Cobalt SS S/C

Zomby Woof wrote: But it's still ugly, still a four door and still a Mazda

Ugly = subjective. The Cobalt SS and Redline are pretty hideous IMO, except the four door Four door = pro. See above. Also more functional.

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: I like what these cars DO, and hate what they both look like.

What, the wingzz on the CSS don't do it for you?

rotard wrote: Why all of the hate for the Cobalt SS? I'm not buying this car, but they offer slightly better performance and fuel economy than a Mazdaspeed 3, while having a worse interior and a much lower price.

I don't think it's "hate." I just think that there are many good choices in the segment for the same "ballpark" price. Yeah, the WRX and MS3 a a couple thousand more expensive, but they're still in the same class/price range and are better cars "overall" in categories other than price (at least in my opinion). Performance it's hard to say any of the three are "better" than the others, depending on what you plan to do with it. Each of the three are slightly better at different aspects of performance.

That said, I'll take a Z06 or ZR1 over anything offered by Subaru or Mazda......so it's not GM-hate on this end....

Zomby Woof wrote: But it's still ugly, still a four door and still a Mazda

I don't know on what planet the Cobalt SS S/C looks better than one of the best looking hatchbacks ever conceived my man... and there's NO WAY that car performs better. The turbo CSS cars look better without the ridiculous ricer wing the S/C cars have, and probably perform closer to the MS3, but the MS3 still looks better.

Oh, and to clarify...

I always thought the S/C CSS was a half-baked attempt at getting into the boosted Sport Compact market. At the time, the WRX, Evo and SRT-4 were much better cars that were worlds better. The CSS S/C had that ridiculous wing, those HEAVY 18'' wheels, and just felt plain cheap. The other competition always felt like better cars quality wise, except for the SRT-4, but it's sheer rowdiness more than made up for it's cheapness. The Ion was ugly, weird, and ugly, too.

I don't hate the CSS, especially not the turbo ones. The turbo cars pretty much made the older S/C cars obsolete. GM actually improved on the old car, and really nailed it. I did briefly look at them before I bought my old 09 WRX. They were just as expensive as the WRX was, if not more, which was disappointing. I felt that the WRX was a better value, since it had similar power numbers but had the added utility of being a 5-door and having AWD.

Looking back, I should have bought either that SS or a MS3, because the WRX didn't live up to my expectations, but hindsight is always 20-20.

SilverFleet wrote: The CSS S/C had that ridiculous wing, those HEAVY 18'' wheels, and just felt plain cheap.

At least be informed about a car before you post hate all over GRM about it. The SS/SC came with the same standard wing as the regular Cobalt from 06-07 and the giant wing was an option (as was a small bodykit). The wheels were also a stand alone option. The G85 package added the LSD and Recaro seats.

And for those who think the SC version is slow or not easily modified, GM themselves released a stage 1 (30HP) and a stage 2 (45HP) kit to dealers, and it didn't even void the warranty!

So the GRM answer here is to find an 06-07 SS/SC with the standard wing and wheels, no bodykit, but have the G85 and stage 2 packages.

Javelin wrote:

SilverFleet wrote: The CSS S/C had that ridiculous wing, those HEAVY 18'' wheels, and just felt plain cheap.

At least be informed about a car before you post hate all over GRM about it. The SS/SC came with the same standard wing as the regular Cobalt from 06-07 and the giant wing was an option (as was a small bodykit). The wheels were also a stand alone option. The G85 package added the LSD and Recaro seats. And for those who think the SC version is slow or not easily modified, GM themselves released a stage 1 (30HP) and a stage 2 (45HP) kit to dealers, and it didn't even void the warranty! So the GRM answer here is to find an 06-07 SS/SC with the standard wing and wheels, no bodykit, but have the G85 and stage 2 packages.

I stand corrected. I didn't know you could order them like that. I've never seen one optioned without the wing and heavy wheels.

I still like the turbo ones better.

In reply to Javelin:

Only SS/SC I've ever seen with standard Cobalt bumpers and wheels was one with the engine and interior of a totalled SS/SC thrown into it. Other than that I'm pretty sure the apperance stuff was standard equipment. Probably not hard to change, but I'd be worried about the intercooler with the standard rental car bumper.

You are right about the spoiler being optional, though.

Friends car was an SS/SC coupe, once it got traction at the strip it TOOK OFF
Other friend had purchased GM tuning software (don't recall name, but I can find out if someone wants to know) and he messed around with maximum boost (apparently these have something like an electronic waste gate so the stock pulley will actually push past 20psi, but run something more tame from the factory, he was running a completely stock engine with more than 20psi. I say more because the gauge was pegged at 20 lol) and boost by gear with it, said the software was very easy to figure out and to mess with.
Anyways, I've always been attracted to these cars, and I would seriously consider buying one with the insurance money for a DD if the kia was totalled or stolen.

SilverFleet wrote:

Javelin wrote:

SilverFleet wrote: The CSS S/C had that ridiculous wing, those HEAVY 18'' wheels, and just felt plain cheap.

At least be informed about a car before you post hate all over GRM about it. The SS/SC came with the same standard wing as the regular Cobalt from 06-07 and the giant wing was an option (as was a small bodykit). The wheels were also a stand alone option. The G85 package added the LSD and Recaro seats. And for those who think the SC version is slow or not easily modified, GM themselves released a stage 1 (30HP) and a stage 2 (45HP) kit to dealers, and it didn't even void the warranty! So the GRM answer here is to find an 06-07 SS/SC with the standard wing and wheels, no bodykit, but have the G85 and stage 2 packages.

I stand corrected. I didn't know you could order them like that. I've never seen one optioned without the wing and heavy wheels. I still like the turbo ones better.

Ditto, never seen one without the nasty wheels and huge wing.

The only ones i've seen without were the 2.4 n/a ones.

Corect on the waste gate sort of..Yes theres a electronic sensor to the ECU that moves a vacumm dash pot that moves the waste gate or recircgate it basicaly just lets the excess boast back to the top side of the blower.

YES the stock SS wing is nasty. I had a new Base model one in hand 2 days before i had the car. Some guy on E-bay had the it even came painted and still matches today.

I'd love to find someone with HP Turners box and software localy but to spend the $$ to buy it for one car nope an'it going to happen

drove an ION redline when it was brand new, and again when it was a four year old car. underwhelmed. i realize that was the runt of the litter so to speak, but it just didn't feel like a lot of anything, or that impressive viewed as a sum total either.

i'd totally buy a $1,500 one though, in a few years.

Rxbalt wrote: In reply to Javelin: Only SS/SC I've ever seen with standard Cobalt bumpers and wheels was one with the engine and interior of a totalled SS/SC thrown into it. Other than that I'm pretty sure the apperance stuff was standard equipment. Probably not hard to change, but I'd be worried about the intercooler with the standard rental car bumper. You are right about the spoiler being optional, though.

The SS bumpers were standard, but they came in low rise, high rise(stack wing), and you could order them without spoilers.....Same with the redlines. I've seen a few IRL's with the factory build sheet stating "Spoiler delete" on them.....just like you could delete AC on them....

I believe all of the CSS s/c's had the 18" 5 spoke blade wheels, which weren't that heavy......the IRL wheels were indeed 17" forged featherweights though(16--17lbs iirc)

Just an aftermarket reflash "stage 1" that raised the limiter to 7200rpm made the s/c cars 3 tenths quicker in the 1/4 mile....stage 2 utilized a pully that would generally bump the car to 260-265whp. Stock HP at the wheels was generally right around the 205-225whp mark though, pending which kind of chassis dyno you were on. The clutches are rubbish though, and have issues with factory power....

Also, the CSS and IRL are indeed built better than srt-4's......sure, they aren't as fast and don't have as capable of an engine, but I was always still running at the end of the night at the dragstrip(with 15+ timeslips), and most glorified neons were waiting on tow trucks or trailers to get home.......a litter of broken axles, grenaded transmissions, and halfshafts sheered at the trans. I think that was proof enough I made the right choice.

Rxbalt wrote: In reply to Javelin: Only SS/SC I've ever seen with standard Cobalt bumpers and wheels was one with the engine and interior of a totalled SS/SC thrown into it. Other than that I'm pretty sure the apperance stuff was standard equipment. Probably not hard to change, but I'd be worried about the intercooler with the standard rental car bumper. You are right about the spoiler being optional, though.

Dad bought one new right off the lot with 1.4 miles and I've driven it. Trust me, they are out there. Not standard Cobalt bumpers though (but also sans the optional front lip and ground effects).

In reply to 92CelicaHalfTrac:

The confusion comes from that in the launch year, 2005, you could only get the big wing and full bodykit with the 18's. In 06 and 07 those all became optional.

05:

06:

In reply to Javelin:

That's the one? I'm seeing both the sport front bumper and the FI specific lip on that car, as well as the 18s (possibly SS/NA 17s, they look too bloody similar). I do very much so like the low rise though, which is why I'm looking for one.

Grrr... why didn't more base models sell in red?

Ninja edit: Picture 2 is an SS/NA (2.4 or 1SS), they came without the lips and only 17 inch wheels. My personal car is a red SS/NA with a high rise.

I've always liked the idea of a SS/ Turbo 4 door manual. I've seen them without the goofy wing and they are pretty darn invisible. Not good looking, not ugly, just there. Seems like a pretty darn good choice as a DD.

FWIW John Heinricy helped with the chassis tuning on the turbo model. (maybe the SC one as well?) They were claimed to be one of the best FWD handling cars on the market. They also did well in the SCCA ranks. I wouldn't say the MS3 or the WRX is a better choice.....just a different choice. You want tons of thrust (but lots of torque steer) MS3------ you want AWD (but a heavy, understeering package) WRX------ you want a great handling, efficient car (with a low-rent interior)--- Cobalt SS.

different strokes......

I think a certain magazine needs to do a Buyer's Guide to quell all the misinformation on these cars.

ooooooo

that'd be good

In reply to SilverFleet:

+1

Include G5s and HHRs too, if only in a blurb if you do.

Edit, because it doesn't deserve it's own post: I lust ove the few hundred HHR SS panels out there. Pretty sure that's the Spanish Inquisition in car form.

In reply to Rxbalt:

Yes, the Daytona shot is the one. Apparently my memory sucks. That was Dec 06. It has the lip and the 18's and the low-rise spoiler.

Also, the CSS and IRL are indeed built better than srt-4's......sure, they aren't as fast and don't have as capable of an engine,

Seriously, more capable than an ecotec?

In reply to Zomby Woof:

Honestly yes.......the lsj still supercharged seemed stuck under the 400whp mark....at least that was what everyone hoped for on redlineforums... I know too many people making at least that in srt's (although either built trans or they change them once every month or so)