$4,000 Owner Loyalty Rebate on '04 Malibu

[wpbharry]

Call me a sucker. And someone needs to kick me in the head. Really. I'm buying a loaded Malibu Maxx LS on Wed. Here we go again. I'm very smart, but this decision will likely prove (let's hope not) another bad one. At least the '98 will be history. On to another round of different problems.

[psychobadboy]

Yea, you're a sucker. I can think of way better cars to get than the new Malibu. And this is coming from a previous gen Malibu owner too.

[Rhcmlc]

I hope you buy the famous GMPP extended warranty you ALWAYS mention in all your posts. From what I've heard, you're gonna need it! With so many good vehicles out there, why this one??

[wpbharry]

Yes, of course I will buy the GMPP, 5/75. Will let you all know after tomorrow what that now costs.

I WAS headed in the direction of a Honda Accord, but in reality, I really like the cargo flexibility of the Maxx. If Honda had a similar setup....

And the $4,000 Owner Loyalty Rebate is a bit hard to pass up. I didn't see that one coming.

Anyway, I get the new one tomorrow afternoon. Boy, cleaning out the old '98 today was more work than I'd thought! Before this, I've never had a car for more than 4 years. 6 makes a difference. I'm beat!!

I'll share the final transcation details after we close the deal tomorrow.

[rcohen_malibu99]

Should have looked at the Mazda6 Wagon, it blows the Mailbu away...sucker.....

[DMaxx]

It certainly does in price!
Although I'd bet the Mazda6 Wagon would be a great choice, we're having a wonderful time with our $18,600 Maxx LT.

[wpbharry]

Sorry it's taken me a LOT longer to get back than I thought. Last week required my attention in ways that kept me away from the car. I'm still just a tad under 100 miles. And I STILL have yet to finish reading the Owner's Manual. OnStar, XM and the Driver Info Center are completely new to me. Have to get the windows tinted and ScotchGuard the interior (I love not having leather in our FL heat).

I went to the Honda dealer first to look at Accords, and aside from not finding any that I liked on the lot, and being mortified at the trade-in they offerred me ($2,800), I was also mortified at their attitude.

Mazda 6 wagon is WAY more expensive, since you have to get the V6. And no deals on it yet, at least here.

So, I went back to the Chevy dealer I've dealt with since 11/95 and wrote my own deal. Said "take it or leave it". They took it, since they had over 50 Maxxes on the lot (no one knows what it is, that's for sure -gawked at every time I drive it).

It's a Light Driftwood Metallic LS with 1SB, sunroof, On Star and XM. Sticker was $24,895, got it for $23,000, less $4,500 for the '98 (!!), less $4,000 Owner Loyalty, less $1,000 GM Card Earnings, plus $1,415 for GMPP 5/75, $0 deductible (the price of GMPP is the only potential place I might have been slightly shafted, but not badly). 48 mos. GMAC financing at 5.5% (A+ credit). So, pre-tax/fees and before my additional down payment, total was $14,915. Take THAT Honda and Mazda. Of course, it depreciated $5,000 by driving off the lot. I think I financed around $13,000. Wanted LOW payments, with job situation in limbo.

It's MUCH more refined and substantial than the '98. Can't keep the rear skylight sunshades closed, but otherwise, nothing else to report yet.

[DMaxx]

The rear skylight shades... yeah. The skylight frame has a slot cut out of it that the shade clip fits into. When the inside of the car heats up the (plastic) skylight frame gets soft and loses it's form from the shade pulling on it. When it deflect far enough, the clip slides up and out of the slot. Another instance is when you have the windows down and there is enough turbulance in the car... off they come!
I'll come up with a fix that should be simple. And yes, this car is very much refined. It's very impressive and people do look and some start a conversation by asking what it is.