11th Oct 2009, 15:04
I have a 2005 Chevy Malibu Classic also, My brakes are a major problem. Since 2005 I've had about 7 brake jobs since I had my car. For some odd reason I have year 2002 parts on my car! My wind shield wipers are loud!! Sometimes they don't go off at all! The side panel of the driver door is caved in, and my CD player has a mid of its own.
28th Jul 2010, 12:49
I bought a used 2004 Classic a year ago from my mechanic. It only had about 18K miles on it; now it has about 37K. My business includes a lot of driving.
I'm about to have it in for another brake job. This will be my second one this year. So, if I have to have a brake job every 10K miles, that's pricey.
I will ask the mechanic to do the "after-market" brakes that have a lifetime warranty. I'll assume he knows what that means (I don't).
I'm wondering if this problem ever came up in a recall. You'd think faulty brakes would come into question.
Aside from that, I like the car, don't love it (MPG is 25, which is painful and the stereo has problems, maybe it's just wiring but the speakers cut out and sometimes sound awful).
29th Sep 2010, 12:42
I also have a 2004 Classic, and they put out a recall for the ABS system and sensors and such. May be causing the brake issues. I have had brake issues as well... I researched and got this phone number for Chev's recalls. 1-800-630-2438...
Hope this helps a lot of you. I know I have gotten irritated hearing what sounds like I am putting on the E-brake when I'm coming to a normal stop at an intersection. Says approximately 63,000 vehicles affected. I hope to hear good news.
25th Sep 2009, 19:38
I bought an '04 Classic in January of '08, with 78,000 miles on it for 6K. My sister owns the same car and has really good luck with it. So far, my car has been running great. I like the throttle response it has, and the transmission is very flexible in that it can shift slow and smooth, or very quickly when you want it to. I've read a lot of good things about the EcoTech 2.2L it's got, and parts for the entire car are quite cheap.
I did research before I bought the car, and when my rotors began to warp, I had them replaced with aftermarket parts that had a lifetime warranty. No more shaky brakes! Heads up, though: I had the calipers replaced with the rotors (they were leaking), and as it turns out aluminum calipers develop an odd creaking noise that you can both hear and feel in the pedal after 4 - 5k miles. Talked to several mechanics, and they all told me my only option was to replace them. So, opt for the (cheaper) cast calipers.