Chevy Malibu Maxx

oldntired1950

As an '04 Malibu Maxx owner, am I the only one that feels the disappointment regarding the Malibu bumper tests. I've been driving my Maxx LT for the last month and I absolutely love the car. Great handling, very comfortable and everything I could want in a 5 door sedan, but I feel like GM let us down. What would it have taken to give us decent bumper protection? The engineers worked overtime to give us a great interior and a peppy engine. Brakes are great. Options up the ying-yang, so to speak, what, with the XM, OnStar, DVD, auto lighting, remote start... the list goes on forever. For a few buck more they could have given us decent bumpers instead of saying they made a mistake and are going to redesign them. Why do I feel like I'm always a bridesmaid and never a bride when a I buy first year GM car??????

triedntru

I'm reposting a comment I made in the Malibu forum regarding this test.

I think the test they did on Dateline didn't have much to do with safety, which ultimately is the purpose of a bumper.

If you want a bumper to survive impact, get a rubbermaid bumper, or a solid-core steel bumper that will deliver maximum whiplash per minimum impact. To heck with crumple zones! They cost money!

I thought it was kind of amusing that they accused the one car (can't remember which) of cheating, because of strategically placed foam padding under the bumper. How is that cheating? The car company adapted their design to the nature of the test.It was totally wrong that the testers removed the padding and changed the location of impact on just that one car. Maybe it was the test that was flawed and insufficient rather than the bumpers.

Anyways, I consider safety over the little things. To me, Onstar is an incredibly important safety feature that makes the Malibu stand out.

I'd feel more comfortable in my Malibu knowing Onstar detected air bag deployment and help was on the way rather than bleed to death in a Toyota.

triedntru

How representative was that test to real-world conditions? How many times, in all my years of driving, have I had to worry about backing into a pole at 5-10 mph dead-on like that? Zero.

It reminds me of a few years ago when Toyota was being accused of having flawed seatbelts. In a press conference, Toyota used a crane and picked up a vehicle by the seatbelts ever so slowly in order to prove their "strength."

What exactly did that prove? Nothing, really. That seatbelt demonstration was a static, linear load, not a dynamic shock load.

oldntired1950

I agree that the bumper's real world purpose is to protect the occupants in a collision, however it is also supposed to protect the car in those 5 mph bumps and bangs in parking lots, or when a careless driver doesn't see that steel post embedded in concrete behind the car. That too is real world. Other manufacturers can do this.... GM says that they will redesign the bumpers to offer more protection. They knew that the car would be tested, so why didn't they just make the effort in the original design. All the redesign does is reduce the value of our early production cars. Please don't misunderstand, I still love the car, and I'm still glad I bought it... it's just that I had hoped for more for the car that GM says will change American buyer's minds about American vs. Japanese cars.

ateixeira

I can see Chevy dealers marketing one of those truck-style rhino bars. ;-)

-juice

triedntru

I know what you're saying, and to be honest with you, I don't know why GM does or doesn't do some of the things they do...or don't do.

I'd be interested in comparing the results of the aforementioned test with crash safety ratings. Perhaps there are tradeoffs to achieve well in one test over the other.

I wonder why they didn't do a perpendicular barrier to either the front or the rear? My guess is that maybe all cars do relatively well in that category, which I think would be the most common type of impact.

On another subject, oldntired...did you know that your intermittent wipers are speed sensitive? Try it out sometime! I've had my Malibu for about 5 months now, and I feel like I'm discovering something new all the time.

jchan2

hey! adding the bars could add a degree of machoness to the Maxx, which might be just what it needs to boost resale. Add AWD! Cladding! Ground Clearance! Call it a CUV and tell the EPA it's a Truck! Now Chevy's on a roll, with one macho product.

oldntired1950

I know what you mean by the more you drive the more you discover. I knew that the wipers are speed sensitive - I read it somewhere along the line. It was very much appreciated tonight. I spent the afternoon and evening helping a friend at an RV show here on Long Island. When I left the show the fog was so thick you could cut it with a knife. The wipers worked perfectly, but I discovered something else very interesting. That back window that I keep insisting needs a wiper - as soon as I got moving on the highway the air flow over the car completely cleared the water off the window and I had perfect rear vision - very nice trick. Another recent discovery - I folded the rear seats down the other day when I went overboard in my grocery shopping (yes, I do the shopping) and discovered that there's a net behind the rear seat that would keep parcels from shifting with the seats down. So you're right, the more time I spend with my Maxx, the more I find to like about it. And as far as the bumper issue, let's see what the high speed crash tests say before we pass judgment.

njscribe

It's great to hear about other people enjoying their Maxxs as much as I do. The XM radio really makes me enjoy every minute in the car. Sometimes I feel like hearing one of the several country music channels, while at other times the classical stuff is just right. The two comedy channels are enjoyable if you are in the right frame of mind. I'm not using the remote starting now that it's so much warmer, so I really want my gas mileage to improve. It has slowly edged up to 23.3 in mixed driving mostly in town. I am trying to calm down after I got my first chip in the paint. It's only about the size of a pin head but to me it's like a flaw in a diamond. I knew I shouldn't have parked in a lot next to that fat Lexus SUV.

thinman

Just got our new MAXX Friday and have enjoyed the weekend exploring it. Silver with the 1SA option package and 6 disc CD changer. I'm one of those guys that when he gets a new car sits in the driveway with it for hours reading the owners manual. Played with all the features. Programmed all the functions. So far so good. While no one will ever confuse this car with a sports sedan, it's a solid feeling, decent handling, QUIET, little car. We drove it all over town and it is comfortable, easy riding, has good acceleration, and did I mention QUIET?

I had read this forum before we took delivery so a couple of things I looked for. Yes, the radio responds to the remote that opens the doors. I asked the salesman about that and he said they all do that now, but for some reason it's not in the owners manual. This has actually worked for us because the wife and I listen to different radio stations and like the tone set differently.

So, now Momma has a new car. I get her 5 year old Alero, and my nine year old S-10 goes to her son. Is that an example of Tickle Down? *L*

ateixeira

Do you have to shout quiet? Maybe you're inside the car, shouting to we folks outside can hear you? ;-)

Congrats.

-juice

thinman

Sorry about the all caps. It's been so long since I've posted on a forum or been in a chat room that I forgot that is considered shouting. We are both very happy with how quiet the new Maxx is. My truck and the Alero were definately not quiet vehicles.

johnclineii

S'okay!

I think he was ribbin ya!

And most people only rib peeps they like.

Congrats on the vehicle. And feel free to shout about the quiet!

ateixeira

Yeah, I was just kiddin'. Does yours have the DVD player? That was neat, you don't expect that in a car.

-juice

oldntired1950

Welcome to the Happy Maxx'ers. I mailed my JD Powers new owners survey today. I can truthfully say that the car came to me in perfect condition. As much as I hate the thought of getting up every morning to go to work (only 59 weeks to retirement) my Maxx makes the half hour commute each way really enjoyable. I'm a rather big guy (5'9" + 300#) but that driver's seat is the most comfortable I've been in in years. And I picked up a friend the other day, also a biggy - over 6' tall, and he couldn't get over the room in the back seat! My license plates say it all - MAXXIMUM

beedublu

Hi there:

I just drove by my local Chevy store yesterday to get a look at their Maxx inventory -- the styling is starting to grow on me -- and I couldn't see any sign of a trunk/hatch lock. Are the remote key fob and the inside release the only ways of opening the hatch? I see a conventional trunk lock on the sedan.

One of these days I'll actually go in for a test drive but I just thought I'd ask you happy owners in the mean time.

oldntired1950

There are 3 ways to open the rear hatch on the Maxx:
1) There is a button on the remote keyfob
2) There is a button on the driver's door at the front of the map pocket that releases the hatch
3) There is a microswitch with a weatherproof rubber cover in the top of the hatch handle slot that will open the hatch if the doors are unlocked
Very easy to use and very well thought out. Whether in the car or out, with doors locked or open, there is a way to access the hatch. It came in very handy this evening when I had to put the groceries in the car in the rain/sleet.

thinman

First off...I wasn't offended. My bad...no more caps *L*

The suspension. On every other vehicle I've ever owned (and at 54 I've owned quite a few) the suspension always felt like it was a part of the chassis. Meaning that I could always feel every movement of the suspension as the chassis flexed and twisted in response. With this car there doesn't seem to be any chassis flex at all! The car stays level and solid feeling. I read that the Epsilon chassis had vastly improved torsional rigidity, and now I am a believer! I feel lie I'm suspended between the wheels as they go about their business, but the movement isn't transmitted to my butt like on other vehicles. Some will decry this as lack of road feel, but to me it is just a feeling of a good solid comfortable ride.

Now for a nit to pick. Whats with that ugly tail pipe? It's just a piece of cut off pipe sticking out the back. On my Alero I have two polished pipes that blend in nicely. Hey! Design guys! Details! Details! Do soemthing to set the LT model off from the rest besides two chrome letters on the backend.

njscribe

thinman is on to something--the maxx interior is so quiet it's a pleasant refuge from the rest of the world, even without satellite radio.
in high-end real estate they always say privacy is the greatest luxury--my maxx gives me high-end car quiet.
gas mileage has gone up to 24 mpg now that I'm not showing off the remote start all the time. with all the in-town I do that ain't bad!
I still haven't seen another maxx on the road.

deminin

We stopped at a rest top on the interstate yesterday, and a young couple in a new MAXX pulled in next to us. They had a couple of small children, and while momma was taking them to the bathroom, I struck up a conversation with the young guy about his MAXX. He was very pleased with his car, and said it was looking like the perfect family vehicle. He has had no troubles, and they were going on a vacation to see the grandparents. The back end was loaded down with all the stuff that a family of four needs for a trip, and they still had plenty of room for all 4 without cluttering up the passenger area. It sounded to me like Chevy has a very satisfied buyer.

max1968

I'm really interested by the Maxx as it's one of the few cars that I sat in recently that truly feels comfortable...

I have a couple of questions:

1. Have you noticed the gap between the body of the car and the rear light assembly when the hatch is open? Is this done on purpose?

2. On the model I saw, the front fender panels did not line up properly with the body. Was that a fluke on the model I saw or is it common?

Thanks.

kurtamaxxguy

Had a pleasant surprise in that the Remote for my Maxx could actually activate the Maxx locks from nearly half a block away (from inside of a building, through 2nd floor window, to parking lot at least 200 feet away, with other cars next to the Maxx). This is a huge improvement over what the Remote on my former Saturn ION could do.

Someone else here mentioned the remote affected the radio. What can the remote control on the radio?

As for other Maxx aspects, it does have a few small rattles but the mileage seems to be improving (1500 now). So far - furiously knocking on wood as I type this - the car has been very good. I sincerely hope the brakes and electrics will hold up (past Malibus have had major problems in these areas).

kurtamaxxguy

To answer another question, I did note on two MAXXes that there are large gaps (aboput 3/8 inch) between the windshield A pillar and the front fender as it wraps around the A pillar.

Not sure why the huge gap is there....anyone know?

Otherwise the sheetmetal fits very well.

skyhawk

I picked up my MAXX on Tuesday. The car was beautifully detailed. Before I leave the lot I always put on a jewelers white cotton glove and run my finger along all of the seams. I feel that all were aligned perfectly. I just checked the tail lights with the hatch open and saw no gaps. This is my first new Chevrolet product. I always drove Olds, then Pontiac or GMC. I am impressed with the quality so far.

I did discover that the car is incorrectly badged. The correct badge was previously ordered. In fact most of this dealers LT's are badged as LS's. The only flaw I have is that the keys are hard to get out of the ignition. It feels like the keys when cut were never run against a buffing wheel. One key has edges sharp enough to cut a finger.

This is my first car with a moon roof. I found the wind noise excessive. Is this normal? Are there deflectors?

I look forward to reading the posts and plan on contributing as I gain more experience with the car. Part of my decision to buy the MAXX was based on the positive comments here. I had looked at or test driven about 12 other models over the last 10 weeks.

Thanks

ateixeira

I have an aftermarket "Windflector" for my moonroof (on a different car), but it's universal. It went on with two side tape and has held well for 4 years.

-juice

jchan2

It's a pretty common problem. My friend's Sienna has it, and my old Accord had that problem. You could get a deflector like juice said, but mostly, I just put up with it and tried to ignore it.

dan165

I have seen 3 Maxx's on the road over the past 2-3 weeks. Looks like they are finally coming. I guess a lot of people (especially up here) wait for spring to buy a new car. Can't blame them, nothing worse than taking delivery of a new car when it's 10 below and snowing.

Car looks nice though I still don't see where there is any more room than my Grand Prix unless the seats are folded down.

ateixeira

I've seen a couple on the roads now, too. I like the Maxx better than the sedan.

-juice

kurtamaxxguy

Just wondering if anyone else here has noticed rattles in the rear skylight frame? As temperatures have gone up here in LA, CA, I've noted some new noises, and tapping the plastic brings on a tinny ring or two.

Hopefully it will be easy to fix (mechanics trying to remove rattles from my ION's roof damaged the new headliner _and_ ruined the rear defroster).

mrscoffeecake

Whereabouts in L.A.? I have yet to see another one on the road. I'm in West L.A. area. Have had mine almost 1 month. Mine's the gray metallic.

No rattles in my skylights, but the backseat was rattling when scooted all the way forward.I was afraid it was the skylight and it was driving me nuts until I remembered that the kids had been sliding the seats back and forth.

My XM radio quit working within a week of taking delivery. I got it fixed, but wasn't that happy with the way the dealership wasn't that kind to my brand new car. I may try a different one next time I need service.

mrscoffeecake

Does this happen to anyone else? You pop the hatch with the interior button, get out of the car, shut the driver door, and the impact of the driver door closing makes the hatch latch catch (say that 5 times fast) so that you have to "unlock" it again. Grr!

mrscoffeecake

Also, you really have to put some muscle into closing the hatch or it doesn't close all the way. Is this anyone else's experience?

I thought the hatch was supposed to be light, etc., but if you don't bang it down, it doesn't close.

skyhawk

Ah! I figured the inside button just did not work. When I get to the back the hatch is never open. I will have to try it and leave the drivers door open.

My hatch closes easily. The more I drive the car, the more I like it. This is a big change for me as this replaced an 8 yr old pickup truck with a std. transmission I hope the MAXX treats me as well as the truck.

I have yet to see another MAXX in RI on the road.

bigdaddycoats

http://www.detnews.com/2004/autosconsumer/0403/17/g01-94195.htm

kurtamaxxguy

to mrscoffeecake, I am in san fernando area. Have yet to see maxxes on the road myself. The hatch closes more easily if the doors are open (otherwise sometimes it bounces up slightly unless I firmly push it down). As for popping the hatch, closing the driver door and then discovering the hatch is relatched...yes it happens to me all the time. Fortunately the microswitch under the rear hatch rim opens it again.

thinman

Took our first trip in the Maxx this last weekend. Put 249 miles on it going down to Myrtle Beach and back to spend some time with my parents. Around town the wife was getting 23.5 MPG according to the DIC. Driving down and back to Myrtle Beach, which included going all the way through Wilmington, NC traffic and driving around MB for a day, we got 31.8 MPG! Sign me in as impressed!

The car was quiet and composed the whole time. However we did notice that it doesn't like payment ripples. It seemed to set a sort of harmonic vibration on the slightly choppy payment. The cars seems to have a split personality. Around town it soaks up the payment irregularities, but on the open road at 60 per it doesn't. Very curious.

The wife loves the seats. They fit her great and to her are very comfortable. I last about two hours in the drivers seat. No matter how much I play with the seat I can't seem to find a truly comfortable position. The ridge on the seat bottom front edge hits me in the middle of my thighs, and if I adjust the seat down a bit in the front then I feel like I'm sliding off. Very distracting. I'll keep playing with it though till I find the 'sweet spot'.

Oh, and one other thing. My father owned a long line of Buick Park Avenues before switching to Chrysler LHS's. His comment after riding around in it for half a day? "This is a Chevy? I'd never have guessed." *L*

maxxny

I got my Maxx LT on March 11. Have the same problem with the hatch - does not close unless you bang down real hard. I intend to have the dealer adjust it - it should not be that hard to close. I always get the GATE AJAR light on.
Also happens quite frequently (almost every trip and I drive daily): after reverse, as I am moving forward, Service-Engine-Soon light, brake light, ABS light, and TCS light all come on. Have to turn off engine and turn on again to remove the lights. Sounds serious and will have to have dealer address it right away. Read somewhere else that others have had this problem and waited weeks for the dealer repair.

riskybusiness

Just signed on for a 2004 Maxx LS/1SA as our "family hauler" to replace the '01 Montana. Great concept - similar family-friendly functionality in a smaller vehicle, and now that the kids are 2 & 5 there's not as much need for the van (no more stroller, smaller toys, etc.) We rarely used the 3rd row seating anyway.

Also looked at the '05 Chevy Equinox, but Maxx had a much better ride & handling and more interior passenger room, albeit in a slightly less sexy package. I'm 6'3" and 220lb and spent half of the test drive in the rear seat in absolute wonderment over the headroom and legroom. More room in the rear than my Cadillac CTS. With my wife driving (5'6") I could move the fore/aft rear seat adjuster all the way forward and still had 2" knee room. Now that's versatile.

Only downside to the car is the cheap looking/feeling cloth on the base car. I'm wondering how it will stand up to stains and general kid dirt, but I couldn't justify the extra $$ for the leather trim bundled with a bunch of toys we won't use. ScotchGard, anyone?

By the way, my CTS has no keyhole for the trunk, either. Seems to be the new design trend, though I still miss the old days where the trunk key was separate from the ignition to keep the valet jockeys from exploring.

yerth10

At 189 inches in length, the Malibu-Maxx offers 22 cubic feet of luggage space while the Ford Crown Victoria which is 212 inches long offers only 21 cubic feet of luggage space.

Wagons are superior to Sedans in utility and if you combine the rear seat reclining facility, Maxx is unbeatable.

Hatchbacks and Wagons are spreading fast.

May be we should call this category of vehicles as 'Quint' for its 5 doors.

riskybusiness

I like the car for its interior roominess and flexibility, but let's compare apples to apples and realize that the 22.9 cubic feet of rear cargo space for the Maxx is with rear seats folded flat (as per GM spec sheets). It's "only" 15.4 cubic with rear seats up, which is still a lot still bigger than most sedans in its class (CamCord, Altima, Mazda6) but less than the maximum capacity of a true mid-size wagon (e.g. Subaru Legacy, Jetta Wagon).

johnclineii

...where I grew up, a Jetta is a subcompact or at MOST a compact, NOT a midsize. And the Legacy is about to grow some for the 05, due out in about two-three months...

njscribe

In two months of maxx ownership I have had only praise for every facet of its innovative design and exceptional craftsmanship. It is great to find other new maxx owners in love with their vehicles as well. The only quibbles I have relate to a minor lack of lighting. Since I got virtually every option and have discovered numerous unexpected features, I am surprised there are no electrical interior lights in the rear hatch area, or inside the glove box.

mrscoffeecake

There is a light in the back - at least there is in my LT - but you have to turn it on and off manually. Look to the left when you open the hatch. It's right next to the power outlet.

I don't think I've opened the glove box since the first week, so I don't know if I missed a light in there or not!

kurtamaxxguy

Rear hatch area light works automatically on my LS. Also have the option to switch manually.

Yes, my Maxx has the odd shudder as well over some bumps - one publication called it "gut jiggle". Not sure if it is chassis flex or wierd suspension harmonics.

Three things of annoyance: 1.the rear seat plastic backs can bang the rear shock towers (seat backs are too wide or mis-aligned). 2.the rear skylight trim is downright cheap (tapping it brings sounds of tinny sheet metal). 3. the front seats require a bit of squrming around to find a comfortable position.

However, car is definitely solid feeling, rides well, is improving in mileage (around 25 - 26 mph for mixed driving, and has proven a huge step up from other American cars I have driven (by comparison, a short ride in a new Impala was pretty depressing).

mrscoffeecake

It's mentioned at the end of this article:

Adweek

njscribe

Thanks mrscoffeecake for the location of my rear hatch light. I had never noticed it there, but it is the same kind of "press light to switch on or off" device as the two courtesy/map lights up front. I had better tackle a cover-to-cover reading of that thick manual to learn more about the car. Now that I have a light and with about 2,500 miles on it, my two-month-old Maxx has regained its perfect quality rating! About the TV ads, they have been running a 30-second spot with a silver LT just like mine on cable channels. The interior room and flexibility and the quiet, smooth ride are the qualities I expect to drive sales.

njscribe

I've never had a car that had so many features that I kept discovering new ones as I drove it. The maxx LT not only has a manual/automatic rear hatch light, but next to it there's a power socket? Wow. There's another power socket on the dashboard. Also, your passengers all travel first class, with all four reclining seats and limousine leg room. I think they described the car perfectly when they dubbed it "an extended sedan." That's what it is: a compact limousine.

wheelz4

what happened to "dindak"? He used to post to these boards all the time but seems to have disappeared around Feb.5-6th.

mrscoffeecake

There's a power socket inside the console, too. Cell phone, Play Station, mini fridge? Why stay home when you can bring it all with you? Ha!

ab348

Drop me an email - address is in my profile.