1999 Chevrolet Malibu review from North America

Mega JUNK

I bought this car used with 50K miles on it

I drove 34K since that time.

The car had enormous problems:

1. First thing on the next day after buying a door lock felt down.

2. After 2K calipers and rotors and pads were replaced. The break system started making noise. As a first thing I went to repair shop where mechanic told me that one of the calipers was broken apart. I installed very expensive break system spending about 1K on it which is still serving me.

3. at 54K air conditioner died. A repair shop could not find a leak. Since that time I learned how to refill coolant in the system. Each 2 months of hot season I`m buying R134a to make it work. But eventually it`s not cold and never was. About 80K a compressor is starting makes very loud nose and pressure in the system jumps to the red sector from green time to time – I think compressor is close to its death.

4. 60K I`ve notice that coolant is leaking from the system. Water pump was replaced, but still I can notice some drops of it on the ground. Once per 6 month I add coolant dex-cool because the level of it in the container is not sufficient. Btw how it can be manufactured like this with such dark nontransparent plastic - checking the level of coolant is absolutely impossible.

5. Battery was replaced around 65K which is normal

6. Around 65K transmission started being jammed. I assumed the transmission fluid never changed. After two times of changing it in 4K miles period it began work fine

7. All the time during oil change different mechanics recommend me the engine flush. I think it`s BS

8. At 67 I switched to synthetic oil. Engine had reduced its normal noise.

9. At 80K when I was returning home from work a red battery sign showed up. After 20 miles the whole electrical power of the car shut down and engine stopped in the middle of highway. Luckily I was only 3 miles from home and was towed to repair shop near by my place. So the problem the alternator died. It was fixed.

11. ABS sign shows up time to time.

10. Couple of weeks ago when I and my family were going to have some rest on some beach the damn sign of red battery had showed again. And it`s 500 miles from home!!! I was hoping that the alternator is not a problem again. I was trying to find any repair shop, but it was evening of Sunday and everything was closed of course. After sometime the car died again in the middle of some road of nowhere. Yes it was the alternator again. My kids started crying because they wanted eat and they wanted sleep. I called to my emergency road assistance they said that no towing service in this area until the Monday morning!!! Oh God!!!

But luckily a friend of mine lives in one hour from that place where I stuck with my family. And he bough two batteries and brought them to me. He picked up my family and I installed one of the fresh batteries and drove to his place. The car was fixed next morning, but how much pain and stress it did bring to my family. And truly speaking our vacation was ruined.

Next week I went to some Subaru dealership and bought a brand new Subaru. I even did not consider to buy any GM product maybe only in my nightmares.

I could not trade-in it at the Subaru dealership they said it’s worthless. So I decided to keep this car and use as a training car for my older daughter until she learn how to drive.

The car is absolutely unreliable. If you open its trunk you can find: 2 sets of tools to repair the hunk, one fully charged battery, one alternator, Dex Cool Coolant.

"Never say Never". But in case of GM I`d say NEVER and will try to stick it.