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Chevrolet Malibu Meet the Owners
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Comments
we bought a 2005 Maxx LT in April 05. Lots of miles in 15 months (35,000) and has been GREAT. Until steering went out. Been in the shop a week, and they "cant get it to work". I believe they have installed a new steering column. Got it back after 1 day, then right back in later that day, still there. I have been horrified to read so many accounts of the same problem, and I have even read all the NHTSA reports. I am seriously thinking of getting out of the car and into an Equinox, although I love so many of the features on the Maxx, and the way it drives and fuel economy.
Does anyone know if there is a legit new fix? If not, I can't see going through this again. I think the dealer will actually be very fair on a trade, and we did get over 1 great year of service from the car, but I am spooked.
I have an 04 Maxx LT....and have had no problems at all with mine....just turned 72K on it....
After they installed it, I was told last Friday that they were getting some sort of "cannot communicate" message.
I have read of multiple cases of people having 2, 3 and 4 columns replaced and still having problems. There have also been (at least) two lemon law awards for Malibu's with this problem, including a case in Oklahoma, I believe, where the state statute was strengthened as a result of a case involving this car/problem. This is why I am not optimistic.
http://www.tailofthedragon.com
I may not have the mpg the newer models have, but if i break down, i can usually fix it in a few minutes, or most small town parts stores even usually carry what i would need. Hasn't happened yet, but I still have that sense of security.
The 74 starts restoration this winter, weekend cruiser/hot rod toy, cant afford to put gas in it as a daily driver Guess I just want to fancy it up some.
Not the cutest or coolest lookin thing gm ever hatched, probably why it was the last year Malibus were still Chevelles. It would not be the first automotive line ugly ever killed.
found this discussion looking for chevy malibu, guess i need to specify years in my next search.
My heart is out to a Mazda6 i Hatchback that is equivalent to the Malibu Maxx in body style, and is also a used '06 that was a rental agency car. It has 14k on it, and is priced at $18,990. Dealer will thus far only go down to $18,500 and $1,500 on my Prizm trade. This car has the premium sound system (6-disc changer, 7 speaker Bose sound, power sun roof) and is the same color as the Maxx.
Which to go with? Any thoughts out there? I've owned both Mazdas and Chevy Prizms (2 of them now - with not a single engine problem on either.....thank you Toyota!), and the only real advantage to the Maxx for me is that I can get service close to home. The Mazda I have to drive 15 miles into Erie to get service. This shouldn't be my sole criteria, but it's out there with gas prices like they are.
Thoughts? Anyone??
Just purchased an 05 Malibu LS over the weekend. Charcoal gray with remote start and heated seat package. One owner with 19K on it. Picked it up for $13,500. First impressions are smooth ride and very pleasing gas mileage. Couple of questions though. The mpg reading on the highway last night was 38.3. Just how accurate are these readings? Also I noticed that sometimes when I turn the steering wheel I will hear what sounds like a thump under my feet on the drivers side area. Is that some kind of quirk with the electronic steering or does anyone smell some kind of problem showing up? Any comments would be appreciated. Till next time,
deckdog
deckdog
04-06 model year
TSB 06-02-32-007
This is for the steering gear clunk. GM redesigned the part to quiet the rattle where the rack meets the pinion.
To get more MPG info on the Malibu go back to the Model Central 2007 Malibu page. In the "Discussions" box scroll down to the bottom and click on " See More Discussions". Then click on the "MPG Real World Numbers". You'll find testimonials from other owners regarding fuel mileage.
Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
I purchased a brand new Silver 2006 Malibu SS five months ago, here's my report to date. First off, I got a great deal through the place I work where I was able to get GM Supplier Pricing plus a dealer rebate of $1,500. In all that knocked off about $4,500 off the MSRP. If you are looking to buy a GM vehicle, never go by the sticker price, you can usually get thousands off if you look around for rebates. Also, I kept pressuring with the dealer because I knew wanted the sell and I said I wasn't paying for the XM radio because it was not a feature I wanted. Since he could't find another SS model he bit the cost on that XM receiver. He had also offered free oil changes for 5 years but I swapped that for a $500 dollar gas card instead, because I like to change my own oil.
As for the car, its been terrific. I've already put about 8K miles on it, a combination of Citi and Highway driving. The engine is different from the base 4 banger and the other V6 model I test drove. The 3.9L engine is a romp to drive, The variable valve timing defintely helps...and yes it feels like overkill at times, but being a young driver its a good feeling. The downside is obviously the reduced MPG, I'm averaging about 23-25MPG, which is to be expected by an engine this size. I know some ppl have been complaining about the steering with the other Malibu models but the SS came with power hydraulic steering which has been excellent. Its precise and speed sensitive, so I think the steering problems are restricted to the electronic power steering (EPS) in he other models.
Some of the other Pros:
- The Suspension: Tight and agressively tuned, its not floaty or all and that helps take turns smoothly.
- The Body Mouldings: The spoilers and rocker panels are all different than the normal Malibus' and look terrific.
- The Wheels: This consistently gets comments and remarks from everyone. They are a perfect design for this car I think, the 18 inches are just big enough to draw stares but small enough so that the ride quality isn't affected.
- Easy to maintain: This may be a minor thing for some but for me it was important. The oil pan and filter were easily accessible ensuring that keeping the car maintainted is an easy job. (My old subaru was a pain cuz the filter was inside the wheel well.) Parts for GM cars are also obviously cheaper.
The Cons
- They really should have added an extra gear or two to the transmission. Although there is more than enough power from the V6 to cruise at highway speeds at around 2,000 rpm's...an extra gear would have utilized the engine more efficently.
- The radio controls...lots of buttons,a simpler interface would have helped.
- The leather seats...they have cloth inserts in the middle so techinically its not fully leather...but this could be a good thing also because now that its getting colder I'm glad I'm not freezing my [non-permissible content removed] in the morning on cold leather.
- The wire seatback holders...whats that about?
In all though...I'm quite happy with my SS. It fulfills the rational side of my brain with the power/speed side of my other side.
$1000 offer for trading in my recalled Toyota and $3000 in additional offers, which helped with how upside down I was in the Corolla loan.
04 Malibu Maxx here with 160K on it
Recently I purchased a new 2010 Malibu 4 cylinder LTZ. This is one of two primary vehicles that I own, (the other being a 2007 Toyota Camry.) ---- Since 1997, I have only purchased Honda Vehicles, because of a "very negative quality experience" with a 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and a dealer and manufacturer that did not want to perform powertrain warranty work. (The front end would "HUM" at 55 mph like an "old rear end with 100,000 miles.")
I am VERY satisfied with the quality of the 2010 Malibu. (The "fit and finish" and the performance of the vehicle is simply outstanding.) ------- This vehicle is a "home run" for Chevrolet & General Motors. ------- It is about time that GM manufactured a vehicle as good as a Honda Accord! ------- In about 1 1/2 years, I will be looking to replace my Camry and based on this positive experience, I will be looking at the Chevrolet Malibu, the Chevrolet Impala & the Camry. ----- I would like to see the Impala with a 6 speed automatic transmission. (The Malibu & Camry already has a 6 speed automatic transmission.) ----- GM needs to catch up with the technology!
My dealer for both the Camry and the Malibu is outstanding in terms of service. They treat me in a very professional manner. (Both dealers handle all of my service!)
Best regards to all. ---------------- Dwayne :shades: