2000-2011 Chevrolet Malibu

bcmalibu99ls · December 2003

First of all, I hope my 99 Bu will live long enough to see mass production of hybrid vehicles. That has always been my plan :-)

As for the article, check this out:

Beginning next year with the 2005 models, a number of GM models will be offered with Displacement on Demand.

and the next paragraph...

Displacement on Demand will debut on selected 2006 model year vehicles.

pat · December 2003

I don't know, bcmalibu99ls, but I'm asking -- I'll let you know what I find out.

bcmalibu99ls · December 2003

By the way, when was the voting done for 2003 model year?

bigdaddycoats · December 2003

February Motor Trend has a comparison test.
Results:

4-Camry
3-Malibu
2-Galant
1-Accord

Haven't read the article yet so I won't comment on it. One note is that they report a 60-0 braking distance of 139ft. Same as they got with the Accord.

dindak · December 2003

Interesting. I will pop over to the drug store tomorrow and see if they have the MT in yet.

Brakes are very good on the Malibu. The Edmunds guys just messed up the whole comparo with that big over site.

dtownfb · December 2003

Well I did it!! I traded in my 2001 Malibu LS today (along with my 1996 V8 Explorer with 146,00 miles) for a Nissan Quest. Recent trips have shown that our family was in desparate need of a minivan. I

I had 35,500 miles on the vehicle and they gave me $8100 for it which was quite generous considering Kelly blue book listed the trade in value at $$6,625.

Now that I traded two cars for one, I am in the middle of purchasing a 2000 Olds Intrigue from a buddy of mine. Hopefully a few of you can get me up to speed on the Intrigue.

So I bid adieu to the Malibu board.

P.S. Why is everyone getting worked over a comparison? The 2004 Malibu has made nice strides. Not as many as I would like but its definitely an improvement over the 2003.

bcmalibu99ls · December 2003

Thank you for your contribution to the board. Enjoy your Quest and have a Happy New Year!

pat · December 2003

Let's discuss that in our 2004 Chevrolet Malibu vs. Alternatives discussion.

pat · December 2003

The voting will happen in March and the results will post mid-April.

dtownfb · December 2003

Thanks bcmalibu99. I'll still keep tabs on this board as I am interested in how this car does. It's a good car and a definitel improvement but GM should have went that extra step. I know they have their hands tied by a number of things (labor agreement, competition with other in-house brands, agreements with suppliers, etc) but if they want to really start making a dent in the market share in this segment,they have to get more innovative and daring.

I still believe having the Saturn L300 hurts the Malibu. They are essentially the same car. Consolidate the Chevy and Saturn lineup, and take some of Saturn practices and incorporate them into the Chevy salesmanship, you got a winning lineup. Just my 2 cents.

Good luck with your Malibu.

bigdaddycoats · December 2003

This is the Malibu discussion so it would seem to me that comparisons to other vehicles would and should be welcome. I do understand that there is a comparison board but what is wrong with comparing to others here? If I was interested in the Malibu I would want to hear from current owners and get opinions of what others think about competing vehicles. If we strictly talk only about the Malibu that severely limits the conversation. No basis of performance, quality, reliabilty..etc. to make an intelligent decision. Basically I am saying that from time to time is is necessary to talk about other vehicle in the same class so we all get a better understanding of where the Malibu sits in the marketplace and the impact that it may have. I am not trying to argue with you just voice my opinion.

dindak · December 2003

Congrats on the new van. I may be doing the same soon as we have #2 on the way. Not crazy about the odd Quest styling but I'm sure it will be a decent performer.

We actually have a 00 Intrigue and love it. The 2 things you need to watch for is a flicker in the head lights (usually in cold weather) and the intermediate steering shaft issues that some people had. Otherwise it's a good performer with a solid power train.

dtownfb · December 2003

Thanks dindak. I thought you had an Intrigue. I had the dealership check it out yesterday and everything looked fine. I know about the alternator (flickering) and the ISS problem. I think I will have to change the alternator sometime down the line but I'm getting a great deal on the car and the guy really maintained it. He even had the engine steam cleaned each year.

The styling is why we liked the Quest. It's a little different and it does perform very well. The seats are by far the most comfortable I have seen. Plus the base had everything we were looking for in a minivan. Don't be afraid of minivans, dindak. They make much more sense then a SUV plus you can get a set snow tires to get you through the winter.

breetai52 · December 2003

The problem is that the board became nothing but a comparison board while there was a comparison board already in existance.

This is supposed to be more like an owner's club where people can post about problems they are having or modifications that they want advice on... That sort of thing. Read my next post for an example of what I think the hosts will agree is an appropriate post.

breetai52 · December 2003

Hey guys,

I just got an MP3 player for Christmas with a nice serial output port. I'd like to hook it up to my stock 02 Malibu stereo. I noticed that the CD button has "aux" under it. I figure there are probably connectors in the back (RCA?). Has anyone taken their stereo out? Can you confirm this? How easy is the job? My cousin claims it'll be super easy, but I just wanted to see if there is any experience on the board.

dtownfb · December 2003

It does sound like an easy job. i would call the service department to get their opinion. They may be able to give you some "hints" to make the job easier. Or they coudl tell you that it's not possible (I would be surprised at that answer).

But call them before you tackle this job yourself. YOu could very well need special connectors. Also make sure it doesn't void any warranty.

Good luck and let us know how the installation goes.

dindak · December 2003

Courtesy of "vcjumper". Very nice car except for the steering wheel which is just ok.

http://members.shaw.ca/waffler/2005g6.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid95/p4164628e605bf585f5f6- dc3adc37e013/fa219208.jpg

dindak · December 2003

I have a few issues with the Quest. Dash / controls are just awkward and too strange. Also, the van is just too big for our garage and it's over our budget at this point. If you like it, it should be a decent van though. You will like the Intrigue, it's a nice car. How many miles on it??

pat · December 2003

Breetai52 explained it very well. The fact is that we do have a discussion to specifically compare the Malibu to other vehicles. It is the perfect place to discuss the Malibu's showing in multiple vehicle comparos published here on Edmunds, in the mags or anywhere.

I do agree with you that some comparisons in a dedicated discussion are inevitable and appropriate. It's just that a dedicated discussion is just that - dedicated - and if folks want to engage in an extended comparison conversation, it's best to do it in the appropriate place.

The thing is that this particular discussion has a history of getting royally sidetracked with comparos. A discussion was created to specifically handle that conversation and to allow this one to better focus on the Malibu alone, so let's take advantage of it - that's my point.

This is totally off-topic, so let me ask you (or anyone else) to email with further comments or questions rather than continue here.

Thanks!

And Happy New Year to all!

:-)

ab348 · December 2003

Not bad, but still a little too "boy racer""-ish for me. Especially in the interior. That steering wheel looks a lot like the Malibu's. I wish Pontiac could stop making such gimmicky-looking interiors and just go for soemthing a little bit classier than a Chevy.

rctennis3811 · December 2003

What's Displacement on Demand??

logic1 · December 2003

GM will offer V6 engines that shut down two cylinders when the car does not require full power from the engine.

The projected fuel savings will be around 15%. In the Malibu LT that would translate to around 26/36 mpgs.

geneta · December 2003

Okay, what do you folks know about this new engine GM has placed in the Malibu? Took the family to the Auto Show in DC last week -- my choice was the Honda Accord ExV6 (3.0 liter, 240 hp) but wife doesn't like it...the Malibu Maxx seemed to be the winner with the Nissan Altima a close second. Really liked the sliding rear seats in the Maxx and the availability of a DVD player. Motor Week indicates the 0-60 speed of the Accord is 8.0 seconds (16.3 1/4 mile) compared to the Malibu's 0-60 speed of 8.0 (16.1 1/4 mile). They did not like the handling as well but overall really liked the car. My concern is that buying a Honda is a pretty much bullet proof, I'm questioning if this new GM 3.5-liter pushrod V6 (with 200 hp) will hold up over the long run -- I keep my vehicles 10-15 years. I currently have an 1989 Stanza (130,000 miles) and a 2000 Odyssey (29,000 miles). Any thoughts or suggestions I should ponder?

dindak · December 2003

Pushrods can go just as long as OHC motors. The 3.5L looks like an excellent power plant and you won't have to service the timing belt like you will on the Accord. You will also get better mileage to boot!

kpugh2 · January 2004

The wife now has 2,223 miles on her 04 3.5 engine. She really like the car it has averaged 25+ mpg and average speed is 40+mph during this first month.

beedublu · January 2004

Are my eyes deceiving me or did Chevy change the white for the new Malibu? I passed by my local Chevy dealer this a.m. and saw a new '04 in a "real white" shade -- not the creamy sort of white that I had seen before. Or were those cars just a bit dirty? :-)

I'm wondering if they made a running change (already). I hope so, because I sort of like white cars but I was kind of turned off by the appearance of the white '04 Malibus I had seen previously.

ab348 · January 2004

Cruised by my local dealer today and they finally have a decent selection of Malibus after being in short supply for some time. The car definitely looks better in darker colors. They had one parked side by side with a Daewoo Epica and it makes an interesting contrast. The Daewoo makes an initial better impression with lots of chrome and fake wood inside. But I couldn't get past it being a Daewoo and the Malibu looks a lot more substantial. It will be interesting to see how the public and dealer network reacts to these 2 cars and which one does better.

dindak · January 2004

The Bu will sell better I'm sure. Power alone will push sales, the 155hp in the Epica is pretty low.

stumack1 · January 2004

...why GM Canada brought the Epica into the Canadian market. The price point is $3000-4000 higher than I anticipated, and I can't see any compelling reason to choose it over the 'Bu. I think it's decently styled, but initial reviews of the Verona haven't been particularly flattering, and I'm sure dealers will do their best to gloss over its "roots".

alpha01 · January 2004

Question: on the LS V6 models w/ cloth interior, is the Beige a choice for vehicles with Black exterior? I'd like a friend of mine to check out the Malibu, and she usually prefers black cars, but the Grey interior is just so horrid and dreary looking....

~alpha

shado4 · January 2004

Sorry, alpha, the black exterior on the Malibu only comes with that dreary gray interior no matter which model level you get.

Gray comes with the Black, Medium Gray, Galaxy Silver, and White exterior colors.

Neutral is available with White, Sport Red, Navy Blue, Silver Green, and Light Driftwood.

dtownfb · January 2004

Quest: The dash takes about 5 minutes to get used to. We were looking for something different gand the Quest was it. Believe or not the base model in the Quest is the best bargain in the minivan sector. For just over $25k (MSRP) you get, 8 speaker CD radio (RDS), power windows, ketless remote, fold flat 3 row, nearly fold flat 2nd row, 3 row head curtain airbag, and one of the best engines ever made (3.5 L 240 hp). It is long though so I understand your concern. Right now you can get a Quest for $100 over invoice which puts you at $22,600. Not bad.

Olds Intrigue has 60k miles on it. I go into that further onthe Olds page.

rctennis3811 · January 2004

Though this will never happen because of GMDAT conflicts, this is what I would like to see for Canada...

Chevrolet should use the Epica interior and exterior with a Malibu engine, OnStar, remote start, and the Bu alloys. That would be interesting..though it won't happen!

ab348 · January 2004

This is strange... I went to the Chevy.com website and confirmed what you said re. colors. They will only let you build cars in certain paint colors with certain interior colors. Yet yesterday, one of the cars I saw at the dealer was a Sport Red LS and it had the gray interior, which according to the web site can't happen. Weird. I wonder if Canada-spec cars come with different choices? The GM Canada website will let you build a black LS with a neutral interior, though whether the factory will build one remains to be seen. Even there though, Sport Red cannot come with gray, though that's what I saw on the lot.

dindak · January 2004

shado4 : Gray is not that bad, I've seen worse. The brushed aluminum accents make it palletable. That said, the 2 tone dash on our Alero looks better in terms of color.

dtownfb : Our neighbor bought a Quest and I know I would always hate the dash. Center IP is not the worst part (I could easily get used to that), the awkward controls are. Deals on the quest are not that good up here. Neighbor says he "didn't get much off list".

alpha01 · January 2004

Thanks for the info on the colors. I figured the Black/Grey combo was the only option, as I was viewing the impressive info CD-ROM that was in the Dec. issue of Car and Driver. (I was hoping that perhaps something changed from copy time of the CD to production). The more I see and read about the Malibu, the more I like it, and its value equation. BUT I really HATE THE GREY interior, it seems to cheapen the vehicle so much compared to the neutral beige. The only other major issues I have with the new Malibu are lack of optional side chest airbags in conjunction with the curtains (so many cars offer one or the other? why cant consumers have both?), and the resale figures.

~alpha

bcmalibu99ls · January 2004

Geneta, Honda's engines are bullet proof? Check out msn.com - used cars. ALL recent Accords have MAJOR engine problems, while the "classic" Malibu's 3.1, with its generally lousy intake gasket, was only ranked as "moderately problematic."

alpha01 · January 2004

MSN, the undisputed, highly regarded, automotive authority.

LMAO!!!

check for Hondas problems in CR and JD Power and see what major issues exist. hmmn... looks pretty good to me....

~alpha

ab348 · January 2004

More on the Malibu interior - I was at another dealer today and they had some base models in stock. That interior, at least in gray, is pretty horrible-looking. Much plainer than the LS, to the point where I think GM is doing themselves a disservice by offering it. It is very much a turn-off. My advice would be to stick with the LS model as a minimum.

dindak · January 2004

Unless you really want a base car, I'd agree. LS is the minimum you want. Alloys are a much also.

Honda engines are not bullet proof, but they are not "problematic" either. I think there are likely more transmission problems than engine ones.

bcmalibu99ls · January 2004

That's your right, of course, but if I were buying a Honda, I would certainly look at all the sources to make sure I am not buying a headache

But, in any case, what is your basis for claiming that msn.com's rating of Honda Accord's engines as highly problematic is not to be trusted?

mjohns7861 · January 2004

Am a '99 Chevy Malibu LS original owner with 37K miles. Two comments/questions:

1. The Affinity tires the car came with are horrible. Dry-rotted and done at 36K miles. I had them replaced at a local Merchants tire with some Goodrich's 4-6 weeks ago.

2. Question: Given prior comments on the torque that is placed on the lugnuts and tires secured - should I be concerned about my rotors? I am sure a high-impact wrench was used to lock everything back on. My original rotors warped at 10K and knock on wood these have been fine. First time I have had the brakes and/or tires touched outside a Chevy dealership.

3. My ABS light has been coming on every 3rd or 4th day. Turns off when I stop car and restart engire. Just peculiar. Really only started happening the last 2-3 weeks. Any thoughts on why this would be happening?

Magnus

jtrujillo86 · January 2004

About two weeks or so before my alternator went on my old Malibu (I had a 1997) the ABS light came on periodically. It seems that that is a pretty good indicator of when the alt. is gonna take a dump. By the way, I had 55K on my Malibu when mine went. If you plan to have that replaced at the dealer, I would be saving about $350.00. Others have commented on paying up to $500.00 for that service.

Jeremy

mjohns7861 · January 2004

I am the sucker on the board that paid over $500 for a new alternator this summer at a Chevy dealership and posted. So it can't be that. Or I least I like to think. Alternator had to be replaced at 35K. Ridiculous.

Magnus

deminin · January 2004

First, I think a lot of the reported brake rotor problems are caused by improper wheel torque. Shortly after we got our '03LS, I re-torqued its wheels. I found a couple of the lug nuts that I had to loosen with a long cheater pipe, and 3 or 4 that I couple have spun loose with a big pair of pliers. I hand torqued them in 2 stages to 100ft/lbs, and then did the same when I rotated the tires at 7.5K. So far, the brakes are as smooth as butter, with no chattering or grabbing. If you've ever watched some garage monkey hit the lug nuts with his impact wrench set to 200lbs, you will see brake problems in the making.
Second, If Chevy is charging $500 to change an alternator, I may just go into the alternator business. You can get a new-guaranteed for life-alternator at any major auto parts store for $100 or less, and if it takes an hour to change, you have had a couple of smoke and potty breaks. About the only problems I see on the Malibu, are, it would be easy to scratch the fender, and the belt tensioner is in an awkward place. However, with a good fender protector, or old blanket/towel, and a 2" extension on a 1/2 inch breaker bar, neither is a major problem.
Third, only time will tell on the Affinity tires. We've only got about 13K on ours, and so far no signs of wear. I am running 32lbs in front, and 30lbs. rear. It probably makes the ride a little harder, but the wet and dry traction is good, and cornering is acceptable. Many times, cracked sidewalls can be caused by low pressure, and extended exposure to sun. The UV rays really dry out rubber fast. If you have to park in the sun all day at work, for example, a regular treatment with Armorall can really help that.
I did find the first bug on our Malibu a few days ago. I noticed that the parking brake felt funny, and when I checked it out, I found that the carpet to the left of the pedal had come out from under the plastic, and was brushing the pedal and my foot. A little relocating of the carpet, and some contact glue to hold it in place took care of that. I'll accept that for the first and only problem in a year of driving.

micweb · January 2004

First saw, and test drove, a 2004 LS a couple of months ago.

Saw the car again at the LA Auto Show Jan 2.

The car won't age too fast, but it certainly is bland. It is a "mild update" in appearance of the ten year or more old Volvo 850! Very slab sided.

Interiors are clean, moving in the same direction as European cloth interiors. The Base model interior looks fine. The 4 cylinder is surrounded by a ton of empty space in the engine bay, a DIY dream.

Hope to find Feb. MotorTrend tomorrow and see what they have to save in their sedan comparison test.

I am debating a Focus wagon or Malibu as a family vehicle - to carry baby in back and stroller in the trunk. I am thinking the Focus wagon will have more pep (than a Malibu 4), be cheaper to purchase, but isn't as "classy" if such a term can be ascribed to a pedestrian sedan like the Malibu.

BTW, can't figure out why the Impala ony weighs 150 pounds more, but has so much more room....

tgp1810 · January 2004

Two dealers in my area each have 2 Maxx LS's in their lots. As with the Malibu, I like the way these look in person rather than in the pictures that Chevy is using for promotions.

mjohns7861 · January 2004

Is this something I should try and fix myself and take back to the tire store and request the hand torque? Thoughts? Magnus

dindak · January 2004

Thanx theo!

http://www.canadiandriver.com/news/04images/05g6_1.jpg

http://www.canadiandriver.com/news/04images/05g6_2.jpg

bcmalibu99ls · January 2004

GM used the same steering wheel in G6 as Bu...

2000-2011 Chevrolet Malibu

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