2005 Chevrolet Cobalt LT 2.0

Summary:

Am I going to get from point A to point B?

Faults:

Plastic mud flaps literally fell off of the car in a 70 zone, second day of ownership, after I talked about how awesome my car was for about a half hour straight. Embarrassing.

Struts.

Cracked hubcap.

T/C light.

On the highway, after driving through a puddle on a dirt road that 20 other cars went through, my car accelerated 0-60 in about 5 minutes (1992 Honda Civic Hatchback survived this? Come on, that thing is half as high up off the ground as my car).

Check airbag light randomly came on.

Check engine light came on.

My heated seat stopped working.

Car battery died (automatic headlights stay on about 5 minutes after the car is shut off).

Car battery died 5 other times before I got rid of it.

General Comments:

Be really careful with this car, the guy I bought it from polished it right up so I couldn't notice all of the secret problems that it had. I understand that the rule is buyer beware, but this car looked perfectly fine, even to a mechanic.

This car had really awkward handling; it didn't feel like a car. Shoulder checking to your left (steering wheel on the left hand side) is an absolute pain, so I bought a globe mirror for my side view mirror. The heated seats worked amazingly (my passenger in the front seat loved it), and mine came with a stock Pioneer stereo, which blasted really loud music; loved it.

Driving it when it is in perfect working order, amazing, and then it just all fell apart. The mudflap legit fell off of the car, which is attached to like the whole body of the car, very poorly designed.

The back end of the car jumped up and down like a hyper kid every time I hit even the smallest bump in the road.

The front right side of it felt like plastic was like slowly breaking every time I hit a bump.

Check engine light and check airbag light came on a day apart.

Not even a week later, my heated seat stopped working, and then my car battery died the following week. If you look at everything that went wrong with this car above, you will know that that within a 2 week period, it will kill your wallet (2000 dollars worth of repairs to be exact, fixing car computers costs a lot), so I did exactly what the person who sold it to me did. Polished her up, made her look pretty and threw her up for sale.

Now, this car wasn't HORRIBLE, when it worked, but on the highway it was as silent as a bullet and passed cars like it was nobody's business. The stereo control on the steering wheel made me extremely comfy in the car on the highway, and the cruise control worked perfectly fine. Loved it, then last couple weeks of ownership, got really angry every time I just about got in a car accident, but didn't write it off.

Now, my friend owned a 2008 Cobalt base model, and that thing is awesome, solid, and a good car. I trusted it very much, so if you are still considering a Cobalt, buy a newer model. The 2005 was the test, and the 2008 is the improvement. I'll say it again, stay away from the 2005 model.

After owning this and a 1995 Chevrolet Beretta, I don't think I'll ever be able to let myself buy another Chevrolet. They have an eternal taint on me, and I felt way more safe in my 1985 BMW 535i that got written off for rust issues. I don't think that I'll ever be able to go back to an American made car ever again, unless of course it's old school.

I said it once, I'll say it again, buyer beware.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 29th September, 2010

1st Oct 2010, 12:59

Once again, someone buys a high mileage car and slams it for nickel and dime repairs. Do you have any history of this car before you owned it? 108K miles is a lot for a car that is less than taken care of. The 2008 that you commented on as being so good, well that car isn't much different than the one you had. The biggest difference is in the way it was treated. Sounds like you got really hung up on a good stereo and failed to notice other obvious signs this wasn't the car for you... like the awkward driving position and the need for blind spot mirrors.

Next time, leave the stereo off and test drive the car thoroughly. You will save lots of money, and actually enjoy the car you buy.

2005 Chevrolet Cobalt Sedan

Summary:

This car is overpriced, unreliable plastic

Faults:

57600 miles and the motor is burning oil severely, with no visible leaks anywhere inside the motor or underneath, and it isn't smoking.

Tires wear unevenly or oddly.

Brake pads constantly crack.

There is a power steering recall that could include the whole system, and my steering column does shake a lot. Speed doesn't matter; it shakes at all speeds.

Driver's door lock snapped off.

CD player randomly won't work, and gets hot.

Knob for air/heat quit working.

Air conditioner leaks water on the floor boards, fixed once and still leaks.

Trunk opening too narrow.

The worst is the defective motor, I have all my maintenance receipts and my warranty just went out, so I am stuck with 12 payments and no running car. The dealership is taking no responsibility for this defective car.

General Comments:

This car does corner well and the paint job still looks new after washing.

Do not buy this car if you want something reliable.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 1st July, 2010

1st Jul 2010, 11:06

I had a similar issue with a GM product, a '95 Chevy Lumina. At around 40,000 miles, my engine died with a loud bang driving down the highway. I pulled over and found a large hole in the oil pan. The connecting rod failed and went right through it. Like you, I also took care of my car, and had all the service records. That was the last GM product I ever owned and it's going to stay that way.

5th Sep 2010, 17:01

My is a Cobalt 2005 LS sedan with 75240 miles on it, and it runs real good, no mechanical problems yet, already changed the power steering from the recall, change sparks plugs at 70,000 miles and change the MAF sensor after engine light went on, regular check up and oil changes, rotate tires at 5,000 miles. I don't know why people say that this car is a junk; mine runs good for the mileage it has for now...