Faults:
At around 25,000 miles, the notorious intermediate steering starting making the clunking noise and feeling loose. I took it to the dealer and they replaced the shaft and did a front end alignment. Ever since then I have had nothing but problems. Steering vibrations will not go away, and now I am getting a strange hum and grumbling type noise from the front end, which I suspect to be a wheel bearing going bad, but the dealer says they cannot hear it and as such will not replace. They have put front axles under it, yet another steering shaft, front rotors, and new tires that have been balanced about four times. The front end just feels loose and that humming noise really worries/irritates me. I just think it's strange that a car with 35,000 miles on it is already having such issues.
I had to have the radio replaced because my CD player quit working.
The driver's side door panel developed a loud rattle, which was determined to be a piece of plastic that was not fastened in properly, and had to be re-attached.
The blinkers do not always give their signal sound and you can come back later and they work fine.
Tire pressure system seems questionable in its readings compared to my trusty manual gauge. At the least, it's always slow to register the proper PSI reading.
The continuously variable transmission, which you aren't supposed to be able feel shifting is harsh, and feels more like a conventional transmission when it shifts.
Sun visors rattle as does the moonroof. I think the moon roof that slides back over the top of the vehicle roof instead of inside was a huge mistake because it seems very flimsy, but does not make you sacrifice head room inside.
General Comments:
All in all, this has been an OK car, but at 35,000+ miles of daily use on the interstate and then in and around town, it's already showing quite a bit of wear.
The gas mileage is very good for the size of car it is.
The trunk is huge and everything I could ask for.
The price is very competitive, and the powertrain warranty is good given that it's a GM product, and could very well be a throw away car by 100,000 miles.
I would not purchase this car if I had it to do over again.
I would appreciate it if anyone has any insight on the humming noise coming from the front end.
6th Jun 2011, 00:52
Why would one hate ABS brakes, as the original poster professes?
Used properly, ABS brakes permit significantly shorter braking distances and better car control under emergency braking than even the most proficient driver can humanly manage.