new car time

[MX793]

But why make that decision for the Cruze?

My guess is that the weight of the car justified 5-lug wheels.  Why they used that oddball size instead of one of the more common 5-lugs like 5x100 or 5x114.3?  No clue.

[2o6]

I don't understand either, since GM has been using 5x100 on pretty much every one of its FWD cars ever.



On the plus side, wheels for the Sonic and Cruze are seemigky always on closeout because of the awkward size.

[12,000 RPM]

Yes, 4x98.  A friend with an Abarth was very frustrated trying to find a set of spare wheels for his winter tires.

5 lugs will be stronger than 4.  Maybe because US roads are deemed rougher than many export markets?

PC answer is our safety gear makes the cars heavier

Correct answer is we are fat asses

BGK y u no Civic yet???? Even the DX has power windows and shit and robustness isn't even a topic of discussion. One of our vendors had a Sonic that I really liked but I don't know if they changed generations between that one and the ones you are looking at. It had the silly motorcycle dash so it might be the same. Felt torquey with the turbo and quasi luxurious with the leather interior. Stickshift only obviously. Turbos are not hard to replace and I'm pretty sure that motor is in the Cruze without problems. But yea, drive the Civic bro

[2o6]

Because I don't really want one.



I've driven like 10 Civic, they're ok, but I don't feel that strongly one way or the other.

[Eye of the Tiger]

$1500 cash back on all Mirages!

[CJ]

Don't fear the Sonic turbo.  Turbos are pretty robust and have been for a very long time.  Not even GM can screw up something so simple.  Plus, there's that transferable warranty you mentioned.

GM literally fucks everything up. I work for a Cadillac dealer now.

[2o6]

Ironically, most of the issues I'm seeing are either for the 1.8L or tuned 1.4L's.

[2o6]

Also, the 1.8 is a timing belt, and the 1.4 a timing chain.

[Madman]

Also, the 1.8 is a timing belt, and the 1.4 a timing chain.

All the more reason to go with the 1.4.  Seriously, modern turbos are nothing to be scared of.

[2o6]

yeah my friends who are super Toyota and Honda-philes would think I just made a deal with Satan when I said I wanted a Sonic

[2o6]

Yeah, I've pretty much got my heart set on Chevy Sonic LTZ or LT with the turbo, and the 6MT.


The warranty on these cars is 100K, 5 years for the powertrain - so I figure if I do have any Turbo issues, I can get em resolved before the car blows up, since I'm looking at cars under 70K. And i've found a few with the extended warranty for sale - which adds on an extra 25K on top of the 100K warranty.




They also look pretty damn good

[Eye of the Tiger]

Fuck warranty. Buy what you want. You can buy a warranty if you don't have one, but fuck warranty.

[2o6]

It's not that big of a deal, but it does definitely nudge me to go for the Sonic over other cars.

[Eye of the Tiger]

The best warranty to have is a second car or motorcycle to use while you repair shit yourself.

[Laconian]

Nice. I really like the Sonic, and shitty GM residuals means you can pick one up at a nice discount.

[2o6]

Nice. I really like the Sonic, and shitty GM residuals means you can pick one up at a nice discount.

Yeah, GM residuals aren't the strongest, but the Sonic seems to be faring better than the Fiesta, Spark, and Mirage, but not as good as the Fit. About on par with the Hyundai and Kia, but those are oddly expensive to insure

[Eye of the Tiger]

What about Fiesta 1.0 ECOBOOOOST? Not sure how many of those are even out there.

[2o6]

What about Fiesta 1.0 ECOBOOOOST? Not sure how many of those are even out there.

Too expensive, and I prefer the Sonic as a whole

[giant_mtb]

I like Sonics. I'd like to detail one some day.

[Raza]

What happened to that Focus you were looking at earlier? Much nicer.

[2o6]

What happened to that Focus you were looking at earlier? Much nicer.

Focuses aren't nicer at all, not as sharp to drive, and actually less interior room. Interior quality is about the same.


Have you driven either?

[Raza]

Focuses aren't nicer at all, not as sharp to drive, and actually less interior room. Interior quality is about the same.


Have you driven either?

No, I just assumed the Focus was better because it's not GM. I want to live.

[2o6]

No, I just assumed the Focus was better because it's not GM. I want to live.

What the fuck are you talking about?

[MX793]

Sonic is definitely pretty roomy.  Wouldn't surprise me if it's roomier than a Focus.  Ford's interiors have been pretty tight in recent years.  Didn't drive badly, either, though I haven't driven a current Focus to compare.

[MrH]

Ergonomics were all screwy when I sat in a sonic.  Couldn't rest my elbow on the elbow rest and even come close to the shifter.

[2o6]

Ergonomics were all screwy when I sat in a sonic.  Couldn't rest my elbow on the elbow rest and even come close to the shifter.

They're perfect for me, but my body proportions are different than yours.

And why are you using the arm rest and shifting?

Sonic is definitely pretty roomy.  Wouldn't surprise me if it's roomier than a Focus.  Ford's interiors have been pretty tight in recent years.  Didn't drive badly, either, though I haven't driven a current Focus to compare.

The Focus is ok to drive, but not as sharp as you'd think. And the Rear seat of the Sonic not only feels bigger, but is numerically bigger as well.

[Raza]

What the fuck are you talking about?

http://money.cnn.com/infographic/pf/autos/gm-recall-timeline/

[2o6]

http://money.cnn.com/infographic/pf/autos/gm-recall-timeline/

Those ignitions are totally different. The Sonic's key design and ignition is totally different than those old metal cut keys. Sonics use switchblade keys and laser cut keys, similar to a VW.

[Laconian]

Yeah the Sonic layout was pretty nice when I rode in it. I was quite pleased with the car overall. Better than the PTSD flashbacks I have about the rental Cobalt I drove 7 years ago.

[BimmerM3]

I had a Sonic sedan rental car last time I went to Atlanta. I wasn't very impressed, but thinking about it, the biggest problem was that the transmission was really slow to react, so if you get a manual it'll probably do just fine.