1997 Chevrolet Malibu review from North America
"The vehicle is a very poor buy"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The engine blew gasket's spilling antifreeze all over the engine and ground.
Alternator had to be replaced at approximately 60,000 km.
Electronic computer had to be replaced and is still not functioning properly.
The air conditioning randomly either works or doesn't work. This is related to the electronics failure noted above.
Trim work is falling off.
Brake line on front passenger side corroded through causing total loss of brakes.
General comments?
You are much better off to buy a Honda or Toyota. This vehicle will cost you a great deal of money in the long run, especially given the 1998 model only came with 60,000 km or 3 years of warranty.
GM showed no interest in my feed back on the vehicle. It would appear they are only interested in one time sales, because given the performance of the Malibu I purchased I will never buy any GM product again.
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  | I love my car; it is comfortable, reliable, easy to handle, and small |
| Reliable and rugged |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| First year of ownership | 1988 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | Automatic |
| Performance marks | 6/10 |
| Reliability marks | 4/10 |
| Comfort marks | 7/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 0 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 97000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Honda Accord |
| Date of Entry | 24th August, 2003 |