Your opinions on the Chevy Malibu (2010 and 2011) (rental, vehicle, joint)
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I've read mixed reviews about the Malibu on gas mileage not meeting the expectations and some road noise/cheap built and plastic-y interior. Also not being as roomy inside. The car looks beautiful and the price seems right though. I have found many Malibu LTs anywhere from $13k up to $16k with low low miles. Does anyone own one, or has driven one?
Also, what exactly is the difference in the trim levels? The only thing + on the 1LT vs LT seems to be the bluetooth option..
I have a 2010 Malibu 1 LT and overall, I like the car for what it is. I bought it knowing that it would have a lot of miles put on it, driven in all types of weather, and sit in a crowded parking lot gathering door dings. Being a 1 LT, it is a 4 cylinder and I get over 30 mpg in highway driving and about 26 in city driving. I'm not a fanatic about making gas mileage checking a science, so those figures are approximates.
You are correct in that the car is very nice looking on the outside, looks much more expensive than it is. Inside, the plastic is not the quality I would like, but I think it is typical for the price range. The seats are comfortable and the material feels like it is durable and will wear well. I think the Malibu is pretty quiet inside, some road and tire noise, but I have been in more expensive cars that were far noisier.
I have not had any problems with my Malibu. It gets an oil change every 3,000 miles and tires rotated at 6,000 miles. I bought it 01/28/10 and it now has 31,500 miles on it. You will read that a lot of people do not like the feel of the transmission. Some say that it is harsh, slow to shift, jerky, feels like a manual when slowing down, etc. I have to agree. I don't care for it either, but as long as that is the way it is supposed to work, I can live with it.
Some people report leaks, electrical problems, etc., but I have had none of those.
Normally, I trade about every 2-3 years. In my situation, a change in careers prompted the purchase of the Malibu. In about another year, I will be ready for a new car and I'm going back to Buicks. However, my thoughts are now that I will keep my Malibu as a second car and drive it into the ground. Even with a "wonky" feeling (other's description) transmission, I really do like the car.
Finally, I purchased the 1 LT over the base LS because it had some little extras that for the price difference, made it the better buy. In purchasing the 1 LT, I got body colored side mirrors, a little piece of chrome at the bottom of the door sills (makes a big difference in looks to me) chrome tech wheel covers, some remote features on the steering wheel lacking on the LS, and a few other goodies I can't think of right now. Moving up to the 2 LT was way over a thousand dollars, but one does have the option of a V6 with the 2 LT as well as the LTZ which is the top trim.
To me, the 1 LT at around $23,000 was a good deal, but the Malibu becomes less of a good buy when one opts for the 2 LT or the LTZ, especially when the V6 engine is chosen. I've seen some LTZ's on the dealer lot going for $31,000. Too much, in my opinion, your opinion may vary. As far as Bluetooth, my 1 LT does not have it It was included with a package my car doesn't have. It may be standard on the '11 and '12 models. In 2010, I believe it was standard on 2 LT and LTZ models.
Chevy is suppose to come out with a new smaller Malibu in 2013 based upon the Buick Regal. Soon after, the new Impala will be based upon the Buick Lacrosse. Welcome to the New GM where they keep the tradition of badge engineering alive and well.
I have the Saturn Aura (pretty much the same thing). V6 fuel mileage in town isn't that good, hardly uses any on the highway. Gas tank is quite small for the size of the car. Plastics were quite nice compared to the Sebring I looked at at about the same price. Interior is less rattly than past Saturns...I test drove an '02 SL2 with nine miles on it and already a rattle. Intermediate steering shaft has never been right, so there's a clunking noise and feel in the steering column. This was supposedly fixed for 2009. I have a pretty serious oil leak...leaks onto the oil pressure sensor and sets off the oil light. Other major problem I had was the problem with the shifter cable that's being inspected by NHTSA. Mine rolled back and nearly ran over someone, too. Hopefully it gets recalled so I can be reimbursed for the repair. Oh yeah...one more major thing- the steel wheels hate potholes and are quite expensive to replace. Mine currently has two aluminum wheels from Discount Tire on one axle and steel wheels on the other. The aluminum wheels cost quite a bit less than the stock wheels, if you can even find them. I bought this car for two reasons- my wife qualified for a GM discount at the time (doesn't now) and it cost the same as the Accord VP we neatly got and had a V6. GM was goving away the farm at the time. It's a lot better car than GM used to put out but it's certainly not great. I've heard post-bankruptcy GM cars are better, though.
I have a 2011 Malibu LTZ that I have had for almost a year. The best highway mileage I have gotten is 33 to 34 MPG, but I usually do mixed driving going back forth to work and get around 27 to 28 MPG.
The car has a nice quiet ride and is pretty smooth. That is the best thing about it in IMO.
The styling inside looks nice, however the criticism of the cheap plastic, especially on the door panels is true. Chevy should have spent just a little more putting better materials on the inside. I also have noticed at the very lowest setting the fan will click slightly, but no other major creaks or rattles.
The transmission does pull and labor a little bit at times, I especially notice that when it takes off from a running start. However, once you get moving the 6 speed auto transmission seems adequate to me.
Since I have the LTZ version, it does have a lot of extras, Bose speaker system, the heated seats, lumbar support stuff like that which is pretty nice and makes it a bit more comfy.
At the time I bought mine, Chevy was offering some huge rebates so the Malibu was a bit cheaper than the competition. I think I got a pretty good deal overall.
I have a 2010 and think it's a decent car, but I bought it for a very specific reason which gave the Malibu the nod over what I considered to be overall better alternatives like the Fusion. The Malibu came with a larger rear bench than most and also included 3 sets of LATCH anchors for child seats and since I needed to fit three car seats in it, get decent highway MPG and have basic amenities, this was the best match.
I've had the car a little over a year and a half and currently have 30k miles on it. Mine was a 1LT which came with the 2.4L I4 and 6 speed auto combo. Mine also has a sunroof, remote start and paddle shifters as well as the full size spare. As far as other options it has bluetooth, power driver seat and that's about it. Things like traction/skid control and TPMS are all pretty much standard on cars of that model year.
The good:
MPG is consistently decent. I can snag 33-35 on a long highway drive with the cruise set to a little over 70. My normal driving is a mix of open highway followed by stop and go traffic and surface streets. Overall, I average around 28 with no particular effort on my part to get that. Figure, 60% highway and 40% city/heavy traffic.
The ride is very smooth and the car is well planted and controllable. I've had the occasion to make an emergency maneuver or two and the car responded well and recovered easily from a minor skid when another driver turned into my lane at 75mph on the highway in a light rain.
The transmission is well sorted out and has no issue finding the right gear. I have found very little reason to use the paddle shifters for gear selection. I have run into a bit of gear hunt when driving on the highway with the AC on and trying to maintain speed at around 65. Speed up a little and its fine, slow down a little and its fine. This is a common issue on a lot of modern 6 speeds autos.
Power is adequate, but uninspiring, I find I have little issue merging into traffic or getting up to speed and highway passing is adequate.
The bad:
The interior is nicely done and laid out very well from an ergonomic standpoint, but the material quality could be better even though fit and finish are average for the class. I have some obvious wear on the door panels, but it isn't horrible. I'd say compared to others of the same model year it is on par with fit, finish and style, but is a little behind on the actual material quality.
The sunroof is a love/hate relationship. When open it is well damped with no buffeting and not too noisy. However, it tends to creak/squeak a little when closed. This is a common complaint on the Malibu and its sister cars.
The power level is definitely below adequate when the vehicle is loaded. With my wife, 3 kids and I in the car it tends to struggle a bit and I have found myself turning off the AC in the summer to help in passing. What is perfectly adequate for just me in the car or me and a passenger changes to poor when the car is loaded.
The trunk is decently sized, but the short rear deck makes loading some larger items pretty much impossible. Others in class have larger openings even if they have a somewhat smaller trunk.
As another poster stated, the HVAC fan is "clicky" on low speed settings. This is on my "when I have a chance before the warranty expires" list of things to get done. It works very well, but it is annoying.
The resale value is horrible compared to most other cars in the class. The Fusion, Camry, Altima and Accord all hold their value much better. This is why used cars are so cheap, but also means you can expect it to continue to depreciate like a rock. Buy it for the long haul.
On the differences in the trims:
The trims are generally divided by engine/trans choice. In 2010 there were three engine/trans options:
2.4L I4 w/ 4 speed auto - Standard on LS
2.4L I4 w/ 6 speed auto - Standard on 1LT, 2LT and LTZ
3.6L V6 w/ 6 speed auto - Optional on 2LT and LTZ
In 2011 they dropped the 2.4L w/ 4 speed auto combo and the 2.4L w/ 6 speed auto became standard on all trims and the 3.6L V6 remained optional on the 2LT and LTZ.
-LS's are the base cars.
-1LT's add power driver seat, bluetooth, OnStar turn-by-turn nav and some other basics. You can also get sunroof and remote start as options. The 1LT is the main retail model and the LS is definitely more "rental car".
-2LT's in those years add some extra equipment like dimming side and rearview mirrors and come standard with remote start. They also have "pleather" heated seats. Some LTZ equipment is optional on this trim.
-LTZ's in those years have heated outside mirrors, leather heated seats, auto climate control, BOSE stereo, auto climate control, LED taillights and power passenger seat.
In general a 1LT is a pretty decently equipped car in either year. The only reason to step up to the higher trims is if there is something you really want to have that is only offered on that trim.
Overall, they are decent cars, but definitely aren't class leading. At the price you are looking at, there is a lot of value there as well. If I was buying solely on the cars merits in that class sans the car seat need I would have bought a Fusion.
According to my nieces husband who is a service director at one of the large Chevy dealers here, the Malibu is prone to front end issues. Some have had complete failures in as little as 10,000 miles. He claims the front end is under designed. Kinda like the 3rd generation Dakota where ball joint failures are common. He also stated to avoid like it had AIDS, the 3.6 V6. It's a closed valve, direct injection engine that has issues with carbon build up in the intake. The only way to get it out is to remove it for cleaning.
FWIW, the EcoBoost is a GM clone with twin turbos and is having the same issues. Any direct injection engine is having issues like this. BMW has issued a no sale on their direct injection engines in the USA and Cooper is now recommending intake cleaning every 10,000 miles at owners expense- over a grand at the dealer. Cadillac has already had to buy back quite a number because of the fall in performance from the clogged intakes. A direct injected engine is not good technology- yet.
If you're a real easy driver, I would expect few issues with the front end. If you are a spirited driver and are generally the first to leave a traffic light or take corners faster than most, it's probably not going to last long. Don't expect decent fuel mileage as that is also a major complaint from owners.
According to my nieces husband who is a service director at one of the large Chevy dealers here, the Malibu is prone to front end issues. Some have had complete failures in as little as 10,000 miles. He claims the front end is under designed. Kinda like the 3rd generation Dakota where ball joint failures are common. He also stated to avoid like it had AIDS, the 3.6 V6. It's a closed valve, direct injection engine that has issues with carbon build up in the intake. The only way to get it out is to remove it for cleaning.
FWIW, the EcoBoost is a GM clone with twin turbos and is having the same issues. Any direct injection engine is having issues like this. BMW has issued a no sale on their direct injection engines in the USA and Cooper is now recommending intake cleaning every 10,000 miles at owners expense- over a grand at the dealer. Cadillac has already had to buy back quite a number because of the fall in performance from the clogged intakes. A direct injected engine is not good technology- yet.
If you're a real easy driver, I would expect few issues with the front end. If you are a spirited driver and are generally the first to leave a traffic light or take corners faster than most, it's probably not going to last long. Don't expect decent fuel mileage as that is also a major complaint from owners.
I'm a pretty spirited driver and I also commute on NJ roads, which aren't exactly the best in the world. After 30k miles, I have no front end issues. Also, being in fleet management, I see a lot of Malibus and there is nothing in their repair histories that shows anything atypical for front end repairs, certainly not to the scale you are implying.
Also, the 3.6L V6 in the Malibu is not the direct injection version of that engine. The Malibu uses the same 3.6L that was used in the original Cadillac CTS and STS, GM refers to this engine with the product code LY7. The direct injection version of that engine is the LLT and is used on the Camaro, current CTS and the current Lambda SUV's, but not used on the Malibu.
The issues with direct injection could have their own thread, but they don't apply to the Malibu.
By domestic standards, the Malibu/Aura have nice plastics. The Ford may be a bit nicer, but it was a lot better than the Chryslers. The Malibu interior has a dealbreaker detail for me, however. I simply cannot stand the turquoise IP lighting. It looks extremely cheap compared to the Aura's amber and white. The Malibu's turquoise display looks silly with the lighter color plastics on the Chevy's console and center stack. I've seen pics of the new Malibu and they kept a similar IP color, but it doesn't look quite as cheap.
I have a 2007 g6, kind of an older start to the platform.
I bought it new and have 65k. No major issues, other then a coke spilled in the door messing with the power window contol u.it that was replaced under warranty(and I was given a loaner caddy) I have done brakes, tires, routine maintain.
Some people have had brake issues, but I never have.
I have the 3.5l vvt, A4. (224 HP) Last I calculated I was like 23.5 mpg for life of the vehicle, remember that includes sitting and eating lunch in it, remote starts, etc... I usually get 28-30 mpg highway, 22ish city. Wife does mixed in it now and is 24-25 a tank.
Center console sqeuks a little on turns. I have had it on dirt roads it should never have been on, snow, ice, tropical storms, etc... Car has held up fine.
People get picky on interiors, we had to watch a corrolla for a friend while they left the country for 5 months. The thing had 3500 miles. It literally had a rattle in the AC system.
I am not trying to be all hoorah for my car it is what it is. But the interior thing on most modern cars is hard to judge. When I was in Boston I was in a 1 yr old valet rental. Guess what interior made noise, front suspension made noise, we drove it hard and it got ****ty gas mileage, made my g6 seem like a BMW. Is that true of all camrys? No, just like the rumors of a lot of GM cars are not true.
Best part of my g6 that couldn't happen with a camry? Or whatever. Even before the pontiac shutdown when I got it. It msrp'd at $21,800. I got it for $16,500(excluding tax, not including trade/down payment)
Can I even get a corrolla for that money? I also want to state for midsized sesame the g6 has a big back seat. And lots of legroom. Side curtain airbags, some balls, I like the styling, and if it matters 3 latch baby seats. Hell I have fit a baby seat in the middle and 4 adults in it.
The malibu is a decent car, someone's brothers, cousins roomates knows a guy that says they are bad, but apparently is such an expert they don't know what engine is even in it.
It won't win every category, and be a class leader. But it still a decent car, and price reflects that.
Sent from my autocorrect butchering device.
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