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2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu

1510 messages,  Last post on Mar 16, 2013 at 12:47 PM

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What is this discussion about? Chevrolet, Chevrolet Malibu, Automotive News, Sedan

    
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Messages Page 149 of 152

#1479 of 1510 Re: 2009 Chevy Malibu [djm2] by djm2

Jul 26, 2011 (4:49 am)

Replying to: djm2 (Jul 25, 2011 10:02 am)
Hi All:
 
     I am starting to seriously look for a replacement vehicle for my 2007 Toyota Camry V6 XLE. ------- (This process will take me about a year because I take the time to investigate both the vehicle, the manufacturer and the dealer.)
 
     I have been reading about both the new Chevrolet Impala, and the new Chevrolet Malibu. (The Malibu is going to be built on the Buick Lacrosse platform with the Buick four cylinder engine, and the Chevrolet Impala is going to get a 3.6 V6 and a six speed automatic transmission.)
 
     After reading about the new Impala, I started to do a search on the 3.6 V6 engine because I though that I had read about some issues associated with this engine. ----- It seems that there is a problem with the Timing Chain stretching at low mileage. In some cases, this has occurred at 10,000 miles. With this information in mind, I contacted GM and spoke to a customer representative about the timing chain issue. I was told that "IF" I had a specific VIN NUMBER of a vehicle they could tell me "IF" the engine had the new and improved timing chain and which engine plant produced the engine. This tells me two things. ----1.) The problem is real. ---- and ---- 2.) GM is still producing the V6 engine with the old timing chains at some of it's engine facilities. --------- QUESTIONS: ----- What is wrong with this picture? ------ Should I purchase a new Impala and experience this failure, and then have my engine repaired at the dealer at a very low mileage and still be happy with my new vehicle?
 
       This problem has existed for some time. ------ QUESTION: ---- Has GM forgot how to manufacturer and design timing chains? ------ They are producing a NEW Impala and they are shooting themselves in the leg with this engine! ----- Does this make good business sense?
 
       Best regards. ---------- Dwayne

#1480 of 1510 Re: 2009 Chevy Malibu [djm2] by dispencer2

Jul 27, 2011 (10:15 am)

Replying to: djm2 (Jul 26, 2011 4:49 am)
You will note that the LaCrosse weighs about 800 pounds more than the Malibu. One of my problems with the Malibu is that it feels light and not substantial. I sold an 03 Deville and most of my road cars in the past were Buick LeSabres. I had rented a Malibu on some extended trips and liked it but I should have bought a base LaCrosse or even last year's Buick as a program car. I would lose as fortune if I traded it with 1,000 miles so I'll hang onto it until I can get a program Cadillac XTS which I'm sure will feel like a heavy car even though it is the size of the LaCrosse. I wish that I could read some reviews of the XTS. They should start building it this winter.

#1481 of 1510 Tires, and Intake by whooley

Aug 18, 2011 (11:41 am)

So I’m stumped on how this happened.
I have a 2009 Malibu and just had to replace my tires (and 2 bent rims, Dam steel hubs) and found that my Malibu LT has the rims and tires for a Malibu Hybrid. Now I’m not complaining much because they come with the chrome caps instead of the brushed caps and I like the look of a wider tire. I’m stumped because I have done some searching and all the 2009 Malibu models have the P225/50R17 93S tires except the Hybrid that has the P225/55R17 93S. Now I have ran my VIN # multiple times through different websites and all of them show that I have the LT model not the Hybrid and looking under the hood it is obvious it is not a Hybrid but yet even on my door sticker it states that the car is to have the P225/55R17 93S tires. I guess I can understand typos and straight up mistakes but this just surprised me and threw my tire guy for a loop when he looked up what should be on there and what the sticker said.
 
Also FYI, I found replacement hubcaps on Amazon for $70 for a full set, where as the dealer wants $120 per cap.
 
Does anyone have any insight on putting on a cold air intake or any other motor upgrades on the 4 cylinder to get more power out of it?

#1482 of 1510 Re: Tires, and Intake [whooley] by pao

Aug 19, 2011 (5:49 am)

Replying to: whooley (Aug 18, 2011 11:41 am)
there are no engine mods that Im aware of to get more power out of the std 4 banger in the malibu.....cold air intake does nothing unless you complete the entire breathing system of the engine to include headers, hi-flow cat, exhaust etc in my experience....simply adding a CAI gives you "growl" more than anything else.....more power means the V-6 in this line....
 
This engine isnt meant for tuning IMHO....
 
As far as tire and rim mixup....would attribute it to just that..perhaps when that car was assembled they were short the standard set so simply put on the "hybrid" set....the size difference specified is inconsequential for this car...nothing more than a guess however on how or why it occurred

#1483 of 1510 When is Bait and Switch fraud? by bwia

Aug 28, 2011 (9:29 am)

I received an invitation from a local Chevy dealer guaranteeing a trade-in allowance of $15,255 on my 2008 Malibu LS. When I got there I was told that this promotion was run by Black Book and that the amount quoted in the invitation was merely designed to get me into the showroom.
 
After making us wait, (and wait, and wait) and haggling with the salesman and sales manager for over three hours, we left in disgust. In short, they would not honor the trade-in price nor would they sell the new car at less than MSRP.
 
What do you think, should I report this dealer to the Massachusetts Department of Consumer Protection? or at least to GM? I thought the blatant practice of bait and switch was illegal but this Chevy dealer did not seem to care.

#1484 of 1510 Re: When is Bait and Switch fraud? [bwia] by ab348

Aug 28, 2011 (10:50 am)

Replying to: bwia (Aug 28, 2011 9:29 am)
That's the kind of situation that should be reported. With the benefit of hindsight, it would have been interesting to walk in and not mention the invitation or trade-in promise, find a car on the lot that interested you, get their pricing, and then present the offer you received. It would have been even better if you had someone with you from the Office of Consumer Protection or some similar agency.

#1485 of 1510 Re: When is Bait and Switch fraud? [ab348] by sidewinderz

Aug 28, 2011 (5:36 pm)

Replying to: ab348 (Aug 28, 2011 10:50 am)
I agree .That should be reported .Hopefully a GM customer service rep will see this here and take some action

#1486 of 1510 Re: When is Bait and Switch fraud? [sidewinderz] by dispencer2

Oct 17, 2011 (2:17 pm)

Replying to: sidewinderz (Aug 28, 2011 5:36 pm)
Ever since I was a little kid -and I'm 70, my family got those mailers -"We have a buyer for your 19XX Chevrolet/ Olds etc". When you got to the dealer it was the same as above. This is NOT bait and switch. This is a dealer who is a crook and you shouldn't have even bothered with him once you discovered that he wan't going to give you $15k for your Malibu. The $15k come on was not worth the gas to drive over to the dealer. If you are VERY lucky you will get loan value. Check at the library for a NAPA Blue Book for loan value. This is the amount a buyer would get from a bank for your car and it isn't $15k when a new base model is only about $19k with the current rebates/discounts.
 
I don't deal with dealers who play games nor do I deal with any company that speeds up the "small print" in a radio ad. At my dealership the sales manager sits down at a computer with me - orders the car for a couple hundred over invoice, factors in rebates, and I pay him when the car comes in. It takes about 10 minutes if that and I can also take care of this on the phone. Why people "haggle" or spend hours in a showroom messing with sales people who know less about the cars than they do and have no authority to make any deal is beyond me.
 
Find a small dealership in the country with a low overhead and make friends. You won't have a large selection to choose from but buying a car off the lot is stupid unless it is too late in the model year to order one or the car on the lot has EXACTLY what you would order. The dealer isn't going to discount the car just because it is on his lot unless it is the end of the year or unless it is a demo.

#1487 of 1510 purchase of 2009 Malibu by mjs12

Dec 11, 2011 (9:47 am)

I'm in the process of buying a 2009 Malibu 2LT from a dealership. After reading some of the issues that this car has, I'm having second thoughts. Before I drop over $14,000 on this car, I would appreciate some feedback. I did take it on a short test drive and it performed well. Is there anythng that I need to know before I go back to the dealership tomorrow??
 Info on the car-
32,000 miles
sunroof, heated seats, wood accent trim
2.4 liter
not sure if it has the 6 speed or 4 speed trans.
There is a carfax, but I have not seen it yet.

#1488 of 1510 My answer by starrmalibu

Dec 11, 2011 (10:36 pm)

I have had my used 2008 Malibu for almost 2 years. It had 40K when I got it. The only problems I've had have been electronic and the dealership has covered all of it, even after it was not longer in warrantee. I don't think it gets very good mileage though. I hear the new one, I don' remember the name, gets much better mileage. But it's a smaller car. Mine has the same engine as yours, but it's an automatic, I'm not sure about my transmission. Yours is a lot fancier than mine. I only paid 11K for mine (before all those charges they put on. Mine is a certified used car. I suggest you get one that is certified. Mine came with the regular warrantee that a new car comes with, and they extended parts of it.

Messages Page 149 of 152

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