2008 Chevrolet Cobalt LT 2.2 Litre Ecotec

Summary:

Great car with low cost of ownership

Faults:

Signal light relay malfunctioned.

Sunroof malfunctioned.

Thermostat malfunctioned.

TPS sensor malfunctioned.

General Comments:

I purchased this car as a way to get to and from work - I wanted something that would be cheap to maintain and operate. So far, this car has exceeded my expectations.

I drive 40 km each way to work in a mix of city and highway driving. The car handles well and has plenty of acceleration on the highway. It might not be the fastest thing on the road, but I've never had a problem passing another car when I needed to. The interior is reasonably quiet, and has plenty of room (I'm 6'3"), while the exterior is small enough to keep it maneuverable and easy to park. I generally use the vehicle for commuting, but it has comfortably fit 4 adults (and all of their luggage) on longer road trips.

Gas mileage is decent(7-8L/100km), and if you drive carefully, it can be excellent (5L/100KM).

The vehicle has been very reliable so far, despite my casual approach to maintenance. I do not wash the car often, yet the paint is still in great shape and there is little to no rust. The car is simple to repair if you want to take a DIY approach (in fact if you wanted to learn how to fix cars, I'd suggest this is a great vehicle to use for that purpose). Parts are plentiful and cheap when you need them. Mechanically very little has gone wrong, and what has gone wrong has been straightforward to repair. Generally, the only things I've replaced have been high-wear parts (brake pads, tires, oil changes, spark plugs, wipers, etc...).

If you're looking for economical transportation, this car is a good option.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 4th March, 2020

2008 Chevrolet Cobalt 2.2

Summary:

Cheap, low budget car. Wish I hadn't bought it

Faults:

Numerous front bushings replaced.

Rotors replaced 3 times.

Electric steering motor failed.

Engine light on randomly.

Random no start; turns over but won't start.

Both front speakers don't work.

Radio reception is crap.

Transmission lines replaced due to major leak, $300.

General Comments:

Overall, a very cheaply made car. All hard plastic, light grey color seats and cheap carpet. They stain if you look at them.

It gets 32 MPG on the highway. GM claims 52. That's straight flat highway doing 110km/h.

The brakes are awful. The front rotors warp every 6 months. The rears squeal, and have to be cleaned and deglazed all the time.

For whatever reason, it goes thru wiper blades every month. From cheap $6 blades from Canadian Tire, to $20 blades from the GM parts department, they all go hard, chatter and smear on the window.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 2nd September, 2013

5th Sep 2013, 16:37

That's pretty much normal wear and tear. Vehicles don't last 250K without problems any more. They're too complex.

Slamming on the brakes will wear out the rotors.

The radio reception may suffer if the antenna clipped a tree or shrub backing out of a driveway.

Are you putting glass cleaner on the wiper blades? That'll corrode the rubber and make them all sticky and greasy like you're talking about.

All around a pretty good truck I'd say.

7th Sep 2013, 19:05

When, exactly, did vehicles ever "last 250K without problems"?

Because I'll buy one ASAP.

10th Sep 2013, 02:03

Actually many American cars will last 250,000 miles without problems. I sold my 1990 Dodge at 240,000 plus miles in perfect running condition. The new owner drove it to over 300,000. While I owned it, it had only two brake jobs, two timing belts and one hose replaced. It never had shocks replaced or an alignment. The A/C was never serviced and worked perfectly. This has been typical of every Ford, GM or Chrysler vehicle we have ever owned.

2008 Chevrolet Cobalt LS 2.2

Summary:

Reliable little gas saver from GM

Faults:

At just under 55,000 miles, it developed a small gas leak where one of the lines meets the gas tank. Was not very hard to fix.

General Comments:

I have been overall very pleased with my Cobalt. I bought it in early Feb. of 2011 with 14,000 miles on it. I have put an additional 41,000 since then, and have not had any major issues with the car.

It is not the most powerful car, but it can get up and go when you need it. It gets good gas mileage, has decent room for a small car, and has been very reliable.

Like most cars, if you take care of it properly and do regular maintenance, it will take care of you.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 4th November, 2012