2002 Chevrolet Malibu

Ahhh, American rental cars....I mean American family cars. They're so full of soul. And just loaded with the latest technological advancements and cutting edge design. Right. If you fell for that, I've got a bridge that I can sell you real cheap.

The Chevy Malibu...it was designed to compete head-to-head with the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. That was the intention anyway. But sadly, it falls short in terms of design and comfort. Now, it's not a bad car. The Malibu is safe and reliable, much like a refrigerator, or washing machine. It'll keep running, as long as you don't abuse it.

The reason that the Malibu is so popular with rental car agencies, is because it's sort of like a 'Transportation Appliance'. The Malibu is cheap, reasonably comfortable, and no one in his right mind would steal one.

There's nothing about the interior or exterior styling that would make you remember it for more than 5 minutes. And driving one is like....uhm...driving a deep-freezer down the road. Sort of yawn, ho-hum, play with the radio so you don't fall asleep.

The Malibu comes in two trim lines, yawn....base and LS. Engine choices are the 2.4-liter 4 banger and the 3.1-liter V6. Both are decent engines. The base model has a nice list of standard features, including air conditioning, anti-lock brakes, four-speed automatic transmission, power door locks, rear-seat child security locks, battery rundown protection, AM/FM/CD stereo, tilt steering column and tachometer. The little chamber for the fabric softener is optional. The LS gets a nicer cloth interior and a six-way power driver's seat. Not to mention that cool LS badge on the trunk lid.

So to sum up; The Malibu looks like a washing machine, is about as exciting as a deep-freezer and is as reliable as that 20-yr old riding lawn mower that your father-in-law nurses along. So, if you're tired of walking, or riding the bus, buy a Malibu.

Model Year to Year Changes 1998: Leather upholstery was now available for the LS sedan and base Malibu's wore new aluminum wheels and could have an optional 6-way power seat. 1999: Headlamps and taillamps now illuminated to full brightness automatically when sensors detected darkness for more than 20 seconds. A thicker windshield this year was said to cut down on road noise. 2000: Malibu got a slight face lift this season and lost its 4-cylinder engine. Both base and LS sedans now contained a V6, which gained 15 horsepower. A rear spoiler now was optional on the LS. So were gold exterior badges. Bling Bling Baby! 2001: Power door locks and a rear defogger were now standard and LS models gained seatback map pockets. 2002: A CD player and floormats were now standard on the base model. Rock on! 2003: Antilock brakes were moved to the option list on base models.

Model Year Things to Look For 2000-2003 Failures of the connections at the Transmission Pass-Thru Connector - $75 The transmission may shift harsh and trouble codes may set. Failure of the connections at the Transmission Pass-Thru Connector is identified in TSB # 02-07-30-022B

1997-2003 Ignition Lock Cylinder - $200 This causes the key not to turn properly and a problem with the Theft Deterrent System

2002 7X Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor - $70

2001-2002 Powertrain Control Module (PCM) - $65 Problems with the PCM can cause the Check Engine Light to illuminate when it shouldn't.

1998-2001 Wheel Speed Sensor Wiring - $140

1997-2001 Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning (HVAC) Control Head - $190

2001Vehicle Theft Deterrent Passlock Sensor in the Ignition Lock Cylinder and Housing Assembly - $230 Failure of the Passlock Sensor may prevent the vehicle from starting.

2001 Body Control Module (BCM) - $290

1997-2000 Blower Motor Resistor - $50

1998-1999 Fuel Injectors (3.1L VIN M, VIN J engines only) - $140

1998-1999 Camshaft (3.1L VIN M engine only) - $1000

1997 Fuel Pressure Regulator - $110 (4-cyl), $160 (V6)

1997 Fuel Injector(s) (3.1L only) $200 (4-cyl), $250 (V6)

1997 Intake Manifold Gasket (3.1L only) - $400

1997 Wheel Speed Sensors - $200 ea This can cause improper operation of the ABS at low speeds

1997 Instrument Panel Cluster - $400 This can cause some lights to remain lit when they should not be or gauge readings to be incorrect.