01-14-2007, 06:44 PM
Ok, so Scotty got a Focus (and a PT) when his Exploder, well, exploded.
I was sent to Georgia for work, and I had to rent a car as well. The last car I rented was a Taurus, and it really wasn't worth even talking about. I would just as soon forget I ever even drove such an abomination. It was horrid. A travesty to car lovers everywhere. It may very well be the car that saved Ford in the 90's, but it sucks out loud today. It was really, really bad.
So, as I approached the Alamo booth...I did so with trepidation. Would I be saddled with another Taurus? Or could another rental car possibly be worse than a Taurus?
I had reserved a "SubCompact - Chevy Aveo or similar" which is what I'd reserved last time. The clerk looked at me and said "Two Door or Four Door" and I winced. "Two Door," I muttered, ready to resign myself to my slow korean deathtrap.
I got this, instead:
![[Image: yellow.car.jpg]](http://www.fuelpowered.com/UserFiles/Image/FP_2005_December/yellow.car.jpg)
Ok, it's not an SS, and it doesn't have the HUGE wing on the back. But it is bright-ass Arrest-Me Yellow Cobalt LT Coupe.
And for a rental car, it's awesome. For a "every day" car, it's...mediocre. I'll start with my approach to the car.
"Stall 32C, here are your keys." I look to my right, a line of 300C's and Monte Carlos, HHR's, Crossfire Convertibles and other rental piles. I press the unlock button and see the red taillights flash, outlined in Rally Yellow. I approach, press the trunk latch button, and open the trunk. Enter my first complaint.
The trunk is small at best, but that's not my beef. I mean, it's a small car, right? Of course the trunkspace would pale in comparison to my Focus, but what really got my gizzard was the trunk opening. You ever put batteries in a remote control, where you have to kind of insert the first battery and then sliiiiiiiide it down to make room for the second? That's how I felt putting my 30" duffel bag into the miniscule trunk opening of the Cobalt. Once I got it in there, though, it seemed like there was plenty of room for anything else I'd want to put in there. Just don't expect to carry golf clubs in the trunk. No effin way you'd get them in there. I mean seriously, it's a joke:
![[Image: Trunk.jpg]](http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/ChevyCobalt/Images/Trunk.jpg)
But, my shit's in the trunk, and I get in. I am greeted by a solid door thunk, something that used to signify quality, but now I just think that manufacturers are more familiar with appearances of quality. The seat was comfortable and supportive, but if you're much fatter than me, you might want to steer clear of the Cobalt. (Of course, if you're too much fatter than me, maybe you should consider a 1979 Fleetwood?) The audio controls were a little weird. There's a BIG button with a "power" symbol, that' turns it on. Easy. But how do I turn it up? There's another button with a "Music Note" picture, I feel around, and sure enough, it's really a knob! So I turn it...and nothing happens. Turns out, THAT is the tuning knob, and the volume knob is actually the trim surrounding the "power" button. Whatever.
Now, my rental car was a slushbox autotragic, with no kind of "SportShift" mode. Just "PRND". (Also I and L. I have no idea what "I" is, L is low, I guess.) I get to merging on I-95 (headed North) and stomp the loud pedal. It was torque steer, tire burning, engine revving mayhem. Frankly, I was impressed by the engine.
![[Image: 31454409-2-300-DT2.gif]](http://reviews.cnet.com/sc/31454409-2-300-DT2.gif)
It may not be much to look at, but that 2.2 Liter Ecotec four is nothing to shake a stick at, at least from a rental car perspective. No car handles like a rental car, and this one used every one of it's 145 horses (and 155 lbs of torque) to haul my ass to 75 in a hurry, especially compared to my 136 hp 2.0 Duratec Focus. And it's good it hauls ass forward, because don't expect to see anything behind you:
![[Image: 2005_Chevrolet_Cobalt_SS_rear.JPG]](http://images.automotive.com/cob/factory_automotive/images/Features/auto_shows/2005_IEAS/2005_Chevrolet_Cobalt_SS_rear.JPG)
My wing isn't that big, but it's still pretty effin big, and that doesn't even take into account the tiny rear window, and even tiny-er 3/4 windows. Seriously, if you ever drive a Cobalt, make sure you position your mirrors correctly, or you're not going to be able to see SHIT.
My final complaint with the car. The cruise control. It was fairly good. Once I got to speed, I hit the "set" button and it stays there without drama. But if you want to accelerate, using the "plus" button, well, it'll do it. Unless you ask TOO much of it. Then the transmission says "ZOMG!" and revs to like, 4500 RPM's @ 75mph. Which is annoying. But forgivable.
All in All, I think this would be a really fun car with a manual transmission. The torque is on tap from very early, it handles fairly well for such a cheap car, and if you dont' carry much shit in the trunk (and know how to position your mirrors well) it would be fairly livable. Compared to a Focus sedan, I'd probably choose the Cobalt. BUT, the Focus offers the hatchback, isn't much slower, and has alot more cargo room, and (IMHO) looks better. It's too bad Ford decided to not offer the 2.3 in the ZX3 hatch.
But, as a rental car...I know what I'll bring to the next Auto-X!
I was sent to Georgia for work, and I had to rent a car as well. The last car I rented was a Taurus, and it really wasn't worth even talking about. I would just as soon forget I ever even drove such an abomination. It was horrid. A travesty to car lovers everywhere. It may very well be the car that saved Ford in the 90's, but it sucks out loud today. It was really, really bad.
So, as I approached the Alamo booth...I did so with trepidation. Would I be saddled with another Taurus? Or could another rental car possibly be worse than a Taurus?
I had reserved a "SubCompact - Chevy Aveo or similar" which is what I'd reserved last time. The clerk looked at me and said "Two Door or Four Door" and I winced. "Two Door," I muttered, ready to resign myself to my slow korean deathtrap.
I got this, instead:
Ok, it's not an SS, and it doesn't have the HUGE wing on the back. But it is bright-ass Arrest-Me Yellow Cobalt LT Coupe.
And for a rental car, it's awesome. For a "every day" car, it's...mediocre. I'll start with my approach to the car.
"Stall 32C, here are your keys." I look to my right, a line of 300C's and Monte Carlos, HHR's, Crossfire Convertibles and other rental piles. I press the unlock button and see the red taillights flash, outlined in Rally Yellow. I approach, press the trunk latch button, and open the trunk. Enter my first complaint.
The trunk is small at best, but that's not my beef. I mean, it's a small car, right? Of course the trunkspace would pale in comparison to my Focus, but what really got my gizzard was the trunk opening. You ever put batteries in a remote control, where you have to kind of insert the first battery and then sliiiiiiiide it down to make room for the second? That's how I felt putting my 30" duffel bag into the miniscule trunk opening of the Cobalt. Once I got it in there, though, it seemed like there was plenty of room for anything else I'd want to put in there. Just don't expect to carry golf clubs in the trunk. No effin way you'd get them in there. I mean seriously, it's a joke:
But, my shit's in the trunk, and I get in. I am greeted by a solid door thunk, something that used to signify quality, but now I just think that manufacturers are more familiar with appearances of quality. The seat was comfortable and supportive, but if you're much fatter than me, you might want to steer clear of the Cobalt. (Of course, if you're too much fatter than me, maybe you should consider a 1979 Fleetwood?) The audio controls were a little weird. There's a BIG button with a "power" symbol, that' turns it on. Easy. But how do I turn it up? There's another button with a "Music Note" picture, I feel around, and sure enough, it's really a knob! So I turn it...and nothing happens. Turns out, THAT is the tuning knob, and the volume knob is actually the trim surrounding the "power" button. Whatever.
Now, my rental car was a slushbox autotragic, with no kind of "SportShift" mode. Just "PRND". (Also I and L. I have no idea what "I" is, L is low, I guess.) I get to merging on I-95 (headed North) and stomp the loud pedal. It was torque steer, tire burning, engine revving mayhem. Frankly, I was impressed by the engine.
It may not be much to look at, but that 2.2 Liter Ecotec four is nothing to shake a stick at, at least from a rental car perspective. No car handles like a rental car, and this one used every one of it's 145 horses (and 155 lbs of torque) to haul my ass to 75 in a hurry, especially compared to my 136 hp 2.0 Duratec Focus. And it's good it hauls ass forward, because don't expect to see anything behind you:
My wing isn't that big, but it's still pretty effin big, and that doesn't even take into account the tiny rear window, and even tiny-er 3/4 windows. Seriously, if you ever drive a Cobalt, make sure you position your mirrors correctly, or you're not going to be able to see SHIT.
My final complaint with the car. The cruise control. It was fairly good. Once I got to speed, I hit the "set" button and it stays there without drama. But if you want to accelerate, using the "plus" button, well, it'll do it. Unless you ask TOO much of it. Then the transmission says "ZOMG!" and revs to like, 4500 RPM's @ 75mph. Which is annoying. But forgivable.
All in All, I think this would be a really fun car with a manual transmission. The torque is on tap from very early, it handles fairly well for such a cheap car, and if you dont' carry much shit in the trunk (and know how to position your mirrors well) it would be fairly livable. Compared to a Focus sedan, I'd probably choose the Cobalt. BUT, the Focus offers the hatchback, isn't much slower, and has alot more cargo room, and (IMHO) looks better. It's too bad Ford decided to not offer the 2.3 in the ZX3 hatch.
But, as a rental car...I know what I'll bring to the next Auto-X!
1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442
![[Image: 372878087_6d4afc0820.jpg]](http://farm1.static.flickr.com/145/372878087_6d4afc0820.jpg)
![[Image: RentalCar.jpg]](http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g271/MMRex/RentalCar.jpg)