MAHONING VALLEY Cobalts to hit showrooms this week

One auto dealer expects to receive the new Chevrolets today.
By DON SHILLING
VINDICATOR BUSINESS EDITOR
Chevrolet officials hope to start shipping Cobalts to dealers this week, a company spokeswoman said.
One local dealer said he expects his first Cobalts to arrive today, while another is expecting one Saturday. Two others said they weren't sure about delivery dates but expected cars to begin arriving later this week or next week.
Chevrolet itself isn't certain of the day when Cobalts would begin leaving the General Motors complex in Lordstown, said Noreen Pratscher, a Chevrolet spokeswoman. Cars are going through final checks, and the company hopes to begin shipping this week, she said.
It will take several weeks before enough cars are being produced to fill normal delivery schedules, she said.
The Lordstown plant started producing cars for sale to the public Oct. 13 and has been storing them at the plant. Production volumes started low as workers got accustomed to the new design and new equipment.
Dealers
Greg Greenwood, owner of Greenwood Chevrolet in Austintown, said a truckload of eight Cobalts is supposed to arrive today at Greenwood Chevrolet in Austintown.
Eventually, the dealership will stock between 150 and 200 Cobalts.
Barry Gonis, general manager of Spitzer Auto World in North Jackson, said his records show that he is to receive a Cobalt on Saturday. He is expecting seven cars to arrive in the first month and eventually to have an inventory of about 20.
Officials at Sweeney Chevrolet in Boardman and Diane Sauer Chevrolet in Warren said they expect to be offering Cobalts either this week or next week.
Sauer said interested shoppers have been stopping in during the past week hoping to see the car.
Jeff Haag, Chevrolet marketing manager, said last month that the cars would begin arriving at dealers about Nov. 1.
Getting it right
Dealers said Monday, however, that they are pleased that GM is taking its time with the Cobalts and not rushing them from the plant.
"They want to make sure everything is in perfect condition," Gonis said.
The "pain and agony" of waiting for Cobalts is worth it to be sure that "quality is there from the first one," Greenwood said.
The Cobalt is replacing the Chevrolet Cavalier, which the Lordstown plant stopped making in October. GM is spending about $1 billion to upgrade the Lordstown complex for production of the Cobalt, which it is calling a premium small car.
shilling@vindy.com