Shayne got a new car!

[Shayne]

 So, as many of you know i have been a busy guy over the last month.  I put a $1000 hold on a new condo development project to get the suite i want (top floor, corner), and was attempting to get the rest in place as time has gone by.

!!!!Well, today everything snapped into place!!!!

We were approved for our $150,000 mortgage (though we dont have to worry about this till July 2006).

And GM has approved our purchase of our new car (which will arrive on Saturday).





...i should have the car for Saturday night, and if any of you need a ride to lazy, i might be willing to swing by.

The car is a 2005 Chev Cobalt, in Sunbeam orange.  5 speed manual, AC, power locks, etc.  We got it for a steal of a price, and just before we signed the contract we gave them our GM VISA points to drop the price another $1,500.

...well, im practically jumping out of my pants with excitment and joy today, and i thought i would share a peice of it with all of you.   Hope to see most of you on Saturday (TheDruid and I just got our new V3.5 D&D handbooks in the mail from Chapters as well).

[Mr. Analog]

 I need a ride... (j/k)

[Mr. Analog]

 Oh yeah, gratz BTW!

[Thorin]

 Congrats.

I'm a car nut, so...  What trim level of the Cobalt did you get?  Any extra options?

[Thorin]

 Oh, and how much do you plan on spending to rice it up?  Wait, you're probably not a ricer...

So what was the price, if you don't mind me asking?  I know the MSRP for these cars, but I have yet to hear how much the dealerships will knock off...

[Shayne]

 Well, Throin, i have no problems filling you in...

About 3 weeks ago we thought we had bought an Accent GSi (fully loaded sports version, ended up getting a contract drawn up for $14,200 + GST).  All  was going good with this buy untill they brought the car in from Calgary.  It had a massive dent in the door (almost like a baseball was thrown at it), so we wanted it fixed, they tryed to fix it 2 times and each time i could totally tell their was a dent there, or was there (look at the reflection and see the ripple).  So we told them we werent taking possession and the contract was voided.

Since that time we both got some nice pay raises, and decided to find something more "upper".

We took a Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart, Honda Civic SiR, Toyota Corrola S, and a Chev Cobalt.

...after taking each for thier drive (twice), we settled on the Cobalt. Why would we stick with the Chev?  Its quiet, its stylish, its fast, and its cheeper with better financing then all the rest.

Now, we wennt with the base trim on the Cobalt.  The LS comes with lots of extra fluff, but no real substance.  Sure you get ABS, Power Windows & Alloys, but beyond that you get nothing else for your $4000.

As for extra options we got the Spoiler, AC, Power Locks (with keyless remote), and Cruise Control.  Total for all that is about $2500.

Using their online builder the MSRP is $18,970.00....our price was about $17,900...then add GST, AC tax, etc.  Total we are a touch over $20K.

...as for ricing it up.  Ive got 4 infinity speakers sitting beside me waiting for install, and a sweeeeeeeeeeeet Sony deck.  Im gonna put on some grey metallic 18" rims either this payday or next.  Im concidering lowering springs, but not sure yet as i need to drive the car with the alloys to see how she handles.

I dont think i will be putting any body kit or anything like that on it, but tinting the windows is very high on my list, same with chrome tipping the exhaust.

...miss anything?

[Shayne]

 ...according to the contract i got beside me, the car has 11 km on it.   Its in some but@%&# noplace town 2 hours outside the city, hense the reason i cant get it till the weekend (i wanted it bad today, but we couldnt get the options we wanted in either of the 2 colours we were concidering).

Its got a lot of get up and go.  140hp, 150 lbs/ft and its only a little 2.2L engine.  No tune ups required for 160K (though thats normal we found) (other then routine maintenace).

Its a great little car.  I hope that others who are in the market for a similar type of car look at it.  Sure it might have replaced the cavelier, but comparing the 2 is like apples to oranges.  The finish, the polish, the styling is so much ahead its a shame they are being compared.

I doubt i will have the stereo in on Saturday, ive got a ton of stuff to do this weekend, but soon after baby.  Soon after

[Shayne]

 Just got the final number today.  $19,575

[Darren Dirt]

Oh, and how much do you plan on spending to rice it up?  Wait, you're probably not a ricer...

Rice? What you say?

I had to look it up, I'm sure others were wondering as well but unlike me they actually care what other people think of them (fools! well-dressed fools!) so I'm asking on behalf of all of us rice-n00bs.

So which definition?  http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=rice

[Thorin]

 I was referring to the practice of putting cosmetic enhancements on a car to make it look faster than it is.  Although I typically only refer to cars as ricers when they have really overdone it with the spoilers, bodykits, stickers, gaudy paint jobs, and flashing led lights.

I typically also make fun of people who think they can buy a used Talon TSi, spend $6,000 upgrading the engine, and smoke brand-new Corvettes with it (a la my neighbour).  I'm sure he's going to wreck this car by driving it into a curb, just like the last one.  I don't think he gets the concept of slow-in/fast-out, and apexing, and all that.

[Thorin]

 Oh, and thanks for all the details.

Cobalt is being compared to Cavalier because:
1. It uses the same 2.2L Ecotec and 2.0L Eccotec engine (although the warrantied supercharger is new)
2. It's about the same size
3. It's still a "C" car
4. The Cavalier disappeared at the same time as the Cobalt got introduced
5. It has very similar pricing

Now, for the price, Cavalier was a decent car.

As for fast, well, that's a matter of opinion.  Cars that take more than 8 seconds for 0-100kmh, or run the 1/4 mile in more than 14 seconds, I wouldn't consider fast

[Shayne]

As for fast, well, that's a matter of opinion.  Cars that take more than 8 seconds for 0-100kmh, or run the 1/4 mile in more than 14 seconds, I wouldn't consider fast

I agree, but i aint getting my SRT4 untill they drop the price by about $5K

[Thorin]

 SRT4s are nice.  And they're quick.  And for $28,000, they better be.

I'd still rather take a used 240sx and turbo the engine.  Same kind of power as the SRT4, rear-wheel drive.

There's no replacement for displacement

The only replacement for displacement is money

A short-wheel-base regular cab truck with a big V8 in it would cost about the same as an SRT4, as long as you don't get the luxury packages...

[Shayne]

 Trucks dont do it for me, and after driving my car (no less then 5 minutes ago) i dont feel i made a mistake.  No buyers remorse, and thats all that counts.