Used 2005 Malibu Classic
I was all set to buy this car but I bought a Carfax report and it shows a front impact with airbag deployment, during it's first year of use as a rental. There is about a year from the wreck to when the present owner bought it. The current owner has had it from 12000 miles to the present 47000 miles.
The car looks almost like new and drives nice but I didn't get it up to highway speeds. The price is a little under $6000.
I called the guy back and said I have to give it another look over before making up my mind. I'm gonna at least make sure the airbag light is working right.
Should I run away from this thing?

Another Malibu for sale in the neighborhood is a 2001 V6 72000 miles with a cracked windshield, minor rust starting under the door seam, worn tires, a noise that sounds like a wheel bearing, A/C needs a charge. $2500. My offer of $2000 was turned down. It runs and drives fine and I can handle most of the repairs but wife wants me to get the 2005.

I can find plenty of decently priced used Malibu's with way over 100000 miles but without paying full dealer retail these two are the best values I can find.
JohnD

Does it have a salvage title??? That would be the deciding factor on the price.

Keep looking and stay away from rentals ;)

I bought it.
It does not appear to have a salvage title. Hopefully the CarFax would have shown that. It was only a rental for one year.
I looked it over and test drove it again. I made sure all the indicator lights and chimes behaved properly, specially the air bag light. Tried to lay on the ground and look under the front but couldn't see much. Looked carefully under the hood. The core support, if that's the term, above the radiator, shows no evidence of being repaired. Couldn't see any evidence of any repairs being done anywhere. Couldn't see any paint mismatch. Can't even tell if anything was repainted. The tires all match and have equal wear. Took it up to 70mph on the highway and check to see if it tracked straight on the inside and outside lane. There isn't one oil spot on the owners pristine driveway in front of his neat as a pin home. I don't think he would drive a bad car for 3+ years. My Geo Metro has over 200000 miles and is about to rust in half. I took a chance. Price was a factor. I paid $5800. I wish it wasn't green.
John

Well good luck, congrats and enjoy.

Picture posted

No real problems with the used 2005 so far. There's a rattle in the dash somewhere above the glove box. The radio dial's too dim in daylight. I got my first scratch by backing against a post that was too low to see. It scrapped along the rear quarter a few inches right at the bumper. It's not a dent but the paint is scrapped. I rubbed it out but you can still see it. It doesn't jump out at you if you don't know where to look.
I'm about to buy my 3rd tank of gas. I got 29+ mpg on the first tank and 31+ on the 2nd. I wouldn't call it city or highway driving, more like suburban. The dash indicator is about 2.5 higher than actual. I didn't write it down and can't remember the tenths.

I sold my Geo Metro for $400 after disclosing everything I knew that was wrong with it. It was really shot with 201000 miles, but everything still worked, sort of, even the AC, and it ran good. Driving it was becoming a quality of life issue.