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Chevy Malibu Maxx

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  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    its too early..LOL...i didnt have 70 series on 17 inch rims obviously....but the low profile 45s just didnt work at all in the winter weather!!!!
  • maxxlibertymaxxliberty Member Posts: 82
    >my only concern with downsizing the rim...is diameter of the tire itself....

    P205/70R15s have the same diameter as P215/60R16s

    >didnt work at all in the winter weather!!!!

    About the only thing low-profiles are good for is marginally better handling in specific conditions and "style". Ride comfort, fuel mileage, wear, and winter driving, suffer.
  • madmaxxmadmaxx Member Posts: 44
    I pick up my Galaxy Silver Maxx LS tomorrow. This vehicle replaces my 87 Accord Hatchback--I prefer hatchbacks for their versatility. The only option on the window sticker was the floor mats. I've ordered splash guards for the front and back at dealer cost of $31/set.
    MSRP $22,305
    Negotiated Price: $19,799
    Rebates -5,500
    Net Price $$14,299
    Thinking of getting WA personal plate "MADMAXX".
  • madmaxxmadmaxx Member Posts: 44
    The owners manual indicates that tire chains are not to be used on the Maxx due to a lack of clearance.

    Did any of you receive you Maxx in time for winter driving? How did it handle? Has anyone tried tire chains on their Maxx?

    Thanks.
  • icedog97icedog97 Member Posts: 141
    Sounds like you got a great deal! I thought I did really well and mine was about 15.5K for the same car (only black). Did you get a good interest rate?

    I too am interested in getting the mud guards...they aren't very large, are they? We also had a sun/moonroof installed..it turned out great...I think it looks nicer (on the inside) than the factory installed roofs.

    Also, I'm interested in hearing what others have to say about winter driving. We live in Pgh and I was already toying with the idea of grabbing 2 Blizzaks for the front.
  • maxxlibertymaxxliberty Member Posts: 82
    I also bought an LS rather than an LT, for reasons other than cost.

    But made sure to include the 1SB option package ($925). It contains side curtain air bags which were shown in tests to be very effective in side impact crashes. Without side curtains the protection rating was mostly poor for the Malibu driver:
    http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle%5Fratings/ce/html/side/s0404.htm

    With side curtains - good:

    http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle%5Fratings/ce/html/side/s0403.htm
  • icedog97icedog97 Member Posts: 141
    That's the one option we did not get that I wanted...IMO they should be standard.

    I wonder if the Maxx would fair any differently than the sedan does in the tests?
  • madmadammadmadam Member Posts: 55
    Congrats on your new MAXX. You got a better price than I did--my Light Driftwood was the same--only floor mats. My deal ended up at $16250 five weeks ago. I really love my car. I hope you enjoy yours as much as we do!
  • maxxlibertymaxxliberty Member Posts: 82
    Option 1SB, with the LS, seems about an ideal package. Other than the side air bags, it includes 6-way power driver seat, remote start, rear audio system, and some very attractive floor mats. If GM/Chevy keeps up the good work they may increase market share yet!
  • madmaxxmadmaxx Member Posts: 44
    The interest rate through GMAC is 6.49%--but no prepayment penalty. So as soon as I receive the account information from GMAC, I'll just have my credit union (3.99%) pay GMAC off.
    It is an additional hassle, but for the $1500 in GMAC rebate it provides, obviously well worth it.

    You're right about the mud guards not being very big. But, something is better than nothing. I am amazed by the number of people who do not have them, and then wonder why their paint is all chipped.

    Got to thinking--I paid $12,500 for my '87 Accord LXi hatchback new way back then. For that I got a 4banger, 5spd manual, ac, pw, cruise, pm, all riding on 13" tires and plastic hubcaps. 17 years later, I paid $14,299 for the Maxx, and got a bigger/roomier car, v6, auto, 4dr, antilock, airbags, traction control, all riding on 16" alum wheels/tires--all for only $1800 more than my old Accord. Incredible!

    I hope that Maxx is as reliable and repair free as my Accord has been.
  • madmadammadmadam Member Posts: 55
    I plan to order the mud guards--worth it to keep the paint nice. By the way, I did the calculations on what I paid for my first new Cavalier (hatchback also--I always prefer them) in 1982. This time I got so much more for the money!
  • maxxlibertymaxxliberty Member Posts: 82
    It's real convenient for installation having mud guards specifically designed for the Maxx.
    Front guards are the same for Malibu and Maxx but rears have different part numbers.
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    Ive been trying to find the mudguards here in the northern va area...no one seems to carry them....and the special orders....are taking a month.......what are you paying for them...and were they special orders....did you have the dealer install them...cost?
  • maxxlibertymaxxliberty Member Posts: 82
    No dealer seems to carry the mud guards - I ordered them and it took about 4 days. I've never had to wait more than about 4 business days for a GM order from any dealer.

    They are easy to install if someone has moderate auto mechanical skills. As I recall, four holes had to be drilled - instructions are good and all necessary hardware is included. I installed them myself and improved on Chevy's wheel-well rust proofing while I had the wheels off.

    The mud guards to get are the "custom-molded" ones - they fit real well and, IMO, improve the looks, at least on my white LS.

    Part No. Rear: 12499149 Front: 12498916

    List price: $31 for front pair and $31 for rear pair.
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    I ordered...or at least thought I did from a major dealer here in northern va...told me they come from a secondary vendor, and the GM warehouse was out of them..so would be two to three weeks....anyway..found out they never placed the order....Koons Chevy in Tysons.....so back at it again..have seen them on a Maxx in the area..and agree....they make the lines look better on the car....thanks for the info....will try it again..but with a different dealer this time!
  • madmaxxmadmaxx Member Posts: 44
    The factory speakers are pretty good, but a set of Pioneer 4-way 6.75 replacements would go a long way to improving treble & mid-range response/clarity.

    Has anyone upgraded their speakers? Crutchfield includes written instruction and line drawings for removal of the door panels if you purchase the speakers from them. Does anyone have set of these they could scan and email?

    Thanks.
    MadMaxx
  • maxxlibertymaxxliberty Member Posts: 82
    >will try it again..but with a different dealer this time!<

    There can be a mix-up with the Malibu/Maxx rear mud guards. I'd make sure to order by part number.
  • nymaxxnymaxx Member Posts: 30
    Sorry we don't have side airbags, they're showing up in the 05's. The side curtain airbags do not provide that much safety.
  • maxxlibertymaxxliberty Member Posts: 82
    >The side curtain airbags do not provide that much safety.<

     Is this merely an opinion, or are there some facts/links to back up the (questionable) assertion?

     "Without side curtains the protection rating was mostly poor for the Malibu driver:"
    http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle%5Fratings/ce/html/side/s0404.htm

    With side curtains - good:

    http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle%5Fratings/ce/html/side/s0403.htm
  • madmadammadmadam Member Posts: 55
    I saw a short ad on TV tonight for MAXX--on the NBC station in NYC. It featured a little kid buckled into the rear seat. It's a silver MAXX in the ad. First time that I've seen any advertising for our car.
  • bigals87z28bigals87z28 Member Posts: 12
    Hey, this is another new owner! I picked my car up about a month ago.
    Its a 2004 Malibu Maxx LS 1SB. Black with the 2tone grey interior and metal trim. Im glad to see there are a lot of people here! Has anyone tried to start up a web page or seperate message board for just Maxx owners? Just a thought.

    Anyway, Im 20 years old, and I love my new Maxx! I have a 87 Z28, so Im happy with the flexabilty the Maxx gives me. I think im one of the younger owners of a Maxx, and I would like to see more people of my age in this car.

    As I am a speed freak, are there any "performance" add ons for this car as of yet?
  • maxxlibertymaxxliberty Member Posts: 82
    >I have a 87 Z28...

    All right! I've got two pristine Z28s, an '80 and a '78.

    No mods for the Maxx yet, that I'm aware of. It could use some handling improvements. Maybe an SS will be offered soon, with similar parts available for the regular Maxx.
  • bigals87z28bigals87z28 Member Posts: 12
    I hope that with the SS, Chevy gets rid of the electric steering as Pontiac plans to do with the G6 GTP model. Steering could be improved with a standard power rack and pinion. Give a lot better feel as well.
  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    Well Alex, say hello to Surf City for me, and welcome aboard. The only speed thing I'm interested in is getting H rated tires put on some day, allowing me to zoom around corners a bit better.
  • maxxlibertymaxxliberty Member Posts: 82
    Steering is a mixed bag. I like the idea of no hydraulics and better mileage, but in actual usage, compared to even the Citation I had, it feels unnatural and lacking.
  • walletwallet Member Posts: 38
    Madmaxx:

    Could you break down the $5500 in rebates? I'm finding 3500 from GM and 1000 from GMAC; where's that last 1000 coming from, please?

    In Boston, I'm found this for an LS:

    MSRP 22,305
    Dlr. disc. 2,806
    Rebates 4,500

    Net 14,999
  • madmaxxmadmaxx Member Posts: 44
    $3,500 from GM. Western Washington is getting $1,500 from GMAC vs. your $1,000, plus an additional $500 "Bonus Cash" for the Seattle Seafair Race (Chevrolet is the sponsor).

    The $500 Seafair bonus cash ends tomorrow.

    MadMaxx
  • bigals87z28bigals87z28 Member Posts: 12
    I work for Sears Auto Center, and I have been looking at a good set of H rated tires, maybe upping the size a bit. If I do put on a new set, I will give review.
  • icedog97icedog97 Member Posts: 141
    We have about 400 miles on our LS and we do a lot of short trip driving. We are averaging about 19 mpg currently. We live in western PA which has lots of hills...tough on cars. Our Oil Life is down to 93% already...I guess that's about right.

    I noticed that our AVG MPH rating is around 18 or 19...I thought that was kind of low and was interested in seeing what other people are seeing for their MPG, AVG MPH and Oil Life...any feedback is welcome.
  • occkingoccking Member Posts: 346
    I have posted on this board several times. Have dark grey LT purchased in April. Wish I had waited cause I ended up paying $24,000 (list was around $25,600) and I got dealer to put in satellite radio & five oil changes no charge. At the time, there was only a rebate of $1000 on the vehicle & I passed that up to get 0 financing for three years. Had I known rebates would go up to $3500 or $4000, plus the higher discounts they seem to be getting, would have waited.

    At any rate, love the vehicle! I am used to much more "classier cars" like Lexus RX300 and Accura MDX, both of which I had for two years with previous employer. Now that I am responsible for all of my own costs, like gas, etc., I opted for something that still had some room yet much more economical & not too expensive. Was all set to get Chevy Impala until I noticed the Maxx's. Maybe a little "ugly" until you get use to it, but a much more practical vehicle for the driving I do. More room in that than the Impala. Even though Impala has a large trunk, a small lid & not easy to put anything large into it.

    I have over 11,000 miles now and probably averaging around 26 to 27 mpg for all my driving. Only one time did I get less than 23 mpg & that was for mostly city driving
  • occkingoccking Member Posts: 346
    Have over 11,000 miles on LT & averaging between 26 and 27 mpg for all my driving. Never got less than 23 mpg on just city driving. My only complaint is that the computer indicates mpg of 1.5 to 3 over actual. Others on this board have expressed similar complaints. On the few occasions I averaged 31 & 31.3 mpg on a long trip, computer both times indicated 34.4 mpg. Plus, the same number skeep repeating over & over.

    Other than that, love the vehicle. Much more practical than the Impala which I considered.

    Just not pleased I paid 24k in April for the LT (listed for 25,600 & rebate was only 1000 at the time but I opted for 0 financing. Should have waited a bit & taken advantage of the $3500-$4000 rebates they seem to be offering now.

    Dealer claims they are selling well and only had one in stock. But, in four months of driving over 11,000 miles, have only seen two or three other Maxx's on the road!
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    icedog...Im finding the mileage computer is off 1.5-2.0 miles per gallon in the calculation vice my manual math....as for oil life...we all agreed to go with a 3000 mile change over...and not rely on the oil life computer....some suggest doing an oil change at 500 to 1000 miles initially for the engine break in period..shavings etc....I dont honestly think..my opinion that is a problem in the engines today..but I do change my every 3K without fail....just my 2 cents worth
  • icedog97icedog97 Member Posts: 141
    Thanks for the feedback...

    Interested in knowing what your average mph reads, if you remember. There should be a correlation between that and MPG - of course, I'm not exactly sure how the computer is calculating the avg mph (total miles divided by total time vehicle has been running in hours?)

    Our daily driving routine is pretty rough on car engines because of the number of short trips. We live about 2 miles from a major shopping area and we are always sitting in traffic to get there. Plus, if we make a couple of trips like this a day (which is fairly common) you have the start-ups each time (coming and going). So our "city driving" is really the definition of it...lots of starts and stops and idle time...hills too.

    Thanks again...
  • mfletouvamfletouva Member Posts: 166
    First of all, nice to see a 20 year old Maxx owner!

    My fiance and I are both 24...

    I strongly disagree that side heard curtains don't provide much safety. In fact, evidence suggests that side HEAD airbags are at least as valuable, if not more so, than regular side airbags. Indeed, the tests referenced above show a clear difference in the Maxx without side airbags vs. those them them.

    It was that crash test that convinced me to buy a 1SB. I did actually find a few 1sa's with the head airbags a la carte, but I went with the package for a little more for the power seat since my fiance and I are both driving it.
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    Karen,...can we do a poll in the site....seems like it might be interesting to see who is buying the Maxx by age group...20-30 30-40 40-50, 50+.....can we do that here????

    a 47 year old buyer here!
  • icedog97icedog97 Member Posts: 141
    I'm 37, wife is 36...
  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    ha, beat you Paul, I'm only 42
  • nymaxxnymaxx Member Posts: 30
    Sorry look at those links, the second link is to a test with SIDE airbags not SIDE CURTAIN airbags. The full side airbags won't be available until the '05 model. Unfortunately.

    The side airbags mount in the seat and provide excellent crash protection, the side curtains mostly just keep the glass out of your face.

    Sorry
  • orangelebaronorangelebaron Member Posts: 435
    The side curtains do more than just keep glass out of your face.
    They act as a cushion between your skull and the steel bumper of the Dodge Ram that just slammed into your door at the intersection.
    It doesn't matter how strong the side of your car is. When broadsided, your head may exit the window (even if it means smashing through it) and may come into contact with striking vehicle/object.
    Example of vehicle without head airbags:
    http://www.iihs.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/side/s0402.htm

    Note the dent from the dummy's head in the test object.
    If that isn't enough to make someone want head airbags... I don't know what is.
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    http://www.iihs.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/side/s0403.htm

    this link from the highway safety institute sells me on the side curtain airbag I have on my Maxx....granted this test is the sedan but it rates good with it for head protection and acceptable overall on the side impact test and poor without it!...granted a side cushion airbag would help as well.... here are the quotes from the evaluation:

    DRIVER The dummy's head was protected from hitting any hard structures, including the intruding barrier, by a side curtain airbag that deployed from the roof.

    REAR PASSENGER The dummy's head was protected from hitting any hard structures, including the intruding barrier, by a side curtain airbag that deployed from the roof.

    that intruding barrier is the bumper of that pickup or the expedition in my mind!
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,148
    We don't really have the ability to do a poll within a discussion, and it could end up way off topic if everyone's just posting their age. But here's an idea - there are dozens of free polling services on the 'net, like www.freepolls.com. If you want to set up your own poll there and then paste a link here, you can do that. I'd be interesting to find out who's buying.

    kirstie_h
    Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host

    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
    Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
    Share your vehicle reviews

  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867


    Age of Malibu Maxx Buyers
  • skyhawkskyhawk Member Posts: 126
    I'm 63, my wife is 62 does that make me the most "senior" citizen here? I retired at 62 and I wanted a vehicle with carrying capacity and looked at 15 or more vehicles and bought the MAXX based on cost / gas mileage / options and carrying capacity. Our plan is to become "snowbirds" this coming winter and the MAXX should hold everything my wife and I want to take South. I bought from the same dealer as occking. I finally had the recall done this week and there were no Maxx's on the lot. The service manager said they were selling well. I have only seen 2 others in the RI area.
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    skyhawk..you are it.....vote in the poll if you havent already..the majority of the buyers are 40 plus as voted so far....Im 47 and replaced my mustang with it...love the size the drive the ride and the versatility of the vehicle as a hold...so welcome to the growing Maxx owners.....you can check out my maxx website at the bottom of the poll if you click on the button
  • limingliming Member Posts: 22
    I just order Malibu Maxx LS with 1SB and Mudguard for $15750 in Chicago area.

    I have GM supplier discount. The rebate break down as:

    3500 cash
    1500 GMAC
    500 regional rebate.

    I think the interest rate from GMAC is higher in order to get 1500.
    Can any one tell me if I pay back the GMAC loan with cash or low interest rate loan from my credit union? Is there any penalty charge or fee if I do so?

    Happy shopping
  • icedog97icedog97 Member Posts: 141
    I'm not certain but I recall another post (in here I think) that said you WILL NOT be penalized.

    Out of curiousity, what is the GM rate now? When I bought my Maxx in July, I think they were saying the rate through GMAC was 6.25.
  • limingliming Member Posts: 22
    I will apply the GMAC loan once the dealer got the car from other location and I am satisfied with the car.

    I don't know what is the rate. Can be 6 -7 %. Is there application fee for the GMAC loan?

    Anyway, with the supplier discount, I think the purchase price can be even lower. It is tricky. It is 4% higher than GM employee rate. But, dealers quoted me different price on paper and showed me. Do you home work on price is important.
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    pao Aug 18, 2004 10:01am

    go ahead and drop a vote.....29 have indicated so far....
  • icedog97icedog97 Member Posts: 141
    I found the latest post pertaining to the GMAC financing and whether or not you can refinance...you will need to read back a few to get the original post.

    wallet "Chevrolet Malibu: Prices Paid & Buying Experience" Aug 19, 2004 3:52pm
  • walletwallet Member Posts: 38
    To add to that:

    First off, I have never in my life seen an auto loan agreement, so I have no idea what the printed word says.

    On Monday I spoke with GMAC about the qualifiers. After being told by GMAC that the exact terms and qualifiers are on the GM.com site (no, make that the GMAC.com site; no, make that the chevrolet.com site) , I explained nine ways to Sunday that I couldn't find the qualifiers on ANY GM, GMAC, or Chevy site.

    It was near impossible to pin down GMAC (or the Marketing Support division) with any sort of official response; the most amusing was: "yes, GMAC sets the terms, but that could possibly be affected by the agreement that GMAC has with the individual dealerships, which could influence the terms needed to recieve the full rebate".

    Whenever the questions got too sticky for them, they referred me to my "local GM dealer". But their advice was to read the loan agreement CAREFULLY, and if NO penalty is spelled out in the loan agreement, then there is no penalty.

    When I curteously pushed the issue and explained that I was getting totally different answers from different dealers, the rep said off the record that he had never heard of any penalty for paying off early any LEGITIMATE GMAC loan, which would inlude a re-fi.

    Bottom line: a $5K loan at 6.9% costs ~$25/month in interest for the first few months. A $10K loan would be ~$49/month in interest for the first few months. Small price to pay for an extra $1000-1500 rebate. Also, I was told by all parties I spoke with that there is no fee (origination, credit check, whatever) on a GMAC loan.
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