1997 Chevrolet Malibu Base review from North America

My dad gave me this car when I got my driver's license, and with it he gave me a file of repairs that is about a half inch thick.

I haven't read what the repairs are exactly, but I do know that there have been engine and break repairs.

In the past year:

I have paid for more than one realignment.

The serpentine belt tensioner broke when I was driving it two miles from my house, which made the belt ride off of the pulleys, causing the engine to overheat and and the transmission started to go.

The engine has started making a rather scary vibration when I am sitting at stoplights- a mechanic told me it was either bad spark plugs, wires, or a cracked motor mount.

My power steering decided to stop working one day, but the car can still be driven by someone with moderate arm strength. A mechanic told me it was a hose that broke and let all the power steering fluid out.

Seats are torn in places where there should have been no reason for them to.

Air conditioning was very weak last summer.

Every now and then the car makes the world's most annoying hissing sound, usually when I don't have the A/C on.

This car is a lot of fun to drive and the engine supplies ample power.

I could not ask for a smoother transmission.

Nothing feels particularly luxurious about it and all of my friends have told me it is comparable to a Honda Civic.

The dash is made out of some sort of plastic that has a really cheap look to it.

Like most Chevys, this car heats up really fast in the winter.

Overall, I would seriously recommend that anyone looking at a potential 1997 Chevrolet Malibu to buy should see what else is out there. It's fun to drive, but is very unreliable and is not particularly stylish or luxurious.

So, with everything else that's out there, I am not too sure why anyone would buy this car.