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Comments
My Average MPG readout for 90% HWY driving is showing 20 MPG's. Most of our driving is all highways to & from Pekin, Peoria, SPringfield & St Louis.
I probably would have learned all that if, i'd taken the time to read the owner's manual.
I monitor my fuel mileage religiously and the '06+ Impala's computer is very accurate, probably more accurate than we are due to variances in how full we get our tanks at each fill up. But, that said, my numbers fall pretty much in line with what the car's computer states I'm getting.
You really ought to read through that owner's manual. You'd be surprised at how many cool features your car has of which you probably aren't even aware.
I rented a 2006 Impala LT (3.5l) on a trip from here (AR) to Indy last year. I think I filled up in Marion, IL and drove the speed limit (holiday weekend) to Terre Haute, where I refilled the tank, and got 36 MPG (it may have been higher; I posted that info elsewhere on Edmunds at the time). I didn't "have" to get gas at Terre Haute, but I knew my average would drop once the speeds increased in Indiana; so we topped off the tank there.
What I do to keep track of my mileage; I always reset the trip odometer, the MPG, gallons used, and average speed each time I fill up. I'm especially anal, and write this info on my receipt, and transfer it to a spreadsheet at home. The good thing about this is I can look over time and see if my mileage is going down. By keeping track of the average speed per tank, you'll start to see trends where the lower the speed, the lower the MPG. It doesn't take much "city" driving to knock the wind out of a good "highway" average.
Next time you've got a 100+ mile highway trip to make, fill up and reset everything, then hit the highway and set your cruise...stop and refill when you get to your destination (before you start roaming through town) and see what you're getting in a true "highway" setting.
I consistently got 23.9-24.1 MPG during winter.
During summer with a/c consistently get 23.2-23.3 MPG.
Better on hwy, add 2.0 MPG to winter and summer city average.
This is very good to me. What do you get?
Have you tried adjusting the seat?
Anything will be better than the OEM Goodyears
The RS-A tires are 100% better than the Integrity, and are overall better performers than the Eagle LS2. I have had cars in the past with the RS-A and they were an acceptable tire. They are most certainly not worth the high replacement price (I believe they average $230/tire in the SS's 18" size). The RS-A is a $130 tire in the 16" size. There are much better tires available in the $75-$100 price range.
Overall, the Goodyear Integrity that came on my Impala is horrendous at speeds above 40mph. Below 40, it is relatively quiet and comfortable. Once you go over 40mph, the ride gets noisy and it just doesn't handle road impacts very well. It is a good "around town" tire for predominantly city driving, but doesn't inspire confidence in multi-condition driving. Wet traction is downright nerve wracking. :surprise:
Overall I like my Impala, but feel that better tires may considerably add to the ride and handling of the car
we have a 07 impala, but the SS, we haven't had this problem yet. "thank god!" We are just really upset with the gas mileage & of course the depreciation of this car. We can't even sell it & trade it off now. The D!mn thing depreciated almost $10,000. bucks on us alread, & we havent' even had it a year yet.
We had a nissan previously, and it was great, but it was a van, and I wanted to downsize to an automobile. My gas mileage has dropped considerably since we purchased this car also. It started out getting 22mpg in town, and is now down to 17!
For those of you that own the '06-07 Impalas, would you recommend them to your friends? I've been reading up on some of the problems and curious if he should or shouldn't go for it or keep driving his reliable Oldsmobile 88!
I'm surprised to see GM hasn't figured out the intermediate shaft problem on many of their vehicles. Any other possible issues to be aware of?
I know this sounds crazy, but you could always get or maybe rent a camera in your car and record this actually happening then they could not say it's not happening.
I know cars depreciate so quicly these days, We are in the hole over $9000 after buying our 07 Impala SS. Believe you me if I could trade it off, I"d do it in a heart beat. If it's possible I'd trade the darn car off.
Hope you can get something done in regards to this potential death trap.
I think things vary state-to-state, but generally there's some rule about going back to the dealer X number of times to rectify the same problem, and there are also rules about the number of days the vehicle is out of service while being repaired.
Can you provide any more details here regarding the leak? Are you seeing drops/puddles/oil slicks on your garage floor, or is the vehicle losing oil but you're not seeing it anywhere (either burning the oil, or perhaps spraying it out when you're in motion).
I guess I'd just like to have a better feel for the symptoms you're having with your car. For instance, my current project car is a 1980 El Camino that had been in storage in a barn for several years. I thought I had a major oil leak at one point, but upon closer investigation discovered my problem was actually the fuel pump that was spraying gasoline out on the lower portion of the engine when at speeds above idle, and the gasoline was basically washing off years of grease/oil buildup on the engine and leaving puddles that looked like oil, but smelled of gasoline. My mechanic and I thought the worst, and assumed gasoline was getting into the oil in the engine, and then I noticed an area on the underside that was grease-free, and traced it back to the fuel pump and an external problem/easy fix.
You seem to be wanting to pick me out here from some reason? In your case everyone needs someone to pick on in a message board.
I haven't replied to any of your messages in quite a while, so not for sure what your problem with me is?
THis is a free country and if I want to say something about my car's stated MPG of 27 and it only getting 20 MPG and will do so If I F- en want to.
Also for your Info. I baby my car, but I do believe I've already stated that in some of my past posts. So go drive you car or something!
I'm not picking on you, only rebutting your posts. In the past, you have admitted that you did not know how to operate the DIC in your car and was using the data in your car's computer as your SOLE source for your car's "poor" fuel mileage numbers. In order to achieve accurate data, you'll need to do your own math. Also, even though the computer in the 06+ Impala is very accurate, you will also need to reset it occasionally to filter out stop-and-go driving, repeated warm-ups, etc. from your calculations.
You may indeed have a problem with your car but you'll never know if you don't know how to accurately calculate the mileage. I know for a fact that the SS can achieve over 27 mpg because I've done it repeatedly. Also, taking the revised EPA estimates into account, I can achieve higher mileage than the window sticker states.
You impune the whole SS model line in your replies and I simply rebutted those remarks. YOU are having issues with fuel mileage which may or may not be attributal to YOUR car or YOUR driving habits...or some combination of the two. However, since you have previously exhibited a failure to understand the operation of your car's technology, I felt it was warranted to refute your postings specifically.
You're correct, you're entitled to write pretty much anything you want here. But, you also have to accept that you can be called on your erroneous assertions. It's easy to start a bashing party here. Many of the people who come to these forums come to air complaints. When people are happy with things, they are less likely to voice those feelings. I felt it was necessary to inject an objective opinion into the discussion although I didn't see a need for implied cursing in your response. If that's your best way of expressing an opinion, so be it. As I've stated before, you should read your owner's manual and learn how to properly operate your vehicle. If you invest a little time, you may grow to enjoy your vehicle much more and realize you're complaining about things without warrant.
So...go read your blankin' manual or something! :P
As I've stated several times , I do not stick my foot into it. I drive normally. My husband is the one who likes to put is foot into it when he drives it. I always reset the the thing after he's driven it. He puts his foot into it, and gets just a little less than I get when I drive the car.
"Properly operate my vehicle", so now your saying, I do not know how to drive a car or what? Typical response, you must be a male.
SO the SS can get over 27 mpg's, than there really must be something wrong with our car then. Or as you've been suggesting , it's not the car it's me. thanks , I'am glad to now know that I can't operate a car. Been driving for 11 years, not for sure how I've managed. Not for sure how I suddenly went from being able to drive," when i was driving a 06 Malibu," getting right at what it was stated it was supposed to be getting per gallon. Went into the impala because of the advertised fuel saver system, showing the car getting the same MPG's as our Malibu that we traded in on the Impala.
Well, even though you have serious issues with me and are taking this personally, it is evident that my assertions are correct since you didn't refute any of them. Being able to push the two pedals and turn the wheel effectively enough to keep the car within the lines isn't necessarily an indication that you fully understand the features of your car. I've only pointed out these things because you obviously have not taken the time to read through the manual. Usually, it's us "males" who are accused of skipping the directions and then messing things up. :P I've just had to (painfully) get you to admit you haven't read the directions.
To get a true measurement of your car's economy, take it out for a ride on a flat stretch of interstate at a time when you can drive at a steady speed for 10 miles or so. Once you're up to speed, reset the computer and check the reading after you've driven the 10 miles. Exit the interstate, and reenter in the opposite direction. Again, once you're up to speed, reset the computer and check the mileage at the point where you started the experiment. If the two numbers are about the same, the conditions in both directions were likely very similar and that would be a fair representation of the vehicle's mileage (assuming the wheels and tires are the factory originals). If the two numbers vary, it's likely that one direction was slightly up hill/into the wind/etc and vice versa. In that case, add them together and divide by two for an average (but it will be slightly less accurate). I'm suggesting resetting the computer AFTER you reach your cruising speed because in such a short trip, the acceleration would skew your actual mileage. Also, use the cruise control (resume on the return trip) so that speed is the same and there isn't any unusual acceleration thrown into the mix. Choose a speed between 55-70 mph to get a fair reading.
If, after doing this, your mileage is still in the 20-21 mpg range, I would say you definitely have a problem and can tell the service rep exactly how you achieved this terrible mileage under controlled (to the best of your ability) circumstances.
In the past, when you went in complaining about the vehicle armed with nothing but a number on the DIC, it's no wonder they didn't take you seriously (just as I didn't). But, if you go in with some stronger evidence, they are much more likely to listen.
Believe it or not, I've only tried to help you in all of this. You have just taken my observations and suggestions as personal attacks rather than reading them for what they are. If you take the same attitude with your service department, it's no wonder they so quickly discount what you have to say. Good luck!
RESPECTFULLY,
Ron
There must be something wrong with yours or you may be driving a lot of hills or some other terrain which is causing unusual gasoline consumption.
The DOD system in my car seems to work very well.
Anyway, what say ye about the handling? Thanks
Naturally, I test drove it during a warm spell with dry roads, so I didn't learn about this car's downside until lately. I was hoping it was a problem related specifically to something on my car, but hearing you have a similar problem with a different model, I'm wondering if this is a shortcoming for all Impalas. If I would have known this earlier, I don't think I would have bought an Impala.
I'm seriously thinking of trying a different brand of tires, but am cringing at the cost. Anybody else have this problem?
The Federal Government has mandated that all vehicles have a stability control system as standard equipment by 2012, and starting in 2009 must be in 55% of all new vehicles.
GM isn't adding Stabilitrak because of a flaw in the Impala's handling, they are doing it to remain competitive with other manufacturers and to start meeting Federal requirements.
When Car and Driver tested an Impala SS, they made specific comments about the suspension and they way it goes about doing it's job. They said in June 2006:
"Part of the reason the Impala SS feels so uncomfortable with the V-8’s power is that it doesn’t benefit from all the chassis tweaks bestowed on the Grand Prix GXP. Opt for the Chevy, and you don’t get the Pontiac’s wider front wheels and sticky Bridgestone tires, Bilstein shocks, and larger brakes. Although the SS’s chassis gets its own special anti-roll bars, bushings, and shock and spring rates, the suspension simply monkeys around too much. Any sporting input is foiled by a mess of undamped and uncontrolled body motions. Dive, squat, and roll control could be described as nautical. Hit the firm, easily modulated brake pedal hard, and the SS’s nose dives toward the pavement. A stop from 70 mph used up only 172 feet, a couple of feet better than the larger-braked GXP could muster."
in the snow. I don't believe that GM put Stabilitrac on the SS due to competition
or gov mandate. It's is my opinion that the handling goes off due to the transfer of engine torque. It wobbles and when you introduce snow, it amplifies the problem.
In my opinion, Stabilitrac was added to help cure the problems that I write.
If the handling of the car was truly that dangerous in the snow, Chevrolet would either be voluntarily recalling all Impalas to address the "problem" or they would be required by the Government to recall and fix any "problem".
GM has added it purely to meet Federal Government requirements, GM even states such on their own website:
"The government will require electronic stability control on all new cars and trucks by 2012. GM will have StabiliTrak standard on nearly all vehicles sold to retail customers by the end of 2010."
While I agree that tautness of the suspension on the Impala degrades quickly, I would not consider it a problem. The Impala is what it is, a family sedan more intended for long distance cruising than canyon carving. It sounds like you may be trying to get more out of it than it is ultimately intended for.
Your plan to enhance the suspension may be the answer you to your concern. It could be a simple strut tower brace, and some better tires, would solve your issues.
The Car and Driver article I quoted actually supported your concern and merely pointed out that what you are noticing with your SS has been noticed by others. What you are noticing is not necessarily unique.
I suggested to you both a strut tower brace and new tires. The strut tower brace will minimize the body roll you are experiencing. The Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires that come on the SS are not the best tires. I have had them on cars I have owned and they are not the performance tires they pretend to be. They ride too much on the soft side, which will soften up your ride. A strut tower brace and some ultra high performance tires (with stiffer sidewalls than the RS-A's) will go a long way toward making your SS handle tighter.
The number 1 problem I am most frustrated with is the tranny. When trying to start out slowly to keep its fuel mileage up and to keep from spinning the tires I find the tranny shifts into second gear too soon. This causes a drop of the rpms to idle speed as it shifts to second. This causes the engine to bog and me to get heated. I might as well just put it in second at every stop. According to my GM dealer its working as its supposed to. If you are on the gas it works fine but if you try to start out slowly forget it.
Number 2 on the list is there is no light in the trunk. This is so frustrating when you are unloading a deep trunk like in this car. Was a light offered in the normal cars??
Number 3 is a real annoyance that just started happening. When I plug in something to the accessory power ports and they are first charging up i.e. IPOD with a dead battery and then go to start the car I get nothing at all. The second time I turn the key it starts fine. But every time I plug in the accessory this happens unless there is very little draw on the accessory port. Like when it finally charges completely. If nothing is plugged in then all is fine.
Had it to the shop and all worked normal for them neither of us knew about the accessory drain. Going in today with a note for them to check the accessory port trick with my drained IPOD. We will see what happens. I wouldn't have thought an IPOD or bluetooth device would have enough of a drain to kill the electrical system of a battery with how many cca? I mean there isn't any clicks at all but the lights go dim and the fan shuts off and everything dies. Turn the key again and all is normal.
This is the last GM I buy. I have had an Olds that had a bad distributor from day one for years. Talk about torque steer. It was a fun car but not reliable at all. I had a Chevy Monte Carlo with a Carb and Choke problem, I have had a Jeep Cherokee Sport (rear diff was bad at 36000 miles), Grand Cherokee (Had every problem in book), Brother has a 96 Ford F150 (Front wheel bearing and axle bad at 30000 miles) and he doesn't off road it, had a Sonoma extended cab (Never had traction, front shock was bad, bad seat release lever, blew the valve cover gasket and burned oil like crazy all within 20000 miles), had an 01 Blazer 4X4 4-door (You name it it happened to this vehicle, Wheel bearings, upper and lower ball joints, oil cooler lines blew, shocks gone, springs shot, ate gas filters, brakes always smelled liked they were burning but the culprit never found, had a wild shake above 65 that no one could find, brake dust shields rusted out twice in less than 50000 miles, a bad battery), and now this one.
Oh I forgot to mention that this Impala also suffers from the dreaded paint chipping problem that almost all the reds cars and some other color cars have.
At least with Honda the workers seem to have pride in making their cars. I still have problems thinking of a high school graduate making $27 a hour or more just to turn one screw on every car taht goes by on the assembly line all day long. That job may not exist anymore but the price some of the union workers are getting paid are a little unreasonable. No wonder GM and Ford have to keep cutting costs, taking short cuts, and raising prices.
needs another top gear at any speed wet or dry. I like that feeling but sometimes I think that the constant load it creates doesn't follow well to the back end. My Bonne SSEi which is a 6cyln doesn't exhibit any problems even after 140k. I will look into tires before next winter but I'll just ride these out this year. As far as Stabilitrac, in principle, should cure what ails the SS. That's why I was curious about the 2008. I understand that 2008 will be the last year for this body style with the 2009 going to rear wheel drive. I'll let you know what Mr. Goodwrench says.
Sadly, my sister's 3LT handles much better. Her car absorbs bumps whereas mine rebounds over them. I may try to get a favorable "opinion" one more time before my warranty expires but I'm not holding my breath.
Well i found out that No body roll is spelled .....MUSTANG GT
Frank
Where the H*** have you been? Yep, I'm still active. Still lovin' the SS although I still have my same issues. How's your Impala holding out?
Ron
Incidentally, this feature only works on cars with the outside temperature display. For example, if someone owns a 2006 Impala LS which does not have the outside temp. display, and then has the dealer install the remote start package, when they remote start their car the vent system will go to whatever they leave it it set to. If they turn off the vent, then when they start the car the vent does not come on at all.
LT, LTZ, and SS models behave as you describe since they all come with the outside temp. gauge.
every 4000 miles and was never informed of any abnormal wear. The tires have 18 k on them. The fronts were showing some inner wear but not that bad. The following day, I took it to the Chevy dealer to have a look. Be advised that if there is a mechanical problem that causes the distruction of a tire, GM doesn't cover the tire. I said to the service guy that I tought that that was kind of odd. He said GM's position is that they doen't make the tires. They don't make a lot of things on that car. Anyway, the problem with my car is that the front end was out and 3 of the 4 tires are out camber and caster. Never had that happen to me before. The streets of Cleveland are full of holes but one becomes a master of dogging them. Well, had to get 4 tires and since they have been on, there is not problem in the snow. There is is.
This was all in less than 15-20K. Finally when tires were totally gone, I took it somewhere else for new tires and alignment. Both front and back were "way out" according to tire shop and probably had been since manufacture.
Good Luck!