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I called GMAC about the rate, and they informed me that the Dealer sets the rate. In our case, the dealer we purchased from set a rate of 7.99%. Another dealer we negotiated with set a rate of 8.99%.
GMAC, and the Dealer, both told me that there is no penalty for prepayment.
We signed a "Retail Installment Sale Contract" at the dealership. At the bottom of the form, it is listed as "Z109 FR WI 12/2000" (For Use in Wisconsin). On the Terms & Conditions page, under Prepayment (5th Paragraph), it states:
"You may prepay the unpaid balance of the Amount Financed in full or in part at any time without penalty. If you do so, you must pay the earned and unpaid part of the Finance Charge and all other earned amounts due up to the date of payment."
Our intent is to refinance through our Credit Union as soon as we get the paperwork from GMAC showing our account number.
None of the other paperwork I signed regarding rebates has any mention of an obligation to maintain the financing from GMAC for any length of time.
Hope this helps!
Steven
Malibu Maxx Buyers Poll
Age of Malibu Maxx Buyers
20-29 (6)
17%
30-39 (6)
17%
40-49 (16)
46%
50-59 (4)
11%
60 plus (3)
9%
Total Votes: 35
Malibu Maxx
1SB option
Mud guard.
MSRP: $23150
Saving: $2454.25
Cash rebate: -$3500
GMAC rebate: -$1500
Regional rebate: -$500
Price:$15196
Plus tax, doc fee, license and title
Paid: $17015
The GMAC loan can be prepaid without penalty.
Other than the "t" falling off the truck recently, absolutely no complaints. First vehicle I have had in quite some time that gets better gas mileage than advertises. By the way, I am 59. Skyhawk, where you from. I live in Seekonk.
Oh yes - I'm 54 years young.
Also, I have yet to see __any__ Maxx on the roads here in Los Angeles, CA
So young and old are buying MAXXes!!
It's something I never thought to measure at the dealer and I don't see that dimension in the brochure.
A car I'm considering has quite a noticeable amount of dirt in that particular area and I'm wondering if it's a sign of future problems.
As for the headlights, you are correct; when I wash my car, I always have some soap suds get between the light housing gasket and the car body. I am always able to run the hose and wash the suds out of there. Therefore, as with all headlights, the rubber gasket is the only thing keeping a whole lot of dirt and debris from fouling up the light.
BTW occking I live in North Providence.
Please give me feed back.
I'm 95% of the way to making the decision that the Malibu Maxx LT is the best available replacement for my 1992 Toyota Camry station wagon, which I still love with all my heart, but can't take into another winter without repairs that are not worth making at it's age.
I have a few concerns about the Maxx, not the least of which is it's ability to last nearly as long as I've enjoyed my Camry wagon! But all that aside, I've come to you here with a few questions:
1) "Leather appointed" seats: Did you realize that there is NOTHING on the Maxx LT that is leather except the wrap on the steering wheel? The salesman at my Chevy dealership told me, "I'm not going to lie to you, it's vinyl and microfiber." "Leather appointed" seats is supposed to mean that the parts of the seat that come into contact with your body are leather, and that the rest is a good quality synthetic. On the Maxx, the "ultralux" is like the material they're using on furniture these days ... it's a superior quality microfiber, but indeed not leather. And the material that surrounds the ultralux isn't leather either ... it's "pleather," today's word for "plastic leather" ... at least according to my salesman. Can any of you substantiate this?
2) Did any of you lease your vehicle, or does anyone know what either Chevy or leasing agencies are quoting as the residual value of this vehicle after either 3 or 4 years?
3) Any other interesting input on my situation? My 92 Camry wagon is the first generation of Camry after the introduction of Lexus, and carried many Lexus-like innovations. It's still quite handsome, and people can't believe it's a dozen years old. I'd like to feel the same way about my next car at the end of an extended period, although I recognize it may not be another 12 years. I wanted another Japanese made station wagon, but since Honda refuses to create an American version of the Accord wagon that they sell in the UK and Japan, my only choices are the Mazda6 and the Subarus. By the time you equip an Outback or Legacy to the Maxx's trim levels, you've got a $32K car, and I won't spend that on a Subaru! Have I missed anything? The European imports are out. Too much cost in post-warranty years of ownership on VW, Saab, BMW, etc.
I only need a little convincing to pull the trigger on the Maxx LT. I've been car shopping for two years, and this is the closest I've come.
Thanks in advance for your input!! Blessings to all!
As for the "pleather" or micrfiber, I can only say that I thought the seats in the LT looked very nice and felt comfortable, so it really didn't mattter to me what they were made out of (we went with the LS because we decided leather was not important right now - we had leather in our last car and decided it was "take it or leave it for us").
We like the Maxx because: 1) it has nice ride characteristics (it's quite inside, it handles rough roads smoothly, and corners well for a family hatchback) 2) the 200 hp engine is smooth and powerful while getting decent/good mpg (we do a lot of city driving), 3) it has lots of room and is versatile, and 4) it can be had for a very nice price!!!
I think the combination of things I mentioned along with the discounted prices on 2004's make this a great choice!!
Like you, my main concern is long term reliablity/durability. But considering our Maxx (with rebates) cost about 10-15K less than the competitors, I think I am willing to take a bit of a gamble. Plus, you can always opt for the extended warranty - and still be paying a lot less than you would for a 6 or Subaru!
In closing, the Maxx in NOT a perfect car, but it seems like one heck of a good car and a VERY good deal right now.
Can you determine the production month of a Maxx from the VIN?
As suggested on this forum, I'm hoping to avoid buying one with a production date of Jan-Mar 2004.
The Source button only allows you to change to different audio sources (like DVD or CD). So if you only have a CD player the switch doesn't do a whole lot (LOL).
When you want to cycle back to radio and switch through AM, FM1, FM2, XM then you use the BAND switch on your steering wheel controls or on the radio.
pao: I need to drive your vehicle to compare with mine. Ya gotta give me a call dude. Let's do lunch.
sgr5516: you are absolutely right about the headlights. Nonetheless, I have never seen "gaps", such as those found on the Maxx, which allow as much water, debris, and soap to congregate around the headlamp. I simply hope the gasket holds it ground; otherwise, you are correct, the lamp will fail.
I got the whole car (minus windshield) tinted for $165 out the door (which includes a 9.75% sales tax here in Knoxville). The shop I went to only had 35% (the legal limit) or 15%. I went with 15% and kind of regret the choice. I think it looks really sharp, but it's my wife's car and it's too dark for her tastes. I suspect that we'll be getting it re-done by a shop that offers tints of 25% or 30%. I think those would be a great compromise for the wife and I. At 15%, it's like a limo - you can't see inside the car, which is a bit darker than I meant to go. After reading Tennessee law, it's pretty much asking for a ticket. However, after having it tinted and becoming aware of the issue, I'm amazed at how many cars (especially the new crop of hatchbacks and smaller wagons) have "illegal" tint jobs.
Paul
I am close to buying a new car and the Maxx is on my short list. I live in Canada and I want to make sure that it can handle our long winters. Could someone who has driven the Maxx under winter conditions please let me know if it had any problems. i.e. trouble starting, trouble defogging the windows, etc.
Thanks for any advice.
The salesman at my dealership told me, "I'm not going to lie to you and have you mad at me later, there is no leather on these seats." The "UltraLux" is microfiber, albeit a good grade of microfiber, like they make sofas out of today. And the material which surrounds the UltraLux, which I assumed was the "leather appointed" part, and that the sides, etc were a good synthetic, the salesman tells me is not leather at all either!
HOW can Chevrolet call these "leather appointed" seats if there is indeed NO LEATHER on the seats anywhere??? Was anyone else aware of this? If not, how does it make you feel as an LT owner? And should I just "get over it?"
BTW, thank you so much to icedog and maxx4me for the kind replies to my Camry wagon replacement post. It killed me to learn here last night that the Camry is still manufactured in Australia as a wagon, and alas, unavailable to us, the small contingent of Camry wagon loyalists.
Now, onto the Maxx ... if I can get over this leather issue, I think I'll be happy at least in the short term!
Blessings!
"UltraLux and leather-appointed seating surfaces feature a luxurious, suede-like feel. Unlike traditional leather surfaces, UltraLux is designed to help you feel cool in the summer and warm in the winter. And to help make chilly days a little more comfortable, heated front seats (seatback and cushions) are also included. LT models only."
The steering wheel and shift knob are "leather wrapped" and I really dont feel cheated since I didnt special order leather appointed seats....but rather it was a package deal for the LT
bottomline to this maxx owner..the seats are comfortable, and I dont really feel "cheated" that they are advertised at leather appointed.
Any thoughts on this?
I think I would rate them by 1) how they feel/comfort, 2) how they look, and 3) predicted durability. I'm pretty sure this new microfibre material is supposed to be durable, given that it's used on furniture. I would hope it lasts at least as long as real leather (which fades and cracks if not cared for regularly). IMO, the best wearing/least maintenance seats are like those I have in my 2001 Altima. They are the high end fabric that cleans up pretty easily and feels nice to the touch (wish my Maxx had fabric seats like that!!)
I'm not sure what kind of deal you are getting, but make sure you work the "not really leather, leather seats" into the equation somewhere. You could make it part of your negotiating process if you want. Tell them how much they are worth to you vs. what is charged for them. You could always go for "real" leather after the fact, but it would cost you a decent amount...so maybe you try and get some of that cost for "fake leather" taken off of the sticker.
andrewd: I did drive in one snow event last March and had no trouble. RI winters in March do not compare with your winters however. Cleaning snow and ice off the windows was not an issue. Good luck with your choice.
I've had my Maxx since January, so I did go through some winter weather. While the Maxx wasn't my first choice during bad winter storms (I have an '02 Jeep Liberty 4WD for those extra special days), with the traction control there was never a problem with winter driving. The heater/defroster, rear window defroster and heated seats made cold weather driving a snap. JMHO
I must have test drove all three cars offered 3 or 4 times before really deciding on the Maxx. Wow what a ride! For me it was the leg and head room (6'3" tall) and the power. The interior was a bit plasticky and plain but also interiorly speaking there is a lot of upgrades that the other Chevrolets don't have. So I was impressed. I currently drive a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix with 53,000 miles on it. Before that I drove a 2000 Dodge Intrepid (64,000 miles). both are nice cars inside and out w/ power under the hood. I'm hoping that the MAXX will hold up under my all day usage. I'll keep you all informed as I go along.
P.S.
I just wanted you all to know that I've been following your every comment for about two months now. you have all really given me a lot of fine reading / education on the MAXX.
Thank You!
I test drove a Maxx yesterday and enjoyed the way it handled. Even the electric steering was not too bad. I must say, being an Intrepid owner that it will take awhile to get used to the limited elbow room. I also find the advertised cargo room misleading as the numbers quoted usually refer to the cargo space with the rear seats folded down. With long distance road trips with three or four people, the cargo room feels limited. How do any families out there find that the Maxx handles road trips in particular respect to cargo room?
Granted there are only two of us. I sometimes think we took less stuff when the 3 kids traveled with us. Then I had an OLDS custom cruiser that got 17 mpg.
kurtamaxxguy Aug 8, 2004 9:53pm
pls take the poll if you havent already....just looking at the spectrum of buyers for the Maxx
We currently have around 8K miles on our Maxx - have had it since January. From April til October we travel around 350 miles roundtrip every weekend from Long Island up into the Catskill mountains. Most trips are just my wife and myself, a suitcase and cooler, but we occasionally take our 25 year old son and 6 year old granddaughter along with their luggage and "stuff". We've never had a problem with space or elbow room, and the rear seat DVD player is a lifesaver! We can listen to our music on the XM radio while the "kids" are watching movies in back. The only compromise we've had to make (only once) was to remove the rear shelf and put it flat on the back floor to allow a little more space. It's deceiving how much room there is back there.
I've had the car only 24 hours and already I'm comfortable with it. Smooth, quiet, powerful...and distinctive looking.
I ended up choosing the Maxx over the Accord because:
1) The driving experience is remarkably similar, although I think the Maxx has less tire noise on coarse pavement
2) Availability of head curtain airbags, V6, traction control for far less than a comparable Honda
3) The incredible versatility of the hatch configuration and the multi-flex seats.
And if all that wasn't enough, the GM Card tossed in an extra $1000, and the Chevy dealer was offering something called an "Instant Value Coupon"...an additional $500 rebate. I paid way less than I would have for even an Accord LX, to say nothing of an EX V6!
Hope it's a legit extra $500, as in all likelihood we're buying a Maxx in the next two days.......
EDIT: Another question: You mentioned the GM Card threw in another $1000. Was that your earnings, or is there a another new promotion jsut for GM Card holders?
I'm a 5'3" woman but one of my regular passengers is a 6'4" man, an SUV-owner who keeps commenting on much more comfortable he is in my MAXX.
I have enjoyed reading through the posts on this message board and look forward to being able to post future messages as a fellow owner.
Cheers.
I'll keep you informed as to what she says when she gets in her first test drive.
1. Are there no side seat air bags? I know you can get the curtains.
2. Do the 04s have the head curtains? I saw one with them but wasn't sure if that was a late production one.
3. What are the equipment differences between 04 and 05? Anything improved?
4. What are you getting for fuel economy city and highway with the 6 cylinder?
Thanks!