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Here is what I wrote:
Hello, we Impala/Monte Carlo owners are having serious problems with the thermoplastic intake manifold warping on our cars with the L36 3800 Series II engine. The upper intake manifold is warping and causing a coolant leak by the throttle body! This is very dangerous to the engine! It is a quite frequent problem, so I believe it should be dealt with. First I would like to request a recall on the part, to be replaced with an aluminum upper intake manifold (like the 3800 Series III engines). If a recall is out of the question, at least make an aluminum upper intake manifold to replace the faulty one with when the problem does occur! As of right now when the problem occurs, it is replaced with the exact same part. As I aid earlier, GM has corrected this problem on the 3800 Series III engines with an aluminum upper intake manifold. Please take the same appropriate steps in repairing our cars with the 3800 Series II. I can assure you that you are losing many customers to other brands when this problem occurs. Please go to these sites I am about to list to check out what I mean: ClubGP Impala Forum and Edmunds Impala Forum. Thank you for hearing me out, and please forward this to whomever it may concern. Please act on my request as it is of utmost importance that GM put out a superior product, and also stand behind the products they have already put out. Thanks again and please get back to me.
My Aurora has a plastic intake manifold, but I've never heard of Aurora's having this same problem.
We had the intake manifold gasket leak happen under warranty. I thought they just replaced the gasket. Your saying it was the manifold too?? If it ever happened again, I'd just pay the difference for the aluminum one if it fit the same.
The new engine is coming out in July and will transform the car with a 0-60 time of 6.7 secs.
Most of you know that the one thing I wish my Impala had was a DOHC option like my Intrigue.
I really miss the refinement and top end charge.
The CTS is a stretch for me but I can probably get a low optioned car in the 32k range since my dealer is selling them for $45 over invoice.
Check out this excellent article in detroitnews.
http://www.detnews.com/2003/insiders/0304/01/insider-124694.htm
Maybe this engine will drift down into the lower lines as an option.
When I first bought my 2001 Impala LS I had a problem with the car that I wasn't happy with....I spoke with the Service Manager where I bought the car he indicated that he couldn't help me, and he informed me to phone the GM hotline....where I live here in Canada....1-800-GM-DRIVE....I spoke to a woman who had no technical knowlege whatsover Also with over 100 models of GM vehicles I couldn't expect her to know.. No help whatsover...
That seems where a lot of people stop, and don't go any farther....
Do some homework... I found out who the GM area representative was, wrote a strongly worded letter to him, a copy to the OWNER of the Chevrolet Dealership where I bought my Impala, also a copy sent to the SALESMAN who sold me the car and the Service manager who's department have serviced this vehicle explaining the problem that I was having and nothing was being done... I received a telephone calls from all of them.. The dealership owner asking me to bring the car in as soon as possible and the problem I was having would be taken care of right away.....I was also compensated with 12 free oil/filter changes..for my inconvenience.
Take the time and find out who your GM area rep is,(he is there for your complaints) The owner of the Chevrolet dealership, the person who sold you the car, and their Service manager. Write a strong letter explaining your disatisfaction and send copies to ALL...You gave them all a piece of your hard earned money......make them work for it!!
No doubt in my mind you will get positive results!!!
When was the last time that many Impala's were sold? In the 70's?
I am impressed that the sales #'s are increasing...the car definitely needs some major freshening......I guess it will be the 2006 Impala rear wheel drive model with V8 option...that will keep the ball rolling.....
Well the comparison of the Altima and the Impala, I guess, isn't fair either. Both have good and bad, mine just seems like more bad has happened. I still would go with an Altima (3.5 V6) after I get rid of my Imp. I wouldn't go with Imp again, and the altima is my next want. I wouldn't get a 4 cyl, that would be a step down from what I have, so yes, I have heard of the 4cyl being really rough idle. The new 03 interior seems nice, but I haven't really checked it out yet.
I also, know I really can't compair pricing of the 200 and the new ones. So I was wrong there. Times change and different incentives come around for all different reasons.
But then reading the latest posts about how GM isn't satisfying customers with the ISS problem and throwing out some line about it being maintenance, IMO, shows their lack of willingness to satisfy the customer. Also replacing a manifold with the same exact problem, is appeasing an upset customer until their warrenty runs out. That is not good service. And to have to write a bunch of letters with strong words just to get something done that you are entitled to, isn't fair either. I have spent enough time and inconvienence with taking my car to the shop numerous times, that taking more of my time to write letters to get things done, just doesn't appeal to me. I can't imagine what good it would do for me to keep my vehicle past warrenty. Just doesn't sound like a good idea. Then not only will it be my time taken, it will start to cost me. Since the ISS problem comes back it seems, that is going to cost me right off the bat.
Now I have the coolant leak, but no time to deal with it right now. More of my time. I can't imagine the new 03 Altima cuasing "me" that many problems. But then I can see why leasing sure makes sense these days, seems if I complain about my vehicle and post an alternative, it gets shot down as well. Are cars just not being made well these days? I know most of you love your Imp and that's great, but the truth is, it has been costly as far as my time is concerned. I had to go to higher ups just to get the carpet kit and spare tire cover replaced after mildew and mold starting growing back there. I shouldn't have to plead and beg for good service, it should have been offered.
Oh, did I mention I also have the stuttering on take off on occasion. Usually the first time I take off after starting up the engine. So it stutters and then jams forward after it catches up. Of course that can't get fixed bc they can't get it to do the same for them at the dealer. It's embarrasing when you have people in the car with you and the car lugs and then jolts forward.
So many little things, that just don't impress me. Hoping they work out all the bugs with the later models.
I am glad you are all happy with yours and these things are only minor inconvienences for you, for myself they are not. Oh and they only deal with me on Saturdays bc I complained so much about my trunk leak that they take care of it on Saturdays, but usually make me take in any warrenty issues on a weekday. They just don't bend over backwards to help me. You would think after 3 tries of a problem, they would actually take the time to trouble shoot the problem, instead of me having to tell them what I suspect the problem is.
Anyways, I went on a rant again. Sorry, just wanted to explain my side of the negative posts. As far as any other debate, I'll stay out of it, like pricing and so forth. BC the truth is, I won't be buying a new one, so I have no business being involved in the latest debates on pricing and incentives. I should have stayed out of it, I am not current on todays market as far as cars go and what other companies are offering as well. My bad for commenting.
Take care all
Nicole
Maybe contact a LL attorney and ask how you could go about making a complaint or getting a hold of the higher ups to personally fix the problem.
Take care,
Nicole
I can't contact a LL attouney, because my car has been trouble free... I haven't had any problems with it at all.
I convinced my mom to order a '77 Impala wagon in yellow no less with blackwall tires.
305 2 barrel, 2.29 gear and 0-60 in 14 seconds.
It was a great car in spite of its slowness.
We kept it for 10 years.
Well deserving of Car of the Year.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
Loved that bent-glass rear window on the '77-'79 Impala/Caprice coupes.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
I had the shop foreman drive while I described when the sounds were most audible.
He says that the 2000 impalas had some issues with the aluminum cradle but he too is surprised that a late build 2001 has these noises. He calls it a flexing type noises. He isn't really sure as to how to fix it so he says that I should leave the car at the dealership for 2 days. I don't know if the mechanics will make matters worst? Plus the problem is intermittent and even if the mechanic thinks that the problem is fixed it could just as easily come back.
Should I have it fixed and potentially risk more problems since the foreman says that GM initially didn't want dealership playing around with the cradle due to safety reasons?
Does anybody have any similar experiences with this type of problem?
Thanks for any help.
Our '77 Impala wagon could get 20 mpg at 62mph.
Our '88 Caprice sedan with the same 305 carb w 170 hp could pull 27 mpg at 74 mph, that is with a 2.56 rearend and an overdrive transmission which the Impala did not have.
Fuel injection and overdrive transmissions are the reason.
My '01 Impala has done several tankfuls at 30 mpg at 78 mph.
The G bodies weren't bad cars. The backseat room was pitiful. GM went so far as to shorten the seat cushion to make it look like there was more rear legroom.
The Malibu's with the 305 and 350's with the F41 suspensions are getting to be quite poular.
And there is excellent parts interchangeability.
I found a TSB for the brake caliper lube and shim kit and it solved about 90% of the front end noises.
I can now drive down the street without pedestrians stopping and looking at me.
I'm not saying be nasty but have a paper trail to prove your points and be firm in no uncertain terms...but whether its your Impala or anything else that you are not happy with...don't go to another Dealer/Store....stand up to the ones who sold you this problem!! its their problem.....too many people on this board whine and complain but won't take that extra step and stand up for their rights! In this case people with their Impala's that have problems whine about it and decide to just sell it and buy a different product.(thats the easy way out!!) Didn't cost GM anything. GM LOVES YOU!!.. THEY WIN AGAIN!!....
Supposedly there is a 25% increse in the highway number.
How does 37mpg at 78mph sound or 42mpg at 65 mph sound?
Hopefully NOT like Cadillac 8-6-4!
How many guys who buy Corvettes want their cars to sound like a 4 cylinder? LOL.
35mpg on a good day with no wind, but otherwise no way in hell 42.
34 mpg X 125% = 42.5 mpg.
The 25% increase is GM's number not mine.
And if you had told me in the early 80's that there would be Corvettes and Camaros that could do 160-170 mph and get 28-30 mpg on the highway I would have laughed in your face.
Kind of like what you did in your previous post.
It is 02-08-61-001 and the fix for it is the application of penetrating threadlocker. The cause is the result of small relative movements between the contacting surfaces of various brackets, crossmembers and side rails that are welded together to form the frame/cradle assembly. This slight movement occurs when the assembly is subjected to certain types of load conditions. It mentions that this a problem for Impalas and Monte Carlos for the production year 2000-2002.
I just would like to know if anybody has this done to their car and if it has was it successful in preventing noise. I just don't want to make a situation worst by having some tech fool around with the front end and have it make more noises in the end.
Just last week on the return leg of a 2,200+ mile road trip to Santa Fe, I averaged an even 30MPG between Santa Rosa, NM and Sayre, OK on I-40, at an average speed of 69.7MPH (with over 50k miles on the car).
(My MPH average is based on resetting the DIC with each tank; but MPG is figured manually, since I've found the DIC to vary somewhat from reality. I'm sure the MPH average isn't 100% accurate either, but a much more realistic estimate than I could come up with on my own.)
If I can get 30 MPG at 70 MPH now, the idea of getting 42 MPG at 65 MPH doesn't seem that far fetched; and this is with the 3.8l engine - folks with the 3.4l are probably even closer to that 35 figure already.
I remember when 18 MPG on the highway was respectable (in my 305ciV8 '78 Caprice Classic). I'm probably averaging the same mileage in town in my V6 2000 Impala as I did in my 4-cylinder '84 Buick Skyhawk, and out-performing it on the highway. It may be 10 years away, but 42 @ 65 seems do-able (even if requires a tailwind, no AC, and the tires at maximum PSI in addition to DOD!!).
As far as highway fuel mileage is concerned, I am averaging between 30 and 34 MPG at 70MPH on Chevron Supreme 89 octane fuel.
GM is making a strong comeback with the new V6 engines.
I just have to time the incentives right.
-yeah, its a remake on the v8-6-4 deal. I also know its still not tested in real world driving in real customer cars, and its not available. ITS mere HYPE at this time.
So they can bring on the 20% hype. As most GM fans do, you bought into the hype, hook, line, and sinker. What I am saying is in cars that are 3600 pounds the DOD will help some but not 20%, and even if it did, you are not getting CONSISTenT 33 mpg with your car right now. 28 maybe, sure. 32 or 33 on the occasional trip. But over the life of 50,000 you are most likely averaging 25-28 or so mpg. Add a generous 10%-15% benefit for DOD and maybe you will realize an actual 33 or so over the life of the vehicle for all your combined driving. With the 40mph wind on your back and cruise set and not having to pass or speed up or slow down, then sure you might come close to appraoching 40 on a specific 400 mile trip.
You have been posting here for years and I do not remember you as being this way.
I have seen your recent posts all over edmunds
and they are without exception negative in nature.
Especially when it comes to GM products.
If you will read back in this thread I don't think anyone of us said that we would average 30 mpg over the life of the car.
We were talking about long trips only.
What was originally a "can't be reached" goal has now changed to a "can't be averaged over the lifetime of the vehicle" goal, which is apples to oranges. Nobody brags about the speed of their car by saying they've "averaged 30MPH over the lifetime of the vehicle", they brag about pushing the envelope of speed (which for us, unfortunately, is @ 108 MPH). It's as if you were agruing the car wouldn't reach a certain top speed, but then changed your tune to say that speed couldn't be maintained for 50000 miles - of course it couldn't, and that wasn't the argument.
If GM can make the Impala average 33 MPG over it's lifetime with DOD, I say bring it on.
I will drive to a nearby town and then turn around and come back on the same road.
The one caveat is that I get to set my cruise control at 50 mph.
Are you in, reg?
The car was in for each new and current fix as GM tried to figure out the cause of the pop /creaking noises. The car missed Arizona's lemon law by a couple thousand miles. I probably could have hired a lawyer and traveled that road, but choose not to.
GM coverd all costs to install the most recent design cradle when the car had 43,000 miles on it ( 7,000 miles out of warranty)
The popping/creaking noises returned about 3200 miles later.
We traded the Impala off (11-2001), end of the noise for us.
I must admit we miss the car. We still stop and look at new Impala's to see if GM will ever update the styling enough to consider purchasing another.
<<And....the used car buyer who would normally pay 13-18k for a used Impala is absent from the market, having paid a bit more and gotten a much less risky NEW car,>>
I paid $17500 for my 2003 Impala, including state sales tax (6%). Part of that was discount, part was $3000 of rebates, $250 was a loyalty bonus (or something) and I had $1750 on the GM MasterCard rebate, plus they gave me an extra $500 for using up my GM Card money. I saw an ad up at work for a guy selling a used '02 for $19000 (although it's an LS).
My Impala is a base model, but has the 3.8L engine, ABS, CD+Cassette, the package with the steering wheel radio controls and compass and information center, keyless entry, 17" wheels. Also, after four months, I haven't had to keep a list of warrantee repairs 'cuz nothing has gone wrong!
Today I traded in my Navy Blue 01 LS. My local Pontiac Dealer gave me a GREAT deal on a Grand Prix GTP that I couldn't refuse. A good deal on the car, $4000 cash back and paid off my Impala.
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your thoughts, opinions and ideas over the last year or so.
Thanx
Forrest