All these problems. I feel a bit silly having just gotten a tune up and new rotors and pads at 78,000 miles. First major repair. Tune up followed by having to replace spark plug wires. Seems fair to me. This on a 2000 LS.
you have your lug nuts tourqued to 100 ft pounds that after you drive 25 or so miles they should be re-torqued, some places even reccomend that you return for this procedure, I think I had to sign a paper at SAMS Club once,stating that i would come back the same day for re-tourqing..I did it myself and ever since with my Sears Micro-torque wrench, but there is some additional tightness needed after the initial tourqing once you drive off. Meaning that I get an additional 1/8 of a turn or so on them all before it clicks free at 100 ft lbs..."the second time". Don
I have 51000 miles with a replaced ISS and a clicking cradle. For now the cradle will stay. I just put on 4 new BF Goodrich Touring tires, sound very quiet compared to the Goodyears. My driver side window switch is acting up like if it is not making good contact, kinda works for half a second then it stops then it starts for a second, etc.
Thanks folks. I hope more will chime in with similar problems. It really helps. Of course, I understand that it doesn't necessarily mean you are unhappy with your cars. It just means you've had a few problems, is all.
Interesting thread. I imagine that other cars including my Bonneville would be equally affected by this problem. Teo - do you or anyone else know if the suggested 100 ft lbs is specific to Impala only? And what about this same issue as it relates to truck wheels such as my Suburban 1500?
Malibu rotors also must be torqued to 100 lb*ft, and as well as I remember its manual, the same with GrandAm I rented for a month in 1999. Probably the same with all modern GM cars. No idea about trucks.
Thanks. I'm not sure I understand your need to constantly defend this model or its manufacturer. It's only a product. In my case, a defective one.
According to California law, a product must conform to the warranty. The dealer, as agent of the manufacturer, has four opportunities to affect repair, and return the car to conformity. If they do not, the manufacturer is required to reclaim the vehicle, and refund the purchase price or lease payments.
I do not wish to drive 100 miles, or should I have to. My selling dealer is the closest to my home, and should be able to repair the car. I don't share the same emotional attachment to my Impala that you do to yours, and would rather give it up than be inconvienced. It's only a car.
As for your explanaitions of my problems:
Seat - Is not easily repaired. Hunter had his repaired, and the problem returned. It is an obvious design flaw of the mechanism. Why else would they change it midstream? I find this to be a major problem for me. As proof, I have located an NHTSA report of an individual that lost control of his Impala due to a loose driver's seat.
Radio - My radio reception was fine when I first got the car. There is no need for an additional mast antenna. A few others here have had this problem, and had it remedied by having the rear glass replaced. My rear defroster doesn't work very well either.
Rotors - No where have I seen in the user's manual mentioning using a torque wrench to change a tire. If this is required, they should include one with the jack. While it may be good practice, not using one shouldn't cause the rotors to warp after only 5000 miles, the last time the wheels were off.
Rough idle - According to the manual, 87 octane is fine. As such, I should not need to use a higher octane. I've also had a recent PCM update.
It's great that you're happy with your Impala, and that you haven't had any problems. However, some people have had problems, and are unhappy. Some have also had problems, but remain happy. It's all good. :-)
I forgot the AC. Both of our AC's might actually be working exactly the same. It might be a matter of perception. You are used to 90+ temperatures all summer long. Here in CA, the really, really hot days only happen occassionally. When they do, our bodies are not as accustomed as yours. Additionally, much of the Florida heat is due to humidity. I know. My family lives there. The Impala AC might work very well at removing the humidity quickly. The immediate perception will be one of comfort. I know that R134 systems do not work as well as R12 systems. I've owned plenty of cars with both. It's odd how the AC on our CL, which is also a Honda, works amazingly well. It's obviously a different system than your Accord had.
Remember that I have already walked down that path. I was unhappy with my first Impala and I did everything I could to get rid of it. Yes I did rant about it here day in and day out for months, but at the same time I was pushing for GM to acknowledge the problems and do something about them. In the end they came through and did what I considered was the right thing.
I have no need to defend this model or the automaker. Tomorrow or the next day I might decide to move on to something else...same I did when I left the Honda/Acura fold for 12 years to go over GM. My days of blind car loyalties are long past before me. Today, same as you and everyone else, wish for the best product, at the best possible price and best quality. If my replacement car had turned out to be worst or equally annoying as the first one, by now that car would have been long gone, trust me.
I am sorry that you got a bad car. It did happen to me so I understand where are you coming from. Probably mine is (and I hope it will be for as long as I keep it) a much better car reliability wise. So far it has demonstrated that this copy is tighter than the first one.
Life is to short to put up with defective goods. If you are unhappy with your car you can attempt to get it fixed, sell it, trade it or have it re-purchased or replaced and move on.
With the first Impala I learned that it is psychologically draining and a total and complete waste of time to try to fix or live with a car that you don't feel 100% right about.
One thing that I don't understand is that you need to gather a pool of responses to convince your dealer that your problems are real??? What kind of service is that? See that's where my beef is and believe me is not your fault as I can see they are given you a hard time.
I am on your side of the issue, keep that in mind.
If you truly like the car in despite of the problems, maybe the less painful route would be to persuade GM to replace your car with a new 2002 Impala. If you have lost confidence in the product, then you have many methods at your disposition to get rid of it and then move on.
I agree. A big part is my dealer's inability or unwillingness to affect repairs. It doesn't negate GM from their responsibility in the matter. The dealer is the authorized agent for GM, making GM directly responsible. I just want to be happy with whatevr car I choose. I shouldn't have to sit there and curse every time I drive it, which is at least twice a day. It should be a joy for me to drive, as it is for you and many others here. Unfortunately, I have indeed lost confidence in the product, and possibly all GM products. I will have to think long and hard about possibly replacing the Impala with a Regal GS or Grand Prix GTP. Maybe a used one, so it won't be so difficult or expensive if I'm unhappy with it.
The best A/C system that I had on a Honda product was on my '97 2.5TL. Very *American* in cool down efficiency. On the other hand, the A/C on my Integra and Accords was rated from average to lousy.
Even if your body is used to the hunidity and heat year round, you'll know immediately when the A/C of your car is not cooling down properly. I wasn't born in Florida (I was born in the South American Andes mountains) I can tell you that after 20 years of sea level/heat living I am not yet totally used to high temperatures and hunidity index of South Florida. Heat truly bothers me and wherever I am I have to have the A/C in blizzard mode. Ditto when I go to sleep (My wife can't stand low the temp setting of our home A/C at night).
My car's A/C efficiently removes humidity and heat from the car in about 5 to 8 minutes tops. My sister's '99 Accord LX A/C takes an eternity to cool down, if it ever does. She acknolwedges that the A/C in her new Impala is much better to the one in her Accord. At least those are comparison points.
I don't know what else to tell you. I still think your car needs to be checked for freon leaks. R134a slow leaks are often a pain in the butt, since they are invisible and sometimes the leak detectors don't always see them.
Gary, again I can't disagree with that either. However, if your car is truly annoying you then if you can't get GM to buy it back or repurchase it, and if selling to a private private is equally diffcult, then it all comes down to bite the bullet, cut any further loses and let go of it on a trade in.
I have done that 1 time before with a Ford product traded onto a new Honda product and trust me even after losing $4K on the deal, it really did feel good. That Honda served me faithfully for 5 years, so in the end I felt that I recovered the $4K that I lost on that transaction when I got rid of the buggy Tempo.
Has anyone thought about gettting XM satellite radio? I don't have reception problem where I live, so I have no need for one. But for those of you who gets poor reception, maybe satellite radio is for you?
My first car in 1987 was a 1985 Ford Tempo Sport GL, it was an ok car until march of 1988 when I hit a patch of ice and hit the brakes and then hit dry pavement and flipped onto the roof and slid into a fence upside down, I bought that car with 28K on it for $5700 from a Ford Dealer.(Wish cars were that affordable nowadays) I then bought a 1986 Mercury Lynx XR3, If I can find the damaged Tempo pics I will put them on my webpage, I had my seatbelt on (in 1988!) and I was un injured, not a scratch, so I can say that the 2dr Tempo protected me well, the car was a total loss since the roof and rear end were smashed pretty good, if it was an inferior car, at least it did it's job and protected me. I'd take that from any car rewgardless of quirks. Was your car a 1988? My parents bought a 1988 Tempo LX and it was ok i geuss, except for tie rod ends and the such, they had it until 1995 whan they got a Taurus they still have! Don
XM radio is a subscription based service. I have not heard the sound quality of an XM unit, but according to what I have read the sound quality is better than most CD's. GM currently only offers the XM Radio as a factory installed option in the Cadillac Deville sedan. I don't know if an aftermarket XM radio can be installed in the Impala as I am not familiar with the equipment configuration.
The monthly fee for XM satellite radio is about $9 to $10 per month.
I think the radio reception in the Impala tends to worsen on mountainous areas. I have never liked those engraved in the back glass or windshield radio antennas. Nothing beats the good old metal mast.
My 97 Acura TL also had the infamous radio antenna embedded to the back glass, Reception was OK but sound typically was on the muffled side.
I had a then new 1988 Ford Tempo GL sedan (newer less jelly bean design). The car was painted in Midnight Blue metallic which I always taught that was the best color available on that car for that year. The car came with a driver's side airbag which was a rarity outside of MB and BMW of the time. The salesman did not know that my Tempo had an airbag when they sold it to me. If you had an airbag equipped Tempo, you were fortunate enough to get normal manual front shoulder/lap seat belts. Most cars of the era without airbags were obligated to have some form of automatic seat belt restrains. My 1990 Honda Accord DX had them, and I hated them!
My Tempo also had pushbutton HVAC controls, a 4 speaker AM/FM stereo radio only, power door locks and trunk release but not power windows. Rear view mirrors were also electric. The 2.3L OHV 4 banger was noisy and gas thirsty (And slow). The 3-speed automatic didn't help much either.
To make a long story short, the car was a freakin' lemon since day one. Everyhting that could fail did and the car always stalled at traffic lights. Ford could never find the cause of the engine stalls that towards the end got mighty dangerous. The A/C crapped out, engine hoses went south, ugh horrible. Just thinking of that car make the Impala problems look like wimps.
This car had also the famous Ford flamming ignition switches...thank God we never had a problem with the switch, but Ford kew about the defect and kept churning 20 Million some cars with the defective part.
I got rid of it after 2 years and 18K miles in 1990. I lost $4K when I traded it for a new Accord DX, but boy was I relieved!
When you have a bad product, your best bet is to get rid of it. It will only cost you more money down the road.
My first car in 1987 was a 1985 Ford Tempo Sport GL, it was an ok car until march of 1988 when I hit a patch of ice and hit the brakes and then hit dry pavement and flipped onto the roof and slid into a fence upside down, I bought that car with 28K on it for $5700 from a Ford Dealer.(Wish cars were that affordable nowadays) I then bought a 1986 Mercury Lynx XR3, If I can find the damaged Tempo pics I will put them on my webpage, I had my seatbelt on (in 1988!) and I was un injured, not a scratch, so I can say that the 2dr Tempo protected me well, the car was a total loss since the roof and rear end were smashed pretty good, if it was an inferior car, at least it did it's job and protected me. I'd take that from any car rewgardless of quirks. Was your car a 1988? My parents bought a 1988 Tempo LX and it was ok i geuss, except for tie rod ends and the such, they had it until 1995 whan they got a Taurus they still have! Don
I haven't seen any posts about it, but I wanted to comment that the traction control on my LS has been great! Its been icy here the past few days, but I have not skidded at all, and the traction control has been activated several times. This is my first winter with the car, and although it hasn't snowed much here this year, I'm impressed so far. I am sorry now that I did not get the heated seats!!
Gary's issues are valid and his frustration is as well because I have had quite a few nagging problems with my car. The difference? My dealership is right on the ball and is willing to do whatever it takes to make me happy. I went in today to tell them that I will be coming in soon for the cradle shim, and that my seat is exibiting the loose feeling again. I also mentioned to the service manager that I was getting a pulsating feeling from my brakes, rather slight but noticable. He said if it's so, (he told his service writer) write up a replacement of the rotors under warranty. His exact words were: "Never turn those rotors this early in their life, you will get nothing but noise from them forever after, just replace them". When I took the car in back in August to have other things looked at they noticed my battery terminal was leaking, no problem, new battery installed. I didn't even ask. A great dealer with true customer service is the key!
What annoys me is GM's failure to correct the dealer's poor service. They actually stand behind it! You should have heard the GM rep at my arbitration today! He says that all of these problems do not affect the car's value. They just don't meet my expectations! I guess he has a point. My expectations are that the seat doesn't wobble, the engine idles smoothly, the doors lock automatically, the radio recieves nearby stations without interference, etc.
I hope things go my way. If they don't, I will have to go to a different dealer to have everything repaired. I still won't keep it. But, I can't in good consience sell it or transfer the lease until evrything is working OK.
No, that is called dodging a bullet. As in, "I thought about buying another intrigue, but i came to my senses and bought the impala instead". Or, "I almost got in accident with another car last night ,and it was an intrigue! My worst nightmare.
The weather was bad yesterday in Charleston and at about 3 pm I decided to drive over the Cooper River Bridges to check out the CTs at my Caddy/Olds dealer. The CTS wasn't there so i turned around and headed back over the other bridge into town. I am coming up to the top of the first span when all these brakelights start coming on. I get to the very top of the span aand come to a complete stop. Up ahead is Reliant K that is just finishing a spin. This is on a one way bridge and it is headlights to headlights with a minivan. Major damage, but nobody is hurt. We get past in the left lane and i proceed at 30 mph to the top of the second span, when the traction contol kicks in big time. There is ice here too. I immediately downshift into third then second and coast down to the bottom of the bridge. Whew. I shouldn't have been out there looking for that CTS.
Just finished one year and 20k miles in a silver 2001 LS, built 08/00. I should be having all the problems, (built before 10/00), but luckily none yet. I did get my amp switched, very pleased, and dealer was very accomondating.
Negatives, had radio yanked 3 times for power problems, and it still loses one minute a day on the clock, but I've come to accept resetting clock via RDS every morn.
Positives - a ton! I'm 6'3", 290 lbs, and the car fits me fine. Great power, handling, braking, "driveability", looks decent, and I keep the cheesy plastic/wood dash insert Armor-Alled before it fades. Now, when does the SS arrive?
I agree. My dealer went out of its way to address my issues with the 2000 Impala and they were key in mediating with GM to get me a new replacement.
My dealer's service has been great in 2 years that I have been taking my cars to them. It really pays to have a good business relationship with the Service Manager as well.
Gary's situation is unfortunate but it is not limited to GM. Almost every other automaker on this earth will put up a fight to have a car repurchased or replaced. I have never seen or heard of an automaker that will replace or reimburse you for a bad car just for the asking.
BBB arbitration to me is a waste of time. Unfortunately in most states it is required before you can take the case to the next level higher up which is state lemon law arbitration. BBB is primarily designed to drain down the consumer and allow the manufacturer to buy extra needed time so by the time the consumer decides to take legal action or appeal to the BBB arbitrators, the time/mileage statue of limitations has already long passed.
Some manufacturers such as Mercedes Benz do not participate in BBB arbitration. The stories I have read about the way MB treats unhappy customers aren't pretty either. Consider that MB owners pay 3 or 5 times the price of our Impalas.
garypen: Before you do anything with the car you need to wait for the BBB's final decision on your case. However, I would not hold my breath to it. If BBB fails against you (Hope not) then you need to take it to the next level and get yourself a good Lemon law attorney.
Don't feel bad if you want to get rid of the car as-is. You did not build it, period. Let another individual deal with it. Unload it, cut your losses, move on and enjoy life.
I think your dealer is the main culprit behind your problems, no doubt about that.
Nor GM, Ford, Toyota, Honda, Acura, etc have direct control over the ethics and business practices of their franchised dealerships. Dealers are managed and operated by independent owners in most cases. Yes they do represent the manufacturer, but manufacturers are not obligated under the law to supervise every aspect of their operation. Manufacturers simply refuse to devote manpower and resources to monito dealers from sales to service. A bad dealer is a bad dealer, simple as that.
Just finished one year and 20k miles in a silver 2001 LS, built 08/00. I should be having all the problems, (built before 10/00), but luckily none yet. I did get my amp switched, very pleased, and dealer was very accomondating.
Negatives, had radio yanked 3 times for power problems, and it still loses one minute a day on the clock, but I've come to accept resetting clock via RDS every morn.
Positives - a ton! I'm 6'3", 290 lbs, and the car fits me fine. Great power, handling, braking, "driveability", looks decent, and I keep the cheesy plastic/wood dash insert Armor-Alled before it fades. Now, when does the SS arrive?
In California, the BBB is the Lemon Law arbitrator. The business is bound by their decision. The consumer is not, and can take it to a higher level if they disagree with it. We'll see. But, if I have to sell/transfer it myself, I will do my best to have the major (to me) items repaired before doing so. I'm that kind of guy. What can I say? I'll drive to San Francisco or Monterey, to have it repaired properly, if necessary, in order to relieve myself of it in good conscience.
Here is another tought. Let's suppose you drive all the way to SF, find a decent Chevy dealer and they take care if not all, most of the major problems such as the idle, seat track and brakes.
Let's suppose that for the first time after these repairs have been completed the car truly feels different and none of them re-occur in a long time or ever.
Would that change your view on the car? I know you like the car, but are annoyed at the problems, lack of dealer response and today's apparent indiference by the GM representative (Which is another paid clown in the scene).
Since you lease your Impala, do you have any advantage to facilitate unloading it if you have to?
When I got rid of my Tempo, the problems including the engine stalling were deemed unfixable by my Ford dealer. I simply got fed up and unload it. I feel sorry for the unsuspecting person that bought it, but the truth is that I didn't build the car and it didn't do quality control on it.
A bad product has to be unloaded. Let others figure out what to do with it.
Couldn't the dealer use that same logic? "Hey, we didn't build the car!" ;-) I can be plenty selfish, but I try not to be when it negatively affects others. I'm not sure how upside down is applied to a lease. It would cost beacoup bucks to simply buy it out. I can transfer it to someone willing to assume the lease for a $545 fee. I can buy it for a reasonable amount, and resell it. But, I'd also spend thousands on sales tax, unless the interested party was able to buy it directly. I'd have to ask GMAC about that. Even if they repair those 3 or 4 majors, the taste left in my mouth is too unpleasant to continue drinking from the same glass.
Try to find out the actual pay off of your lease today if a dealer were going to buy the car from you on a trade in transaction. In FL, dealers don't pay sales tax on traded cars, so the pay off figure doesn't reflect any added sales tax. If the consumer was to buy the car out of the lease, then he has to pay sales tax on it. Not sure if this is the case in Cali.
Again, call your lease company and get the most current payoff figure. Also figure out the actual retail/trade/wholesale value of your car. In case the BBB thing doesn't work out, then at least you could jump to plan "B" and see if you can either sell or trade the car. I am assuming you made a 36 month lease contract.
The irony of it all is that the car is not really legally yours..it belongs to the bank and it is registered in the bank's name. However, you are bound by the contract to make the lease payments on it.
This is one reason I stopped leasing cars. leasing doesn't give you any protection or advantages if the car turns out to be a lemon. Same as a cash/financed car, you are pretty much stuck with it on a lease scenario as well. Sometimes unloading a leased car is more diffucult than doing so with a bought car.
It is an unfortunate situation and it will too leave a bitter taste in my mouth. Hope the whole thing goes in your favor very, very soon.
Happy new year to all. i am trying to get additional window decals that are on the rear side window of all chevy's. (The Roadside Assistance decal) i have called GM customer Service, Hutton Chevy, my local dealer and no one has an answer for me. There must be someone out there that can help me. i can't beleive that the factory has no part number on this decal. i would like to get at least two so i can keep my car orginal, like my 1962 chevy impala. hope someone out there has a suggestion. thanks walter
What happened to the one(s) you had? Mine were removed when I had my windows tinted, I snagged the one off of my wifes '99 Z24 before we traded it,and put it back on along with another one that was put on when they did the interior/exterior sealant, I think it looks neater with the 1-800 number there more than not in case I need it Fast....? Don
Sony makes an XM Radio adapter with a cassette infterface or the RF Modulator interface. Crutchfield has them and xmradio.com has a lot of info. I don't have it I just happened to be looking at those sites today.
I would like to thank who responded to my post about the shaking when going over 75. I will surely go for the check up. My problem is so annoying that I was recently considering selling my 2000 Impala, based on the dealer's suggested source of the problem.
Well, going to another Impala subject I read a couple of months ago about GM considering putting the V8 with 300 HP into Impala, making it SS. Did you hear anything about that? Is it just a rumour?
Impala production for 2001 was 217,190. Pretty darn good considering the rate that the other w bodies are selling at. I imagine you could take the sales of the intrigue, regal and GP and they probably wouldn't equal the impala's sales. The century is selling pretty good as is the gP, but sales are off.
I'm getting these puppies installed on Tuesday. I'll let everyone know the outcome. Although the OEM Goodyear Eagle GA's still have good tread, at 36k they're losing their grip pretty badly.
I think the Impala SS will return in 2003, and with a V-8, if Bob Lutz has anything to say about it. Plus Cadillac is developing a new high performance car, and the other GM divisons are developing high performance concept cars as well. They really owe it to long time loyalists, especially with them killing off the SS in '96, and the Camaro for next year. Just my 2 cents.
If the Impala SS V8 returns in 2003, it won't be because of Bob Lutz. He hasn't been there long enough to cause that. Lead times in the car industry have been greatly reduced, but three years (not less than one) is about as good as it gets...
Personally I would like to see the Impala SS return but I believe it won't be with this current platform. I think most of us on the Impala board know that a different Impala is on the way in about 2 years. I can't see them offering a v8 and 17 or 18" wheels plus a upscale cosmetic package this late in the run. I can see them offering a higher output v6 such as the 4200 for Police Work, and optional in the current Impala. The 2001 Michigan State Police Testing shows the 2002 Police Impala finishing well behind the Crown Vic and Dodge Intrepid in all the perfomance testing that was done last fall. The "NEW" 2002 Monte Carlo "Dale Earnhardt" package is strictly cosmetic and adds thousands to the price tag. Only 3333 will be made for 2002, and performance is still the 3800 with 200 hp. I can't see them putting a bg v8 in the Impala now when the v6 street Monte Carlo is their NASCAR champ. Maybe the next generation Impala. BUT WHO KNOWS......
My wife was driving the LS, thankfully is was not me, and a rock hit just above the passengers side wiper. It was about 1" at first now it is about 6". Has anyone changed a windshield yet? I hear you should have an A-1 job done or you could have problems with the passenger side air bag (it hits the windshield when opening). Being in the northeast (Albany, NY)and we don't drive it in the winter except that we have only had 5" all winter, not 7 foot like Buffalo. I will keep driving it until it snows or there is salt out there. It has 5,800 miles from 2/2000.
Call Safelite, they have 24 hour service and they are fantastic. But before you do that, you need to call your policy auto insurance company and tell them that your windshield is damaged. If you have $0 deductible windshield repair/replacement coverage, they will let you know. If you don't, then you will have to pay whatever deductible amount you have in your current policy $250, $500, etc to have either repair or replacement.
Your insurance company will ask you if the crack is in the driver's sight line. If it is, they will have you replace the windshield, because in most states it is illegal to have the windshield repaired on the driver's sight view area.
If the crack is no longer than 6" (About the size of $1 bill) and it is outside of the driver's sight line view area,then it is possible that it can be repaired instead of replaced, thus saving the original factory seal without braking it. The repair procedure consists of re-filling the damage area with special resins components under a plastic bubble shield toprevent further contamination of the crack. Once the repair is completed (About 30 minutes done at home or work)the crack will be almost invisible, but not completely gone. The repaired area will have the appearence of a *scar*. Windshield repair is preferred by Insurance companies because it is cheaper and saves the original glass factory seal, but it can't always be done. You need to call Safelite and the field person will evaluate the damage before deciding to either attempt repair or replace.
If you need to get the windshield replaced, insist on the original OEM glass. The Impala's windshield is manufactured by PPG and it is the only glass you should be replacing with. Windshield replacement is a serious matter because the windshield is a key component of the structural integrity of the car and it also acts as a safety restraint for proper Airbag operation. If the windshield is replaced with a cheap alternate aftermarket glass, done by a non-reputable shop or done incorrectly could put your life in danger!!! So be warned.
Often insrance companies insist to have windshields replaced at their own sponsored shops...SAY NO TO THIS!!!!
Insist in having the windshield replaced with Safelite or any other reputable auto glass company. The insurance company has to cover the cost and labor ofyour new windshield with the company of your choice NOT THEIRS!!!!
If the windshield is replaced, you must follow the adhesive cure instructions to the last letter, otherwise you run the risk of the windshield becoming loose or not properly seated. Depending on the adhesive used, the cure times vary from 6 hours to 24 or even 48 hours. Insist on rapid cure adhesive so you can safely drive the car the next day. Also you need to be careful when you shut the doors of the car while the adhesive is curing, because closing the doors hard create an air vacuum inside the cabin pushing the windshield out and not allowing the adhesive toseat and cure properly.
Last, safelite always carry on hand a good assortment of OEM auto glass so you don't have to wait for days to get the new glass. Smaller auto glass shops often need to order the OEM glass from the car manufacturer increasing the risk of further damage with the old windshield.
Hope that they can repair your windshield, but if they have to replace it, this will not affect the look or resale value of the car, so get it done TODAY!!!.
If Chevy does offer the Impala SS, I want the luxury amenities to be equilavent to the 300M. I really like the Chrysler 300M interior more than the Lincoln LS. Very nice!
1. Power Seat Memory 2. Remove what ever keeps the car from going faster than 105 MPH. I10 in the Navada desert, not a car on the road, you can see 10 miles ahead, and the LS tops out at 105. (Is this a common feature now a days?) 3. Color matching side moldings. 4. My wife wants adjustable pedals like the Taurus has.
I have a 2000 LS with 79,000 miles. I am on my third windshield. I have had NO problems with either replacement. Justice Auto Glass in Huntington, WV installed new PPG glass each time. I was able to drive the car within a couple of hours of the install.
Comments
I am happy as a clam.
Perhaps I am not picky enough?
Thanks
Ken
Any case, better to check in manual.
According to California law, a product must conform to the warranty. The dealer, as agent of the manufacturer, has four opportunities to affect repair, and return the car to conformity. If they do not, the manufacturer is required to reclaim the vehicle, and refund the purchase price or lease payments.
I do not wish to drive 100 miles, or should I have to. My selling dealer is the closest to my home, and should be able to repair the car. I don't share the same emotional attachment to my Impala that you do to yours, and would rather give it up than be inconvienced. It's only a car.
As for your explanaitions of my problems:
Seat - Is not easily repaired. Hunter had his repaired, and the problem returned. It is an obvious design flaw of the mechanism. Why else would they change it midstream? I find this to be a major problem for me. As proof, I have located an NHTSA report of an individual that lost control of his Impala due to a loose driver's seat.
Radio - My radio reception was fine when I first got the car. There is no need for an additional mast antenna. A few others here have had this problem, and had it remedied by having the rear glass replaced. My rear defroster doesn't work very well either.
Rotors - No where have I seen in the user's manual mentioning using a torque wrench to change a tire. If this is required, they should include one with the jack. While it may be good practice, not using one shouldn't cause the rotors to warp after only 5000 miles, the last time the wheels were off.
Rough idle - According to the manual, 87 octane is fine. As such, I should not need to use a higher octane. I've also had a recent PCM update.
It's great that you're happy with your Impala, and that you haven't had any problems. However, some people have had problems, and are unhappy. Some have also had problems, but remain happy. It's all good. :-)
You are used to 90+ temperatures all summer long. Here in CA, the really, really hot days only happen occassionally. When they do, our bodies are not as accustomed as yours.
Additionally, much of the Florida heat is due to humidity. I know. My family lives there. The Impala AC might work very well at removing the humidity quickly. The immediate perception will be one of comfort.
I know that R134 systems do not work as well as R12 systems. I've owned plenty of cars with both. It's odd how the AC on our CL, which is also a Honda, works amazingly well. It's obviously a different system than your Accord had.
I have no need to defend this model or the automaker. Tomorrow or the next day I might decide to move on to something else...same I did when I left the Honda/Acura fold for 12 years to go over GM. My days of blind car loyalties are long past before me. Today, same as you and everyone else, wish for the best product, at the best possible price and best quality. If my replacement car had turned out to be worst or equally annoying as the first one, by now that car would have been long gone, trust me.
I am sorry that you got a bad car. It did happen to me so I understand where are you coming from. Probably mine is (and I hope it will be for as long as I keep it) a much better car reliability wise. So far it has demonstrated that this copy is tighter than the first one.
Life is to short to put up with defective goods. If you are unhappy with your car you can attempt to get it fixed, sell it, trade it or have it re-purchased or replaced and move on.
With the first Impala I learned that it is psychologically draining and a total and complete waste of time to try to fix or live with a car that you don't feel 100% right about.
One thing that I don't understand is that you need to gather a pool of responses to convince your dealer that your problems are real??? What kind of service is that? See that's where my beef is and believe me is not your fault as I can see they are given you a hard time.
I am on your side of the issue, keep that in mind.
If you truly like the car in despite of the problems, maybe the less painful route would be to persuade GM to replace your car with a new 2002 Impala. If you have lost confidence in the product, then you have many methods at your disposition to get rid of it and then move on.
I just want to be happy with whatevr car I choose. I shouldn't have to sit there and curse every time I drive it, which is at least twice a day. It should be a joy for me to drive, as it is for you and many others here.
Unfortunately, I have indeed lost confidence in the product, and possibly all GM products. I will have to think long and hard about possibly replacing the Impala with a Regal GS or Grand Prix GTP. Maybe a used one, so it won't be so difficult or expensive if I'm unhappy with it.
Even if your body is used to the hunidity and heat year round, you'll know immediately when the A/C of your car is not cooling down properly. I wasn't born in Florida (I was born in the South American Andes mountains) I can tell you that after 20 years of sea level/heat living I am not yet totally used to high temperatures and hunidity index of South Florida. Heat truly bothers me and wherever I am I have to have the A/C in blizzard mode. Ditto when I go to sleep (My wife can't stand low the temp setting of our home A/C at night).
My car's A/C efficiently removes humidity and heat from the car in about 5 to 8 minutes tops. My sister's '99 Accord LX A/C takes an eternity to cool down, if it ever does. She acknolwedges that the A/C in her new Impala is much better to the one in her Accord. At least those are comparison points.
I don't know what else to tell you. I still think your car needs to be checked for freon leaks. R134a slow leaks are often a pain in the butt, since they are invisible and sometimes the leak detectors don't always see them.
I have done that 1 time before with a Ford product traded onto a new Honda product and trust me even after losing $4K on the deal, it really did feel good. That Honda served me faithfully for 5 years, so in the end I felt that I recovered the $4K that I lost on that transaction when I got rid of the buggy Tempo.
Remember, it is up to you.
The monthly fee for XM satellite radio is about $9 to $10 per month.
I think the radio reception in the Impala tends to worsen on mountainous areas. I have never liked those engraved in the back glass or windshield radio antennas. Nothing beats the good old metal mast.
My 97 Acura TL also had the infamous radio antenna embedded to the back glass, Reception was OK but sound typically was on the muffled side.
My Tempo also had pushbutton HVAC controls, a 4 speaker AM/FM stereo radio only, power door locks and trunk release but not power windows. Rear view mirrors were also electric. The 2.3L OHV 4 banger was noisy and gas thirsty (And slow). The 3-speed automatic didn't help much either.
To make a long story short, the car was a freakin' lemon since day one. Everyhting that could fail did and the car always stalled at traffic lights. Ford could never find the cause of the engine stalls that towards the end got mighty dangerous. The A/C crapped out, engine hoses went south, ugh horrible. Just thinking of that car make the Impala problems look like wimps.
This car had also the famous Ford flamming ignition switches...thank God we never had a problem with the switch, but Ford kew about the defect and kept churning 20 Million some cars with the defective part.
I got rid of it after 2 years and 18K miles in 1990. I lost $4K when I traded it for a new Accord DX, but boy was I relieved!
When you have a bad product, your best bet is to get rid of it. It will only cost you more money down the road.
What annoys me is GM's failure to correct the dealer's poor service. They actually stand behind it! You should have heard the GM rep at my arbitration today! He says that all of these problems do not affect the car's value. They just don't meet my expectations! I guess he has a point. My expectations are that the seat doesn't wobble, the engine idles smoothly, the doors lock automatically, the radio recieves nearby stations without interference, etc.
I hope things go my way. If they don't, I will have to go to a different dealer to have everything repaired. I still won't keep it. But, I can't in good consience sell it or transfer the lease until evrything is working OK.
Or, "I almost got in accident with another car last night ,and it was an intrigue! My worst nightmare.
The weather was bad yesterday in Charleston and at about 3 pm I decided to drive over the Cooper River Bridges to check out the CTs at my Caddy/Olds dealer.
The CTS wasn't there so i turned around and headed back over the other bridge into town.
I am coming up to the top of the first span when all these brakelights start coming on.
I get to the very top of the span aand come to a complete stop.
Up ahead is Reliant K that is just finishing a spin. This is on a one way bridge and it is headlights to headlights with a minivan.
Major damage, but nobody is hurt.
We get past in the left lane and i proceed at 30 mph to the top of the second span, when the traction contol kicks in big time. There is ice here too.
I immediately downshift into third then second and coast down to the bottom of the bridge. Whew.
I shouldn't have been out there looking for that CTS.
Negatives, had radio yanked 3 times for power problems, and it still loses one minute a day on the clock, but I've come to accept resetting clock via RDS every morn.
Positives - a ton! I'm 6'3", 290 lbs, and the car fits me fine. Great power, handling, braking, "driveability", looks decent, and I keep the cheesy plastic/wood dash insert Armor-Alled before it fades. Now, when does the SS arrive?
My dealer's service has been great in 2 years that I have been taking my cars to them. It really pays to have a good business relationship with the Service Manager as well.
Gary's situation is unfortunate but it is not limited to GM. Almost every other automaker on this earth will put up a fight to have a car repurchased or replaced. I have never seen or heard of an automaker that will replace or reimburse you for a bad car just for the asking.
BBB arbitration to me is a waste of time. Unfortunately in most states it is required before you can take the case to the next level higher up which is state lemon law arbitration. BBB is primarily designed to drain down the consumer and allow the manufacturer to buy extra needed time so by the time the consumer decides to take legal action or appeal to the BBB arbitrators, the time/mileage statue of limitations has already long passed.
Some manufacturers such as Mercedes Benz do not participate in BBB arbitration. The stories I have read about the way MB treats unhappy customers aren't pretty either. Consider that MB owners pay 3 or 5 times the price of our Impalas.
garypen: Before you do anything with the car you need to wait for the BBB's final decision on your case. However, I would not hold my breath to it. If BBB fails against you (Hope not) then you need to take it to the next level and get yourself a good Lemon law attorney.
Don't feel bad if you want to get rid of the car as-is. You did not build it, period. Let another individual deal with it. Unload it, cut your losses, move on and enjoy life.
I think your dealer is the main culprit behind your problems, no doubt about that.
Nor GM, Ford, Toyota, Honda, Acura, etc have direct control over the ethics and business practices of their franchised dealerships. Dealers are managed and operated by independent owners in most cases. Yes they do represent the manufacturer, but manufacturers are not obligated under the law to supervise every aspect of their operation. Manufacturers simply refuse to devote manpower and resources to monito dealers from sales to service. A bad dealer is a bad dealer, simple as that.
Negatives, had radio yanked 3 times for power problems, and it still loses one minute a day on the clock, but I've come to accept resetting clock via RDS every morn.
Positives - a ton! I'm 6'3", 290 lbs, and the car fits me fine. Great power, handling, braking, "driveability", looks decent, and I keep the cheesy plastic/wood dash insert Armor-Alled before it fades. Now, when does the SS arrive?
We'll see. But, if I have to sell/transfer it myself, I will do my best to have the major (to me) items repaired before doing so. I'm that kind of guy. What can I say? I'll drive to San Francisco or Monterey, to have it repaired properly, if necessary, in order to relieve myself of it in good conscience.
Let's suppose that for the first time after these repairs have been completed the car truly feels different and none of them re-occur in a long time or ever.
Would that change your view on the car? I know you like the car, but are annoyed at the problems, lack of dealer response and today's apparent indiference by the GM representative (Which is another paid clown in the scene).
Since you lease your Impala, do you have any advantage to facilitate unloading it if you have to?
Are you upside down in the car?
Can you brake even if you trade it?
A bad product has to be unloaded. Let others figure out what to do with it.
I can be plenty selfish, but I try not to be when it negatively affects others.
I'm not sure how upside down is applied to a lease. It would cost beacoup bucks to simply buy it out. I can transfer it to someone willing to assume the lease for a $545 fee. I can buy it for a reasonable amount, and resell it. But, I'd also spend thousands on sales tax, unless the interested party was able to buy it directly. I'd have to ask GMAC about that.
Even if they repair those 3 or 4 majors, the taste left in my mouth is too unpleasant to continue drinking from the same glass.
Again, call your lease company and get the most current payoff figure. Also figure out the actual retail/trade/wholesale value of your car. In case the BBB thing doesn't work out, then at least you could jump to plan "B" and see if you can either sell or trade the car. I am assuming you made a 36 month lease contract.
The irony of it all is that the car is not really legally yours..it belongs to the bank and it is registered in the bank's name. However, you are bound by the contract to make the lease payments on it.
This is one reason I stopped leasing cars. leasing doesn't give you any protection or advantages if the car turns out to be a lemon. Same as a cash/financed car, you are pretty much stuck with it on a lease scenario as well. Sometimes unloading a leased car is more diffucult than doing so with a bought car.
It is an unfortunate situation and it will too leave a bitter taste in my mouth. Hope the whole thing goes in your favor very, very soon.
Well, going to another Impala subject I read a couple of months ago about GM considering putting the V8 with 300 HP into Impala, making it SS. Did you hear anything about that? Is it just a rumour?
Pretty darn good considering the rate that the other w bodies are selling at.
I imagine you could take the sales of the intrigue, regal and GP and they probably wouldn't equal the impala's sales.
The century is selling pretty good as is the gP, but sales are off.
Maybe the next generation Impala. BUT WHO KNOWS......
Your insurance company will ask you if the crack is in the driver's sight line. If it is, they will have you replace the windshield, because in most states it is illegal to have the windshield repaired on the driver's sight view area.
If the crack is no longer than 6" (About the size of $1 bill) and it is outside of the driver's sight line view area,then it is possible that it can be repaired instead of replaced, thus saving the original factory seal without braking it. The repair procedure consists of re-filling the damage area with special resins components under a plastic bubble shield toprevent further contamination of the crack. Once the repair is completed (About 30 minutes done at home or work)the crack will be almost invisible, but not completely gone. The repaired area will have the appearence of a *scar*. Windshield repair is preferred by Insurance companies because it is cheaper and saves the original glass factory seal, but it can't always be done. You need to call Safelite and the field person will evaluate the damage before deciding to either attempt repair or replace.
If you need to get the windshield replaced, insist on the original OEM glass. The Impala's windshield is manufactured by PPG and it is the only glass you should be replacing with. Windshield replacement is a serious matter because the windshield is a key component of the structural integrity of the car and it also acts as a safety restraint for proper Airbag operation. If the windshield is replaced with a cheap alternate aftermarket glass, done by a non-reputable shop or done incorrectly could put your life in danger!!! So be warned.
Often insrance companies insist to have windshields replaced at their own sponsored shops...SAY NO TO THIS!!!!
Insist in having the windshield replaced with Safelite or any other reputable auto glass company. The insurance company has to cover the cost and labor ofyour new windshield with the company of your choice NOT THEIRS!!!!
If the windshield is replaced, you must follow the adhesive cure instructions to the last letter, otherwise you run the risk of the windshield becoming loose or not properly seated. Depending on the adhesive used, the cure times vary from 6 hours to 24 or even 48 hours. Insist on rapid cure adhesive so you can safely drive the car the next day. Also you need to be careful when you shut the doors of the car while the adhesive is curing, because closing the doors hard create an air vacuum inside the cabin pushing the windshield out and not allowing the adhesive toseat and cure properly.
Last, safelite always carry on hand a good assortment of OEM auto glass so you don't have to wait for days to get the new glass. Smaller auto glass shops often need to order the OEM glass from the car manufacturer increasing the risk of further damage with the old windshield.
Hope that they can repair your windshield, but if they have to replace it, this will not affect the look or resale value of the car, so get it done TODAY!!!.
www.safelite.com
Hope this helps.
2. Remove what ever keeps the car from going faster than 105 MPH. I10 in the Navada desert, not a car on the road, you can see 10 miles ahead, and the LS tops out at 105. (Is this a common feature now a days?)
3. Color matching side moldings.
4. My wife wants adjustable pedals like the Taurus has.