well, i sold my 03 VGT for a 250/250 awd (now about 350/400) and in the next 10 days swapping out Mav's base Vibe for an STI (300/300). so, we understand.
have fun with that.all I know is that my Malibu was a bigger pos then my Vibe ever will be... but if all you look at is hp #'s then go nuts.I know drunkenmaxx likes his a bunch.
CAN-AWD-VIBE03 Neptune AWDInjen CAI, Hotchkis springs, custom magnaflow exhaust w/4" tip, tint, window deflectors, stubby antenna, 3pc Mr. Grille, foglight conversion mod, Grafxwerks front & steering wheels overlays, Injen oil cap, strut tower brace, P225/45R17 Michelin Pilot Sport A/S, 17" ADR Sokudos
Although my intake gaskets couldn't last longer then 40 kms and on a cold start my pistons slapped harder then Ron Jeremy, the engine was the least of my concerns. It did need some work but kept on going and starting and driving... so it was "ok".It was the $2500 in front end parts and 3 brake jobs before 150,000 kms I DID have a problem with. Not to mention all the little fit and finish issues... power windows inop, cup holders that break, etc. (I expect crap like that though)All in all my 98 Malibubu "car of the year" (Car and Driver) was a POS. Top to bottom front to back and is a major reason I will not be buying an American car again. (unless it's a Toyota rebadge )Again I know others like the car and perhaps I got a lemon or they have reworked out the kinks and now is a great car... but based on GM history, this is most likely not the case.But 250hp does sound fun... just not when your control arms are ready to fall off.
CAN-AWD-VIBE03 Neptune AWDInjen CAI, Hotchkis springs, custom magnaflow exhaust w/4" tip, tint, window deflectors, stubby antenna, 3pc Mr. Grille, foglight conversion mod, Grafxwerks front & steering wheels overlays, Injen oil cap, strut tower brace, P225/45R17 Michelin Pilot Sport A/S, 17" ADR Sokudos
yepi agree those SS do look good with the bigger wheels etc but see how its running when it has 105 k on the speedo like my GT its just a shame the quality isnt there in the gm motors ecs the 6 cylinders between the intake gaskets and the head gaskets its horrifing to think you pay that much for one and its a given they willnot last that longecs driven hard
Yup---GM motors just don't last. I've owned at least a dozen or so...they like to get their money back w/ all those folks still running to the dealership for repairs after the warranty is up. Money in the bank! I am, however taking a closer look at the 2007 diesel engine in the Chevy Silverado HD--- need another truck for my business---- should give Dodge Diesel a run for their money....
HISTORY:2006, debadged, Cosmo Racing SR, Megan Racing strut bar, Progress swaybar, custom VVT-I body decals, GrafxWerx engine cover overlay, front-end bra, WeatherTech visors, S2000 antenna, f&r mudflaps, roof spoiler, AND MODA R9's w/ 225/40/18 Yokohama Avid's....
From talking to my freinds that all own Dodges and a buddy that sells nothing but big pickup trucks the Chevy is the one to own now, from what i hear the deisel in it is a fantastic motor and the allision tranny is pretty awesome aswell
my mom has the 2005 malibu LT. its the newer style (not classic) and has the 3.5L v6. Great car so far but its ugly I think. On a long distance trip my dad got 35mpg in it! I was amazed but they drive like super old people so makes sense. But that engine has some torq. The interior is meh better then they used to be but hey it doesnt rattle like the vibes I looked at them when I got the vibe at hertz they were a grand more and got less gas mileage and didnt have the wagon space so I picked the vibe. But my mom loves the car and when i drive it i like it, but the triptronic shifting sucks bad. its super slow to shift when you click the shift button.
I think you all just have bad luck with cars, don't drive them correctly or something because I just turned 72,000 miles on my base and I have never had any problems what so ever. I've never had to take it in for any warentee work....I don't even have any rattles even with the huge stereo pounding away.We'll see what happens when I hit 100,000 miles but, from where it stands now I can't see anything going wrong because it runs just as smooth and responssive as the day I picked it up with 16 miles on it.As long as you don't drive the car like a moron and beat the crap out of it, it should last a long time unless you get a defective one!!! You have to take care of them and maintain them properly otherwise they WILL give you trouble.
Quote, originally posted by Merzbow »As long as you don't drive the car like a moron and beat the crap out of it, it should last a long time unless you get a defective one!!!huh ohhhh wonder how long my vibe will last :s hahha
i went from vibe to maxx LT and i love it. it's not as attractive as the vibe, but it gets similar mpg and is much faster than my AWD was.there are also aftermarket parts coming out for the 3.5 as well as the 3.9 (SS). g6performance.com is the place to visit for more details on that.
chew aura pizza cheat main"the world in my hands, there's noone left to hear you scream, noone's there for you"
Quote, originally posted by Merzbow »I think you all just have bad luck with cars, don't drive them correctly or something because I just turned 72,000 miles on my base and I have never had any problems what so ever. I've never had to take it in for any warentee work....I don't even have any rattles even with the huge stereo pounding away.We'll see what happens when I hit 100,000 miles but, from where it stands now I can't see anything going wrong because it runs just as smooth and responssive as the day I picked it up with 16 miles on it.As long as you don't drive the car like a moron and beat the crap out of it, it should last a long time unless you get a defective one!!! You have to take care of them and maintain them properly otherwise they WILL give you trouble.Of course, the majority of the vibe is not GM so hopefully it'll last ALOT longer than any gm car that usually begins to need major repairs around the 100,000 mile mark. And, yes, if you beat on it, race it, etc. you are exposing it to more strain and wear and tear.
HISTORY:2006, debadged, Cosmo Racing SR, Megan Racing strut bar, Progress swaybar, custom VVT-I body decals, GrafxWerx engine cover overlay, front-end bra, WeatherTech visors, S2000 antenna, f&r mudflaps, roof spoiler, AND MODA R9's w/ 225/40/18 Yokohama Avid's....
My family has never had a problem with GM cars. My last car was a Grand Am with 137,000 miles on it. It still ran perfect. The only reason I got rid of it is because I got bored with it. And when it comes to new vehicles, GM's quality is comparable to any foreign company. It's just a popular thing to rag on domestic vehicles.
my family has almost always owned GM or Toyota. usually never any major issues that weren't to be expected with long term wear and tear. so far, they have all been excellent vehicles.
Quote, originally posted by ajflan »My family has never had a problem with GM cars. My last car was a Grand Am with 137,000 miles on it. It still ran perfect. The only reason I got rid of it is because I got bored with it. And when it comes to new vehicles, GM's quality is comparable to any foreign company. It's just a popular thing to rag on domestic vehicles.Actually, there is a gap in quality between foreign and domestic. If you look at any reviews, repair reports, consumer ratings etc. Toyota and Honda lead the pack w/ flying colors. However, domestic, most pointedly GM, is finally learning to bridge that gap. And it's true, we used to get rid of our GM cars at 100,000 miles, nowadays we can assume they'll get 200,000. Cadillac and Buick (at least the high-end models are close to comparable w/ Japan's cars in quality. Conversely, it's funny how Mercedes and Audi which used to be the absolute best are now producing a lot more lemons.There are exceptions to every rule.
HISTORY:2006, debadged, Cosmo Racing SR, Megan Racing strut bar, Progress swaybar, custom VVT-I body decals, GrafxWerx engine cover overlay, front-end bra, WeatherTech visors, S2000 antenna, f&r mudflaps, roof spoiler, AND MODA R9's w/ 225/40/18 Yokohama Avid's....
Quote, originally posted by drunkenmaxx »the interior of my maxx is way higher quality than that in the vibe. (albeit way more bland)no gaps, no creaks, no rattles.Wait. Didn't the Malibu Maxx start at $17,000 for a real base model whereas the Vibe tops out at $17,000+?
HISTORY:2006, debadged, Cosmo Racing SR, Megan Racing strut bar, Progress swaybar, custom VVT-I body decals, GrafxWerx engine cover overlay, front-end bra, WeatherTech visors, S2000 antenna, f&r mudflaps, roof spoiler, AND MODA R9's w/ 225/40/18 Yokohama Avid's....
A lot of people think less of domestics because of the amount of recalls. Japanese companies won't recall the same as domestics. They will wait till people come in with problems and then use a silent recall, as not to alert the press. And last year, Toyota had more recalls than GM. Yes, the Japanese used to have an edge in quality, but that edge is pretty much gone now. I also find that many car magazines seem to be in heavy favor of Japanese automakers. It is almost as if they are bitter about past quality issues that companies like GM had.
Wellllll--- I don't know how true that is as we have gotten TSB's mailed to us w/all of our Hondas. AND it does take a loooooong time to regain your reputation once your quality suffers....Of course, I realize that we are talking the mid 80's when GM just couldn't keep up w/ the Japanese and auto experts will agree that GM is just now figuring out how to compete again.
HISTORY:2006, debadged, Cosmo Racing SR, Megan Racing strut bar, Progress swaybar, custom VVT-I body decals, GrafxWerx engine cover overlay, front-end bra, WeatherTech visors, S2000 antenna, f&r mudflaps, roof spoiler, AND MODA R9's w/ 225/40/18 Yokohama Avid's....
As of lately i've been reading alot to the subject of TOYOTA's quality. They are fallen sharply off their pedestal. Car and driver had a columm where it describes the new camry's SHORT FALL of quality. Recently the new CAMRY finished behind a SATURN AURA in a comparison test. However, Honda is still the golden child to most. TOYOTA no longer is.GM has definately done it's homework, befause their car's are much better cars than they were 7 years ago.
Quote, originally posted by mcgusto82 »Recently the new CAMRY finished behind a SATURN AURA in a comparison test. However, Honda is still the golden child to most. TOYOTA no longer is.Heh, that's funny. And ironically, the Aura rides on the same platform as the Malibu Maxx in question that everybody is saying is piece of crap. Although with the way Toyota's slacking these days, especially with the Camry (example), I'd say that the Aura beating the Camry isn't surprising. I've read of a few unhappy Camry owners - poor build quality and transmission problems out the wazoo. Yep, that's Toyota quality there.
03 Vibe base. Born 10/14/2002 06:07 AM
Auto, Moon & Tunes, power package. 143k
Neptune/dying clearcoat/primer grey.
Quote, originally posted by MAVibe »Wait. Didn't the Malibu Maxx start at $17,000 for a real base model whereas the Vibe tops out at $17,000+?actually my maxx stickered close to 25k when it was new (i bought used)my vibe stickered at over 22k17k is practically the base sticker price of a vibe.the guy asked about the malibu and i told him. if a domestic is a piece of trash, then why is price relevant? i don't even recall the guy asking if he should get a domestic. when someone asks if a car is ok and i tell him it is of quality, you can't go back on the comment "all domestics suck" by comparing sticker price.one bad thing about the maxx is that the earlier ones had problems with the rotors warping (mine are). this issue has not presented itself on the newer ones as i have read and have never heard a case of this in the SS version.believe it or not people, damn near every manufacturer out there has some decent cars.of course, i don't buy things just because of the tag, sticker, or badge. i buy any brand of shoes that appeals to me, cars are the same way.i guess i'm one of those open minded people like that.
chew aura pizza cheat main"the world in my hands, there's noone left to hear you scream, noone's there for you"
exactly, mine was as well. i bought the damn thing in april 02!for the record, you won't find a brand new maxx for 17k, unless a dealer is desperate. there is no such thing as a stripped down one. they come from the factory with a buttload of bells and whistles standard. the LTs and up have remote freaking start standard!anyone on the site who has been around for a while knows i loved my vibe dearly. i still miss it, especially when i look out the window. that being said i am still happy with my new domestic, as bland as its looks may be.for what its worth MAvibe, i could take you to the track in my POS domestic 3400+ pound family sedan and show you what crappy domestic torque looks like.VIBE04, test drive the maxx SS, i'm sure you will love it. if not, hey you saw it for yourself.>
chew aura pizza cheat main"the world in my hands, there's noone left to hear you scream, noone's there for you"
Quote, originally posted by drunkenmaxx »exactly, mine was as well. i bought the damn thing in april 02!for the record, you won't find a brand new maxx for 17k, unless a dealer is desperate. there is no such thing as a stripped down one. they come from the factory with a buttload of bells and whistles standard. the LTs and up have remote freaking start standard!anyone on the site who has been around for a while knows i loved my vibe dearly. i still miss it, especially when i look out the window. that being said i am still happy with my new domestic, as bland as its looks may be.for what its worth MAvibe, i could take you to the track in my POS domestic 3400+ pound family sedan and show you what crappy domestic torque looks like.VIBE04, test drive the maxx SS, i'm sure you will love it. if not, hey you saw it for yourself.>+1sorry, i do miss my vibe, but let's face it... it's slow. unless you're willing to pour a lot of money to make it decent, not worth it. 250 hp/250 tq is what i traded mine in stock out the gate, once i'm done by end of May it will be running about 350 bhp if not already. and to think it was only $3K more to start than what i paid for my 03 VGT with 250/250 and awd. bang for your buck, the Maxx SS is a smoking deal no doubt! and i bet it's got rear fold down seats unlike my LGT! LOL
Quote, originally posted by ajflan »My family has never had a problem with GM cars. My last car was a Grand Am with 137,000 miles on it. It still ran perfect. The only reason I got rid of it is because I got bored with it. And when it comes to new vehicles, GM's quality is comparable to any foreign company. It's just a popular thing to rag on domestic vehicles.I hole heartily agree! My family has driven nothing but GM 90% of the time and we have never had one engine or transmission failure. We had had trans failures in other brands including foreign though... My family has probably put on 1 million miles on past GM cars, probably more now if I include their current rides. One thing for sure GM spends a lot of money on its engines and trans and it shows!My first car was a 1987, had it for 10 years and I put 130,000 miles on the engine before trading it in. It ran and looked great so the dealer put it on their lot and sold it! Never once did the engine or trans give me trouble and that was for 1987 technology! I always changed the oil every 3,000 and trans fluid at every 25,000.
I will admit i would own a new SS max seena silver one with the nice wheels good loooking car but reeallym would l=not tak eone over a toyota engine seen to many v6 Gm motors puking head gaskets at intake gaskets to warrant me to buy one sorry but is a good looking car even the size is pretty nice
Now that is sweet But Gm could not do something that sweet with out A... charging you to much B.......not redifining the interior and making finally a product you feel like riding in for more than an hourC.....well one that will keep head and intake gaskets init for longer then 60K Sweet ride though wow