1998 Chevrolet Malibu LS from North America - Comments

Well where do I start, I purchased my 1997 Malibu LS from a dealership, I had always been a shade tree mechanic and was sick of working on cars in the driveway. I was driving a high km Ford Taurus and had a 1983 GM Sierra 1/2 ton pick up and decided to step into a newer car. The Taurus went to scrap and I sold the Truck to assist in paying for the car. I purchased the car with 60000 km on it and luckily grabbed the extended 3yr/60000 km warranty for another 1500$.

Here's a start?

At 70000 km I could smell antifreeze from my heating and so I read the Haynes manual and sure enough my head gasket was leaking, luckily the warranty covered this. I inquired about the fee for the work to be done and would've paid around 1800$

I went to pull out of the lot and the front end was making a terrible growl, I pulled back into the dealership and had the service guy go for a drive, sure enough my front wheel bearings were gone. How it happened this way? Who knows? luckily also covered under the warranty but would've cost me another 800$ per side.

At 80000 km, my stereo started to heat up my Cd's so hot I was afraid of warping them and stopped using the Cd player, within a week the stereo stopped working, and nope this was not a warrantied fix, to replace it was 400$ for a replacement unit, so I skipped it and put a stereo in myself.

At 85000 km, my ABS light came on, I took it in for a computer read and at 90$ an hour, it cost me 90$ for him to tell me that my ABS sensor was malfunctioning and so I changed the calipers, 135$ a side. Light stayed off for about a month and and came back on, after that I ignored it.

At 96000 km, my rear left brake light started to act up, my lenses would fill with water and the bulb wasn't burnt out but the socket the light sat in had a bad connection. To this day I have to take off the rear lamps a couple times a month to get the condensation out of them and wiggle the light into working. Tried to use petroleum jelly to seal the gaskets on the lamps but the air is still finding its way in somehow? Couldn't afford to pay a dealer 90$ labor and 5$ to change my light bulb!

At 110000 km the control dial for my heat/cooling unit has only 2 settings, 3 and 4. Of course not covered under warranty. Not a huge issue but why this occurs Ill never know. My old truck had 280000 km on it and the heater controls were original and never had a fault.

At 125000 km had to change the front rotors, 125$ each and a few hours of my time. Not a big deal, but a fee none the less.

130000 km blew the engine in the car, found out from a mechanic that after antifreeze finds it way into the block its just a matter of time before the motor craps out, antifreeze contaminates the surface in the cylinders and its very bad for the internal combustion engine. Picked up a second motor from the auto recyclers for 1000$ with 90000 km on it, changed it myself took 2.5 days and a hole lot of swearing. Rebuilt engine before installing and put new water pump on. Gasket kit was 250$ and water pump was 100$, Found out 2 types of motors were used in this make and model and had to modify motor to get it to function? No fun at all...

At 135000 km, my air conditioning crapped out, cost me 1000$ at the shop to get it tested, new compressor, new air dryer and a recharge, air worked great for that summer then crapped out again so I'm stuck with natures air to cool me. I did run the AC in the winter as recommended to keep the system lubed up but did with no success.

140000 km, front wheel bearings started to growl again, changed them, 130$ each and an afternoon of my time. I have no idea why they are so poorly made, my old truck had the original wheel bearings in it until 200000 km, and it was a worker not a highway driver.

150000 km, had to replace the gas tank, this should never have happened. The old truck had its original tank. The tank should outlast the car. The car had been undercoated every fall, 150$ later and an afternoon of my time.

170000 km, transmission went, purchased one from the auto recyclers for 1200 dollars, found out the car had 4 different types of transmissions that could have been installed and ended up having to purchase a female to male adapter for the front end to get the transmission to fit. 2 days of my time and 150$ for the adapter. My truck still has its original transmission, still not sure why this car was built so poorly? Changed fluid and filter as recommended in owners manual and still did not help.

172000 km, my keys were stuck in my ignition and the car wouldn't start. Was informed by the dealer that the anti theft system was to blame. This system is beyond me and it cost me 780$ from the dealer for parts and labor. Why is this happening, my truck still has its original ignition? Still unsure why this car is so poorly made.

180000 km, muffler cracked open, not a huge deal, replacement of this is fairly easy, 150$ for the muffler and 4hrs of time. This is an expected fee.

Water pump went, 75$ for replacement, not a fun job at all, took an afternoon.

185000 km, whipper motor crapped out, found the ground wire had corroded off and set a new one, an inexpensive fix but an afternoon gone. Same thing happened to the truck around 150000 km.

195000 km, front coil spring snapped of and punctured my front tire. 500$ for parts and 125$ for a tire, 1.5 days to complete. Truck still has originals, so what's going on.

210000 km, fuel leak smelt in car, replaced all fuel lines and brake lines front to back. 300$ for parts and an afternoon of time. This is an expected fee.

223000 km, intake gaskets are leaking, not looking forward to this at all. But did get 100 000 out of them, and the transmission is starting to slip and the engine is developing a knock to it. So who knows whats next. Intake gaskets were 130$ a set, the rest is to be?

This car has been a nightmare.

It has cost me as much time and money in repairs as a junker.

It has cost me as much money in repairs as the cost of the car was to purchase.

I have no idea why a company would create a vehicle so poorly except to upset the working class like myself.

I will never purchase another car from this company for as long as I drive nor will one be in my household. So that's 60+ years of driving with at least 2 vehicles in the drive. Too bad such a poorly overall designed vehicle was allowed to be put into production and push so many away from this company.

With only 138,000 miles and all those problems I would recommend putting it in a derby and making your final peace with the nightmare.