1997 Chevrolet Malibu LS review from North America
"Junk"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
When I first purchased this car new, the front end squeaked loudly. It took months and 4 trips to the dealer until it was repaired.
Several items have gone out which I consider normal until this past year. First we started losing anti-freeze thru a bad intake manifold gasket costing $650 for repair (there is a law suit over GM's anti-freeze causing this problem). Then just a few weeks ago the cam shaft broke spinning the bearing in the block destroying the engine. The mechanic tells me the cam shaft is hollow and is the weak link in the engine block.
General comments?
Don't buy this car with high miles (>100,000), it's a ticking time bomb waiting to blow!!
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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 |
| Model Year | 1997 |
| First year of ownership | 1996 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.1 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 5/10 |
| Comfort marks | 7/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 3/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 1/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 13 miles |
| Most recent distance | 123000 miles |
| Previous car | Oldsmobile Ciera |
| Date of Entry | 19th September, 2004 |