I saw the amazing value in the car, that's what made me look closer at it actually. Had I fit comfortably in it, I would have thought about it now that my car's a total loss.
Also, leather and sunroof are LS options. They don't come standard.
Well I found out how I purchased the Malibu so cheap. On the window sheet that the dealer places with all of the items & options in the vehicle it listed the seats as cloth and no sunroof. Oh well someone messed up with the options & their loss my gain.
My father in law described it to me like this. Torque is what glues you to the seat it is what we feel when we take off. Most people never feel the full horsepower of a car. The reason is they would think they are breaking the car (redline). Torque is what makes a car fell peppy when we push down a little on the accelerator and it goes. Horsepower is what gives us that top speed.
I think gmaltheway made it clear that the leather and sunroof were options. I think he was citing the value of getting the V6, leather, sunroof for $22k.
Although a wise man once said "you get what you pay".
dtownfb you are correct there. In no way will the MALIBU LS compete with other larger, higher priced mid-size sedans yet i would not expected to and i do understand that. Yet my MALIBU LS is much better than one of its main competitors the Dodge Status ES. I'm not sure which Forein cars it competes against, i was going by the web site comparison.
I absolutely agree with you that the Malibu is better then the Stratus. Stratus looks great on the outside but quickly declines once you get inside and even worse when you start driving. I would even suggest that it is better then the base Taurus as well.
Probably the only foreign car that the Malibu competes with now is the Galant. Maybe the Sonata. Which is part of the problem with the Malibu. All of the foreign companies have really stepped their offerings in the past 3 years which is why I am critical of the 2004 Malibu which in my opinion doesn't go far enough.
But the current model is a good value but it sales have dropped over 30% in the past 3 model years.
In reference to those who point out that the Malibu is in a different class that the Accord, etc., in the rating system. This is true. But, the same rating system and scale is used. So, higher total points still mean higher total points. They can still be compared on an equal basis. The Malibu scored higher points than the Accord, Camry, etc.
The $6,000 price difference just adds to the difference and value for the $.
I put very little merit in the JD Powers numbers. I could be wrong. It wouldn't be the first time. I just don't see the correlation between Initial Quality and Long term reliability and customer satisfaction. Considering that most people keep their cars for 3-4 years and not 6 months, I would think long term reliability and customer satisfaction would be more important esp. if you are dropping $18k for a car. To me, their sampling is too small, 55,000 owners for automobile sales in excess of 16 milliion. Reminds me of the polls. If this was a computer or any other electronic device then I can see the importance of the first months of ownership. If you are a typical driver that amounts to 3000 miles. Hardly a way of determining the overall experience of a car. Plus you are still dizzy from the new car smell.
If you want a true indication of how to compare the Malibu to the Accord and Camry without any subjective surveys or opinions, take a look at the sales numbers.
For 2002 Camry - 410k units Accord - 400k units Malibu - 182k units
The Malibu sales have continue to decline over the past 3 model years while the Camry and Accord have increased....even with the Accord and Camry costing $6000 more (which they don't but that is another argument). I can understand the Accord and Camry outselling the L-series, Subaru, Galant and Mazda 6 since they have a larger dealer base then the aforementioned cars. But There is no reason for them to dominate Chevy like this.
Remember, you get what you pay for and value is not everything in the automotive industry. You need more then a good price to move cars. If that were the case we would all drive Hyundai and Kia and never step on the lot of VW and Subaru. Many reviewers think the Accord is a tremendous value even costing $6000 more then the Malibu.
I also have a Malibu LS (2001 with 28k miles). I think it is a good buy and good value. But it is not as good a car as the Camry or Accord, even with the $6000 difference. If it were, the sales numbers would be better. If these cars were comparable with the $6000 difference that you mentioned, The Malibu would sell 500k units easy.
Again, the award is nice because it shows that GM is making strides in improving quality. But it still has a way to go.
I have been on vacation for a week and so I have a lot to ask:
I think I posted this earlier, but no one responded. Anyway, what is the difference between the Check Engine light and the Service Vehicle Soon light? Also, is it possible to add keyless entry on a 1997 Malibu WITHOUT power locks? I know it's fairly cheap and possible on other makes / models, but I'm unsure how it is with the bu. (My advisor says I would have to go the after market way, but I don't think she knows ALL of her facts.)
I am taking my bu in tomorrow to get a few things done. 1)My Check Oil lamp on the instrument cluster has been burnt out since I've had the car. 2)The glass that covers the instrument cluster seems to have had water spilt on it, and spotted the glass. The only catch is that its on the opposite side so I can't get to it. It's extremely frustrating when I'm tying to drive and have to look for a few seconds really hard to see how fast I'm going. My GM service advisor says it's going to be about $160 because the entire dash has to be taken apart. Oh well. I'll report back on how the service was. (Usually, in the past my advisor has been really helpful, but lately she's been a pain.)
About shutting off DRL's: I see no need to shut them off. A few times they have saved me an accident, I believe, especially the 2+ times I have went to change lanes on the interstate and almost slammed into the side of someone. The only thing that made me avoid the accident(s) was the brightness of the other drivers DRL's in my side-view mirror. The only time I kind of hated them was when my alternator went out. I think they were the things that made my car die. I shut everything else down and tried to rev the engine at stop lights, but ultimately the engine died.
I also need advice: I have 3 things wrong with my car (other than the ones stated above): 1)Rear sway bushings need to be replaced, $80. 2)Sensor in coolant tank resivor sticks and trips the light on the dash $80 as well. Finally, the passenger side air vent (the one that lines up with the door) is cracked in half and very difficult to use. This has also been broken since I've owned the car. It's irritating because it rattles on the highway. So my question is in what order should I have these things fixed and how much do you think the air vent thing will be to get replaced? None of them impair the driveability, but they are all nuisances. (The sway bushings squeak if anyone sits in the back seat.)
P.S. - The guy who I bought my car from was the same guy who repaired it after it was totaled. He must not have been a very good painter because I have owned the car 1 yr. and the paint is chipping EVERYWHERE VERY QUICKLY (especially around all of the door handles). Should I take it to the dealer to be repainted (I'm thinking quality here, and I would like to stay under $800) or should I take it to like Maaco or an independent?
Sorry, one last question: My dealer said that to drain the tranny fluid and replace the filter would be $250. It's so expensive, I was told, because the tranny uses a "wire filter which costs more than the average paper filter in most vehicles". So I purchased a Fram tranny filter kit from Checkers for about $30 in hopes it would cut my costs, but inside the filter looks like paper, not wire at all. Was I lied to at the dealer or did I get the wrong filter? Or is there wire that I just can't see in the filter?
Anyway, I would appreciate any response from anyone. Thanks a lot - Jeremy (97 bu, White, 61K miles)
I'm assuming this will probably generate more conversation/debate, for the better. GM obviously makes up for it's short comings. I am completely baffled about how it makes it's profits. Now, i don't have the numbers any more, or the book. I'm sure someone on here can find out something, but according to my political science book, GM brings in more money and profit then some nations entire GNP and GDP. Not all these countries are in a state of poverty. Spain, Canada, and some more countries that i was surprised to see are examples of some of the nations that were out preformed by GM. Ford was also pretty high on the list. If my memory serves me correctly, GM was like within the top 25. I'll get the reference to conform this, all I really remember is the books' student companion web site "wadsworth.com". Although I'm not sure how helpful it will be without the book, check it out if you want. Anyway, what is it that GM, and Ford too for that matter, does that the foreign auto makers must not know about that makes them sooo much more profit then the others? According to the numbers presented earlier in post 1711, it world appear as if GM is struggling, but in dollars and in the actual market, it seems that GM has a HUGE influence in the overall industry.
You have some good information, but you misunderstand my point.
I simply state that for the category and rating covered by the J.D. Powers survey, the Malibu DID DO Better. That can not be refuted. And the size of the survey sampling is actually quite large compared to many other surveys. Definitely within the margin of error.
I did not say that the Malibu was a better car for longevity. I am sure the Accord and Camry will last longer. However, most people never keep a car anywhere near as long as its lifetime (i.e. the miles you listed). My Malibu could be at the bottom of the ocean at 182,000 miles, as could either of the others listed, as far as I and most are concerned. But, for value the Malibu has the others beat for about 100,000 miles or so.
As far as sales, the decline is partly due to the poorer quality of the first three years of Malibu production. But another big reason is the poor marketing effort by GM. They primarily advertise their trucks and have spend less on the Malibu than just about anything else in the last 3 years. As far as the general public's perception of the differences between cars, I would only put limited stock in that, and it would definitely not be the main thing I would go by to purchase a car.
Check Edmonds,com for an excellent and fair review and discussion of the Malibu. I agree the Malibu is not quite the car that an Accord or a Camry is, but it is close for at least 100,000 miles, and definitely a better value for the $ spent.
The "Check Engine" light is concerned with the emissions controls and general engine operation (ECU, etc.). The "Service Engine" light is just a resetable indicator that you need scheduled service (oil change, etc.). The Service Engine light on most cars will go off after a few days or so, whether you perform the maintenance or not. The Check Engine light will generally not reset itself, except for some problems if they do not reoccur for some time (i.e. a missing gas cap that is replaced).
dtownfb numbers don't lie but what does this really mean. Camry of coarse sold MANY cars in 2002, it was there new body style, and for some reason Accord always sells well (i don't understand why). GM however must have took a serious look and these numbers and said CRAP! Because as you see they are re styling the MALIBU. This is really Chevy's fault if they didn't keep body styles out so long this problem could be resolved.
I agree the body style has somethign to do with it but to be honest, people who buy in this segment aren't necessarily looking for cutting edge styling. Remember the Honda Accord was the best seller in 2001 when that model was 4 years old and still sold over 400k units as a five year old model. I do think it has to do with marketing and reliability. The malibu has not aged well. And we are discussing the same problems that they had with the 1997 models as the 2002 models.
I would like to see Chevy put that extra $1000 - $2000 into the overall quality of the car. A little better quality for the interior parts, a bigger gas tank (14 gallons is ridiculously small for this segment), sturdier seats, disc brakes, better braking system, thicker rotors, etc. Once you do that then you have an American Car that is now just as good as the imports regardless of the price. There's nothing wrong with the ride or handling of the Malibu. It's ride is on par with the Accord and it handles better then the Camry. It's just those quality items that take a few months to a year of living with to discover. One example is the reclining lever for the seat backs. I'm terrified that one day this thing is going to break off.
The dashboard work seems pretty reasonable. As far as the other 3 items I would definitely get the rear sway bar fixed since that does affect the handling of the car. The coolant sensor is problem worthwhile if you plan on keeping the car for a few more years. The small block V6 are notorious for their intake manifold leaks where the coolant gets into the engine. Without the sensor, you may be missing the signals of this leak. The air vent woudl be the last thing I fixed. See if you can do something with balck electreical tape. Even if you could get it to stay in one position, at least it wouldn't be rattling.
Paint job: I would take it to an independent painter. That's what a dealer will do any way not unless they have their own shop. You may be able to get it done for about $800. It won't be the premier paint job but it will hold up for a few years.
Transmission fluid and filter: have an independent shop do the tranny fluid replacement. You should be able to get it done for around %150-$175. $250 is too much. Remmeber this is not a super sophisticated car. Most garages can do this basic maintenance job. Save yourself some money.
chevymalibu19: I don't know the intricacies of the automotive industtry but I will try and make a guess on some numbers I read about 3-4 years ago. I know for a fact that Ford made approx. $8000 profit for every pickup they sold about 3 years ago. Some of that profit may have been in financing (this was before 0% financing). And the Explorer was somewhere around $5000. CArs like the Focus, Taurus, Escort are closer to break even and help to keep the CAFE (fuel economy) numbers in line. Considering that Ford sells over 425k Explorers and 950k F-Series pickups, the number add up pretty quick. I'm sure GM is very similar to Ford. GM has been selling a lot of pickups and SUVS lately and very few cars which is why they are losing market shares in those areas.
I'm sure someone else can chime in with a more complete explanation of this because I'm sure their is more to it then what I explained. But at least that can explain how they are keeping their heads above water even with the rebates and 0% financing.
"But There is no reason for them to dominate Chevy like this"
the combination of impala and malibu tends to do ok as a combination in the segment, however, the Malibu getting its butt handed to it on the sales charts, when chevy has more dealers in more markets, is Amurchan, etc., there is really no excuse for Chevy's mainstream offering to not at least match Camry and Accord sales and to do that they must STEAL sales from those other two cars.
And making an 'American' flavored sedan won't get the sales. The mainstream chevy sedan must have all the same persona and look and feel and reliability of the two Japanese leaders to steal sales from them.
That includes
-OHC powertrains -tight body gaps and interior assembly gaps -mellow inoffensive style -good interior plastics -smooth control actions -firm, comfy seats
until Malibu gets that, no dice. that's what the market is buying. going against that and continuing to make cars with the 'GM flavor' won't get the job done.
2004 bu may correct some of this. I do like the interior design (except the cheesy looking shifter). still no OHC v6, rear discs, or good styling.
of that 182,000 bu sales, how many were to fleets? subtract fllets and rentals and honda and toyota each may have a 3 to 1 or more margin on the bu.
Hey! Thanks for the advise. Actually it's only the rear sway bushings that need to be replaced (not the bar), but like you said, it effects the handling of the vehicle. As for the coolant sensor, I have had the intake manifold leak and have already had it fixed, so the sensor is just a pain in my a**. I'll try tomorrow to see if electrical tape will fix the vent (I'm crossing my fingers).
About my dealer visit: They ended up charging $141 to clean the lense on the dash which wasn't bad. It now kinda feels like a new car since I haven't seen the cluster very clearly since I've had the car. I had asked my service advisor to also replace the bulb on the "Check Oil" light, but she must have forgot. I didn't notice @ the dealership because it was running when I picked it up. She didn't charge me for the bulb replacement, but that means if I want it replaced, I have to pay $141 more to have the dash taken apart AGAIN and pay $$ for the bulb. I guess I can always check the oil the old fashion way.
I am excited for the new 2004 Malibu! If I could save some $$ I would love to get one, but I'm graduating at the end of this year and $$ for collage will be top priority. I guess I'll have to stick with my car for 4 more years. I really don't understand why people are dissapointed with the '04. The whole car is an improvement over the current generation. The only thing that bothers me are the rear drum brakes. I haven't had trouble with mine, but disk brakes are so much easier for me to change myself. Hopefully the new gen won't have rotor trouble. By the way, what is the advantage to having an OHC engine over our current pushrod engines in the bu? I have 61K on mine and the only problem (if you want to call it that) is that it's kinda noisy when it idles. I walked passed a brand new bu in a parking lot the other day and it was soooooo quiet compared to mine. I was very envious.
Anyway, thanks again for the advise. I appreciate it. Jeremy
I am looking for new tires and wanted everyone's opinion. I found Firestone Affinity tires for $61 a piece. I know some people hate theirs, but what is the general consensus? If you don't like the Affinity tires, what kind do you recommend?
Like I said before, placing the antenna on the roof in front is very bad - in the back it would have looked much more natural. And that hideous huge yellow bowtie in the middle of the steering wheel...can you say U-G-L-Y? And the front just doesn't look as good as it used to. Speaking of the front, what are those GM designers thinking? New Silverado - UGLY, new Malibu - UGLY, new Colorado - don't even look at it, unless you want to have nightmares.
I am keeping my current Bu till it drops dead, and then GM would have to improve design, if they want my money again - no way I am driving the new Bu
We found the Firestone Affinity tires that came on our Malibu when purchased new to be very bad, especially on wet roads. We went through several bad experiences and so replaced them with only about 1,000 miles on them.
Our replacement tires are the Dunlap A2 Sport. They are a world of difference, and very good on wet roads. The difference has been night and day. They are highly rated by Consumer Reports and in the Tire Rack surveys.
Spratt1: thanks for the input on the tires. About how much did the A2 Sport tires cost you? I know you said they are good on wet roads, but how about in snow? I live in Colorado and winters can get bad. Thanks again!
Bcmalibu: I think the front of the new bu's look awesome. It seems that GM is trying to make the grills of all Chevrolets look alike, kinda how all BMW's have the "kidney grills". The back of it looks a lot like the new Cavaliers which sucks a little, but still it's an improvement (IMHO). I think my favorite part of the entire car is the new radio and HVAC system. It looks really sophisticated and no other Chevrolet's have the same equipment (yet). I'm so glad they didn't toss one of the RDS radio's in the new bu. Those are hideous! I'm also psyched about the options of traction control (available only with ABS) and the 2.2 Ecotec engine. My grandfather rented a Saturn L200 with the same engine, and although not as peppy as our 3.1 V6, it still had decent power and better MPG. I also think the Ecotecs will be more dependable than any V6 GM can build. Like the Saturn L200's with the Ecotec, I wish Chevrolet would offer the '04 bu with a 5-speed. Anyway, thanks for your response! Jeremy
I would run your Malibu until it dies esp. since you are about to go to college. No need to give yourself any additional debt at your age and the uncertainty of the job market. Once you finish your four years and get a good job then you can think about a new car. The only debt you want coming out of college is a student loan. Avoid those if you can. I work at a college and have seen some horror stories with credit card debt and studnet loans.
My biggest diasppointment with the 2004 Malibu is that it is not keeping up with its competition. This car is suppose to be an "import fighter" and targets the Camry, Accord, Altima. On paper it comes up short. The 2.2 L 140 hp would have been great 6 years ago but everyone else has stepped up the horsepower. Plus that engine works fine in the L Series which is clad in plastic but will have to push an extra 200 pounds with the heavier Malibu. And the V6 is 195 hp which is fine but not when everyone else is over 200 hp. Also no rear disc brakes will be offered. The braking system is a definite weak point in the current model and that shoudl be standard if they aresaying this is a value leader. Styling? It looks OK. It would probalby grow on me once I saw it. But I'm not into flashy cars so I can pretty much live with anything....other then the Aztec.
Those are my personally feelings. I have not seen one yet nor have I test driven one. That is just my read based on the information I know. Nor will I be in the market for one for several years.
the 04 bu is okay, but i really wish they does something with the headlights, they look so ugly. It reminds me of a fly, they way the seem to bulge out a little on the pictures, i sure hope the do a front end refresher after the first year. The back is nice, it looks neat and simple to me. I'd agree that the steering wheel is not attractive either. It likes Unnecessarily blocky with hard plastic. I can't wait to see it though, the overal interior looks like it will be nice, very nice.
I paid about $75 each if I remember correctly, at NTB.
Living in Dallas, I don't see too much snow. But, oddly enough it was a snow day (the only one in the last 5 years than actually left snow on the ground for more than about 10 minutes) when I replace the tires. The Dunlap SP Sport A2's did very well. Here is the Tire Rack site for the High Performance All-Season tire table that lists the A2:
The reviewers gave it a 7 of 10 in snow. Overall, the A2 was number two in the list. It has been a great tire for the 3,000 miles we've put on them, about equal to the Michelin MX4V Plus tires on our V70 Volvo. Those are also good, but too expensive.
Spratt1, did you read any reviews on the Dunlop A2's? I got to reading some of them on TireRack.com and many of the people claimed that they are great for the first few thousand miles, but then the tires take a shi*. Almost everyone claimed the cornering of the A2's sucked as did the noise of the tires (the noise got progressively worse). Many also said that they wear unevenly. My tires now are extremely noisy, and that bothers the crap outta me. The dry handling is okay I guess (this is my first car and first set of tires so I really haven't experienced anything else) and it's been nearly impossible for me to get my car to skid or slide on ice, rain, or snow. I really don't need new tires yet, I'm just researching now. I think by December I'll get some. Spratt1, let me know if your feelings change about the A2's. Thanks, Jeremy
Last night I had a chance to put these tires thru a real wet road test. We left the casino in Booneville, Missouri about 10:30, and within 15 minutes found ourselves in the middle of one He** of a midwest rainstorm. The 1 hour drive home on country roads took almost 2 hours. At times, I had to cut down to 30MPH just to try to stay between the ditches. The windshield wipers couldn't hardly keep up with it, and this morning the NOAA weather radio said that this area had 2.3 inches of rain in 3 hours. The Malibu and its Affinity tires did ok as far as I am concerned. There were times during the drive that I felt as if I were handling a boat more than a car, as there were sizeable areas of standing water on the road, and I could feel the car hydroplane when I hit one of them. The Malibu tracked good thru these pools, and it was easy to recover from any sideslip. I am sure that there are better tires out there, but for an OEM tire, with a UTQG of 500, they seem to be a good all around tire. A softer, more aggressive tread would be better for performance driving, but replacing tires every 20K miles can be a drain on the wallet. When it rains hard like this, I slow down. We had some clown in a big SUV pass us at one point. I was doing about 55 MPH, and he seemed to be doing about 75. About 5 miles further down the road, another cloudburst hit, and I was back down to about 40, when we came around a curve, and noticed the taillights about 50 yards out in some farmers field. I had the wife call 911 on the cell phone, and let the sheriffs department deal with that idiot. Maybe he had high dollar performance tires on his Escalade, but they are no substitute for common sense.
At first I was concerned about the few negative reviews, but then whet through almost all of the reviews. Probably 90% of the reviews are excellent, with only a few discussing a shorter life. Remember, a shorter life is probably to be expected at only $75 a tire. True, I got a lot of life out of the Michelin MX4V's I've owned, but they cost $140 each. Pay me now or pay me later is probably a good motto.
They have performed excellently for us for 3,000 miles. I'll let you know later. A friend of mine has had them for 10,000 miles and still says they are great.
If you want to see some real horror story reviews on tires, read the ones on the Affinity tires. About 50% say they are the worst tires imaginable.
Hey thanks a lot. I read though all of the reviews finally and you're right, many of them are positive about the A2's. I'll keep that in mind when I buy tires. Jeremy
Some idiot left a big scratch (2'X 2') and a dent in my passenger's door. Does anybody know a good fix? I'm thinking of buying a can of spray paint from Walmart and touch up the scratch and leave the dent alone. But I can't seem to find the right colored paint at Walwart (ours is redfire 2002 LS). Will the affected area have a different coloration even with the right colored paint? I just figured it must cost hundreds to get it fixed at a body shop. Any input will be appreciated.
just don't care do they. I have a 2002 LS and its dark tropical teal and i had a similar incident last summer right after i bought mine, even if it costs alot, which it probably will your best bet is to go to a body shop, then if its not to your specifications you can get it re done, i'd get an estimate some place and if its more than your deductible then turn it in to insurance i mean thats what there for right?
I've tried fixing a couple of minor dents over the years, and usually wound up with more of a mess than when I started. Red is a very hard color to match, as it fades rapidly unless you have kept the car well waxed, and almost never parked in the sun. I wouldn't put much faith in Walmart(Duplicolor) paint, unless its to just touchup a rockchip with the small brush applicator bottle. Far better to spend a couple of dollars more, and get a can of touchup from a Chevy dealer. Insofar as the dent is concerned..that should be left to a good body shop. Once the metal is stretched, it almost never can be fixed without bondo/sanding and repainting of the entire panel. If its not too deep a dent, many body shops that specialize in hail damage use a method that works pretty good. First they heat the metal with a heat gun, then apply dry ice. The heating softens the metal and paint, then the quick application of dry ice causes the metal the shrink..often removing a minor dent with little or no damage to the paint. I would definitly check with a couple of body shops first. The times I've tried to fix a dent have wound up costing me more to fix my screwups than if I had taken it to the shop to begin with. One more thing, do not waste $19.95 for one of those dent removers advertised on TV. Trying to use one of those things on a dent will almost certainly add $200 to the repair bill at the body shop.
Thanks guys for the info! It's beginning to sound like it's gonna cost a lot of money, which we really don't have right now. But the winter here is pretty rough and I don't think it's a good idea to leave it unfixed. Maybe I'll try a local chevy dealership and see what they would touch up the paint for free. If you don't mind me asking gmalltheway, how much did it cost to fix your door? Thanks again guys.
ps: I think it was probably caused by my new neighbor that just moved in this weekend. Maybe I should go talk to her, that'll be a entirely different situation...
a local body shop had to replace the WHOLE back passenger side fender because of the massive dent (started to rust) and deep scratches in the paint (buffing didn't bring them out) to replace the fender and repaint was $478.25 but my insurance deductible is $100.00 so thats all i payed
For small dents the PDR (Paintless Dent Repair) places like Dent Doctor and Dent Wizard do a great job at a reasonable price if you aren't skilled or the patient type. I had a shop remove 5-6 dings and they only charged me $50. A little swirl remover took off the rub marks from the other car's paint and you couldn't find the dents. If the paint is actually damaged from a ding, chip, or a scratch, there's several air brush touchup places that work w/ dealerships and the public. I contacted a place called AERO COLOURS to repair a scratch on my black 4Runner's tailgate.(check website for locations near you at: www.aerocolours.com) They came to my workplace and did the repair in the parking lot! They did a great job filling only the scratch area and the repair was only $40. Lighter colored cars are easier to blend and give better results, but call your dealer to see who they use. If you insist on a DIY solution, you can find a much better matching touch up paint than what the dealer (or parts store) provides at at www.paintscratch.com. They will provided small bottles, pens, and even custom spray cans of custom mixed paint (based on OEM Paint code) and its much better than the oem nailbrushes at the dealer ) See website for testimonials, and more info. Couple the above touchup paint with the Langka blob remover ($20) at www.langka.com and you have a great way of matching the color perfectly and removing the "touchup paint blob" for considerably less than a shop would charge. I touched up a couple of rock chips on my hood and b-pillar and you'd be very hard pressed to find them.
On my 97 bu, my rear bumper has...well I guess I would call it a ripple, but basically it has a hump on it. It looks like it was bumped in a parking lot before I got it. I believe that the bumper will have to be replaced. How much do you guys think it will cost?
Also, I had a few scratches on my car which I fixed with a bottle of touch up paint from my dealer. He also told me to use a scratch remover after I apply the paint (after it dries) because the paid tends to clump up. I used the paint on a few spots including a small part that was beginning to rust. Was I supposed to cover it up? A few people told me its better to leave it untouched. What do you think? Anyway, I think it would be much better for anyone to spend $5 on a bottle of touch up from the dealer than to go to Wal-Mart and get crappy paint that may not hold up, IMHO.
Wow! I feel like I'm a pain in the a** for all ya'll since I'm always talking about problems with my car or things I'd like to improve on. Sorry.
I've decide to change the sensor on the coolant surge tank on my own, instead of paying the dealership $80. To do so, you have to drain the surge tank and remove the tank from the vehicle. While I'm at I figured I would just flush the entire system and refill it. There in lies my problem. Does anyone know how I would begin to drain the system and the procedure to refill it? I would appreciate any feedback. Thank you in advance!
Like many of you, I too was disappointed with the performance with the OEM Firestone Affinity tires. I had them replaced with the Dunlop Sport A2 series and boy, I can't say enough good things about them. They offer a MUCH smoother ride, better handling in ALL weather, and just look much better than the Firestones. The only drawback is the wear, attributed to the soft rubber. I probably have 25K on these tires and I'm already putting replacements on the radar (I'll probably get 35/40K out of them). Attribute it to Oklahoma City temps these days of 100+ or the fact I ran them on the German autobahn for a few months (I'm military). Be that as it may, these are excellent tires that not only compliment the car's looks, but improve the performance.
So, for all of you disillusioned Affinity owners...slip a set of these Dunlop skins on your car and enjoy the ride.
My daughter who lives over 8 hours from me called tonight to say her 1998 Malibu was having some hesitation and took it to a repair shop who said that she had none or very little transmission fluid left so they charged her $30 for it. THey said that the Malibu does not have a dipstick to check the transmission fluid and had to be checked from underneath by taking a bolt or something off. Is it true that there is no fluid dipstick and is hers a problem that anyone has had? Thanks. Bill
It is true that the Malibu doesn't have a dip stick. It has one of those 100,000 mile transmissions that you are suppose to serviced. Although, i wouldn't suggest going the full 100,000 miles without changing it. I went to 105,000 or something like that, but it's still okay. Still i wouldn't suggest going that long. I live and Oklahoma BTW, so we have an extreme climate. Anyway, I've not had the problem of needed to add transmission fluid, and actually this is the first I've heard about it.
When she had fluid put in they said they could not tell where it was coming from since everything was full of fluid so they sprayed some cleaner and asked her to come back Friday so I guess we'll see if Friday they can figure it out but they told her that it could be something that costs over $200 (what that is she did not remember).
Today, I went to the car wash to wax and wash my bu. After I vacuumed the car I started it and began to pull into the wash bay. Thats when my theft system light came on. I shut the car down and restarted it and no light came on. I called the dealer and he said that there may be a "Passlock" malfunction. I had no idea what that meant, but he said that if the light doesn't come back on, don't worry about it, and added that he "cannot guarantee that the car will start every time from here on out". So should I take it in or not?
One last thing: I don't have a keyless entry or security system on my car.
After coming home from the car wash, I checked all of the fluids under the hood. Everything was fine except the power steering fluid. I just checked it less than 3 months ago and it was fine. Today it was barely touching the dipstick and way below the add mark. I have recently been hearing a rubbing noise and I guess that's really what prompted me to check it. Needless to say I quickly added fluid and contacted the dealer (Again, only about 3 hours after calling about the theft system light). I have an appointment at John Elway Chevrolet here in the metro area (Denver) tomorrow. It's gonna cost $50 just to have it looked at, but if a leak is found I only get charged what it costs to fix it. I'm really not that chapped about the cost, though, because if no leak is found, I will feel much better. But then again, if there is no leak found, then the question remains: where did all that fluid go?
Does anyone have any suggestions? Also I have a tip: check your p.s. fluid everytime you check your oil. Its really easy and IMHO probably saved my steering system.
I'll let you guys know what the dealer said about the fluid and if there was any leak.
Comments
Also, leather and sunroof are LS options. They don't come standard.
Although a wise man once said "you get what you pay".
Probably the only foreign car that the Malibu competes with now is the Galant. Maybe the Sonata. Which is part of the problem with the Malibu. All of the foreign companies have really stepped their offerings in the past 3 years which is why I am critical of the 2004 Malibu which in my opinion doesn't go far enough.
But the current model is a good value but it sales have dropped over 30% in the past 3 model years.
The $6,000 price difference just adds to the difference and value for the $.
Case closed.
I put very little merit in the JD Powers numbers. I could be wrong. It wouldn't be the first time. I just don't see the correlation between Initial Quality and Long term reliability and customer satisfaction. Considering that most people keep their cars for 3-4 years and not 6 months, I would think long term reliability and customer satisfaction would be more important esp. if you are dropping $18k for a car. To me, their sampling is too small, 55,000 owners for automobile sales in excess of 16 milliion. Reminds me of the polls. If this was a computer or any other electronic device then I can see the importance of the first months of ownership. If you are a typical driver that amounts to 3000 miles. Hardly a way of determining the overall experience of a car. Plus you are still dizzy from the new car smell.
If you want a true indication of how to compare the Malibu to the Accord and Camry without any subjective surveys or opinions, take a look at the sales numbers.
For 2002
Camry - 410k units
Accord - 400k units
Malibu - 182k units
The Malibu sales have continue to decline over the past 3 model years while the Camry and Accord have increased....even with the Accord and Camry costing $6000 more (which they don't but that is another argument). I can understand the Accord and Camry outselling the L-series, Subaru, Galant and Mazda 6 since they have a larger dealer base then the aforementioned cars. But There is no reason for them to dominate Chevy like this.
Remember, you get what you pay for and value is not everything in the automotive industry. You need more then a good price to move cars. If that were the case we would all drive Hyundai and Kia and never step on the lot of VW and Subaru. Many reviewers think the Accord is a tremendous value even costing $6000 more then the Malibu.
I also have a Malibu LS (2001 with 28k miles). I think it is a good buy and good value. But it is not as good a car as the Camry or Accord, even with the $6000 difference. If it were, the sales numbers would be better. If these cars were comparable with the $6000 difference that you mentioned, The Malibu would sell 500k units easy.
Again, the award is nice because it shows that GM is making strides in improving quality. But it still has a way to go.
I think I posted this earlier, but no one responded. Anyway, what is the difference between the Check Engine light and the Service Vehicle Soon light? Also, is it possible to add keyless entry on a 1997 Malibu WITHOUT power locks? I know it's fairly cheap and possible on other makes / models, but I'm unsure how it is with the bu. (My advisor says I would have to go the after market way, but I don't think she knows ALL of her facts.)
I am taking my bu in tomorrow to get a few things done. 1)My Check Oil lamp on the instrument cluster has been burnt out since I've had the car. 2)The glass that covers the instrument cluster seems to have had water spilt on it, and spotted the glass. The only catch is that its on the opposite side so I can't get to it. It's extremely frustrating when I'm tying to drive and have to look for a few seconds really hard to see how fast I'm going. My GM service advisor says it's going to be about $160 because the entire dash has to be taken apart. Oh well. I'll report back on how the service was. (Usually, in the past my advisor has been really helpful, but lately she's been a pain.)
About shutting off DRL's: I see no need to shut them off. A few times they have saved me an accident, I believe, especially the 2+ times I have went to change lanes on the interstate and almost slammed into the side of someone. The only thing that made me avoid the accident(s) was the brightness of the other drivers DRL's in my side-view mirror. The only time I kind of hated them was when my alternator went out. I think they were the things that made my car die. I shut everything else down and tried to rev the engine at stop lights, but ultimately the engine died.
I also need advice: I have 3 things wrong with my car (other than the ones stated above): 1)Rear sway bushings need to be replaced, $80. 2)Sensor in coolant tank resivor sticks and trips the light on the dash $80 as well. Finally, the passenger side air vent (the one that lines up with the door) is cracked in half and very difficult to use. This has also been broken since I've owned the car. It's irritating because it rattles on the highway. So my question is in what order should I have these things fixed and how much do you think the air vent thing will be to get replaced? None of them impair the driveability, but they are all nuisances. (The sway bushings squeak if anyone sits in the back seat.)
P.S. - The guy who I bought my car from was the same guy who repaired it after it was totaled. He must not have been a very good painter because I have owned the car 1 yr. and the paint is chipping EVERYWHERE VERY QUICKLY (especially around all of the door handles). Should I take it to the dealer to be repainted (I'm thinking quality here, and I would like to stay under $800) or should I take it to like Maaco or an independent?
Sorry, one last question: My dealer said that to drain the tranny fluid and replace the filter would be $250. It's so expensive, I was told, because the tranny uses a "wire filter which costs more than the average paper filter in most vehicles". So I purchased a Fram tranny filter kit from Checkers for about $30 in hopes it would cut my costs, but inside the filter looks like paper, not wire at all. Was I lied to at the dealer or did I get the wrong filter? Or is there wire that I just can't see in the filter?
Anyway, I would appreciate any response from anyone. Thanks a lot - Jeremy (97 bu, White, 61K miles)
I simply state that for the category and rating covered by the J.D. Powers survey, the Malibu DID DO Better. That can not be refuted. And the size of the survey sampling is actually quite large compared to many other surveys. Definitely within the margin of error.
I did not say that the Malibu was a better car for longevity. I am sure the Accord and Camry will last longer. However, most people never keep a car anywhere near as long as its lifetime (i.e. the miles you listed). My Malibu could be at the bottom of the ocean at 182,000 miles, as could either of the others listed, as far as I and most are concerned. But, for value the Malibu has the others beat for about 100,000 miles or so.
As far as sales, the decline is partly due to the poorer quality of the first three years of Malibu production. But another big reason is the poor marketing effort by GM. They primarily advertise their trucks and have spend less on the Malibu than just about anything else in the last 3 years. As far as the general public's perception of the differences between cars, I would only put limited stock in that, and it would definitely not be the main thing I would go by to purchase a car.
Check Edmonds,com for an excellent and fair review and discussion of the Malibu. I agree the Malibu is not quite the car that an Accord or a Camry is, but it is close for at least 100,000 miles, and definitely a better value for the $ spent.
I would like to see Chevy put that extra $1000 - $2000 into the overall quality of the car. A little better quality for the interior parts, a bigger gas tank (14 gallons is ridiculously small for this segment), sturdier seats, disc brakes, better braking system, thicker rotors, etc. Once you do that then you have an American Car that is now just as good as the imports regardless of the price. There's nothing wrong with the ride or handling of the Malibu. It's ride is on par with the Accord and it handles better then the Camry. It's just those quality items that take a few months to a year of living with to discover. One example is the reclining lever for the seat backs. I'm terrified that one day this thing is going to break off.
Hopefully the 2004 Malibu addresses some of this.
Paint job: I would take it to an independent painter. That's what a dealer will do any way not unless they have their own shop. You may be able to get it done for about $800. It won't be the premier paint job but it will hold up for a few years.
Transmission fluid and filter: have an independent shop do the tranny fluid replacement. You should be able to get it done for around %150-$175. $250 is too much. Remmeber this is not a super sophisticated car. Most garages can do this basic maintenance job. Save yourself some money.
Hope this helps.
I'm sure someone else can chime in with a more complete explanation of this because I'm sure their is more to it then what I explained. But at least that can explain how they are keeping their heads above water even with the rebates and 0% financing.
the combination of impala and malibu tends to do ok as a combination in the segment, however, the Malibu getting its butt handed to it on the sales charts, when chevy has more dealers in more markets, is Amurchan, etc., there is really no excuse for Chevy's mainstream offering to not at least match Camry and Accord sales and to do that they must STEAL sales from those other two cars.
And making an 'American' flavored sedan won't get the sales. The mainstream chevy sedan must have all the same persona and look and feel and reliability of the two Japanese leaders to steal sales from them.
That includes
-OHC powertrains
-tight body gaps and interior assembly gaps
-mellow inoffensive style
-good interior plastics
-smooth control actions
-firm, comfy seats
until Malibu gets that, no dice. that's what the market is buying. going against that and continuing to make cars with the 'GM flavor' won't get the job done.
2004 bu may correct some of this. I do like the interior design (except the cheesy looking shifter). still no OHC v6, rear discs, or good styling.
of that 182,000 bu sales, how many were to fleets? subtract fllets and rentals and honda and toyota each may have a 3 to 1 or more margin on the bu.
About my dealer visit: They ended up charging $141 to clean the lense on the dash which wasn't bad. It now kinda feels like a new car since I haven't seen the cluster very clearly since I've had the car. I had asked my service advisor to also replace the bulb on the "Check Oil" light, but she must have forgot. I didn't notice @ the dealership because it was running when I picked it up. She didn't charge me for the bulb replacement, but that means if I want it replaced, I have to pay $141 more to have the dash taken apart AGAIN and pay $$ for the bulb. I guess I can always check the oil the old fashion way.
I am excited for the new 2004 Malibu! If I could save some $$ I would love to get one, but I'm graduating at the end of this year and $$ for collage will be top priority. I guess I'll have to stick with my car for 4 more years. I really don't understand why people are dissapointed with the '04. The whole car is an improvement over the current generation. The only thing that bothers me are the rear drum brakes. I haven't had trouble with mine, but disk brakes are so much easier for me to change myself. Hopefully the new gen won't have rotor trouble. By the way, what is the advantage to having an OHC engine over our current pushrod engines in the bu? I have 61K on mine and the only problem (if you want to call it that) is that it's kinda noisy when it idles. I walked passed a brand new bu in a parking lot the other day and it was soooooo quiet compared to mine. I was very envious.
Anyway, thanks again for the advise. I appreciate it.
Jeremy
I am keeping my current Bu till it drops dead, and then GM would have to improve design, if they want my money again - no way I am driving the new Bu
Our replacement tires are the Dunlap A2 Sport. They are a world of difference, and very good on wet roads. The difference has been night and day. They are highly rated by Consumer Reports and in the Tire Rack surveys.
Bcmalibu: I think the front of the new bu's look awesome. It seems that GM is trying to make the grills of all Chevrolets look alike, kinda how all BMW's have the "kidney grills". The back of it looks a lot like the new Cavaliers which sucks a little, but still it's an improvement (IMHO). I think my favorite part of the entire car is the new radio and HVAC system. It looks really sophisticated and no other Chevrolet's have the same equipment (yet). I'm so glad they didn't toss one of the RDS radio's in the new bu. Those are hideous! I'm also psyched about the options of traction control (available only with ABS) and the 2.2 Ecotec engine. My grandfather rented a Saturn L200 with the same engine, and although not as peppy as our 3.1 V6, it still had decent power and better MPG. I also think the Ecotecs will be more dependable than any V6 GM can build. Like the Saturn L200's with the Ecotec, I wish Chevrolet would offer the '04 bu with a 5-speed.
Anyway, thanks for your response!
Jeremy
My biggest diasppointment with the 2004 Malibu is that it is not keeping up with its competition. This car is suppose to be an "import fighter" and targets the Camry, Accord, Altima. On paper it comes up short. The 2.2 L 140 hp would have been great 6 years ago but everyone else has stepped up the horsepower. Plus that engine works fine in the L Series which is clad in plastic but will have to push an extra 200 pounds with the heavier Malibu. And the V6 is 195 hp which is fine but not when everyone else is over 200 hp. Also no rear disc brakes will be offered. The braking system is a definite weak point in the current model and that shoudl be standard if they aresaying this is a value leader. Styling? It looks OK. It would probalby grow on me once I saw it. But I'm not into flashy cars so I can pretty much live with anything....other then the Aztec.
Those are my personally feelings. I have not seen one yet nor have I test driven one. That is just my read based on the information I know. Nor will I be in the market for one for several years.
Living in Dallas, I don't see too much snow. But, oddly enough it was a snow day (the only one in the last 5 years than actually left snow on the ground for more than about 10 minutes) when I replace the tires. The Dunlap SP Sport A2's did very well. Here is the Tire Rack site for the High Performance All-Season tire table that lists the A2:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/survey results/hpas.jsp
The reviewers gave it a 7 of 10 in snow. Overall, the A2 was number two in the list. It has been a great tire for the 3,000 miles we've put on them, about equal to the Michelin MX4V Plus tires on our V70 Volvo. Those are also good, but too expensive.
Spratt1, let me know if your feelings change about the A2's.
Thanks, Jeremy
The Malibu and its Affinity tires did ok as far as I am concerned. There were times during the drive that I felt as if I were handling a boat more than a car, as there were sizeable areas of standing water on the road, and I could feel the car hydroplane when I hit one of them. The Malibu tracked good thru these pools, and it was easy to recover from any sideslip. I am sure that there are better tires out there, but for an OEM tire, with a UTQG of 500, they seem to be a good all around tire. A softer, more aggressive tread would be better for performance driving, but replacing tires every 20K miles can be a drain on the wallet.
When it rains hard like this, I slow down. We had some clown in a big SUV pass us at one point. I was doing about 55 MPH, and he seemed to be doing about 75. About 5 miles further down the road, another cloudburst hit, and I was back down to about 40, when we came around a curve, and noticed the taillights about 50 yards out in some farmers field. I had the wife call 911 on the cell phone, and let the sheriffs department deal with that idiot. Maybe he had high dollar performance tires on his Escalade, but they are no substitute for common sense.
They have performed excellently for us for 3,000 miles. I'll let you know later. A friend of mine has had them for 10,000 miles and still says they are great.
If you want to see some real horror story reviews on tires, read the ones on the Affinity tires. About 50% say they are the worst tires imaginable.
Jeremy
Insofar as the dent is concerned..that should be left to a good body shop. Once the metal is stretched, it almost never can be fixed without bondo/sanding and repainting of the entire panel. If its not too deep a dent, many body shops that specialize in hail damage use a method that works pretty good. First they heat the metal with a heat gun, then apply dry ice. The heating softens the metal and paint, then the quick application of dry ice causes the metal the shrink..often removing a minor dent with little or no damage to the paint.
I would definitly check with a couple of body shops first. The times I've tried to fix a dent have wound up costing me more to fix my screwups than if I had taken it to the shop to begin with.
One more thing, do not waste $19.95 for one of those dent removers advertised on TV. Trying to use one of those things on a dent will almost certainly add $200 to the repair bill at the body shop.
ps: I think it was probably caused by my new neighbor that just moved in this weekend. Maybe I should go talk to her, that'll be a entirely different situation...
They will provided small bottles, pens, and even custom spray cans of custom mixed paint (based on OEM Paint code) and its much better than the oem nailbrushes at the dealer ) See website for testimonials, and more info. Couple the above touchup paint with the Langka blob remover ($20) at www.langka.com and you have a great way of matching the color perfectly and removing the "touchup paint blob" for considerably less than a shop would charge. I touched up a couple of rock chips on my hood and b-pillar and you'd be very hard pressed to find them.
Also, I had a few scratches on my car which I fixed with a bottle of touch up paint from my dealer. He also told me to use a scratch remover after I apply the paint (after it dries) because the paid tends to clump up. I used the paint on a few spots including a small part that was beginning to rust. Was I supposed to cover it up? A few people told me its better to leave it untouched. What do you think? Anyway, I think it would be much better for anyone to spend $5 on a bottle of touch up from the dealer than to go to Wal-Mart and get crappy paint that may not hold up, IMHO.
Jeremy
I've decide to change the sensor on the coolant surge tank on my own, instead of paying the dealership $80. To do so, you have to drain the surge tank and remove the tank from the vehicle. While I'm at I figured I would just flush the entire system and refill it. There in lies my problem. Does anyone know how I would begin to drain the system and the procedure to refill it? I would appreciate any feedback. Thank you in advance!
Jeremy
Like many of you, I too was disappointed with the performance with the OEM Firestone Affinity tires. I had them replaced with the Dunlop Sport A2 series and boy, I can't say enough good things about them. They offer a MUCH smoother ride, better handling in ALL weather, and just look much better than the Firestones. The only drawback is the wear, attributed to the soft rubber. I probably have 25K on these tires and I'm already putting replacements on the radar (I'll probably get 35/40K out of them). Attribute it to Oklahoma City temps these days of 100+ or the fact I ran them on the German autobahn for a few months (I'm military). Be that as it may, these are excellent tires that not only compliment the car's looks, but improve the performance.
So, for all of you disillusioned Affinity owners...slip a set of these Dunlop skins on your car and enjoy the ride.
Dave
Is it true that there is no fluid dipstick and is hers a problem that anyone has had?
Thanks.
Bill
One last thing: I don't have a keyless entry or security system on my car.
Jeremy - 97 bu
Does anyone have any suggestions? Also I have a tip: check your p.s. fluid everytime you check your oil. Its really easy and IMHO probably saved my steering system.
I'll let you guys know what the dealer said about the fluid and if there was any leak.
Jeremy - 97 bu