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Saw an LTZ putting through the old Walmart parking lot. What a waste of a good motor with a grandmother driving gently! (You know your community is up and coming when they have an old and new Walmart.)
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
OUTSIDE
One of the things I actually loved about my '02 was its design distinctiveness (yeah, even the Cheerio tail lights); you could tell an Impala coming and going from a distance, which is rare these days. So I think I'm just getting used not only to the significant overall design change; I miss the distinctiveness, I must say. I'm sure I'll get used to it, but what I've read here so far rings straight and true: I'm not disappointed, and I'm equally uninspired. I have a sinking but hopefully fleeting feeling that I just went from a distinctive car to a McCar.
INSIDE
This is what really matters, and what impressed me even as I drove it off the lot: The engine and the ride are a smiling, noteworthy improvement over my '02. I notice its significantly more quiet inside, with a notably more smooth ride over most all surfaces & speeds. There's a huge improvement in what I think one calls wallow & float on the highway. The engine kicks right where I want it to be right when I want it. It's quiet, discreet and responsive, all at once. With my '02 I was riding the brakes as much as I was tapping the accelerator. Here I can bleed off speed by letting up on the pedal, not hitting the brakes.
But why am I not thrilled with the seats and the dash? Heaven help me for saying it, and again this may just be sentiment for my '02 yet, but the LTZ strikes me as taut, rigid, even barren inside. I know this has been reviewed as "smooth", or "sleek", or "efficient design", but in comparison it seems a bit "absent". Should it matter? Not so much. Everything I loaded up my LS with is there in the LTZ, just a bit flimsier. Smallest of small points: Where's the sun visor extender that so impressed me as one of those unlooked-for touches on the '02?
The Bose system, XM radio and 6-CD changer are superlative. I've already found a place to stash my iPod while I hook it up to the dash. The remote starter is just a toy now (early November in Minnesota), but I can already see where it's going to be something not to do without in a few short weeks. The flip-and-fold-flat seats have already been useful at the grocery store.
SO
This car, two days old after 84K miles on my '02, will continue to grow on me after this early tentative response, I'm sure. I'd be interested to know what still more people who've traded last generation's Impala to this one think.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
The DOD only ads 3/5% increased gas milage according to the dealer. I wanted to trade out to a LTZ and the dealer wanted $2700 more. I decided to hold on to the car for only 2 years and dump it. I do not know what else to do.
Brent2
Hopefully the regulars here don't take this as a bash on the new Impala. I hope you are as happy with your new Impalas as we have been with ours over the years. I was simply offering a suggestion to someone contemplating both an Altima and and Impala SS, two rather different cars, and only responding to some subsequent questions.
Secondly, to get true MPG figures, you should probably go to the same pump at the same station under similar weather conditions and stop filling at the first "click" every time - don't top it off, that's unreliable. It's the only way to accurately guage MPG.
My last point, something you may not want to hear, is that your MPG may fall into the expected range for your mix of driving. If you look at the window sticker, it does say that your mileage could vary from that on the window sticker (probably a range of 24-32 MPG highway for a 28 MPG rating and 15-19 city or something like that for a 17 MPG city rating). So 22 MPG could be a normal thing. I doubt you'd be able to sue.
My wife drives a 2003 Honda Accord sedan (which I dislike, and am doing everything in my power to assure I don't inherit it when it's time to get rid of my Impala!!), and while it is bland style-wise, they sure sell a lot of them. My guess is GM is heading in the direction of having a "halo" car or two at the extremes of any given brand, but the other cars in the mix will be fairly mainstream. You'll be able to tell a Pontiac from a Buick, but as some have said, telling the difference between an Impala and a Malibu might get difficult. BUT you'll know it's a Chevy. Pontiacs like the Solstice and the GTO are great, but they'll sell many more G6s - which while good cars, are much more mainstream in terms of styling (and like the Impala, can easily be confused with Accords or other foreign makes).
Basically I think maybe we're heading to more of a brand-based style as opposed to every model being uniquely and boldly different. Kind of like distinguishing a 1957 Bel-Air from a 210 sedan; you instantly know both are '57 Chevys, but you have to look a little more closely to distinguish one from the other.
How many miles on the car. Peek mileage does not occur often for at least a couple thousand.
For the most part, I also love the "tabbed" menu interface on the audio system. But one part has me stumped: The EQ presets.
How do you scroll through them, or are there any to scroll through? All I'm able to come up with are "Talk" and "Manual", as opposed to the Jazz, Rock, Pop, News, Classical presets I found easily with the Auto Tone button on my 2002 LS. Many of those were meaningless, but a few of them made a noticeable difference.
The manual tells me only that the button scrolls through presets. Do I have to do something in conjunction with the EQ button, or are there simply no more options beyond Talk and Manual? Might it be possible to create & save presets from Manual?
This is embarrassing. Any guidance you '06 owners might provide would be appreciated.
(And I'm growing to love my LTZ by the day!)
Thanks.
--Jeff
much to my suprise, i liked the new Impala on first sight. i was shocked, i even had an inckilin of feeling for a GM car (i like their SUV, but much is left to be desired for me with their cars) anyway, my father in law works for GM and the inlaws drive a c5 vette and Avalance and my wife drives a Trailblazer...needless to say they would prefer me to join them--that was hard for me to swallow.
anyway, what i am looking for in a car, preferably is a nice looking car, with as much HP as i can afford with nice interior, a great stereo, an aux port for my ipod, HID's, roominess, and fit it all in my budget. again the TL an G35 were ideal...
well, besides the HID's the impala pretty much address these at much less the cost. however, the SS would be my main focus. it is good to hear the BOSE in the impala isnt a BLOSE. that plus my ipod port sounds fantastic. i have yet to drive one, so the FWD bothers me, but only minimally...i will not be drag rancing, nor driving at average speeds above 100, but i do want to point and go fast at times, and from what i have read, it will. my daily commute is roughly 80% hwy/ 10% city. i drive 40 miles one way hwy and 2 city every day.
looking forward to driving one. with the employee discount--that never goes away for me--i could save prolly $6-8gs on a fully optioned SS compared to the fully optioned TL and G35
i am 24 with a child due any minute, so i am trying to get out of the "total selfish" mode and into the more practical mode for now...ill worry more about wants later in life i guess...time to focus a little
I only saw something about $21900(msrp)in my area. IS there any good forum for discussion the price and buying tips for impala? I'v seen a lot of buying topics for SONATA and PASSAT in this forum. why not impala?
Also, don't overlook our many discussions on the Smart Shopper board which can be very helpful to you with negotiating and shopping strategies in general. In that same vein, you'll find loads of good advice in the Tips and Advice section of the main site, Edmunds.com.
Hope this helps.
This is from the GP 2006 owner’s manual pdf:
EQ (Equalizer): Press this button to select customized
bass, midrange, and treble equalization settings.
Up to six customized equalization settings, can be
programmed on the six numbered pushbuttons,
by performing the following steps:
1. Turn the radio on.
2. Use the TONE button and the SELECT knob to
create the desired equalization.
3. Press and hold the EQ button for two seconds.
SELECT EQ # will appear on the display and the
EQ symbol will flash.
4. Press EQ or turn the SELECT knob to select the
desired EQ number.
5. Press and hold the EQ button or push the SELECT
knob to store the equalization setting and the
number. You will hear a beep and EQ SAVED will
appear on the display.
6. Repeat the steps for the other EQ settings and
numbers.
EQ 5 has been programmed at the factory for use with
talk radio, but it can be set to a different tone.
I do not know how similar the various Impala radios are to the Grand Prix’s – but I suspect that they are similar enough to warrant trying this . . .
Good luck!
- Ray
Never having tried this . .
Exactly what I was looking for; never occurred to me to check the PDF manual online. I'll have to check it out and see what else I can find.
Thanks Ray ... I'm sure that's just what I need to do. Much obliged!
-Jeff
-Dave R. in Biloxi
Happened to get a follow-up call from my dealer, so I drove out there last night and he and I took a look at it. He believes that there are no preset EQ settings, but that each of the 36 available source presets should retain any specific equalizer settings made while at that source. We experimented with this and it appeared to hold true.
Seems odd, though, to use dashboard real estate for an EQ button that only toggles between two arguably arbitrary sound settings. Odd, too, that the manual doesn't make that clear, especially when there is so much detail about many other features.
Anything further that members might find out would be a welcome read and much appreciated. Still and all, though, I think I've bought an excellent, responsive and sporty car. Believe it or not, in spite of myself I see the '00-'05 models on the road and catch myself thinking of them as the "old" Impalas.
Thanks again.
--Jeff
When you do that with an input does the Bose add that setting to the list of presets that you can scroll through?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I'm sure several respondents on this board will chime in with more detail.
-Dave R. in Biloxi (enjoying my LTZ more every day, now at 2200 miles)
The major reason the LS is cheaper is because of singular air condioning controls, it has hubcaps in lieu of aluminum wheels, it doesn't have floor mats, it doesn't have a compass or outside temperature indicator, it doesn't have remote start and it comes with the bench fold down seat and bucket seats aren't an option. You can't get the fold down back seat with it either. Still, it should drive just like the 1LT or 2LT. It doesn't have all the features but I think it is truly the value of the line up.
With all of that being said, I currently have a 3LT or order. I started out test driving the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. I felt the Impala was a better buy for me personally. The Camry is the best selling car in the U.S so it must be a terrific car. Still, to me, it felt mikey mouse compared to the Impala. If GM's quality can live up to the rest of the package, they have a winner.
how long do you anticipate the time from order to delivery to be ? I have an LTZ on order and was told 6-8 weeks.
I put up a $500.00 deposit. The dealer told me I didn't have to put up any kind of a deposit.
I didn't sign any papers either.
maybe the dealer is not bad as I thought.
this is good to see. i must admit when i saw one in my neighborhood about a month ago (LTZ), had to physically get up close to see what it was...it definitely did NOT look like the former Impala nor anything GM made.
i also saw an SS sitting in the mall parking lot...silver with black interior and it looked fantastic. the wheels at first did not look good , imo, but they have grown on me. i am in the market and have been trying to decide between the TL and G35...i never thought i would ever say this, but i am now considering an Impala.
i am 24 married with a child due anyday, and cant wait (for the baby of course) for a new car as well. the TL and G35 are in my direct price range and offer most thing i would like to have--however with a fully loaded SS (remots starter included)for around $31,000. that beats out the infiniti and acura. now i would say that that 2-3k would be worth it for the infiniti/acura name and quality alone, but when you add in the GM employee discount (my father in law works for GM) that is some pretty nice savings...now i need to figuer out of its worth it. :shades: