1981 Chevrolet Malibu 2dr coupe review from North America
"The classic sleeper"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
I had to replace the 3.8L engine because of the rings wore down creating quite a bit of smoke.
5 days after replacing the engine with another 3.8 that I got from a relative, that engine threw a rod bearing and the replaced transmission started slipping.
I replaced the door hinges since they are bigger doors.
I put an antenna in since the built in the windshield ones don't work very well.
There is some rusting, but in Wisconsin that's to be expected with our winters.
The interior plastics have faded some and the headliner does sag.
But what would we expect after 23 years.
General comments?
They don't build quality cars like this anymore.
There is more than enough room inside the car, in the trunk and under the hood all within a car that isn't too large.
Although not the most stylish, the bench seats in my
alibu are incredibly soft.
With only 59,000 miles mine still handles like a sports car.
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| Reliable and rugged |
| 1980 - Malibu Classic 3.8 (229) V6 Good in its day |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1981 |
| First year of ownership | 2004 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 229 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 4 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 4 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 59000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 59050 miles |
| Previous car | Chevrolet Malibu |
| Date of Entry | 21st June, 2004 |