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Chevrolet Malibu vs. Toyota Camry vs. Honda Accord

804 messages,  Last post on Mar 07, 2011 at 4:52 PM

You are in the Chevrolet Malibu Forum.

What is this discussion about? Toyota Camry, Chevrolet Malibu, Honda Accord, Car Comparisons, Sedan

Messages Page 4 of 81

#25 of 804 Re: I've had both [lovetocamp] by malexbu

Mar 06, 2007 (9:24 pm)

Replying to: lovetocamp (Mar 06, 2007 8:18 pm)
,--- elroy5 [ Mar 06, 2007 (7:16 pm) ]
|
| This statement is very familiar. It's the same thing they said about
| the 97-02 Malibu. In 97 it was named "Car of the year" and was
| "recomened" by Consumer Reports. I have experience with the 01
| Malibu, and it is a very crude car.
 
I guess we should be concerned with the new (2004+) Malibu now that we
are in the year 2007
 
| "Quality and Refinement" are not words I would use to describe the Malibu.
 
You speak from the personal experience with a Malibu 2004+?
 
| Some people are not concerned with quality and refinement, and just
| want a basic A to B car. I am totally ok with that. Everyone has
| their own wants and needs. I do appreciate Quality and Refinement,
| and I am willing to pay extra for it.
 
And if Q&R were coming on the cheap, you'd mind?
 
Seriously, do you have anything to say about Malibu 2004+ based not on
your reading but on the owning or at least driving?
 
| The Malibu competes well with cars in it's own price range.
 
What else could Chevy wish?
 
| It does not compete well at all, with the Accord IMO.
 
Does Accord compete well with BMW? Wanna say that Accord and BMW are
in different price ranges? Malibu should beat the cars 1.5 (or 2?)
times more expensive, but the same should not apply to Accord?
 
,-- lovetocamp [ Mar 06, 2007 (7:18 pm) ]
|
| I had a 10 year old Toyota that was still worth $5,000. I've had 3
| year old Chevy's that weren't worth that much.
 
Chevy and Toyota's depreciation are clearly different and if this is
the determining factor in buying, well, one should go to Toyota
without hesitation. But this is not everybody's significant factor --
not for me, in particular.
 
What about the "price to quality" ratios in the new cars? How does,
say, base Malibu 2006 sedan stack up against a base Camry or Accord?
This is a serios question -- I don't know the answer. I *feel* as if
I know it -- but I don't know for a fact.
 
Obviously, Camry and Accord are excellent cars -- one needs to spend
just a little time in each to feel that. But so Malibu feels to many.
 
Obviously, Camry and Accord have excellent reliability reputions
(disputed at times, at least for the new Camry, AFAIU). But so Malibu
apparently does (and read Edmunds.com for that, not the joke of
"Consumer Report", please).
 
If you placed a new base Camry and Accord in front of me and said,
"Pick one -- it's yours for the same money" (let's say, "free"), I
wouldn't know which one to pick. I'd need to do some research to make
the decision. (I'd probably end up with the Accord, but I am not
quite certain.)
 
If you did the same placing a base Malibu and one of Camry or Accord
in front of me -- "Take either -- same price", I would not hesitate a
moment -- I'd pick the Camry or Accord on the spot. Not because I have
reservations about Malibu (I don't). Not because I *know* that
Camcord is a better car (I don't). Just because for the same price a
Camcord would be a better deal than Malibu (and, as opposed to a
similar imaginary experiment with Malibu agains Cadillac, I wouldn't
need to worry about the anti-Malibu repairs).
 
But this is *for the same price*. In real life, a base Malibu is
vastly less expensive than a Camcord, with no established inferiority
I am aware of. So, why should I pay more to buy the latter? To
possibly get some of my money back in 10 years?.. Sorry, there are
better investment ideas than that -- kid yourself if you wish but I'll
park my $7K+ elsewhere and in 10 years we'll see if you are able to
sell your Camry for $7K+ more than I will my Malibu.
 
Am I wrong with the numbers? Counterarguments, anybody?

#26 of 804 A loaded Honda Accord is $24k these days by thegraduate

Mar 07, 2007 (11:28 am)

How much is a loaded Malibu? I don't know how much these cars are going for. Someone care to tell me? I'd assume a loaded Malibu SS would compete best with the Accord (it comes closest to horsepower with the Accord (Honda has 244), still doesn't have a 5-speed auto though.

#27 of 804 Re: I've had both [malexbu] by dtownfb

Mar 07, 2007 (1:29 pm)

Replying to: malexbu (Mar 06, 2007 9:24 pm)
LIke Elroy5, I also owned a 2001 Malibu. Traded it in Dec. 2004. The only reason we selcted this car over the 2001 Accord is to save $25 per month. One of the dumbest mistakes I made. Neith my wife or I were happy with that car. And too many problems in 2.5 years and 32k miles. I still haven't found out why the car completely cut off while driving 70 mph on route 78 in NJ.
 
Even the current model Malibu is below the quality of the Accord and Camry. Haven't driven one (and don't want to) but sat in one at a recent car show. The Camry and Accord are a bit nicer. The fact they can sell them for a couple of thousand more for similar trim level tells me others agree. Remember Americans vote with their pocketbooks.
 
The 2008 Malibu looks promising but it will take a couple model years before oyu see sales rise. It's takes time for people to forget a bad experience. Not sure what you are reading in the Malibu forum but I see a lot of issues that are carried over form other GM models (alternator, electrical issues) and previous generation Malibus. Maybe the joke, CR, is right.

#28 of 804 Re: I've had both [malexbu] by bateejeff

Mar 07, 2007 (3:14 pm)

Replying to: malexbu (Mar 06, 2007 9:24 pm)
To malexbu,
I respectfully disagree with your assessment of potential saving by buying a malibu vs. a Camry. Based on my experience with 2001 Malibu ($4000 in repairs and tow truck in just 5 years!), I doubt that you can park the $7K of the so-called "saving" for long as an investment. I bet you will have to pay a hefty early withdrawal penalty to get money out of your CD in order to pay for the reparing and towing of your Malibu. Based on my 2001 Malibu, I would estimate that within 10 years you might have spend more than $7K in repairs plus tow truck bills. And then, when you sell or trade in your Malibu, you will literally get nothing as compared to a few grands you might get if you sell or trade in a 10-year old Camry. It is simple math which doesn't need a Ph.D. to figure out.

#29 of 804 Re: I've had both [malexbu] by elroy5

Mar 07, 2007 (3:14 pm)

Replying to: malexbu (Mar 06, 2007 9:24 pm)
kid yourself if you wish but I'll
park my $7K+ elsewhere and in 10 years we'll see if you are able to
sell your Camry for $7K+ more than I will my Malibu.
 
Where do you get these numbers from? The base Malibu is $17,100, and the base Camry is $18,500. Are you comparing the base Malibu to a "top of the line" Camry? Talk about different classes. Sure, you can pay $7k more for a Camcord if you want every option available. The Malibu is no competition for these models.
 
I sold my 12 year old Accord (140k miles) for $5,000. You would be lucky to get that for a Malibu half that old, with half the miles. Can't exactly compare the 12 year old Accord to a 12 year old Malibu because there is no such thing as a 12 year old Malibu.

#30 of 804 Re: I've had both [elroy5] by bateejeff

Mar 07, 2007 (3:27 pm)

Replying to: elroy5 (Mar 07, 2007 3:14 pm)
To elroy,
Based on my experience with my 2001 Malibu, I totally agree with you. As I mentioned in my early messages, I bought a brand-new 2001 Malibu in 2001. Had innumerable problems, some of which couldn't be fixed by Chevy dealerships. Got bogged down on the road nemerous times (a very embarrassing and humiliating situation). Spent almost $4000 in repare plus tow trucks within 5 years. Traded in for less than $3000 in 2006 (The car was only 5 year old with only 60,000 miles). What a classic piece of junk they built!

#31 of 804 Re: I've had both [dtownfb] by bateejeff

Mar 07, 2007 (3:34 pm)

Replying to: dtownfb (Mar 07, 2007 1:29 pm)
To dtownfb,
How dare you complained about your 2001 Malibu. Did you read my story about my 2001 Malibu. If not, please do so! Mine is much worse than yours. After reading my story, you might agree with me that you were still lucky and shouldn't have complained.

#32 of 804 Re: I've had both [elroy5] by malexbu

Mar 07, 2007 (4:49 pm)

Replying to: elroy5 (Mar 07, 2007 3:14 pm)
That's why I asked if I was wrong with the numbers -- the collective
input will move us closer to the truth.
 
Thank you, elroy5, for giving the specific numbers -- we have
something to compare now.
 
,-- elroy5 [ Mar 07, 2007 (2:14 pm) ]
|
| Where do you get these numbers from? The base Malibu is $17,100 and
| the base Camry is $18,500.
 
I assume you are quoting the price that the car can be taken out of
the door, with the destination charge but no fees and taxes included
-- is that right?
 
I'll take your word for it: $18.5K for the Camry.
 
$17K for a base Malibu is totally out of question. No person in his
sound mind will pay anything close to it (read these boards).
 
In the beginning of the year 2006 I bought mine for $14K (pre-GM card
earinigs). My car is actualy very well equipped: the preferred
group 1SB, including:
 
  * Cruise Control
  * RDS Radio
  * Driver seat lumbar
  * Front seat map pockets
  * Remote keyless entry
  * Floor mats
  * Cargo convenience nets
  * Power adjustable brake and accelerator pedals.
 
In addition it has:
 
  * XM Radio ($325) -- (the joy of having which I cannot overestimate)
  * Remote Starter ($150)
 
The car's list price is $21,020. The Red Tag Event price --
$16,419.40 (I just looked at the sticker et al). So, before I applied
my GM card earnings, my price was $14,000 -- for not quite a base car,
mind you.
 
That is the difference of $4,500 between my price and the Camry price
you are quoting. Out of curiosity, what options would the $18.5K
Camry include?
 
If you want me to admit my wrongness and say that instead of $7K I
quoted in my previous message, the difference in price should have
been stated as $4.5, I am fine with that. But realistically, consider
that many GM cars are being bought by GM Card holders, with the
earnings as high as $3,500 (no, I didn't have that much .) So, it
is not impossible for a savvy Malibu shopper to get to the difference
of $4.5 + $3.5 = $8.0K.
 
$8,000 might be an extreme case -- and I didn't quote that. But coming
to the table with $2,000 in GM Card earining is very typical, if you
read Edmunds.com boards (I bought my first Malibu with more than
that).
 
Does my price comparison still look far-fetched?
 
| I sold my 12 year old Accord (140k miles) for $5,000. You would be
| lucky to get that for a Malibu half that old, with half the
| miles. Can't exactly compare the 12 year old Accord to a 12 year old
| Malibu because there is no such thing as a 12 year old Malibu.
 
Couldn't be, in the year 2007, for the car that began to be produced
in the year 2004. We might see when we get to the year 2016. I don't
know -- and you don't.
 
Guys, sorry for repeating what has been said a gazillion times here,
on Edmunds.com: Malibu 2004 and the previous Malibu are two different
cars. Totally. Nothing in common but the name.

#33 of 804 Re: I've had both [dtownfb] by malexbu

Mar 07, 2007 (5:11 pm)

Replying to: dtownfb (Mar 07, 2007 1:29 pm)
,-- dtownfb [ Mar 07, 2007 (12:29 pm) ]
|
| Not sure what you are reading in the Malibu forum but I see a lot of
| issues that are carried over form other GM models (alternator,
| electrical issues) and previous generation Malibus.
 
Look, if you are reading the Malibu forums and are coming to the
conclusion that the 2004+ Malibu has a lot of problems, I totally
respect your opinion -- you are basing it on the experience of the
real people.
 
My personal impression has been, after reading these boards rather
attentively for a long time, that the new Malibu is not problem-ridden
-- most problems, in my observation, were reported for Maxx and/or the
first model year -- 2004. Many problems have been also fixed by the
dealerships.
 
That is my personal impression. I admit I started to read the Malibu
boards less attentively about half-a-year ago when I came to the
conclusion that most problems reported there were for the old Malibu
-- pre-2004. I just have no interest in reading about a different
car, sorry.
 
Now, when you talk about seeing "a lot of issues that are carried over
form other GM models" --- are you sure you see them for post-2004
Malibu? No irony here -- this is a serious question. If you answer
"yes", I'll have to go back and catch up with the messages. If you
are not sure, I'll save the effort.
 
Thanks!

#34 of 804 Re: I've had both [malexbu] by bateejeff

Mar 07, 2007 (8:53 pm)

Replying to: malexbu (Mar 07, 2007 5:11 pm)
Malexbu:
 
You seemed to argue that the post-2004 Malibu has had few or no issues. In my opinion, your argument is misleading. Since we're now in 2007, most of the post-2004 Malibu's have not passed the 3-year bumper-to-bumper warranty yet. When there is an issue, the owner usually can get it fixed for free, and so the owner tends to be quiet about it. Besides, one's ego is also at play here. Americans tend to be or try to be confident, and sometimes they don't want their friends to think that they made a wrong choice and bought a wrong vehicle.
 
Based on my experience, the Malibu is like a timed bomb. As soon as the bumper-to-bumper warranty expires, the health of the car will deteriorate drastically. That was exactly the case with my 2001 Malibu. When I complained to a Chevy dealership about having to make frequent repair visits, a service rep at the dealership joked that they loved to see me come in for service (because my repair visits generated a lot of revenue for the dealership). Ironically, a dealership can earn a lot more money simply by selling you a crappy vehicle, because later you will have to pay thousands of dollars to the dealership for repairing the vehicle.
 
For those daring people who are going to buy a Chevy Malibu, I highly recommend that you consider buying an extended warranty which will surely be a good investment. You may or may not need an extended warranty for a Toyota, but you definitely need one for a Chevy Malibu based on my experience.

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