Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Sedans Chevrolet Malibu 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu
1301 messages, Last post on Nov 24, 2009 at 8:22 AM
You are in the Chevrolet Malibu Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
|
I dont think this car will have bluetooth and I fail to see why that is a big deal. First of all not everyone has a bluetooth phone, secondly many people that do have one use their wireless headsets whethere they are walking or driving so I dont see the big advantage of using your car as a phone. I wish GM would offer nav in more cars, but the bottom line is most midsize sedans are not sold with nav. I rarely see an Accord or Camry with navigation. Most people arent willing to shell out $2k for a nav system, especially with aftermarket options being so much cheaper. You are basically paying that money so you can have a nice 6.5" screen in your car because the average driver isnt going to need the mapping function more than a few times a year. GM isnt losing many sales by not offering nav just as Honda and Toyota arent getting sales because they offer it. I'm sure this car will have stability. It may even be standard because my understanding is that the '08 Aura will have it standard. Remember, all GM vehicles will have it standard by 2010 MY.
|
|
|
Replying to: 1487 (Dec 21, 2006 3:57 pm) Bluetooth is a big deal because it could represent yet another piece of newer technology offered by GM's competitors that isn't available on a mainstream GM vehicle. What's so hard to understand about perception and image? What harm is it for GM to at least make these technologies optional in their car lines. Satellite navigation has been developed for the new Silverado, so it already exists in the parts bin. If you don't want Bluetooth or sat nav, don't buy it. But don't let GM force the issue by not even allowing these items to be available for people who want them. It just strengthens the image that GM is behind the times and is offering vehicles that are 2-3 years behind the competition.
|
|
|
Replying to: shado4 (Dec 21, 2006 7:38 pm)
|
|
|
Replying to: pao (Dec 22, 2006 5:35 am) The 2008 Malibu finally fixes the styling disaster of the current car, yet it would seem to lag woefully behind the competition when it comes to pushing the technology envelope. The average Chevy or Pontiac buyer is a dying breed, so how can you attract new buyers if you are not competitive? Sorry for the rant, but reading articles about Toyota overtaking Ford in sales by January to become No. 2 automaker in the country should put the fear of God in GM's management. GM needs to be aggressive and not content to continue to lose market share. We need to see "WOW!" from GM, not "Oh look, it's a new Malibu. Yawn." |
|
|
Replying to: shado4 (Dec 22, 2006 6:33 am) you look at the mid size category and that has always been Camry and Accord territory.......consumer reports just pointed out that Ford/LM fusion/milan did better in their quality survey than those two models "In its newly released 2006 Annual Car Reliability Survey, Consumer Reports discovered that the Fusion and Milan actually scored higher in predicted reliability than the Honda Accord V6 and Toyota Camry V6. The Zephyr also did will in the upscale cars category, scoring slightly behind the Lexus ES350. Other domestic models did well too, including the Buick Lucerne and Cadillac DTS, both of which were above average in predicted reliability. " yes the Hondas and Toyotas of the world still have a lead...but its not as big as it once was..nor is their quality....or is it that GM and the other domestic auto makers are finally catching up.....GMs biggest problem is perception and trying to win back buyers....from the early 80s and 90s......when their products and reliability were certainly in question...... What I would like to see GM do..make chevy the everyday family brand, Pontiac....the muscle car brand..all RWD....Buick..fold into the Cadillac brand for the upscale buyer, and Saturn......make it the small car division....GMC...the truck division...wonder what they would say to that... no rant...just spirited debate.... |
|
|
Replying to: shado4 (Dec 22, 2006 6:33 am) To say that the Malibu is woefully behind the competition becaue it doesnt offer ONE feature that is OPTIONAL on SOME of its competitors is very simplistic. How many of the Malibu's competitors have Onstar? People like you talk about GM being behind on technology but fail to mention technology that GM vehicles offer. Bluetooth is "critical" to you and I assume you will dismiss Onstar as a gimmick that you have no use for. Typical mentality of a GM basher. Bluetooth is a handy, single function feature that a certain segment of the population wants. Few people are going to make their car buying decision based on this. Any person who has been buying Toyotas for 20 years and has not faith in domestic vehicles is not going to run to the Chevy dealer just because a Malibu has bluetooth. It's going to take a lot more than that. Besides, as I already noted most import sedans in this price range do not have this feature because its usually bundled with other expensive options like navigation. If I had to chose between Onstar and bluetooth, I would take Onstar any day. Besides, I think it's a little ealry to be calling the Malibu low tech when we havent even seen the specs yet. Considering its going to have a 6 speed auto, Onstar, stability control, remote start, XM radio, etc. I'm not sure I would deem it behind the times just yet. Maybe if you actually wait until you know something about the car you will be able to do more than "yawn" at the thought of the new Malibu. Interestingly enough "yawn" is just what comes to my mind when I think of cars like the Accord, Camry and Sonata.
|
|
|
Replying to: 1487 (Dec 25, 2006 7:56 am) OK, maybe extinction is too harsh. But there is no denying the fact that sales for the Chevrolet division are down 8.9% year to date compared to last year, while sales for the Toyota division are up 13.4% for the same time period. Why can't Chevrolet grow? Why is GM losing ground to the imports? To say that the Malibu is woefully behind the competition because it doesn't offer ONE feature that is OPTIONAL on SOME of its competitors is very simplistic. I never said it was because of ONE feature. It is the ongoing perception that GM is not competitive. How many import sellers offer an old-tech pushrod V6 in their mainstream mid-size sedan today? None that I can think of. Why is GM still building 4-speed automatics when its competitors are selling 5-speed autos or CVT transmissions? Why can't you get satellite navigation in a Malibu today when you can in an Accord/Camry/Altima/Mazda6? Want dual-zone automatic climate control in a G6 or Malibu? Nope, can't have it. But you can get it in several of the import sedans. Are you getting a clue as to why GM is losing sales and the imports are gaining? Any person who has been buying Toyotas for 20 years and has not faith in domestic vehicles is not going to run to the Chevy dealer just because a Malibu has bluetooth. It's going to take a lot more than that. Besides, as I already noted most import sedans in this price range do not have this feature because its usually bundled with other expensive options like navigation. You may want to tell Nissan that they are not allowed to offer Bluetooth in the Sentra and Versa, because they are doing it now. Also, Bluetooth is available in the 2007 Altima without getting satellite navigation. Last I checked, the Versa was Nissan's entry-level offering. Imagine being able to get Bluetooth in the Cobalt. Never mind, it's GM we are talking about. See where I'm going with this? I'm not a GM basher, I want them to succeed. Yes, offering OnStar and remote start is a great way to differentiate GM from other car makers. But GM also needs to be competitive in other areas as well. I said I liked the styling of the 2008 Malibu...it's WAY better than the current offering. But it makes the current Malibu look so much more outdated. The problem is GM will be selling the current Malibu for at least another 6 months. How many more sales will be lost because of this?
|
|
|
It should be available on more cars. It has become cheap enough now that some of their low-end "free" phones that cell providers give away with a contract now have the Bluetooth feature. OnStar is not a substitute if you have to sign up for Verizon serice plus also pay the OnStar monthly fee. The fact that it is showing up on cars as low-end as the Versa and Sentra prove this point. |
|
|
|
|
Replying to: shado4 (Dec 25, 2006 2:52 pm) But most of them go to fleets anyway or at discount price so I do not see problem here. The real problem is will they offer numb electric steering and outdated powertrain in new Malubi?
|
|
|
Replying to: rvoth (Dec 19, 2006 7:18 pm) |
|
You are here:
Forums
Sedans Chevrolet Malibu 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2010 Chevrolet Malibu
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
