Confessions of a Slovakian

[Sixty8panther]

After having seen a few nice Cobalt SS-SCs on the roads as of late

and also the two black twins at N.E.D. I want one... if I can afford

the extra $120 or so a month payemtn wise I'll consider getting an

SS to hold me over till the Camaro arrives in 2009/10.

[z28luvr01]

Good for you. Obviously you have my approval

You might want to check the papers and the internet for some lightly used ones. I've seen a few low-mileage specimens with mid-teens asking prices.

[Sixty8panther]

One of the ways I'm counter-acting my brain's ANTI-FWD stance is the justyfication of giving Chevrolet (and by extension GM) a new car sale.

A new car is easier to finance and for a better rate plus if I'm not buying new then the factory sees no kickback and in that case I'm not getting a Cobalt.

I've narrowed it down to three cars that I'll consider. When I'm finally ready to buy (hopefully in the next two months) there's a 99.9% chance I'm getting oe of the folllowing:

- Another 2nd gen. Q45, preferably a 1999-2001. I'm looking into a 99 Q45t right now. they're asking $12,995.

- 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham or a Buick Roadmaster Sedan (Steel Roof)

- New Cobalt coupe, either a stripped out bare bones one or an SS/SC.

[trinacriabob]

$h!, Pantho, I thought this was a thread about your homeland. Darn.

BTW, is Prague worth visiting? How are the prices? How is the food? Are the locals friendly to tourists?

[speedingpenguin]

Silvester..... really dude, noones gonna kill you if you get FWD. LOL

Might be sorta cool to see if you could get some stupid-strange Cobalt, something that noone else will have..... almost the equivalant of a 1LE camaro or whatever....

an SS without ANYTHING at all other than the drivetrain and appearance.... no a/c, no power anything, etc.

[Sixty8panther]

$h!, Pantho, I thought this was a thread about your homeland.  Darn.

BTW, is Prague worth visiting?  How are the prices?  How is the food?  Are the locals friendly to tourists?

Prague is a gorgeous city... very much the Paris of Eastern Europe. While Prague WAS the capital of CzechoSlovakia now that the contries have separated it's only the capital of the Czech Republic.

Slovakia's capitol, Bratislava is equally gorgeous. The mix of the Danube, 20% super modern architecture & 70% ancient monuments, BMW 750is parked next to communist era Eastern German Wartburgs & the one of a kind canter-levered bridge makes it a city you'll never forget. I know I think of it often in fond memories of Gothic, architecture glowing lighs in the cool night air and cobblestone streets.

The UFO restaurant on top fo the bridge is a really cool landmark, but the four towers castle is what represents Bratislava to us Slovakians.

[Sixty8panther]

[Sixty8panther]

Silvester..... really dude, noones gonna kill you if you get FWD. LOL

Yes, right you are. Which is why I'd have to administer myself a self-inflicted ass-kicking. FWD sucks. I'm still of the opinion that FWD was only cool in the 1930s when Coffin-Nose 810s had it. Or maybe perhaps in 1967 when the only FWD cars were the Austin Minis, Razorback Eldorados, Olds Toronadods & Citroens.

But damn, this little pocket-rocket is winning races and it's got great styling & quality. Now that the Camaro is a sure thing I'm in a mood to reward Chevrolet with a new car sale and it has to be a FWD car... I can't afford a Z06 and I will not be caught dead in a Malibu or other bland sedan. Not even a two door "Impala MC".

Might be sorta cool to see if you could get some stupid-strange Cobalt, something that noone else will have..... almost the equivalant of a 1LE camaro or whatever....

an SS without ANYTHING at all other than the drivetrain and appearance.... no a/c, no power anything, etc.

I wish that I could order the SS-SC mechanicals with NONE of the power options or rims. COPO Cobalt.

Edited April 5, 2006 by Sixty8panther

[Cory Wolfe]

Sixty8... when you're ready to move into my aunt and uncle's house, you can just get to work on my GAGT. You can have it for $500. The engine's torn apart right now, though... You don't need no Cobalt when you can have a sweet Grand Am.

[Sixty8panther]

I've owned a Grand Am. A 1997 sedan with the 3.1 liter. Great car other than the POS aftermarket alarm they instaled half assed by cutting into the wiring harness.

Which is why that car got traded inon... you guessed it: a Cobalt.

http://www.cheersandgears.com/forums/index...wtopic=7121&hl=

[pow]

Be sure to get the LSD option, then... all FWD cars I've driven with 200+ horsepower (our minivan included) are useless without 'em.

[Sixty8panther]

LSD is standard wiht the SS/SC package, right?

I thought it was. I'd love a yellow one wiht the black leather & yellow inserts.

[daves87rs]

Hmmm...

I'm thinking a Balt' too...(after the other ones are paid off..soon. )

Though I'd rather have a bare bones one.....

this way I can do what I want to it( and pay it off sooner)

I love that new blue color...

a LS w/ a spoiler and power locks is all I need....

[pow]

LSD is standard wiht the SS/SC package, right?

I thought it was. I'd love a yellow one wiht the black leather & yellow inserts.

It's a $1500 option that comes with Recaro seats.

[04monteintimidator]

I will not be caught dead in a Malibu or other bland sedan. Not even a two door "Impala MC".

aw cmon man... leave the monte out of this... its got a v8 now!!

[capriceman]

ive been looking at mid 90's stick Cavy's or 4wd S-10 sticks recently i want a stick back and a econ box/truck its not going to be for power just to drive with. untill the cold air kits and camshafts and other stuff come for it. but the Caprice is costing way to much now it cost me $58 to fill it up today at $2.50. and the truck isnt any better.

[Sixty8panther]

a LS w/ a spoiler and power locks is all I need....

No one "needs" an SS/SC Cobalt, that's for sure. But I WANT a supercharged one.

There's a small part of me that also wants to get the bare bones guy and throw a turbo on it.

Brrrrrrrppp - Cssss, Brrrrrrrrrrpppp - Cssss, BRRRRrrrrrrrppPPPPP - Cssss!

capriceman Posted Yesterday, 10:31 PM

ive been looking at mid 90's stick Cavy's or 4wd S-10 sticks recently i want a stick back and a econ box/truck its not going to be for power just to drive with. untill the cold air kits and camshafts and other stuff come for it. but the Caprice is costing way to much now it cost me $58 to fill it up today at $2.50. and the truck isnt any better.

Unlike most airheads buying Prius, Civic & Escape Hybrids and spending $20,000+ to "save on gas" a beater J-body or an S10 makes sense. That's why I could jusyfy buying the Datsun even thouh at the time it was my 4th car.

I bought the Maxima for $300, and then for just an additional $100 or so drove it for about 21,000 miles thus far. Pretty good economics right there!

[Sixty8panther]

Post moved to THIS thread.

Edited April 7, 2006 by Sixty8panther

[Brandon Lutz]

Burn him!! He has abandoned the cause of RWD!!!

Actually, I've been thinking about a G6 coupe myself. If I didnt have only a year left on my current loan, I would've already bought one. However the bright side is that when I pay off the truck, I'll have some cashola left for the Camaro when it comes out

I almost bought a truck we have here at work that was repoed the other day. 2003 GMC Extended cab, Duramax, full loaded 4wd HD.

But I decided against it. However a diesel would be sweet.

[Sixty8panther]

That's just the thing. Either I sell out to ANOTHER Japanese car and go 100% RWD and buy the Q45, which we just might do, or I buy a new GM car and give them a sale but bitch about the FWD for the next 3/4/5 years.

Ex-cab Duramax.... sweet, shoud have gone for it.

[Brandon Lutz]

That's just the thing. Either I sell out to ANOTHER Japanese car and go 100% RWD and buy the Q45, which we just might do, or I buy a new GM car and give them a sale but bitch about the FWD for the next 3/4/5 years.

Ex-cab Duramax.... sweet, shoud have gone for it.

Believe me, I wanted to but I let my common sense take over. I really have no need for a 4wd truck at this time as I dont live on the Farm with my father and family anymore. The times I go hunting I am usually with him so I dont need the 4wd truck since he has 3 4x4 Chevys.

So I decided to keep my Xtreme as my vehicle and wait for the Camaro. Plus only 12 months left of payments so It aint so bad to wait.

[ToniCipriani]

Why not? Drive what you like. Althought the spoiler on the t looks tacky. Your current Q has a classier feeling to the other one with the plain rims and no sport trim. Only thing missing is the gunsight ornament.

Nissan and Mazda are the only Japanese makes I have respect for. Think deeply, Mazda is actually American and Nissan is actually French. Just don't tell us the next moment you bought a Camry.

[Satty]

Seriously, Japan isn't evil, there is nothing wrong with owning a Japanese car. Guess what, American cars were extremely $h!ty compared to Japanese cars through the 90's, with a few exceptions. Juat ask yourself, do you want to drive something you like to drive or do you want to settle for something that doesn't embody what you think a car should be because of some 1970's, narrow minded, quasi-racist thinking? And Qs are pretty nice cars, although you can pick up a high mileage E-Class from the late 90's for $12k or so and those weren't that bad on the reliability scale.

[daves87rs]

ive been looking at mid 90's stick Cavy's or 4wd S-10 sticks recently i want a stick back and a econ box/truck its not going to be for power just to drive with. untill the cold air kits and camshafts and other stuff come for it. but the Caprice is costing way to much now it cost me $58 to fill it up today at $2.50. and the truck isnt any better.

I know how you feel...

That's why I decided to pour a few bucks into my Cavalier (93), beacuse when it was running good-it could push 400 miles on a tank-and that was with the 3.1...

I noticed it's getting hard to find one though...

[daves87rs]

No one "needs" an SS/SC Cobalt, that's for sure. But I WANT a supercharged one.

There's a small part of me that also wants to get the bare bones guy and throw a turbo on it.

Brrrrrrrppp - Cssss, Brrrrrrrrrrpppp - Cssss, BRRRRrrrrrrrppPPPPP - Cssss!

Unlike most airheads buying Prius, Civic & Escape Hybrids and spending $20,000+ to "save on gas" a beater J-body or an S10 makes sense. That's why I could jusyfy buying the Datsun  even thouh at the time it was my 4th car.

I bought the Maxima for $300, and then for just an additional $100 or so drove it for about 21,000 miles thus far. Pretty good economics right there!

Ah, come on 68, you could just"supercharge" one on the side.

There is quite a bit of aftermarket out there for it already....more than just fart

cannons....

[Flybrian]

Does this mean you will finally at long last stop whining about Japanese 'Yuppiemobiles' since you'll own TWO of them?

[capriceman]

I have a question Did they make Stick Berreta's? since I know those are relieable and would be more fun then a cavy i think.

[04monteintimidator]

yes they made stick berettas... that wouldnt be a bad idea... berettas were compared with m3s back in the day... the only one you couldnt get stick was the 90+ GTZ with the 3.1 V6... id go with a 90 GTZ with 2.2L quad 4 and 5 spd stick... 180 horse!!

Edited April 7, 2006 by 04monteintimidator

[daves87rs]

I have a question Did they make Stick Berreta's? since I know those are relieable and would be more fun then a cavy i think.

Yes, but they are hard to find. At least in good shape, anyways...

I saw a nice GTZ a few weeks ago....but it sounded like it might have been on its last leg...

See a few in high school parking lots every now and then...

[ToniCipriani]

Yes, but they are hard to find. At least in good shape, anyways...

I saw a nice GTZ a few weeks ago....but it sounded like it might have been on its last leg...

See a few in high school parking lots every now and then...

Berettas aren't that great, plagued buy the same L-Body troubles as the Corsica, e.g. peeling paint. Although when my sister had a Corsica when I was a kid, I really liked the body style of the Beretta.

With all the work to be put into a Beretta, probably it'll be the price of a new or slightly used Cobalt.

And if you squint, you'll see some design cues of the Beretta in the Cobalt Coupe

Edited April 7, 2006 by ToniCipriani

[Sixty8panther]

I know one person who had a Beretta for 180,000 miles,

ran like a top. 3.1 -5-speed. Pretty rare I think. It was

not even a GTU or GTZ. He sold it to a dumbass kid who

blew it up in like 500 miles. He's got a habit of doing that.

Another friend has a 1993 Beretta with 206,000 miles

and it runs like a champ. He's got some cosmetic issues

and has replaced some of the interior and thrown on AR

rims but other than that it's still a great commuter.

My dad almost bought a Beretta in 1989. We also almost

bought a tripple-black Corsica but it had a small dent in

roof for some odd reason and my dad felt a brand new

car with a defect like that should have been discounted

more than it was.

The dealership where all this happened (in Boston) is now

a Toyota/Scion store. I remember riding the green-line

back to our house as a little kid dissapointed that we did

not buy the black Corsica and clutching a Camaro

sales brochure. The Tunned-Port intake looked SO damn

cool back then. I thought it was the equivelant of the effin

ZL1 aluminum big block or something.

[Cory Wolfe]

Berettas are evil. Take my word on it. Get a Grand Am GT. Style... Power... Intimimidation.

I'm not serious. A 240SX will do you all fine. Just like that Q45 will do Sixty8 fine. As Satty said... Japan isn't evil when it comes to buying cars. Now... the companie's tactics may be, but isn't any companie's?

[Sixty8panther]

Does this mean you will finally at long last stop whining about Japanese 'Yuppiemobiles' since you'll own TWO of them?

I'll get back to you on that. :wink:

Serious;y I think everyone here who really KNOWS me is

familiar with what kind of Japanese cars I despise. Riced

out Civics, the entire Scion Division & most Lexuses. Even

more so the upside-down-emblem Honda division is a

great example of abull$h! product. Acura is the kind of

brand that makes me want to hurl. Or how about the

Lexus RX-Hybrid... there's a car for the people with more

money than common sense. But most of all, by far, the

one car that represents pure evil in the most

anti-American way possible is the Toyota Camry. I think if

you own a tan or silver Camry LE you have given up on

life and any and all forms of individuality.

Might as well put a barcode stamp on the back of your

neck and get a frontal lobotomy.

[capriceman]

O yeah I was going to make a thread about that. But ill just hijack this thread to tell BV somthing.

I got to drive a 240sx *4* cylinder dont know the year and really was not all that impressed. The only thing i liked on it was its handling. That engine sounds like you are beating on it when your doing a couple of redline shifts. the gear box felt loose and had long throws for a "sports coupe." I've been in Chevettes with better shifters. The clutch was firm and reassuring though. I did mange to get a 20 ft tire thread mark out of it but since a Malibu maxx SS can do one im not that impressed again. Styling although not my type is rather soulless, bland, and jagged japanness. The engine has decent power. Its hard to get it to oversteer. But Under steer is almost non-existant. Interior was not great and un supportive. I would of felt more planted to my seat in a two person lap belt bench then in this thing my ass kept hiting the door or the console thing. bumpy ride but it is a sprots car. it did have 50,000 miles on it and already hads its crankshaft replaced and the heads. Raditor rotted through too. so im not sure on relieabilty. For sale $3500.

Its ok but I have had more fun in a SC GA GT then this.

Im going to look at a cavy today with a 5 speed for 995. i dont want to spend more than 1500 for a car.

Edited April 7, 2006 by capriceman

[Sixty8panther]

Im going to look at a cavy today with a 5 speed for 995. i dont want to spend more than 1500 for it.

Asking $995? Tell you what... offer him $1700 but do not give him any more than $1300.

Or did you mean spend after a few repairs etc... ?

[ocnblu]

My mom bought a new '88 Beretta GT 5 speed, and she had excellent luck with it for the 104k miles she had it.

And for the record... the peeling paint issue was not GM's problem. Other carmakers had the same problem with certain colors. That was an issue with the paint companies trying to comply with EPA rules on primer/paint fume emissions at the plants. The "compliant" primer did not hold up to UV rays and broke down under the color/clear layers over top, diminishing adhesion and causing the peeling. This problem affected only certain colors, and if you notice, only the top surfaces peeled... directly in line with solar rays. Ford and Chrysler, and I imagine, the transplants at the time also had the problem.

I know for a fact that GM stood behind this problem far longer than other manufacturers. We repainted a lot of cars at my job in Maryland. Of course, the problem has long since been fixed.

[Cory Wolfe]

O yeah I was going to make a thread about that. But ill just hijack this thread to tell BV somthing.

I got to drive a 240sx 6 cylinder dont know the year and really was not all that impressed. The only thing i liked on it was its handling. That engine sounds like you are beating on it when your doing a couple of redline shifts. the gear box felt loose and had long throws for a "sports coupe." I've been in Chevettes with better shifters. The clutch was firm and reassuring though. I did mange to get a 20 ft tire thread mark out of it but since a Malibu maxx SS can do one im not that impressed again. Styling although not my type is rather soulless, bland, and jagged japanness. The engine has decent power. Its hard to get it to oversteer. But Under steer is almost non-existant. Interior was not great and un supportive. I would of felt more planted to my seat  in a two person lap belt bench then in this thing my ass kept hiting the door or the console thing. bumpy ride but it is a sprots car. it did have 50,000 miles on it and already hads its crankshaft replaced and the heads. Raditor rotted through too. so im not sure on relieabilty. For sale $3500.

Its ok but I have had more fun in a SC GA GT then this.

Im going to look at a cavy today with a 5 speed for 995. i dont want to spend more than 1500 for it.

Smart one... there's no such thing as a 6 cylinder 240SX. Why do you think they named it that? It had a 2.4L 4 cylinder. So... either you were being BSed and believed it or someone swapped a different engine in it, in which case, I can't speak for any of your complaints as they would be irrelevant to 100% 240SXs.

[capriceman]

Check the edit now BV as for I dont edit my post till i reread them hours later. I know they have 4's I was talking to my buddy about a 6 clyinder lumina when i was writing that. I have also been a passenger in a turboed 4 clinder 240, They just waste an extra 20 cents at the gas pump. for what felt like an extra 20 horses.

68 what i ment was i dont want to spend more than $1500 for my next car. since im saving for the new "Impala".

Back when GM gave employees a raffle to give there workers a new model for the day my dad got what are they called Z24 beretta with a 5 speed and the 3.1 i think. And that was a blast it was quick and handled awesome and I loved the thing. That day was the first day i have ever seen my dad do some redline driving and some serious clutch poping.

[04monteintimidator]

berettas were z26... fit right in bewteen the cav z24 an the camaro z28... similar to DCX an the srt-4,8,10 thing

[capriceman]

thanks.

I no people dont think im a car guy i never get the numbers or rember the powertrains. but I can take one engine apart and fixit like i was certified to only that engine. Any engine any transmission any thing. Just I cant explain how i do it. But thats why im a good mechanic. Book smart cant get you as far as common sense and know how smart can. One can go to college and learn every thing there is to know about lets say valves he can look at it know what type and who makes it and when it was invented but he needs a manual to fix it. while a guy who never went to college can fix it with out even knowing what it is.

Im really sorry about taking your thread 68.

[04monteintimidator]

nah man its alright... i have a problem remembering that kind of stuff sometimes too... i just know about berettas because i came close to actually owning a 90 GTZ... and durin that whole period of my parents contemplating i did a little research on the car...

[Sixty8panther]

BV: My Datsun has a nissan 240Z derrived inline six....

and that's 2.4 liters too! But you already knew that. :wink:

[Cory Wolfe]

Check the edit now BV as for I dont edit my post till i reread them hours later. I know they have 4's I was talking to my buddy about a 6 clyinder lumina when i was writing that. I have also been a passenger in a turboed 4 clinder 240, They just waste an extra 20 cents at the gas pump. for what felt like an extra 20 horses.

Alrighty then...

O yeah I was going to make a thread about that. But ill just hijack this thread to tell BV somthing.

I got to drive a 240sx *4* cylinder dont know the year and really was not all that impressed. The only thing i liked on it was its handling. That engine sounds like you are beating on it when your doing a couple of redline shifts. It's only 140hp or so 4cyl... the gear box felt loose and had long throws for a "sports coupe." Not a sports coupe, a compact coupe like my GA, just RWD instead of FWD. The JDM Silvia with SR20DET is a sports coupe. I've been in Chevettes with better shifters. The clutch was firm and reassuring though. I did mange to get a 20 ft tire thread mark out of it but since a Malibu maxx SS can do one im not that impressed again. And it has 100 more horsepower, too. Styling although not my type is rather soulless, bland, and jagged japanness. The engine has decent power. Its hard to get it to oversteer. But Under steer is almost non-existant. Interior was not great and un supportive. I would of felt more planted to my seat  in a two person lap belt bench then in this thing my ass kept hiting the door or the console thing. bumpy ride but it is a sprots car. it did have 50,000 miles on it and already hads its crankshaft replaced and the heads. Raditor rotted through too. so im not sure on relieabilty. Owners tend to beat on them, but for only 50k, it sounds like a lemon. Most 240s have upwards of 150k without all that. For sale $3500.

Its ok but I have had more fun in a SC GA GT then this.

Alrighty then... I responded, fully. And an SC GAGT does not exist in production spec. That and it's FWD and doesn't have a manual. Don't diss 240SX or I'll to run your ass over with my 2wd ATV.