Used 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Consumer Reviews
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Pizza runner
At 199,000 miles I’m still running strong. I bought the car from $1900 at 130000 miles. Very grateful to have a reliable car. I drive it hard and have had no issues since I owned it. I highly recommend this vehicle for people with the job like me or for your teenager. It has never left me hanging
Truly the perfect sedan
My 2005 Chevy Malibu has 56,500 miles and has never given me any problems, barring the occasional Malibu moment. The 2.2L 4-cylinder engine is surprsingly robust and highway passing is not as difficult as it generally is with these type of engines. The interior, while considered boring by many, is to me just practical enough without being completely ugly. The cargo space, both in the passenger cabin and the trunk is very surprising. Several employees at department stores have doubted that large objects could indeed fit in my spacious trunk, but they were also surprised that a full-size outdoor grill slid in with ease. Overall, my only complaint about the car is the lack of reading lamps.
best car I have ever owned
I bought my car used off a car lot a year ago now. It already had 202,000 miles on it and now has about 229,000. I've had no problems with my car. Love it and so would buy another one.
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Best for My Money
I bought this Malibu in 2005 right off the lot new. It has never ever failed me. Great on mileage and I am averaging over 28 mpg with it. It owes me nothing. Comfortable, built well and except for the brakes, Disc in front and Drums in rear getting hard spots and will need to be turned)I have no issues with this car. Best car I bought for the money. Last year it got me through the snow when my wife's Volvo S-80 wouldn't. Great traction with the tires I am using in snow. I suggest using Bridgestone Blizack tires on this car for added snow performance.
Very fine car!
I bought mine from my credit union as an ex-rental car with under 20K miles. I drive approximately 20K miles/year, mostly highway miles. This car has been great. I have the LS with the V6 engine. It is very comfortable, gets approximately 28mpg combined city/highway, and around 31-32mpg with strictly highway driving. The traction control works VERY well on snowy Colorado roads. The engine has been trouble free (I now have approximately 70K miles on it), with nothing more than normal maintenance having been necessary to date. The body is free of noises and rattles, and the seats are VERY comfortable, especially on long drives. The trunk is huge, and easy to access,
Had for 3 years - Great car
I see a lot of the negative reviews, and the only things I agree with are the ease at which the cloth seats stain and the lamps burning out. Apart from these two issues I have put about 70K miles on the vehicle and no issues. Car runs smooth and has pep as a result of the V6. Fuel economy is great and while the looks are now a little outdated I am happy enough.
286,000 miles and still going
Most inexpensive car I've ever owned. Absolutely no unexpected issues. Normal brake and tire wear about 80k miles each, 1 set of spark plugs, 1 belt, 2 tie rod ends and 1 battery. I've used Mobile 1 and change oil at 9k, and had the trans. serviced twice. As you've guessed I drive for my job a lot, and I don't baby it. V-6 Fuel mileage averages about 34 highway, 28 overall. Would consider a trade but afraid I can't find a more dependable car.
Chevrolet Malibu Base
I purchased my vehicle used. I have only had this vehicle for 3 months and I have already experienced problems with the steering. When I am making a left turn the car makes a very disturbing noise. I have also had problems when starting the car. It makes a noise as if the battery is dead.
Kept this car for 15 yrs of dependable service
We bought this car new in 2005 and sold it in June of 2020. Other than the CD players going out twice and having to replace the radios when this happened our Malibu Maxx was a wonderful vehicle. We kept it garaged when not in use and it looked great when we sold it to a private party. I think we got top dollar for it as it looked great. It had 137,000 trouble free miles on it when we sold it. The only reason we sold it was we simply wanted a new car. We ended up with a new Chevy 2020 2LT Blazer with the 3.6 L V-6 engine.
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Wrong Car
I bought my 2005 Chevy Malibu in May 2006. My chevy has about 68000 thousand miles on it. Within in having it 2 weeks I had to take it back to have the rotors turned. I have had to replace front rotors, the right control arm, have a heating panel remove to stop it from making noise. I have also had the ishaft in the steering fixed three times. The gearing has been replaced, and the water pump has had to be replaced. Most of this was after the warranty expired of course. Now I have complained to GM about the steering issue, and all they are willing to give me is a 15% discount off having it fixed. This car was certified and had low mileage. I will never buy another Chevrolet vehicle.
decent used car
Bought it used for my teenage daughter last year and it's been good basic transportation for her. It has plenty of pep to get out into traffic (but not too much for a teenager!) and gets pretty good mileage if driven conservatively. However, it suffers from typical mediocre GM quality/design problems : sometimes the A/C doesn't work, sometimes the info display (radio, clock, mileage, etc.) goes black, cheap plastic parts are breaking, brake pads needed replacing, one strut is going bad, CDs get stuck in the CD player, etc. Pretty much what I'd expect from a 4- year old GM.
problems w/ engine only 71000 miles
I did not have problems within the first 3 years of purchasing the vehicle..Then one day the vehicle starting making a clicking noise...They say the >>cam--??-- valve>>> went in the engine. Jasper is saying that in 2005 the engines were made differently and now they are breaking down around 70000 miles....so they want you to buy a new engine.....There is no recall even though they knew it would be a problem in the future....Not everyone can afford a new engine when on a limited budget....if these manufactures knew there was a problem why no recall......
Good beginner car!
I bought my Malibu with 107,000 miles from the dealer and have yet to have any major problems with it. I have replaced a rotor in my front driver wheel twice but the first time was only due to a faulty part. I have driven it for 5 hours to ND and toured on one tank of gas so my highway mileage is great. I was thoroughly impressed with it's winter driving ability. My mom's 2016 Malibu gets stuck in the smallest amount of snow where my 05 was able to plow through smaller snow banks and has yet to let me down. The only issue I am having is the rust factor, I bought it with little rust around all wheel areas and near the headlight but now it is worse and pretty noticeable. If it wasn't for the rust and a minor dent in my door from another car I would not be selling. Yes the cloth interior is boring and can get dirty fast it is the perfect car for a young driver and to get me from place to place.
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Never again!
I hate this car! Have had just over a year. Has been to the dealer 4 times since April 2005 when purchased new. Car fails to start at times. Dealer doesnt know why! Not acceptable when a small child is involved here. This is a chronic issue. Noisy right front. Again, no dealer help on this. Gauges suddenly shut off! Back to the dealer for this issue. No help that time either!! Now power steering comes and goes as if possessed! Safety issue! Was at dealer again ....and again no help!!!
Magnificent MalibuNice features
Nice features, heated seats, huge trunk space, very comfy, easy to handle and sharp looking.
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I will NEVER buy another Chevy
I purchased my Malibu 14 months ago. 6 cylinder, looked sporty and was roomy. I loved it for one whole month, and then it started to fall apart. In the last year, I have dealt with and replaced the following: power steering module twice, entire steering column, slip joint, lower control arm, tie rod, all four rotors and brake pads. The horn fuse lasts about 1 week before it blows out, and there is a short in the electrical system, and because of it I have replaced all turn signals and head/brake lamps in the last year. And the sun roof pours water into the back seat, and every drop shows on the cheap material. I am looking for a new car, and I will never ever buy another Chevy.
Worst car I owned
I don't know what people see in this car, but it is the worst car I have ever owned in my life. Family always told me to stick with toyota camry or Honda Accord, I wanted something different, and boy did I made the biggest mistake of my life. A hollow car with very bad steering and tie rod ends breaking every 10 to 20k miles. It's started to rust and good luck if you want to do some extra mods on this vehicle because it will make sure to either use stock products or it will make you pay arm and leg to drive around again. GM should be shamed of themselves and I will NEVER, EVER BUYING A GM FOR SURE. And anyone who want to take chances, good luck with disappointment. You've been warned.
Back to the drawing board
As soon as I hit 5,000 miles all went wrong.Terrible noise and klunking in front end effects how car drives but according to GM not a safety concern.Car is getting worse over time. Dealership tells me they have orders from GM not to look at front end.GM tells me to be patient they will have a solution in 3 months or so. No biggie only dealing with this since Feb. GM not helpful at all! Now I am leaking gas out of the engine. At 6,000 miles I needed a whole new exhaust system and the steering column replaced after the steering locked up on me driving to work. But hey GM says it is safe to drive! Now the car just sits in my driveway no way I am placing my family in this car or any other GM Car
Can we say Recall/Class Actio?
That noise you all here coming from the front end is your struts! I bought mine w/25k on it 10/2005 and within months had problems, had rattling since beginning, told it was nothing, now found out it was the strut (s) at 47k, had to replace all 4 brakes already, tires were shot at 40k. If it won't start just take the key out and try again, its a security feature, happens all the time! Now my tail light is not working apparently an Electrical problem! Gets good gas mileage only right after oil changes and with new tires! Better make sure you replace that air filter when it says too also! Front suspension shot, brakes shot, Electrical shot, seat fabric shot, get the hint, its a piece of junk!
2005 Chevy Malibu
I've had my new Malibu 2 months. After driving a pick-up for years I would say I am very pleased with my purchase. The car has excellent pick up when needed and a very smooth ride. The gas mileage has been great. So far 26 to 28 in the city and up to 36 on the highway (65 to 75mph)
Caution, I wouldnt buy another one
I bought this car brand new in late 2004. I had it for about three months, when the steering gears needed replacement. About a year and 1/2 later, I had the same issue. Again, replaced the steering gears and guess what is wrong again. Not to mention I have already had the heater unit replaced and now the AC unit doesnt work. For the money, you get a good deal, but for the value, I dont think so. It's funny, I bought a Mazda & Chevy from this dealer, and when I asked them which 1 they thought I have brought into the shop the most, they said the Mazda. WRONG 7 years NO ISSUES. Chevy Malibu on the other hand... Going to head out and trade in this junk car, Now I know why they are going belly up
JUNK!!!
Bought vehicle with approximately 30,000 miles on it. Problems started around 70,000 miles. Engine died due to defective timing chain tensioner. at about 100,000 miles the sub frame rusted out and failed, trashing the rack and pinion steering. Both wheel front wheel bearings have been replaced around 105,000. now at about 120,000 engine AGAIN!! When we replaced the engine we put a used one in with all new timing chain components... but yet again the engine failed.( "ecoTech" engine) I have bought my last Chevy. period!!! this car has costed us about 6500 in repairs. junk... junk.... JUNK!
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2005 Chevrolet Malibu LS
So far (I've only had the car for five weeks and 1100 miles) this car is great. It's very quiet and smooth. Interior comfort is great due to the power seat; adjustable pedals; telescoping and tilting wheel (with all those features there's no way not to find a comfortable position). Fuel economy for a 3000+ lb sedan is great (I average about 27.3 mpg overall). The only thing I think could be changed is the gas pedal. To me, it feels like you have to push it down a little too much before it throttles up. There's plenty of power after you do, but it feels like it could use some adjusting. Overall, my wife and I enjoy the car a great deal. You can feel the touch of a Saab in the drive.
There should be a law...
What a piece of crap this Malibu is. Just under 40,000 miles and the rack & pinion has to be replaced...700 dollars. No wonder the foreign cars are getting a lot of business! I have owned Toyota....drove the hell out of it....no problems....sold it at 148,00 miles and it still had the original clutch and it worked very well. There should be a class action suit against Chevrolet for pushing this P.O.J. car! Even the first month of ownership...the key would come out of the ignition....JUNK JUNK JUNK!
Dead Engine at 93,000!
If you see one of these vehicles over 100k in miles and it hasn't had its engine replaced then you might want to steer clear of this one. I've owned my Malibu since it had 57,000 miles on it and after 93,000 miles three of the pistons in the V6 engine were destroyed due to one of the catalytic converters somehow pulverizing and going through the engine block. Not a good buy if you're looking for something with affordable repair
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I'll get screwed to if u buy Chevy malibu
Trans and electric issues
review of the silver bullet
I have had very good luck with this car.It has been very reliable.It can sit outside in the winter for a week and start right up at -20 below zero.it has been cheap to own,cheap to maintain and a good ride with decent power and comfortable to drive.For 80000 miles it has been a very good buy.It is is well worn and seen better days but will not die.So I keep it as a backup ride.How can you beat that.I have sold the car because I didnt want two cars anymore.My beloved wife past away and I didnt need two vehicles.It served us well and was a great deal for us.I had the car for over 7 years and about 84500 miles driven,The young lady who bought the car and her father loved the car because it still ran and handled so well.I gave them a good deal on the car although they offered me more.She was a very nice girl and had limited means so she was delighted that I gave her a good deal.The car had payed for itself many times over and I felt I could be generous.The 2005 malibu ls was a great car for us and as far as I no the young lady is still driving it.
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I would never buy this car again
When I purchased this car in 2007 I was happy because It looked prtty good. But after a few months past that's when the problems started. First it was the linement which I'm still working on getting it corrected. I;ve had this problem for years I don't know what it feels like driving a car that has good linement. I can't check my trans fulids I have to go to the dealership which I know will charge me a arm and a leg. Now my engine is shaking when I put the car in P or D. That started when I changed the air filter. the list goes on and on.. I hate this car..
Safety nightmare
Since I purchased the car brand new I have been to the dealer for the following problems: New rack and pinion replaced twice, 2 bald tires replaced from bad alignment, heated seats go on randomly, the radio switch on the steering wheel stopped working, and now the seat brackets broke on the drivers seat and the car was never involved in an accident. GM showed no concern for my safety and said it was not under warranty anymore! The car only has 34000 miles on it. the interior is a fake leather and shows all spots and water drops. they do not come clean. On the highway you cannot have the back windows open or there is a tunnel sound in your ears.
No more please
I've owned this car for three, years, will not buy another American owned mfg. Again. Car has clunked since day one like my envoy I traded in, replaced just about everything so far, and now the directional bulbs blow out weekly. The car is joke, buy a 12 pack because you will need them, and now the shifter for the lower gears don't work. Just what you need in tough economic times, more repair bills.
Horrible Car
I HATE this car! I bought it with only 2400 miles on it and have had it only 9 months. I have had more problems than I ever had with my 2001 Civic after 120K miles. I now have 19,000 miles and have had to get new rotors at 8,000 miles. I have been to the dealership 5 times because the car randomly turns off when I stop at redlights. The dealerships claims they can't duplicate the problem so they can't fix it. The car jolts real bad when driving at a steady 50 mph. Again the dealership "cant duplicate the problem" I demanded reprogramming of the computer and so far I have not had many problems, but then again it has only been a months since the reprogramming. Paint has also worn off radio.
Great Car
We bought out Malibu a little over a year ago and loved driving it on short and long trips. Great gas mileage for its size, lots of room for people and all the stuff we carry along, and pretty comfortable on the long rides too. But the best thing about it just happened a couple of weeks ago when my wife was in a head on collision. The whole front end was smashed in and she limped away with just a broken collarbone and toe. Front and side airbags and the seatbelt did their job and now we're taking the insurance check to buy an 06 Malibu.
Very much surprised at 4 cylinder performance
I am very happy and satisfied with my Malibu. I have arthritis, and found that the adjustments to all hand and foot controls made it easy to get in and out on driver's side. I am an old Chevy truck manager for a dealerahip in Long Island, NY and am happy that GM has put in coveniences for comfort and easy handling.
Not a good car but it works.
This is the cheapest quality car I have ever owned. We decided to buy this instead of a new Accord because it saved money (a great deal after rebates). I have owned 2 Mazdas, an Altima, and a CR-V and the build quality of this car doesn't even stand up to my old '96 626. After 28k miles this car has several interior rattles, a mushy brake pedal and suspension, and overboosted steering. Everything inside the car feels and sounds cheap to the touch and the doors don't stay open by themselves even on the slightest incline. This is not a great car. It has lots of potential but GM cheaped out again. And some folks wonder why we lose to the Asian car companies. Get the Impala, it's better.
The perfect car
I drive all city driving in my 2005 Chevrolet Malibu with a 3.5 Liter V6 and I am currently getting 30 miles to the gallon with only city driving. When I go on road trips I get about 39 freeway driving which just blows me away. I bought it thinking it would get 22 city and 32 highway but I am stunned at the great mileage I get especially with the very high gas prices. Did I also mention that I am constantly punching my gas petal to beat people off the line?
Great Midsize Sedan
I bought this car for safety and fuel economy reasons but it's a whole lot more than that. It's a fun car to drive! It's got great acceleration when you need it and if you don't have a heavy foot you can see 30miles/gallon combined and 40miles/gallon highway. The electric power assist steering is wonderful. However, we just received a "voluntary customer satisfaction" notice in the mail that they have had some problems with a sensor in the steering wheel and on some units they have to replace the steering wheel. This is a warranty item and they will test and replace through 1/31/06 if needed. Great handling and ride with the Saab Chassis. Overall a great car
Nice car but...
This car had 8100 miles on it when we bought it in Dec. At first we had no problems but now it makes an awful noise on right side when hitting rough road or potholes. Definitely something wrong somewhere. Also a rattle in right front door (that just started). Otherwise, it's nice looking & fun to drive. Handles well on the freeway or in the city. I'm not sure at this point if I would recommend this car, & doubt if we will keep it over 3 years, if that long. We had a 1995 Pontiac Grand Prix that rode better with no rattles, but it was getting too many mechanical problems. For the price we paid, this Malibu probably isn't a bad car.
Are you kidding me? Again?
I HATE THIS CAR! The steering goes out whenever it want's. I've had it fixed only after 6 months of owning-yet, it continues to happen. It has just shut off on me at redlights, it pretty much starts when it feels like it. It's actually in the shop now because it didn't want to start. Oh, and the lights on this car blow so frequently be prepared to have the Autozone workers know you by name. I HATE THIS CAR! Never will I in a million years buy another Chevy or recommend this piece of crap car to anyone.
Poor Quality
I leased this car in April of 2004. I really like its looks however the build quality is hoorible. I have 5200 miles and I have had the heater stop working for 2 days, the temp gauge works when it wants to, and I have heard loud sporadic valve noise on occasions. I have more interior rattles tahn my 1990 towncar had-many more. It is usally hard starting especially when hot. _ Keep in mind this car has 5200 miles.
Chevy Malibu Base Model
Car performs well, the four clyinder engine performs as well as the V6 engine. Fuel economy is excellent. The front seat area is slightly smaller than previous model years, also the back seat is smaller. Added features such as info is nice to have. Overall the car is excellent. The new design is great and looks great.
Spongebob
I was given this car as a rental while my trusty VW Golf was in the shop. This Chevy drives like a wet sponge. The steering wheel turns as lightly as a phone dial, but the way you turn it doesn't have much in common with the direction the car will go. Turn the wheel a bit to the side and the car will stoically go straight. According to the manual it comes with a 200hp V6 engine. Those 200 horses have been hidden well. When driving off from a red light the 90hp Golf Diesel feels livelier (and it gets you almost twice as far on one tankload). In terms of design, be informed that what looks like cheap plastic is cheap plastic indeed. The engineers must have slept soundly the past decade.
Car has issues
I must say the car drove and performed nice when new.I have the 2.2 4cyl. And must say this motor for the size out performs most V6 engines I have had. Chev made one powerful little engine with excellent fuel economy.
Reliabilty
with less than 500 hundred miles it has been in the servcie repair twice due to stalling when stopping at traffic light, no one can seem to find the problem. The dealship states this is the second Malibu to come in with the problem. the dealership is being very helpful and nice and doing there best to correct the problem. Genral Motors is not helping them though.
Better than any Import, Toyota look out!
Bought this car new after looking for a replacement for my 1999 Malibu. This is the 4cyl with XM satellite radio and remote start. I took the car back to replace a visor and check out steering noise. Outstanding service. Said the steering noise was normal. Now I have 90,000 miles and just replaced front brake pads (no rotors) for the first time. Nothing else has gone wrong with this car! Tires at 63,000 miles and regular oil changes. My radio/computer says 33 mpg but my calculations indicate I get 35.7 mpg. Can the new malibu be any better? Great drive quality at 75 mph, no noise. no vibrations. Paint looks great, A/C is fantastic. Plenty of room in back seat for 3 kids. Get one!
dont buy gmc
I too will not buy another one, Chevy of any kind, does not hold resell. The inside is built shoddy, carpet has holes. Have replaced ignition twice in 6 months, power window motor went out and was so called fixed at dealer, shoddy job, air condition control has to be repaired .
Great car.
I bought this car after test driving several Malibu's and I love it. The only driving that I do is in the city in stop and go traffic and I get 33 miles to the gallon with my air conditioning all the way up. I have never had a problem with anything on it and I will definitely recommend this to all of my friends.
glad tidings
we all expect the best and this malibu has performed much better than average. one complaint that i have is mileage odometer is off reads about 103+ miles for every 100 chev says this is not unreasonable and won't fix. i have had turn signal bulbs burn out but replaced with heavy duty no problems.
EPS Should be recalled!
There are many things I love about the Malibu, but the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) is not high on my list. I have heard that the component was purchased from Toyota (which should automatically raise suspicion). After many embarrassing noise episodes, the EPS finally went on my Malibu while on the Highway doing 65 mph. The fact that I have strong arms and the traffic was light is the only thing that saved me from a major accident. When is this hazard going to get enough attention to warrant a recall? Who do we complain to, (other than Chevy, they are useless).
A Surprise Car
This car will surprise you on performave, comfort, looks and just one flat great car. We were surprised at the features and room inside. We bought the hatchback Pricing is very fair and we were happy with our deal. Pat and Charles Ostergaard P.S. Our car is a 2004. P.O.
My 2005 Malibu LS V6
I have had to have a new steering rack, new front exhaust, new sun visors, and a new ignition switch put on this car already. Thank God it is still in warranty. The tires that came with the car had trouble holding tire pressure so I had to buy 4 new tires also.