[zete]

A review of the 2008 Malibu in today's paper here in Ottawa. I'll give you the first paragraph and let you read the rest yourselves.

It's one thing for Chevrolet to say it's challenging Honda and Toyota, the benchmark brands in the tough, mid-sized sedan segment. However, when its all-new 2008 Malibu can not only match the Accord and Camry in areas critical to this market -- such as design, quality, quietness and value -- but actually set new standards, consumers should take notice.
​

Link.

 

[titanguy]

Gotta love it. Now let's hope the general public who don't pay enough attention, start to recognize GM is building some great cars again.

 

[markusername]

It's absolutely shocking that producing high quality, well designed, great cars leads to profits and high retail sales numbers.

Too bad it took the idiots at GM management 30 years to figure out the secret to making a competitive mid size car. Imagine where GM would be today if the 1998 Malibu was as good as the 1998 Accord.

 

[FenwickHockey65]

Good review.
Now if only I could get my hands on some of that noise reducing materials to install on my '07 Malibu...

 

[Exploder]

It's absolutely shocking that producing high quality, well designed, great cars leads to profits and high retail sales numbers.

Too bad it took the idiots at GM management 30 years to figure out the secret to making a competitive mid size car. Imagine where GM would be today if the 1998 Malibu was as good as the 1998 Accord.

Christ, posts like these bother me, yet I have no idea how to respond to them.

That's a pretty simple and fine review.

 

[zete]

Christ, posts like these bother me, yet I have no idea how to respond to them.

That's a pretty simple and fine review.

It's these types of simple reviews that will pull in more buyers. Folks don't want a lot of technical hype, they want to know what it's like as a daily driver.

Of course, where I rarely saw any a few months ago I see a few every day now. And they stand out. They're so nice. I'm glad Chevy has a quality mid-size sedan that's gorgeous inside and out with luxury touches like sound-proofing, etc. It's about time.

 

[nota]

Luxury touches like no glovebox light?

 

[plane]

Luxury touches like no glovebox light?

Exactly.
That's right at the top of everyone's list.
Right at the top.

 

[FenwickHockey65]

Luxury touches like no glovebox light?

Okay...
I'm pretty sure the lack of nav. is a much more pressing issue...

 

[marinerbc]

My hometown newspaper Auto Journalist like it. But like Mikey, most Canadian auto writers hate EVERYTHING GM.

If the Malibu can impress her, then my friends, we have arrived.

The perception battle can now be seriously joined.

 

[Old Dood]

Good review.
Now if only I could get my hands on some of that noise reducing materials to install on my '07 Malibu...

I have noise reducing materials on my 07 XLE.
They put this Astro-Turf stuff in the wheel wells.

Well, it works....
It does...I am not Joshing you all....hehe!

 

[espo19047]

Luxury touches like no glovebox light?

When ths is all they can find to knock the Malibu It tells me it is a winner...

 

[dindak]

Given I am starting to look for a new car I checked out a Malibu LT2 on the weekend. What a nice car, I only wish it had climate control. I want the V6 version but the 4 banger certainly seems to be making more and more sense with oil going through the roof.

 

[mikmak]

Given I am starting to look for a new car I checked out a Malibu LT2 on the weekend. What a nice car, I only wish it had climate control. I want the V6 version but the 4 banger certainly seems to be making more and more sense with oil going through the roof.

Woah! Really? Check the seals.

 

[steinravnik]

When ths is all they can find to knock the Malibu It tells me it is a winner...

In the new Consumers Reports auto issue, they were knocking the G6 for having a poorly finished trunk, with exposed wires. I don't recall them in the past criticizing the finish detail of trunks. When CR starts reviewing and comparing the fit and finish of trunks, they're really scraping the bottom of the barrel.

 

[nota]

Exactly.
That's right at the top of everyone's list.
Right at the top.

Seems to be right down the bottom of Chevy's to-do list.

So what is their reason for the omission - did they just forget?

I haven't seen a 'fully loaded' car without this basic feature since the early 1960s.

 

[teaffns]

I owned a 2006 Malibu 3.5L LT very briefly....like six months. I even bought the car brandnew from the showroom floor.

Anyways, at 12,000 miles....the a/c quit working. The dealer said it was low on freeon and there was an electrical short making the a/c non-operational. Warranty issue

20,000 miles....I brought the car in to have tires rotated. They said the whole front end was wore out and was needing replaced. They even said that a tie-rod end was bad and the car was unsafe to drive. All struts, tie-rod ends, and the steering gear were all replaced. Could have been extremely expensive if not still under warranty.

There was also little rubber pad behind the ignition. This pad keeps the keys from banging against the dash while driving. Well, the pad kept falling off. Just plain crappy! There was also flutter noise in the dash while driving it down any road.

My biggest real complaint though...the doors would not stay open. A small gust of wind would shut the door. If the car was parked on just the slightest incline...the door would shut. I hated reaching into the car and the door slaming shut on my legs.

After that last major repair and when the car was still in the shop....I decided to trade for something better. A front end should have lasted much longer than 20,000 miles...especially since the car was driven easily and only on paved roads as well.

The only good thing about the Malibu....it was good on gas mileage though. I talked to several other owners and others have had the same problems....so it's not just me.

 

[plane]

Seems to be right down the bottom of Chevy's to-do list.

So what is their reason for the omission - did they just forget?

I haven't seen a 'fully loaded' car without this basic feature since the early 1960s.

Have you driven a Malibu?
Have you ridden in a Malibu?
Is pulling items out of your glove box your primary activity while driving a car?
I'm trying to get a feel how much of a deal-breaker this is for you.
Not that there are map lights two and half feet away, the glovebox is at least 8 inches deep after all.

http://www.chevrolet.com/comparator...e=Honda&cmpModelID=5565&cmpModelTrimID=23069&

I'm starting to see many new Malibus in this area.
Not a bad looking car at all.

 

[marinerbc]

I owned a 2006 Malibu 3.5L LT very briefly....like six months. I even bought the car brandnew from the showroom floor.

Anyways, at 12,000 miles....the a/c quit working. The dealer said it was low on freeon and there was an electrical short making the a/c non-operational. Warranty issue

20,000 miles....I brought the car in to have tires rotated. They said the whole front end was wore out and was needing replaced. They even said that a tie-rod end was bad and the car was unsafe to drive. All struts, tie-rod ends, and the steering gear were all replaced. Could have been extremely expensive if not still under warranty.

There was also little rubber pad behind the ignition. This pad keeps the keys from banging against the dash while driving. Well, the pad kept falling off. Just plain crappy! There was also flutter noise in the dash while driving it down any road.

My biggest real complaint though...the doors would not stay open. A small gust of wind would shut the door. If the car was parked on just the slightest incline...the door would shut. I hated reaching into the car and the door slaming shut on my legs.

After that last major repair and when the car was still in the shop....I decided to trade for something better. A front end should have lasted much longer than 20,000 miles...especially since the car was driven easily and only on paved roads as well.

The only good thing about the Malibu....it was good on gas mileage though. I talked to several other owners and others have had the same problems....so it's not just me.

Super that you got out of that Piece of Crap and bought a real car. Thanks for sharing that with us, because we all know that there has been absolutely no changes whatsoever between the 2006 Malibu and the 2008 model.

You are a model for us all in how you drive and behave, and we thank you for saving us from making the huge mistake of buying a 2008 Malibu. :tup::

Have you driven a Malibu?

Uh....he isn't sure.

Have you ridden in a Malibu?

He saw one parked at a store once.

Is pulling items out of your glove box your primary activity while driving a car?

:

I'm trying to get a feel how much of a deal-breaker this is for you.
Not that there are map lights two and half feet away, the glovebox is at least 8 inches deep after all.

http://www.chevrolet.com/comparator...e=Honda&cmpModelID=5565&cmpModelTrimID=23069&

It's huge in the daytime, mainly.

I'm starting to see many new Malibus in this area.
Not a bad looking car at all.

In the last couple of weeks, they've become a lot more visible around here too. And that given that they're much more expensive in The People's Democratic Republic of Ice Floes than they are in the US.

 

[plane]

marinerbc,

Well said!

In the last couple of weeks, they've become a lot more visible around here too. And that given that they're much more expensive in The People's Democratic Republic of Ice Floes than they are in the US.

That needs to change yesterday.
Pricing needs to be fair. Period.
And then everyone wins.
Because of the declining U.S. dollar, GM vehicles should become more affordable for Canadians, not remain the same or become less affordable.