08 malibu

[08malibu]

agreed!! he probably wants to but one but cant ..so he has to down it.

Originally Posted by PTG1212

I just read all the reviews on 08 Malibu on Edmunds. All owners rave about the car. There isn't one bad review.

[wpbharry]

Actually, I don't like it that much at all. They one on the showroom floor has the black and brick interior, the one that I hadn't seen before, and even the salesmen think it looks like a bad Halloween joke. I'll admit the cocoa and cashmere is well done.

Go to the 2008 Malibu forum in Edmund's Inside Line to see what I mean. I'm not gonna link to another forum in this one.

The USA Today review link is as follows:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/...N.htm?csp=N008

I don't have time right now to fuss with the link if it doesn't work. The date of the article was around 12/7/07.

Three lousy Chevys in a row (and betcha the '08 will follow the pattern. Look at the marginal reliability of its sister car, the Aura, so far), so time to say hello Toyota. Like nearly everyone else, time to abandon Detroit. That upcoming '09 Venza might be a good replacement for the Maxx.

Consider my opinion to be typical of the major hurdle that GM has to clear with the '08 Malibu, plus all those import loyalists that won't set foot in a Chevy dealership to begin with....

The Aura sold like hotcakes for the first three months and then sales fell off the cliff. Rebates on that are up to $2250 already this year.

[PTG1212]

Since your USAToday link didn't work, I went to the site and did a search on 2008 Malibu review. This is what I found:
Malibu in the Market
In the simplest terms, Chevy now has a legitimate competitor to pit against the Camry and Accord. I can see the four-cylinder LT wooing shoppers with its value statement. One of the LTs I tested though, sported a $21,105 price tag, including destination, making it a tough call against an Accord LX-P sedan that was on hand for comparison at a near identical price. I'd still give the edge to the Accord in terms of interior quality, but the Malibu's ride and handling, plus the plethora of color combinations, could easily tip the scales in Chevy's favor.

The fact that the Camry didn't seem impressive next to either one speaks volumes about how quickly a redesigned model can outdistance a competitor that's only a few years old. For once, Chevy seems to have built a new model that competes with the best in the marketplace, rather than just another average entry.

I'm sure some issues will show up over time, no car is perfect, but I'm just not seeing the complaints you are referring to. I have no problem with critical views but they should be supported by facts if they are to be helpful.

No one will like every new car. Even those who like the car, won't like every exterior color or every interior color combination. People who like Toyota's or Honda's may well decide to stay with their brand. None of this has anything to do with the quality or reliability of the new 2008 Malibu. Yes, the history of the Malibu isn't great, but my 2001 Malibu is far from the worst car I've ever owned.

When I go to replace my cars, I frankly don't know what I'll buy. But my decision will be based upon cars that appeal to me in terms of style, quality and value. I'll look at both professional reviews as well as owner reviews and I'll make an informed decision based upon facts not emotion.

[wpbharry]

Here's the correct link:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/...N.htm?csp=N008

As you can see, the date of the article is 12/6/07. The title is "Like a Day at the Beach, Grit Mars Malibu Sun".

There are other recent articles too in other pubs. One was titled "Don't Be Too Quick to Crown the New Malibu". With Christmas 2 days away, I don't have time to search for that right now. Maybe after New Year's.

After 3.5 years with the Maxx, I'm spoiled and would have a hard time going back to a regular 4-door sedan. Funny thing is that the new 'Bu is just about identical underneath to the Maxx (same Epsilon I platform. You better hope they fixed the front suspension gremlins on the new one. It'll take 2 years or so to tell). They lengthened the wheelbase 6 inches (now it's the same as the Maxx, G6 and Aura), but it seems it lost rear legroom. And it lost trunk space (and trunk accessibility, thanks to the svelte sloping roofline).

After the near-limo-like accomodations in the rear of the Maxx, you think I'd go back to a regular sedan? Especially one that many are calling "claustrophobic" (see Edmund's IL, among others)?

If it makes you feel any better, at a recent Auto Show, I hated the new Accord, flat out. Malibu was better by a mile. But that old Chevy reliability, or lack thereof.....