2 Yr. Report on 2016 Chev. Spark

[Al]

25,000 miles. 85% suburban driving overall Mileage (Calculated) 37.1 mph

5 speed Manual 98 HP 0-60 ET = 10.7 sec

Vehicle has crank windows and power nothing. However...Good infotainment screen wioth CarPlay etc. Great backup camera, 10 airbags, great heater/ac. Stereo is a bit sub par..USB feed for music, wifi (if you pay for it/onstar). Auto on headlights. When you back up the rear wiper works if the front is on. Front and rear window wash. Vehicle sits very high if you can believe that. Better than most sedans. Seat is 2" lower than my Forester.

I honestly can not say anything bad about it. Acceleration is not too shabby. If merging is required quickly on a Freeway use caution. I have it on highways all the time and have had no trouble merging. The tranny/engine match is excellent. Its very stable even at 75mph. In windy conditions you will need to slow down.

Its truly fun to drive and handles very well. Breaking is excellent.

Really can't find fault with anything.

OTD $13,200

 

[CharBaby]

Is there AC at this price?

 

[Al]

lol..yes. It is not really "stripped down" even though it has crank windows..... unless you think it should have leather, power seats,. etc.

 

[Lolvoguy]

maybe it's just me, but if I'm paying 13,200 USD, it should at least have many power functions/features.
Anything less and I'd feel ripped off

As long as your happy, that's all that matters

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
maybe it's just me, but if I'm paying 13,200 USD, it should at least have many power functions/features.
Anything less and I'd feel ripped off

As long as your happy, that's all that matters

\
lol..that's the OTD price..cost 12,300. Show me another new car that gets 43m pg on the highway and has more features for 12,300 and change. I am sitting on pins and needles waiting.

 

[AZjeff]

Sometimes a person's satisfaction has much to do with their expectations and priorities. For me it wouldn't matter if it got 98 mpg and had 20 airbags and cost $5000 I'd never feel safe with people driving their 5000 lb SUVs while on the smartphone. No desire to be the smallest fish in the traffic pond.

Glad you like it.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: AZjeff
Sometimes a person's satisfaction has much to do with their expectations and priorities. For me it wouldn't matter if it got 98 mpg and had 20 airbags and cost $5000 I'd never feel safe with people driving their 5000 lb SUVs while on the smartphone. No desire to be the smallest fish in the traffic pond.

Glad you like it.
Do you still drive your Samurai?

 

[AZjeff]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: AZjeff
Sometimes a person's satisfaction has much to do with their expectations and priorities. For me it wouldn't matter if it got 98 mpg and had 20 airbags and cost $5000 I'd never feel safe with people driving their 5000 lb SUVs while on the smartphone. No desire to be the smallest fish in the traffic pond.

Glad you like it.
Do you still drive your Samurai?

I knew someone would see it. Only on surface streets to the edge of town then on dirt roads and easy trails. Without the roof rack it will go 65, with it 55 on flat ground. Add some crosswind or passing trucks and it gets a little nervous. Probably going to sell it soon.

 

[93cruiser]

Originally Posted By: Al
Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
maybe it's just me, but if I'm paying 13,200 USD, it should at least have many power functions/features.
Anything less and I'd feel ripped off

As long as your happy, that's all that matters

\
lol..that's the OTD price..cost 12,300. Show me another new car that gets 43m pg on the highway and has more features for 12,300 and change. I am sitting on pins and needles waiting.

not that i want or have one, but i think the nissan versa gets close to 40 highway, and has AC. power windows too i believe, and for the same price if not lower.

 

[fdcg27]

Sounds like a really decent car for anyone without pretentions.
Around here at least, you could have bought a stick for less money, but I'm sure you shopped the best price you could find local to you.
This sounds like a really good and economical commuter for those who do a lot of miles each week.
In a collision with some five thousand pound behemoth, I doubt you'd be much worse off in this little guy than you would in any mid-sized sedan.
The solution, of course, would be to stop pretending that luxury vehicles are somehow trucks and therefore need not be included in the same CAFE standards that vehicles called cars must meet.
Drive what you want, but meet the same fuel economy standards that everyone else faces.
If you really need a truck, then the CAFE penalties would be just a part of the cost of doing business.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: 93cruiser


not that i want or have one, but i think the nissan versa gets close to 40 highway, and has AC. power windows too i believe, and for the same price if not lower.

Good catch. The Sparkhas a better infotainment system with USB input. But otherwise pretty much the same. I checked out the comparable cars for Toyota and Honda..but did not check Nissan. I probably would have bought the spark anyway.

I did test drive the sonic with 6 speed manual and Turbo. It was a kick but I wasn't after that one. I knew in a couple years we were going to buy the Forester XT so I knew I would eventually have a turbo.

Speaking of Chevy I think its a shame that the Equinox is so underpowered. I really liked it otherwise.

 

[dishdude]

I've had them as rentals, not a bad little car for the city. It makes good use of the space it has inside, and the ride height (which is huge for me) is pretty good. I hate falling into a car and having to climb out.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
the ride height (which is huge for me) is pretty good. I hate falling into a car and having to climb out.

Huge issue for me too. Thats what sold me.

 

[gfh77665]

Originally Posted By: Al

lol..that's the OTD price..cost 12,300. Show me another new car that gets 43m pg on the highway and has more features for 12,300 and change. I am sitting on pins and needles waiting.


No need to "sit on pins and needles", but I can tell you I got the 2017 mid level Ford Fiesta with power windows, cruise, upgraded allow wheels, etc. for 14,300, OTD. The car is narrow but the headroom is incredible. I get 37-38 MPG. Real happy with it so far...

 

[dogememe]

A friend has one he bought as an ex rental car from Hertz and except for the coolant tank randomly cracking while he was driving on the Richmond bridge (this took like 10 minutes to replace) it's been a great car to him for almost 3 years now with nothing besides (not enough) oil changes and tires.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Al
Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
maybe it's just me, but if I'm paying 13,200 USD, it should at least have many power functions/features.
Anything less and I'd feel ripped off

As long as your happy, that's all that matters

\
lol..that's the OTD price..cost 12,300. Show me another new car that gets 43m pg on the highway and has more features for 12,300 and change. I am sitting on pins and needles waiting.

Lol I know. The logic is just silly.. for the price seems reasonable enough. Pretty sure my father paid $9kish for a new ca 1991 corolla with MT and no power anything.

Where is it built?

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted By: Char Baby
Is there AC at this price?
Originally Posted By: Al
lol..yes. It is not really "stripped down" even though it has crank windows..... unless you think it should have leather, power seats,. etc.


NOPE, just the AC!

I've loved little hatchbacks since the early 80's. Now that I'm retired, I have entertained the thought of jumping into another, maybe a good used one. Great little run-a-bouts and great to park, scoot in & out of small places. And as long as it's a 4 dr(OOPS, 5 dr)!

 

[Mainia]

Originally Posted By: Al
Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
maybe it's just me, but if I'm paying 13,200 USD, it should at least have many power functions/features.
Anything less and I'd feel ripped off

As long as your happy, that's all that matters

\
lol..that's the OTD price..cost 12,300. Show me another new car that gets 43m pg on the highway and has more features for 12,300 and change. I am sitting on pins and needles waiting.

A stripped Hyundai Accent that has power windows and a longer warranty, IF they don't try to renege on it??

 

[joekingcorvette]

Thanks for the good report. With a car like that it would be easy to save up for the next new one. I usually buy 2 or 3yr old Civics with under 35,000 miles and drive them up to about 100,000 then sell them for $5 grand easily. Your method works too. Either way it's inexpensive driving!

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2

Where is it built?

S.K. The way things are looking...buying S.K. vehicle might not be a great idea. I actually considered that. They make other Chev. lines I believe. Their quality is good.