Cheap first car

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Picked up a 2005 Chevy Malibu Classic for my GFs son today. 1 owner, 108k. Undercarraige oiled since new. Tiny engine 4cyl under the hood. Think it's a 2.2 ecotec? Appears not to have a transmission dipstick. Just a cap.

Anyone familiar with these cars. What flaws they have. If they burn oil. How to check or change transmission fluid with no stick just a cap.

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Not many flaws. A few electrical gremlins here and there (turn signal switches, etc) but that's about it.

The transmission has a check plug on the drivers side, above the axle shaft. You remove the plug with the car up to temp and running, if fluid dribbles out it's fine, if not add through the cap you saw until it does.
 
Originally Posted by 14Accent
Not many flaws. A few electrical gremlins here and there (turn signal switches, etc) but that's about it.

The transmission has a check plug on the drivers side, above the axle shaft. You remove the plug with the car up to temp and running, if fluid dribbles out it's fine, if not add through the cap you saw until it does.

Should I use dex iii or dex vi?
 
Nice car! I hope you continue getting it rustproofed
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Yup, that's the 2.2L Ecotec

I like those Malibu classics because that little engine under a big hood, lots of space, looks easy to work on. That Malibu Classic was a fleet special they had for a year or two after the new Malibu was introduced.

The transmission probably doesn't have a drain plug either, so you will need to get an aftermarket pan that has one.

Dexron VI is backwards-compatible with Dexron III, so you can use the VI with no problems.
 
Originally Posted by blupupher
Dex VI is what I would use in it. I used it in my mom's '07 Vue and works great.

Just curious, what did it cost?

$2300
 
Originally Posted by LeakySeals
Originally Posted by blupupher
Dex VI is what I would use in it. I used it in my mom's '07 Vue and works great.

Just curious, what did it cost?

$2300
Wow, that's a lot. I get the one owner low mileage angle, but not for an American economy car of that vintage.
 
Originally Posted by maxdustington

$2300 Wow, that's a lot. I get the one owner low mileage angle, but not for an American economy car of that vintage.


I don't know where you're car shopping, but where I'm at that car would sell quick for $2300.
 
Originally Posted by maxdustington
Originally Posted by LeakySeals
Originally Posted by blupupher
Dex VI is what I would use in it. I used it in my mom's '07 Vue and works great.

Just curious, what did it cost?

$2300
Wow, that's a lot. I get the one owner low mileage angle, but not for an American economy car of that vintage.

Around here $1500-$2k gets you a rot box that wont pass inspection. Or some kids beat up civic. This car needs nothing. Good bones.
 
Listen to the engine on start up. If you hear a chain rattle for 1 second, it needs a new updated timing chain tensioner. Sometimes the originals last forever, sometimes not.
I find it hard to get an accurate oil level reading on this engine. Best to park in the same spot and let it sit over night. Do this after an oil change so that you know you have the correct amount of oil in the car.
 
I saw that one listed and was wondering about it, but obviously didn't act fast enough.
Impressive, I'll be curious how this story progresses.
 
That is an easy 3500 dollar car where I am at in Washington. My buddy just sold his 04 Kia 5 speed with 160,000 miles on it for 2500 out here.
 
Best of luck with it.
If "Ecotech" (Saab designed turbo-charged engine, no?) means turboed make sure your GF's son knows that the $16 oil change specials are NOT FOR HIM.

Re price: It has everything to do with condition, past maintenance and appearance.

Hey OP, where do you get cars oiled up there? I know of only one place and it's in Rutland, VT.
 
Originally Posted by Kira
Best of luck with it.
If "Ecotech" (Saab designed turbo-charged engine, no?) means turboed make sure your GF's son knows that the $16 oil change specials are NOT FOR HIM.

Re price: It has everything to do with condition, past maintenance and appearance.

Hey OP, where do you get cars oiled up there? I know of only one place and it's in Rutland, VT.

There's no turbo under there. Just a tiny little engine with a huge gap between the engine and the cabin. I've never seen so much room lol. It's going to be fun for him to work on. I don't know where the prior owner got it oiled. But it's working good because it's all soot underneath, under the doors and around the engine bay. Not sure if I want to remove it and go with the cosmoline product I use on the Escalade or just continue on with fluid film. It's working so I should probably just leave things alone and continue on with fluid film
 
Remove one rust preventative for another???? Just continue what's been done. You knew that.

A sister in law leased a succession of these cars. Being a low mileage driver the dealer always gave her a new car every year and left the monthly cost alone.

I never opened the hood of one of them so I have nothing which'd help you.

Remember to mention the gross, inexcusable stupidity and immorality of drunken driving the the young wheelman.
 
Out here in Georgia it would be an $1800 car and the poor seller would go through at least a dozen liars and nickel $hitters before he found a qualified customer.

I used to travel around the country liquidating vehicles for Capital One Auto Finance. The rust belt and West Coast always has a stiff price premium for older low-mileage vehicles. One passing thought of mine over the years has been to bring about 50 or so of these cars to Connecticut and have the locals enjoy Southern cars with no rust.

As for the Malibu, they don't do that well in a crash but they are so cheap to own and operate. If he doesn't drive anywhere that's too dangerous he should be more than OK. Metro-Atlanta and the outlying suburbs have become far more risky than it was 10 years ago due to the pervasiveness of cell phones and the number of inexperienced truckers we have on the road.

Good luck!

Oh, here's the long-term reliability of the Malibu

http://dashboard-light.com/vehicles/Chevrolet_Malibu.html
 
Seems like a nice car, well kept.

Had a 2003 as a company car (with the V6) that ran reliably enough, except the AC compressor control switch on the console went out twice. Once under warranty, once after I had bought the car while deciding what I was going to replace it with. I got it at wholesale and traded it at wholesale 6 months later so I can't complain.

That button was odd...and maybe GM resolved the issue by the time yours was built. It was on, obviously, when the AC compressor was on. Or you could turn it off (just push it again) for air only.

The glitch was the light on the button (indicating the compressor was on) would go out on it's own, so the compressor was not on. Changing it out was not that hard IIRC, but it was like $100 for the part, which was annoying for a car relatively new. The compressor was okay, just the darn button. Yours may not have the problem, but if it does it's a pretty easy fix. As I recall, someone online actually cured it himself by taking the switch apart and re-soldering the connections.
 
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