Used 1998 Chevrolet Malibu Consumer Reviews
Great Car
Bought this car used w/ 135 K, now at 165 K w/ little problems. These cars will last to 200 K if maintained. It does hesitate starting sometimes and the theft system light will come on making it not start for 10 minutes. Body rusts on back wheel wells and by gas tank. Gas mileage is average. Overall, good car if you maintain it.
Watch Out!
Head gasket leaked coolant into engine with only 48,000 miles on engine. This is happening on other six cylinder Malibus too. GM would not offer help in paying for repairs.
High Mileage Winner
Malibu purchased brand new with 205 miles. With regular maintenance and now high mileage motor oil it has been outstanding vehicle. While under warranty I have had to have the head gasket replaced and the catalytic converter due to coolant leakage. The dealership did forget to grease spark plug when replacing 'em and it cost them to repair their mistake for a fused spark plug. It has stranded me only once in all 265K miles when a main pulley froze causing the serpentine belt to break I had replaced two weeks earlier. Head gaskets have been the main issue and took advantage of having the timing belt chained twice so far.
stuck with mine
I've had each of the problems everyone else had. Quickly worn brakes (x2), failed alternator, failed battery, failed tensioner, failed water pump, leaking intake gasket, failed a.c. switch, broken glove compartment latch, steering wheel finish worn off, cheap interior quality, erratic a.b.s. light and the list goes on.
OK-good car
Was great for about nine months, then little things started to happen. Check engine light came on. Took it to autozone for diagnostics and they told me it was a camshaft position sensor. Its acceleration improved after that. The starter failed me in December...which I fixed. The V6 does not give a do-it-yourself person much room to work around. The wheel bearing on the front right side became very noisy and had to be replaced. As far as minor annoyances: Vent selector knob broke (without abuse), the "ding ding ding" of the alert when you get in the car or are low on gas is very annoying, cornering isnt great, nor is mpg. It's an ok-good car. Not the best, nor the worst I've owned.