Thinking of a Factory Order 2019...

[Joesonic]

Hello All,

I don't own a sonic (yet) but I am seriously considering one. I'd like to order mine from the factory because everywhere I have checked, there aren't any manual transmission equipped Sonics on the lot or any that can be obtained by my dealer. I checked with the dealer and they told me it is still not too late to order one.

That being said, I went to Chevy's Website to pick out options and packages. Here are my questions:
-Why does the manual transmission version of the Sedan get much better fuel mileage than the hatch? Yet the automatic version of Sedan and Hatch make no difference in fuel economy ratings?

-The Hatch comes standard as the "RS" package. Ordering the $2775 Performance package forces me to upgrade to 17" wheels which I do not want. However, if I order the $845 Lowering Suspension Kit and $1095 Performance Exhaust Kit separately, I am not forced to upgrade to 17" wheels. Why is that?

- The LT Sedan with the RS package equipped will not allow you to upgrade to the performance exhaust as either the performance package or the stand alone option. Does anyone know why?

-Speaking of that performance exhaust, the website claims it's good for 10hp and 15 lb. ft of torque. And a "premium fuel" sticker is placed on the inside of the fuel filler door. Does anyone know if premium fuel is "Recommended" or "Required" with the performance exhaust? The difference in those two words can mean whether or not factory warranties go bye-bye and head gaskets blow out. One of the reasons why I find this car appealing is the fact that Premium fuel isn't required...

- Speaking of blowing head gaskets. Iron Block? Aluminum Head? Kissed with boost = Disaster? When (if ever) will GM think about putting the 1.4L from the Cruze in this car, now that the Cruze is going away? Or am I stressing out way too much.

- Rear Suspension/Brakes. I'm really impressed with the 'golly gee whiz' infotainment center and connect-ability with my phone and whatnot. Why then is GM still using Ox-cart technology out back? Does it really make a negative difference in the long haul or have you guys and gals found that it rides/handles great after all?

Ok that about sums up my questions. I'm seriously considering this car but I was hoping that some of you who are very knowledgeable would be able to answer my questions and calm my anxiety a little bit. Thank you for your help!

 

[92dakota]

ordering no idea.. gm website is odd that way..

17 inch wheels aint bad, had them on my 12' LTZ Hatch it held the road alot better then the 15's on parents LS model Hatch.. im in northern ontario pothole city.. and never had a problem..

headgasket.. inevitable.. but dosent seem very common on these cars but does happen, but alot of testing has been done, its the PCV system thats more troublesome (common issue) and rear main(unless its be revised) among other things..

Premium should be run on a turbo anyway, and adding exhaust adds a tune, that is programmed probably for premium fuel..

probably dont make the performance exhaust anymore for the 4 door .. or just dont have anything available atm..

 

[Joesonic]

Thanks for your input 92dakota. I live in Albany NY and we have our fair share of potholes and ruts in the pavement too. 17" tires do handle very well but I am thinking about cost of replacement when the tires wear out in 30-40K miles. Also, since GM's website seems buggy, maybe I'll just talk to the salesman about it.


I used to own a turbocharged vehicle (1987 Chrysler LeBaron GTS Turbo) and a supercharged vehicle (1995 Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe). The Chrysler's owners manual specified premium was recommended but not required. The Ford's owners manual stated the opposite, premium fuel was required and that regular fuel should only be used in an emergency.


Since that time, I would tend to think that computer controlled systems have become more sophisticated to handle spark knock/detonation should it occur on regular fuel? Anyway, if premium fuel is required with the performance exhaust, perhaps then I should skip that option?

Has anyone used the lowering suspension and found that to be a worthwhile option?


Any input is appreciated!

 

[92dakota]

with my 2012 it i wont lie ran regular in winter and premium in summer.. i seen slightly better MPG and a bit more pep in summer with higher octane.. the mpg was enough that it made up the difference in fuel cost....

a decent set of 17's from Kaltire (national brand) of my 17's on my sonic cost me 500 bucks cnd.. out the door.. so price difference for say the stock 195/65/15 (parents 2015 LS size) that i just got(same model tire from kaltire ) for the Jetta i have was 480 out the door... so that difference is negligible..

had a 91 dodge spirit turbo .. those care had more turbo and headgasket issues then i can count..lol but was a fun 4 door tho dont get me wrong.


anytime something is a turbo or modified with a tune..99% chance they going to recommend Premium.. and stright up with a turbo due to heat, premium is going to work best.. there is a few threads on this forum thats shows what happened to the 1.4T engine running regular.....

 

[Joesonic]

Thanks again 92dakota. I'll search around for some of the information that members have posted regarding 1.4T running on Regular Fuel. Yeah, the general rule when it comes to boost is to use premium fuel. Again, I was hoping that thanks to more sophisticated engines and computers, the computer would be able to automatically adjust for it quicker.

My 87' Lebaron GTS Turbo was a messed up engine design: Not only was it an iron block and aluminum head but Mopar decided to have the intake and exhaust manifold on the same side of the head. Presumably to make the plumbing really short for the turbo. It didn't even have an intercooler. Talk about blowing hot boost into the car. It would ping like mad whenever I put regular into it. It didn't matter if it was winter or summer.

The Ford T-bird, I didn't take a chance and put premium in all of the time. However, when the premium started to hit $3.80 gallon and it was costing me about $75.00 to fill the car up, I pulled the supercharger belt and ran regular. What a gutless wonder that was...

I guess what I would like with the sonic is an economy car first with some kick when I want it to kick. This is really my thinking regarding the long term usage of regular fuel and smaller tires that kind of thing.

 

[dannyg]

Glad to hear you're considering a Sonic! Just one detail, if you didn't notice the hatchbacks have 16" wheels (they're all RS). The only 15" are the LS and non-RS LT/Prem sedans.

Have you seen this, good info:

http://www.sonicownersforum.com/forum/general-discussion/22938-roll-up-sonic-common-issues.html
http://www.sonicownersforum.com/for...24-why-did-you-choose-sedan-hatchback-38.html

What kind of discounting can you get with Factory Order? I've always wondered about that. It's tough if you want a manual since as you say there are so few around. The manual is being dropped completely for 2020.

For what it's worth I've been very happy with my 1.8L/5sp 2015 LS.

Good luck!

 

[Joesonic]

Thanks dannyg,

Both of those links were very enlightening and it took me a while to get through many of the posts. I am now questioning even more what the heck it is I really want?

The salesman got back to me regarding the option package differences for the LT Sedan and RS hatchback. The salesman did confirm that the performance exhaust is incompatible with the RS package equipped Sedan. He speculated that the combination of the ground effects for the rear bumper skirt and the revised exhaust pipe routing may have something to do with it.

Meanwhile the hatch has the RS package standard and a Manual version has an MSRP of $18,895. The Manual LT Sedan has an MSRP only $100 less at $18,795. Yet to get the RS package on the Sedan, one has to pay $800 bringing the MSRP to $19,595. Meaning that a comparably equipped stock Manual LT Sedan with the RS package is a little more money than the out-the-door RS Hatchback.

Of course I got through the whole 37 page "Hatch vs. Sedan" debate, and I'm even more confused!

I especially like the picture that was posted with the hatch having 4 tires, floor jack, Ice Cooler, Tool chest and a box of assorted sundries with enough room to close the Hatch. You just can't beat that.

On the other hand, the Sedan's trunk is HUGE for this car. And when I test drove the Sedan, I managed to get my Son's Ice Hockey Goalie Equipment in there without a problem. I just need to fold down the seat for his stick to fit through. There was even enough room at the end of his leg pads to get bigger leg pads in there.

I still cannot figure out why the Sedan equipped with a manual transmission gets better fuel mileage then that Hatch equipped with a manual? In my book a 3 mpg hit to highway economy is significant. I lurked around on the MPG forum a little bit and I couldn't really come up with a solid answer for it, other than the Hatch is not nearly as aerodynamic as the sedan and so therefore this is the reason for the big hit on the highway.

This is a pretty big decision for me and I tend to keep cars for a while, so I want something that is going to last and be efficient for a long time. Will it be easier to live with the hatch or the sedan? I don't know?

 

[wpgsonic]

I own a hatch,but had a sedan for a rental car.I found the ride was way smoother in the sedan.I suggest you test drive both before buying.

 

[Joesonic]

Thanks wpgsonic,

The sedan that I test drove was loaded with many of the goodies (RS package, driver confidence package and comfort package). I found its ride to be very smooth but when I needed to avoid a deer carcass on the highway going about 55mph, a quick right-left-right on the steering wheel felt quite natural and planted. I was very impressed.


Certainly the RS equipped Sedan seemed to have a great ride/handling combination. But would the RS Hatch have a worse ride? Problem is that the dealers don't carry too many Sonics to test drive back to back. And apparently the Hatch was harder to find.

 

[dannyg]

A couple of point for ya:

—I think all RSs come with P205/55R16, but you could confirm that at the dealer. The optional 17” wheels come with P205/50R17s which would give you a slightly “sportier” ride (50 vs 55). Sedans come with 15” wheels, P195/65R15, the least sporty (but fine by me!), except for RS package which get the 16s.

—Note that the way you drive will have a big impact on MPG and that 3MPG is less than 10% of 35MPG highway. To some the looks and practicality and smaller footprint of the hatch make it absolutely the better choice.

—You were able to find a loaded sedan with manual tranny at a local dealer? Pretty rare I’d say.

—Sorry can’t help decide hatch vs. sedan, that’s up to you!

 

[Joesonic]

Hey dannyg,

You are correct about the wheel/tire sizes. I see the value in having the additional 10mm width going from the 15" wheels to 16" wheels, but there isn't an increase in section width going from 16" to 17" wheels. To me it isn't worth it hauling around heavier, slightly harsher riding tires that will cost me even more to replace the tires when they are worn out. So 16" wheels are the sweet spot for sure. Reading about other Sonics on the MPG forum, folks have upgraded to the Cruze Eco 17" wheels. If I recall those were forged aluminum to be lighter weight. I may upgrade to those later if $$ allows.

I didn't find a loaded manual Sedan on the lot. Sorry I should have clarified, it was an automatic, like all of the Sonics on the lot. The dealer even stated to me that he couldn't get a manual Sonic for me unless I chose to factory order.

I know there are many factors that affect MPG. Some members report MPG better than what the EPA rated these cars for. With my luck I would be ok with getting exactly what the EPA says I should get. I know how to drive real slow (60mph, stay in the right lane with cruise set) but often times I still don't get what the EPA says I should get. So this is why I want my 3mpg!

On the other hand, the Hatch is the better value. Giving me the RS package standard. I did some fuel savings calculations and determined that I would save approximately $8.00 more per month driving the Sedan. The $700 difference in cost for a RS equipped Sedan vs. a RS Hatch would take me 87.5 Months (7.29 years) to break even. Assuming that gas prices averaged $2.78/gallons.

Perhaps the Hatch, even with its slightly lower economy is starting to look better for me? Hmmmm…

 

[Hightop]

I've got a '13 6 speed hatch, can't see why the sedan would be 3 MPG better, I get 36 with about 90 % highway and the balance city driving. I would go with whichever body style you prefer over a possible MPG difference

 

[Hightop]

Forgot to add, 1.4 LT

 

[Joesonic]

May not get anything!

I couple of weeks ago, I went into the dealer to try and order a new sonic. When the salesman came back he said that he can't order a 2019 anymore and he can only order a 2020. The problem with that is they are automatic only. :sadbanana:

He tried to find a new manual one on another dealer's lot but many of the ones that still exist are too far away. Or they are LS sedans with manual crank windows and no cruise control. He said both features aren't easy to install at the dealer. WTH Chevrolet? Why build a car with a super cool infotainment center but you can't put cruise control or power windows on it?


Anyway, he said he will see about getting a price for me to possibly Flat bed one of the manuals from a long distance dealership. Or he'll check into a very low mileage CPO as well. I even said I'd consider a 2018 Cruze Sedan/Hatch if he could get it in a manual.

All the stick shifts are going away. Just Slush boxes from now on.

 

[dannyg]

Yeah really tough to get a stick Sonic these days. The only 2019 anywhere near me is an LS sedan at Arnold Chevy on LI. (I’ve never been there myself, just saw the listing at Chevy website.) I see you are in/near Albany, maybe close enough to ship? Cruise is a $340 option on the LS per Chevy website, so that should be doable. But you have to get the LT or Prem to get power windows...

Good luck!

 

[Tormach]

Yup, they are hard to find. Took me a week to find one. 2018 Hatch LT with the RS package manual and 9500 miles on her that was 120miles away in Cobleskill NY. Picked her up on Tuesday.

She definitely belonged to either a member on here or the gamma2 FB group

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[dannyg]

Yup, they are hard to find. Took me a week to find one. 2018 Hatch LT with the RS package manual and 9500 miles on her that was 120miles away in Cobleskill NY. Picked her up on Tuesday.

She definitely belonged to either a member on here or the gamma2 FB group

That's a nice one, congrats! Glad there's still a few stick shifts around.

 

[Tormach]

That's a nice one, congrats! Glad there's still a few stick shifts around.

ya, she is replacing my 2012 sedan as it was side swipped in a parking lot and may get totalled out (currently demodding her and modding this one, down to intake manifold, bnr rear mount and mpfab drs)

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[wpgsonic]

Is that a premier model? Those black 17 inch rims in the first picture look really good with it.

 

[Tormach]

Is that a premier model? Those black 17 inch rims in the first picture look really good with it.

Lt with the RS package, have to get two of those tires plugged cause of damn road construction debris this weekend

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