10/30/99

"I purchased this big a truck to tow a trailer. My trailer weights about 4,500 lbs and a C-1500 is rated to pull and it does not well. [He got C-2500 with 454 cc engine]. We just returned from a 3,000 mile trip with the new truck and I am very impressed with the vehicle. This is the best engine, transmission, and drivetrain combination I have ever driven. The power management is just great, smooth but strong and is superb at matching power to load. Some real good engineering. [I] am a retired airline mechanic with driving experience on all vehicles except semis. My 1500 series with the 350 was rated to pull the load and it would pull it but wouldn't handle it. Speed up hills was about 50 on average and down to about 40 on a real hill. the new vehicle cruises along at 65 on all but the steepest hills. My driving style is to work the engine but not to death...I let it drop down one gear but ease off at the second downshift. When used for towing the vehicle also is good at dampening the pitch and yaw."

12/1/99

"Recurrent premature Rotor warping and resultant brake pad wear. The dealer did a one time goodwill repair at 12,400 miles. It recurred again at 27,500 miles. They refused to repair it. I paid for the repair. At 35K miles the rotors again were warped. Chevrolet Customer Assistance said to take it to another dealer. I did. They resurfaced the rotors again. I paid for it. At 40K miles, it recurred and now told I need new rotors. I again called Chevrolet Customer Assistance. They said, "This shouldn't be happening, but until GM acknowledges a defect there is nothing we can do." I directed them to the nhtsa web site for Malibu brake and rotor complaints and to Edmunds. These are not isolated problems. GM refuses to take care of it's customers."