Im the owner of a 2009 Malibu LT1, and it will be 2 years old this september. It has almost 40,000 miles on it, and a list of minor and major problems to date, so many that I cant remember all of them. Sometimes when I drive the car, I love it, but, other days, like today I cant wait to get rid of it.

So heres the question for all of you: If you had to buy a new car in todays market, would you buy the Malibu again? Why or why not?

I know I wouldn't get another Malibu, I would get something else, like a Terrain or Equinox for their look, and so far great durability and reliability.

What about you guys?

I would purchase a 2010 LTZ (if I could). Mainly for newer features but my 08 has been trouble free these 2 years. Kinda depends on your experience with these cars, whether you've had a good or bad IMO decides if you'll get back in one.

I've had my 2010 LT 1 for almost 6 months now, and it has right at 6,500 miles on it. I am well pleased with the car so far. In saying that I'm pleased with it, I'm considering what it cost, the features offered for the price, as well as its comfort, performance, and style.

I really would have liked a V6 LTZ, but considering the fact this car will get a lot of miles put on it, be suffered to the indignations of a college campus parking lot (I teach Special Ed), the LT 1 was a good choice for me. In fact, and this is my opinion only, once you go past the LT 1, the Malibu becomes less of a good value. On the other hand, the LS is a little too plain.

I've owned cars that were cheaper as well as ones that were much more expensive than the Malibu. One, in particular was an 05 LaCrosse CXS that was a major disappointment with rattles, road noise, an engine that burned close to 2 quarts of oil every 1,000 miles and a transmission that wouldn't shift gears correctly. Sometimes, I would have to pull over, shut the car off, and restart it to get the transmission shifting right. (That meant something electronic, but the dealership never could fix it)

My point is, no matter which car you buy, there could be a chance that you get one that is not up to par with what it should be. Spending more or less, or buying one particular make does not make one immune from that.

If I had it to do over again, would I get another Malibu? Yes, I think I would.

Mr. Bill
Hamlet, NC

After my 2004 ION (guinea pig for the Delta platform), I guess I put more into my Malibu than my previous purchases. Since the 2008 redesign, I had been biding my time for the bugs to be worked out until I pulled the trigger on the 2010 midyear model. In the mean time, I came across a number of trivia that affected my decision. For example, did you know that 2.4L is paired with the 6T40 transaxle assembled in Korea/China whereas 3.6L is paired with the beefier 6T70 assembled in the US? As far as I'm concerned, neither of these newfangled 6-speeds has anything over the tried and true 4T45 in my Malibu.

I've certainly noticed some cosmetic problems (fitment issues) with my Malibu. But, I haven't had any mechanical issues. All in all, I think I got much more of a vehicle than I paid for (with exact options I wanted, no more, no less). If I have to do it over, I'm not sure what I would do different.

I really like my 09 2LT V6 Malibu but if I was to do it again - I would have waited and bought a '11 Mustang.

My '09 V6/A6 has had only minor issues. Mechanically it is sound so far. I love the way it handles, performs, and looks. Would I do it again? Certainly, but with a pragmatic eye! Reading the various issues suffered by different ones, keeping in mind that nobody makes a perfect product, and taking into account my experiences thus far, I'd either get another 'Bu or get the Regal GS concept that's due to hit the streets next year.

I'd also already know that I'd be lowering the vehicle and increasing the sway bar sizes, just to start. And it'd be Red Jewel Tintcoat. And another V6/A6.

Either that or I'd go for the Impala if I started taking more people with me on camera outings and needed more trunk room plus easier egress. But for just me, 'Bu/GS, please.

Not 100% sure yet. I like the car alot, and only real issue I have had was the steering issues they had to fix twice. I like the way it looks, and the interior is nice. For what it is the power is good too. I wish the A6 was better sorted, and they had some kinda real sport suspension option like Audi and BMW have. If I had to do it all over again since it is just a daily driver (have a weekend car, and the wife has the car we use for errands and trips etc) I think would have gotten something smaller, and more fun to drive that still gets decent mileage like a Mazdaspeed 3, WRX or GTI.

I've owned Oldsmobiles before, so I went with the Malibu because I had liked GM. But after owning the Malibu, Chevrolet is now off my list of brands that I would choose in the future. For the price that I paid, close to $30,000 new, I've had too many problems with this car.

I do like the styling, and the stance of the Malibu LTZ, it is a very pretty car and I take good care of it (wax it often, clean every crevice, maintain the mechanicals, etc).

Just like crm2019 said... "Sometimes when I drive the car, I love it, but, other days, like today I cant wait to get rid of it."

When I see its reflection in a storefront, I smile a little bit because it makes me look good.

But I hate driving it because it feels like it will fall apart. Both Oldsmobiles that I've owned (a Delta 88 Royle & Cutlass Supreme S) lasted 15-20 years. This Malibu doesn't feel like it will last that long (but we'll see). I read in a car magazine once that stated... "GM cars run bad longer than most imports run at all." I wish this car was solidly built, there are just too many squeaks.

The problems that I've had are...

~Transmission seal was leaking, was replaced.
~Front drivers side wheel bearing was replaced.
~Front brakes seem to warp prematurely, and make noise.
~Fuel injector #6 was sticking, was replaced.
~Horrible feel when steering to the right, makes a rubber squeegee noise, which every passenger can hear. Took it to the dealer 3 times, and they come up with excuses that they can't feel/hear it.
~3 door locks won't go down into the door on hot days, need to walk around the car and check each door, very embarrassing on such a new car.
~A/C & regular ventilation smells musty.
~In the winter, rear dash CONSTANTLY makes a squeaking noise.
~This space is reserved for the next problem I will have.
~This space is reserved for the problem that I will have after the next problem.


So to conclude... this car irks me. Its like a sexy girl that has issues. I won't buy another Malibu, or a Chevrolet again.

Im the owner of a 2009 Malibu LT1, and it will be 2 years old this september. It has almost 40,000 miles on it, and a list of minor and major problems to date, so many that I cant remember all of them. Sometimes when I drive the car, I love it, but, other days, like today I cant wait to get rid of it.

So heres the question for all of you: If you had to buy a new car in todays market, would you buy the Malibu again? Why or why not?

I know I wouldn't get another Malibu, I would get something else, like a Terrain or Equinox for their look, and so far great durability and reliability.

What about you guys?


What type of problems did you have? My Malibu is great. No problems at all.
I've owned a lot of cars, most of them Caddy's, and I have to rate the Malibu right up there.

I can't stand SUV's. They were supposed to be used for limited purposes and everyone's got one. I have a new car buying guide for '95 and they mention not to fall into the SUV trap - this is when they were first starting to be the trend. I can't stand that GM downsized their beautiful cars from the '70's and '80's to get better MPG and now, you have all these gas guzzling SUV's that all look the same, are ugly, are were not made to navigate in city conditions. It makes no sense that they stopped making beautiful cars like the Fleetwood Brougham, or the Eldorado and they make an Escalade.

Those land yachts are just as bad as SUV's. IMO.

In fact, and this is my opinion only, once you go past the LT 1, the Malibu becomes less of a good value. On the other hand, the LS is a little too plain.

Mr. Bill
Hamlet, NC

It depends on what cars you previously had. My previous car was a Caddy CTS. I was considering the LT1, but it was missing so many of the features that my previous car had and I was used to. That's when I decided to get the LT2. It had all of the features that the CTS had plus several others it didn't have. Also, I wanted the Red Jewel Tintcoat paint and the Bose Radio and these features weren't available on the LT1.

Either though I went from a Caddy to Chevy, I didn't feel like I was taking a step down with the LT2.

When comparing an LTZ to similarly equipped luxury models such as the Caddy CTS or Lincoln MKZ, you're getting a fully equipped car in the LTZ for $15K less. You can't have a better value than that.

Those land yachts are just as bad as SUV's. IMO.

Gotta disagree. My issue with SUV's is that you can't see over/around them.

Other than a couple of problems with less than a 1000 miles on our 08 it has been trouble free. Going on two years now. It gets good gas mileage, looks sharp compared to the competing brands and handles well. I haven't felt the need for a performance suspension since it pretty much does what I want it to do when I throw it into a corner.

Bill

I probably wouldn't. It's a nice car, but it does have two flaws that would steer me away:

1. Small trunk opening
2. Steering. It's just too numb even with the hydraulic setup. I found that it makes it harder to drive because of the lack of feedback. At some point I drove the bu and our old sentra on the same day, sentra first. And after switching to bu and going on the same highway I felt clearly how now much easier that old poc sentra was to keep straingt. Also, my Endeavor steers way better too. Shouldn't be like this.

I probably wouldn't. It's a nice car, but it does have two flaws that would steer me away:

1. Small trunk opening
2. Steering. It's just too numb even with the hydraulic setup. I found that it makes it harder to drive because of the lack of feedback. At some point I drove the bu and our old sentra on the same day, sentra first. And after switching to bu and going on the same highway I felt clearly how now much easier that old poc sentra was to keep straingt. Also, my Endeavor steers way better too. Shouldn't be like this.

Trunk opening doesn't bother me, and that is something you can see before you buy the car. So if it was an issue, the car should have been crossed of your list IMO.

As for the steering, I agree, not so hot. But I must say replacing the tires with something more performance minded like I did made a huge difference. Alot of the issues, like the crown sensitivity is not the car, but the OEM tires. The Good Year Eagle LS2's were really not to good, and I know Good Year can do better as the Eagle GSD3's on my Camaro are great.

Trunk opening doesn't bother me, and that is something you can see before you buy the car. So if it was an issue, the car should have been crossed of your list IMO.

you can see that but it's still a drawback.
for me it was not much an issue before the baby was born. at that point it became a major problem.
...Generally, I don't think I will be buying sedans anymore. Just doesn't work out for us.

As for the steering, I agree, not so hot. But I must say replacing the tires with something more performance minded like I did made a huge difference. Alot of the issues, like the crown sensitivity is not the car, but the OEM tires. The Good Year Eagle LS2's were really not to good, and I know Good Year can do better as the Eagle GSD3's on my Camaro are great.

That may very well be true. However, I drove a fair number of cars that steer significantly better with all kinds of worn pos tires. Not expensive cars either, so something just doesn't seem right.

Anyway, Bu is a nice car and I would happily drive it more of it wasn't for the change in our requirements. But, there's certain taste of 'work-in-progress' that I can't quite shake. Great start, but fine tuning is in order. Fix the steering, recalibrate the tranny on higher speeds and there's no stopping the Malibu.

I would buy another Bu in a heart beat, bought my LTZ in June 08 and it has 14K troublefree miles on her, hasn't been to the dealer since the day I bought her :D:D:D

Great question. I look at my '09 LTZ 4L/A6 as an appliance; eg: it gets me to work, the grocery store, etc. at low cost, everyday. I bought it to be a "dishwasher", nothing more, nothing less.

For the deal I got on it I probably would buy a Malibu again, but not the configuration I have.

I bought my '09 LTZ in April of '09 as a GM Certified used car with 16,000 miles for $21K. I've got warranty up to 48,000 miles, I now have 38,500 on the car. If it didn't I probably wouldn't have bought it as American warranties are pretty weak.

I've had mine in the shop several times; squeaky suspension bushings 34K, worn out F and R brakes at 34K, worn out ball joints 34K, cam shaft servo broken 31K, brake booster leaking 31K, etc. Too many repairs for a low mile car. These things should last 60K at least.

Things I don't like about the car include;

1) nervous transmission - the 6 spd is ALWAYS shifting. I think a lower profile tire will help; the overall transmission ratios seem too high for a gutless motor. All the shifting kills the mileage.

2) Unimpressive mileage. I average between 19 and 21, this is a joke for a 4. On the freeway the highest I've ever gotten is 28.5, and that is sticking to 70 mph. My '03 MB E500 got better mixed mileage, and that was a 5 liter V8. In hind sight I should have bought the V6. I suspect that the 6 would solve the nervous tranny problem and pretty much get the same mileage. My wife's '09 Mazda 6 with a 6 averages 21.5 in Houston traffic.

3) Gutless motor - In Austin, TX I've got the A/C on for most of the year, combine that will a 90+ degree day, two adults, a kid, bags...and this car is a joke. To get it moving; ie: pass - I've got to totally step on it. If I don't it will down shift once, then a second time...make a bunch of noise and finally begin to pick up speed. So now I simply pin it. Well that results in a 2 second downshift cycle. Yes I need a V6, as the 4 will not hold a gear and pull. I really don't like the paddle shifters either, I rather have a manual if that is the case.

4) Stupid tire size and tires - Basically no one makes a good tire in this size. The key is to drop down to a 45 series for a better selection and better prices. What is it with American mfgs and Goodyear? Goodyears are really bad tires as a whole, and this particular tire is really bad. Slick as snot in the rain. It is amazing the difference a good tire makes on the whole driving experience. Why do US mfgs insist on still using tall tires?

What do I like? Well the brakes are okay, the interior is okay, I'm hooked on XM radio, the exterior is a nice design, it is super quiet (I really like that), the ride is controlled and comfortable. Friends are impressed by the car in general, most expect it to be a typical Detroit POS.

So that brings us full circle, would I buy it again? Only if I got the deal I got in an LTZ V6, otherwise I'd buy a used BWM 5 series.

At this point I would say "Yes". I've had my Malibu for just over 1 year, bought it brand new, and have just over 11K. I've only had 1 minor problem (blue tooth connectivity) so far.

Things I like:

1. Great looking exterior and interior
2. Very quiet at all speeds
3. Build quality seems very good
4. Excellent value/high value features

Things I would change

1. Trunk opening is too small
2. More aggressive transmission programming - wish it had a sport mode or something similar.
3. Door panel plastic is a little harsh - could use some padding inserts.
4. Vague steering, especially at highway speeds.

2009 Malibu 2LT
4-cyl/6-speed
Silver Ice Metallic/Titanium Ultralux

Wow this is great feedback. Today, I bit the bullet, and traded in my Malibu - something I've been waiting to do for over a year now (ever since the total transmission replacement last July, but thats for another thread). I went to a local dealer that had an 07 TrailBlazer, and do I traded for it. I couldnt be happier! The Trailblazer was what I really wanted to get when I got the Bu, but I couldnt do it at the time as I was driving over 100 miles a day for work, and now im only driving 35. Ill post some pics, and a parting wrap up of my malibu in the next couple days.

Wow this is great feedback. Today, I bit the bullet, and traded in my Malibu - something I've been waiting to do for over a year now (ever since the total transmission replacement last July, but thats for another thread). I went to a local dealer that had an 07 TrailBlazer, and do I traded for it. I couldnt be happier! The Trailblazer was what I really wanted to get when I got the Bu, but I couldnt do it at the time as I was driving over 100 miles a day for work, and now im only driving 35. Ill post some pics, and a parting wrap up of my malibu in the next couple days.

Congrats on the TB, just happy to hear your driving what better suits your needs now and that your able to do it.:)

My 2009 LT1 just turned 1 year old with ~10K miles. Other than some occasional sqeaks/noises, I haven't had any problems. Only been to the dealer for free oil changes.

Likes:
- Rides like a more expensive car (much better than a 2004 Malibu). Doesn't bounce/crash over tar strips and potholes.
- Still looks great - no issues with fit or finish
- Love 18" Chrometec wheels. Could care less that they're not "real" aluminum wheels.
- Paddle shifters. They're don't shift fast, but I like using them to hold a gear.
- Power from 2.4 is sufficient for me. I don't feel the car is underpowered.
- Gas mileage is very good with 2.4
- Tire pressure and oil life readouts.

Dislikes:
- Wish trunk was deeper, but hey, I knew that *before* I bought the car.
- Wish rear visibility was better, but hey I knew that *before* I bought the car.
- 6 speed transmission doesn't always shift smoothly, particularly the 1-2-1 shift.

Other:
Gotten used to electric power steering.

Would I do it again? Yes, though I might've sprung for the LTZ instead.

I did hedge my bets and just got a GM warranty. An additional 6 year, 60K with $0 deductible for ~$900. Maybe a waste of money, but I'd rather have the piece of mind and not worry about stuff breaking after the original warranties expire. This way, I can just drive and enjoy the car.

For me i got my Bu used. I fell in love with the Bu when it first rolled into a commercial. That was in 08. I got mine May of this year. I tell you, i have a smile on my face each time certain turner cars try to out run me on the freeway. I let them have 5-6 car lengths, then i'd punch it. I can tell they are trying hard to keep up. I brake after passing them up 8-10 car lengths just to watch them past up by me. That tells me they know my Bu can out run them. If they double brake ahead of me, then i know they want some more. Keep in mind i'm rolling in a 4banger. Had i rolled into a 6, i feel it wouldn't be fair to have a 4banger tuner car go against a 6banger. Don't get me wrong, i know there is some strong 4bangers out there on the roads. I just look for the ones that try to act like their turner car is the sh**, with just looks and roll with a chick in the passenger side. These type of guys i know are just guys that look at other cars in turner mags and copy what they see in the mags. Come on, if your going to be a tuner, at least be the one that knows how to install a CAI. Or simple one, be the guy that tells everyone that he bolted on that cat back exhaust himself. I've meet guys at the turner scene tell me they had a muffler shop install it for them. These are the same guys that ask Mom and Dad to buy their parts for them because they don't have a job. What makes me laugh inside myself is i know they don't have a tool box at home to repair any damages they do to their rides.

Sorry i drifted off the topic, i was just thinking back to my younger years. Now a days i'm happy i purchased my Lt1. Its gotten me to point A to point B and some more on the side.
Yes i'd do it again.

The car runs good for me and does everything I need it to, but it doesn't excite me at all. After running my 06 Cobalt SS for 4 years I got used to an involved and exhilarating drive. If I want a little fun in the Malibu it consists of using the paddles, but they are so unresponsive it kills all the joy.

Knowing what I do now, if I could go back to March I would have kept the Cobalt and found a way to live with the less-than-adequate cargo and passenger space.

I have about 35,350 miles on my 2008 2LT, and haven't had any issues at all. I love my car, and would defenitley buy the same car again, I would however get a V-6 instead of the 4-cylinder. I wish I had more power, but otherwise love the car.

I traded in my 04 Monte Carlo on my 09 Malibu and I love it. The car gets great gas milage is quiet comfortable to drive and I have not had ANY problems with it. Yes I would buy it again. I hate foregn cars and would not be caught dead in one .