Chevy Malibu Maxx

kurtamaxxguy · October 2005

..a San Diego survey firm, commented that the Malibu Maxx was a "class leader" in terms of customer satifaction, along with Scion and the Chevy Tahoe.

Honda did the best of all in their survey.

wtb1968 · October 2005

It appears to be a January 2004 build date by the sticker on the inside of the driver's side door. would they have fixed this as a recall (the steering column) since this is a demo? what is the essence of the steering problem? Thanks.

pao · October 2005

it wasnt a recall.....it was a (technical servrice bulletin) TSB...it replaced the steering column because it stop working essentially..had to do with sensor contacts or switches that would get dirty or contaminated...once this happens the electronic steering stops functioning...takes a good service department to make this and the tank replace listed below...just some small techincal things that have to get done..like recalibrating the steering column once it is replaced...that some service departments overlook or simply dont do

....I would ask the dealer if it has had the column replaced...there are also several TSBs for the rear window shades..a wind deflector for the sunroof if it has one and one for the gas tank..if the guage fails to read full...something about a sensor inside the tank as I recall...a recall for a seatbelt nut or retainer...and several updates to the PCM...the computer module in the car......all should be reflected in the service record of the car...there is also a TSB out for a howl in the transmission....duing moderate acceleration..most noticeable going up hill from a standing start....

I have only had to do the recall in my 04 Maxx LT..but I have a mid Feb build date...again..if a demo with 10K miles...the steering problems where showing up early on most cars that had the problem.....so as long as the warranty is still good for the 3/36....after you take possession....or if they will sweeten it with an extended warranty.....hope all this helps

skyhawk · October 2005

My Maxx has an early Feb 04 build date. I have not experienced any of the problems noted on the forum. I had 3 recalls. I was not having a steering problem. My vin # fell within a certain range and the column was replaced. I was a little concerned because I did not have any pulling to the left problems. The dealer did a good job and I still do not have any pulling issues. One recall was for a seat belt anchor and the other for an ABS controller. The dealer should have a copy of the warranty maintenance completed on the vehicle as this would be a charge to GM.

I have only had 1 warranty issue. The car was running cool and the thermostat needed to be replaced.

e2helper · October 2005

Actually it was a recall pao. Categorized as customer satisfaction type. 04050A

It is in effect until January 31, 2006

wtb1968 with last 6 of VIN I could tell you whether it had been done on vehicle

princess4 · October 2005

Where do you find these bulletins at? Would like to read them...Thanks for any help..

wtb1968 · October 2005

last 6 characters are 153129...thanks for your help.

e2helper · October 2005

From what I can see vehicle was just at dealers in GA (no LA)

Build date 1/13/2004

Looks to be pretty much fully loaded, even with rear DVD system, XM and OnStar!

Also looks like dealer handled all open recalls including steering column back in July

Don't tell dealer where you got info, they might not like it

pao · October 2005

I have a feb 04 build 2/14 I beleve....would that have fallen into that recall for the steering column..just curious....I have had no problems with mine at all....at 47K

e2helper · October 2005

Yours was built after which was why you never got a notice

wtb1968 · October 2005

I went to the dealer today and they quoted me $22,495.00 for a 2004 Maxx LT DEMO with 10,500 miles and with many options (DVD, CD changer, Power Sunroof, XM, OnStar, remote start, heated seats).

They wanted me to make a counter offer but I refused and said that they weren't even close to what I was thinking and that it didn't warrant a counter.

They acted as if they were doing me a real favor and said that they thought they could get it down maybe another $2k...but that was it. They said they thought they would be able to move it within three weeks. I told them to call me in 3 weeks and thanked them kindly.

I think a fair price is around $17,000 out the door...but it seems that others on this board were paying that price nearly 2 years ago. Any thoughts on pricing or my posture with the dealer???

Thanks in advance.

madmaxx · October 2005

According to NADA.com, $17k is about the wholesale (trade-in) value of the car. Average retail is $19k.

No matter what the dealer claims, you're looking at a used, not new, car, and the dealer needs to remember that.

Kelly Blue Book is SUGGESTED prices. NADA values are based on reports of what a dealer actually purchased and sold the vehicle for.

pao · October 2005

I did the same look up..NDA KBB etc... I would have countered with 17K out the door.....Tax, title and tags....but would have been willing to go to 18K as my high end

That is the exact car that I have...althought bought it early in the model year with no incentives.....and got mine for 23K out the door....so for a two year old model year car...used...no way for 24.5

take in the KBB printouts..and NADA......and show them to the dealer..tell them this is what you will give them...if they still say no.....you have already walked away once.......wouldnt hurt...if you are interested in the car.....47K on mine and love it

redmaxx · October 2005

Wow, after looking at NADA...I like their prices much better (for selling, not buying :P ). Their trade value is a couple thousand higher than KBB.

nortsr1 · October 2005

The dealer wi give you the "auction" price usually, unless the selling price is "overpriced"!

blucheez · October 2005

Don't know if anyone's seen this ad but it's sweet. These guys rip around town in a Maxx, then launch across a drawbridge. Good thing they have a remote start and adjustable back seats!

15mb Quicktime file

http://reelefx.amhosting.com/webclips/chevycarjump180x120.mov

jw1127 · October 2005

Two months ago I paid $17k for an 04 Maxx LT similar to what you're looking at (12K miles, no XM or OnStar). They also gave me $1000 more on my trade-in in "negotiation" than their original offer. So far so good with the Maxx. I did have a leak in the hatch at the 3rd brake light, but it was fixed under warranty.

pao · October 2005

would think 18K would be the upper limit for his car as well...onstar was a 695 and XM 300 dollar option......heck would offer them 17.5 for it and see what the dealer said...if they took it fine..if not....walk...

rboggs · October 2005

Bought a new '04 LT w/no options in April '05. List $24,725, paid $18,000 plus $99 doc fee.Another dealer had loaded '04 LS, wanted $20,000. After I told 2nd dealer I was buying the LT, he offered me his LS for $16,700! He also had a loaded LS at $15,700, with 7800 miles. Paid extra for the LT because I didn't want a sunroof, and Dealer 2 was a jerk.
Maxx seems to be selling well here-saw none until Aug., now they're everywhere.

njscribe1 · October 2005

My 2004 Maxx LT has a 12/03 build date and has had no problems. I bought it Jan. 21, 2004, and have only put 19K on it. I wish I had time to drive it around the U.S, because I have complete faith in it and enjoy all the features. I salute the Fairfax, Kansas, workforce and am proud to own an American product.

madmaxx · October 2005

When I purchased my first Maxx--August04--it seemed like there were more Malibu sedans on the road than Maxx'es. Now, I find it reversed--I see many, many, more Maxx'es compared to Malibu sedans.

Is it just me, or has the rest of the country finally realized the versatility of the Maxx vs. the sedan?

I don't know the sales figures, and, perhaps, it is geographic. But here in NW Washington I rarely see the sedan anymore.

What are you seeing in your area?

maxxoliver · October 2005

I live in Northern Calif and we have a mixture of both but the Sedan seems to still out do the Maxx. It also seems that when I find someone else with a Maxx and talk to them that theirs is a rental. I do get a lot of comments on my car and I always tell people how great it is.

skyhawk · October 2005

I live in Northern RI and I have noticed many more Maxx's in this area. When I first bought mine I rarely saw another. Now I see several every day. However I would say that the sedan still outnumbers the Maxx in this area.

kurtamaxxguy · October 2005

I have seen several 2005+ Malibus (more since GM's employee fire sale a few months back), but so far other than my own Driftwood Maxx, I have seen only three maxxes over a period of two years;

One black, one white, one driftwood (the last driven as if owned by a race driver).

FYI, the cars most driven like racecars here (other than the omnipresent Honda tuner specials) are BMW and Audi. Guess they are having fun now, as our traffic volume is projected to __double__ in the next 20 years.

oldster1 · October 2005

I'd like to hear from a few that have had their Maxx for 1+ yrs or 45K to 60+K miles. How is it holding up regarding body integrity (rattles etc), interior wear, engine performance and gas mileage? How is your general satisfaction with the car? What is your biggest gripe?

ericw55 · October 2005

I have had my 04 Maxx for 14 months (11k of mostly local driving). I have had the gas tank, and steering column replaced. I have the rattle in the front end that many have posted about, but it doesn't bother me. No other rattles. 25MPG. Engine performance is more than acceptable. I am pleased with the build quality (unlike my S10 ZR2, which was traded in for the Maxx). I bought my Maxx based on price. I had no idea it was such a good vehicle.

maxxoliver · October 2005

We had our first Maxx for 16 months and it was bought back because it had a lot of repairs but they were just annoying ones nothing really to do with the safety of the car. We really love the car and purchased another one just a year newer. The interior was leather and held up really well, the car still looked brand new when we gave it back to them. Performance has always been great lots of pick and go. The mileage was good. No rattles at all in that one. We do have a roof rattle in the new one we are working on.
We are completely satisfied with the car. It has so many features for the money. I am really spoiled and don't know what I will do in a few years when it is time to replace it. When GM did the buyback they told us we could purchase any thing we wanted but there is nothing that compares with the Maxx.
Biggest gripe the fear that GM will really do away with Maxx in 2007. What are they thinking?

pao · October 2005

bought my 04 Maxx LT in Early March 04...and getting ready to hit 49K on it...no problems....back to the shop one time to fix a short in the right turn signal socket. otherwise...no problems at all.....about to replace my tires...placed custom rims on it with 17 inch tires...got about 35K out of the tires...bad cupping on the inside...probably alignment..but in for that today...at my local tire shop.....other than the recalls....I have loved the Maxx....no major repairs...just routine maintenance...probably ready for a brakes as well but will get them checked this weekend...small rattle in the sunroof shade....but otherwise..mine is still tight....averaging 26-28 combined.....depending on my traffic here in northern va...

interior wear is great, performance...happy with it....its not a performance car..but good all around...not afraid to pass another car on a two lane road....gas mileage addressed above....no real gripes to be honest.......

redmaxx · October 2005

I've had my Maxx for a little over a year. So far:

Rear sunshades - One sunshade replaced, retainers repaired several times, finally, they replaced the whole headliner because I lost another sunshade and they couldn't keep the retainers repaired.Dash piece covering radio and A/C Controls replaced for peeling.Steering wheel cover and airbag replaced, b/c the Chevy emblem fell into the steering wheelFront driver's plastic surround piece (the thing holding the heater controls) tightened.Front sunroof shade replaced due to rattling.Engine leak repaired by dissasembling Intake Manifold and resealing.Serpentine belt replaced due to screeching and smell.PCM updated for idle, not starting and shifting.Rear plastic trim covering the latch on the hatch repaired several times due to coming loose.Radio needs to be repaired/replaced due to Alzheimers.Brake rotors machined due to pulsation.Rear high brake lamp reseated and then replaced due to leaking water into the tailgate area.Remote start intermittently quit working, works now.Outside window trim pieces replaced due to peeling.Rear driver's side window repaired due to screeching.Rear passenger's side seat lever replaced due to snapping off.Steering column is now making a groaning noise...will have to have that checked out.Seat heaters come on by themselves.
That is all I can think of right now. I have about 15.6K on it.

skyhawk · October 2005

I took delivery March 8, 2004. I have 20k on the car. It was stored for 4 months while I wintered in Florida and will sit again this winter. I had 1 maintenance issue. The check engine light came on. The code pointed to the thermostat as the car was running below desired temperature. I could not tell.The steering column was replaced due to a recall. I was not having any problems and was concerned about the change. The dealer did a great job. I don't care about the rear shades, only my grandkids sit back there and they love the "skylights". My wife loves the headrests so that was never an issue.I have no rattles, it always starts and I am happy with the car. I plan on driving it into the ground... or at least 8 or 9 years.
I recently noticed that the paint is peeling off the trim by the back door drivers side only. It is plastic and won't rust...so I don't care.
I have always been pleased with the fit and finish. I have the sport red and it really looks great with a fresh wax job.
I do like the grill on the 06

pao · October 2005

tire issue was definitely a alignment problem...so got that corrected....put the OEM rims and tires back on the car for the winter...and all is well.....again...very happy with the car with almost 49K on it......as on any forum...you will probably here more from the unlucky ones that have had problems with the car...vice those of us who are happy with the product...but the ultimate decision is yours......would I buy another Maxx again....absolutely I would without hesitation.....about to start its third model year.....Im sure they have gotten most if not all the first model year kinks worked out....

pao · October 2005

wow...yours must have been made on a Mon..hangover....or Fri...rush to get off work........too many problems for a mass produced car these days.....too many little gremlins there.....

redmaxx · October 2005

wow...yours must have been made on a Mon..hangover....or Fri...rush to get off work........too many problems for a mass produced car these days.....too many little gremlins there.....

Yeah and it doesn't end there. I now have a groan in the steering when I turn left and whistle from the shifter under acceleration (they supposedly applied the TSB). I'm happy with the performance of the car mechanically and the interior looks nice, but (at least on my car) the interior integrity leaves much to be desired.

jmax4 · October 2005

My Maxx was bought in Feb. 2004 and has over 12K. It had a few fixes for the common problems such as PCM update for idle, rear sunshades retainers, steering column replacement done last week and headrests replacement this week. There is some rattle coming from the back of the car and the wind noise from the right side of the car-heard when the radio is turned off.

I would prefer the trunk/cargo area to be a little wider, but besides that, I really like this car and will look for the similar type if this one will be discontinued.

There are more Maxxs on the roads for sure. I see at least 2 every day, sometimes even 4 (all different colors.)

oldster1 · October 2005

jmax4,

What's with the headrest replacement?

e2helper · October 2005

It is for people who complain about feeling the headrest on back of their head when seated in vehicle

Personally I didn't mind it - however I also like feeling seat belt holding me in place.

There were enough complaints that GM made a design change in 2005 and made service parts available under warranty. Reference TSB 05-08-50-002

maxx4me · October 2005

yeah, it's funny...I love the OEM headrests. This is the first car where I can say I would actually drive while resting my head. I also love the whiplash protection the design ensures. Today I got in the '06 Civic. They have headrests which somehow adjust in the event of a rear accident. Although they were not very far behind where the Bu's headrests are, they were enough so that after resting my head on them, I decided I would never drive with my head on them. But alas, the Civic doesn't come close to the roominess of the Maxx, so it is a moot point.

maxxoliver · October 2005

We had a lot of these same problems plus a few others headlight replaced, stereo 4 times, heated seats coming on by themselves, sun visor replaced, window trim replaced, we got GM to do a buyback on that one :lemon: it seems to me that you would have a good reason for the same thing. Have you ever looked into it? CA has a New Motor Vehicle Board that will do the leg work at no charge. We bought a newer one and so far we had the rotors turned and now we have the roof rattle but otherwise none of the other weird glitches we had before. Love this car.

jmax4 · October 2005

e2helper: thanks for detailed explanation

I just did not like to drive with the head tilted forward while sitting straight. Now, it is much better.

meandmymaxx · October 2005

This morning my 05 LT had a strange hiccup in it's electrical system, it had done it before 3 or 4 times last winter. I have a volt meter I installed on the dash, with a warning beeper when it goes below 12 volts. When I start the car all is good, the lights are bright, the volt meter shows about 13.9 - 14 volts. I drive about 1 block to the first stop sign, when I stop the lights go dim the volt meter alarm starts beeping and the volt meter show 11.4 volts. A few seconds later all the lights come on bright and the volt meter goes back up to 13.9 and all is well for the rest of the day. This morning was the first one with frost on the car so it was a little cold, about -1 C or 30 F. And as I said it only happened last winter, never in the spring or summer. Any Ideas???

kurtamaxxguy · October 2005

has also had steering columm replaced, and a recent service adjustment for steering gear preload (dealer may have overdone that).

Long term gripes: rattles in rear of car (when cold), rattles inside dash, driver seat lumbar support comes and goes with temperature changes, missing during idle (PCM fix did not totally correct that), cheap plastic trim in rear and around hatch, rear seats bang against shock towers while driving, huge turning circle for size of car.

Long term likes; engine doesn't burn oil, reasonable gas mileage (26, average), good low RPM power/stepoff, good ride, generally solid feel to chassis, low interior noise.

Would buy another?; Not sure. Dealer service and support (3 dealers tried) not so great. GM plans to cancel it in 2007, depressing resale value.

Replacement; Audi A3 or VW Golf, assuming either gets their reliability up to snuff (much worse than Maxx, either of those). Otherwise, not sure yet.

e2helper · October 2005

Well likely you had your rear defogger on at the time, seat heaters, high heater blower and headlights. The generator only can put out so much when at idle and the 11.4 volts looks like you are running off the battery. I don't know what the state of battery is in your vehicle but it might have been drawing a bit of power too. It is typical and expected under some conditions for this to occur during a drive cycle.

The only thing I can't explain is your comment for the rest of the day you didn't have this condition - of course maybe you didn't have all the same electrical loads energized? I guess there could be something going on with the generator so if it happens again this winter and my first suggestion does match what is happening you should take it to the dealer for them to load test generator and battery (when cold)

Those are my thoughts..

meandmymaxx · October 2005

Thanks e2helper, I did have the seats on the headlights on, The fan was not on high as the climate control was waiting for some heat. As far as the rear defog I didn't turn it on the auto start may have, geese I wish they would turn on the dash indicator when the autostart turns on the defogger. When I turn the key to on does the rear defog shut off if turned on by auto start??

mybooo · October 2005

Hello! Just bought an 05 Maxx on Friday. Edmunds.com states that a weather band radio is standard on the Maxx. The manual makes no mention of it, and I can't find it. Anyone know if there is a weatherband radio on the Maxx? Thanks!

Larry :-)

e2helper · October 2005

Not that I am aware of. XM radio does have channels dedicated to Traffic and Weather for over 20 major metropolitan cities in the U.S. - maybe that is what you saw? But it isn't standard on Maxx and requires subscription to XM.

e2helper · October 2005

For the Malibu when you transition from Auto Start to regular running condition the rear defogger (if turned on by auto start function) will turn itself off.

That is mentioned in owner manual (page 3-30)

rferd · November 2005

With the gas being so expensive, I am trying to get the most out of every gallon. I have read that the best mileage is when you run at a steady 55 mph but that is an average. Does anybody know what is the best speed on the MAXX to obtain optimum gas mileage? Is it 55, or 60? Does anyone has access to aerodynamic studies on the MAXX?

prdm · November 2005

The best mileage in any car is attained when running in its highest gear at idle - but good luck getting that to happen.

redmaxx · November 2005

We had a lot of these same problems plus a few others headlight replaced, stereo 4 times, heated seats coming on by themselves, sun visor replaced, window trim replaced, we got GM to do a buyback on that one it seems to me that you would have a good reason for the same thing. Have you ever looked into it? CA has a New Motor Vehicle Board that will do the leg work at no charge. We bought a newer one and so far we had the rotors turned and now we have the roof rattle but otherwise none of the other weird glitches we had before. Love this car.

I did look into it, but it doesn't meet the criteria yet. So far I haven't had anything major go wrong mechanically. Another reason I'm less inclined to return it as a lemon is I already returned my 2003 Malibu as a lemon. If I were to pursue that, it would be the last Chevy I own (my dealer tries hard, but I'm getting tired of their mistakes) for a while.

maxx4me · November 2005

My Maxx loves 90. What an incredible highway machine this is!!

Chevy Malibu Maxx

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