Driven: Chevrolet Cobalt SS Supercharged

[Raza]

I remember seeing someone almost stall an Elise in the Starbucks parking lot.  It made me want to laugh and cry at the same time. 

Face it, competence goes a long way.

Everyone messes up now and then.  Just the other day I was in the city in a traffic jam and I was great.  Didn't have a single problem.  Once I got back near my house, while stopped at a light, my foot slipped off the clutch.



Shit happens.

[SVT666]

Everyone messes up now and then.? Just the other day I was in the city in a traffic jam and I was great.? Didn't have a single problem.? Once I got back near my house, while stopped at a light, my foot slipped off the clutch.



Shit happens.

Yup.  I've stalled the Mustang a couple times when it couldn't possibly be any less embarassing.

[Champ]

Yup. I've stalled the Mustang a couple times when it couldn't possibly be any less embarassing.

Even if others don't see it, it's still about the ego!

[Tave]

I've driven manuals exclusively for almost a decade and I still make the odd stupid mistake.

[SJ_GTI]

I've driven manuals exclusively for almost a decade and I still make the odd stupid mistake.

x2. No one is perfect. I've stalled my GTI once or twice when not paying attention.

The nice thing about manuals is they force you to pay attention if you want to avoid looking like a schmuck. 

[JYODER240]

Haha, one time I was at a light and there was a couple girls in a car heading the other way. They were all looking at me and the light turned green when I wasn't payed attention and I took my foot off the clutch to quickly. I was so embarassed.

[Tave]

The nice thing about manuals is they force you to pay attention if you want to avoid looking like a schmuck.?

Nothing makes me feel like as much of a douchebag as grinding a gear. I'm about ready to castrate myself when I do that.

[SJ_GTI]

Nothing makes me feel like as much of a douchebag as grinding a gear. I'm about ready to castrate myself when I do that.

I've done that too. 

The thing about my clutch is that I only need to depress it maybe 1/4 of the way down to be able to shift, so when I am driving I just naturally tend to put the clutch in just enough to be able to shift. Occasionally, it ain't quite enough and I will grind a gear. 

[Tave]

Yeah, you get so familiar with the friction point that sometimes you cheat a little, and the car makes you pay.

[Raza]

I've done that too.?

The thing about my clutch is that I only need to depress it maybe 1/4 of the way down to be able to shift, so when I am driving I just naturally tend to put the clutch in just enough to be able to shift. Occasionally, it ain't quite enough and I will grind a gear.?

Really?  I remember the contact point on the GTI's clutch to be really low down in the travel.

[Raza]

Haha, one time I was at a light and there was a couple girls in a car heading the other way. They were all looking at me and the light turned green when I wasn't payed attention and I took my foot off the clutch to quickly. I was so embarassed.

When that goes well, thoguh, it's amazing.  I saw some kids digging the ride the other day, so I tore off, snapped their heads back, and chirped them going into second.  They got whiplash.

[SJ_GTI]

Really?? I remember the contact point on the GTI's clutch to be really low down in the travel.

I am sure there is some variation, but mine (and the one I test drove) have it right near the top. My Audi A4 was the same way so it never bothered me on the GTI.

[Raza]

I am sure there is some variation, but mine (and the one I test drove) have it right near the top. My Audi A4 was the same way so it never bothered me on the GTI.

Whoa.  The first time I drove the GTI, I stalled it right off, because as I was feeling out the clutch, I just got off the floor and it went. 

The Boxster's is about halfway up. 

[S204STi]

Nothing makes me feel like as much of a douchebag as grinding a gear. I'm about ready to castrate myself when I do that.

+1

[S204STi]

Whoa.? The first time I drove the GTI, I stalled it right off, because as I was feeling out the clutch, I just got off the floor and it went.?

The Boxster's is about halfway up.?

Mine engages pretty close to the top,which actually is a little harder for me to drive smoothly than if it engaged in the middle.  Getting out in first is ok unless I am trying to really get on it, in which case I find that occasionally I slip the clutch a little too much, and then bog it... the other result is that if I get too hasty in my upshifts they can be a little herky-jerky.

Then again, I am getting better...I have been driving mainly automatics since I was 16, so for the last 7 years pretty much.

[SVT666]

Really?? I remember the contact point on the GTI's clutch to be really low down in the travel.

Maybe that's why he grinds the gears.   

[Raza]

Mine engages pretty close to the top,which actually is a little harder for me to drive smoothly than if it engaged in the middle.? Getting out in first is ok unless I am trying to really get on it, in which case I find that occasionally I slip the clutch a little too much, and then bog it... the other result is that if I get too hasty in my upshifts they can be a little herky-jerky.

Then again, I am getting better...I have been driving mainly automatics since I was 16, so for the last 7 years pretty much.

Yeah, I remember the WRX's being pretty high up.  I found it annoying on hills.

[SJ_GTI]

Maybe that's why he grinds the gears.? ?

That would explain a lot...

[JYODER240]

When that goes well, thoguh, it's amazing.? I saw some kids digging the ride the other day, so I tore off, snapped their heads back, and chirped them going into second.? They got whiplash.

My favorite is to pass someone that has their windows down. It's so loud in their car as I go past that it usually scares them.

[the Teuton]

Admittedly, I stalled once when I was going to work yesterday (not in my car), but I also don't drive stick that often.

[MexicoCityM3]

Everyone I have let drive the M3 stalls the car on the first start, including myself when I got it initially.

The 1st to 2nd shift is also very easy to grind if you do it too fast or if the gearbox is cold.

[the Teuton]

Everyone I have let drive the M3 stalls the car on the first start, including myself when I got it initially.

The 1st to 2nd shift is also very easy to grind if you do it too fast or if the gearbox is cold.

The tranny probably isn't quite like the 5 speed in the E36 M3.  I could imagine the gear spacing is a little different.  I thought it was a little notchy shifting, but the clutch wasn't that bad to catch on with.  I did stall it, though.

[omicron]

Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and........

[the Teuton]

Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and........

...Holden?

[omicron]

...Holden?

'Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet!', which was then taken by Holden and made into 'Football, meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars'.

[/random history lesson]

The Civic Si is for people named Ryan in an IT degree. I'll send Raza some ill-fitting cargo pants and a woollen sweater if he prances about in a new Civic Si over a Cobalt SS.

[Champ]

Everyone I have let drive the M3 stalls the car on the first start, including myself when I got it initially.

The 1st to 2nd shift is also very easy to grind if you do it too fast or if the gearbox is cold.

If it makes you feel any better, I haven't stalled any of the 20 or so different (E46? Bad with those model era #'s) M3's I have driven.

I remember them being relatively easy to get moving.  Is it just yours or?

[Raza]

'Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet!', which was then taken by Holden and made into 'Football, meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars'.

[/random history lesson]

The Civic Si is for people named Ryan in an IT degree. I'll send Raza some ill-fitting cargo pants and a woollen sweater if he prances about in a new Civic Si over a Cobalt SS.

I don't wear cargo pants, but I could do with a nice cardigan.

[Morris Minor]

Good writing, Raza. Thanks.

[Raza]

Good writing, Raza. Thanks.

You're welcome!

I saw that you drove the standard Cobalt with an auto 'box and you seemed to like it, at least a little bit.  I've never driven a Cavalier, but from what people say, this is leagues away from where that was, apparently.

The only thing (one of two, if I'm truly being honest) that's holding me back is the fact that I can get a 2004 GTO for the same or less money, and that only gets 1mpg worse highway (and lacks a sunroof), but adds 145bhp and RWD, accompanied by better looks as well. 

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I'm confused, are you actually looking to buy a cobalt ss raza?