Chevy Malibu Maxx

njscribe

I'm very impressed how I keep discovering new features on my maxx LT. Tonight I noticed that if you twist the driver's door key in the lock once it unlocks just that door, then twist again for all four doors, and three times to open the hatch door too. (I know all that and the remote start is on the key fob.) Earlier I found that the radio buttons work for programing XM satellite radio stations too, and that the inside of the hatch grab areas have some non-slip surface.

oldntired1950

I've had my Maxx for just over 2 months, but only just turned the clock to 1K miles this week. I just got back from 2 weeks of Florida vacation followed by another week back to Florida for a funeral. In all my driving in Florida (about 1,300 miles from West Palm to Key West by way of Marco Island, and back again) and the 5 weeks before, I have yet to see one other Maxx on the road.... and for the life of me, I can't figure out why??? I've been driving since my '63 Ford Fairlane 500, with a Grand Marquis, a full sized van, a mini van and many, many cars in between, and my Maxx has to be the best combination of function and value I've ever driven. It is comfortable, powerful, provides good to great mileage and has bells and whistles to keep me happy for years. I can't get enough of my XM radio, and the Onstar is used every day. My granddaughter loves to go for rides so she can watch movies on the DVD player. Like NJSCRIBE, I keep finding little details that continue to make me smile, like all the seat pockets, the parking pass clip on the windshield, the clip on the dash next to the power outlet that I used to hold my little red ribbon.... little touches that were important enough to the designers to convince the bean counters to include. Then there's the big things... the adjustable/reclining back seats, the rear skylight with sunshades, the 3 position rear shelf instead of a cheap roll up cover (like on my Liberty), the 3 power outlets - a real plus for us tailgaters (makes it easy to make those frozen margaritas with my 12V blender at the Jimmy Buffett concert). I really don't know why there aren't more on the road. I guess for now, it's our little secret.

andy71

The reason they are not selling well is because

(1) Looks kind of odd. Not exactly a sation wagon not exactly a hatchback.

(2) Made by Chevy

(3) Put a lot of nifty little features but dropped the ball where it counts: the engine.

(4) Nobody wants to pay $25grand for a somewhat underpowered (relatively speaking) car when the competition is offering anywhere from 230 to 250 Hp.

logic1

few thousand of them to date.

njscribe

Andy71, you keep carping about the horsepower of your Camry and the Accord being 25 or so greater than the 200 in the terrific new Chevy 3.5L six in the malibus, but according to independent observers like CU the performance is comparable -- but here is the important part -- the new malibu and maxx sixes get better gas mileage than four cylinder engines let alone the competing sixes.

oldntired1950

Let's go by the numbers -
1)The looks definitely grew on me. The first time I saw it, I wasn't repelled however in the time since then I've grown to love the looks. I, and many like souls, prefer function over form. It is not enough to look pretty if the pretty doesn't perform the tasks you set forth for your machine.
2)Made by chevy.... Well, if the commercial I heard on the radio (or was it tv?), Chevy is the largest total vehicle producer. There is really nothing wrong in buying American.
3) The engine... I've only driven it just over 1K miles so far, but to date it is smooth with plenty of low end torque, and great mileage numbers.
4) Personally, I paid about $24K (before sales tax and extended warranty) for my fully loaded Maxx LT, fully loaded. Show me another car with this level of room, comfort, versatility and equipment for this money.
No one car is for everyone... we all have our budgets and desires. To me, this is what I wanted and could afford.

maxx4me

I read your posts with a big smile. Because people tend to be shallow and think looks are everything, the Maxx does not sell well. I too think that it is unequivacally the best bargain on the road today. Thanks to so many who think looks are everything, my rebate continues to grow and grow. I plan on cashing in on this malaise soon enough.
BCMalibu: you posted that you saw a Maxx at the auto show; was it an '05? I am dying to find out what minor modifications I will cash in on as I eagerly await its arrival.
And as for the Maxx being underpowered: you must live in Montana where there is no speed limit. The pushrod 6 has more torque and horsepower than any human needs. Granted it is not OHC smooth, but underpowered....please!! Keep those negative vibes comin' folks. I love watching my rebate check get bigger and bigger.
Oh, I also fell on the floor laughing when I read in CR that the pushrod got better gas mileage than the OHC 4, and that the 4 is noisier! Now there's a glowing recommendation to switch to the new and trendy.....NOT!

oldntired1950

For those of you who have complained about how hard you have to slam the hatch to make sure it's closed, try keeping the driver's door open when you close the hatch. My Maxx is so air-tight that unless I really use some force to close the last door/hatch, it doesn't close completely. I think it's more a question of quality build than a defect.

dispencer1

In getting a car that uses regular gas. I looked at the Toyota Solara and the 6 is supposed to use premium. My 2003 Deville uses regular! Malibu gas mileage is good and the car uses regular! The Solara demonstrates more quality in the way buttons feel, doors shut, etc. but the gas costs with premium are out of sight.

yerth10

"22.9 cubic feet of rear cargo space for the Maxx is with rear seats folded flat "

No : This is the space with rear seats UNFOLDED.

Since it has a wagon design, it is able to offer more space.

riskybusiness

I stand corrected, but with a strong defence;-)

There's conflicting info on the GM Canada web site. Under the "Details" link for the Maxx LS, it says 22.8 cubic, or 41 with 2nd row seats folded. On the "Flash" presentation "The Malibu Maxx Experience", it says 15.4, expanding to 22.8 with rear seats folded. I'll have to check the brochure when I get home, but I suspect you are right. Regardless of which number is correct, I'm loving (or at least my wife is loving) our new Maxx. Lots of space however it's measured.

oldntired1950

For anyone interested, here's a link to a recent (3/29/04) review of the Maxx that appears on thecarconnection.com http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=6983

maxx4me

great article, thanks. I agree with the article almost in its entirety. I'm 42, feel 25, and am not shallow enough to be concerned with looks. When I'm spending $20k+ of my hard earned money, I want value. I think his article understates the value just a bit. Who cares that the 6 wagon is pennies less than the Maxx? The 6 won't have half of the amenities that the Maxx has. If the 6 remains as reliable as CR thinks it will, and the Maxx turns out to be a bucket of bolts, then we have something to compare. But when people get into arguments about looks, I say: go waste your money on whatever cutsie looking car you want; you are only buying the car for looks, will only keep it for a few years until you find some other shallow looking vehicle to show off in, and in the end, are throwing your money away as you repeatedly get hammered by used car devaluation (which is here to stay).

oldntired1950

Here's a link to another Maxx review - this one from Jim Mateja, the auto columnist with the Chicago Tribune. The review is a little lengthy but is very complimentary. The only complaint that he raises is the shape of the side view mirrors. He doesn't like the "arrowhead" like shape of the mirror. He says it gives much less viewable area than a rectangle.
Just a note, you'll have to register with the Tribune in order to read the article, but it's easy to do, and there's no cost or obligation involved. Here's the link...
  http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/printedition/chi-0404030- - 335apr04,1,4509330.column

oldntired1950

I caught a short story on caranddriver.com regarding an investigation by the NHTSA into the Malibu's power steering... it seems they have received complaints of power steering failure during driving - no accidents or fatalities noted. Thing get more and more interesting.

jim_in_ohio

My wife and I test drove the LS Maxx at a local dealership last week. We were both very impressed except for a problem with the passenger seat. It just seemed to hit my wife wrong; the edge of the seat pan was in just the right place to cut off circulation and put her legs to sleep. Has anybody else noticed this? Also, are there any front passenger seat adjustments besides forward/back and recline? Do the leather seats fit differently? Thanks for any info...

oldntired1950

We've had our Maxx LT for about 3 months now. My wife is 4'9" tall (or is that short?) and she has no problem with seat comfort. We've taken trips up to about 1 1/2 hours long so far. We'll be driving much further in the next few weeks when we start our camping season. That's a 3 hour 150 mile drive each way. I'll let you know how it goes. Personally I find the seat to be one of the most comfortable I've ever driven in.

skyhawk

We have had our LT MAXX for 5 weeks. We did go on a trip of about 150 miles each way. My wife is 5'6 and she had no problem with the seat. I find the seats more comfortable than my wife's Bonneville with heated leather seats. We both have back issues.

jim_in_ohio

Thanks oldntired and skyhawk for your replies. My key question is, are there any front passenger seat adjustments we might have missed, or that are only available on the LT version? Also, how do the leather seats compare to the cloth? Thanks again...

oldntired1950

I sat in an LS for a test drive and I think the leather seating is more comfortable... also in the LT you get seat heaters in the front seats. There are no adjustments for the front passenger seats other than the manual fore and aft adjustment and the manual recline. Why don't you try a test drive in both an LS and an LT and see what your wife feels in both. Either way, good luck.

oldntired1950

Just got back from the first weekend camping trip of the year. My Maxx performed to perfection with plenty of power for the uphill climbs and passing, but with unexpected mileage performance. I averaged just around 30 MPG for the round trip, 29.8 going up and 30.2 coming home. This is at least a 50% improvement over my Jeep Liberty. This looks like the begining of a beautiful friendship!

pao

Ive had mine for 2 months now, it is a sound solid automobile, comfortable on long road trips and good mileage..just got 31 MPG with the A/C running on I-95 for 600 plus miles. I traded in a 99 mustang gt for the creature comforts of the Maxx..I too was hesitant of buying a "Chevy," but after this latest trip Im sold....the car is certainly airtight, accounting for some issues with getting doors and the hatch closed. I've got 2K on the car now..and not one rattle or odd noise. pleasantly surprised with the power train..going from an V-8 260 HP to a V-6 200 HP but will gladly accept the increased gas mileage and lower insurance rates!...my fully loaded MAXX LT rolled off the lot for 24K included tax title and tags.....I will certainly update in 6 months after several more long road trips coming up this summer.....for those doing the profile, Im 47 year old single male.....cheers!

kurtamaxxguy

For a recent convention I drove the Maxx from LA to Las Vegas over I14 through antelope valley (60 miles of two laners) to I15 and through high desert (up to 4000 feet and down several times). Unlike past Prism and ION, this car let me stay in the seat for at least two hours at a time with little discomfort save for occasional seatback bolster pinches. The 50 mph desert winds didn't disturb the maxx much or make that much windnoise (in the Prism, the doors sealing folded out of the way with loud howls!). Mileage was ok with 27-28 mph from the V6, but there was an occasional rough shift down as the cruise control dealt with the mountain grades. Not perfect, but pretty darn good.

dudleyr

I noticed that the Maxx gets 30 mpg hwy (EPA) and the regular Malibu gets 32 - both with the 3.5 engine. Does the Maxx have different gearing? It must because if has the same engine and tranny, then it is allowed by the EPA to use the same numbers as the regular Malibu (as long as it is within 500 lbs).

Has anybody compared the gearing (rpms at 60 mph) between the two?

I was impressed by C Reports getting 38 hwy mpg with the sedan (they only go 65 for the test).

oldntired1950

I have a feeling that it has to do with the additional weight of the Maxx with the larger wheel base and sliding seats. I've gotten over 30 MPG on highway travel with my Maxx so the figures aren't just window dressing.

kurtamaxxguy

Sedan/Maxx MPG difference could also be due to sharper cutoff at back of Maxx, causing more drag.

kurtamaxxguy

I've read there are 4 pending recalls on the Malibu:

1. Airbag safety stickers (got mine today)
2. Power Steering can fail
3. Seat belt can detatch in side collision
4. AntiLock Brakes malfunction at low speed.

Anyone know if 2,3,4 affect the maxx?

njscribe

Although I love my Maxx and have found it to be an incomparable carrier of people and cargo in its various configurations, I have had trouble setting the parking brake. I have gigantic, Herman Munster feet and can't get my toe on the tiny parking brake pedal, which is too close to the lower lip of the dashboard. On Friday I broke the hood release lever just below the dash trying to stomp down on the pedal. The terrific service manager at Multi Chevrolet in Union, NJ. (Thelmo Stradford) quickly made time to check it out for me and then ordered a new parking cable assembly for it -- promising a fix when he gets the parts in a few days.
The accelerator pedal also puts a cramp in my giant right foot on longer trips, despite my attempts to adjust the power pedals. Even with these two minor annoyances, I affirmed my long-term Maxx relationship by opting for the five-year renewal on the XM satellite radio service, bringing my monthly cost for total sound gratification down to less than $7.50 monthly.

njscribe

I'm curious if anyone else has had trouble setting the parking brake on their new malibu or if they had trouble getting comfortable with the accelerator pedal? I have size 13 wide feet and wear big shoes or sandals.

mrscoffeecake

I took delivery in mid-February. I still haven't seen another one on the road. I live in L.A. and drove it up to Monterey and back recently. Loved driving it and the kid loved the backseat goodies. Still, I'm starting to think we're the only ones who have bought this car... Anyone seeing these anywhere or know any sales stats?

e2helper

Although both the Sedan and Maxx use the same basic trans (4T45E) the final drive is different to compensate for vehicle mass.

Sedan has 3.05
Maxx has 3.29

e2helper

I think you are just ahead of everyone else

dudleyr

How much more does the Maxx weigh. Can't be too much.

oldntired1950

I'm a big guy (5'9" and about 325#) with size 12 feet. I've only set the parking brake once, to test it, and was somewhat careful, but I had no problems. I couldn't believe that Chevy used such old parking brake technology - a step on to set and step on to release... I had that on a buick I drove for a short time 20 years ago (or so it seems). Why not a hand brake on the console, or at least automatic release when you put the car in gear. Are you listening, Mr. General???

skyhawk

I have had my LT MAXX 7 weeks. I have driven from RI to Maine twice in that time. I have only seen 1 other MAXX and that was in RI. I am very happy with the car. I am more comfortable in this than the 2001 Bonneville that my wife drives.

I have noticed that the economy mileage is higher than actual by about 1.5 mpg. I have a size 8 foot and have no trouble with the parking break or accelerator comfort. I would change two items. I like the temperature knob in the Bonneville better than the push button, and I would add a compass reading to the information center.

triedntru

so, a park brake pedal is old technology, and a hand brake is somehow new technology? That made me smile.

Do you realize covered wagons had hand brakes?

mitzij

dudleyr

Those covered wagons took the big wheel trend a little too far though. 48s would look kinda large on todays vehicles. ; ^ )

orangelebaron

30 mpg with a vehicle over 3000 pbs and a 3.5 V6 is great. I have decided to not get the Mazda 3. The car is less than 2900 lbs with a 2.3 and in the forums people are getting from low to high 20's. Something's wrong there.

In the last two weeks I have started to see many MAXX's on Long Island. They are suddenly becoming popular. Looks like a sedan hauls like a wagon. Gets great gas mileage. Now if they could fix those bumpers and put in cooler looking gauges!

oldntired1950

you're really not seeing more Maxx's on Long Island.... I've been circling your house honking my horn. I've only seen a couple besides mine on the road - there's a guy that works at the Stop and Shop in Oceanside (NY) - I see his Maxx LS parked there every Monday when I do my grocery shopping. I'm not worried - I'm sure it will catch on. A car this good will develop a following... we're all just ahead of our time! And about that hand brake - not new, but much more convenient. JMHO

dinvancouver

I have taken the maxx for a couple of test drives and love it, but here in rainy Vancouver I'm a little leery of a car that lacks a rear wiper.Has anyone experienced it in prolonged rainy weather? That's half the year here and my entire decision rests on the answer which no local sales person has given to my satisfaction. Any help would be appreciated.

njscribe

It has snowed or rained about a third of the 97 days I have had my maxx in metro ny-nj area. I have had good visibility through the rear hatch window despite the lack of a rear wiper. It seems to stay pretty clear in rain, sleet, or snow. I like having a lightweight hatch to open and close and personally don't find a need for the wiper. The compass idea sounds good. My late uncle's 58 Edsel Bermuda wagon had a nice compass among the gauges.

oldntired1950

I've stated my disappointment with the lack of a rear window wiper since my purchase of the Maxx... I can't understand why all vehicles don't have them as standard equipment. That being said, I've had very few problems with lack of rear vision, especially at highway speed where the air circulation seems to keep the window clear of even the usual raindrops. Around town the raindrops are there, but rear vision isn't compromised to the point of it being a hazard. Try taking a long test drive in rainy weather and see what you think. By the way, the compass was on my short list of missing equipment, along with a tire pressure monitor system. But, for the price, I haven't seen a better value out there. JMHO

triedntru

Since they published it in our newsletter, I guess it's considered public information and I can talk about it now. Here are some of the new options for the 05 model:

Optional Spoiler for Maxx.
Rear Windshield Wiper for Maxx.
Thorax airbags mounted in seat in addition to side-curtain airbags.
Optional heated cloth seats.

oldntired1950

It's nice to know that Chevrolet engineers are listening to current owners to make this car even more attractive to buyers. I'm only sorry that they didn't consider the rear wiper for the initial model. Now, about that compass and tire pressure monitor.... Are you listening Chevy engineers???

vincentwang

Hi folks,

I'm comparing the VW Jetta TDI Wagon and MAXX. I do have more confidence on Jetta, but they are not offering any cash rebate right now; and I may get more than 3500 CAD off of the MAXX. I like MAXX too, but no much confidence about the power train, espacially the OHV engin. Any clue? Thanks!

johnclineii

VW reliability has taken a REAL hit in recent years. I would think twice, maybe even three times, before even thinking of buying a VW.

That's just me, but you asked!

vincentwang

Thanks, johnclineii,

How about Chev? Their reputation also sliping down these years. I just wondering will the old tech engin lasting for a long time. I don't know much about VW's problem, but I do own a 1.8T 02 which is problem free.

Could you provide more info please.

johnclineii

Actually, look at, for example, Consumer Reports reliability data. Chevy has improved substantially, while the Europeans, especially the Germans, have slipped.

I have a 2000 Chevy Impala LS with 155,000 miles on which I have replaced only a headlight switch and an airbag sensor (and normal wear items like tires and spark plugs). I know a sample size of one is not all that important, but the sample here is ME!

dudleyr

I would not worry too much about the pushrod engine. It is reliable, and efficient. I would also not worry too much about the Jetta. The VW realiability problems of late stem from bad coil packs. Diesels have no ignition systen, and thus no coil packs. Diesels are generally very durable engines.

If you need lots of rear seat room, the Maxx is the one to go with. The Jetta has more trunk space (in wagon form) and gets much better mileage (though the Maxx is about as efficient as an automatic V-6 gets). If you want a manual tranny then the Jetta is the only choice. I have not driven a Maxx yet so I can't speak to its ride and handling, but it should be pretty good as it is the same platform as the 9-3.