Chevy Malibu Maxx

townhome · January 2005

My Maxx has been doing great in all of this California rain. I agree, kurtamaxxguy, better than my 99 Jetta. As a matter of fact, it was actually kind of relaxing driving home from the Auto Show today in the pouring rain. Everyone was just cruising about 40 mph and no one was tailgating -- how refreshing!

townhome · January 2005

I just got back from the LA Auto Show and have some observations.

1) The Malibu and Maxx are quality products, even though many people refuse to believe it. The interior quality is on par with the Accord, and slightly less than the Camry. It is MUCH better than the Altima.

2) The comfort and romminess of the Maxx is much better than in some cars that are larger and more expensive, such as the new Five Hundred, the new Legacy, the Grand Prix, and almost all of the small SUV's.

3)The Maxx is a bargain! Plain and simple.

4) Most people (in L.A. at least) will simply never buy the Maxx because it is a domestic product. I blame the Big Three for this to a certain extent (they did unload some crap on the us in the '80's and early '90's), but I also think that many people are just shooting themselves in the foot by not considering the newest cars GM is producing. The Maxx, and the Cobalt, are competitive products. (Although the new LaCrosse was a disappointment.)

5) This is not about the Maxx, but I had to say it anyway. Ford's new Five Hundred was a trip -- it looks pretty good on the outside but has an interior that should be in the updated Crown Vic. It is not the kind of car that appeals to anyone under 60. Their new Fusion, on the other hand, looks like it will appeal to those in their 30's and 40's. Maybe that is their product plan.

Overall, I am happy to report that my trip to the Auto Show made me feel happy about buying a Maxx. If I had to do it over again, I would buy another Maxx without hesitation, except this time I would get the sunroof!

kurtamaxxguy · January 2005

Townhome, Thanks for observations on Maxx .vs. competiton.

Also, any observation as to what was the most popular car at the show (my hunch: Chrysler 300 and the upcomming Dodge Daytona)

For some reasons Americans now hate hatchbacks.

Example: The VW Golf is far more popular than the Jetta in overseas markets, but in the USA the reverse is true.

I suspect even the mighty Chrysler 300C would be a flop in a hatchback version here in the USA. Overseas, who knows?

bwolter · January 2005

The only issue with rain that I have is when going through a car wash or heavy rain, I hear water draining very loud when it drains. It sounds like water pouring into the cabin, but have never found any wet spots.

pao · January 2005

Im quite happy with the steering response on my 04 Maxx LT here in the northern va area..fighting the I-95 and I-66 commute and traffic heading either in or out of the Washington DC area...did a 300 mile trip around the area this weekend..(over 16k on the maxx now) and had several opportunities to quickly steer away or accelerate away from other "problem" drivers....Im impressed with the performance, had a mustang GT 5 Spd prior to the Maxx...havent had any of the learned sluggish responses...for lack of better words...most of my miles are highway miles with not a lot of stop and go....

wipers were problematic...had that skipping problem with the smearing of the windshield...changed the wipers out and havent had any problems since....

is a time for another poll yet?...how many miles do you or have you put on y ou Maxx in the first year????

pao · January 2005

sgr5516 · January 2005

If you have a sunroof, the sound you hear is probably normal. In a heavy downpour or in a car wash with pressure jets, water can get by the sunroof seal. The sunroof assembly between the headliner and roof on the Malibu has channels to catch and drain water. There are four hoses to drain the water down the front and back A and D pillars.

snowcat · January 2005

You are correct. It is for a very special, expensive box of Kleenex to slip in there. I see them at the register at my car wash.

SnowCat

Drive like a screaming maniac with my hair on fire.

'04 Malibu Maxx 'Crow'

'91 Pontiac 6000 'Swan'

'69 Cutlass S Holiday Coupe 'Goldfinger'

bhw77 · January 2005

Hi,

Did anyone try to find bumper guard for MAXX?

Hence GM doesn't make them - Do you think

Protege5 guard would fit?

e2helper · January 2005

Hello again, snowcat. How has your radio been working recently?

pao · January 2005

pao, "Chevy Malibu Maxx" #2839, 10 Jan 2005 9:50 am

bwolter · January 2005

I have an LS. It does not have a sunroof. The sound comes from high under the dash. Sounds like it is mostly coming from the passenger side.

hermaxx · January 2005

Here in N. Iowa we have about 8-10" on the ground. Having just purchased our Maxx in mid-November, I was curious as to how it would handle the snow. As it turns out, this car has proved very capable....we too still have the OEM tires.

One thing I have noticed however, is now that it is MINUS 10 degrees F (today)....the steering assist is almost non-existant until the car warms up. I asked the service manager at our dealer if there was a TSB on this issue and he didn't even bother to look it up....he just said "I don't remember seeing anything on that."

Overall, we've been very pleased with our ownership experience.

hgr3inok · January 2005

My wife traded her much-beloved 1996 Oldsmobile Aurora for a new 2004 Maxx today. The local dealer is swapping with another dealer for the only color (silver) my wife would accept. It should be here next week. Based on information in this forum, I required that the Maxx have a build date of March 2004 or later. The car is a base LS with 1SB and Onstar. She also got the Major Guard $0-deductible, 72/72 plan.

Obviously, this is a significant vehicle change for my wife. She wanted something with excellent fuel mileage, easy to load (a hatchback) and that wasn't an SUV. Primary competitors were the Mazda6 Sportwagon and 5-door. (We did not consider makes that do not have a local dealer.) I think she is going to be happy with the Maxx.

Thanks to everyone who participates in this forum! She decided on the Maxx based on the information here. I'll try to post some information from time to time on her Maxx experience.

maxx4me · January 2005

welcome aboard, and great choice. This is a significant step down in price compared to the Aurora, yet a whole heck of a lot more car. Enjoy!

kurtamaxxguy · January 2005

Visited the LA 2005 Auto show. A dark blue Maxx (built 10/04) with tan interior at the Chevy display was not mobbed like the trucks were, but folks seemed to like it. I noted air bags in the front seatback sides seemed the only major change - seat comfort was the same as my 2004 maxx. Also noted the rear trim around the windows had _exactly_ the same misalignments between headliner and windows as my 2004 maxx has! I didn't check the skylight for trim changes (DOH !!)

maxx4me · January 2005

in San Diego, the skylight in the '05 had a 2 tiered notch system, allowing the latch to "almost" snap into place, but not quite. That's why I was wondering if the TSB replaced the whole headliner with this new 2 tiered notch, or if they simply snap some part over the existing one notch '04 headliner.

chrisducati · January 2005

The reason I do not give the Maxx a chance is more a matter of details that GM refuses to do to most of their cars. I would honestly give the Maxx a try if I could get a 4 cylinder 5 speed, different tail (I hate solid red tail/turn signals)lights and less chrome. The transmission thing seems to be one of GM's down falls. Japanese companies let you have a manual gear box in any of their cars. You want a 4cylinder 5 speed Camry or even a V6 with a 5 speed ..You got it. same for Honda, Nissan, ect... I like the looks of the car and love GM's Opel divisions cars. If you look at the Malibu next to an Impala you can see how far they have come with their interiors. Then go look at a new GTO and it's even better. GM can do it if they just would. Sadly I see them losing even more market share unless they change.

sub2500 · January 2005

When I first drove my '04 Maxx LT home I thought it was one of the best cars that I have driven.We bought it in NJ, fully loaded for $20,095. after all the rebates, in October,(I think they still have one left). Even though I am a GM loyalist I was hoping not to have the usual list of problems they usually come with. Well, I'm making another long list! First of all I can't beleive that people are praising this cars handling in the snow! It snowed recently where I live in upstate NY and after a white knuckle ride I decided it's the worst car I've ever driven in the snow. The front end moved sideways everytime I gave it gas, I slid into several intersections because I couldn't stop, missed two driveways for the same reason and when going up a slight hill coming out of a local mall I had to slide in reverse in order to get traction enough to try and make it up the hill a second time. This is all happening when other cars around me were having little or no problem and in an area that I have been driving in for many years! I'm hoping that changing the tires will help some. Is there any way of finding out all of the TSBs or recalls? It has not been into the dealer yet. The build date is 4/04 & the VIN 210336. I'll post my list of problems soon.

maxx10 · January 2005

well as far as the driving in the snow, my best suggestion is to turn off the traction control. I found that it doesnt help if there is an incline. All it soes is limit the engine power so you are basically inching along. I found this out after the blizzard of 04 (Southern and Central Indiana snowstorm just before Christmas) Other than that, once you turn that traction control off, you should be fine.

kurtamaxxguy · January 2005

My former 1983 camry did not have any traction control for its front wheel drive, but did have decent all weather tires and did fine within Utah's horrible winters and deep snow.

As the Maxx has more weight on front wheels than the Camry did, I'm hoping better tires, and turning off what sounds like a potentially troublesome traction control, will let the Maxx do as least as well as the Camry did should I have to drive in the snow.

malibabe · January 2005

Read your experience about driving in upstate NY. Do you not have the original OEM tires the LT came with? Did you change to a higher gear? Dont know what else to suggest. I passed on an 04 and bought an 05 after I read this board and test drove several MMs.

I start every trip on a steep inclined driveway with curves. I take my 05 Maxx LS on D with no effort. Absolutely no problem yet. But we have had no snow yet in the MidAtlantic area I live in for a snow test.

Let us know if you had better control wothout the TC on as suggested by other drivers here.

vincentwang · January 2005

Today when I drove about 5 minutes the warning chmie on and the message "check fule cap" displyed. I checked my fule cap and found out it's not screwed in, so I tight it up to 'click", the restart the vehicle the message is still on( no more chime). After couple times stop and restart this afternoon, the message seems still don't want to leave.

Why's that? I thought the sensor should react instantly, am I right? Thanks for any help.

e2helper · January 2005

There is not a sensor for specifically checking for presence of the gas cap. It is a diagnostic of fuel system which occurs only under certain conditions. Your vehicle will need to go thru a couple of PASSED tests before this message will stop being displayed.

Give it a day or two and see if the message goes away.

kenneth · January 2005

Here in Michigan the lowest daytime temperature I've seen since I got my Maxx in early December is 5 degrees above 0. At that temperature I didn't notice any change in steering performance.

vincentwang · January 2005

Thank you e2helper.

sub2500 · January 2005

I have the same problem with the fuel cap message. It's happened to me 3 times so far. The cap seemed tight and I'm the only one that gasses it up. It went away in a day or two but it was annoying to get that message every time I started it up. Good luck, if I hear anything about this prob. I'll post it.

rferd · January 2005

I have also noticed that the steering is hard when you start the car but once it warms up it is fine. I wonder if I should have it checked or if it is the "nature of the beast".

skyhawk · January 2005

This message is not unique to the Maxx. I failed to properly tighten the cap on my Bonneville. The message displayed every time I started the car for 4 days before it cycled out.

As far as driving the Maxx or the Bonneville in the snow, I always turn the traction control off and I do fine in the snow with either car.

reese196 · January 2005

I don't have any problems with my 04 MAXX LT in the snow and so far we have seen quite a bit up here in New England. The car climbs unplowed hills easily. (although I have not had to drive it up really steep driveways yet) It drives up onto the plowed in parking spots on the side of the road very easily and the ABS is great for stopping on ice. Maybe you should learn to drive a little slower when it's snowy or icy out and you won't be losing control of your vehicle!!

sschriber · January 2005

Trying to get a spare set of wheels for Winter tires on my Maxx. Will Saab or Catera 16x6.5 wheels with the 5x110 bolt pattern work? This would open up my options and perhaps save some bucks.

e2helper · January 2005

Based on other information you posted regarding your vehicle type (Maxx) and build month (4/04) you might also have complaint that Fuel Gage never gets to full or stays there long???

If so suggest next time you take vehicle to dealer to ask them to look at these complaints on Check Gas Cap message and fuel gage (if you notice what I mention). Dealer has Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) #04-08-49-025 Fuel Gauge Does Not Read Full When Fuel Tank is Full....(Inspect Fuel Level Sensor Operation). Title doesn't mention the Check Fuel Cap message but this same thing can also cause that complaint.

pao · January 2005

you need to check the offset of the wheel as well..on the Maxx it is a +41 which makes it tough to find wheels for the Maxx at the moment..custom or otherwise

malibabe · January 2005

The first snow in the MidAtlantic today. The Maxx was just fine. I drove on slopes in wet snow with an inch of accumulation with no skids or slips. I think the OEM tires are just great. That sure makes a big difference.

However we have parked both the AWD Suzuki Aero and the Maxx on the hilltop as we do every snow storm.

Good luck Maxx drivers in New England.

maxx4me · January 2005

OK: as an expert snow and ice driver from NJ, I offer the following observations on the Maxx.

Conditions: 2 inches of snow, very wet, compacted, and now pure ice due to lack of road treatment.

ABS: Waaaaaaaaaaay too sensitive. I've never seen a car chatter (and never shut up) like this car. In fact, as a snow/ice driving expert, I did as well or better modulating the brakes myself, and not allowing the ABS to come on at all. Grade: C-

Bridgestone Tires: Nowhere near as good as in dry and rain conditions. Although it is sheer ice out there, I slipped much more than with my H rated Firestones. I had no problem plowing through higher drifts, but I also sensed that I had to take it a lot more gently than with my 626 or Vibe. Grade in snow: C

Traction Control: this was a trip; after reading all the negative posts on here regarding the TC system, I must post polar (no pun intended) opposite views. The TC did exactly what it is supposed to do. I had no difficulty overcoming the engine power down, and it did not leave me wanting for power for too long under any circumstance. I pushed it real hard today, and the TC shut off faster than I would have expected it to. I also pushed the Maxx with the TC turned off and found myself quickly turning it back on. The car handled much better with it on than off. Grade: A

Granted, it is all ice out there now, and I did push the car hard, puting it though my normal winter paces; nonetheless, as I took some turns hard and put the car into a spin, there was little to no way to recover. The TC is not meant for that, and the ABS was simply grasping at straws in an attempt to put me back on the straight and narrow. I will do a similar test once (if) we have a good 6 inch powder snowfall in the east.

e2helper · January 2005

I will pass along your ratings, maxx4me (LOL)

THX

maxx4me · January 2005

wait till next week; I hear the 5-6 inch snowfall is coming Saturday. Now, if everyone would just get out of my way when I'm puting my Maxx through these drills.....

pao · January 2005

I'll be sure to stay out of the way of the grey maxx headed my way!!!!.....I didnt push it near as hard as you did today...but had no problems at all....drove mostly on the snow..no ice today...maxx did well thru 2 inches on the road....pushed it hard on the upper deck of the parking garage that had 3 inches on it..on slippage, no abs engaged.....so quite happy with it....a marvelous improvement over my Mustang GT that couldnt climb the smallest incline!!!!..I know not near the winter as the upper midwest or new england or canada..but hey..they spill a slushy drink on the roads here and people turn the dumb driver lights on here!!

sgr5516 · January 2005

The TSB for 04 Maxx rear window shades has a stiffner inserted behind the existing trim. Feels like double sided sticky tape holds it in place. Headliner is not replaced. Once part is installed, the latch positively snaps and click locks into the notch. Even though it is winter, my shades have stayed closed for over a week now. Hoping the part will stay in place and continue working once the summer heat arrives.

josephus · January 2005

I have the same problem. Just bought the Sedan a month ago, and today at -23C temps, it took me driving about five minutes before the steering assist started to work.

madmadam · January 2005

Welcome and congratulations. I sure hope your wife enjoys her MAXX as much as I do. I also wanted a hatchback and considered the Mazda6. I hope you'll let us know about her experiences with her new Silver MAXX.

mysishasmalibu · January 2005

I'd have to say that snow tires have a lot to do with how well a car does in winter. I think I read somewhere that the tires on the Malibu were chosen largely on how they effected fuel economy. If winter performance was an afterthought, that could be why the car was slipping and sliding, not going up hills and turning on ABS so often. As far as I know, ABS turns on when the wheels start to slide. I wouldn't give ABS a bad rating if it was turning on...it was probably needed. I was really amazed with how much of a difference snow tires make in the winter. My car has no problem going, stopping, or turning on snow and even ice. ABS and Traction control are a lot harder to turn on too. The bad thing is that they are really loud when the roads are finally cleared.

maxx4me · January 2005

Here is the promised snow review, as a result of our wimpy 3-4 inch snow today:

ABS: improved from the C I gave it on ice, although I submit that the improvement is from the friction of the snow which was not removed from any of the roads I drove on. I still contend that I prefer to modulate the brakes on the Maxx, rather than rely on the ABS, as I have done with all previous cars I've owned. Final snow grade: B-

Tires: much improved from the ice results, although I submit the friction issue played a big part here too. Nonetheless, they handled quite well in the snow and slush, and I was the fastest driver on the road by far as a result of their performance. Final Snow grade: B (I give them an A+ in dry and rain conditions)

Traction control: still a winner in my book, although it tends to prompt and/or allow way too much torque steer, thrusting the car to the right. Final snow grade: A-

One thing which is bothering me however: as I cleaned off the car with a bucket of hot water, I noticed significant snow dams in the wheel wells. Essentially my tires were entombed. While not unusual to have some daming, I think this was the worst instance I had ever seen due to the tiny clearance between the tires and the car.

prdm · January 2005

Just a note about ABS. Many people think ABS is only supposed to stop the car in a shorter distance and while in many (but not all) cases that is true, shorter stopping is not the design intent. The primary purpose of ABS is to maintain steering control during what would otherwise be an uncontrolled skid. Not having grown up with ABS I found it to be a truly amazing experience to stomp on the brakes hard and still have full control of the cars direction. Try it tonight if you live anywhere near New England : )

hgr3inok · January 2005

One week ago we drove off in a "loaner" red 2005 Maxx LS. Our silver 2004 LS (w/1SB & OnStar) arrived three days later with ~250 delivery miles. My wife has only put 60 miles on it since then. The VIN is ...204753. The driver's door sticker says the build date is 04/04, but I have been told it actually came down the line 03/31/2004.

The build quality is excellent --- better, IMHO, than my wife's 1991 Cadillac Seville and her 1996 Oldsmobile Aurora. Kudos to the Kansas GM plant!

My wife has finished reading the Owner's Manual and is _very_ pleased with her Maxx's features. On the second day I was allowed to take a boxed bicycle to the local Fedex store. The box would have just barely fit in the back seat of her Aurora. Of course, it easily fit in the Maxx. Her first trip to the grocery store this morning confirmed that the Maxx is much easier to load and unload than her Aurora.

Two observations specific to our Maxx: (1) The cargo panel is a little tighter fit than in the other Maxxes I examined. (2) The rear seat audio panel and switches seem a little loose. We were told this car was on the transferring dealer's showroom for several months. That's probably the explanation for (2). I'll fool with the rubber stops on the cargo panel and see if that changes anything.

Given its versatility, I'm surprised that the Maxx has not emerged as a significant player in the rental market.

kurtamaxxguy · January 2005

If Maxx ever does enter rental market in droves, the resale value of Maxx will plummet, just like the Tarus and Malibu classic have done.

Supposedly, Mr. Lutz had planned only the Malibu Classic for the rental market, but supposedly the weaker than expected sales of Maxxes resulted in them now being sold to rental fleets. Can anyone confirm or deny?

maxx4me · January 2005

kurt: I just got back from CA where I had an '05 Maxx as my rental for the week. They are out there. I cannot understand why people even worry about resale value. There is NO such thing as resale value in cars (except those sold at Barrett Jackson auctions).....they all lose value. All machines lose value. Why do people think that they are buying some kind of precious commodity when purchasing a car?

ericw55 · January 2005

I agree. Cars are not investments. Also, cars that retain their "value" cost significantly more up front. If you are financing, you are paying interest on this resale value. The real value of a car is if it starts in the morning, and if you feel safe driving it. (Love my Maxx... it's a great value).

sblfromns · January 2005

Well, my prior 3 cars before I bought my '04 Malibu were Toyotas. A big selling point by the dealers was the resale value but in each instance when I traded them in for a new Toyota, I had a great deal of difficulty getting decent value for them. So much for the vaunted resale value for Toyotas!

I got an awesome deal on my '04 Malibu LT; I saved thousands of dollars compared to an equivalent Toyota and I love the car. I'll take the up-front savings over any possible savings down the road from a supposed better resale.

maxx4me · January 2005

You are absolutely right Eric. The real value is when it starts each morning, and never leaves you stranded on a dark stretch of highway.

Also: for those who were discussing the wipers and fluid lines the other week, in 18 degrees (not including the 30 mph winds), my lines froze up and did not work this morning. I have to attribute that to the warm buckets of water I threw on the car last night. I'm sure they froze inside the sprayers.

Chevy Malibu Maxx

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