How long does the Chevy Malibus last? Ready for a surprise?
The Chevy Malibu Now there is a cool car. Whether you drive a classic from 1964 to 1983 or a revival model from 1997 to the present, this is a car you want to last forever. But every vehicle has an expiration date, because there are only a certain number of kilometers promised.
How many miles will a Chevy Malibu last?
These cars are estimated to last between 100,000 and 150,000 miles. That doesn’t mean they’ll break when you hit 151,000, but you’re more likely to have problems beyond that point.
Below, we’ll delve deeper, exploring what really causes a potential breakdown and how you can prolong the life of your vehicle. A Malibu can’t last forever, but there are many things you can do to get more than 150,000 miles out of it.
How is the useful life of a car determined?
When exactly is a car considered kaput? It’s really a matter of opinion. Your average driver might tell you it’s the transmission. The transmission is really the backbone of the car, and it’s expensive and difficult to replace, so once it’s gone, so is the car.
Ask any classic car collector and they will tell you that a car can survive as long as the body holds up. You can always replace the nuts and bolts under the hood, but when the last of the 1983 Malibu body rusts out, there’s nothing left to replace it with.
For most of us, that’s when our Malibuses cost more to maintain than to replace. That’s when it ends. If you really love your Malibu, it might be worth the cost to repair it, but it’s not exactly the car you bought.
Join the High Mileage Club
The 100-150k number assumes regular use and regular driving habits. The main thing you need to think about is the transmission. Malibu drivers have driven 200,000, 300,000 miles with the same engine and transmission with careful driving.
The car will suffer wear and tear no matter what. It’s basically just a bunch of steel and aluminum rattling around, and it’s not going to last forever. But if you take care of the transfer, it can easily go over 150,000 miles. Here are some tips:
- Use your parking brake. If you let your transmission do the work when parking, you will put unnecessary pressure on the parking pawl.
- Do not put your hand on the gear lever. This adds weight to the transmission.
- Change your oil regularly. Chevy recommends every 3,000 to 5,000 miles for regular oil or 7,500 to 10,000 for synthetic oil
- Do not suddenly shift from reverse to reverse. Relax. Even if it means losing a large parking spot, your transmission doesn’t like it when it shifts too quickly.
- Don’t overload the car. The Malibu’s towing capacity is only 1,000 pounds, this is how one car company tells you “don’t use it for towing”
- Drive your vehicle where it should be driven. Malibuses are designed for streets and highways, not rocky hills and back roads.
No car lasts forever. But with careful driving habits, there’s no reason your Malibu can’t beat the three-year/36,000-mile warranty several times over. Read the owner’s manual, know your car, and drive it carefully.
Photos: Chevrolet
