Malibu Rated #1 in Initial Quality

[LT-1]

Originally Posted by DarkRaider

First off, there is no way you can get $6.5k depreciation on any car after 6yrs of use! Unless the person that brought it from you is clueless about cars. Yes, Toyota cars hold pretty good depreciation, unfortunately your 6.5k is rather an over exaggerated number. And $600 off a 2yr old car, are you kidding me again. I have Toyotas also, so I know what the resale values are. Even for fleet sales, Toyota doesn't go too low

Secondly, about someone commenting on leasing, GM cars on lease, residual affects your lease payments, given the pathetic resale values of GM cars, it adds onto your lease payments, unlike a toyota/honda, which has a high residual value (low depreciation).

Given GM is starting to move away from fleet sales, the resale values will get better, and also add on better quality, proven cars will also help. 08 model is a start, won't know until 3yrs from now, 5yrs from now. People need a reliability record to go on. The good thing about GM cars is, buying used gets you an awesome deal, and buying certain cars from the GM family helps. I think the previous model Malibu/Impala is not a bad buy used.

As far as GM not knowing where the Market is going, Honda/Toyota has been lucky. These are the same guys that started building huge SUVs (pilot/sequlia/etc) and Trucks (ridgeline/tundra) not to long ago. They must have been looking out the same crystal ball. GM's problem was, difficult to walk away from large suvs and trucks given the huge profit margins and ignored the low profit areas (small cars). Toyota and Honda started on small cars hence they perfected it, well they used to , now, they are just producing cars too fast and having unnecessary quality recalls, transmission issues,etc. I think more and more, Toyota is becoming another GM, and Honda is not far behind, quality going down hill.

The General has come along, competition is great, and falling to number 2 on the global sales is the best thing that happened to the General. Otherwise, they would justify keeping the same idiots in mgmt, etc and have no innovation,etc to carry the company foward.

Well for starters, I pay cash for my vehicles... unless the Manufacturer wants to lend me money for less than I can make with it on a CD, which happened on my 2001 Prerunner.

The last one was a 2001 Prerunner XtraCab V6 TRD, which I paid $19,995 for brand new, and sold in June 2007 for $14,000... to the first looker, and I had people in line if they didn't take it. But, it had 43,000 miles on it... FWIW

I've done the $1,000 a year depreciation, or less on several of them now... 1986, 1990, 1992, 1999, and the 2001.

One of the things that helps is that I can usually get a better deal new on a Toyota than anything else... well other than a Hyundai. I bought my 2007 Prerunner for $800 under invoice, for example.... and if I bought it right now I could save another $500 because of a rebate. Usually when manufacturers give away the new one, you can guarantee it will be worth nothing SOON. It's pretty amazing the Toyota formula works the opposite. I can probably go buy a brand new one for $2,000 less than every one I just saw advertised on Craigslist.

And if you haven't read any of my other posts... I guess you don't know I give Toyota just as much grief as I do GM. I just sent them another letter, chiding them on building a new bigger Tundra... saying "I TOLD YOU SO". I was invited to a preintroduction review of the Tundra, which reviewed it with all of its competitors. I lambasted it severely in my review, mostly because of it's behemoth size. It's not that hard, when you're my age, and having been thru this gas crisis thing this many times, to see that what we need are different kinds of vehicles... and so far GM or Toyota isn't going to build me an economical truck. When they both lose their A$$, I'm only concerned because I'm still stuck driving their gas hogs.

[prototype66]

Originally Posted by LT-1

Well for starters, I pay cash for my vehicles... unless the Manufacturer wants to lend me money for less than I can make with it on a CD, which happened on my 2001 Prerunner.

The last one was a 2001 Prerunner XtraCab V6 TRD, which I paid $19,995 for brand new, and sold in June 2007 for $14,000... to the first looker, and I had people in line if they didn't take it. But, it had 43,000 miles on it... FWIW

I've done the $1,000 a year depreciation, or less on several of them now... 1986, 1990, 1992, 1999, and the 2001.

One of the things that helps is that I can usually get a better deal new on a Toyota than anything else... well other than a Hyundai. I bought my 2007 Prerunner for $800 under invoice, for example.... and if I bought it right now I could save another $500 because of a rebate. Usually when manufacturers give away the new one, you can guarantee it will be worth nothing SOON. It's pretty amazing the Toyota formula works the opposite. I can probably go buy a brand new one for $2,000 less than every one I just saw advertised on Craigslist.

And if you haven't read any of my other posts... I guess you don't know I give Toyota just as much grief as I do GM. I just sent them another letter, chiding them on building a new bigger Tundra... saying "I TOLD YOU SO". I was invited to a preintroduction review of the Tundra, which reviewed it with all of its competitors. I lambasted it severely in my review, mostly because of it's behemoth size. It's not that hard, when you're my age, and having been thru this gas crisis thing this many times, to see that what we need are different kinds of vehicles... and so far GM or Toyota isn't going to build me an economical truck. When they both lose their A$$, I'm only concerned because I'm still stuck driving their gas hogs.

Your dreaming!

[Saturn69]

Originally Posted by prototype66

Your dreaming!

That's a lot nicer than I was going to be. Let's stick with yours. I think he has reached maximum fecal containment density.

[LT-1]

Originally Posted by Saturn69

That's a lot nicer than I was going to be. Let's stick with yours. I think he has reached maximum fecal containment density.

Well I am pretty anal... so challenge any point in what I wrote that you'd like... mostly likely I still have the documentation to prove it... LOL

I've been helping a friend look for a previous generation Tacoma xtra cab 4 cylinder with low miles the last few weeks, and they were hard to come by before $4 a gallon gas... now they're impossible. We've been looking throughout California and Arizona on Craigslist and cars.com. Last one he found was a 99 with 60K miles on it, advertised for $9,750... and by the time he called, it was sold. That Tacoma was similar to the 99 I had, which I paid $15,800 for brand new. Calculate the depreciation yourself. I just checked kbb.com to see what they say it's worth (somewhere around $7500-$8000 private party value). Doesn't surprise me that truck sold so quick, even at that price. I've sold every one of my Toyota pickups for over high book... but they were all low mileage and not from the rust belt. The formula would be different in Michigan, though it amazes me what people will pay there for rusty cars.

I sold Chevrolets for 3 years (for one of the largest dealers in Illinois), and I've owned over 50 cars (most of them GM), and bought at least that many for my friends and family. Car shopping is my FAVORITE thing to do I'm particuarly annoyed that now I have about $3,000 credit towards the purchase of a new GM car on my GM Mastercard now... and nothing to choose from, that I won't lose my arse on in 2 years. My last new GM vehicle was a 2002 Envoy SLT 4WD. Only lost $5000 per year in the 2 years I owned it, and it had less than 20K miles on it when I sold it, and not one door nick... and I felt damn lucky to even sell it. Every month GM increased the rebate on them another $1000... kinda like now

[PA Dweller]

^^Why would you get rid of a vehicle with only 20k miles on it?

[Saturn69]

Originally Posted by PA Dweller

^^Why would you get rid of a vehicle with only 20k miles on it?

Uh, hello...?

"......he has reached maximum fecal containment density."

[PA Dweller]

Originally Posted by Saturn69

Uh, hello...?

"......he has reached maximum fecal containment density."

Right, what was I thinking.

[LT-1]

Originally Posted by PA Dweller

^^Why would you get rid of a vehicle with only 20k miles on it?

1. Because I get bored with cars quick (manufacturers like people like me)
2. Because I was tired of watching it depreciate (the Tahoe before that depreciated even worse)
3. Because it was already having problems that weren't resolved under warranty after several attempts... and it didn't look like they'd ever get the little motors in the vents to figure out what they were supposed to do when I changed the HVAC controls... so I certainly wasn't going to own it after it was out of warranty
4. Because I found a good deal on a new Accord
5. and finally... because I can

Still have the Accord and it's never been back to the dealer. I think it has 18K on it now... so far it's depreciated less than $2K a year.

Just for fun, I just went to cars.com and did a search on Tacomas between 1998 and 2001, with under 60K miles on them... only 43 in the whole US, for starters... and I sold my 2001 Prerunner a year ago for less than what most of them are still advertised at.

[Saturn69]

Originally Posted by LT-1

1. Because I get bored with cars quick (manufacturers like people like me)
2. Because I was tired of watching it depreciate (the Tahoe before that depreciated even worse)
3. Because it was already having problems that weren't resolved under warranty after several attempts... and it didn't look like they'd ever get the little motors in the vents to figure out what they were supposed to do when I changed the HVAC controls... so I certainly wasn't going to own it after it was out of warranty
4. Because I found a good deal on a new Accord
5. and finally... because I can

Still have the Accord and it's never been back to the dealer. I think it has 18K on it now... so far it's depreciated less than $2K a year.

Just for fun, I just went to cars.com and did a search on Tacomas between 1998 and 2001, with under 60K miles on them... only 43 in the whole US, for starters... and I sold my 2001 Prerunner a year ago for less than what most of them are still advertised at.

Well hey, since you enjoy throwing money away, why not throw some at your local food bank or homeless shelter, or heck, throw some at me. You apparently don't want it or need it. I'll put it to good use, I promise.

[PA Dweller]

Originally Posted by Saturn69

Well hey, since you enjoy throwing money away, why not throw some at your local food bank or homeless shelter, or heck, throw some at me. You apparently don't want it or need it. I'll put it to good use, I promise.

If anyone has that much money they should invest in something that is going to make them money, maybe buy themselves a house or some land. Don't come on here and complain about the resale value of a GM vehicle. What I don't understand is if you can afford to buy a new vehicle and get rid of it with only 20k miles why would you complain about resale value? I would think that’s a non-issue. Or better yet if you want to change vehicles so often why not just lease?

I hope this guy doesn't come across the same problems that I had with our Accord, as seen on page 8. Expensive issues popping up by time the car was 6 years old with 50-55k miles. Not exactly the picture of perfect reliability. This guy can do whatever he wants, I really don't care. But to come on here, then complain, and not expect some flack is foolish. Grow a thicker skin and deal with criticism, welcome to the internet.

[BEEJAY1948]

Had a 77 Malibu Classic, 2004 Malibu LS V6, now have a 2006 Malibu SS, 0 problems, and will kick the crap out of any camray.

[PA Dweller]

Originally Posted by BEEJAY1948

Had a 77 Malibu Classic, 2004 Malibu LS V6, now have a 2006 Malibu SS, 0 problems, and will kick the crap out of any camray.

How is the braking performance on your 2004 and 2006 Malibu?

[akenaten]

If the Ecotec in the Malibu made a bit more power I'd buy one. I think it's a great looking car.

[PA Dweller]

Originally Posted by akenaten

If the Ecotec in the Malibu made a bit more power I'd buy one. I think it's a great looking car.

Most people are getting 30 MPG or even higher with the V6 on the highway.

[LAPTOP GAMER]

That's great, that is the next car we will be getting.