Who would willingly buy a Chevy Spark??

"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
10/21/2015 at 17:15 • Filed to: None

I have had this rental car now for 3 days. It is an unloveable piece of crap. Sure I am enjoying the absurdity of how terrible it is and “Slow car fast” is true even at 20mph. But I keep seeing other ones out on the road and wondering why anyone in their right mind would buy one. I get the people that buy a Camry or a Civic or an Altima. These are all popular cars that I have no interest in owning but at least they are reliable, have plenty of space, and get great gas mileage. The Spark cannot even get 30mpg (since you have to floor it at all times), there is no trunk space or useable back seat, and it just looks dumb. All the practical reasons to buy a car, I see none of them here. I assume the only reason must be how cheap it is. But then I think, with $13k I could buy a lot more interesting of a ride on the 3-4 year old market. Anyways, I’m excited to get rid of this thing tomorrow. I’m sure it could be worse, I could have a Versa sedan, but man I am just really confused why real people, not just rental companies, buy this “car”.

Lambo doors, that is what this thing needs!

DISCUSSION (30)

EL_ULY > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
10/21/2015 at 17:20

i’d DD one.

A car you have to go WOT just to get anywhere is NOT a boring car :]

Hoon all the Sparks!

Connqr > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
10/21/2015 at 17:24

I know! Envromentalists too cheap to buy a Prius, and who is 100% against used cars.

itschrome > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
10/21/2015 at 17:26

they need to make a Spark SS with the 1.4 turbo.....

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
10/21/2015 at 17:28

For the same money, or a little more, but not much more, you could have a nice Fiat 500, which is better than the Spark in EVERY way.

Mercedes Streeter > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
10/21/2015 at 17:32

It’s the only car I could beat in a drag race, so I’m down with the Spark. :)

jjhats > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
10/21/2015 at 17:42

A coworker bought one after we repeatedly praised the fit and how it is the best subcompact. He bought 1 year old for 10k. It has no features aka manual locks and just seems to suck. He is gonna have a kid and is struggling to fit a car seat then the stroller without folding down the seat. He fucked up but we would never tell him that. When in doubt buy a civic

jjhats > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast.
10/21/2015 at 17:43

No usable back seat or 4 doors. I’ve sat in the back of a spark relatively comfortably and I’m 6’1. Don't think that's happening in the fiat. And the chevy will be more reliable

djmt1 > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
10/21/2015 at 17:47

Looks a bit like a Corsa. Speaking of why did GM go through the trouble of creating the Spark when they could of just brought the Corsa over.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > jjhats
10/21/2015 at 17:49

Agreed on the back seat. Not agreed on the reliability. I’m just under 40k miles on my Fiat and not a single problem so far.

Years ago I had a Daewoo Lanos that has the same engine they were running in the Checy Aveo, predecessor to Spark, and I suspect the Spark runs a variation of that engine still... It was always needed something fixed. Finally, around 70,000 miles I got tired of the constant repairs and sold the damn thing.

duurtlang > djmt1
10/21/2015 at 18:00

Because the Corsa is the size of the Sonic/Aveo, but is not as shitty and approached the Cruze in price. There’s a reason why its similar size (Mokka; Buick Encore), slightly larger size (Astra; Buick Verano) and considerably larger size (Insignia; Buick Regal) siblings are sold in the US as Buicks.

The shitbox you’re looking for is the Opel Karl.

Kinja'd!!!

djmt1 > duurtlang
10/21/2015 at 18:02

I forgot the Viva existed and that as an Opel it’s called a Karl.

Alex from Toronto > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
10/21/2015 at 18:12

It’s fine for old people. Enough to go to the doctor, church, grocery store, and bingo.

desertdog5051 > EL_ULY
10/21/2015 at 18:28

Gotta love EL_ULY. He can make lemonade out of the most rotten of lemons.

EL_ULY > desertdog5051
10/21/2015 at 18:32

Some need more sugar than other but yes :]

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast.
10/21/2015 at 18:52

Except reliability...

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > itschrome
10/21/2015 at 18:53

And a Spark SSR with the 2L turbo...

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
10/21/2015 at 18:54

See my response to the other guy.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast.
10/21/2015 at 19:00

But you’re comparing an old Daewoo Lanos to a new Fiat.

According to recent Consumer Reports data, you’re less likely to have problems with the Chevy than the Fiat. But having said that, just because it’s less likely doesn’t mean that every single person that buys the Fiat will have problems.

And you can cut down the chances of having problems by skipping the infotainments system and also getting the manual transmission.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
10/21/2015 at 19:17

Basically it is still the same engine....which was crap. I’m willing to bet this one isn’t much better.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast.
10/21/2015 at 20:22

Can confirm, if there is anything worse than this engine then it must run on oats and whey because then it would probably be faster.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > EL_ULY
10/21/2015 at 20:25

Oh I agree with it being somewhat fun due to the WOT all the time. I actually do keep up with traffic and pass people. And I’m in the fascist Republic of Virginia so speeding isn’t an option anyways. But it is still terrible lol.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > desertdog5051
10/21/2015 at 20:27

It’s more like making lemonade out of rotten bananas

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > itschrome
10/21/2015 at 20:28

LS swap?

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > jjhats
10/21/2015 at 20:29

Exactly, my point is that there are so many better small cars out there for not much more money, even new. Like I see no reason just to save a couple grand for so much less car.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > jjhats
10/21/2015 at 20:31

Having 4 doors is a disadvantage if anything. This car is way too small to have a backseat. Like yeah my Miata is small but I feel like I have way more room in it. Other than head room but I have infinitely more room with the top down.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > duurtlang
10/21/2015 at 20:40

That’s a heck of a lot better looking that the Spark!

Carbon Fiber Sasquatch > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
10/21/2015 at 22:45

I like them, for a small cheap four door car with a warranty, it can’t be beat. My wife’s is a stripper model (phrasing), but her car payment is like $120 a month.

Honestly the only thing I can’t understand are the people that buy them fully loaded. They start to get too close to $20K and for that price, I’m not getting a Spark...

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Carbon Fiber Sasquatch
10/22/2015 at 17:04

I would rather have a bicycle lol. I’m a fan of slow, small cars. That is why I have a Miata. The Spark is smaller and slower than my car! I guess I just can’t see spending any amount of money on this thing. Maybe if they sold it without any safety equipment, removed the back seat, and added a tiny turbo. Then it would be okay by me.

GK27V6 > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
10/22/2015 at 17:19

“ I’m sure it could be worse, I could have a Versa sedan”

Having personally driven this car once, yes, I agree. The experience was unpleasant. I do not understand what it is that makes some purchase this particular car instead of any other.

Carbon Fiber Sasquatch > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
10/22/2015 at 23:57

Yeah, if it had 100-110 hp it’d be even better, that would put it more in line with the first and second Golf GTI power to weight ratios