If can get a Cobalt with dealer installed 250+ HP and its covered under warranty... I may just say screw waiting for a new Camaro.

 

I sat in an LT sedan about 2 weeks ago...I was completely dumbstruck that THIS is a Cavalier replacement. Leather, heated seats, Pioneer stereo, 17" alloys, moonroof, power everything for $18,700!!!!!! Unbelievable...

But no 5 SPEED?????????????? This is about the only 4 door I actually want (no LT coupes), but no stick = no sale. They already have the stick in the base and LS sedans and coupes...with the same engine, whats the problem here????

I am waiting until April or so for the base SS coupe with the 170hp 2.4 to come out. I really don't want to spend $23k on a supercharged one, but 18-19k on a sporty little 5 speed SS would be quite nice. My girlfriend really wants my GP, so by next April-May I will be out there looking for something...

A year ago I remember posting that there was not ONE new GM model I could see myself in. Now, Chevy has 3 (Equinox, Colorado and Cobalt), and Pontiac has one (G6) with 2 coming (Solstice and Torrent). Granted, I am all over the map in terms of the variances between each model, but each have distinct advantages to them, and its going to be hard to pick. Its very nice to see myself wanting GM products again...and within 7-8 months I will be a new GM buyer again.

The only problem is, I don't really lust after any of them. Great drivers (although I guess Solstice is more than a driver), but lets turn up the heat a little, guys...

 

We're still talking alot of money for an entry level car, assuming that a $3,000 rebate isn't part of the deal. For this amount of cash, you can get a brand spankin' new midsized domestic or even a new Grand Marquis. If you want to shop used, a 2004 Explorer can be had for a couple grand less. For an entry level buyer, something new and bigger - or a used SUV/truck - is the way to go....

....At least until the rebates get high enough.

 

Do you ever say anything that is not an attempt to put down the vehicle being discussed?

Maybe so, but first of all, I seriously doubt anyone shopping for a Cobalt would have ANY interest in a Grand Marquis! Secondly, ya, you might be able to get a midsize for a similar price, but it's not going to have the equipment he listed at the same price level.

Again, what makes you think a Cobalt buyer would want an SUV?! It's not even the same kind of vehicle! Plus, maybe they want a NEW car... and finally, the 2 cars you listed (Grand Marquis and Explorer) are on dinosaur platforms!!!! Might as well throw the Chevy Astro into the mix as well!!

I'm guessing about 250,000+ people per year for a long time disagree with you...

 

Called you out in this already, the Grand Marq starts at 25k msrp and has a $3500 rebate right now. Edmunds TMV on a base model car is about 22k. You're talking out your ***.

Also, I don't know any Cobalt buyers who would go out and buy a Grand Marquis instead. And this is coming from a fan of the Panther platform.

 

Maybe redzed hasn't priced out a loaded Civic, Corolla, or Jetta lately...

The Cobalt is NOT supposed to hit the exact same price points (real world, not stickers) as the Cavalier. That is the reason for the Aveo's existence. Offer something in the 9-13 range (where the Cavalier has resided for the last few years after rebates are factored in), and let the much nicer and more "premium" (for a compact) fight higher up in the price range, where it rightfully belongs against the aforementioned competitors.

 

Trust me on this one, you can get a new 2004 Grand Marquis for about $18K. I've even seen the seen the $18K figure in regional Lincoln-Mercury ads. There probably was some "loyalty cash" in the advertised figure.

I just used the Grand Marquis as an example of how much new car you can get for $18K. The fact remains that there are plenty of "entry level" cars out there that are rotten value for the money. I mean seriously, is a Civic EX worth more than an Accord DX?

 

Cobalt SS and the Solstice are the only cars from GM I'd consider buying with my own money.

Too bad, the SS isn't out yet, and the Solstice is STILL almost a year away.

By the way, redzed..... comparing Cobalt with a Grand Marquis and a SUV or Truck???

You're starting to loose it there my friend.

 

Maybe 96_Camaro_B4C hasn't priced out comparably equipped Accords, Camrys and Passats lately...

You really have to wonder why anyone would buy a Jetta 1.8T when the Passat GL is so close on price.


After all those years $9-10K Cavaliers, the Aveo seems overpriced and undersized (relatively speaking). Considering how hard VW has to push Jettas these days - not to mention how much they're losing per unit - you have to wonder about the future of "premium" compacts.

 

Great review

BTW, how do you get on that list of having dealers call YOU?? Wish I had that kinda stroke

 

@ redzed

Give it a rest man. Now we are comparing 2004 Grand M's with 2005 Cobalts. Cobalts at full MSRP and the GrM with massive discounts including loyalty discounts. Man, you have to remember, Apples to Apples or dont use it! This is more of an apple to onion kind of thing your trying to do here.

You have some other underlying contempt for GM that shows through pretty heavily.


My little brother just bought 2 loaded Jettas (one for the fiancee) and sticker was 26 each. Before that he was in a Sentra SE-R, for 19. The reason I mention this, I know what kind of buyer buys a car like this. He enjoys driving my Camaro every now and then, but wouldnt own one if it was given to him. He didnt want a Mustang, I couldnt get him to look at anythign that I concidered to be "cool." This is what he (and thousands upon thousands of others) are looking for. A decent car thats good on gas, comfortable, and isnt going to break anytime soon. He would have look at you funny had you mentioned a Grand Marque

I dont pretend to know every angle of the market by any means; but I know enough to know that I know very little. And when Cobalts outsell similarly priced Grand Marques and used explorers, maybe you'll be able to say the same.

 

I think his underlying contempt for the General resulted from the fact that they stopped making both his beloved B-Bodies and his beloved F-Bodies. For some reason he seems to deify these cars, which were not exactly noted for their class-leading refinement (well, the B-Body wasn't bad against the Crown Vic at the time, basically in a class of two). Yet anything newer and better that GM comes out with is just total junk compared to anything made by that paragon of automotive virtue, Nissan.

Oh, and I also love the F and B-Bodies, red. I've owned a '94 Caprice LT1 and still own my '96 Camaro LT1, so I'm not one to diss on either of them. I miss the rear drivers too...

 

I could not have said this better myself All of it...

Ignoring the fact we are now comparing Cobalts to Marquis' to used Explorers thanks to dear ol' Red, lets get back to the topic. I have seen more basic cloth-equipped Mazda 3's over 19k. Jetta? Discussed above. Civic EX? Ditto. Focus? About the same price, but to me does not appear to be even near the same league inside as a Cobalt. Neon? Right...Same for Lancer.

I dare say Cobalt is VERY competitively priced, and it really ticks me off Pontiac has no version!!!!!!!!!! Does anyone know when the Sunfire will FINALLY DIE?????????????

Between the continuation of the Chevy Blazer, the Sunfire, the Classic (which is dead for '05, no??) and the Grand Am GT coupe, its almost like GM loves creating its own greatest hits collection...

The problem is, none were hits in the first place...save for maybe the Grand Am.

 

The Cavalier is such a rediculous pile of crap when put next to any other competitor in the industry it's just sick.

Anyhow... this is good news for GM and I'm very interested to see it.

How was it in terms of power, road noise, etc? Also... what is the background on the motor? All new and solid?

 

Didn't know they're losing money. Any links to news sites/stories?

I actually agree with you that there can be found some amazing deals on a number of domestics, such as Crown Vic/Grand Marquis. That was one (or two) cars I was looking at recently because the discounts on them were absolutely phenomenal.

Having said that, I doubt a person looking at Econo car would consider owning a V8 gas guzzler (although I'm all for V8s).