1998 Chevrolet Malibu LS review from North America

I purchased this vehicle from a dealer when it had 116,000 km on it in 2000. Explaining the higher mileage to highway driving/commute was the only thing that made sense for that many km in that short a time period.

My initiation to the vehicle was a $900 bill for replacement of a failed fuel injector and a leaky gasket on the intake manifold. This was on the 30th day of me owning the vehicle and with less than 1,000 km traveled on the vehicle since it was purchased. Expecting things to get better was only an illusion.

Within a year the alternator failed at about 130,000 km.

For about a year there was no major mechanical breakdown, but the paint started flaking off of the drivers doors, trunk, and around the gas tank door. Two dealers looked at the problems and did nothing. Explaining the paint flaking off as stone chips. Strange stone chips I tell you. The top layer of paint comes off leaving the primer layer untouched. Oh, by the way. According to professional body shops, the modern car painting process is supposed to bind the paint to the metal.

Finally, in February of 2004 upon taking the car to a GM dealer to get yet another recall work done, I have been informed that the intake manifold gasket that was replaced 3 years earlier is gone again and it is threatening to start leaking the coolant inside the motor killing it through the process. This was my breaking point with GM. I spoke to the GM office, complained to them about all the problems, and after the local service manager telling me sorry once again I no longer wish to deal with someone who doesn't stand by their product.

The 3.1L motor is supposed to work easier and perform better for car of this size. My brother has a '98 Cavalier and a friend has a '00 Sunfire and both of them combined haven't had half as much trouble with their cars as I do with mine.

The thing that is even worse is that according to some sources, GM knows about the problems with the Malibu, but since they are such a hot selling item they choose to follow the motto "don't fix that what isn't broker." I have a hint for GM. I'm not getting another one of your things. And yes, its things because they are so poorly made products that they can't even be referred to as automobiles.