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2005 and Earlier Chevrolet Impala

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Comments

  • shrubsshrubs Member Posts: 22
    I was in Saudia Arabia all last summer. We had some visitors on site for a while that drove a Caprice. Awesome Car.

    Forrest
  • bh0001bh0001 Member Posts: 340
    Took advantage of +10 degree (celsius) day to give my navy blue '01 LS a bath. Winter has not been kind to Hooloo. Many rock chips in the hood, a nasty series of small scratches at the top of the left side front quarter panel (I think the service guys did this with their "protective" shield thing they throw over cars), some pitting and rusting in a couple of the rims, some other dings and scratches along the bottom of the doors. Also quite a bit of spider-webbing from brushing the snow off all winter.

    Overall it was kind of depressing. I guess I need to resign myself to the fact that my car is a transportation device that will constantly get bombarded by the elements on the highway. Oh well.

    Does anyone have any suggestions on what to use on the rims?

    Thanks!
    Brad
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    How many degrees fahrenheit is that for us nonmetric Americans?
  • johnclineiijohnclineii Member Posts: 2,287
    10 degrees Celsius is 50 degrees Fahrenheit!

    john cline ii who remembers that F = 32 + 9/5 C
    By the way, C = (F - 32) x 5/9
  • vcjumpervcjumper Member Posts: 1,110
    Scratches and dings sound more tragic when you name the car.
  • bowtiefan01bowtiefan01 Member Posts: 20
    You may want to try rubbing compound to thoroughly clean the rusted and pitted spots. After they are clean, you can apply new clear coat to the spots. Wal Mart carries Dupli-Color brand clear coat touch up in small vials with a brush. This should cover up the spots fairly well.

    Another solution, but probably not a good one if you drive in winter weather, is to have the clear coat removed and the rims polished. I had this done with the rims of my Corvette and they came out awesome--the result was similar to a chrome finish. The Corvette was never driven in winter, so I wasn't worried about salt going against the uncoated aluminum surface.
  • Maybe you ought to move to a warm part of Canada.
    Oh.
    Nevermind.
  • brettcabrettca Member Posts: 34
    I am noticing that when I drive over a rough part of road, I can hear my rear wheel well guards vibrating. I can tap on them (like on the inside, next to the tire) and notice that they are not very well secured. I tried squirting some of that "insulation in a bottle" expandable foam, but you cant really get to the area that is needed to secure it. Any suggestions? Any one else notice this?
    Thanks,
    Brett.......
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    50 degrees is pretty good.
    It was 80 degrees here in Charleston.
    Not trying to make you feel bad or anything.LOL.
  • guym1guym1 Member Posts: 9
    You should have bought winter rims in September.
    My rims are like new, they are currently in the basement of my house! Although I hope I can get my winter tires/rims off this weekend.
  • larryfllarryfl Member Posts: 214
    Well, we took the plunge on Friday. My wife is currently showing off her '02 Navy Blue LS with sunroof, leather bench, cd/cassette, steering wheel radio controls and an additional preferred package or two.

    The car had 6 miles when we took the test drive. After a trip to Universal studios on Saturday it now has about 230. It seems like a very nice car and my wife is thrilled.

    We paid roughly $150 over invoice, got a fair wholesale trade-in on the old ford minivan and choose the preferred financing over the $2002 rebate.

    While the salesman at our local dealership was very good, it still took FIVE AND A HALF HOURS to do the deal! Amazing. As much as I love to horse-trade, I HATE sitting around dealerships for hours twiddling my thumbs waiting to finalize the deal we had all agreed on hours before and take delivery of the vehicle.

    Oh well. It's done and we're happy. Thanks for everyone's input. I'm looking forward to a lot of good information from this board!
  • dgonzalez13dgonzalez13 Member Posts: 110
    Interesting option. I have a 2000 Base Impala with 40K miles on it, after an oil change Friday it rides smoothe as the day i bought it last May 2001. I have the bench and love it for long trips or the rare 6 passenger situation. the car rides like a dream, and most people new to the car seem to ask how expensive it is to go out and get one. As far as the little negative comments on build quality and detail, though there must be some truth to those comments, I am happy with the car i have. no problems with quality, ride, power, or handling. Just wondering, how do you like the leather bench? (to all who have that option).
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    Leather bench has been an option on 2000 and 2001 Base Impalas. You could also order the leather front bench seats with the "Halo" LS headrests as well.

    Front bench seats became an option on the Impala LS for 2002.
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    Congrats on the new car!! Mine is the same color.
  • roderacerroderacer Member Posts: 311
    CONGRATS !!!

    RR
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    Congratulations on your new Impala LS!!!!

    So now who gets to drive it more? Already fighting over the keys? =)
  • Congratulations! Is it a boy or a girl?
  • night_owl1night_owl1 Member Posts: 760
    I hope you didn't spray the foam into the void space behind the wheelwell. It will trap water and could lead to rusting. I've seen it happen on the older cars.

    I have not heard anything rattling back there, though.
  • larryfllarryfl Member Posts: 214
    dgonzales13: The LS comes standard with the console and buckets. The bench seat is apparently a no-charge "option", but to get it, you have to order the leather (don't ask me why) and that's NOT a no-charge option. We wanted the bench because - with 5 in family and my Aurora already w/ buckets and a console - we needed the occasional 6th passenger capability.

    b4z: Nice color! The LS is a nice, good looking car. The wife's definitely "styling".

    Teo: For now, the Aurora wiill work for me. (anything to maintain the peace in our happy home) :-)
  • cabellocabello Member Posts: 101
    I need to change the fuel filter. Does anybody that has done this remember and maybe have some tips? Thanks for your help
  • Don't smoke while doing it.
  • fathertyriciusfathertyricius Member Posts: 116
    Many happy miles of driving ahead. The LS is a great car. I have mine for a little of a year with 15000 miles on her, and she purrs. She grows on me everyday. Mine is a 2001 Galaxy Silver with many options including sunroof too. Goodluck!!!
  • hunter39hunter39 Member Posts: 375
    My suggestion would be to have something ready to catch all of the gas that it holds, it is a very easy install though and for the life of me can't fi8gure out why the dealership charges upwards of 50.00 for it. The filter cost was 9.99 at AutoZone (Fram)and it will be easier to change if you can lift the left side of the car, as there isn't that much clearance and it will be easier to get at. An open ended wrench and a pair of channel locks worked best for me. Just be careful of the gas, it holds half a pint at least plus whatever might be in the line.

    Oh by the way, I have an extra set of "halo" pleather headrests around if anyone needs them(grey)...
  • bowtiefan01bowtiefan01 Member Posts: 20
    No problems till yesterday. When I started my '01 Impala (3.8) in the morning, the "Low Coolant Level" light came on. I checked the level and noticed that it was correctly at the line for a cold engine. I drove the car and the light went out several miles later. The same occurrences happened each time after starting the car yesterday and today. The light would come on at start and go off after some driving. This morning, it took 15 miles in the morning for the light to go off. After work this evening, the light went out after two miles. I called my Local Chevy Service Department and explained the problem. The technician first asked me if I had ever changed the oil. I told him that I had changed it at 3,000 miles and I reset the computer at that time (the car is now at 6,000 miles). He then mentioned something about a sensor perhaps going bad (If I heard him correctly I think he said a leveling sensor).

    I'm bringing it in on Friday for the service department to check it out. Has anyone else experienced this problem?

    Otherwise the car had been great and a lot of fun to drive!

    John
  • 00impala00impala Member Posts: 474
    cabello....Prior to un-doing the Fuel Filter, Remove the Gas Cap to help alleviate any pressure,(Very low to begin with but none-the-less it is there) I know there is a kind of air valve type thing on the Fuel Line at the Fuel Rail as it leads to the injectors (has a Black Cap over it) that you can depress and that lets the pressure out of the Fuel line, but in the same vain, you can just remove the cap. That is what I did and it was a Snap.
  • impalaboy2001impalaboy2001 Member Posts: 117
    Been reading up on the new Pontaic GTO for 2004, which is actually the Holden Monaro and I'm gonna be gettin rid of my Impala LS when GTO's start production. I need a bigger engine and the Gen III 5.7L will do it for me. Looks like the car will sell around $32,000. I also heard some rumors that The Impala will be replaced by the Australian Holden Commodore. Is that right? http://www.holden.com.au I can wait for that Monaro. I already fell in love with it from just pictures.


    Chris

    Http://members.cox.net/2001impala

  • nosirrahgnosirrahg Member Posts: 872
    I backed the rear wheels of my Impala up onto my set of ramps when I changed my fuel filter, which provided plenty of room to move around under there. Even after removing the gas cap, I still had a pretty good spray of fuel initially; is there not any other way to relieve pressure on the system? I know on my old ('84) Buick, I used to have to disconnect something (maybe the fuse for the fuel pump?) and then try to start the car, which would burn the fuel in the line; but I don't know if there's a similar trick for the Impala.
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    It could well be a faulty Coolant Level sensor; however, have the dealer check the upper mainifold intake gasket for actual coolant leaks as well.

    If indeed there is a leak coming from the upper manifold intake, you'll notice a strong Coolant smell coming from the engine bay after shutting off the engine. If this is not the case, then it might be just replacing a defective sensor.

    My '01 LS is almost 1 year old and ZERO problems to date.
  • brettcabrettca Member Posts: 34
    Thanks for the advice on the moisture retention, although fortunately, the area was so large up there I could tell it wasn't going to work when I tried squirting some up there and stopped, so there is not enough to retain any moisture. I thought I saw a TSB or a production date change that referred to the rear fenderwell modifications.

    Brett.....
  • night_owl1night_owl1 Member Posts: 760
    The inner fender was changed from 2000 to 2001. There is an issue of the 2000 inner fender collecting rocks, debris, etc. There is a TSB to replace it (check out the News and TSBs page on http://www.impalahq.com/). The only problem is that the rear molded splash guards have to be modified to fit.
  • 00impala00impala Member Posts: 474
    I talked to a GM Customer Service Rep for about a half hour about Both of my Impala's, She was very nice to talk to, she took the info on both of my Impala's and she attempted to contact my Service Director while I was on the line, he was unavailable, so she is going to set something up for Friday, she is going to call me back Thursday morning to confirm, she was appoligetic given the fact that I have (2)Impala's with this problem, or problem to be and/or on going problem, She put both of my VIN's under the same File Number. She said they will investigate with the Svc Mgr and the Repair Dept of GM to see what can be done, but ultimately if there is no fix then I geuss there is no fix, that does not absolve them as far as I am concerned.... So we will see what happens now. Don
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    Good deal. Let's see what happens at the end of the week.
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    16,923 new Impala deliveries!


    http://www.gm.com/cgi-bin/pr_display.pl?2919

  • Oh goody! That must explain why I keep seeing so many more Impalas around me when I drive. It's even more fun at parking lots, when looking for your car.
    Recently, while waiting for a woman to pull out of a space, so I could pull in, I began to lose patience with her for taking so long. Well, she was becoming even more impatient, as her mini-SUV was not unlocking. After a while, she realized it wasn't her car. Hers was a few more spaces down the row.
    That's not too embarrassing.
  • hvan3hvan3 Member Posts: 630
    I"m suprised that GM did not disclosed the percentage sales increase or decrease on the Impala from previous month. Instead, they only reported 16,923 units sold. Was this done on purpose? Hmm?

    As for teh 16,923 units sold, that is still 9.4 % drop from previous year (19,372)
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    Yeah but remember that there was a drop in fleet sales, suggesting that the 16,923 units sales figure is made up of mainly retail customer deliveries which is still pretty impressive for a large, non-luxury, GM sedan.
  • A lot of people are are beginning to see the value of the Impala. I don't think there are any other full-size cars with as many features for as low a price.
  • 00impala00impala Member Posts: 474
    I read this in today's USA TODAY Money Section:

    FORD MOTOR's Lincoln luxury brand will kill the Blackwood luxury pickup after the 2002 model year, one year earlier than planned, because of slow sales, according to a report in trade publication Automotive News. Just 379 Blackwoods have been sold since it went on sale in November. Lincoln had predicted sales of 11,000 Blackwoods in 2002.

    You will not have to contend with them, How long will the Cadillac Version EXT survive? Don
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    Actually the EXT is selling pretty well. The Blackwood (I saw one in person at my near by Lincoln-Mercury dealer) was essentially a spiffed up and useless F-150 quadcab pick-up truck. The automatic bed tunneau was problematic and the cargo room was very limited for such big vehicle, not to mention the poor fuel mileage.

    The Blackwood was a fiasco from the beginning.

    The EXT on the other hand is much more usable, looks better and has better powertrains, etc over the Blackwood.

    Ford intended to sell about 11,000 Blackwoods per year and so far I believe they have sell 379! Ouch!

    GM is selling around 900 EXT's per month.....
  • 00impala00impala Member Posts: 474
    Front Clip (Hood,Fenders,Grille,Lights,bumper cover etc) say from a Cadillac Escalade and put them on Chevrolet Extended Cab Pickups,then lower them etc... It does make them look better... a Chevy with the exclusive Cadillac Lights and stuff...of course the thing probably had a Rebuilt Title and they picked it up smashed and replaced with Cadillac parts.....kinda like putting a Grand Prix Front end on a Lumina or something....Don
  • It's grotesque. You must be wearing beer googles. Those 50 year old trailer park babes at the end of the bar are probably looking pretty good right about now too, I take it.
  • tpkentpken Member Posts: 1,108
    Check out those vericose veins!

    It's encouraging to hear that consumers are saying no to that monstrosity from Lincoln. There's hope for some semblance of rationality in truck buying!
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    Well, I personally could care less about trucks in general. I don't have a real world use for them, so therefore I don't follow them or buy them.

    However, I like the looks of the Cadillac EXT. Must admit it is different and it is free from the plastic cladding body work of its blue collar cousing, the Avalanche. It is unlike anything offered by Japan.

    These trucks offer interesting features, but again I would never buy one unless I happen to live at the top of Mt.McKinley and need to haul cargo, people and deal with rough driving conditions day in and day out.

    Beauty is a highly subjective thing so I guess when it comes down to it is better agree to disagree, right?
  • duraflexduraflex Member Posts: 358
    the 2003 Cadillac XLR ?


    http://cadillac.com/cadillacjsp/futuremodels/xlr/index.jsp?hasFlash=true


    A beauty of a high end roadster for people with very deep pockets.

  • hvan3hvan3 Member Posts: 630
    <<Yeah but remember that there was a drop in fleet sales, suggesting that the 16,923 units sales figure is made up of mainly retail customer deliveries>>

    Is that a fact or conjecture on your behalf? Is there evidence that Impala sales dropped because of drop in fleet sales? Assuming there is a drop in fleet sales (which I'm not denying), it didn't hurt Grand AM and Grand Prix.
  • The front end's kinda ugly, though. And the creases are so sharp, it looks like you can cut your finger on them. Otherwise, it ain't any uglier than any other Cadillac.
    FYI, "XLR" is a type of audio connector. It's most often found at the end of a microphone cable, sometines erroneously referred to as a "canon" connector.
  • ehennessehenness Member Posts: 92
    Hope you all don't mind an intrusion from a guy with a Taurus... :-)

    Actually, the Impala is quite a car, I've noticed from my research. I am looking into one because my mom is buying a used '01 with 22,000 miles on it in a couple of weeks. I have been reading posts here, and I just wondered if there is anything I didn't see posted that I should check out when I give the car a once-over for her (she lives 130 miles away, and I have yet to see the car).

    I know about the ISS and the engine cradle, and that those don't apply to the '01s (or at least that is what I was told by a friend with a May, '99 build 2000 LS).

    The car is a maroon base model, with the 3.4 engine. It has the power driver's bench seat with column shifter (it has the lumbar control, which is what sold her on the car). I don't know much about the other items it might have, but based on these things, I have a couple of questions:

    How serious is the intake gasket leak, if it applies to the 3.4?
    She said the car has a CD changer in the trunk. It looked to me like that is not a GM option--is that true (meaning the former owner installed it)?

    Thanks for any information. I was never a fan of GM cars (except the drivetrains), but I'm warming to them because of the Impala.
  • 00impala00impala Member Posts: 474
    I own a 2001 Base model with the 3.4 and I had the Clunks and the ISS Re-Lubed and the Service manager took a pry bar and made the Cradle move, so I would not say all 2001 are exempt from anything. Mine was built 6/01. I also have a 2000 LS that had the Cradle and the ISS Replaced. My Advice? I would buy a used 2001/02 Taurus given the experience(s) I have had with my 2 Impala's...I wish i could buy a Used Taurus TODAY>>>> ha...Just be aware that the ISS and the Cradle for that matter know no bounds as far as model years, they reinforced the Cradle for 2001, but when my dealer was trying to diagnose my clunks he made my 2001 cradle move and said it is an iherit problem, I had the ISS Lubed and the majority of the clunks went away, I am now left with a Steering Wheel that "Rocks" left and right whan you steer and push on the wheel..uhhh Don
  • stormdavystormdavy Member Posts: 80
    We have an '01 "base" w/ 3.8 V-6 package that has exhibited no problems whatsoever yet. Not sure of build date-- purchased in late summer '00.
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    A taurus is clearly not the equal of an impala.
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