCrosse now I guess.

I can't wait to check the gas mileage. If we pick it up friday, it will be on my son's first birthday! What a nice present! I'll get pics of it up when we pick it up. Looking forward to beating the snot out of it like the rental it is.

Edited April 28, 2010 by regfootball

[ocnblu]

Congratulations mr. reg. I hope it's as good as mine was. I had my moments, wringin' 'er out, but she purred right along. I can't claim to know how long a Cobalt will last, but some here can give you a much longer term report. Good luck with your little Fire Chief's car!

[regfootball]

thanks blu, it bummed me out a little to know you traded yours before I was able to join the club. But i do look forward to flogging it. That little ecotec is a frisky thing.

Like you, if i get a couple of good years or so out of it, will be exactly what I am asking of it.

Can't wait to get a flash drive for the USB and prob get some cheap speakers from crutchfield to put in it.

Edited April 29, 2010 by regfootball

[Camino LS6]

Seems like you've been looking forever, Reg.

Glad you finally found one to take home.

[regfootball]

for now. not the regal or lacrosse or taurus i wanted, but its cheap miles. it will be fun having a small car again for awhile.

[smk4565]

I like the Sonata, to me it is one of the most appealing cars under $30k. 113,000 miles doesn't seem like much, but Pontaics did always seem to have the worst build quality of any GM brand. I like the HHR, its the best looking of the small boxy cars.

[regfootball]

you missed the part where i said i had never really put a dime into it. i am cutting bait now to merely avoid having to do a bunch of general repair stuff that one would and should typically do by that point....ie. struts, brakes again, tune up, a/c, fuel system, belts and hoses, battery, and so on.....in addition to avoiding the transmission expense. never had to fix any emissions, electrical, sensors, trim, never was out of alignment, no suspension or steering parts to fix. No timing belts. I more than got my value out of the car. no breakdowns. Its just time to hand it down.

[ocnblu]

smk, wut's a "Pontaic"? You were in such a hurry to post something bitchy, you fergot how to spel.

[A Horse With No Name]

Seems like you've been looking forever, Reg.

Glad you finally found one to take home.

Excellent choice, and glad your rid of the Aztec.

Besides, with a five speed....get some better tires and autocross that little puppy!

Sweet little car, my friend!

[regfootball]

hey maybe i need to get a G5 clip and taillights for it. then i'd have some EXCITEMENT!

there was a couple holdover 09 SS that i could have gotten into but it still would have been about 6 grand more. 6 grand more for a turbo, not in a position to foot that bill right now.

Edited April 29, 2010 by regfootball

[regfootball]

then i'd have one of these.....

[A Horse With No Name]

Reg...funny on the Pontiac note...but seriously...congrats, guy!

Now save some cash for that Mustang GT convertible...

[Intrepidation]

The nagging question I have is, did you actually save money buying a brand new car, basic though it may be, VS doing the maintenance work for the Aztek and the transmission? (Maybe if you went with a brand new transmission and had the dealer do it all, then that would be highway robbery).

Just seems silly to me to "buy a new car to save money". That's sort of like buying a Prius to save money on gas because the `87 LeSabre isn't as fuel efficient.

Anyway, congrats on the Cobalt. Get some photos up when you can.

[regfootball]

again dodgefan, generally i know you have a difference of opinion on this. but i walk from this with cash to spend on other things and a car under warranty. the other option was to spend a lot of money on something worth nothing. it really depends on your outlook. i'm not butt tight i guess.

in the past i have found through experience that keeping a car past its prime costs just as much or more, and generally involves lots of extra headache. not to mention more peace of mind when your family is driving around in it, and not having to worry about them getting stranded or something.

in this case right now i get some nice gas savings out of the deal too.

the first rust spot that showed up on the aztek and it basically would have been worth zero. the body is still good and therefore it is still worth something. around here where they dump roadsalt all over, your vehicle is worth nothing once they spot some rust on it.

Edited April 29, 2010 by regfootball

[Robert Hall]

again dodgefan, generally i know you have a difference of opinion on this. but i walk from this with cash to spend on other things and a car under warranty. the other option was to spend a lot of money on something worth nothing. it really depends on your outlook. i'm not butt tight i guess.

in the past i have found through experience that keeping a car past its prime costs just as much or more, and generally involves lots of extra headache. not to mention more peace of mind when your family is driving around in it, and not having to worry about them getting stranded or something.

in this case right now i get some nice gas savings out of the deal too.

the first rust spot that showed up on the aztek and it basically would have been worth zero. the body is still good and therefore it is still worth something. around here where they dump roadsalt all over, your vehicle is worth nothing once they spot some rust on it.

Understandable..at some point, spending money to keep an old car going is just throwing good money after bad. Once the level of trust is gone it's time to unload. My Jeep's at 114k, hasn't reached that point yet, I still trust it enough for the 50 mile daily commute. But if it ever strands me, then it's replacement time.

[Intrepidation]

The nagging question I have is, did you actually save money buying a brand new car, basic though it may be, VS doing the maintenance work for the Aztek and the transmission? (Maybe if you went with a brand new transmission and had the dealer do it all, then that would be highway robbery).

Just seems silly to me to "buy a new car to save money". That's sort of like buying a Prius to save money on gas because the `87 LeSabre isn't as fuel efficient.

Anyway, congrats on the Cobalt. Get some photos up when you can.

It is a valid point, different strokes for different folks.

[regfootball]

in your scenario df it makes sense for you since you've done a lot of work on it already.

i had been nursing my transmission for almost a year. it was close to undrivable a few times recently. repair was imminent. had quite a few estimates from the 2500-4500 dollar range, add that to all the other stuff i would want to do. it just didn't work. spend money i don't want to spend right now vs. get money for it from someone while they think its worth it.

if i would have dumped all the money into it i would have had to commit to it for 3-4 years to break even vs. this.

i was going to spend money no matter what. it just became a question on what it was going to go for.

[A Horse With No Name]

Methinks a Rubicon along with a Camaro, Mustang, or three series BMW would be a nice replacement for the GC.

But keep the GC, so you have a tow vehicle for a camper, or a race car...

[regfootball]

my new SLUMRIDE

more pics later

I need to know how to turn it into a GXP.....

[Intrepidation]

Looks good. Wheels aren't too shabby either. Way better than the crummy hubcaps my rental had.

[daves87rs]

Excellent choice, and glad your rid of the Aztec.

Besides, with a five speed....get some better tires and autocross that little puppy!

Sweet little car, my friend!

Hell, I do that now on the crappy tires I have on it now...

Good choice on the Balt....they are tough little cars....my poor Balt got the hell beat out of it before I got it.....

Besides doing the little things, My Balt makes a great beater!

[daves87rs]

again dodgefan, generally i know you have a difference of opinion on this. but i walk from this with cash to spend on other things and a car under warranty. the other option was to spend a lot of money on something worth nothing. it really depends on your outlook. i'm not butt tight i guess.

in the past i have found through experience that keeping a car past its prime costs just as much or more, and generally involves lots of extra headache. not to mention more peace of mind when your family is driving around in it, and not having to worry about them getting stranded or something.

in this case right now i get some nice gas savings out of the deal too.

the first rust spot that showed up on the aztek and it basically would have been worth zero. the body is still good and therefore it is still worth something. around here where they dump roadsalt all over, your vehicle is worth nothing once they spot some rust on it.

EXactly. The Tek' was heading toward POS land anyways....

NOTE: reg, really clean under those doors! mine alreay had to get a "rust" spot fixed...

[daves87rs]

Looks good. Wheels aren't too shabby either. Way better than the crummy hubcaps my rental had.

+1

Like the wheels myself.

My wheel covers are not too bad. The 09+ ones are nasty!

[regfootball]

EXactly. The Tek' was heading toward POS land anyways....

NOTE: reg, really clean under those doors! mine alreay had to get a "rust" spot fixed...

do i need to get the splash guards?

the transmission was the breaking point. i really wanted to put new struts in it too because it was riding so crappy.

Edited April 30, 2010 by regfootball

[Intrepidation]

Yeah always wash those rockers and under the car really well.

[ocnblu]

And behind its ears, too.

[A Horse With No Name]

Yeah always wash those rockers and under the car really well.

Yeah I've got some minor rust on the Miata I'm going to have to get fixed.

And behind its ears, too.

Given some of your other comments here, you'd be getting wet, hot and soapy with it in a few other ways also...

[daves87rs]

Yeah always wash those rockers and under the car really well.

And wax the rockers and under the doors. It will help bead the water out of there faster...

[CanadianBacon94]

i have to say, the balt looks good, but i don't like the h0ead lights, they would look better if they didn't go into the hood, i did a chop like that once.

ill put it up later, nice car tho

[regfootball]

best pics

here's the big LOL...the neighbors across from me also have a Victory Red Cobalt LT with the same alum wheels. Theirs has a spoiler and gray interior though (and an automatic).

[Intrepidation]

Funny how the Cobalt gets a better manual shift knob than the Camaro.

[Sixty8panther]

Congrats. Should get you a few MPGs better than the ASStek.

[regfootball]

Funny how the Cobalt gets a better manual shift knob than the Camaro.

lmao!

the dead dinosaurs called. they saw my pics and want the products of their remains back.

"I have a corvette steering wheel"

Edited May 1, 2010 by regfootball

[ocnblu]

Yup, I was always polishing my knob in the Cobalt, couldn't stand it when it was less than shiny.

Best of luck with it, reg. Keep it in context, and it will serve you well, no doubt. I'm sure the one I just traded will go 150k + miles, if treated properly.

[A Horse With No Name]

Sweet car!

[AAS]

Funny how the Cobalt gets a better manual shift knob than the Camaro.

Have you driven a manual Camaro? What makes the Cobalt's better?

[caddycruiser]

Have you driven a manual Camaro? What makes the Cobalt's better?

I think some people here like the shiny chrome/metal knob top better...

...but that doesn't mean it is, there are reasons why & some people like the all leather knob in the Camaro. Regardless. The steering wheel. Oh, the steering wheel. It's actually quite nice in a Cobalt, Malibu, etc. like that, when leather wrapped and button'd up galore. Then you see the same with less on it, same mold lines, etc. in a Corvette and go

NICE Cobalt! As I told ocn when he visited once and we went for a spin in my G8, a Cobalt is a Cobalt BUT if you get the right package, wheels, options, etc. it's a totally different car. His Silver Green coupe with aftermarket wheels & tires was, and your sedan loaded up with almost everything and--the rare part--a stick, is the same deal. Great little car, for a great deal. I loved the pre-VVT 2.2L in my '07 Malibu rental, especially more than the oddly pig'ish 2.4L, so this should get some spectacular mileage numbers. Red, red, red, zoom, zoom, stick, optioned up with Bluetooth and all the other little nice bits--great choice

[daves87rs]

Looks great!

Makes me need to a few more pictures of my Cobalt...

[Intrepidation]

Have you driven a manual Camaro? What makes the Cobalt's better?

Yeah, my friend's 2LT RS. It's not the material it's made of the bothers me. I can't stand the shape of the shift knob. It's like an Oreo cookie turned on its side. So not only is it unnatural to hold in your hand, but the stitching rests uncomfortably on the center of your palm. I just doesn't feel comfortable and that's why I don't like it.

As for the Cobalt, if you decide to keep it for a while reg, there's lots of potential with them with them. Lots of goodies you can get courtesy of higher trim Cobalts.

What I liked best about the Cobalt was how it rode. It rides like a big, substantial car and is very stable even at triple digit speeds.

Since you're never shy about pointing out a car's faults, I'm curious what you'll make of the steering. That was the weirdest part of it for me. It has that weird sort of unnatural feel I've never experienced in a hydraulic assisted steering system before. Over time I got used to it, but every now and then I would think how oddly disconnected it feels, despite being accurate.

[regfootball]

Yup, I was always polishing my knob in the Cobalt, couldn't stand it when it was less than shiny.

Best of luck with it, reg. Keep it in context, and it will serve you well, no doubt. I'm sure the one I just traded will go 150k + miles, if treated properly.

lol.

!

care to comment on whether synthetic or part synthetic would be a good idea for the engine? how bout transaxle fluid....run the stock or will it shift better if its changed out?

the ford dealer where i typically get my oil changed most of the time i think puts semi synthetic at least in my ford.

[regfootball]

Yeah, my friend's 2LT RS. It's not the material it's made of the bothers me. I can't stand the shape of the shift knob. It's like an Oreo cookie turned on its side. So not only is it unnatural to hold in your hand, but the stitching rests uncomfortably on the center of your palm. I just doesn't feel comfortable and that's why I don't like it.

As for the Cobalt, if you decide to keep it for a while reg, there's lots of potential with them with them. Lots of goodies you can get courtesy of higher trim Cobalts.

What I liked best about the Cobalt was how it rode. It rides like a big, substantial car and is very stable even at triple digit speeds.

Since you're never shy about pointing out a car's faults, I'm curious what you'll make of the steering. That was the weirdest part of it for me. It has that weird sort of unnatural feel I've never experienced in a hydraulic assisted steering system before. Over time I got used to it, but every now and then I would think how oddly disconnected it feels, despite being accurate.

yeah its mushy and unnatural but not near as bad as the aztek. but it doesn't feel loose like a toyota. thing is, the car is quiet and cruises nice so to have razor sharp steering is not in its personality, SS excluded. the SS steered nicely. even with the 16" wheels it still feels undertired. the rather inexpensive bump control is more of a bother than the econocar steering.

I'm ok with it though, the steering will bother me but its a commuter and better than lots of other econocars.

this is the point where i say the steering on the Astra XR i really wanted well and the shifting and ride too was on a whole nother level which is odd considering they supposed to have the same gene pool.

but i'm not gonna overpay for a 3 year car i prob will have a hard time getting warranty service on if any is left.

the cobalt does cruise nicely which should make out ok for an occasional family trip. you can honestly take the family in this car i think. our 99 prism was ok for 2 on the road, but really was breathless above 65 and had scary brakes at freeway speed. The cobalt brakes may not be like the super ones on the astra, but any brakes are better than the base brake setup on the aztek.

is the cobalt engine flex fuel? the HHR is, but there is no flex fuel badge on mine. maybe i should pump some E85 in there and find out. lol

[caddycruiser]

this is the point where i say the steering on the Astra XR i really wanted well and the shifting and ride too was on a whole nother level which is odd considering they supposed to have the same gene pool.

Same designs, different spec'd pieces from tires to dampers, spring rates, and final assembly. Makes huge, huge, huge differences. Same reason why a Cobalt SS is still no Astra, but very, very different in overall feel.

If only things weren't cheaped out so much, including the final design/interior/assembly, a base Cobalt could very much be made Astra like if it were developed with that intention from the start. Same way even an Ion isn't at Cobalt level, and feels notably different, looser, and cheaper.

[SAmadei]

Is it just me, or is the bowtie on the steering wheel huge? It looks at least 20% bigger than it should be.

[caddycruiser]

Is it just me, or is the bowtie on the steering wheel huge? It looks at least 20% bigger than it should be.

Neh, scale wise it's pretty fitting & normal in person.

[daves87rs]

lol.

!

care to comment on whether synthetic or part synthetic would be a good idea for the engine? how bout transaxle fluid....run the stock or will it shift better if its changed out?

the ford dealer where i typically get my oil changed most of the time i think puts semi synthetic at least in my ford.

Either one is fine. These ecotecs will run on anything...

I'm running Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic in my Cobalt right now. Even quieter than the Mobil 1 I had in it before.....

I'd leave that fluid in for right now....break it in first, then decide if you want full syn trans fluid or not. (If you do, Amsoil is always a good choice)

I have/am doing a good amount of work to my Balt, so I might be able to answer a question or two....

[vonVeezelsnider]

Is it just me, or is the bowtie on the steering wheel huge? It looks at least 20% bigger than it should be.

The bowtie logo circle is the same size as the one in all the other GM vehicles including the Impala and GMT-900 which have comparatively huge steering wheels that make the logo look smaller.

[regfootball]

Is it just me, or is the bowtie on the steering wheel huge? It looks at least 20% bigger than it should be.

i wish it were smaller, its offensively huge.

[ocnblu]

That's what he said.

[daves87rs]

That's what he said.

[regfootball]

That's what he said.

lmao!

i was out in the garage trying to get familiar with some XM, setting radio stations, and the bow tie in general. Esp, the USB and how to work it.

I am telling you, its a bunch quicker to scroll through folder and files on the flash drive with the stereo controls on the bow tie, than the oral torture that is the Ford Sync system in my Taurus X. To not have to listen to an annoying nagging female voice say $h! like 'I cannot understand you'.....it's so refreshing to just work a couple buttons and scrolls through folders quickly. It's insane how fast I could find some tunes. Of course I think I only have a 2GB flash drive in it now. I am already figuring out where to sneak the coin past the other half to go out and buy a nice 64GB USB drive. I have a portable hard drive in my Ford, but i really would prefer to stick with a small USB drive in this car.

Really love XM and really love the bow tie!

A few weeks ago at Menards I bought a couple of entry mats for the house which i hadn't used yet. I usually like to add an extra layer of trunk liner in the car if there is not much of one there so I trimmed up and around the wheel wells one of those entry mats to fit....and the color and fuzzy texture of it is almost a match..except its ribbed. ANyways, cheap trunk mat! I had already purchased all weather floor mats at Sears for my aborted Astra back in late 08, so those were new sitting in the basement. Didn't have to buy all weather mats.

What's LOL is we picked the car up thursday night and haven't driven it since then. It's been parked for 3 days because family was in town and stuff was going on. I put in the kid's car seat tonight so maybe we'll go for a spin tomorrow. The car seat install was a breeze, the latch anchors are extremely accessible in this car.

Edited May 3, 2010 by regfootball