2005 and Earlier Chevrolet Impala

night_owl1

A few people have had problems with their rotors. Many have not. Could be a bad batch, overtightening of the lugnuts, or just bad luck.

Like all reviews, you should take the Edmund's one with a grain of salt. The Impala is a kick in the pants to drive and it's comfortable to boot. Considering all the features (ABS, traction control, tire inflation monitor, customization features, dual zone climate control, fold down rear seats, huge trunk, drivers side airbag, and a great safety rating) I think its the best value out there. If I had to do it all again, I would still buy the Impala. Of course, in light of the website I run, I can hardly be considered an objective reviewer.

My wife was actually considering getting one for herself, but I think she's leaning toward a van now. I kinda like the Mazda MPV.

badgerfan

I do not want to provoke a Ford vs Chevy controversy here, but don't dismiss the Sable/Taurus twins outright. Both Ford and Chevy have much better products than in the past, and with good value. (I happen to own a 2000 Taurus SES-well equipped with the 200HP DOHC engine and paid $18,000+ tax title and license at the end of the 2000 model year-great car so far)

Glad to see you Impala fans know, like I do that Camry is overpriced, as I think so too. (I also happen to think the latest Camry version is kinda ugly, but, I suppose ugly is only skin deep)

You get much better value with good old domestics in this size car range. Lately, with rebates, you would be hard pressed to pay over $19-20K for a fully loaded Taurus/Sable as well.

Copychick, since you now have both a Impala and Sable in the family, I suggest you two trade off for a week or so and compare notes. Does her Sable have the 200 HP DOHC engine or the base engine? It would be nice to compare base to base engines or the larger engine version for both cars. Get your dad in both cars, and he might open his eyes as well.

nosirrahg

If I hadn't had a sizeable GM Card rebate at the time I bought my Impala, I would probably have seriously considered a Taurus (with the 200HP engine). Actually, one of my favorite vehicles is the Taurus wagon - as versatile as an SUV, handling/fuel economy of a car, and it can seat EIGHT!!

At the time I purchased my Impala, I narrowed my sights to only GM products due to the GM Card rebate. I wanted seating for six, and the 3.8 liter engine (based on it's proven history). Fortunately the Impala was introduced at that point; I'm pretty sure I'm happier with it than I would have been with a Buick LeSabre (which I could have gotten for the same money, but not with all the bells and whistles).

We're going on vacation in a few weeks, and we're thinking abour renting a Camry to give it a "real world" test drive. I suspect we'll find it serviceable, but not quite as comfortable as the Impala.

[Deleted User]

I believe Hertz only carries the four cylinder Camry. I had bought a used car from them a few years agao, and noticed that all of their Japanese models were the 4 cylinder version.
Other rental agencies may carry bigger Camry's.

tpken

Drivinisfun - how long have you had the Audi? any thoughts and comps to your Impala??

copychick

The Taurus/Sable is a really nice car. My neighbor is on her second used Taurus and is very pleased.

Had it not been for some nagging worries about Ford reliability and concerns about gas mileage, I might very well have gotten the wagon. But coming from a family that once owned the infamous recalled Ford Pinto, and having driven a 70s Grand Torino that stalled out only in the middle of left turns (into oncoming traffic), I just couldn't get over my prejudices. I also was a bit worried about service dept issues that have come up with friends who've bought new Fords who encountered problems.

badgerfan

I can understand your feelings. I went to Ford after driving GM products as the result of poor quality with an '83 Celebrity (a disguised X car, with all of the same problems). I couldn't bring myself to buying foreign at the time, but a lot of people did. It takes a long time, maybe forever, to get a sour taste out of your mouth when you have had a lemon. Maybe I was lucky but my previous Taurus was a '90 that I had for ten years and was the most reliable car I ever owned.

[Deleted User]

You guys do know that the Impala is made in a foreign country, right? Not there's anything wrong with that. You're just talking like it's made in America by Americans. It's not.

badgerfan

Where are Impalas made? Canada or Mexico?

Both my Tauri were made in Chicago and my 2000 Taurus had over 90% US parts content.

[Deleted User]

The Great White North.

badgerfan

Well, I've got nothing against Canadians. I once had a Dodge Caravan built in Windsor, Ontario. You know the place, its south of Detroit! I guess that is the most foreign car I've owned

[Deleted User]

Neither do I. It's a wonderful country full of great people.

bh0001

I drive the domestic version of the Impala LS. What a wonderful car ;-)
Brad

[Deleted User]

LOL!

badgerfan

Actually, I live in Milwaukee, which appears to be also north of Windsor. Chicago looks to be about tied with Windsor for Latitude. So, where exactly does the Great White North begin?

I guess we're kind of getting off the Impala subject!

copychick

Yeah, I know it's made in Canada. But it's North America, which is fine with me. And GM is still an American company--am I correct?

My reason for not wanting to buy a Japanese car has less to do with "buying American" and more to do with rebelling against my father LOL and not wanting to have the same darn car that every other suburbanite in my town has in the driveway--a Camry or Accord. It also has to do with the smugness I've encountered every time I've entered a Japanese make car showroom (even recently, when I dropped by a Nissan dealer).

The Camry is a great car, but I can't stand the way Toyota adds on all the options and then nickel and dimes you on them as extras. I think to get a Toyota with options comparable to my LS I would have had to spend thousands more.

Plus, I love the bigness of an American car. They just feel "cushier."

Well, it's time to go back to my co-worker's desk by the window so I can look at my "baby" for the umpteenth time today. Last time I checked, there was a huge Yukon parked a little too close to it. The jerk had better not scratch my 'pala!

[Deleted User]

>>>not wanting to have the same darn car that every other suburbanite in my town has in the driveway<<<

Where I live, that would be the BMW 3 series, the Silicon Valley CamCord.

According to the insane production numbers of the Impala that someone keeps posting, it won't be long before you see an Impala in every driveway.

F'rinstance, they made 4100 Impalas last week alone, according to bz4. At that rate, it's 213,000 per year. Besides the shear number of other Impalas on the road taking away from the uniqueness of mine, it makes me wonder how one factory can put out so many, without taking at least a small hit on quality somewhere.

copychick

Impalas are few and far between on the highways I travel. Those with bigger (but not huge) American sedans are driving Intrepids and Taurus/Sables. Otherwise it's a plethora of CamCords, Hyundais, and, for the most part, monster-sized SUVs.

Perhaps the preference for Impalas is geographically based?

tpken

Copychick - I bet I see at least 6 a day - and often many more than that without even looking for them in the Boston area. They're EVERYWHERE - but 9 out of 10 are base models. LSs are still relatively rare.

[Deleted User]

Somebody's buying them somewhere. They're cranking out over 200,000 a year. Obviously a hell of a lot of them are going to rental agencies, police depts, munipal agencies, and corporate fleets, some must be going in people's driveways.
No matter who owns 'em, they still end up on the road, either way.

drivinisfun

"At that rate, it's 213,000 per year. Besides the shear number of other Impalas on the road taking away from the uniqueness of mine, it makes me wonder how one factory can put out so many, without taking at least a small hit on quality somewhere."

So you are ready to concede, that popular sedans such as the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Ford Taurus already take a "Small Hit" on the quality, since either 3 of these models still outsell the Impala by several thousand units. Both Camry and Accord pull around 300K to 350K per year. The Taurus is in the low 300's....

Unless you work in the Oshawa factory or are a GM insider, your comment has a hint of "Smartaleck" wisdom to me.

Am I wrong? and why?

otto42

Yeah, 213K a year is not really a *lot* of cars. It's above average, certainly, but other models still sell much better. There's one hell of a lot of new cars out there.

[Deleted User]

Do they make all of those 300K+ Camry's or Accords at the same respective plants? I'm pretty sure they don't.

Even Ford probably has more than one plant for the Taurus/Sable. Of course, they're not really known for quality, are they? (Not unless it's preceded by the word "low")

What you call smartaleck wisdom, I call common sense.

drivinisfun

Also, could you enlighten us as to what is the basis of your conclusion that the great majority of produced Impalas end up in Corporate/Rental Fleets, Law Enforcement agencies and just a few end up in the driveways of actual retail customers??.

GM's fleet sales have taken a nosedive for most of this year, yet this car is selling briskly, so much so that a third shift has been added to the Canadian plant. Sales numbers do suggest this car strong sales are in the retail market segment and not as much dependent on the fleet/commercial markets. So how do you arrive at the conclusion that the Impala sells well because it is a fleet car favorite? C'mon!

Last if you bought the Impala to be "Unique" I am afraid you bought the wrong car for the wrong reasons. When GM launched the Impala in '99, the original sales forecast was to move out 200K units the first year. The car has been in the market for over 3 years and production numbers keep going on the rise. Also remember that the Impala is also sold in overseas markets outside of the US and Canada:

Mexico
Venezuela
Chile
Israel
Russia
Finland

If you want a "Unique" car, then you should wait for the '04 Pontiac GTO (20K units imported per year from Australia) or a 2002 Mini Cooper hatchback which also sells to the tune of 20K units per year out of 100K units for worldwide sale.

Since we already have an Impala (Which we enjoy very much and has been flawless) we want something more unique as a second car, we will be soon putting up an order for a new 2002 BMW Mini Cooper hatchback. That little car has incredible handling, braking, fit and finish not to mention charisma that is bigger than the car itself.

badgerfan

There is probably more than one plant turning out the same model, in order to get into the 350,000+ per year range. Some plants share more than one model, as well. Taurus I believe is made in Chicago and a plant in Georgia. There may be more than one plant putting out Impalas also. So, high volume does not completely relate to low quality.

drivinisfun

The great majority of Honda Accords bounded for both North American markets and Europe/Japan markets are built right here, in Marysville Ohio (The only Accord N/A plant). The Ohio plant produces Accords sold in Europe (Except the UK were they get the Japanese version), some of these are exported back to Japan and Latin American markets as well.

The Acura TL made in Marysville is exported back to Japan. The right hand drive version of this car is known as the Honda Inspire/Saber models.

Very few are actually imported from Japan, but can be found if the first letter of the VIN number starts with "J".

Most Toyota Camries are made in Georgetown, Kentucky. Same as the Accord, very few are imported from Japan.

drivinisfun

"There may be more than one plant putting out Impalas also. So, high volume does not completely relate to low quality."

No, the Impala is currently produced in one location only: GM's Autoplex Plant in Oshawa, Ontario Canada. The Oshawa plant has 2 conglomerates: Oshawa #1 and Oshawa #2. In Oshawa #1 (If I am not mistaken) the Impala sedan and Montecarlo coupe are built. In Oshawa #2 the Buick Regal/Century and the Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra 1500 pick ups are also built there.

Oshawa, by the way, is one of the most efficiently run plants in North America and recepient of the J.D. powers & Associate "Silver" award for high quality products. Oshawa and NUMMI (GM/Toyota venture plant in Fremmont, California) are the best GM plants currently in its North American operations but others are getting close such as Lansing, MI where the Cadillac CTS is currently built.

You are right about the Taurus. It is made in 2 locations, Chicago and Georgia.

The Ford Focus is assembled in Hermosillo, Mexico and Wayne, Michigan.

I agree that high volume does not automatically equate to lower quality, if the proper quality control procedures are put in place.

However, the Japanese automakers were able to attain high levels of quality by low production numbers and slower moving assembly lines. Ever since the popularity and demand of Japanese vehicles have increased over the past couple of decades, their quality has decreased sligthly because they have a harder time maintaining a steady quality control if the production numbers and speed on the assembly line increases.

But it all depends on the procedures established in the factory floor.

hvan3

<<We're going on vacation in a few weeks, and we're thinking abour renting a Camry to give it a "real world" test drive. I suspect we'll find it serviceable, but not quite as comfortable as the Impala.>>

Be careful about renting the Camry on long road trips. You'll be surprise how UNCOMFORTABLE the seats are compare to your customary Impala cushy seats.

Two weeks ago, I had my Impala in for an oil service prior to my long road trip to the Bay Area. I borrowed my father's Camry for one day. Man, the driver seat was so uncomfortable!! I actually had slight back pain from driving only 15 miles (I"m 33 years old with athletic built).

My word of wisdom is that on long road trip, stay with your current vehicle. Otherwise, you'll have to alter your driving position to remain comfortable in a rental car. Camry is definitely not my preference for a rental car. Oh, if you do choose a Camry, make sure it's a V6!

b4z

The Oshawa plant is good. The Faifax plant where they made my intrigue is bad.

b4z

Not a lot of LS's out there, so the car is still fairly unique. I get lots of stares with my Navy blue LS.

drivinisfun

GM's W-body sedans are mostly made in Canada, with the exception of the Oldsmobile Intrigue (Soon to be discontinued) and the Pontiac Grand Prix. As pointed out by B4z, both of these models are assembled at the Fairfax,KS plant. This plant is notorious for quality related problems. I suspect the Intrigue's problems could have minimized if the car had been made In Oshawa.

Base Impalas are more common ground, while LS models are still far and few in between.

Both Impala models are pulling out very good resale values, considering these are "Not politically correct" large American sedans.

Check out www.carmax.com and see the kind of prices used Impala LS models are pulling out.

[Deleted User]

a. You sure are a font of Impala information. Reminds me of a guy that used to post here.

b. Calm down. It's only a car. A thing. A possession. An object. No need to get so defensive, or to take it so personally. The car has its good points and bad points. More good than bad. That's no excuse to ignore the bad. Also, what's good to some, like high production, is not so good to others. (One man's meat...)

c. I didn't say the great majority were fleet cars. Although, I would imagine it's a pretty large number. Certainly more than any other full-size sedan. No? Certainly more than CamCords.

d. Mini Cooper. Good choice. Compliments the large Impala sedan quite well. I already have a car with a very small interior, otherwise I'd be very interested in the Mini to sit alongside my Impala.

drivinisfun

a. You sure are a font of Impala information. Reminds me of a guy that used to post here.

So? Who would that be? This is common info available to anyone at anytime on the internet. Is this the "TEO" I have read references about since I joined Edmunds not too long ago? If this dude is a "Fountain of knowledge" what a shame that he no longer posts here. I would like to make use of his knowledge too, would come in handy.

b. Calm down. It's only a car. A thing. A possession. An object. No need to get so defensive, or to take it so personally. The car has its good points and bad points. More good than bad. That's no excuse to ignore the bad. Also, what's good to some, like high production, is not so good to others. (One man's meat...)

I agree.

c. I didn't say the great majority were fleet cars. Although, I would imagine it's a pretty large number. Certainly more than any other full-size sedan. No? Certainly more than CamCords.

That's different. You made it sound like the Impala's sales success was due to increased fleet sales that according to industry reports have actually decreased.

d. Mini Cooper. Good choice. Compliments the large Impala sedan quite well. I already have a car with a very small interior, otherwise I'd be very interested in the Mini to sit alongside my Impala.

You should check it out. But be warned that the Cooper is one addictive little machine. Base Coopers currently have a waiting list of about 4 to 5 months. If you want a Cooper 'S' (160HP, Supercharged) the current delivery waiting time is about 10 to 12 months. Both of these cars are going for MSRP, but they are worth every penny, provided that you like small, 3 door hatches.

[Deleted User]

I saw one last year at an A's game, on display in the stadium. Strange place. I wouldn't think of Oakland as a big demographic for that car.
I've already seen them, as well as original Minis, on the street here in San Jose.

They were the original race rockets, if you think about it.

(I don't mind 3 door hatchbacks at all. I've also got a 94 Civic Hatch. I enjoy driving it on occasion, once I get over the smell. (It's my son's).

hvan3

<<We're going on vacation in a few weeks, and we're thinking abour renting a Camry to give it a "real world" test drive. I suspect we'll find it serviceable, but not quite as comfortable as the Impala.>>

Be careful about renting the Camry on long road trips. You'll be surprise how UNCOMFORTABLE the seats are compare to your customary Impala cushy seats.

Two weeks ago, I had my Impala in for an oil service prior to my long road trip to the Bay Area. I borrowed my father's Camry for one day. Man, the driver seat was so uncomfortable!! I actually had slight back pain from driving only 15 miles (I"m 33 years old with athletic built).

My word of wisdom is that on long road trip, stay with your current vehicle. Otherwise, you'll have to alter your driving position to remain comfortable in a rental car. Camry is definitely not my preference for a rental car. Oh, if you do choose a Camry, make sure it's a V6!

drivinisfun

Camry = Boredom.

b4z

My local dealer has almost 20 of them on his lot.
And not one of them has the same color or wheel combination.
There are so many different accessories on this car that the chance of seeing one exactly like yours is almost nil!
It seems like there must be 4 or 5 different wheels offered and some of them are painted white.
Maybe Chevy should give us more optional appearence stuff.

impalay2k_m

I don't know what all the hype is about in regards to 'quality.' Initial quality awards only play only a small part of the total ownership experience.

For instance, my 2000 Galaxy Silver LS was great when I first bought it as a dealer demo with less then 3000Kilometers on it. It was SOLID as a rock but after a couple of years of ownership, quality defects are starting to appear.

1) The interior trim is basically falling apart!

-- Squeaks and rattles in the sunroof, interior body panels, the rearview mirror when going over rough roads, or uneven surfaces.

I think the glue used to stick all these trim pieces on are starting to fail..

2) the rpm gauge is making weird noises when the engine is idling.

Other then those interior quirks, no mechanical issues or exterior body/paint issues at all!

Overall I am impressed with this car, and I plan on keeping it for at least 10 years!

On another note, Ford has not always had bad 'quality'. My '97 Ford Taurus LX made in Chicago has had no problems at all through all these years of ownership!! And the interior trim is as solid as the day i bought it..Squeak and rattle free!!

Chevy designers, please upgrade the materials inside future impalas and use better quality glue!

copychick

Not to change the subject, but...

SOME JERK SCRAPED MY BUMPER ON MY 2-DAY OLD IMAPALA!!!!!!!!!!

Must have happened in the parking lot at work. I think I know which car did it, but did not witness the act. That stinking Yukon that was parked too close to me must have bumped my rear bumper pulling out. And here I thought I picked the best parking spot in the place.

There are some tiny scratches on the bumper and a tiny spot where THE PAINT IS MISSING!!! ARGH! At least there are no dents, but I am hopping mad.

So since I didn't actually witness the act, I guess there's nothing I can do (legally).

What can I do about that miniscule spot where the paint is missing? Any ideas? Just leave it alone? I'm hoping they can buff the rest of the mess out.

Yeesh, I can't win. At least I didn't lease it.

hvan3

Was there any paint transfer onto your bumper? The paint color will give you some clue as to which vehicle rubbed your bumper. Maybe you can check out the Yukon bumper to see if it has your paint chip on it.

As long as you can prove which car or SUV did it, you can pursue a small claim.

[Deleted User]

I thought that was normal for that part of the world. I went back to NY recently, and I had forgotten how beat up cars get in such a short time. Every car I saw on the roads had scratched or scuffed bumpers. Every one. It was amazing.

It's all that bumper to bumper traffic and parallel parking. I used to use the bumpers of the other cars to "feelers" during parking myself!

spider717

I know the feeling. When I got my 01 LS last year, I had it for about 5 days and our dog jumped on the side of it. Talk about being hot. The dog died a few week later so I couldn't really stay mad at it. (and no it dying had nothing to do with me)

I see about 10-15 Impalas a day here in Pennsylvania. There are RARELY any LS's cruising around. However I have YET to see anyone my age driving one. Oh well.

atbear

I bet you feel sick!!! ouch.. if you have a reasonable idea who did it, confront them..... either way, take it to your dealer and maybe you could work something out.... my dealer is awesome, and I bet they would fix that for me.. if not at least you're sure they'll match the paint right!! Good Luck!

copychick

spider, my husband isn't crazy about my car and says it's a car for 50 year olds (sigh)--gee that makes me feel young--Not! I bought this car on my own and didn't really consult with him, since I'm the one who has to suffer with the crummy 1 hour commute each way. Actually, I think he is just incredibly jealous that I bought a bigger car than what he will be able to get when his Saturn lease is up. He has been cranky ever since I brought the car home.

atbear, yeah, I feel pretty badly, but it really is very minor scratching and I'm sure it's just the beginning of what I can expect from parking lots in general. I'm sure the dealer will be able to fix that up quite well--maybe they'll even do it for free. I know Saturn did that for me on my old SL1 several years ago gratis.

norbnancy

Congratulations on your new LS. Check your insurance policy to see if you carry "long form" collision coverage. In Michigan "long form covers Hit run type parking lot damage with no deductible charged if you are legally parked and not at fault. If very minor you may not wantto bother with insurance as rates may go up as a result of a claim. I think you will be satisfied with your LS. I have a 2000 black LS with 31000 miles with "0" defects so far. In the past I have normally traded every year but this LS is a keeper. My brother had a 2000 LS " Sanddrift" that was also a defect free car except for a minor brake leak repaired with no problem. We live on and travel alot of dusty roads and the Sandrift requires a lot less washing than my Black one. He traded to a Lincoln LS after his lease run out. The LS is nice but has some short cummings for the price. Lousy trunk room,poor performance for starters---but nice interior. All things considered, I prefer the Impala. Enjoy the ride.

nosirrahg

Last year, I went out and moved my pickup off the cul-de-sac and parked it at the end of the driveway so it wouldn't block the mail delivery/trash pickup. Went straight from the truck to the Impala, got in, and promptly backed it into the truck!! Fortunately I wasn't going very fast (although my driveway slopes downhill, so I wasn't exactly creeping either). Didn't set off the airbags, but did put a nice crease about 1/4" tall on the right rear corner of the bumper. It hit hard enough to dent my license plate so much I had to take it off and hammer it back out flat (no damage to the 20-year-old F350, of course).

copychick

The scrape/chip is so incredibly minor I would not bother with insurance (plus, this is NJ, and auto insurance in general is a huge nightmare--long story, but this is not something I'd wanna mess with unless I had to).

Glad to hear your LS has had no problems. That's so reassuring. I must say I am thoroughly enjoying the ride. My commute is still stressful, but having size and power on my side makes all the difference.

Yep, Sandrift is a great color for hiding the dirt. I'm hoping they'll lift the drought restrictions here soon so I can wash this baby! I don't trust the car wash places.

copychick

Oh man that must have HURT! What a bummer. Oh well, we all make mistakes like that at one time or another. I'm sure I'll be catching more scratches and dings as time goes by.

A few months ago, for the first time in 10 years of living with our single-car-width driveway, I forgot DH's car was parked behind mine and I backed up into his. Fortunately our plastic Saturns merely bounced off of each other and went unscathed.

yurakm

There are teenagers in our town, who are scratching cars intentionally. Just push the supermarket carts downhill on not-level parking lot. Or use something sharp - nail or I do not know what. This is their idea of having good time. They especially like new cars.

The supermarket is next door to high school.

dindak

The parking spots most places (especially in cities) are too small and the big SUVs and cars don't fit in them properly. Many garages I park in around Toronto I can barely get the door open on our Intrigue. Real estate is expensive these days!!