2005 and Earlier Chevrolet Impala

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Comments

  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    The poster requested that the butt jokes be kept to a minimum. I think we should honor his request.
    hvan3, since this is your first offense we will let you off with a warning.
    As for you, mr. garypen, it is afterschool detention for a week.
  • atbearatbear Member Posts: 322
    I will definately agree that the leather seats ARE VERY slippery. I don't have a problem with it in the front seats (they are turned up on the sides and keep me in the seat fine) but the back seat (bench style seat) is very slippery! Whenever my friends are riding in the back seat they slide all over the place!
  • reeferreefer Member Posts: 37
    Garypen, I wear jeans most of the time too and I am butt challenged, I have virtually no butt at all(my gut is another story.) I am seriously considering the Wet Okole neoprene seat covers. If I go this route, I will post back and report how they work. And, I appreciate everyone keeping the jokes to a minimun. You were all very well restrained.
  • Butt challenge? Didn't I see that on "Survivor"?
  • hogboyhogboy Member Posts: 84
    Dumb question (butt) why are people sliding
    all over the place if they have or should have their seat belts fastened?
  • reeferreefer Member Posts: 37
    I wear my belt but the leather seating still allows me to slide around a bit more than I am comfortable with. If I had to do it over again I would get the cloth seats but that's water over the dam now.
    In my comparison to other vehicles, the Impala leather seats are a bit stiff and this contributes to the slip-ability of them.
  • reeferreefer Member Posts: 37
    still holds. Has anyone installed Wet Okole neoprene seat covers over Impala leather seats? If so, how did they fit and do they stick well to the leather surface? Maybe someone out there has done this. I believe Nathan (if he is the one with the Impala web site)has installed them over cloth seats and they look pretty good on his site.
  • drivinisfundrivinisfun Member Posts: 372
    Where is the heatercore?
  • ...but that's water over the dam now.

    Don't you mean "water under the bridge"?

    the Impala leather seats are a bit stiff

    It's the worst leather I have ever experienced. I wonder which animal they come from?

    Have you thought about lambswool covers? This time of year, I'll bet they're quite comfy.

    You may also want to try cleaning and conditioning the leather, so it's not as slippery. That's probably the cheapest route. Plus, the leather will look nicer.
  • atbearatbear Member Posts: 322
    I have conditioned my leather seats twice and each time I did it, it made the seats More slippery...
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    It is down near the passenger footwell. You know it is leaking when there is antifreeze on your carpet.
  • What kind of conditioner? Most high-end conditioners will make the leather softer, thus less slippery.
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    I have enjoyed the leather mostly becaause of the way it looks. Also makes the Impala with it's acres of plastic look a little more upscale.
    Wish Impala offered leather covered console like my intrigue did.

    Anyway, this is something nobody has mentioned about the leather yet.
    For those of us who live in the brutally hot South, the front driver and passenger are able to get comfortable within 10 minutes. However the Impala offers no rear vents and coupled with the hotter leather the rear passengers take much longer to get comfortable temperature wise.

    By the time the rear passenger cool off us guys in the front are freezing.
    I think cloth would work a little better.
  • reeferreefer Member Posts: 37
    What I areally meant to say was "spilled milk." You know I have cleaned the leather using Armorall leather wipes. It does a nice job of cleaning the leather but in my opinion it makes the leather even slippier (is that a word?) I tried using some detergent and a damp cloth to clean the seat thinking that if there were a coating on the leather that would take it off and it might be less slippery. No good. Still as slippery. I think the leather is just too stiff. I have tried a couple of cheap cloth seat covers and cushions. My butt sticks ok to them but they slide all over the seat. That's why I was thinking of the neoprene covers. I wonder how easy it is to bolt in a new seat? Some junk yards ought to have a few Impala stock seats. I could just put the leather one back in when I trade it in.
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    last June I bought 3 new leather belts from the same manufacturer.
    I now have brown leather all over the bottom of my seatback.
    I hope it comes off.
  • Armorall??? I wonder why your seats are so slippery?

    But seriously, try a serious conditioner that you let soak into the leather over night. Lexol at the very minimum. Leatherique, available online, is good. Connolly Hide Food, if you can find it, is good.
  • nosirrahgnosirrahg Member Posts: 872
    When I ordered my Impala, I was torn between getting the leather seats or the sunroof. Having test driven a Taurus with the front leather bench seat (and definitely wanting a bench seat in my Impala), I knew the leather bench would have a tendancy to be slippery (even with the seatbelt; our child's carseat actually fell over in the Taurus back seat because the seat was so slick). Also living in the South, I worried about the heat factor (as well as the increased maintainence of leather).

    In hindsight, I'm glad I went with the sunroof; the cloth seat keeps me firmly planted (and isn't hot in the summer, or cold in the winter), and it's held up very well through two pre-teen children (so far; knock simulated wood!!). Granted, I don't use the sunroof a great deal, but it does help put a little "sport" into my base model.
  • hvan3hvan3 Member Posts: 630
    It would be nice if the bottom leather cushions were interchangeable between the driver seat cushion and the passenger cushion. The driver seat cushion has more wear and tear than the passenger cushion. If the cushions were interchangeable, I could have easily "rotate" my cushions.
  • I took both. Why choose?
  • otto42otto42 Member Posts: 33
    I've not noticed any slippage problems, but I've also not had it long enough to need to put any kind of protectant on it yet. No cracking or flexibility problems thus far. Seems not to be too dry yet either. Fits me just fine. The back seat does have a tendancy to be slidey, but then I'm not back there. :D

    Nor did I want bench up front. I hate bench seats. If you have bench, then you slide whether it's cloth or not, IMO.

    And the moonroof is damn cool. A must have feature.
  • hogboyhogboy Member Posts: 84
    When all else fails, super glue a pair of pants to the seat. Problem solved! (that one anyway)
  • charts2charts2 Member Posts: 618
    Starting yesterday everytime I start my car the oil pressure symbol shows on the message display it would continue on until I drove about a minute or two then go off. I have a 2001 Impala with the 3800. The oil level is full and the temperature gauge shows normal. Anyone else experience this?
  • reeferreefer Member Posts: 37
    I'll give this conditioner a try before I buy seat covers. Cost was $24 for a 160z. bottle plus $6 for S&H. If it really softens the leather that might be enough to do the trick.
  • Leave it on overnight, or at least a few hours. Since the weather is cool, you may want to cover the seat with a garbage bag, and leave the car in the sun to warm the interior.

    After letting it soak in, you need to clean off the residue. Did you get the cleaner too?
  • bsappbsapp Member Posts: 21
    Took my 2002 Impala LS (Bronzemist) in today for its second oil change and first tire rotation at 6,000 miles. I was looking through the 2003 literature while waiting and noticed in the back of the 2003 Impala brochure there is a CD Rom that allow you to "test drive" the Impala. I picked up one (after all, they are free for the taking) and brought it home and sat through it. Very interesting for all the Impala lovers and as a bonus, it has a full color history of the Impala from 1958 - present. Just thought I would mention it in case any of you would like to see your dealer and pick up one for yourself.
    Again, I ask, would someone tell me where the temp gauge should read during normal operation and just what exactly does this coolant smell that has been mentioned smell like?

    Thank you

    Bill
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    I have been telling myself all day that it is no big deal.
    Just a normal day. Nothing special.
    The whole office sung happy birthday at the sales meeting.
    Nothing like having 45 Realtors giving you a hard time all day long.

    Any words of encouragement from those who have been there? Or soon to be there? LOL.
  • Yeah. You're that much closer to death. (I'm almost 45.)

    So, enjoy life.
  • atbearatbear Member Posts: 322
    Your temp guage should read approx. 195 degrees cause that's the thermostat you have in your car. That is just under the halfway mark.

    garypen, I used Armor All Leather spray.
  • reeferreefer Member Posts: 37
    No I didn't buy the cleaner. Is it absolutely necessary. I read somewhere about using a terry cloth towel dampened with warm water to clean the leather off afterwards.
  • That might work. However, the cleaner is good for general leather cleaning. My gray leather seats would get very dirty from just my jeans. Their cleaner definitely doesn't make it slippery.
  • crosley4crosley4 Member Posts: 295
    I hate to tell you this but 50 comes real quick.

    I will be 49 in 1.5 months and I do not know/remember where my 40's went to.....

    And I stopped drinking alcohol when I turned 40.

    ((-;

    Tony
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    It is hard to believe that I might actually be fitting into the demographic of Impala owners.

    A friend of mine turned 30 last year. When he had is 29th birthday he announced that that year was officially his "Farewell To Youth Tour."
    And he was going to have fun at all costs, even if it included personal injury.
    He jumped out of an airplane and did some serious white water rafting. Didn't get hurt.

    I guess this year will be my "Hello to Maturity Tour."

    I wonder at what age will I stop enjoying doing donuts and burnouts in parking lots?
  • charts2charts2 Member Posts: 618
    Soon to be 53!! Its all down hill from here. Once my legs stop working I will have to ad hand controls to my Impala.
  • I wonder at what age will I stop enjoying doing donuts and burnouts in parking lots?

    It's probably the same age when you begin to enjoy EATING donuts with other burnouts in the parking lot.
  • larryfllarryfl Member Posts: 214
    b4z, garypen

    Join the club. I just turned 46 two weeks ago. Aside from the bifocals and 5th (6th?) midlife crisis, it's not so bad. My first midlife was at 39, I bought a firebird V8. Since then I've had a career change - then changed back 4 months later (computer business really sux).

    Now, two months ago I changed again. This time into RE investing. Watch out, 40s can get weird! (My wife's the stable one with the 2002 Imp LS)
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    I have owned a Z28 continuously since 1983.
    I am more afraid of growing up than having middleage stare me in the face.
  • gasolinegasoline Member Posts: 25
    I bought my 2001 Impala Base with 3.8L when I was only 28 (probably 15 years younger than the average buyer) and now that I am turning 30 it really bothers me. Young adulthood lasts for only 12 years that is from 18-29.
  • atbearatbear Member Posts: 322
    Well I just turned 20 eleven days ago... There goes that demographic.......
  • spider717spider717 Member Posts: 106
    We had a pretty windy night last night and it bent one of the legs of my canopy that covers my blue '01 LS. On the way down the leg put a huge scratch right above the left rear wheel. That was one of the most depressing things I have ever seen. I can see the metal it went to deep. I bet this isn't gonna be cheap to fix =/
  • johnclineiijohnclineii Member Posts: 2,287
    I guess one way of looking at it, though, is both you (and your family, if you have one) and the car otherwise came out safe and sound. After many windstorms, floods, etc, many are not so lucky.

    Also, most people don't realize this, but your homeowner's or renter's policy may cover this!
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    Your car will never be the same. Sell it! LOL.
    Nothing makes you madder than having to repaint even the smallest portion of a car. Because it won't match and when you go to resell it they think it has been in some catastrophic accident.
  • pluto5pluto5 Member Posts: 618
    See comprehensive coverage under auto policy. It covers things falling on cars, flood, i.e., most damage except collision. Comp claim should not affect your premium.

    Pick up my 03 Imp next week. Ordered on 11/5, delivered to dealer on 11/22. GM is really cranking.
  • emtbemtb Member Posts: 42
    I bought my new, 2002 base Impala, when I was 19... damn. Make me feel young, will you all?
  • spider717spider717 Member Posts: 106
    Well if that wasn't bad enough I was late because of taking the canopy off my battered car. Got pulled over on the way to work, 55 in a 40. Now I know I wa going more than 40, but 55 seemed a little fast. The ticket used VASCAR and said miles timed: .3838, secs timed: 24.80

    Now I know there's a bunch of police and emt etc people that frequent the forum. I calculate that to be 44 MPH. But I could easily be wrong.

    I know it's a bit off topic, but I know there's people here with a surplus of knowledge. Oh yeah, and just in case... Impala. :)
  • hvan3hvan3 Member Posts: 630
    I saw an ad in our local paper. A 2003 base Impala with MSRP of $21,400 is selling for $15,990!!!! Three at this price. Uggh!
  • 2k_impala_ls2k_impala_ls Member Posts: 311
    Just got my bill for next year. The 2k-Ls is $444 and the 2002 Trailblazer LS 4x4 is $440 for a full year of 100k/300k coverage w/ 500 deductible on collision. NY is supposed to be high. what does everyone else pay.
  • drivinisfundrivinisfun Member Posts: 372
    $1,200 per year here in Florida and that is an ULTRA CHEAP rate! :-)

    I have an extra clean driving record for the past 16 years, not a single ticket and I get preferred status premium rates.

    Imagine what someone with a so-so driving record pays here....$3,000.. $4,000 per year?

    Those of you that pay $400 per year on auto insurance you pay PEANUTS for coverage.

    However, I prefer sunny Florida to dealing with snow storms and icy roads anyday ;-).
  • spider717spider717 Member Posts: 106
    I pay $630 every 6 months. Pretty good since I'm 22. Bought my Imp when I was 21. 18 months ago.
  • I was paying less than $500/year for 100/300 coverage with $250 ded. in CA.
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    You guys must be doing pretty well to afford a new Impala at the age of 19 and 21.
    When I was 20 I was an assistant manger of a video store. Making $4.00 an hour plus a gas allowance.
    Of course I was driving a brand new 1983 Z28 Camaro that I paid $11,648.78 for.
    Didn't have a pot to *** in, but I had a new Camaro.
    That number sticks in your mind when you pay cash for it. Mowing lawns since I was 9 years old.
    Sold the Camaro after 3.5 months. Got 10.5K for it.
    Went back to college in a '73 Plymount Valiant.
    In green noless. real chick magnet.
    My hats off to the guys that can afford a new car like the Impala.
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