2000-2011 Chevrolet Malibu

dindak

Ya, it is a little busy. Not much there that couldn't be on the net but I guess most people don't have hi-speed connections.

tgp1810

How does the radio in the LT sound? A good improvement over the one in the old LS?

jtrujillo86

I bought an 02 Alero. I know I said I wanted a Jetta or Accord, but I came crawling back to GM! The Alero is a HUGE step up from the ol' Bu since it has traction control, power everything, ect. It's my little silver bullet. BTW the 170 HP 3.4 v6 is WAY better than ANY 3.1 I've driven (including the newer version). Anyway, I wish you all luck with your new and old Malibu's.

Jeremy

rwisem

We had an '02 LS and now an LT with the standard radio. I would say the '04 sounds better. It's quite good on an absolute scale.

logic1

The Passat, while easily the best looking mid-size sedan, is very far along in the design cycle. The Altima has never impressed me.

The Grand Prix will be killed by the G6. GM should have just dropped the GP until it had the rwd platform in place.

tomcat630

The 2004 GP is selling OK for now, they couldn't lose all those sales. But the G6 will make the GP look like a 1982 6000.

vcjumper

I hope it does. I think it won't have very good back seat comfort either judging by its roofline.
Thats ok by me for a car its size, but not the GP size.

dindak

You guys are probably right. I think the 04 GP is fresh enough that sales will go just fine for a few years but the G6 will be a better car. If you need the space though, the GP will still be bigger and prices should stay where they are, very attractive.

Still, I think GM could improve the GP with a better back seat and a new motor like the 3.9L which I think they will.

alpha01

Apparently, "masked profanities" (as in, using #$@%* to represent letters of curse words) warrant removal of posts.

For those who are interested in the new Malibu and its competitors, check
out the January 2004 issue of Consumer Reports. There is a very positive
review which heralds the Malibu as the best domestic brand entry in years,
and ranks the vehicle 5th in the V6 family sedan class, behind VW Passat,
Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Nissan Altima, in that order.

The magazine lauded impressive fuel economy- 26MPG overall-and the overall
ride and handling quality of the vehicle. It easily topped the Kia Optima,
Ford Taurus, Impala, and Pontiac Grand Prix also tested for the issue. CR
basically called the Grand Prix a piece of junk, rating it lower in the
class than any other model tested.

This is further evidence that the Malibu is a good overall design, though
not best in class. Perhaps best in class value though.

~alpha

pat

That is clearly spelled out in your Membership Agreement (link on left side of page).

Comments here about TH policies are disruptive - feel free to email me or our Community Manager, Sylvia (sylvia@edmunds.com).

Thanks!

tomcat630

"..check out the January 2004 issue of Consumer Reports. There is a very positive
review which heralds the Malibu as the best domestic brand entry in years.."

On less thing for the biased folks to harp about.

dtownfb

Not sure that is such great news. The Malibu was always considered the best domestic offering. I believe the previous model tested out higher then the Taurus.

motownusa

Why would I want to settle for the fifth best when there are four cars better than it? Just being decent is no longer enough. The car looks plain, driving dynamics is ok nothing to brag about and the power is at the bottom of its class. Chevy should have used the 3.2 and 3.6L engine and 5 speed automatic from the Cadillac CTS. Then this car would have been a serious import fighter

tomcat630

"2nd Toyota Camry, 3rd Honda Accord, and 4th Nissan Altima,"

Then why settle for 2nd-4th best, also? If the Toyota can't be #1, the "best", then why bother when there is one car ahead if it?

If the one of the others were 5th, it would be "See, it's in the top 5", when it's a domestic, it's "only 5th best".

Another common gripe is how the Malibu "looks so plain". Well the Camry is no knock out "wow" car either!

And "Chevy should have used the 3.2 and 3.6L engine and 5 speed automatic from the Cadillac CTS." If they did, then the complaint would be high cost, and how can they put a RWD transmission in a FWD car? I

hunt0694

I don't know how CR could rate the VW Passat V6 the best, since the car has terrible reliability problems. User surveys confirm this, and all you have to do is read the Passat V6 board to hear the owners cry.

I've had VWs and they perform very when new, but the problems mount very quickly. And then there's those wonderful (not)VW service people to deal with. The Malibu may not be as sophisticated, but it gets the job done. I've always found Chevy service people to be very accomodating, the few time I've had to take the car in.

CR and the rest of the critics should look at the whole car owning experience.

regfootball

and maybe they think the passat drives a lot better.

dindak

CR typically will not recommend any car with below average reliability. That said I think the Passat has the best record of all the VWs. Most are indeed below average but the Passat is average.

4itgog

I own a Chevy product and a VW GTI. I have had 5 VWs over the years, but find the driving experience of my Passat and GTI's well worth the additional maintenance costs, is the extremely reliable Chevy.

My S-10 has had no problems in 30k miles, but is painful to drive because of the 1950s' steering and rattle free grey plastic interior - overlapped with grey plastic interior, not to mention ... the powerful 4 cyl.

I am looking forward to a drive in the Maxx,as hatchbacks are very practical and sedans totally nonfunctional. Not sure I can live with the lack of road feel of the electric steering though.

alpha01

I think the Malibu's ranking in 5th is a good thing, and naysayers should start constructing new arguments. No, it wouldnt be my first choice, and yes, I feel that GM needs to sweat the details, but here, in the Malibu, we have domestic entry that ranks nearly at the top of its class. Motownusa, I agree with tomcat630. Most of the Camcord folks arent very open minded, but I'd like to think that I am, and you KNOW I'm a big fan of Toyotas superbly-engineered-if bland (think French Vanilla, please) Camry. But if GM can make a class competitive vehicle, I'm all for it.

About the Passat- it performs best all-round in the CR tests, offers good safety goes and a long list of standard safety equipment, and has average relability. Thats why its recommended, thats why its at the top. Someone mentioned that one need only frequent the Passat board to see all the issues, but I would completely disqualify boards such as these as a representative cross-section of ownership experiences- they simply arent, for reasons more appropriate to another thread.

~alpha

bcmalibu99ls

is being replaced by Chevy Colorado, which seems to be a much better vehicle. Reliability, of course, will be the key. Shreveport, Louisiana, which produces Colorados, can sure use some good news!

dindak

Colorado looks like a real winner. I think they were designed in partnership with Isuzu. The inline 4 and 5 cylinder engines look sweet!

tomcat630

The Maibu in 5th, means it is ahead of the highly overated Korean cars. Some assume that the Koreans have caught up to Toyota, when in fact, they are merely better than their old junk.

alpha01

Be realistic. The Koreans have made great strides in vehicle performance, safety, and quality, and the sedan entries from Hyundai/Kia (read: Sonata, Optima) often outpoint domestic entries when evaluated, just as the Optima trashed the Taurus, Impala, and especially the Grand Prix in the latest CR issue.

For the domestic to lose their stigma of value priced, heavily depreciating, not as reliable as the Japense makes image, its going to take more cars like the Malibu or better. The Focus is a good example of the potential the domestics have, but that high scoring vehicle was extremely marred from the get-go, with its 10 major recalls in three years. It, like, the Malibu is a solid desing, though.

~alpha

ispy2

I have a '99 Malibu with only 30K miles. Lately some of the warning lights (battery, ABS, brake and theft) come on then go off. I don't seem to be having any problems. Sometimes they do not go off after starting and sometimes the car will beep and then come one. They stay on for a short time and then go off. Does anybody have an idea what's up with this? Is this typical?

dindak

Even for the new Malibu, it will be a few years before it gets a good reputation. It's something you have to earn over time much like the Accord and Camry have done. Malibu is a good car, but many people who have bad experiences with GM or domestic brands in the past may not feel like jumping back in quite yet.

tomcat630

Well, I still wouldn't be caught dead in a Korean car. I can be unforgiving to them just like others are to Detroit.

The Focus hasn't had a recall for the 2002-04 model years. The first 2 years were an embarassment, due to Jac Nassar rushing the car to market. Maybe soon, people will stopp thinking that any new Focus has 10 recalls.

The 2004 Malibu is a good first shot, like the CTS. Then, the g6, Cobalt, LaCrosse, along with others will not be the "old tech" cars GM pushed since '92.

bcmalibu99ls

You might want to take the car to the dealer, so that he can check the computer for trouble codes. You definitely do not want your Bu dying on you in the middle of the road in December

jtrujillo86

It sounds like the workings of a bad alternator. When I had my Malibu, I had all of those lights come and go in the week preceding the death of my alternator. I hope for you that this problem doesn't arise, but it sounds likely. If you are planning on going to the dealer if/when this happens, I would save up...about $360.00. That's what it cost me. Anyway GOOD LUCK!

Jeremy

oxmead

Does anyone have a new Malibu with the V6? It said on the sticker 32 hiway mileage. That's not bad for a V6. Almost as good as my Saturn L200. What kind of mileage are people really getting?

triedntru

I've owned a 2004 Malibu LS (V6) for about 3 weeks now, and the info readout shows about 28 mpg, but that's mainly stop-and-go driving. I don't know how accurate that thing is either.

Anyways, I plan on keeping a log book in the car so that I can track the type of driving vs. the gas mileage. If I find anything worthwile, I'll let you know.

I know some critics are really bashing the electric steering, but I gotta say I wish all my vehicles had it! I've been driving the Malibu for a week straight. When I went to back our 2001 Sierra out of the garage, I thought, "Am I out of PS fluid?" Nope. I had gotten so used to the electric steering, it felt strenuous just trying to maneuver the pickup out of the driveway!

I'm not sure of the correct terminology, but you can feel the electric steering "stiffen" up when you increase speed, but the steering is really agile in the parking lot.

So far, I haven't had any problems with the car. One feature that I haven't quite figured out are the speed-sensitive intermittent wipers. It mentions them in the manual, but pretty vaguely. I can't even tell if my car has this option! Guess I will have to wait for a rainy day.

Thanks to all those who asked for certificates. I'm glad they went to good use. I have a couple left but I doubt I could get them turned around in the mail by Jan. 2nd. If they extend the program date again, I'll let you guys know.

Maxx production is increasing rapidly. The more I see it, the more I like it, but I couldn't convince the wife so we ended up with the sedan.

corsicachevy

Overall, I like the new Malibu and hope it proves to be a sales success for the General. However, I still have yet to see a privately licensed 04' Malibu on the road. My only sighting to date was about three weeks ago, and that vehicle was on a test drive near the Chevrolet dealership.

Are others seeing more of these on the road?

logic1

and a silver one in McHenry County, a far suburban area northwest of the city.

micweb

I am curious how well the Ecotec does in this larger car. It has comparable horsepower, now, to the Accord 4, but I'd like to hear some real world experience.

alpha01

With the Malibu V6 posting impressive MPG, though old-tech and less refined than competing units, I'd have a hard time passing up the power offered by the LS V6 and LT. The 4cyl DOESNT produce the hp that the current Accord/Camry/6/Altima 4s produce, and offers marginally less torque as well.

~alpha

dindak

I have seen the 4 cyl models for sale now so they are available. HP is on the lower end for midsize cars but I do ok with my Ecotec powered Alero. GM should be dropping the 2.4L Ecotec in next year which will boost HP to about 170.

One note however.. city mileage will be no better with the Ecotec than with the 3.5L. Our Ecotec does well on the highway but in the city it's no better than a V6.

tomcat630

"I've owned a 2004 Malibu LS (V6) for about 3 weeks now,..."

Good to hear a review from an actual owner, instead of non stop dribble like "ewww, I don't like the haeter vents" "eww it has push rods", :P

logic1

I had a Saturn L200 with the 2.2 litre ecotec with the manual.

The L200 is slightly heavier than the 'bu. I felt it propelled the car quite well.

Look at those epa ratings for the V6 on the 'bu though. The 4 is not going to do much better.

kpugh2

The wife has had her car since last Sat 11/29/03 the first 430 miles = 29.424 mpg. most of her miles 85%+ are highway miles. She likes the steering. I will keep a log on car to track repairs and mpg.

Ken

wantapassatnow

I posted these questions in the financing section too, but I'm interested to hear if any current Malibu drivers can share their experiences on these topics ...

First of all, I was pretty much set on getting a 2004 Hyundai Sonata LX, but then I started getting all this stuff in the mail from GM. I have a GM Credit Card in which I have earned about $700 toward the purchase or lease of a new car, plus I just got a thing from them saying they are upping my credit card points toward a new car to $1500 until the end of the year. I also received something from GM itself (not the GM card), saying, "Hey, we know your current lease is ending soon, here's a certificate for $1500 toward the purchase or lease of a new GM!" PLUS ... there is a $1000 rebate currently on the Chevy Malibu LT, which is the model/trim I want. Can I combine all of these offers - $1500 from GM, $1500 from GM CARD, and $1000 rebate? I can't seem to find anything where it says that I *can't*, but who knows what fine print I am missing. The letter from GM says, "Stack this $1500 on top of other national and regional GM incentives for an even better value," so that makes me believe I can combine that, at least, with the rebate.

Meanwhile, I am leaning toward leasing, so I am not sure if all those incentives make a difference. Still, does anyone here know if there are good lease deals on the LT? I'm thinking that if I can combine all the offers, I can use them as basically a $4000 down payment on a lease so as to make my lease payments really low. I would never put $4000 cash down on a lease, but this is kinda like free money.

Thanks to everyone in advance for your help!

alpha01

in your hand, why would you want to waste that money on a car that you will never own? IMO, leasing the Malibu is a VERY unwise idea in your situation. Leasing is most logical when consumers do NOT have significant amounts of money available for downpayment, because monthly payments can be kept fairly low W/O that downpayment. On the Camrys that my parents used to lease, non-special, no money down leases always had lower payments than purchasing the same car with 15% downpayment and Top Tier financing over 60 mos. (Of course, that was in the 90s, before all this low APR). My point- seriously consider a purchase. I would imagine the return on your investment to be significantly higher.

~alpha

showmethemoney

triedntru,

Thanks for the certificate offer. I'd like to get one and am willing to re-imburse you for rush mail. Do you know if they can be used with the GM Card reward program?

-showmethemoney

triedntru

I just checked out the website, and the rules state that these certificates can be used in addition to the GM Card program, and any current incentives on new 2002-04 GM vehicles.

I put out my e-mail address on my profile, so you can contact me that way.

Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. My sister came up over the holiday in her 03 Malibu. I think it was an LT, or whatever the upper level was called for that model.

They took a liking to our 04 LS right away. In fact, they both said that the 04 makes you feel like you're in a much classier car than the 03, even though it was a step down in levels.

Somewhere a while back on this forum someone commented that the shifter looked like the head of a golf club. I never noticed it before, but it is a drastic improvement over the general appearance of the 03 shifter. Besides, tires kinda look like doughnuts, but that doesn't mean anything either.

wantapassatnow

Thanks for your advice. The main reason I would want to lease with the "free money" is that I am in some debt that I believe I can get of in about three years if I can just reduce my expenses over that time. Buying the car would raise my expenses over the short term, because the monthly payments will be higher. Obviously, I know that over the long term, owning the car may be cheaper -- but then again, it may not: The warranty is up in three years, and who knows what might go wrong after that that I may have to pay for out of my own pocket.

Quite frankly, I am in a position where I need a new car, and I need one I can at least tolerate over the next few years. So yea, I could get a cheapo car to tie me over, but I don't want to hate my car, either ... that would just bum me out every day. In fact, up until yesterday I was completely set on buying a Hyundai Sonata LX, which to me is a stunning car for its price. But the "buying" aspect of it has not sit well with me -- and leasing it was not even an option since the residual value on the Hyundai is way worse. I may still go through with the purchase, but it will go against my debt-elimination plan. In fact, if I do buy *anything*, it will be the Hyundai, not the Chevy -- for sure. Because the Malibu LT, with the $4,000 off, will essentially be the same total price as the Hyundai -- about $17-$18k.

The thing is, though, the Malibu LT *can* be leased for a decent price, which can't be said for the Hyundai. So my grand plan is to be out of debt in three years, to give back the Malibu, and to get into a car I *really* want.

Thanks!

alpha01

Clearly, you are in a complex situation, and I'm sorry if my initial statement against leasing was harsh. Best of luck with your decision.

~alpha

tomcat630

"..and leasing it was not even an option since the residual value on the Hyundai is way worse."

Shows that the Korean makes are not really "all that", as some seem to say constantly.

wantapassatnow

No worries! You hit the nail on the head: It is a complex situation (I can never seem to do anything the "normal" way)!

I plan to test-drive the LT tomorrow. Can't wait! The thing that is worrying me is that every dealer only seems to have one in stock. I hope my choices will be greater by the end of the year, cuz that's when my current lease is up!

clintonjohn

test drove a malibu the other week. quite impressed with the acceleration. i too have a gm card with some money i could apply. the thing my wife and i really did not like about the car was the rather short seats. neither of us are overly tall or overweight, but the seats practically ended where my rear ended. i'm used to seats that stretch to practically the back of your knee. in the malibu, i felt like i was sitting on the edge of a chair, rather than being supported. Otherwise, I quite liked the car

topgun7

May be you guy should go to the "lease Question" section hosted by CAR_MAN to understand more about the basic of leasing car. By using the "free 4000", you are reducing the monthly payment dollar for dollar (plus a little bit of finance charge or "rent " as well). Another factor is that with a new car like Malibu, no one really know for sure the resale value 3 or 4 years down the road. The finance company basically promise to buy your car at a certain price at the end of the lease, if the resale value down the road turn out to be better than what the finance company predict and you like the car, you can always buy the car at that price. However, if the resale value for the car is much worst than what the finance company predict, you can turn in the key, walk to the dealership and buy a similar used car for less. It happened to Chrysler 300M when they first come out (Chrysler thought that the resale is much higher than they actually are, so when people turn in their car, the are stuck with car that worth a lot less). And I think the Lexus SC430 is going to do the same (after 4 years, lexus think that the car wil only depreciate 40%. But after the first year, it already depreciate 20%)

johnclineii

All of that applies only to closed end leases. Some leases are open ended. THOSE require YOU to make up any shortfall in the residual value. Lawyers and car dealers love leases. The average person signing a lease has no understanding of it at all, there is the opportunity to make LARGE amounts of money fast.

And woe be unto you, even on a closed end lease, if you are not leasing again. Some (not all or even most--but some) dealers will find tons of unusual wear, tear and damage on the turned in vehicle. Guess who gets to pay for that?

Finally, leasing normally requires VERY good credit. It, too, has a finance rate. That rate is often subsidized by the manufacturer. But make no mistake about it, a lease is still a loan.

And now, my friends, back to the Malibu...(I just didn't want to see some people get very badly burned by what they thought was a much better deal than it might be)

wantapassatnow

Thanks for all of your input. I would definitely do a closed end lease. I would not buy the car at the end. I currently lease a Mitsubishi Galant and only owe about $100 at the end due to excessive wear and tear on the bumper. (I just had it inspected; it is pretty badly scratched!) So I guess I am getting off lucky, since I am leaving Mitsu and don't owe them my first born.

Now I need more of your unbiased opinions: I am *extremely* torn between leasing the 2004 Hyundai Sonata LX and the 2004 Chevy Malibu LT. Price is not a factor, because I determined that I actually can lease the Hyundai for a decent price and it will be virtually the same as the Malibu, given all the incentives I have received from GM.

My own pros and cons:
> I prefer the look (exterior and interior) of the Hyundai.
> I prefer the ride and handling of the Chevy.
> Chevy has more hp.
> Hyundai has a better warranty ... but is that because I'll need the warranty?
> I like that the Hyundai has a cassette player.
> There are more Chevy dealerships near me than Hyundai, so servicing will be less of a hassle with Chevy.
> Hyundai has side airbags, but Chevy has head curtain side airbags and ABS.
> Insurance is cheaper on the Chevy.

Ugh, I am just so torn. Your help is very much appreciated. I am posting this on the Hyundai Sonata board, too. Thanks!