This Chevy Malibu Is the Cheapest Used Car for Sale on eBay, Does It Beat Walking?

You may be excused if you cannot tell what type of Chevy you’re looking at, because truth be told, it has seen much better days, but if the Malibu nameplate went through your head, then you sir (or ma’am) know your cars.

Advertised by a used car dealer based in Ohio, southeast of Columbus, it was built in 2000, and has 208,111 miles (334,922 km) under its belt, according to the eBay listing, which does not reveal much about its condition. However, they do say that a picture is worth a thousand words, and if you dare inspect it, then you will see that it has a big rust problem, misaligned headlights, a few beat up body panels, and one gray (sourced from a Mitsubishi) and three black hubcaps.

The interior does not look that promising either, but on the bright side, it does feature air conditioning, which we don’t know if it works, four-speaker stereo, AM/FM radio, power windows and door locks, vanity mirrors, cruise control with speed limiter, airbags, power steering, and ABS brakes. That’s what the vendor claims anyway, though they did not say anything about the things that do not work. Still, for $750, which is the asking price at the time of writing, you cannot really complain about anything, as long as it drives, can you?

Speaking about the driving part, we’d suggest taking it for a spin before signing your name on the dotted line and paying for it, just to make sure that the engine still has some life left in it. This is a 3.1-liter V6, which used to be good for 170 hp (172 ps / 127 kW) and 190 lb-ft (258 Nm) of torque, directed to the front wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission. The 0 to 62 mph (0-100 kph) time is irrelevant, but if you must ask, then it used to do it in less than 9 seconds back in the day. Top speed was rated at 112 mph (190 kph), though we reckon this one is far from offering decent performance.

This Chevy Malibu is definitely not a weekend project, but a ride for someone who desperately needs a set of wheels for cheap. And let’s face it, it’s not like you could do much better with $750 in your pocket, as that’s pretty much the budget for a nice weekend getaway. Also, a decent bicycle costs a bit more than that, and if I had to choose, then a vehicle, no matter how beat up it is, would always win the battle with bikes, public transport, ride-sharing companies, and taxis. We suspect that most of you feel the same; after all, it’s the gasoline-fume addiction that unites us, isn’t it?

We’ll end this story on a sadder note, by reminding you that the Malibu is Chevy’s sole-surviving everyday sedan in the U.S. of A., after the Cruze, Volt, and Impala were dropped, and it could be retired altogether after the 2023 model year, reports claim. For now, the 2022 family comprises the LS, RS, LT, and Premier specifications, with the most affordable carrying an MSRP of $23,400, and the priciest kicking off at a minimum of $33,500. The former uses a 160-horsepower 1.5-liter four-pot, and the latter is powered by a 2.0-liter engine, with 250 hp.