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Chevrolet Malibu Meet the Owners
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Comments
We purchased a silver Maxx 1SB w/DVD system and six CD changer. Traded our trusty '02 Chevy Venture, and got a good deal (Edmunds trade in for the Venture, and invoice + $179 for the Maxx).
We've been looking for a while (since the Chicago Auto Show), and decided at one point to wait for the '05. However, the improved rebate and bonus allowance convinced us to move ahead.
The decision came down to a choice between black and silver. I think the black is better looking, but my wife points out that silver is easier to maintain (we have a black Blazer that I wind up washing every week).
The kids like it, and my wife loves it.
Glad to be part of the club!
Steven
MSRP $22,305
Negotiated Price: $19,799
Rebates -5,500
Net Price $$14,299
Thinking of getting WA personal plate "MADMAXX".
I got a 2004 Malibu Maxx LS in Black with the 2 tone grey interior with metalic trim. Gave it that sporty feel I guess? Im not too into "wood".
I wanted a cool little 5dr hatch, and Chevy pulled through! Good thing, because I coudldnt see myself in a Vibe! That Toyota motor is worthless, IMO.
Anyway, I love my Maxx! Good handling, good power, and good style. Im very impressed with GM. I would like to see that SS model with teh 3.9 V6 and 6spd manual.
Has anyone tried to make a seperate web site dedicated to Maxx owners?
As for the website, genvibe.com is one of the great success stories in having someone build a website and having owners share their Vibe lore. I encourage you to take on the role of Maxx Master, and build us a site.
here is my website I set up to for my maxx FYI....I will look into where I can set up a chat space as well..outside this one.....space is the issue of course...cheers and enjoy the new maxx
http://home.att.net/~p.oswald
I, for one, would enjoy a chat area, but with so few Maxx owners out there, would there be enough demand to warrant the space? One can only hope!
would like to see a chat area set up as well..with our small but growing Maxx owners here..let us know
With respect to the sales of the new Malibu, I think sales are reasonable for a first year.
GM reported Malibu sales of 23,979 units in July, and 90,133 units from January - July (see GM Press Release of 3 Aug 04).
Just for fun, I did some predictions based on historical data, and here is what I have:
Based on all months, annual sales are predicted at 183 thousand units. Based on July results, annual sales are predicted at 288 thousand units. Using a more realistic three and two month basis, then predicted sales are 207 thousand and 237 thousand, respectively.
I have also noticed that the Malibu Classic is reported separately, so these numbers appear to be Malibu and Maxx sales only.
My personal belief that the reason you don't see many Malibu's on the road is that we're distributing less than 100 thousand units across a land inhabited by 300+ million people. There are several in the small backwater region I live (northwest Illinois - a long way from Chicagoland).
As word gets out about how good this car really is, then I think more people will move to it.
Interesting note on the sales figures - in July, the Impala sold 23,976 units to the Malibu's 23,979! I wonder if Malibu sales are pulling Impala customers??
Steven
I decided on the Maxx just the other day. While doing my car shopping last week I went in to take a look at the Malibu LS sedan. But since they didn't have any V6s with a sunroof I took a Maxx for a spin.
Sold! I researched the color I wanted online, found a dealer that had the exact vehicle I wanted, went to them yesterday and closed the deal.
I wanted to thank all who took the time to share their experience, and Edmunds for hosting this site, and I hope my feedback is equally beneficial to prospective owners. Reading these posts helped immensely to allay first-year model concerns. Even though I know all vendors do exhaustive testing, a re-engineered vehicle hasn't stood the test of time, and conventional wisdom is to wait for the bugs to get worked out. But the flip side is that early adopters get to take advantage of the latest engineering, and by all reports the first year issues have been minimal and typical, and the changes for 2005 are minimal. Of course there are probably non-showstopper tweaks for 2005 that we don't know about, but those we know about are minimal. I also didn't have the luxury of waiting, and the deals (at least $5500 in rebates thru 9/7 in my area) were too good to pass up.
The only issue I encountered was the well-documented rotor vibration while braking, especially hard braking over 30 MPH, e.g., while exiting a highway ramp. Sounds like an issue any new vehicle might have, but in any case, after several aggressive stops the vibration is barely noticeable, and then only if I'm paying close attention to it -- in my opinion it is a non-issue (a helpful recent post advised new brakes can benefit from a particularly aggressive stop to "bed" them in).
Knowing this ahead of time gave me assurance when I encountered it during the test drive before I took delivery. I also specified a May '04 or later build date. The dealers' car locator software shows the days the vehicle has been on a lot, so it was easy to find a newer vehicle. I did this to avoid a minor and correctable transmission issue some owners reported on this site.
It is assuring to know that like-minded and concerned owners have this forum to share their experience and to get help. Several members appear to have GM connections or just very adept at getting inside information, e.g., Pao and E2Helper, but all seem willing to go the extra mile for those requesting feedback.
I only have about 300 miles but I can already report back that this car is remarkably smooth and well engineered. I considered the 1SB upgrade, and while the add-ons were tempting, I've been pleasantly surprised with the base model features, which include a nice sound system, alloy wheels, rear sunroof, and traction control.
I have owned and/or have close relatives where I've had significant experience with Toyotas (Corolla and Camry) and Hondas (Civic and Accord). When recently confronted with the need to replace my dying Ford Windstar with a sedan, these foreign makes, which are perennial review leaders (even on this site), were obvious considerations. But the great rebates caught my eye, and the test drive and owner reviews on this site sold me. My entire experience, from the marketing brochure CD, to to the no-pressure salesman, was a pleasure. I test drove a Buick Century just to check out the ride, but it lacked the tight, responsive feel of the Maxx.
I have a word of encouragement for the owners that have had issues, and to future owners (perhaps myself!) who have the unfortunate occasion to experience an unresolved issue. At 48 year, I've owned perhaps a dozen vehicles in my lifetime. While it is unfortunate and disconcerting to learn your major investment is flawed in some way, in retrospect I've fretted about "minor" issues (even a little rattle can seem major!) only in retrospect to see that this was a complete waste of my valuable time and energy. Sure, do the due-diligence, take the issues to the next level if you don't get responsive help, but realize that no car is perfect, especially a first year version, and to demand perfection will just make you and others miserable... it ain't gonna happen until the next life.... assuming you get to Heaven!
Also, if you do complain, be do so in an optimistic, civil way that doesn't imply a lack of integrity by GM or it's employees... from the engineers on down to the techs. If not, you may win your battle, but nobody will go out of their way in the future to help someone who has beat them up! Frustration is understandable, but there is a tactful way to be persistent to gets results without YELLING (which all caps indicate) and crying "foul". Of course sometimes vendors deserve righteous indignation and need to be called out, but be sure your situation is part of a pattern that is being willfully neglected over a considerable period of time before getting contentious, either online or in person. I've not seen any indication that the Maxx is problematic... quite the contrary. So if you are reading my post, and perhaps have read about posted problems, be sure to take them in the overall context, which is overwhelmingly positive, even among the complainers! Also, if you are posting, realize the written word is powerful, and ill-considered comments cannot be retracted. They can cause vendors needless angst and loss of business from prospective buyers who may take a comment out of context.
My co-worker recently shared with me that he traded in his Honda Odyssey (if you read the reviews you'd think this vehicle was perfect) after protracted issues with front end problems, and I had a new Toyota Corolla with acceleration hesitation that bothered the heck out me... the vendor issued an upgrade kit to correct the problem, but it made it worse, and I wished I'd lived with the original issue, which was barely noticeable to begin with. My point? Almost all vehicles have some issues, and I wasted valuable time fretting about them rather than just movin' on, which I would've and should've done if I simply had given them time.
Sorry to ramble... but if you've read this far and you are seriously considering the Maxx, my advice is to run, don't walk, to buy it!
However, a GM manager or exec that may be monitoring this site, IMHO, will be more accommodating to you if simply and calmly take the process to the next level (yes, easy for me to say when I don't have the problems you are having, and you don't know what that "next level" is, but still true in my experience with similar situations).
I looked up your initial posts from June 24th regarding the idle problem when you only had 300 miles (probably less than a tank full of gas... bad gas could've been the culprit at that point) and it sounded like you were already despairing! Even though the problem still isn't resolved, and your latest response from GM wasn't helpful, it is early to be up in arms. I've had similar issues with other vehicles and over time a reputable vendor (which I believe GM to be) will take appropriate steps.
One thing you might try to do the next time you take it to the dealership is to arrange for an A-B comparison (with the service manager present), where you both listen side-by-side of your vehicle and some new ones on the lot. This should provide an objective test. If there truly isn't anything wrong with your car, then the idle condition shouldn't vary significantly. I don't recall if your problem was intermittent, in which case this might be more difficult to do, but I hope this helps.
Thanks for your input. And you are right No I dont know what the next level is!!! I realize that someone from GM or someplace may be monitoring this website..and I would hope they would be more than happy to help me out. Please do not get me wrong. I am not putting CHEVY down.(or trying not to)..I love my car...all besides the rough idle and I guess because of the money that I am paying for the car I guess I just want it to be perfect! Thanks again for everyones input with this.
My experience with a "problem" on my 2004 Malibu was as follows:
The dealer applied window tint to the rear window. This is SOP for all vehicles they sell.
The 2004 Malibu, with both a defogger and an antenna in the rear window, thus gets a third conductor. The window tint, a third conductor, allows the defogger to short to the antenna. This enables the antenna to add interference from the ignition system to the AM radio output. That's a cute trick if you don't have a tachometer, but listening to the spark plugs while trying to get my daily programming from Rush lacks efficiency.
Anyway, I took it to another dealer first to diagnose the problem. They told me that the tint was shorting the antenna to the defogger, and that removing the tint would be the solution. The tint was not a factory item, so they would not remove the tint without charging me a fee. They recommended that I take the car to the original dealer and have them remove the tint.
I took the car to the original dealer and told them my story. They disagreed, as in their experience of putting tint on every car this complaint was unique. They decided to replace the rear window, which they did not have in stock. A week later, I took it back to the original dealer and got the brand new rear window, gratis, and another tint job. This did not stop the problem, which was that the AM radio reception was collecting interference from the ignition system. Finally, they admitted that maybe the tint was the problem, and they removed the tint. That fixed the problem. To me it was no cash lost, and only a little inconvenience. The original dealer was close to my workplace and the other dealer was close to my house.
The original dealer is owned by an out-of-state corporation, and the other dealer is owned by the same family which started selling cars 80 years ago.
If you do take your car to another dealer, simply present your complaint, and let them discover what the problem might be. Do not tell them your long story about previous dissatisfaction.
If another dealer is too inconvenient to you, try this: Take your car back to your dealer and speak to the service manager. Politely explain that this new car idles rough. It shouldn't.
Now, if you're coming to this Malibu after years of driving Lexus's, maybe you'll think it's rough. I don't and my 2003 Malibu and my 2004 Malibu with V-6 engines do not idle rough.
Thanks for your input. Believe it or not, I have been dealing with the Service Manager at the dealership...and he is the one saying that the rough idle is NOTHING. He believes that if a code does not come up on it...NOTHING is wrong with it. The idle is still there but I am just so tired of not having my car..I will wait until the car goes in for something else and bring up the ROUGH IDLE situation ONCE AGAIN!!!! Thanks again for your input. Greatly appreciated!
I picked mine up 2 1/2 weeks ago and I think
it may be the best car I have ever owned. I had a 2000 Malibu base model before and it went 80K miles without a hitch but with no bells and whistles. I got my loaded LS MAXX (remote start,
1SB pkg, etc... in Navy Blue with neutral interior and beige pintripe. With the $3500 rebate, the GMAC $1000rebate, and the GM Supplier discount I bought a $23,185 stickered car for
$16,700. They also did an extended warranty to 80K miles with a $100 deductable after 36K for $720 (12 bucks a month !) It is very fast, great riding and handling, and has all the bells and whistles I need. The room is incredible and the flexibility of the rear seating is ingenious.
Hats off to Chevy for coming up with a true Accord and Camry killer, I always knew they could do it!
I am considering buying a Malibu Sedan, LS, and would like to hear from current owners about the power adjustable pedals.
I remember reading somewhere that a person had more vibration due to power adjustable pedals. I think it was on her Toyota. The service manager told her that she was getting vibration because the pedals aren't firmly attached to the car structure.
Are you Malibu owners finding more vibration with/power adjustable pedals--especially on the highway? I have sciatica, and that could really lead to back pain for me.
I would really appreciate your feedback! Thank you.
After over 40 years of car ownership and over 24 cars, mostly new, I'm still excited by learning new car stuff. Recent experiences tok us through Maxima, Toyotas (4), Lincoln, TBird, etc. It's been almost 20 years since my last GM, - so this year we bought a 2004 Impala LS and a Malibu LT(ISB). I drive the Pal and my wife drives the Bu, - I use it when I "may". I've done 24,000 kms this year and she's done 7.000, - so far, no big issues.
My Toyota experiences were all great ... the cars, the dealer, the value. However, my testing, research and evaluations encouraged us to "go Chevy". And, we are truly impessed with these new products: the Pal for it's "everything-works-well" profile, and the Bu for it's "wow!" factor. Many of our peer group are surprized and then impressed ,, I think that many of them will seriously consider these cars,
I really enjoy all your comments , - great reading, ...AND kudos to Karen, ... nice work!!
Exactly 3 months ago, I bought a new '04 Silverado. After adding a few goodies (which every p/u truck owner must do), I decided it was not the right vehicle for me. However, since the truck deal amounted to about $8,000 off sticker, coupled with dealers desperate for l1th hour sales to close out the year, I guessed that we would not get burned too badly on the trade.
We made the deal for a white '04 Maxx LS, and we are feeling very optimistic about the vehicle.
My commuter car for the past 8.5 years has been a '96 Contour. Nothing has ever failed on this car (now with 163,000 miles and still averaging 33 mpg) but I'm getting tired of driving a 5-speed.
It would be SUPER if the MAXX comes as close reliability-wise.
Dean
like to rap with others on d.i.y.repairs.
thanks for the welcome,
dan
FWIW, my only experience with the original 'bu was a rental car or two--despite the size difference, far less useful room and amenities than my '01 Elantra.
Not so with the Maxx. Looks a bit like a giant Chevette from the outside, but WONDERFUL from the inside. I hope that owners of 98's and earlier aren't deterred from looking at the new ones. I do realize that from the reliability end of things, they got the original platform cleaned up by the end of the run, so an '04 Classic might be more reliable than a '04 'Bu/Maxx. From a point of amenities and ergonomics they're night and day however.
I have a friend (since moved) who bought the original 'bu twin Olds Cutlass. Ditched it after several months because of the basic design flaws that became more and more evident. I'm sure he'd never look at the revised vehicle because of the similar styling clues. He'd be making a big mistake.
That's funny. Back in '83, my wife bought an Escort 2-door hatch. That little bump out just below the hatch window sure does remind me of the Escort. In fact some friends were joking that it looked like a Stretch-Cort.
I have driven through 2 snow storms (here in the NYC metro area, 4 - 6 inches is considered a "snow storm" LOL :-)) and it handled like a champ. I had 2 vehicles skidding and sliding around me but my Maxx just held tight to the road with no skidding noted.
I have not seen many Maxx's on the road either but that is OK with me. I like having a "unique" vehicle. :-) A week before I bought mine I did talk to one couple in a Maxx who happened to be parked. They had a 2004 and had nothing but good things to say about it. The man joked about how the car would be perfect for someone in a band who needed to transport amps/guitars/drums etc.
One of the selling points of the Maxx was the increased leg room in the rear. My wife's aunt/uncle have one and we rode in the back seat along with her brother. I am 6'1", my wife is 5'11" and my brother-in-law is 6'2" and we fit comfortably in the back. I think that ride in the back seat is the reason that the Maxx was on my list of cars to consider when I finally bought one. My one buddy always said "What do you care what the legroom in the back is. You will be driving, won't you?" He told me this as I was riding in the back seat of his Honda Civic with my knees up to my nose. LOL I guess I am a little more considerate of my passengers than he is.
I am loving the fold down front seat. My first trip to the Home Depot had me bringing back 10 2x4's that were 8 feet long. I measured and saw that I could have fit 9' boards and still been able to close the hatch. And being that this is a hatchback with no rear deck, there was no awkward maneuvering to get the 2x4's to go through the trunk into the cabin like you would have with a standard car with fold down back seats. I have driven too many times with a 2x4 hanging out a window or being used as an armrest because the board had to be place between the front seats in order to fit.
Add me to the happy Maxx owner's club.
-Bill
yeah, I've heard that lots of times. Your reply is supposed to be: since you don't care about the back seats, why did you buy a car with them??
Yes, an Accord has some advantages. But its company/dealer arrogance (best wishes if you get a lemon!) and high theft target rating was too much extra baggage for me.