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Car Forum / Chevrolet / Chevrolet Malibu / June 20042004 Malibu choice?
Is that make a good buy or worth a good bye? I like cost and rebates. Thank you, Seamus J. Wilson It?s a very nice car. I bought mine in Mexico City but it is assembled in Fairfax, and I had problems with the airbags electronic module and with another electronic control, the breaks switch. That represented 16 days (yes 16!) in the dealership shop. The steering column (I hope the name in English is correct) also had to be changed because it produced a very annoying noise: two days more at the shop. Service, from the dealership but also from GM was not good enough. Now, I enjoy driving my Malibu. If that was all, I'll be in good terms with my car but I guess I will buy another Chevrolet. Be careful. Salvador Sanchez > Is that make a good buy or worth a good bye? I like cost and rebates. > Thank you, > Seamus J. Wilson Thank you Salvador for the informative response. I appreciate your time and advice. Seamus J. > It?s a very nice car. I bought mine in Mexico City but it is assembled in > Fairfax, and I had problems with the airbags electronic module and with [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Thank you, > > Seamus J. Wilson My brother-in-law rented one last weekend - only a few klicks on it - but he got the scare of his life when the power steering just stopped working!! It started acting properly after he came to a stop and switched the car off and started it again. > Is that make a good buy or worth a good bye? I like cost and rebates. > Thank you, > Seamus J. Wilson | Is that make a good buy or worth a good bye? I like cost and rebates. | Thank you, | Seamus J. Wilson First year model runs typically have the most problems (for any car manufacturer). I'd wait a year or two for GM to work the kinks out on the current Malibu design. Personally I had poor experiences with the 2003 I used to own so I dumped it....so I wouldn't buy any Chevy for a while anyway. They still haven't worked out most of the kinks in any of the Malibu's since the 97. Do you really think they can get it right now? > | Is that make a good buy or worth a good bye? I like cost and rebates. > | Thank you, [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > current Malibu design. Personally I had poor experiences with the 2003 I used > to own so I dumped it....so I wouldn't buy any Chevy for a while anyway. | They still haven't worked out most of the kinks in any of the Malibu's since | the 97. Do you really think they can get it right now? Personally, no. I'm currently in the "show me" mode...no more "blind faith" purchases for me! I may consider it when owners in this NG start saying good things in much greater numbers. Don't get me wrong... This is the car that I wanted. I like the look, and feel of the car. I'm a little upset that it has had some bugs right out of the gate, but the dealership has fixed most of them. Now that I have driven the car for a thousand miles, I really like the way it handles. The engine has lots of pep, and on average I get 25.6 miles to the gallon. The LT Maxx has all the features that I had in my Volvo Wagon, but at a more reasonable price. Once all the issues are resolved, in general, this will be a very nice car. Sandy > | They still haven't worked out most of the kinks in any of the Malibu's since > | the 97. Do you really think they can get it right now? > > Personally, no. I'm currently in the "show me" mode...no more "blind faith" > purchases for me! I may consider it when owners in this NG start saying good > things in much greater numbers. Well all I can say is good luck! Only time will tell how good of a car it will be. When I first drove my 97 Malibu I will admit I also was impressed but the car just didn't hold up over time. If you didn't already get one, make sure you get a good long extended warranty because I'll bet you will need it. My warranty covered about $3,000 of repairs and I only paid $790.00 for it when my car was new. > Don't get me wrong... This is the car that I wanted. I like the look, > and feel of the car. I'm a little upset that it has had some bugs right [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > purchases for me! I may consider it when owners in this NG start saying good > > things in much greater numbers. | Don't get me wrong... This is the car that I wanted. I like the look, | and feel of the car. I'm a little upset that it has had some bugs right [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] | | Sandy Well, best of luck. It's possible they have it right this time...I just know I won't be finding out personally. Keep giving us reports! ;-) Thank you for all the comments. Will go for Camry. Seamus J. > | Don't get me wrong... This is the car that I wanted. I like the look, > | and feel of the car. I'm a little upset that it has had some bugs right [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > Well, best of luck. It's possible they have it right this time...I just know I > won't be finding out personally. Keep giving us reports! ;-) >| Don't get me wrong... This is the car that I wanted. I like the look, >| and feel of the car. I'm a little upset that it has had some bugs right [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >Well, best of luck. It's possible they have it right this time...I just know I >won't be finding out personally. Keep giving us reports! ;-) I've got the 04 Malibu LS.. had it since mid November of last year.. I have had 0 problems of any kind.. not even any initial defects upon delivery.. never had that experience for any of the several cars I have owned before.. usually always something that needs adjustment.. I don't expect eveyone will be as fortunate of course, just relating my experience.. Outperforms the Lumina I had (even with the Monte Carlo engine it had in it) and the gas mileage is superb (at least compared to the Lumina with my heavy foot). Even though it's a 'new' car per-se, it's built on an established paltform (same Epsilon platform as the SAAB) so I don't expect to see the traditional 'first year' maladies with this one.. I would normally subscribe to the 'wait for the second year' model, but I felt this was a different scenario given that.. As Dennis Miller says.. That's just my opinion.. I could be wrong.. Sligo, I too had issues similar to Salvador. The BCM (Body Control Module) had some poor connections and shorted itself out. The vehicle sat in the dealership for 29 days waiting for the parts to arrive. Since the parts were installed, the car has met my expectations. The dealership still needs to replace the trunk switch as it does not work. My 2004 Malibu Maxx gets about 26 miles to the gallon average (slightly more highway than city driving). The electronic steering took a little time to get used to, but now that I've been driving it for a while, and am now used to it. This is the first brand new car that I have purchased. Personally, it is to soon for me to judge the vehicle. It is a new style and the first of it's kind. Only time will tell for me. Hope this helps. Sandy > Is that make a good buy or worth a good bye? I like cost and rebates. > Thank you, > Seamus J. Wilson My 2004 Malibu has 1500 miles with zero problems. See Consumer Reports Jan, 2004 and May 2004 issues. They said good things about the car. They also said the V6 is the most fuel efficient V6 they ever tested. My V6 is averaging over 25 mpg (US). I was originally going to buy a Camry or Accord, but Malibu offered Traction Control with both the 4 and 6 cylinder engines - a useful option in the snowy climate I live in. Camry and Accord don't offer traction control with their 4 cylinder versions. > Is that make a good buy or worth a good bye? I like cost and rebates. > Thank you, > Seamus J. Wilson | My 2004 Malibu has 1500 miles with zero problems. I would certainly hope so! Somehow I don't see that as being anything special. I hope your experience continues because there is nothing worse that having bought a new car that gives problems. But no problems at 1500 miles, hardly a trend there yet. | See Consumer Reports Jan, 2004 and May 2004 issues. | They said good things about the car. They also | said the V6 is the most fuel efficient V6 they ever | tested. Time will tell. The 1st year model run is too new for many of them to have developed any real pervasive problems yet. And, maybe they won't. History tells us that 1st year runs give considerable more problems than later years. So, for me personally, I'd rather wait a couple years before buying a newly designed model run...stay away from those 1st year model runs. See what they industry is saying about them after a cuple of years. | My V6 is averaging over 25 mpg (US). I averaged 19-20 mixed in a V6 Dodge Grand Caravan (25-27 highway) and my wife averages 24-26 mixed in her current V6 Dodge Stratus (low 30's highway). I would imagine you will get another mile or two better once your Malibu has broken in some more...so that is not bad for a V6 (assuming mixed driving). You'll probably end up in the 26-28 range average...pretty good! What are you getting on the highway? What is the EPA rating for the car (curious). You're right that my experience isn't anything special. But I had heard that US cars were edging ahead of European cars on reliability. The EPA ratings for the Malibu V6 are 23 city/ 32 highway. This beats many 4 cylinder cars such as VW Passat. Again, I am averaging over 25mpg. I also think the Malibu's fuel economy indicator keeps my driving more fuel efficient. > | My 2004 Malibu has 1500 miles with zero problems. > [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > You'll probably end up in the 26-28 range average...pretty good! What are you > getting on the highway? What is the EPA rating for the car (curious). | You're right that my experience isn't anything special. But I had heard | that US cars were edging ahead of European cars on reliability. The EPA | ratings for the Malibu V6 are 23 city/ 32 highway. This beats many 4 | cylinder cars such as VW Passat. Again, I am averaging over 25mpg. I also | think the Malibu's fuel economy indicator keeps my driving more fuel | efficient. The trip computer w/ fuel indicator is a nice "real-time" tool to adjust driving habits for economy. Those are great EPA numbers for a V6. Now that I'm thinking about it, I think those are even better fuel numbers than the 4-cylinder option in the Malibu. Makes one wonder why anyone would choose the 4-cylinder option over the V6 option if the 4-cylinder mileage is actually worse. Write back at the 10K mark...let us know how the mileage is going. You'll probably get another mile or two after it's broken in good. Note that although the 4 cylinder Malibu has slightly higher EPA ratings than the V6 (24/34 for the 4 vs. 23/32 for the V6), Consumer Reports claims in their May 2004 issue that they actually got 2 mpg MORE with the V6 than with the 4 cylinder Malibu. I am a little skeptical of this, but at 60mph, my V6 Malibu is turning only 1600rpm. It's basically at fast idle on the expressway, and this contributes to its relatively good mileage. Note also that in the Feb, 2004 Motor Trend, the Malibu V6 edged out the Camry V6 in a comparison test. Yes, the Accord beat them both, but it shows that the Malibu's design is up there with the best. > | You're right that my experience isn't anything special. But I had heard > | that US cars were edging ahead of European cars on reliability. The EPA [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > Write back at the 10K mark...let us know how the mileage is going. You'll > probably get another mile or two after it's broken in good. >>Note that although the 4 cylinder Malibu has slightly higher EPA ratings >>than the V6 (24/34 for the 4 vs. 23/32 for the V6), Consumer Reports claims >>in their May 2004 issue that they actually got 2 mpg MORE with the V6 than >>with the 4 cylinder Malibu. Probably related to the fact that the 4 cylinder has less HP and less torque, so it has to work harder to do the same job. I took a 4 cylinder Saturn ION for a test drive at one point, and to me it felt like it was struggling to pull the 3 of us around town. |
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