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A typical 3.8L/leather/sunroof model w/power everything is about $26,500 for the GP vs. $29,000 for the Impala.
For $29K you can get the GTP with bigger engine.
The Impala does look better than the GP, IMO. The Impala sport appearance package looks great. The new '04 GP's are okay, but I am not so fond of the sculpting around the tailights on the trunk lid.
The Impala is a much more comfortable car compared to the GP.
http://pontiac.com/grandprix/perform_chartnext_popup.jsp
Good to see a lot of the Y2K and early posters still so active like garypen, nascar, b4z, johnc, mediumfry, fatherty, night owl and the others. You guys have really hung in here for the lonnnng run.
For those who remember and those who forgot, I'm the guy that spearheaded the amp bypass fix on the "premium sound system".
I've been busy with relocating from PA to OH, buying (and fixing) a money pit of a house and then having our first baby (at over 50). Wow, is that a trip and a major blessing. For those of you had children younger in life, you might take them a little bit for granted. When you have to wait as long as we did, it's a miracle you relish!
Anyway, once upon time, some of you folks had a cure for removing the wax and/or restoring the exterior black trim on the IMPALAS. Does anybody remember what the cure was?
FYI, my 2000 Impala LS has just under 35,000 miles and has been virtually trouble-free transportation. Only significant "repair" was replacing the ISS at about 10,000 miles. Also had to have a front strut tightened around 20,000 when I had some vibration at turnpike speed. Changed oil regularly at 3 to 6K intervals depending on local or highway driving. The brakes are untouched and the car runs like new.
Please post me on the ext trim issue...
Thanks, dura
Your last post was 2 years ago!
As far as the ext. trim goes I heard peanut butter and Mother's Back to Black worked, but one guy says rubbing alchohol is the best.
I used the Mother's and the white residue came back. All it did was cover it up.
I have taken to taping the car off with blue painter's tape. Comes off real easily when you are done waxing.
Did you know that the 2004 LS will have body color mouldings?
Anyway, the peanut butter solution sounds familiar. The oily spread might do the trick.
Do you tape over the black trim when you wax the car body or do you use the blue masking tape to protect the surrounding paint when you apply the SKIPPY to the black trim??? and does it work? Does it stay black? Do you have to coat it with something?
I tried some other brand of back to black on another car years ago without much success. Mother's brand doesn't sound much better.
still have the site up and running.
http://luckyjdr.homestead.com/impala.html
I used the Back to Black and it didn't work. Frequent washings removed the white wax residue.
I have never used peanut butter.
The blue painter's tape goes over the black mouldings. It can actually be done quickly. I can't remember if i used the 1.5" or the 2" tape.
I'll let you know how long it lasts.. so far so good.
Two weeks ago, the remote control on the 1994 19" Magnavox TV in our bedroom suddenly stopped functioning. Changed the batteries - no difference. Unplugged the TV for 10 minutes from the wall outlet, replugged and the remote and TV worked perfectly again. Hasn't had a problem since then.
Can you guess what a service call on the CD or Tv would have cost in wasted time and dollars???
It might be a good idea to scan back through some of the posts here to see issues/experiences that some Impala owners have had....... there are excellent tips and web sites by some of the posters that offer great advice and helpful hints....
Good luck with your 203 Impala LS.....
I made the right choice. They are quieter than the GA's and the LS's I had on my Intrigue.
It rides and feels better in the steering also.
No snow here In SC.
I sure wish they would have made that deletion before I bought my 2001 Impala LS. LOL!!
I just can't see paying what Chevrolet is asking for the new Impalas. Major improvements have not been made to the Impala line to date and all the little improvements (like offering a supercharged 3.8L engine, used in the Pontiac Grand Prix, in a all-new black-only color Impala SS) does not add up to price they are charging for these cars. Some may be satisfied with these minor improvements, but many Impala buyers are not.
Just my thoughts. Take them for what their worth.
The Chevy Venture is a far different animal than the Impala but if it proves as reliable as the sedan, I'll be very happy.
Good Luck to all with your Impalas - I'll probably drop by now and then to see what's happening.
Dura
Laddie2, you should have gotten the XM radio. I wouldn't be without mine!
http://www.iihs.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/96026.htm
Compare this to your Impala:
http://www.iihs.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/99014.htm
Can you still get a refund? I hope you can.
<shrug>I had to ask.
If I had seen that safety info earlier, it might have swayed me to a Caravan or something else.
I know how relatively solid the IMPALA was and it was one of my reasons for choosing it.
We will certainly be driving the van a whole lot differently than the sport sedan. It's a big and somewhat awkward animal but it has advantages we needed for now. I have always been a car person - 2 door coupes and later sedans but right now we need a minivan and this was what we could afford.
Manufacturers should build these things to be as safe as sedans but they don't. But who really knows. Geez, look at what happened to Princess Di in a supposedly super safe Mercedes sedan. That thing folded like an aluminum can.
Since I got smart in my mid 20s, I don't generally drive very fast and stick pretty close to the speed limit. Think about it, if you go 5 to 10 miles over the limit on an all-day drive, what do you actually "save" - an hour or so? Better to take quicker pit stops. Besides, driving with the baby on board will make us even more cautious since little ones are a lot more vulnerable than adults.
Thankfully, in over 425,000 miles of driving, I have had nothing worse than an $1200. fender bender and never an injury to me or my passengers. I'll keep praying for the same good future.
http://www.iihs.org/vehicle_ratings/ictl/ictl_wagon.htm
Thanx in advance.
Car seat question: I actually have a carseat in the middle seat and two adults fit perfectly on each side! That is the best feature about this whole car that I love the most and will miss when it's gone. I bet you could use 3 seats just fine!!! That was one of the perks when buying this car, the fact that I could put a car seat in the middle and still fit two adults...or 3 adults perfectly. I haven't found a back seat that stands up to the impalas. I guess we compromise with every vehicle. I personally am not having any more kids, but never saw a need to move up to a minivan when I had my baby, the impala back seat has been great! Lots of room and a stroller and a load of groceries fit perfectly in the trunk.....I'll miss that!!
Take care
Nicole
The IMPALA was in excellent shape - very clean though it did need new tires( I had previously priced out a set of four Michelin X-Ones at $640).
Low mileage too - less than 35K. Looks great and runs great. It had everything but the sunroof. LS models seem more in demand than base models. As a "CERTIFIED USED CAR", the GM dealer will probably sell it for $3000 more than they allowed me in trade.
NOTE: If you have an LS, make sure they enter it as such when attempting to determine its value. Some stupid Pontiac dealership where I looked at a Montana van was way off on pricing it because he didn't know the difference which is very substantial.
I believe new car dealerships make a lot more profit on used cars than they do on new. I'm NOT talking SUVs, Corvettes or luxury cars.
Three sites to check for trade-in value:
kbb.com
edmunds.com
nada.com
Curiously, their values are not all that close.
Keep in mind, realistically, you will get about $2000 more selling privately than you will get as a trade-in. Of course there is the hassle factor of doing it yourself.
GM in Europe sold for a few years the U-body minivan under the Opel Sintra brand/model designation and it was so bad that GM had to pulled it off the European market. Interestingly, GM continues to sell the U-body sedan in Europe (albeit in lower quantities) under the Chevrolet Transport name but given the bad rap the Sintra got I would not be surprised if GM is having a hard time moving these dinosaours overthere. In fact GM has an excellent minivan not sold in North America called the Opel Zafira, which I have seen many times there.
If your needs call for a Minivan, you are better served by the Chrysler products (If you must have an American brand name) or the clearly superior Toyota or Honda products.
The Impala boasts superior build quality, reliability, safety and durability because, unlike the U-body triplet minivans, is built in Canada, not in the outdated plant where these vans are made.
I also would never trade the 3800 Series II V6 engine for a 3.4L V6 180HP version. No matter how you cut it or slice it, the GM triplet minivans are outdated, cheaply built and in need of a serious redesign.
It is too bad because the U body minivans are not ugly and seem to be very functional. My problems with those vehicles begins with the run of the mill powertrain, the poor build quality and the substandard safety.
Today, I purchased a 2003 Impala LS in Berry Red with all option's except XM Radio, Sport Package, and Sunroof. With various rebates I paid about $24,200 for it. I am looking forward to driving this car and participating in this forum. I have read some of the posts and find you very knowledgeable about the car. I will be a frequent contributor to the forum. The last Chevy I had was a 1978 Caprice Classic Coupe that I used in college. It was just amazing how many snacks you could fit in that trunk. I also have a 2000 Buick LeSabre Limited which I love to death, (42,000) trouble free miles on it. I have been posting on the LeSabre forum since I bought the car. I bought the Chevy from the same dealer. Hoping to get to know some of you as time progresses.
Neil
Car still looks pristine showroom condition and it is still tight and solid as a drum.
car has 20,300+ troublefree miles, still has original brakes and tires. It has been obessively maintained with 3K mile interval oil changes and 6K mile interval tire rotations. Engine air filter, PCV filter and air cabin filter all were replaced by the 15K mile service interval.
Car has been extremely reliable and dependable. Only problem I have experienced is the warped upper plastic manifold intake, replaced under warranty, by the 18K mile mark.
Really nice car all around. paint job, fit and finish are excellent. Zero rattles or squeaks...this car feels like a bank vault on the road.
I am selling it in a few months as I already have a new 2004 MINI Cooper 'S' on order for October delivery.
Whomever gets this car next will be buying an absolute "cream-puff" and one of a kind '01 Impala LS.
I have 1 year left on the basic 3 year/36,000 mile warranty.
Great car all around and highly recommended.
I do have a problem with the substandard build quality and safety of the Ubody GM minivans. There are so many choices when it comes to Minivans and the GM triplets while practical and relatively decent looking come at the bottom of the pack.
But to each his/her own.
Thanks
http://www.clubgp.com/newforum/tm.asp?m=733038&p=1&tmode=- 1&smode=1
and here: http://www.clubgp.com/newforum/tm.asp?m=681219&p=1&tmode=- - 1&smode=1
Please send an email to GM about the intake manifold!, and feel free to join the NAIOA if you own an Impala! Thanks
Drew
Once again thanks
Anyway,the new part is being used, demand it from your service manager. My service guy seemed to know exactly what the problem was, like it was no new news to him!!
Take care
Nicole
Neil
Neil