Brand new Malibu "died" and left me stranded in downtown Detroit!

[cdp326]

Originally Posted by dominogold

Here's another little example... anytime you need service on a foreign car (which is usually just maintenance)

Is it?...

they put you in a loaner that is at least as good, but usually better than the car you own. I have an 09 LTZ malibu with every option... and I am stuck driving a loaner that is a base model Chevy Cobalt that I can hardly even fit inside (I'm 6'4") which does not even have power locks or power windows. I had a nicer car in college 15 years ago.

You need to distinguish between the dealers you go to and the brand itself. If you aren't happy with the dealer's treatment, I would suggest trying to find a different dealer in the future. Your dealers may do that, but not every one does. I recall seeing a row of Toyota Camry loaners at a local Lexus dealer a few years ago; our Hyundai dealer used to use base Santa Fes for loaners, and I think since then they use Sonata sedans (not sure about now).

[CoolNate32]

My local Chevy dealer has a fleet of Aveos, Cobalts, Malibus, and Traverses that they give out, but if it's ever warranty related they usually have Enterprise set you up. I currently have a Saturn which I have been having issues with, and I was given a '10 Cobalt LT for two days and now I'm on a '10 Impala LS for about five days, who knows how long. Either way I would say I got a decent car. Most foreign car companies don't even include roadside assistance, so you would've paid to have your vehicle towed in, then only if the dealer had loner cars would you receive a vehicle to drive.

[goodwrench1]

Did it get fixed yet? What was wrong?

[crooner214]

Originally Posted by dominogold

Wow, I really was expecting a little more support or at least some understanding here.

I had driven 3 Toyotas and 1 Lexus prior to making the leap to the Malibu. Of the 4 japanese cars owned, I had to replace 2 fuel pumps that froze and cracked in the winter.... out of 4 cars and 450,000 miles combined. That's it.

Compared to my first GM car just decides to quit running in the middle of the freeway after 6 months of driving and has to get towed to a dealer.... after a friend predicted this would happen because she had the same problem with her Malibu.

So maybe you can understand that MY "GM Ownership Experience" so far can not even compare to my prior experience with Toyota or Lexus. Everything from the dealer to the service level to the car itself to the loaner car pails in comparison. It does. I have first hand knowledge of it. I really regret my decision thus far to buy a Malibu. I have no faith this car will be reliable and have good reasonable service.

Here's another little example... anytime you need service on a foreign car (which is usually just maintenance) they put you in a loaner that is at least as good, but usually better than the car you own. I have an 09 LTZ malibu with every option... and I am stuck driving a loaner that is a base model Chevy Cobalt that I can hardly even fit inside (I'm 6'4") which does not even have power locks or power windows. I had a nicer car in college 15 years ago.

I am sorry your experience is negative so far! Obviously your perception is that all foreign cars are better than ...non-foreign cars (american?). Perhaps you will be happier with a used Lexus or Toyota which is priced similar to your brand new, may possibly have a 1 in a million problem, fully loaded Chevrolet Malibu?

Okay, sarcasm aside, the dealer experience, though important, should not speak for the quality of the brand itself. I understand that your new car left you stranded, but if you purchased this car, you must have liked it better than whatever toaster Toyota/Lexus had to offer. Is one problem (though somewhat a biggie) in 16,000 miles going to set you off on a Ralph Nader vs. Corvair tangent? Really?

By the way, please make sure to tell us what happened!

[Edaw 0]

Originally Posted by goodwrench1

Did it get fixed yet? What was wrong?

????

[MaxFleisher]

Was it out of gas?

[KS227]

Originally Posted by dominogold

Here's another little example... anytime you need service on a foreign car (which is usually just maintenance) they put you in a loaner that is at least as good, but usually better than the car you own. I have an 09 LTZ malibu with every option... and I am stuck driving a loaner that is a base model Chevy Cobalt that I can hardly even fit inside (I'm 6'4") which does not even have power locks or power windows. I had a nicer car in college 15 years ago.

Sorry about the problem with your Malibu, but currently my husband and I both drive foreign makes and our dealerships don't do loaners - period. Since we have such different work schedules, we schedule maintenance on either car for his day off so he can drop me off/pick me up at work in the other car. If one of the cars needs repair (unplanned) we have to borrow my father-in-law's spare car so both of us have transportation. Either way it's extremely inconvenient and I would love to have dealerships that offered loaners of any description! It doesn't need to be nice, it just needs to be reasonably safe and get me where I need to be until I get my car back.

With his Camry, our local Toyota dealership is a bunch of thieves, plus they don't offer a shuttle service to the next town over (where he works - it's all of 5 minutes away). So we drive 30 minutes to the dealership where it was purchased where they treat us right, but they don't do loaners.

My Volkswagen has needed several multi-day stints for repair and the dealership (where I bought it, BTW) doesn't offer a loaner or free rental, but I was welcome to rent from Enterprise on my own dime. Gee, thanks! To be fair another VW dealership that I have used has always offered a free rental for any service where they needed to keep the car overnight. Unfortunately they are a 30 minute drive and my AAA coverage has a limited towing radius, so lately I just muddle along with the horrible "local" dealership.

The Chevy dealership that ordered my new Equinox does offer loaners but I have no great expectations for what I might get if/when we need to have the 'Nox serviced. Really, I wouldn't expect a dealership to keep a small loaner fleet with the top trim levels - loaners are meant to be short term and are a courtesy offered by the dealership.

Going with an import is no guarantee of a dealership with a great loaner offering - really.

[solman98]

Originally Posted by dominogold

I had driven 3 Toyotas and 1 Lexus prior to making the leap to the Malibu. Of the 4 japanese cars owned, I had to replace 2 fuel pumps that froze and cracked in the winter.... out of 4 cars and 450,000 miles combined. That's it.

I figure that happening once would be rare, you had it happen twice? Frozen cracked fuel pump? You act like that good. Last fuel pump I replaced was on a 1979 2.8 Ford motor. That was in 1985 I think.

Originally Posted by dominogold

Compared to my first GM car just decides to quit running in the middle of the freeway after 6 months of driving and has to get towed to a dealer.... after a friend predicted this would happen because she had the same problem with her Malibu.

I'm sure it's only flash needed. As stated before, it's a machine. That's why they come with a warranty. It could have just floored itself, not allowing you to shut it off and killing other, like the problems the Camary currently has, and done.

Originally Posted by dominogold

So maybe you can understand that MY "GM Ownership Experience" so far can not even compare to my prior experience with Toyota or Lexus. Everything from the dealer to the service level to the car itself to the loaner car pails in comparison. It does. I have first hand knowledge of it. I really regret my decision thus far to buy a Malibu. I have no faith this car will be reliable and have good reasonable service..

You got good service from a Toyota department? How, you said they never break down? Somethings not right here.....

Originally Posted by dominogold

Here's another little example... anytime you need service on a foreign car (which is usually just maintenance) they put you in a loaner that is at least as good, but usually better than the car you own. I have an 09 LTZ malibu with every option... and I am stuck driving a loaner that is a base model Chevy Cobalt that I can hardly even fit inside (I'm 6'4") which does not even have power locks or power windows. I had a nicer car in college 15 years ago.

Last import I owned, they never even offered me a ride home. Loaners are part of the dealership, not the manufactor. If mine ever had to stay over night, I got a car. It's a loaner, personally I could care less if it was a Cobalt, or something else. It was never for more than a day anyway.

[linton23]

I have had 2 Mitsubishi Eclipse's and 1 Toyota Tacoma. They never provided a loaner all they offered was a shuttle bus to the mall then I had to get a ride back to the delaer. the Dealer I work for now has 2 loaners. We loan only to our customers. Of course we take better care of the loaners than the customers. We have had 5 loaner in the 10 years I have been here of those 3 have been wrecked by customers. The 2 we have now are a 1999 Buick Century and a 2003 Malibu classic be aware that the dealer has to pay for these cars not GM. We try and make the customers happy but you have to pay for all the fancy thing that you get at the big time dealers.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by dominogold

So maybe you can understand that MY "GM Ownership Experience" so far can not even compare to my prior experience with Toyota or Lexus. Everything from the dealer to the service level to the car itself to the loaner car pails in comparison. It does. I have first hand knowledge of it. I really regret my decision thus far to buy a Malibu. I have no faith this car will be reliable and have good reasonable service.

If you hate your Malibu so much, then give it to me. I'll actually appreciate it instead of expecting random things to go wrong just because it's American.

[Elvisuperman]

Wow, this thread got sour...

Anyway, what ended up being wrong with your Malibu???