Register
Events
Popular
More
Post #1
Hey Facepunch,
I recently wrecked my 02 Chrysler Sebring (hit a deer, destroyed the radiator, I just junked it for $300 cash) and I'm looking for a replacement. I've narrowed it down to two cars: a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LT Sedan or a 2008 Kia Forte LX Sedan.
The Cobalt has a 2.2L 4 cylinder, and I was told it got around 35 hwy mpg, but the local Chevy dealer only expects 31 at best. It's the automatic transmission, and it has just under 35k miles on it. It has a sport cosmetics package that includes a rear spoiler and sporty looking white gauge faces. The car is coming with a 3 month subscription to XM radio, and the rest of the 5 year power-train warranty is getting carried over. The seller wants just over $10k for it. he's throwing in a GM certified inspection and detailing procedure (He runs a rental shop that's affiliated with Chevy).
The Kia Forte (also being bought from a rental service) has a 2L (I believe) 4 cylinder, and has about 50k miles on it. It has this awesome funky brick red interior that I fell in love with. The car has very plainly been smoked it, but the seller is offering to ionize the air and shampoo the upholstery, but I doubt that will remove the cigarette smell. The seller wants about $14k for it, but is offering a lower interest rate (2% compared to 9% at the other place, I filed for bankruptcy a while back, but it's about to roll off).
So Facepunch, what one should I get? I love the Kia just for it's styling. The interior is pretty awesome, and it has much more space in back than the Cobalt, but I'm iffy about the price. The Cobalt feels much more responsive, also, and I'd be saving money. Opinions?
-
-
Honestly, the smokey smell will go away after being ionized, cleaned, and driven with the windows down for a bit. If it remotely comes back, just Febreeze bomb it with the auto Febreeze.
That said, I'd go for the Kia Forte. Everyone I know with a GM has horrible luck with almost every component of the car.
-
The Cobalt is discontinued so...get the Kia.
-
Kia Forte.
-
You're posting on Facepunch, you know nearly every single person is going to suggest anything that is not made by an American company, no matter the condition, price, or quality.
Either way, get the Forte. Cobalt still uses rear drum brakes. Ewww.
-
Ahh, thanks for all the response!
Though you all suggest the Kia, I am still leaning heavily on the Cobalt. Everything about it felt so tight, it reminded me of a little Mini Cooper. The price is also lower, which is a real selling point since it's newer, has less miles, and I'm strapped for cash.
The response from you guys definitely changed my view a little bit, though. I've always been a Chevy fan, as I had a truck that I ran into the ground that had nearly 400k miles on it and only ever needed a new fuel pump. If you all say that the Kia, despite being priced higher and being older by a year would be the right buy, I'll definitely consider it more now.
Thanks you guys!
Edited:
Also, I didn't know that Facepunch had a reputation of favoring imports.
-
Yeah generally everyone here likes imports unless it's a Rustang or a Camaro/etc.
*shrug* I don't mind either way. Although I haaaaaaaaate Kia, the Cobalt was and will always be shit. The SS model was alright, but ugh. I'd rather drive something I hate than something I think is a hateful excuse for a car. At least the Kia looks alright.
-
I actually really like the Cobalt. The model in question is black, and it seems to handle really well (it rides similar to the 2010 VW Jetta I'm renting through to Wednesday, but the seats in the Cobalt are actually more comfortable). I just really like the Cobalt, but the Forte was pretty nice, too, just the car was not nearly as tight and responsive as the Cobalt.
-
Don't. Get. a. Chevy.
The only Chevy I'd touch with a 10 foot pole is the Cruze, it's European in nature.
-
Forte.
The Cobalt is mechanically and visually worse in every way except for the slight increase in liters on the engine.
It's even less safe.
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/ratingsbyseries.aspx?id=527
Plus it's the successor to the Cavalier, and no, you won't be saving money when you have to keep repairing the car.
-
You could get a cobalt SS for those prices.
I think it's gayer than a civic but hell, bolt-ons will get you into the 13's. damn good for a fail wheel drive econobox
-
neither get a civic
-
That wasn't an option, at all. I need a 4 door and the only offerings in my price range are coupes.
Well, I think I'm going to go with the Cobalt. I just like it, it's fun to drive, I like the styling, and the extended warranty should back me up for another 3 years. The seller is promising 35 mpg, and there's no reason to doubt him, as he's been very helpful with this whole fairly stressful process.
Besides, who ever takes Facepunch's advice?
-
Dude, you're so confident
-
How so?
I love how the car performs, the dealer that my loan officer directed me to in the first place seems honest enough, and told me that he hasn't had trouble with the cars, and I've never had problems with Chevy, even when something breaks down. When that happens (like a new fuel pump on an 89 1500 ex. cab), I just take it to a GM shop and they get it all fixed back up, and it's usually pretty inexpensive, though that really depends on what is being fixed/ replaced.
-
So everyone recommends one and you go ahead and pick the other..... Ok then.
-
I'm not just polling Facepunch; I have people in the real world (like my loan officer) who are also giving me advice, I just thought I'd ask here to see what real people think, it told me a lot. I'm not gonna lie, I'm not very financially well off. The Kia would be an extra 200 some dollars/month payments, which is going to be quite a strain on me for the next several months, which I can't do.
-
Forte by a long shot, the cobalt is old and tired by this point
Edited:
You could have had a brand spanking new car with new tech instead of a glazed over Cavalier for the cost of a few meals over the course of a month but ok
At this price actually you could have managed with a slightly older Honda or something, at least it would be fun to drive and mechanically sound
-
Hell, get a Subaru Forester X.
-
The only Civic in your price range is a Coupe? The hell are you talking about?
Coupes and Sedans cost near the same in the same trim package, generally the sedan in any trim package is $200 or so more than the coupe in the same trim package, this is new anyways. You can't afford $200 more on a 10k+ ride? What?
And used, the prices don't variate that much. Generally a coupe or sedan in the same trim are near equal in price.
If you get the cobalt I hope you wreck and die.
No offence, it's just that, between two piles of shit you're going for the one that smells better. In essence it's still a pile of shit. Get something that isn't an outdated platform with minor updates. Get something that people won't see and think, "Wow that is one douchey car. I bet some teenager drives it."
Get something respectable. A Cobalt is just going to get you shit on by anyone who really knows anything about cars. They're garbage. Always were and always will be.
-
my sister used to have a cobalt ls or lt or something and it didn't get 35mpg
it got like 25 or so
didn't keep it for long so i can't say anything about reliability
-
Do Kia do the 7 year/100,000miles warranty like the UK?
-
10 year, 100,000 miles here in the US.
But really man. If you buy the Cobalt you are just throwing your money into a repair hole. It's going to be constantly in the shop, why do you think they discontinued it? Slow sales because it sucked. And for some reason every car at the lot is mechanically sound, but right off the lot it fucks up. Happened to a Galant that we purchased, then we carfaxed it AFTER we got home. It's actually been totaled and had frame repair 8 times...
I mean, the Forte did great on the Frontal Offset, which is a pretty hard test for a car to pass.
Also, this may be helpful. If you insist on getting the shit Cobalt, I'll let you know now that it's a horrible mistake.
http://www.thecarconnection.com/car-...kia_forte_2010
-
brobalt ss
forte is gay
-
I have a cobalt ltz and it's really great, I got it for 8k though. 57000 miles and not a single problem.
-
Nissan Versa
-
ask blackXmesa66 how he likes his cobalt which apparentlly sounds like a corvette
-
-
We'll see. I have trouble trusting Facepunch here when I have people in the real world giving me other advice, an I'm not talking about the dealer.
-
car enthusiasts vs whatever the fuck a loan officer is
good choice m8
-
Fixed.
-
i googled "loan officer", saw something about "paid by commision", laughed my ass off.
-
i wouldnt be too sure about the reliability of the cobalt, but why would you think about buying a kia? there are so many other card in that price range that are better.
-
the cobalt looks like shit while the forte actually looks decent and might be able to one day actually assist you in getting some pussy
well chosen op
-
i wouldnt ask you guys about a car though
i mean id list like 4 pickup trucks and an SUV and all you would say is "GET JDM GET JDM ;_;"
Edited:
just sayin
Edited:
inb4 rage war :ohdear:
-
Because the decision doesn't matter to him. He gets more money in the long run, he just lists a car so he gets paid.
-
why the fuck did you make the thread thenBesides, who ever takes Facepunch's advice?
-
Agreed, why are you wasting other peoples time if you don't even care what they say?
-
I have a 2008 Cobalt and there is nothing terribly wrong with it. The only complaint I have is that the gas mileage sucks. I am only getting around 22 highway.
Besides that, it drives and handles pretty well.
-
list 4 pickupsi wouldnt ask you guys about a car though
i mean id list like 4 pickup trucks and an SUV and all you would say is "GET JDM GET JDM ;_;"
Edited:
just sayin
Edited:
inb4 rage war :ohdear:
i like pickups
except chevrolet trucks, i find them kind of boring
Disagree x 4
Agree x 2
Dumb x 1
Funny x 1
Winner x 1
