I would agree. This car is supposed to be a competitor in the small car market, but it isn't a very good one. I've gone through a litany of parts on my Sonic, more than it should be at 55k (now). It's reasonable to expect that you shouldn't have major problems in such a short time. I too maintain my car. It's used 44 miles a day round trip for commuting. Just this morning, I smelled coolant and I popped the hood at work, looks like a leaking coolant surge tank.....new one on order, will change that this week when it arrives.
Head gasket and head at 35k, new shifter assembly, RF window motor, two thermostats, brake pedal position sensor, worn out floor mats at 5k miles, three sets of stabilizer bar links up to now, and the list goes on. Things have had to be replaced on this car that have never gone bad on any car I've owned or still own (and they are much older).
The upside is that GM has covered everything, but only after I fought them and made them give me an extended warranty on the whole car until 2021. I do the oil changes and upkeep myself. However, a car should be reliable and even with a warranty, when it's out of service, it's a paperweight and not much use. The tow truck driver joked me last time, "I knew your address when it came over dispatch. I've towed this car at least once before....."
In the 1980s, GM and Daewoo partnered on the Pontiac Lemans among other projects and things didn't go so hot there...., it seems that history is repeating itself.....
opcorn:
