2005 and Earlier Chevrolet Impala

bbrowne74

Got an '01 LS Navy Blue Exterior Grey Custom Cloth interior.

b4z

Navy wins by a mile.

NAVY BLUE(8)
b4z, spider717, hooeypooey, bh001,0 0impala, sim3,
cookie01, browne74.

SILVER(5)
garypen, cabello, 00impala, fathertyricius, lrcobra.

BLACK(5)
roderacer, phollan, blckthree, impalamom, norbnancy.

WHITE(3)
jeffreyw1, czardale, daveleck.

GREEN(2)
casl,ghostwolf.

REGAL BLUE(2)
hunter39, sweetpolly

SANDRIFT(2)
teo, wyoimp.

TORCH RED(1)
not sure who.

CARMINE RED(1)
woo_by.

DRIFTWOOD(1)
crosley4.

BRONZE MIST(1)
nick01.

Did i miss anybody?

joed56

Dear Teo: In yesterday's mail, I received a customer satisfaction survey from GM re: the recent work done on my car. I assume this was the problem with the ECM. They are asking all various questions re: my experience with the dealership. Basically, they want to know how satisfied I was with the service department in handling the situation. The very last question wants to know if I want my name and address revealed to the dealership. My question to you is this: If I give GM permission to reveal my name and address to the dealer, and if one of my answers offends the dealer, do you think the dealer could "take it out on me" when I bring the car for the next service? This may sound paranoid to you but these are waters that I have not tread in a long time. This is the first car I have bought in nine years. I never had any problems with my 92' LTZ Caprice Classic. I mean how serious do the dealers take these surveys? Thank You. Joe

jons01

My 2001 Impala is sandrift metallic. The reasons why I chose this color are that it is more visible at night than the darker colors, it does not show dirt as much, and it helps the car to stay cooler by relecting more sunlight.

I also think that it has a "classy" look and is nicely complemented by the light interior colors. My other car is a similar color and it helps avoid confusion (easier to locate) on parking lots since no matter which car I drive, I only have to look for one color.

No matter what color, all Impalas look GREAT!

impalaboy2001

I just happened to renew my Premuim Onstar Service last night, I believe I'll be paying around $37/month. It's kinda nice to have a secretary working for ya while driving around. I use Onstar an average of 1-2 times a week, for directory service, route support...I love the service and will probably renew in the future also, You'll never know when you might need to use it, so might as well have it there.

Chris

cyyz

Sandrift Metallic with neutral interior. I, too, like this colour for it's ease of maintenance; that is, it can go longer looking clean than a darker colour. If Black wasn't so maintenance intensive, I would have chosen it for sure.

00impala

After looking around a bit yesterday for the right Silver Metallic Thin double Pinstripe, Didn't find the one I wanted, I did come across some Door Edge Guards that I usually do not use, but at Pep Boys I found them moulded in Dark Blue! $2.99 and they compliment the front doors of my new Impala Perfectly!, Usually when I buy cheap accessories I tend to not use them anyway, But these are Great in the Dark Blue Color! Check them out! Also where can I get the Pinstripes that have the little Impala Logo incorporated into them? Anyone see them? I saw them on an Impala a while ago. Don

b4z

Sandrift is a great color. I had a hard time deciding between the two, but went for the navy because dark colors always look more muscular to me and present a different image than the lighter colors.

[Deleted User]

I always put my name in there. My feeling is quite the opposite of joed56. If it has any effect on the dealer's behavior towards me, I think it would be for the better.
I believe that service managers and the dealerships themselves receive some kind of rating from Chevy/GM, which may translate to cash, in regard to service and customer satisfaction.
My dealership also sends post-service surveys, in addition to GM. They even have a service dept. orientation for new owners, once a month. They practically begged us to send back any GM surveys with positive answers.

spider717

WOW I checked my pressure this morning. I had 25 PSI is all tires. I lowered the one tire, the monitor went off after about 30 seconds of driving. I then put the pressure to 32/34 like you guys were talking about. WHAT A DIFFERENCE!! For the last few days I have been driving VERY lightly, mostly country roads, and some highway. I was getting 24 MPG. Since I raised the pressure I reset the MPG, and I have been driving like I "normally" do hey I'm 21!

I'm getting 28 MPG now. HUGE difference.

spider717

I was looking at systems today. $2000 for a kenwood system, then $1200 for an 8" touchscreen display. To bad the screen would look crappy mounted in my car. The fold out screen is $2000, but then I'd lose my cd player . You would THINK they'd include a cd-player, sheesh. I know there's a few people that have them in their Impalas. Just wondering what kind of systems you all have. Also where you mounted everything.

frankf3

I just came back from a vacation that almost wasn't. My father in law passed away the other week, so all vacation plans were put on hold. At the last minute my wife decided that it may be better to get away to get her mind off things. To make a long story short we went up to the GM Assembly plant at Oshawa. It was wonderful!!!! My wife has a good time also. If anyone gets a chance to take a tour - just do it! The tours are run at 11:30AM and 6:30PM on most thursdays. You have to call for a reservation. They have several plants in operation. The pickup truck plant produces about 1400 trucks /day. They have a car battery plant that produces their own batteries. The plants we did see were the one used to make Impalas and the one to produce Buicks. The Impala line produces both Impalas and Monte Carlos from the same line. The Buick line produces Regals and Centurys. You see just about everything from start to finish. A car typically takes 18 hours to complete, with 9 of those hours for body assembly and painting. They use "smart carts" extensively in the plant that do not run via tracks, rails or chains. With all the Impalas I saw, ( there were hundreds) with Silver and white being the most numerous, I did not see a single one with the back panel being matched in color to the body color. They all had the red tail end that we are familiar with. I could go on and on..... but I have to run. The tours are about an hour and a half in length, and you ride in a 3 car "covered train" that is pulled through the plant by a driver and a narrator.

driveme2drinkn

My 2K-LS is Black with gray leather. Yes, black tends to be a bit warmer, but when it is 98 degrees in Southern CA, any car is going to be hot. And yes it shows dirt, but since I keep it in the garage 5 days a week, it is not a big deal. I just dust it off with Meguiar's Quik Detailer. Black looked the best of the colors offered because with all the other colors, my eyes would go straight to the gray side moldings. The gray moldings is really the only thing that bugs me about the Impala's look. Not only is the Impala LS the coolest car on the road, but I can go a week without seeing another one here in Orange County. That gives me the impression that I'm driving an exotic car.

b4z

What color is your car?

teo

What's the number to call for the GM Oshawa plant tour reservations?

We'll be in Toronto next year and since Oshawa is about 45 minutes away, I would love to take the plant tour where "All begins".

Great to know that there are 4 Sandrift owners in the color poll!!! Today's temperature here in Miami is about 96F and the light color really helps to keep the car cooled down. Dark cars in our weather are a big no no unfortunately.

My car never sees a garage cover either at home or the office, so the Sandrift is the best compromise in good, classy looks and ease of maintenance.

Joed56: Don't hesitate to write down your name and address in the GM post service quality survey. The purpose of it is to help improve the quality of service at your dealership based on your responses. The dealer is eager to get a good 'Grade' but it also needs to get negative feedback to help your Service Director make your next visit a much more efficient and pleasant one.

I take the GM survey a step further. I discuss it in person face to face with my dealer's Service Manager. Since we pretty much think alike in terms of quality of service and other factors it is the most productive and enjoyable time. He writes down my suggestions and pays close attention to the good and the bad in terms of the service I receive at his dealership. He is extremely customer oriented so he loves to receive feedback on a on going basis.

Again,don't hesitate in stamping your name in that GM survey.

b4z

Can't stand the grey mouldings. They look cheap.
They also make waxing a chore.

2001sts17hid

Hello Enthusiasts. A question. I have a 2000 Monte Carlo LS, almost 10,000 miles and the engine cradle is ticking/clicking. Those of you with Impala's and Monte Carlos, did the fix from GM for this problem really cure it? Should I leave the cradle alone? I did see a post where an Impala owner stated the clicking came then went away. Thanks for your help. Oh and my LS is white with black leather, and moonroof. No other problems other than the engine cradle.

b4z

Was showing property till 730 pm last night so when i got in the car to come home there was very little traffic.
I am cruising down I-26 about 70-75 in a 50mph zone and come up to a group of cars where the interstate ends and the on ramp to the Cooper River Bridge begins.
They are running about 30-35 and the last car in line is a new Nissan Maxima. As I come up behind him i notice he is checking me out in his rear view mirror.
I take the curve fairly fast and downshift manually into second, anticipating accelerating once i get onto the bridge.
We get past the guardrail seperating the on ramp and no one is coming so i start accelerating. He does the same thing because i notice a puff of black smoke.
We cross into the fast lane and i am actually gaining on him!
We have to slow for traffic merging into the fast lane and i keep it in second gear and drop the hammer again. I see the puff of black smoke out of his tailpipe and i start to gain on him again.
We eventually accelerated to 75 mph. He made a bad lane change and i pulled away from him. Never saw him agin.
I thought maximas were supposed to befaster than impalas. Maybe he did too. LOL!

mediumfry

Maybe there's another one out there, but my '01 LS is Torch Red and is the one pictured on Nathan's site. I really like it but it doesn't seem too popular on this forum. Oh well. It handles dirt nicely without looking dirty.

There are a few TR Impalas on the road around my area, but none exactly like mine. One more point for uniqueness I guess.

b4z

Never seen a TR LS. Must look pretty sporty with the 5 spokes.
Red cars are not for me. I am a pretty fast driver and the less attention I attract the better.

mcdill

I am the one who said the tick went away , When It first started ticking I opted to just " see " what happens , and not risk making it worse , I just reported the problem to the dealer , and they put it my record , they listened to the noise as well , and agreed there was an actual noise there , this was about 8000 miles , it now has 31,000 on it , and has not clicked in over 2000 miles , it has just gradually quit , weve got the 70,000 mile warranty anyway ......

impalanator

2K LS, Regal Blue Metallic, no hole in roof, cloth interior.

BTW, I saw a 2K (I think) Monte Carlo SS that was black with a kind of checkered flag scheme on the rear quarter panels and Taz decals "under" the SS appliques on the side and back. Anyone else seen this?

hvan3

Today, I drove up to Santa Barbara, CA to vist my sister. My gas tank was absolutely full before heading on the road. To and from Santa Barbara, I was able to get 350 miles before the fuel warning light came on. This is the MOST mileage I have ever gotten before the warning light comes on. On this trip, I did 90% highway driving and 10% city driving. Normally, I yield 260 miles before the light comes on.

While some of you here said that you are averaging 30 mpg, that means that after 14 gallons have been used up, you should be able to achieve 420 miles (30 X14) when the light comes on. If ALL 17 gallons are consumed, then the total mileage yield is 510 miles (30 X 17). I think it's very difficult for the Impala to yield 510 miles on a full gas tank (from top off to driving on fume). Or, is my math wrong?

Since I yield only 350 miles when the light comes on (after 14 gallons consumed, with 3 gallons of reserved remaining)), then my mpg is only 25. Since my Impala does not have the DIC to calculate mpg, I have to use arithmetic in my head.

How is everyone getting 30+mpg? At 30mpg, you should be able to drive 420 miles when the lights come on. I got only 350 miles.

Next time when someone goes for a long trip, I'm interested to know how many miles you yield before the light comes on.

Thanks

frankf3

B4z: The color of my 2001 Impala is Galaxy Silver, with the gray interior.

teo: The number for reservations is 905-644-5777. Send me your EMail address if you want other details.

this_is_nascar

Does anyone have the ability to get the entire TSB contents for the Air Conditioning and ISS?

blckthree

I routinely drive on the highway for long trips, and the low fuel light doesnt come on until about 400 miles, the farthest I have pushed the mileage on a tank of gas is about 450. That is driving with the cruise locked on about 79 and very little stopping, or slowing down. If you are driving 90% highway, and only getting 25 mpg, you might want to check your tire pressure, if it is low, this can cost you 3-4 mpg.

hunter39

Me and SweetPolly share the same color as you, the elegant Regal Blue The Monte you saw was that Limited edition NASCAR Monte Carlo, it has a few extra things on it and I believe about 2k more in cost, don't know if it's worth it. I'm not a fan of TAZ though so I'm probably not very objective!

kcidcampers

Here's general information. I bought this Impala, Carmine Red, in September '99, production date 7/99, 20,000 miles. I like the Impala, it's a fine, nice driving car but I to had noise in the front end, rear end, everywhere. I'll tell you what I did to clear it all and I don't know which one did it. I had the new rear wheel wells added, the front left wheel well was flopping and they scotch tied that together, I think to the frame. I do know that they added the shims to the bottom of my steeling shaft but I think the one that cleared up most of it was the copper line that ran across the back of the rear motor cradle (a good cradle weld and no cradle cracks). They had to order 2 P/S line clamps (Item #26059727) as both clamps were broken and the copper line was vibrating against the cradle. Now the noise I was having, as I drove across a bridge that had the blacktop broken out of the roadbed, would sound like rocks were hitting the bottom of the car or a popping noise and vibration from everywhere in the front and the back. This even happened on concrete roads where the two sections come together. It sounded like a lot of things were loose and rattling. I hope this helps anyone having noises but I think the steering shaft shims and the P/S clamps helped the most because I have a smooth running car today. I am pop free on all bumps. Sorry for the rambling. Have a great sunny day, we sure are down here in Southwest Florida.

spider717

I was wondering if anyone has the vinal floor mats from gmpart.com. I have some clear vinal mats in now that really catch alot of dirt and pine needles. Problem is that the leave part of the floor uncovered. If anyone has them could you tell me how well they work? Also I was wondering what'd look better, the gray ones or the blue ones. (I have blue car with gray interior).

00impala

I have a few pics of the Rubber Logo mats, if that is what you are reffering to? see them here

http://community.webtv.net/dman4ford/VARIOUSPICTURESOF

Don

[Deleted User]

I decided to detail the Impala this weekend. Simple Green and a cookware scrub sponge got the scuffs out of the door panels, rocker panels, and console cover. Because this scrub sponge was designed not to scratch cookware, it didn't scratch the interior either. These scuffs would not come off any other way. I used the smooth side of the sponge on non-scuffed areas. I followed with Interior Formula ArmorAll.

I also used the diluted Simple Green to clean the leather seats. It worked great. Before anyone has a heart attack, I followed with a liberal dose of leather comditioner to re-moisterize the stripped surface.

Now for the waxing: I know that there are many devout Zaino users on this and other forums. Some have an almost evangelical passion for the stuff. However, I decided to use some Zymol Cleaner/Wax that I had purchased weeks ago at Costco, before I had ever heard of Zaino. I must say that on my silver finish, the Zymol worked wonderfully. Wax on - wax off, as Pat Morita would say.

This is the first waxing since I got the car almost 5 months ago. I wash it weekly, and dust it daily, so it looked pretty good to start with. Pretty shiny too. But now, the metal flake of the Silver finish glimmers and shines like it never did before. The surface reflects like glass, and is smooth as ice. I'm impressed.

I have a feeling the Zaino would work better than the Zymol on darker, richer colors. All of the photos I see, and all of the testimonials always seem to be from owners of darker color cars. (Darker than Silver or White, anyway.)

For all you Zaino disciples, I promise to try it on my next car, which will be a deep metalic blue. (It's actually called Aegean Blue.) I'm sure I'll be very pleased with the results. In the mean time, on my Silver Impala, I think I'll stick with the Zymol, at least until it runs out. That may be a while, though. I did buy it at Costco! ;-)

mediumfry

It's on Nathan's site under pictures, with the caption "keeping the kid entertained".

The pic doesn't do it justice but does show basically how it looks.

I also owe teo dimensions on the (notably makeshift but very functional) TV stand. I'll get that to you soon, with pictures as soon as the digital camera I ordered yesterday arrives.

neals1820

I have been off line for a couple of months. 2000 LS Siver with Gray Leather. Still having the hesiation problem, but at 18,000 miles still love the car.

spider717

Ya thats them. How do you like them? Does anyone know how dark the blue ones are?

sean411

I have a 00 LS..carmine red....Many posts ago...I complained about the poor quality paint job..orange peel...easy to chip etc. Enough of that. I surfed the web looking for car detailing information...found a lot of good sites..learned a lot...spent a few $$ on the products..and got busy with my Impala. Even though its a lot of extra work, the 3 step program...makes a big difference in the car's appearence. For the first 2 steps, any of the big 3 will work fine..3M, Mother's & Meguiar's....The 3rd step...wax...I used 4 diff products on various sections...Mother's carnuba..Meguiar's high tech yellow & medallion...3M showcar paste...and Zymol's carbon... I got good results with all of them...Zymol, produced the best shine...3M a very close 2nd, and the other 3 right behind 3M. A good site that I found...for info and pricing on these high end products < Zymol being the highest> is www.autodetail.com
Believe me, when I say that the next Impala will be a light color....hides all the mistakes..lol...
Enjoy the ride

[Deleted User]

That's why we chose silver for both the Impala and our other car. But, my next one will be blue. I'm sure that 27 coats of Zaino Z-1, Z-2, Z-5, Z-97, Z-112, etc, will keep it looking great. I'm stashing away my wife's good cotton towels now, in anticipation.

teo

What's the final verdict on your A/C?

teo

Thanks so much for the phone number!

Would like further details on admission pricing, times, duration of tour and if it is worth it?

E-mail me offline at frankg@equitrac.com

[Deleted User]

It's the weirdest thing. It's been working fine, even in 90+ temperatures. "Icy cold refreshment." I had them look at it twice, when I brought my car in for the drivers seat. They didn't find anything wrong, of course. Maybe they moved that line away from the transmission cooler, or whatever you said causes a problem.

However, they didn't do a damn thing for the seat. First visit: the "trim" guy wasn't there, but they confirmed a problem. Second visit: they said nothing was wrong with the seat, that the "play" was normal, and "that's how they're made". I begged to differ, and they suddenly realized the "recliner" was bad. They ordered the part. Third visit: supposedly replaced the "recliner", which I assume is the hinge mechanism between the bottom cushion and seat back.

Bottom line: It's as bad as or worse than before. At this point, I will settle for nothing less than an entire new drivers seat.
Some people probably wouldn't even care. It's only noticable during hard braking, or if you grab the seat back and jiggle it back and forth. I believe, however, that everything should work at 100%.

After all, the Impala's passenger seat has virtually no play. My CL seat backs have zero play, as well. Like a rock, to coin a phrase. (The recline is electric too. I sure wish the Impala had 8-way power like that.)

I notice that the seat base also has a little play in it. However, the majority of movement is definitely coming from the seat back. I know that other people have mentioned similar drivers seat problems. Could you folks please post again those problems and your solutions?

Thanks

teo

I was interested in getting your temperature read out at the dashboard vents and the High/low pressure readings. Glad that it is working for you anyway.

I haven't had any seat related problems with my LS. Zero play on both front seats. My only complaint with the front seats are the hard 'Halo' headrests. Otherwise they are great. My old '97 TL had an 8-power driver's seat. The seat back recline was powered. Actually I prefer the manual seat back recline in the Impala vs the power one in the Acura. Both seats are comfortable (More so in the Impala) but my wife says that she preferred the front seats in our Acura and the cushy wide headrests. Can't argue with that. My main problem with the Acura's seats was the short bottom cushion (Made for short people). My wife is 5'3" (I am 5'10") so she felt better in the TL's seats.

Again I have no play problems in my Impala seats. Could it be something that can bee re-tighten in the tracks?

[Deleted User]

Most of the play is in the reclining hinge mechanism, it appears. The play in the tracks/rails seems minimal.

It's funny how subjective seat comfort is. I find the shape and size of the Impala seats to be OK, not to short at all. I'm 5'9", hardly tall, but not short, either. I also prefer the thick bolstered head rests of my CL, like you. I like the lateral support bolsters, leather quality, and power recline of the CL seats compared to the Impala, as well.

However, heavier set people probably wouldn't like the lateral support bolsters. They may find them too confining, digging into their ribs. Some may find the leather too soft, and feel it won't endure. Some may prefer a hollow headrest for visibilty and rear passenger comfort. And others, like yourself, prefer a manual tilt adjust. Personally, I find it much easier to get the exact angle I want with a power recliner. It also enables the additon of memory seating, which I love.

A/C:
I've got a digital fever thermometer. I'll try it in the AC vents. I don't know if it'll read that low, but it might. When I go in for a new seat, I'll have them check the Low and High side pressures.

discgolfer

Well, since the numbers seem to be real close between Blue and Silver, decided I would throw mine out there. 00' LS "Galaxy Silver"...

teo

Memory seats would be a nice option in the Impala.

wipson

'01 Galaxy Silver LS with "Mouse" Gray leather interior.

BTW, Teo, when did you switch from "Prison Cell" gray to "Mouse" Gray? Is "Mouse" more politically correct? I will admit that "Prison Cell" sounds more... confining?

[Deleted User]

I prefer "Dorian" Gray. Each successive car purchase makes me feel younger.
"Battleship" gray is good too. It's a big car.

teo

Mouse Gray = Cloth
Prison Gray = Leather

dengman

Just wanted to add my Impala to the growing list of happy cars and happy owners. I have a 9C3 I purchased from a dealer my family has used for 20 years, so i didn't have much of a problem with ordering it. Love the car. Use it for long highway trips every other week (300 miles a day)and still runs smoothe and quiet. With a Whelen 2150b flasher for the high beams, and Dashmiser Strobe this car cuts through traffic easily here in NY. Wanted to know if anyone else here has picked up an Impala 9C1 or 9C3 and what they think, whether personally owned or department use.

hunter39

Try a meat thermometer, that way you can just slip it between the vents. I used to keep one in my Old Caprice (the 85')and it showed 42 degrees if I remember correctly.

BTW folks we broke a record for Phoenix yesterday at 114 degrees with 9% humidity, my outside thermometer in the shade was pegged at 120 degrees, I never went out of the house to check the DIC temp, least not til nightfall when it went down to 107!

wipson

Nice one. I could pull a lot of innuendos out of that one.

BTW, have you been having any withdrawal symptoms since they axed the ugly aztek board? You guys were out of control. I was addicted.

teo

Oh yeah, major ones! Did you like my Buseta discovery?

I miss Exy but I know he is roaming somewhere in FL as we speak.

Can't have that kind of fun at Edmunds anymore =(