Review: 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Discuss

[1X83Z]

But you see, MY point was that you just looked at a picture and saw that both visible paddles had a + sign on them, and assumed that the car does not shift down, without having driven it or even sat in one.

I drove plenty of last-generation GM cars with the up/down shifters. The damn thing doesn't work. As stated it doesn't take downshifts as a mandate to physically do anything.

Doug, take a look at the amount of Camry's and Sebrings on lots. Then see how many are Malibu's are on the lots.

At Enterprise I drove only one Camry all summer. Malibus and Sebrings were about as common as each other. PT Cruiser was our most common car.

 

[TopHat]

I drove plenty of last-generation GM cars with the up/down shifters. The damn thing doesn't work. As stated it doesn't take downshifts as a mandate to physically do anything.

So you want to be able to downshift from 6th @ 5000 RPM (beating on the thing) down to 5th, no matter how badly that would damage the engine? Sometimes you shouldn't be allowed to downshift. It's the engine protecting itself. Most of the time, if you shift at a decent rev, it'll listen.

At Enterprise I drove only one Camry all summer. Malibus and Sebrings were about as common as each other. PT Cruiser was our most common car.

The previous generation Malibu was very suited as a rental car ( TBH I wouldn't mind a 08 Malibu Classic, just for cheap and reliable transport, also I like having it say "Classic" on the rear, kinda like the Caprice. ), and the Sebring was destined to be so from the get-go, with looks even a mother would shun.


The PT Cruiser is just there because it's dirt cheap, and they're everywhere. It's a halfway decent car.

 

[YSSMAN]

I drove plenty of last-generation GM cars with the up/down shifters. The damn thing doesn't work. As stated it doesn't take downshifts as a mandate to physically do anything.

Note that you said "last-generation GM cars with the up/down shifters." The new Malibu uses a completely different transmission (an extra two cogs) and a different programming setup, similar to the one found in the Saturn Aura XR, but I believe tuned a bit more extensively this time around.

The old 4T60E was reluctant to shift up or down, but there is only so much that can be done. I can confirm that the 6T70E is happy to go both up and down when you tell it too, and furthermore, even if you leave it in "D," it will do most things as you'd expect it to do (meaning, shift when it should, both up and down).

===

Rental or not, this does not prevent it from being an otherwise good car thats certainly worth a look if you're in the market for a new family sedan. There are plenty of Camry and Sebring rentals around here as well, not to mention occasional Mazda6s and Hyundai Sonatas. It all depends on what the company likes, and what it wants to spend money on.

Chevrolet will sell some to rental fleets, so what? They won't sell as many as the Camry either. Who cares?

What matters is, simply put, GM is building excellent cars and trucks again, and it has been a long time coming. If the updated G6 is to be better than the Malibu, that is very good indeed. Furthermore, when the Epsilon II cars debut for 2009/2010 (Saab 9-5, Buick LaCrosse, Vauxhall Insignia/Opel Vectra, Saturn Aura), I imagine they to be quite good as well...

 

[neanderthal]

we can rent luxury cars here in LA. toyota camry or merc C class. same cost.

jag XK convertible, BMW 5 series, merc E class, porsches, hummers you name it.

i dont get the rental car connection at all.

 

[1X83Z]

So you want to be able to downshift from 6th @ 5000 RPM (beating on the thing) down to 5th, no matter how badly that would damage the engine?

No - I want it to indicate the gear it's ACTUALLY in. You have no idea how many times I was in GM cars on the highway at 70mph with the transmission reading "1." How dumb. My Audi simply doesn't downshift if it would hurt the engine.

i dont get the rental car connection at all.

If a company is selling cars to rental car companies, that means that they are taking the "reduce costs" approach rather than the "maximize profits" approach. It also means they are not taking the "incur losses" approach - but only just. The company would rather a retail sale than a rental sale - that they sell to rental car companies means they can't unload (at retail) the amount they make.

 

[Keef]

No - I want it to indicate the gear it's ACTUALLY in. You have no idea how many times I was in GM cars on the highway at 70mph with the transmission reading "1." How dumb. My Audi simply doesn't downshift if it would hurt the engine.

Get a manual.



Though--and I hate to say this--the manumatic function in our rental Volkswagen Jetta Because They Can't Sell the Amount They Make at Retail was actually pretty fun to use.

And the way the computer (not the engine, of course, because it's German) applied the power was interesting. When you tipped in the throttle it would start slowly, then all the sudden pull a rocket even though you didn't press the pedal any more. And then before auto upshifts it would decrease throttle, shift seamlessly, and then reapply the throttle. Weird.

 

[YSSMAN]

No - I want it to indicate the gear it's ACTUALLY in. You have no idea how many times I was in GM cars on the highway at 70mph with the transmission reading "1." How dumb. My Audi simply doesn't downshift if it would hurt the engine.

As I recall, the gear selected when in manual mode is displayed inside the speedometer, just like your Audi.

Doug, I can't stress this enough; This Malibu is completely, entirely different than the previous model...

 

[Tornado]

I personally think a major reason for not buying a new Malibu is that Honda will now shift into "get that crap outta here" mode that Dodge gets in every Tuesday, and will sell the previous Accord at bargain basement prices to make way for the new and far inferior "American Sized" Accord. Just like how when VW started dumping Mk IV Golfs to make way for the Rabbit was a good excuse to forgo buying anything other than Mk. IV Golfs.

 

[YSSMAN]

Agreeable, as I still love the "true" Accord. Although, I've been seeing an increasing amount of all-new Accords, as RL-like as they are (ie, boooooring), but I haven't been around the dealer in a while.

A full-test of the family sedans is in order at Car and Driver. The battle between the Malibu and the Accord should be rather interesting...

 

[neanderthal]

If a company is selling cars to rental car companies, that means that they are taking the "reduce costs" approach rather than the "maximize profits" approach. It also means they are not taking the "incur losses" approach - but only just. The company would rather a retail sale than a rental sale - that they sell to rental car companies means they can't unload (at retail) the amount they make.

i know that fleet sales are often at a discounted rate.

what im saying is just because a car is on a rental fleet doesnt necessarily mean it was sold at a lower price. somehow i dont believe the camries and hummers and so on that are on rental fleets here in los angeles were sold at less than retail.
if GM is marketing the "malibu classic" as their rental special why would they then sell the regular malibu at cost and not make a profit jus to make the sale? see? they have a car thats discounted.

if im a general manager at a GM store and "acme car rental" comes in saying they want 500 malibus i offer them the "classic" at fleet prices or offer them the new one at retail. thier retail dollars are just the same as any other customers.

 

[1X83Z]

As I recall, the gear selected when in manual mode is displayed inside the speedometer, just like your Audi.

THE DIFFERENCE as I've stated twenty times is

In my Audi it does not display a gear it is not in. In the GM cars it will show first even if it's in fifth. That is counterintuitive and RIDICULOUSLY confusing.

if GM is marketing the "malibu classic" as their rental special why would they then sell the regular malibu at cost and not make a profit jus to make the sale? see? they have a car thats discounted.

Because they have a contract with the plant to make x amount of cars, and they'd rather sell the cars they CAN'T sell at cost and make no profit than not sell them at all and lose money. It's all about the unions - that's probably the biggest reason US brands' resale values are so bad. Unions make them build more cars than they can sell.

 

[YSSMAN]

THE DIFFERENCE as I've stated twenty times is

In my Audi it does not display a gear it is not in. In the GM cars it will show first even if it's in fifth. That is counterintuitive and RIDICULOUSLY confusing.

I just don't recall it being like that, but I don't think thats a big deal overall. If it were that much of a problem, I'm sure that all of the magazines would have gone haywire about it by now. Personally speaking, it would be a shame not to know what gear you're in anyway... You should be able to see the tach and understand, hear the engine and understand, etc.

...But maybe thats because I drive stick anyway...

Anyway, as I recall, the LCD display below the speedometer will read the individual gear that it is in, 1-6 when placed into manual mode.

 

[a6m5]

i know that fleet sales are often at a discounted rate.

what im saying is just because a car is on a rental fleet doesnt necessarily mean it was sold at a lower price. somehow i dont believe the camries and hummers and so on that are on rental fleets here in los angeles were sold at less than retail.

Yes, they do. Hummers are exception though. Maybe Doug can confirm, but I can't see Budget renting those SUVs at regular rate, unless it's part of some kind of promotion.

Fleet money is not even close to retail money. Retail, you are pretty much raping your customer. Fleet, it's the other way around. Often, depending on the customer, you are selling your vehicles and parts at "cost +".

P.S. I saw my first Malibu on one rainy evening, earlier this week. A red one w/ dual exhaust. I think it still had dealer plates. I just saw the side and rear, but the car looks awesome. 👍

 

[1X83Z]

Anyway, as I recall, the LCD display below the speedometer will read the individual gear that it is in, 1-6 when placed into manual mode.

It does not. It reads the gear YOU WANT IT IN and then shifts into it when safe. It's absolutely stupid.

Yes, they do. Hummers are exception though. Maybe Doug can confirm, but I can't see Budget renting those SUVs at regular rate, unless it's part of some kind of promotion.

A few cars are excepted. We had a few Infiniti G35s and some Volvos, but we had special deals with the manufacturers on those - they automatically took them back after we were done with them so they could resell them (i.e. they didn't end up at 'Enterprise Car Sales'). In other words they made a profit somewhere down the line.

 

[a6m5]

A few cars are excepted. We had a few Infiniti G35s and some Volvos, but we had special deals with the manufacturers on those - they automatically took them back after we were done with them so they could resell them (i.e. they didn't end up at 'Enterprise Car Sales'). In other words they made a profit somewhere down the line.

I knew it. Because sometimes, on certain vehicles, I can see offering cars for premium type rental can be good PR for the manufacturers.

You rent it, you might want to buy it. Either that, or the renters can just make hefty profit on the higher rental car charges.

 

[1X83Z]

I knew it. Because sometimes, on certain vehicles, I can see offering cars for premium type rental can be good PR for the manufacturers.

That was part of it, but I believe most of it related to a deal that went something like 'yeah, Ford, we'll take 50 Fusions, but you have to give us two S40s also.' We had renters that demanded premium cars, so it was logical. We only ever had premium vehicles if we carried the respective non-premium brand (aka Ford/Volvo; Chevrolet/Buick and Cadillac; Nissan/Infiniti; Volkswagen/Audi).

 

[Jim Prower]

This is starting to sound like the GT-R thread.

1: the Malibu may end up as a Rental car, but It'll be a very good one. I mean, unless G.M.'s press fleet is a fleet of Ringers...Conspiracy theorists, do your worst.

2: You seem to attest to the fact that it sucks without ever having driven one, in the face of shining reviews from magazines, AND other members, simply because it's an American car and you work (or have worked for) a rental agency, apparently one that buys a lot of crappy American cars.

3: Might wanna read this post.

So far I haven't heard anything FROM YOU, based on a direct drive of, or even sitting in, for that matter, a new, consumer-grade, Chevrolet Malibu. Unless I've missed something.

 

[1X83Z]

So far I haven't heard anything FROM YOU, based on a direct drive of, or even sitting in, for that matter, a new, consumer-grade, Chevrolet Malibu. Unless I've missed something.

I have never given any opinions on how the vehicle drives, nor do I care. My argument in this thread has been consistent: it is relegated to fleet sales and will not sell in the numbers that General Motors wants it to, plain and simple, because prior models gave it a bad name. I personally like the vehicle.

 

[Duke]

It does not. It reads the gear YOU WANT IT IN and then shifts into it when safe. It's absolutely stupid.

Ummm, hello. ALL 'manumatic' cars will not let the transmission downshift until it is safe for the engine to do so. The TSX certainly won't let you.

 

[1X83Z]

Ummm, hello. ALL 'manumatic' cars will not let the transmission downshift until it is safe for the engine to do so. The TSX certainly won't let you.

Ugh.

I will repeat for one last time and one last time only.

In a General Motors vehicle with a manumatic transmission, if you are driving along in fifth and decide suddenly you want to be in first, you can downshift to first with the gear selector. On the dashboard, it then displays you as being in first - despite the fact that you are, in fact, not in that gear.

THAT is what makes them ridiculous. In my car, if you're in fifth and pull the lever back five times, it downshifts to third, shows third on the dashboard, and downshifts no lower nor does it display the fact that it's in a lower gear than it's actually in.

 

[YSSMAN]

I hardly see that as a point by which I'd niggle, but I do recall Motor Trend pointing something out something similar in their comparison test of the new sedans... As I recall, they expected it to automatically drop into a lower gear when you switch from 'D' to 'M', but instead, had to drop it down by using their paddle shifters.

As it stands, I believe that the Chevrolet is the only sedan in its class (size, price, performance) that offers flappy paddles as standard equipment on the V6 with the six-speed box. It will however be interesting to see if they offer them on the I4 models with the six-speed box, certainly something to rub in Honda's face, the previous leader in all things 'sport' when it came to sedans such as these (that title now sits with Nissan).

Is it the best car on four wheels?

No, it isn't. But GM did a damn-good job building this one, and it shows. Whether or not sales are as good as Toyota's really isn't important, this is a good car, and it deserves your consideration if you're in the market for a car such as that. It shouldn't be written off because some of the low-spec LS models will wind up at rental agencies or won't sell in numbers like the Camry or Accord, because if it were the case, we wouldn't be driving BMWs or Nissans.

Take what you want out of that I suppose, but I like it. A lot of people really, really like it. Whether or not we buy one right now is a whole 'nother thing...

 

[Tornado]

As it stands, I believe that the Chevrolet is the only sedan in its class (size, price, performance) that offers flappy paddles as standard equipment on the V6 with the six-speed box.

And I must say it: Who cares? Flappy paddles on a pure automatic are pointless endeavors. The people who demand the ability to shift themselves simply buy manuals, people who want the look of a sporty transmission buy manuals, and people who want automatics usually don't care whether they can shift themselves.
It technically is a plus, yes. But one could just as easily say that having the gear selector in its normal place isn't really in any need of improvement.

 

[Perfect Balance]

The people who demand the ability to shift themselves simply buy manuals, people who want the look of a sporty transmission buy manuals, and people who want automatics usually don't care whether they can shift themselves.

Do you have an example of this "sporty looking" transmission?

 

[Tornado]

Do you have an example of this "sporty looking" transmission?

Huh?

 

[1X83Z]

I don't get why it's not useful to have manumatic. I get significantly increased fuel economy if I use it correctly, and downshifts are much quicker.

 

[Tornado]

And what advantages do flappy paddles or buttons lend to either of those?

 

[YSSMAN]

Toronado is right, there really isn't any bonus to having it other than to say "Oooh look, we've put some more sport in what would otherwise be a regular sedan!"

GM, I assume, did it because they've noticed that its become a bit more popular with the foreign (read European) competition. There really aren't any major bonuses, like you said, if the transmission is programmed properly (GM did a good job as it is).

Real men row their own gears, its as simple as that. DSG is really the only alternative, but I stay with the old-school stuff...

But yeah, there really isn't much of a point to it in a family sedan. The Aura or G6? That makes sense. The Malibu and LaCrosse? Not really...

 

[1X83Z]

And what advantages do flappy paddles or buttons lend to either of those?

I can stick my car in fifth no matter what speed I'm at as long as engine speed remains relatively high. I now actually get the EPA city MPG rating on a regular basis - 18mpg - and that's 61,000 miles and 6 years after production - and a rating no one actually achieves (except me).

As for the downshifts thing, it takes a regular automatic weeks to do what I can do with two pulls of the lever. It's so much quicker.

Most importantly, I can engine brake - though I never do because it wastes gas.

 

[Tornado]

I can stick my car in fifth no matter what speed I'm at as long as engine speed remains relatively high.

And you can't do that with a normal manumatic transmission?

 

[1X83Z]

And you can't do that with a normal manumatic transmission?

Wait, I thought we were talking about normal manumatic transmissions.