My Car Stable Has Come Full Circle

"UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy" (smithtaylorm)
08/09/2019 at 07:17 • Filed to: None

My brother just had his first kid, and called me after he got rear ended in his mustang to tell me he was deathly afraid of his kid getting injured in an accident with the old slow Balt, so I’m getting it back. It’s my old car that I gave to my dad when I got the ST, and he gave it to my brother as a cheap daily when he got a new job requiring 90+ miles daily and owned a mustang and charger (lol mpg). It’s a 2009 cobalt LS XFE, with manual locks/windows/trans/etc. new clutch, tires, brakes, new fuel system (replaced under warranty in 2016). Looks much worse than this as it was rear ended a few years ago and we took the cash (third time in a year I was hit and it wasn’t my fault, just didn’t want to deal with it anymore, plus my dads general neglect). Now my original stable of the cobalt and my ninja 250 will be back together once I get the ninja running. It will obviously be joined with my ST and the street triple. I’ll probably replace the rear bumper so it looks better and call it a day. Now, what to do with a two car garage when you have three cars and two bikes? We shall find out. If this is reliable enough I may sell the ST, and if it ends up breaking after that just take all the cash and buy anothee cheap beater. We will see.

And yes, I do love my ST but with two bikes for fun and my lack of fun use in winter (and in general), I’m not quite sure where the ST fits in my life right now. It will see significantly less mileage between the bikes and this car, and this car will replace 95%+ of the ST’s duties.

DISCUSSION (30)

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy
08/09/2019 at 07:32

Surprised you’d sell the ST over the Cobalt? Getting tired of the ST, or?

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy
08/09/2019 at 07:44

Just fuggen sell the cobalt Jesus fuck

E90M3 > UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy
08/09/2019 at 07:44

A somewhat similar thing happened to me. My sister got my first car to take with her to college, and I got it back once I finished school myself.

Under_Score > UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy
08/09/2019 at 07:48

How many miles are on it? It may sound silly, but I’d take the money from the ST and put it towards other things. My wealthy neighbors bought their daughter a new Cobalt LTZ as a first car in 2006. She still has it.

UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy > beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard
08/09/2019 at 07:52

It’s not worth anything.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy
08/09/2019 at 07:52

Ooh, XFE! That's the hella fuel efficient one, right?

UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
08/09/2019 at 07:53

Really it’s because I have plenty of fun on the bikes, the cobalt has been in the family since new so I know everything about it, and I’m way ahead on loan/car worth so it would free up a lot of cash and I’d have no car payment. I don’t need the cash but who is going to complain about more? I don’t use the ST much for what I should be, it’s mostly a commuter and 23-25 mpg at 93 octane is annoying.

UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy > Under_Score
08/09/2019 at 07:54

160K I think, and that was exactly the thought with the ST.

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy
08/09/2019 at 07:55

It’s gotta be worth at least an sv650 and a super cub.

Under_Score > UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy
08/09/2019 at 08:01

That mileage is pretty high regardless of car. If it’s good for another 40,000 miles, though, that’s another 2-5 years of life. Plus, keeping the ST longer will make it worth less later upon trade-in.

Maxima Speed > UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy
08/09/2019 at 08:13

Ahhhh!!! You have an XFE?!?

Kinja'd!!!

UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy > Under_Score
08/09/2019 at 08:21

The plan for now will probably be run it in the fall and winter and see what happens. It was always pretty good for me, had to replace a MAF and that’s it. Has never had any issues that stranded anyone besides the clutch, which is now new. Worst case I keep my fun car and have a beater to use everyday.

UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
08/09/2019 at 08:22

Yeah, it averaged like 37 mpg at 85 mph in southern Indiana lol

UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy > Maxima Speed
08/09/2019 at 08:23

I loathed it for being slow and a shitty GM product but it was good for what it needed to be

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy
08/09/2019 at 08:27

Selling the ST in favor of a Cobalt XFE is possibly the most Oppo thing I've read.

Maxima Speed > Under_Score
08/09/2019 at 08:34

*L aughs in Toyota Camry* “ha ha, snort, ha...... high mileage”.

shop-teacher > beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard
08/09/2019 at 09:03

Hahaha, nope it’s not!

Maybe or ... Maybe

Pickup_man > UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy
08/09/2019 at 09:28

I also inherited (bought it cheap off Dad) my sister’ s old Cobalt after she neglected to change the oil for close to a year and enough leaked out to cause the timing chain tensioner to fail. Two valves and a new timing set later and it’s running shockingly well. Mine is tragically an auto, but it still gets near 30mpg, which is better than the truck, and it’s perfect for winter beater duty. I only have a single goal for this car, to put as little into it as possible, and see how far it will go.

UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/09/2019 at 09:38

That’s why I’m here, Zoid

Apparently this car makes 155hp. I wouldn’t believe it when I owned it the first time and I definitely wouldn’t believe it now. Mrs. UE’s focus sel feels worlds faster and has 160 hp. It also gets the same/better mileage and has normal tires, gear ratio, sync3, moonroof, etc. but that’s 9 years of progress for you.

It is just gonna be so nice to park at the front of parking lots and not give a shit about parallel parking on the street downtown. These are things I did not do with the ST.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Under_Score
08/09/2019 at 09:45

160k is not that high. I’ve seen a ton of unreliable cars hit that mileage and still be functional. For example (all of these over 200k, all more than one example each) : p38 R ange Rover, northstar Cadillacs, e36's, classic R ange Rovers, discos, e38's, W202's with the worst engine, various Audi’s from the 2000's, etc. etc etc

If they hit 160, then they can almost certainly hit 200. And most people don't keep cars for 40k miles anyways.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy
08/09/2019 at 09:46

This is exactly why I'm going to still my E55. People think I'm nuts.

Future next gen S2000 owner > UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy
08/09/2019 at 10:01

Keep the ST and street park it. Shit happens but it can be fixed. You’ll get more enjoyment out of the ST than the Cobalt.

Under_Score > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
08/09/2019 at 10:04

The longest my family ever kept a car was 109,000 miles. And that’s because it got totaled. I think my definition of high miles is different than a lot of other people’s.

UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy > Future next gen S2000 owner
08/09/2019 at 10:09

Why would I street park it? I have a garage.

UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
08/09/2019 at 10:10

I thought I’d use it for fun more but idk, my fun comes from other things now, even if I’m still a car guy. When I want fun I use the bike.

Future next gen S2000 owner > UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy
08/09/2019 at 10:17

If you go out for dinner. Parallel parking. That kind of street parking.

UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy > Future next gen S2000 owner
08/09/2019 at 12:04

Even if shit happens, it’s a brand new car and I’d like to avoid said shit happening in the first place

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy
08/09/2019 at 17:16

There’s always the slow car fast mentality....do a few light suspension mods, etc to the Cobalt? :P

UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
08/09/2019 at 18:00

Highway isn’t bad but my commute recently changed to all 40 mph and under, which kills the ST even trying to hypermile, I can only imagine the Benz is even worse. I’m sure I’ll probably just garage the ST and keep it for the NKY country roads, because I really don’t trust the cobalt with my past luck with it. It will be nice filling up with 87 bi weekly instead of 93 every week

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy
08/09/2019 at 19:22

Oh I don't pay any attention to fuel economy in my cars. Too painful. If I had to guess I'd say the 55 averages 15mpg with my commute, premium gas. But both of my bikes are high 40's.