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Comments
My Camaro has a fairly easy clutch....until i do the stop and go thing for about 10 minutes. My leg starts shaking and my knee starts hurting.
Not fun.
I guess the clutch isn't as easy as I think it is. I was reminded of that when I sat in a friend's Acura Vigor and practically put the clutch pedal through the firewall when I stepped on it. Now that was some low clutch effort.
Manuals are almost superfluous on a car with a lot of torque. But helpful on the Japanese small displacement engines.
http://www.kiplinger.com/php/cars/carcost/mini1.html
First, select the manufacturer and then the model/trim level for the car you are looking for, in this case the Impala/Impala LS.
The residual values are provided by ALG (Automotive Leasing Guide) and you can access residuals for several new 2001 and 2002 model year vehicles at:
www.alg.com
If you experience any problems trying to view the data, just go back to www.kiplinger.com and then select "Car finder 2002" under the "Tools" column located on the left portion of the page and then follow the screen instructions.
I know there aren't many that agree with me on that.
However, if you're getting leg/knee problems with the clutch, I'd say get on that exercise bike. Unless you really do have bad knees (hereditary) in which case I apologize. Manual tranny's aren't right for everyone.
brettca: Nathan has a complete pictorial on his website re: replacing the passenger compartment air filter. Check it out. impala@hawaii.rr.com
http://www.kiplinger.com/php/cars/carcost/mini3.php3
Look at the service costs for the Impala (base, though it doesn't say so)--$2990. Then go look at Impala LS. $819. What gives? By the way, note that the Impala LS appears FAR below the Impala on the list of cars on the drop down.
I think it is an error, but I have to wonder. If that is wrong, what else is wrong? If it isn't wrong, is the 3.4 engine THAT much worse than the 3.8?
The LS appears to be reselling fairly strong in the used car market versus the *fleet* base sedan, which you can find tons and tons of ads. Even base sedans are selling between $14K to $17K.
Cars are no investments, I have to agree with that. But domestics unfortunately come up short in the resale value dept in comparison to its Import competitors.
At 2 years: 40%
At 4 years: 29%
No wonder no bank wants to issue a lease on a new one!
There are many variables including some you might not think about -
like color and geographic region.
I just took the time to check out two other resources on the web.
In doing so, my 2000 LS (stickered at $25,000) loaded with everything
but a sunroof, 24,000 miles in "excellent" condition priced out at anywhere
from 73% to 55% of original sticker price. (Naturally, trade-in value is less.)
In general, kbb.com was higher.
edmunds was lower.
Retail on a dealers lot:
18,325 or 15,067
Private party sale:
15,990 or 13,370
At kelley you can actually link to dealers who have cars for sale in your area.
I saw an LS for $19,888 with 23,856 miles
and another for $17,700 with 43,743 miles !!! Go figure.
My point:
Prices on a used Impala LS are all over the place.
A car - like most things - is worth exactly what someone is willing to pay for it.
Marketwise, used Impalas (Specially LS models) are pretty scarce in South Florida and the few ones found in dealer lots and listings currently command 75% to 85% resale values some with very high miles.
Colorwise, lighter cars tend to sell better than dark colored ones. White, Sandrift, Driftwood, Medium Regal Blue are preferred over Black, Navy Blue, Torch Red, Jade Green and Red Carmine. Dark colors in tropical climates are a big no-no.
Interestingly, cars equipped with leather seats and front heated seats are for some wacky reason very sought after. People have a love affair with leather but leather is not the best choice for a hot and sticky place such as Miami.
Cloth Impala LS are easier to found in the north than here.
With that said, Impala's sales have been pretty steady and on the rise ever since the car was introduced 3 years ago (Quickly disproving the skeptics that claimed strong first year sales and then a decline by the second year, like it happened with the Lumina back in 1990). The car is making a niche for itself in the midst of fierce competitors such as the Nissan Altima. Impala's best weapons are value for the dollar, size/room, performance and safety.
I hope that resale values keep stable for the next 2 years as I am thinking of selling the car near the end of the limited warranty. According to ALG, the car will be worth by then some 42% off MSRP so if I can get $10K to $11K for it at the beginning of 2004, I should be more than happy. But the more I can get for it the merrier.
Resale values and residuals are based on different calculations that take into account sales, reputation of the brand/vehicle, popularity, reliability, geography, market audience, colors, etc. Unfortunately as good as our cars are, many people still perceive GM vehicles in the whole to be second or third tier products and the used car prices reflect such perceptions in the market place. Fleet sales are also partly responsible for the rapid depreciation of domestic vehicles.
That might not be as far off as you originally hoped. ;-)
I sound like a man who has been spurned over and over by the love of his life and continues to take her back! It would be funnier if there wasn't a kernal of truth...
After sitting in my sister's new (yeah she bought another car) 2002 VW Golf GL 5-door hatchback, the interior fit/finish and materials of that $16K "Econobox" (Very nice econobox by the way) blows the $25K Impala LS right out of the water.
Her VW Golf has 6 airbags, standard ABS, superb paint, pristine interior, etc. The car looks and feels like an Audi, yet it is even below a base Impala. Yeah the Impala is much more comfortable, roomy and powerful but the small details in terms of the right interior materials and textures are not there.
She now has a new 2001 Impala Base and a 2002 VW Golf in her driveway.
Bob Lutz has stated that upcoming new GM products will feauture interiors in the realm of VW/Audi quality. I really hope he makes good on this promise. Imagine a nice new 2006 Impala SS RWD V8 with an interior as good as an Audi A6...
Ken
Ken
http://www.cheersandgears.com/chevrolet_cars.htm
What do you guys think, I personally dont like it.
Chris
Wonder how different the concept vehicle will be from the production model. Looks like oversized "Tear Drop" lights are the coming style along with angular shapes
I like the present flowing lines of the current Impala. The "Chevron" rear light assembly has grown on me! My wife says you can tell the new Impalas by their "Big Eyes" on the rear.
Anybody try to make the inboard lights do more than backup lights?
Now the retro 69 style Camaro just above it on the other hand - that's NICE!
I predict the 2005 Impala will have more of a retro-look possibly to the highly successful 1960's models.
Most of what you see in that site is just hear-say and altered pictures.
The reality is, people no longer want the boring sedans, they want the European looks and feel in cars and if GM follows those designs it will be a big hit. Just think about it..no more vanilla Impala and Monte Carlo designs, yuck!
Now do you understand my posts about the very same topic, after we got the CL? There is no comparison. The Chevy leather is subpar compared to any other make/model leather I have ever seen.
The plastic panels are flimsy, and have that hard, brittle consistancy, unlike the firm, dense, and softer plastics found in other cars, even other domestics.
The knobs, buttons, and switches, especially the temp selector, feel like they'll come off in your hand.
The cupholder liner keeps coming out, getting stuck to the bottom of the drink container. I don't know how many times I've brought a drink up to my mouth, to find this huge plastic appendage hanging off the bottom of it. It's embarrassing, as well, like TP on your shoe.
Don't get me started on seat build quality. :-)
I think that Impala pic still looks like a FWD, and that Camaro front end looks like a 1976 Pontiac Firebird or Trans Am. Don
But yeah, the Dash Fascia, the dash bottom and the center console could be much better plastic. Ditto for the Leather and Cloth seat coverings.
Otherwise the design of the dash is simple, controls are well placed and everyhthing can be operated with very little distraction.
The Glove Box is another item in need of major improvements.
Just improve the interior materials, please!
On the other hand, you get this $16K compact VW Golf with an interior that can even put your CL to shame...
The message is written in the wall, GM.
Impala/Montecarlo are scheduled to be moved off the W-body platform to the new RWD Mid-lux large car platform.
At night, popping the trunk with the remote turns on the reverse lights. Pretty blinding if you are not expecting it.
$2000 is not really alot, considering the mechanical improvements alone would usually cost that much. The build quality is an added bonus.
2002 Acura CL 5 Speed Auto/No Navigation:
MSRP: $28,510
Invoice: $26,319
Target Price: $27,611
2002 Chevy Impala LS (Loaded)
MSRP: $26,666
Invoice: $24,394
Target Price: $24,893
Deduct current $2002 rebate plus 5.9% financing:
OTD price $22,891
Difference = $4,720
Besides, no one pays MSRP for an Impala. Acura TL and CL's were selling for MSRP and above for a long time but as these cars have begun to age, it seems that Acura dealerships are beginning to deal on them more than in the past. Still the CL after haggling, discounts, etc comes up to be a more expensive car. To me a $4K to $6K price difference is quite substantial.
$6,611 difference between the CL and my LS. Big difference.
My car has everything except for Comfort Seating.
As for pricing, I was comparing 2001 models, as mine are 2001's, purchased in April 2001. I am not including financing or rebates, as there was none available at that time, and I like to compare apples to apples.
2001 Impala LS with all options:
MSRP $26,419
Invoice $24,163
TMV N/A (My price was $24K w/o Comfort Seating)
No rebate available at that time.
2001 Acura CL Premium
MSRP $28,460 ($2041 more than an LS)
Invoice $25,988 (Less than $2000 difference from the LS)
TMV N/A (We paid $25,995. Also, less than $2000 difference. Dealer also threw in Splash Guards, Wheel Locks, and Custom Floor Mats at N/C)
Obviously, these are two different types of vehicles, and a sport coupe may not suit someone in the market for a family sedan. But, my point that for less than $2000 difference, there is a huge difference in interior materials, besides the various mechanical and luxury improvements.
Your point that a $16K econobox has better interior materials than our $20-$24K Impalas is even better than mine!
MSRP to MSRP yea the difference is about $2K, but you don't pay sticker on either car. OTD pricing is the true measurament.
But I am in agreement that it is bad enough that a VW Golf can put to shame the interiors of cars costing $10K to $15K more...
However, if you would have chosen a fully equipped LS, much closer in level to the CL, the difference would have been less than $2000 "OTD", without your GM Card and/or factory rebates.