Ownership Cost for 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt LT
Estimated: $35945 over the next 5 years
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depreciation | $1666 | $800 | $700 | $633 | $566 | $4365 |
| Insurance | $1580 | $1635 | $1693 | $1752 | $1813 | $8473 |
| Fuel | $1472 | $1516 | $1569 | $1632 | $1705 | $7894 |
| Maintenance | $2763 | $1581 | $876 | $573 | $2291 | $8084 |
| Repairs | $977 | $1138 | $1298 | $1417 | $1627 | $6457 |
| Taxes & Fees | $454 | $454 | $454 | $454 | $454 | $673 |
| Total Ownership Costs | $8912 | $6722 | $6201 | $6049 | $8062 | $35945 |
| Model year | COMPONENT | Complaint |
| 2005 | STEERING | I PURCHASED A NEW CHEVROLET COBALT LS (4 DOOR) IN 2005 FROM MY LOCAL DEALER. I DRIVE IT VERY LITTLE - IT NOW HAS SLIGHTLY LESS THAN 13,200 MILES. LAST WEEK WHEN DRIVING NEAR HOME I REC'D A SUDDEN FLASHING MESSAGE ON THE DASH "POWER STEERING." IMMEDIATELY, THE STEERING FAILED COMPLETELY. IT TOOK ALL MY STRENGTH TO TURN THE VEHICLE AND I WAS ONLY GOING 20 MILES PER HOUR - HAD IT BEEN DIFFERENT - AND AS I'VE SINCE FOUND IT THIS HAS OCCURRED THOUSANDS OF TIMES TO OTHER DRIVERS OF THIS CAR - IT COLD HAVE KILLED ME. MY LOCAL DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE ENTIRE STEERING MECHANISM HAD TO BE REPLACED - RATHER ODD FOR A CAR, PERFECTLY MAINTAINED, WITH SO FEW MILES ON IT! THE HEAD TECHNICIAN AT MY DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE 2005 AND 2006 COBALT'S STEERING MECHANISM. BOTH RELIED ENTIRELY ON AN ELECTRONIC SYSTEM THAT CAN FAIL INSTANTLY AND LEAVE THE CAR WITH NO STEERING CONTROL - WHILE IT'S BEING DRIVEN! THE REPAIRS WERE LARGELY COVERED BY MY EXTENDED WARRANTY - I'VE HAD IT FOR 38 MONTHS. (REPAIR COPY: "INTERNAL MOTOR FAILURE." AND "REPLACE STEERING COLUMN" = $804.00) BUT, AS THE REPAIR SERVICE ITSELF NOTED, THIS JUST RESTORES THE SAME, READY TO FAIL SYSTEM! THE PROBLEM CAN'T BE FIXED BECAUSE IT'S A BASIC DESIGN FLAW! ACCORDING TO THE HEAD TECHNICIAN, BEGINNING IN ABOUT 2007, THE COBALT WAS ALTERED TO INCLUDE A BACK-UP HYDRAULIC STEERING MECHANISM TO MAKE UP FOR THIS RECOGNIZED PROBLEM. THERE ARE OVER 12,600 LISTS OF THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET TODAY, SOME NOTING THAT A SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED ONLY TWO WEEKS AFTER HAVING THE SAME "REPAIRS" THAT I HAD. I'M STILL PAYING FOR THIS CAR AND IT'S A DEATH TRAP. MY WIFE WON'T RIDE IN IT AND I WON'T DRIVE IT MORE THAN A FEW BLOCKS AND ONLY IN DAYLIGHT. THIS MUST BE ADDRESSED!!!!!! GERALD J. DAVEY, PH. D. *TR |
| 2008 | STEERING | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHEN AS THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 46,950. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,946. |
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