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2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu

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Comments

  • drwilscdrwilsc Member Posts: 140
    Saturn often (in fact currently) has rebates on their models. My 07 Aura XR had a total of $2500 off, $1500 rebate and $1000 'Conquest cash' since I traded in a non-GM vehicle. That's roughly what you would be able to negotiate off the price of the Chevy at the dealer. Even the 08's have a (smaller) rebate currently. I paid around $24,800 for my loaded XR, without having to wheel and deal.
    The Outlook is already priced lower than the Acadia and Enclave and also offers rebates.
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    Eventually, the new Malibu will have a rebate too. Maybe it will have a small $500 rebate at launch and then a big rebate near the end of the model year. All that plus more money negotiated off MSRP at the dealer. Saturn will have a hard time selling at a similar price unless you are simply comparing window stickers and not transaction prices.

    The Saturn would have to always have to have a bigger rebate to be price competitive with similar vehicles at other GM divisions. They could just lower the MSRP of the Aura instead of using a bigger rebate, but then it would make the other GM division's pricing look bad in comparison.
  • drwilscdrwilsc Member Posts: 140
    Taken from Edmunds, the base price of a 2008 LTZ is $26,345. The base price of a 2008 Aura XR is $24,845.
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    Doesn't the LTZ come standard with much more equipment than what's standard on an Aura XR?
  • drwilscdrwilsc Member Posts: 140
    The biggest difference I could tell looking at the standard equipment lists of both cars is that the Aura does not have leather as standard (a possible advantage, if someone wants the top powertrain but cloth interior). I priced out both cars with leather, sunroof, as close to the same equipment as far as I could tell. I got $27,795 for the LTZ and $27,095 for the XR. Also, it turns out that Saturn is offering $1000 bonus cash in addition to the $500 rebate on the 2008's, according to Edmunds. Most importantly, the Saturn can be had with a decent looking dashboard, not the hideous brick color.
  • 14871487 Member Posts: 2,407
    The highest trim is often the lowest seller. This isnt rocket science by any means. How many camry XLEs do you see on the road? I see very few. I know the LTZ isnt a performance model, my point is like the GTP its the most expensive trim line in a vehicle that starts around $20k. Most people looking for a Malibu are not looking to spend $27k, trust me.

    Everything you are saying is ungrounded speculation, until the car goes on sale its pointless to keep talking about how the colors are going to doom the LTZ trim and drive people into Accords.
  • 14871487 Member Posts: 2,407
    I have an Aura and I think the Malibu dash looks better. I dont see what problem you have with the Malibu dash at all. With the incentives the Aura is the better bur right now but remember GM card points can be used on the Malibu and acccording to what I've read the Malibu has correcteed the issues with the door panels in the Aura.
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    The LTZ will be available for much less than $27K. There will be a 4 cylinder model with a lower MSRP. If the LTZ was supposed to be some high-end exclusive model that was rarely sold, they wouldn't bother with a lower-cost 4 cylinder model.
    Also, again, it is not just Camrys and Accords. It is every other competing vehicle including the Ford Fusion that doesn't have this problem.
  • drwilscdrwilsc Member Posts: 140
    The dash in the lower Malibu trims is fine, the problem is the available colors specifically in the LTZ model. Judging by the comments of some other people on this forum, I am evidently not the only one who doesn't care for it. YOU may like the dash, but a lot of other people don't and the point is that Chevy doesn't give you a choice. If you want a silver (or some other colors) LTZ but the loud dash isn't your thing, you're SOL. That was why I initially suggested people look at the Aura XR. I was merely trying to point out that there is another choice.
  • drwilscdrwilsc Member Posts: 140
    GM has limited flexability of choices in a lot of their models. In the LaCrosse, you can not get the six-seater version with the 3.6 L engine. Similar problem in the Impala SS, no six-seater with the V8, but six-seater is available with lower trim levels. Here, the complaint is no 4 cyl/six speed auto option and no monocolor dash on the LTZ. I don't understand why GM doesn't offer more options to please more people. I wouldn't think it would cost them any more to offer the above options.
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    It doesn't even have to be monotone, just tasteful. The completely monotone grey interior on the old Malibu was very plain. Many carmakers have use multiple tones to give the interior a better look, but they didn't choose the garish colors of the LTZ on famlily sedans.
    Maybe the brown two tone interior will look more tasteful in real life than it does on the Chevy website. That is the only hope. I don't see how the light colored gear shifter on the brown-toned LTZ can look much better than "toy-like" though.
  • 14871487 Member Posts: 2,407
    the highest trim is typically the lowest volume trim. This is true of Camry, Accord, G6, etc and will be true of the Malibu. I dont know why you have trouble understanding that.

    Much less than $27k? I would assume the LTZ 4 will be no more than $1000 less than LTZ V6. In other words, it will be expensive when compared to the base model car and will not be the volume model amongst 4 cylinder models. I cannot understand why you would think the majority of buyers would plan to buy the most expensive Malibu.
  • 14871487 Member Posts: 2,407
    obviously you have never shopped for a Honda. They dont give you options beyond colors, each model has fixed equipment levels. GM offers more choices and combinations than the Asian companies.
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    You twist words. I never said the would be the "majority of buyers" would plan to buy the LTZ. So, what that it would be the lowest volume line of a high volume car? That is still a lot of cars. Now they will make it even lower selling by restricting the interior colors to 2 love or hate choices.

    Yes, "Much less than $27,000." Why do you assume the LTZ 4 would be no more than $1000 less than the LTZ 6 when the V6 engine package is more than $2000 on the 2LT?

    Some buyers will downgrade to the 2LT to get away from the LTZ interiors if the decide to just live the 4-speed automatic and the rest will just leave the Chevy dealer and go somewhere else.
  • nosirrahgnosirrahg Member Posts: 872
    If the loud LTZ interiors of the 2008 Malibu turn off buyers, you can bet they'll offer something more sedate (at least as an option) for 2009. Car makers add/kill different colors, options packages, etc. from year to year depending on demand (or the lack thereof). I know for the 2000 Impala introduction they offered a color called "Auburn Nightmist" which was sort of an eggplant/brown/orange color depending on the angle you approached the vehicle. It only lasted one year, and sold very poorly.

    I've sort of got your same complaint in reverse; I'm interested in the Malibu Hybrid, but the only two interior options are "cocoa/cashmere" and "titanium". My 2000 Impala has an all-gray interior, so I'm not too excited at the prospect of another car with a battleship interior. On the other hand, my wife's Accord has a tan interior, which I find shows dirt and scuffs more than others. I'd like to see the "Ebony" interior available in the hybrid, but it doesn't look like that'll be a first-year option.

    In looking at the LTZ options, I'd say the biggest problem is with the ebony/brick interior; which wouldn't be so bad if you could simply opt for another color scheme, but with some exterior colors that's the only choice. Oddly enough the white exterior appears to only be available with the ebony/brick interior; I'd think the cocoa/cashmere might be a more appealing option for that car. I'm still going to withhold judgment until the cars actually hit the showrooms, but I do think the ebony/brick interior is most likely to become the Auburn Nightmist of this first year's run.
  • drwilscdrwilsc Member Posts: 140
    I'm confused about something. You have been indicating all along that the 2LT trim is available only with a 4-speed transmission. I just went to the Chevy website and 'built' a 2008 Malibu 2LT. Under the 'engine' option, if you read the entire text, it says 'six speed automatic transmission'. Might you be incorrect about this?
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    The LTZ is the only trim level you can get the six speed automatic with the 4 cylinder engine.
    I was referring to the 4 cylinder models.
    The 6-speed comes with all V6 models, but the V6 costs much more and doesn't get very good economy even when compared to other V6 models from competing manufacturers.
  • drwilscdrwilsc Member Posts: 140
    The 4 cyl Camry and Accord both get 21/31 mpg. The 4 cyl Malibu gets 22/30. That's very close, 4 speed tranny and all. You would have to drive a heck of a long way for 1 mpg to have a significant impact on your wallet. The Malibu actually does better in the city.

    Four speed transmissions in lower trim lines is probably how they are going to keep the cost down compared to the LTZ. Put the six speed tranny in the LT and the cost goes up. The real key here, I think, is offering more color choices on the LTZ.
  • drwilscdrwilsc Member Posts: 140
    Honda and Toyota don't, to my knowledge, force you into having multi-colored dashboards on certain trim levels (again, you may like it, but a lot of other people don't. My wife walked by the computer when I was looking at a picture of the brick-colored dash on the Chevy website. She said 'eeeewwwww').

    My wife, like most car buyers, is not a car person and would have no idea how many gears are on the automatic transmission. She does know, however, that she hated that dashboard and very likely she would not buy the car because of it.
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    I never said there was a problem with the 4 cylinder gas mileage. I pointed out the V6 mileage which is the only engine available with the 6-speed unless you go with the LTZ.

    I recently read some Saturn Aura reviews that complained about the shifting of the 6-speed, so maybe you can't win with this car no matter which powertrain you choose.

    I may test drive the Malibu in a few months to see if it's really that bad.

    "The XR's uplevel V-6 has more power than you get in the XE and delivers it willingly, almost wantonly, to the delight of all with a pulse. But XR's supposedly more-sophisticated six-speed automatic transmission pauses and jerks on full-throttle downshifts. Different gearboxes, tuned differently for different users, Saturn says. Hmmm. What sort of folks asked for a hesitation followed by a lurch on downshifts?"

    "Judging by the transmission's reluctance to downshift from high gear, GM is already trying to squeeze as much fuel economy out of the XE's pushrod V6 as possible. The four-speed transmission is not the best match for the relatively low-revving base V6, and the pairing isn't exactly a paragon of powertrain refinement."
  • drwilscdrwilsc Member Posts: 140
    That review must have been from a while ago. If I am not mistaken, I believe Saturn changed some software that fixed the jerky transmission shifts. 1487, maybe you can help me with this one.

    I have not noticed any transmission pauses or jerks in my Aura XR.
  • gdubya2gdubya2 Member Posts: 32
    My wife walked by the computer when I was looking at a picture of the brick-colored dash on the Chevy website. She said 'eeeewwwww').

    Maybe your wife would think differently about the interior if she knew it was designed by a woman!

    Go here:

    http://newpittsburghcourieronline.com/articlelive/articles/38578/1/Crystal-Windh- am-Woman-behind-the-wheel-of-2008-Malibu/Page1.html
  • gdubya2gdubya2 Member Posts: 32
    I may test drive the Malibu in a few months to see if it's really that bad.

    Now there are some real high expectations! It's obvious from your posts on this forum you would never be caught owning a GM product. Why waste your time, and a salespersons time, with a test drive? Worse yet you might come away with a positive impression of the new Malibu....and wouldn't that would be a bummer!
  • gdubya2gdubya2 Member Posts: 32
    "The XR's uplevel V-6 has more power than you get in the XE and delivers it willingly, almost wantonly, to the delight of all with a pulse. But XR's supposedly more-sophisticated six-speed automatic transmission pauses and jerks on full-throttle downshifts. Different gearboxes, tuned differently for different users, Saturn says. Hmmm. What sort of folks asked for a hesitation followed by a lurch on downshifts?"

    "Judging by the transmission's reluctance to downshift from high gear, GM is already trying to squeeze as much fuel economy out of the XE's pushrod V6 as possible. The four-speed transmission is not the best match for the relatively low-revving base V6, and the pairing isn't exactly a paragon of powertrain refinement."

    Who are you quoting here?? Or is this just some more of your "make it up as I go along" stuff?
  • drwilscdrwilsc Member Posts: 140
    It doesn't make any difference if it was designed by a woman, man, or hermaphrodite. It someone doesn't like it, he or she is not likely going to stop and say 'oh, a woman designed it, so it's O.K.'.
  • gdubya2gdubya2 Member Posts: 32
    It doesn't make any difference if it was designed by a woman, man, or hermaphrodite. It someone doesn't like it, he or she is not likely going to stop and say 'oh, a woman designed it, so it's O.K.'.

    Did your wife say she didn't like the interior, or she didn't like the color of the interior in the photo?
  • drwilscdrwilsc Member Posts: 140
    I feel quite certain she was referring to the color. The content of the interior is very similar to my Aura, which she does not find offensive. Some people may like the color, but certainly a lot will not and the point on the forum has been why doesn't Chevy offer a monotone color on the LTZ ?
  • gdubya2gdubya2 Member Posts: 32
    I feel just the opposite. For the past 10 to 15 years auto manufacturers have given us basically three choices for interior colors: Black, Grey, and some variation of Tan. Personally, after owning 6 new cars since 1995 I was elated with a stylish multi-shade taupe interior in my 2003 PT Cruiser that even brought in some of the body color on the dash. I would be more than happy to see the end of all monotone interiors! While the new Malibu LTZ will offer only two color variations initially, I think the concept is great. And I'm fairly certain other combinations will be added as time goes on. As with any new car introduction a lot of new parts and pieces have to be designed, manufactured and assembled to complete the car. Chevrolet undoubtedly did not want to bite off more than they could chew by offering even more color combinations in the LTZ.
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    "Monotone" is the not the answer since it was cheap-looking in the 2007 Malibu and photos look like they were taken in black and white.
    image

    GM just went too far with their color choices.

    image

    How about having two tones (like having the tops of the dash and door panels a dark color to minimize reflections in the glass), but choosing two tasteful colors that do not involve the use of either yellow or orange.

    It should not have been that hard. Common sense.
    image
  • drwilscdrwilsc Member Posts: 140
    Good illustration, jaxs1. Painful as it is to admit, the Toyota's dash is simply beautiful compared to the Chevy's. Wonderful execution of a two-tone dash. I simply can't inagine an unbiased person preferring either of those Chevy dashes. No wonder the Camry is the number 1 selling car. The second Chevy dash looks like a 1950's car whose dash is painted with the paint of the exterior of the car. That is O.K. on a P.T. Cruiser, since the whole idea of that car is retro, but on a 'contemporary' car like the Malibu it looks silly.

    Fact is, the Camry has been the best selling car for several years now. People will continue to tell us with their wallets which car (and dash) they prefer.
  • dbuckdbuck Member Posts: 2
    The interior of the Camry may be OK but the new exterior styling is ugly and doesn't measure up to the 2008 Malibu sheet metal.
  • drwilscdrwilsc Member Posts: 140
    Agreed. Believe me I'm no Toyota fan, but I do like the Camry's dash better than the Malibu's.
  • lisa71lisa71 Member Posts: 9
    I talked to my friend who works at the plant in Fairfax, KS and the 2008 Malibu starts rolling off the assembly line tomorrow. It won't be long until everyone can see it first hand and then make a decision.
  • nosirrahgnosirrahg Member Posts: 872
    Do you know if they offer public (or "Internet acquaintance of a friend of an employee" :) ) tours of the Fairfax plant? I'm actually going to be in Kansas City in a couple of weeks, and had wondered about the possibility of touring the plant...not only because of my interest in the Malibu, but also due to my daughter's interest in engineering as a future career.
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    Just when I thought Chevy would get back in the game with the Malibu they come out with this! :lemon: What are they thinking? Have they done focus groups outside of Detroit? The car is good looking other than the Jetta looking tail lights. The front has the Chevy Silverado grille look which was nicely done. The silouette looks good! But omg who approved those color combos on the interior? The dash is a bit layered too. The instrument panel looks really nice with that royal fade blue lighting on the instruments. We'll see.
    Mackabee
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    I'm going to go look at one in a few months. I already know the black and brick colored interior is a no-sale.
    I'll see if the "cocoa" LTZ interior looks better in real life than the rendering on the Chevy web site.
    Otherwise, it will need to be a 2LT if the old 4-speed automatic is livable or else some other vehicle not from Chevrolet.
    I want better fuel economy than the V6 Malibu offers, so the 2LT V6 with 6-speed automatic is not a consideration.

    I could also wait for the 2009s. Maybe the 2009 models will either have the 6-speed automatic on the 4 cylinder LTs or else nicer colors on the LTZ. Either of those should be a nice choice if it happens.
    It's like someone was trying to sabotage their sales when they approved these colors as the only 2 color choices available for the LTZ interior. It looks that bad.
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    Before they even began! :cry:
    Mack
  • irismgirismg Member Posts: 345
    What an unbelievable statement. What difference does that make?! A woman is supposed to like what a woman designed?! Ugly is ugly, no matter who designed it, because ugly is opinion.

    Wow...
  • irismgirismg Member Posts: 345
    I like that. Black should be an accent, only, in my opinion! Bottom photo is a '06 Camry, isn't it? Can't stand those white gauges. Oops, can't please everyone! LOL
  • irismgirismg Member Posts: 345
    It might go over well in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Orange and black are the school colors for Oklahoma State University...it's all over the place up there.
  • caness67caness67 Member Posts: 6
    earlier today i went and checked out the new malibu and i thought the black and brick looked great! loved the piping detail which finished out the seams. but then again i like to be different!

    i cant wait to see the car in "person" those computer generated photos really dont give a good idea. i remember when chevy came out with the last "model" and based on the computer generated photo i didnt like it....now seeing and owning 2 i love it. so who knows. i really do want that black and brick interior, but sucks that the red exterior in the ltz you cant get that interior. i am tired of plain ol black or plain ol tan.
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    earlier today i went and checked out the new malibu and i thought the black and brick looked great! loved the piping detail which finished out the seams. but then again i like to be different!


    You just contradicted yourself. Did you or did you not see the new Malibu today?
    :confuse:
    Mackabee
  • albookalbook Member Posts: 1,282
    I have to say good job GM. This Malibu is a Huge improvement over the ugly old one. Styling is subjective, But I say it beats the bland Accord and the ugly Camry hands down. THe exterior looks awesome, and a bit upscale. The interior looks better than Camry (haven't compared to Accord), even with the crazy colors. Malibu finally competes.

    2 gripes I have: What idiots decided not to have a navigation system? All it's competitors have them! It's must have. And I don't like the engine numbers. No doubt it will outrun Accord, and Camry, but they know 270 hp would look so much better on paper to auto testers also testing the Accord, CAmry, and in my oppinion the second best styled sedan, the Altima.

    GM is finally getting it. This, the Aura, their lambdas. Cadillacs. The Pontiac G8. Competition taking notice.
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    GM wants you to use OnStar for everything. That's why no bluetooth or nav system. OnStar makes them money in monthly fees.
  • bmarkbmark Member Posts: 52
    Sure but at 16.99 a month with the first year free it would take over 10 years worth of on-star payments to make up for the 2 grand extra you pay for navigation. Which in turn is only about 500 extra in resale
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    It is $299 per year, not $16.99 per month.

    http://www.onstar.com/us_english/jsp/plans/tbt.jsp

    They have slowly started adding DVD nav to some vehicles over the last couple years due to the outcry from buyers, but they are doing it kicking and screaming. They are trying to dig their heels in and avoid bluetooth for as much longer as they possibly can. Even new Cadillacs still don't have bluetooth when you can get it on a Nissan Sentra!
  • bmarkbmark Member Posts: 52
    I know they have it, I have it in my Denali and it is a nice system, but you are talking about a system that is still not that big of a seller in midsize cars, and why pay 2 grand for one when you can get a nice garmin for 600. Also if you want to know why I did? I got such a good deal on my SUV that I couldnt pass on the nav.
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    They need to reduce the prices of factory nav. $2000 is too high. They should be able to add Nuvi-like functionality to a factory-installed stereo for less money than you can buy a Nuvi for at Best Buy, but the don't.

    That would be a huge seller. People who don't need the portability would say why buy a portable nav if I can get it factory integrated for around the same price?
  • bmarkbmark Member Posts: 52
    For once I agree with yah bro. :0 I took a look at the Honda Website and the difference between the Accord with the Nav to the one without is over 2 grand In one case it was almost 3 grand. I agree that they should offer it, but I don't think that many people that are going to buy the Malibu would pay the extra 2 grand. Like I said before on-star is free for the first year then only 23 a month.
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    you arent going to find the price of a nav system the same for a protable one vice a integrated one....the integrated ones I have seen run 2-3000K depending on the car model....you can get a excellent portable one for 400-700 depending on features.......the drawback is the screen size......I test drove an 08 Cadillac CTS with nav this weekend...and screen size of the nav is twice that of the portable ones...user friendly and very intuitive touch screen...but again the price was 3145 MSRP, but that also included an upgraded audio system...
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