Time to leave the dark side?

[Pencil.Fight]

Wow, thank you all for the suggestions. I've researched and priced out all of your suggestions and have decided Chevy is my best bet. The Malibu does indeed look like a nice car, but the price puts it out of the running. If I want that Camaro, the last thing I need is to have my expenses increase!

Basically I'm between the Cobalt and the Aveo. The Aveo I priced was about $650 cheaper and gets a little bit better gas milage (34 HWY to the Cobalt's 33), but if the Cobalt's as superior as it sounds like I may have to just look that way.

As I said before, I haven't decided on getting rid of the Corolla yet, I'm just researching my options so I can make the best choice. If I can trade it in for a Chevy and actually save money, I would be sold.

I know in an earlier thread we were talking about dealer costs VS MSRP, does anyone know where I could find this information in regards to the Cobalt and Aveo? Dragon, I know you're planning on grabbing a Cobalt pretty soon, what research have you done? If you don't mind sharing....

[Mr. Wyndham]

Of course not. I'll do anything to "save" the lost souls of the car world.

I've been to edmunds.com, automotive.com, kelly blue book, (kbb.com), uh..auto.consumerguide...and to 2 dealers.

So far it looks like, with a 400-100 dollar trade in, and whatever incentives they're throwing in, I'm getting an '08 Cobalt, with side curtain airbags, and a spoiler(ooh) for 12k....not bad, at all. IMHO.

I probably would have leaned more towards the Aveo, cause the inside looks a little better than the Cobalt's. But on the test drive, my right knee kept hitting the center console, cause it kind of sweeps up from the ground...and I'm a reletively tall guy (6'). The Cobalt is a little bigger, but the big deal was, the center console connects at a more 90 deg. angle, rather than a sweep. So my knees have plenty of room. AND if you read a report that says the cobalt has generous room to slide your seat back, they're not kidding - with the previous story in mind, I can slide the seat back all the way (not leaving the rear passenger any room). and now I can't touch the pedals! :eek:.

The seats are probably the most comfortable seats I've ever been in, they feel firm at first, almost too firm, but then you realize, it's not stiffening your back as much as it's supporting it, I love the seats.

The shifter is comfy, and the tranny(auto) is smooth all the way up to redline (reccomend not trying that on a T.D. ). The engine is peppy. Not a beast, but this little 2750 lb. car goes, and goes fast! Cornering is great, just be careful, it takes the corners too good. I almost broke (not crashed, we don't say crash) the 24-hour test cobalt....don't ask. THEY say 0-60 in 9 seconds...I say it's quicker, .

Everything is cleanly put together (body seams, and fit inside), road/engine noise is very limited at highway speeds (Dragoneye terms = 80). You can easily hold a conversation without raising your voice. The cabin is roomy (sedan; coupe, not so much) for a car of that size. The rear seats, 20/40 fold down, via two "switches" in the trunk. The trunk is HUGE, as I said before. But the opening is "small". I'd say it's reasonable - but I can see why it's small to some.

And fuel economy rocks. During the 24-hour test, I floored it plenty of times, and I still averaged (according to the car <DIC>) about 27mpg...A 13 gallon tank, and at 45 mph...you're only revving at 1500 :eek:, at 70, your only turning 2000!

Well, now my fingers hurt BUT, I love this car!!! (of course, I'll love the Camaro more)

[Eisenhower]

I just bought a Nissan Altima, gets really good mileage and has plenty of giddy-up. This is the car that my kids get in, eat McDonalds and throw little pickles at each other in.

Just wondering, why are you considering trading it in anyway? Seems that you have a late model vehicle and it runs-- Why not just hold on to it and use it as a second car so you don't rack the miles up on your Camaro?

[Pencil.Fight]

Dragon: Yeah, I'd have to check out both of them. I'm a little under 6', so I might fit more comfortably in the Aveo.

With the Consumer rebates ($1750 for the cobalt and $1000 for the Aveo), both cars are right around the same price now. I'm not sure how much I could get for my Toyota as a trade compared to what i still owe on it, but that brings me to Eisenhower's question.

Eisenhower: I know it's a late model car with relatively few miles on it, but I just don't like the car. The truth is, the only reason I didn't get an American car when I bought this one is that I had heard all around that American made cars couldn't stand up to Toyotas or Hondas. Now I find out that that's no longer true. I'd like to trade in for a less expensive Chevy so I can save that much more each month towards my Camaro and paying off my student loans.

I'll go in and talk to a dealer or two this weekend, and if it doesn't prove to be financially logical to make the trade, I'll keep the Corolla for a few more years.

[Mr. Wyndham]

I'm happy you've "seen the light"...but, in all seriousness, don't go buying one car or another only because it's American or not...(I'm not saying that's what your doing, but it's obviously playing a role.) If your Corolla still runs fine... but if you really don't like it, then that's a different story and I'm talking out my a$$ ...

btw, forgot to add a little point: Corolla (according to your sig) = 126 hp.....Cobalt = 148 hp, and 152 lbs/ft of torque

[Pencil.Fight]

Yeah, it's not really about American or import. My first and favorite (still) car was a Honda. However, imports tend to be more expensive than American cars. My main factor is cost, so that's where American Vs. Imports comes in. I'm in the process of making up a cost comparison sheet to see what kind of deal I need to strongarm the dealer into in order for this to save me money. With this sheet in hand i will walk into the dealer and say "If you can give me $xxx for my trade and this car for $xxx, we've got a deal. Otherwise, I'm going to drive my Corolla home." I don't plan on spending hours negotiating this time. I'll just be looking for a yes or no. If I can get a car that I like better and at the same time save more money for my Camaro, why not?

[stovt001]

That's the best way to shop for a car anyway. Set a firm price for the car you're buying and what you expect for the trade in, and don't walk off the lot paying a dime more than that after everything is factored in, including interest, taxes, everything. Being upside down on the loan complicates things, but if you can save enough on the new car, it could possibly be worth it. Edmunds.com has some good tools to show exactly what you can expect to get a certain car with certain options for in your region, so I would go and play around with that. Good luck!

[EllwynX]

Originally Posted by Pencil.Fight

Wow, thank you all for the suggestions. I've researched and priced out all of your suggestions and have decided Chevy is my best bet. The Malibu does indeed look like a nice car, but the price puts it out of the running. If I want that Camaro, the last thing I need is to have my expenses increase!

Basically I'm between the Cobalt and the Aveo. The Aveo I priced was about $650 cheaper and gets a little bit better gas milage (34 HWY to the Cobalt's 33), but if the Cobalt's as superior as it sounds like I may have to just look that way.

As I said before, I haven't decided on getting rid of the Corolla yet, I'm just researching my options so I can make the best choice. If I can trade it in for a Chevy and actually save money, I would be sold.

I know in an earlier thread we were talking about dealer costs VS MSRP, does anyone know where I could find this information in regards to the Cobalt and Aveo? Dragon, I know you're planning on grabbing a Cobalt pretty soon, what research have you done? If you don't mind sharing....

If it's between Aveo and Cobalt with a price difference of only $650 then DEFINITELY get the Cobalt. The Aveo is going to be no more fun to drive than your Corolla. Trust me I know.. :::grumblegrumbletradedacamaroforthisthinggrumbleg rumble:::

[EllwynX]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

I probably would have leaned more towards the Aveo, cause the inside looks a little better than the Cobalt's. But on the test drive, my right knee kept hitting the center console, cause it kind of sweeps up from the ground...and I'm a reletively tall guy (6').

How different is the center console in the '08 Aveo vs. the '05 Aveo? I haven't seen them side by side.

I'm also 6' tall. And not a small guy. But my Aveo has more than enough room for me and I don't hit the console.

[Pencil.Fight]

Alright, I've finished my research. Looks like I'm leaning towards a Cobalt LT (2007 or 2008) with side-curtain airbags, ABS, and Power Locks with remote keyless entry. I haven't made any extra payments on my Toyota so I'm upside down on that a bit. I want to get out of the whole thing with a total of $15,000 (my Corolla paid off and Cobalt keys in my hand) and less than 7.99% APR.

I seriously doubt that they're going to accept my offer, but I really don't need a new car anyway. I've really got nothing to lose. I'll walk in their with my deal and give them a time limit (they'll keep you there all day if you let them!) to accept or pass.

Now I just need to check with my insurance company to see how much I would save by driving a Cobalt rather than a Corolla. If it's enough of a savings, I may be able to make my proposed deal a little less insane.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by EllwynX

How different is the center console in the '08 Aveo vs. the '05 Aveo? I haven't seen them side by side.

I'm also 6' tall. And not a small guy. But my Aveo has more than enough room for me and I don't hit the console.

To be honest, I haven't seen an '05 Aveo...But the '07/'08 just didn't feel right to me. A little too tight. I could move the seat back to alleveate the knee problem, but then I felt too far from the wheel by the time I was back far enough. The Cobalt just seemed to have more room for me, and when all you've driven is Minivans...well - It's hard to go from Truck-size room, to Aveo...


And Pencil. Honestly, that doesn't sound like a terrible offer. There's a 1750 cash back deal going on untill 10/31. No rush or anything

[Pencil.Fight]

Well, it's a good thing I started doing all this research the past couple of days. Yesterday, after work, my girlfriend's '94 Pontiac Sunbird started acting up on her again. So, unless someone can tell me why a car would suddenly stall randomly (every few months for 10-15 minutes or so) and then start back up again, it looks like we'll be getting a Cobalt or Aveo and keeping the Corolla as well.

I went to a couple of Chevy dealers last night just to ask around. I went in and said "give me a Cobalt LT with power windows/locks, ABS, and Side airbags for $210 a month for 72 months out the door." They both basically told me to stop dreaming, so I left. Can't say I didn't try though.

What I was asking for wasn't too out there in terms of cost, but that's assuming that they had a car exactly like the one I wanted on the lot, which they didn't. The only one's they had with the features I wanted also had a sunroof, a spoiler, an automatic transmission and all that extra crap that I don't need. I told 'em I would take the extras, but I wouldn't pay extra for them.

I'll talk to a few more dealers today and see if anyone else is willing to make me a deal. As long as they've got my phone number, they can always change their minds. Otherwise, after a few days, I'll reconsider my offer, or perhaps go for an Aveo.

[TAG UR IT]

I wouldn't necessarily change anything you wanted. I would go in there w/ a printout of the vehicle, trim, and options you want. Ask them if they can do a search for this vehicle. There will be one available somewhere. That'll cut all those options out. No one will give you a fully optioned vehicle for that same price. They will eventually sell it to someone else who wants it.

Have all your finances figured out before you go in there. Don't tell them all you can pay is $210 per month. They'll try to get you to finance through them, will up the term of the loan, will probably try to screw you on your trade in, and overall get you paying much more than you should.

Here's what I'd do.

1. Figure out how much the car you want costs. I'd build it on USAA.com to figure out the price of the vehicle MSRP and the cost (what the dealer pays for the car). This includes all options.

2. I'd then call around to ask who'd be interesed in selling a car to you for $200 over their cost. Someone will do it. Speak to a sales manager over the phone. Don't haggle over questions w/ a sales rep. Eventually, they have to go through their sales manager anyways. Just go directly to the source. Get a yes or no.

3. Figure out the worth of your trade in. Keep any problems quiet. That'll just lower the amount they are willing to give you. Detail your trade in. That'll up the value. Check the BB value for it first. Get an idea of what it's worth. Take what you feel it's worth from the KBB, knock off some cash and that's what they will offer. Don't expect what it says in the book. If they offer what's in the book, take it..hehehe

Now...when you take your used car in to have it checked for trade in value, remember, the value they give usually only stands for a week....or something like that. So, I'd try to get the Cobalt ordererd first. That way it can be delivered to your dealer and be on the lot when you go in to have your trade in looked at.

Do you have a financing company in mind? Call around for rates. Get a good idea of the standing APR. Then, when you go into buy your Cobat and trade in the used, make sure you tell the guys you are interested in what they can do for you on financing. Tell them you are planning on calling your bank to see if they will beat it. The dealer will usually lowball right off the bat to beat the bank's rate.

Call the bank, ask them if they can beat it. Usually they will match. Tell the dealer you are going to go w/ the bank because it's going to save you money since the payments are automatic out of your account. The dealer will want to lower just a bit more to sweeten the deal. It's your call from there. That's how I got 4.4APR on our Kia. The regular rate was 6.6APR.

You can do it at $210 per month...but what do you have as a downpayment and what kind of trade in/value do you have? Otions, etc. and that will define what your payments would be over different loan times.

[Pencil.Fight]

Yeah, I built the car on Chevy's website and brought in the printout. There is a $1750 customer rebate that's good only until the end of October, so ordering one was out of the question. One of the dealers did a search for the car and didn't find anything within 100 miles. But he did say he only found one Manual transmission ("nobody's buying manual anymore") within 100 miles, so I don't know how hard he was looking. They know what I'm looking for, and they have my phone number, so if they're going to change their minds, they can give me a call.

My trade was valued at $1,000 trade-in on Kelly Blue Book, but one dealer said he thought it looked like a $1500 car, which I readily agreed to.

That's good advice on the bank financing though. My room mate actually works at my bank, so I can just give him a call.

I think what I'll do tonight is take your advice on the phone calls. I'll call all the dealers within driving distance and first see if anyone even has the car built as I want it. Then comes the price game.

The good thing is that she doesn't actually "need" a new car, so if we can't get the deal that we want, we can just keep the Sunbird for a while longer.

EDIT: I don't see where I can build a car on USAA.com. Do you have to be a member?