1997 Chevrolet Malibu review from North America
"Great car, I love it wouldn't trade it for anything, but maybe a newer Olds"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The dome light does not work.
The low coolant light comes on when it wants to no reason.
The brakes squeal.
The engine light is on all the time.
General comments?
This is all normal, and I disagree that this car is so bad. You never see a Malibu stuck along side the road, its always Nissan's, or Plymouths, Fords, etc... I enjoy this car beyond nothing else.
My 1st car was a 1987 Cutlass Cierra Oldsmobile. If you want to hear bad then I will tell you.
-No Stereo
-no ash tray/lighter
-no speedometer
-bad tranny
-engine has almost 400,000 miles on it
-The catalytic converter is bad
-needs electrical work
-the gas gage is wrong
-steering sucks
-shakes violently when going 45+mph
-Front axle grinds when turning corners
-Spongy Brakes (but that is almost fixed we had to redo the brakes completely)
-The shocks no longer work
-driver side seat is broken
-gets bad gas mileage
-the glove box won't close.
I would like to happily say that this car is being retired soon. Surprisingly it still runs and it will be my back up car (if I ever need one). So whenever you think your Malibu is in bad shape, just remember my Oldsmobile.
By the way I used to race the Olds, that could be why it is in such bad shape, I'd take it mudding.
Overall I think that Malibu's are good cars you just need to learn how to maintain them. That would have to be the reason why the Olds is still alive.
Recommended reviews
| Has it annoying quirks, but overall its fast, cheap, and not bad to look at |
|
| Nice, but too many problems! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1997 |
| First year of ownership | 2002 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.1 V6 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 10 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 10 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 71000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 72000 miles |
| Previous car | Toyota Celica |
| Date of Entry | 21st October, 2002 |