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Comments
Shocking Behavior - Sounds like a peculiarity to Impala. I have cloth seats in my Bonneville but have never experienced the static shocks at all.
Dusty Derriere - I get this same problem with my car. Since we live on a gravel lane it becomes dirty again almost immediately after I wash it. Sounds like the wax is at least part of the issue. Anyone know how Maguires does relative to dust collecting?
Have a great weekend all - hope your weather is better than ours - it's raining here steadily after a gorgeous work week.
Ken
Thanks for your understanding.
Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards
Nick
Thanks Again,
Tim
Excellent choice for picking leather seats. It doesn't make sense to buy a fully loaded LS without leather seats. The only thing that touches between you and the car is the leather seat and the steering wheel. You might as well enjoy the full amenities that the car has to offer. Your rear end will thank you for it. LOL
As for buy now vs wait depends on your budget. If you buy now, you can reap dealer and factory discount of as much as $3-4K savings. Normally, when I shop for a new car, I shop during major holiday weekend. I bought my 2000 LS in Feb during Presidents Day. Believe it or not, I got $6.6K off sticker price! Memorial weekend was another BIG blowout sale for GM. If you can wait till July 4th weekend, you'll probably get another chance to save BIG on the Impala.
As for waiting till 2002 Impala, you probably get small discount on the new vehicles. If you can afford to pay near full price, then you should wait for the 2002 model. I will envy you if you bought the 2002 Impala. LOL. Gees, I hope the style doesn't change at all. Otherwise our Impalas will depreciate in value.
Good luck on whatever decision you make!!
She decided that leather is not for her, and I had to push her to test-drove Regal. However, the Regal seats have different shape and she have no problem with them.
Or, possibly, the leather itself is different, less slippery: the Impala was just from the truck, while Regal sat 11 months on parking lot at dealer.
--Moonroof: Had one in the Altima I was trading in. It was problematic towards the end of my life w/ the car and I NEVER used it. Granted I live in Wisconsin where in the winter you wouldn't WANT to use one!:> BUt then again, I've never found the need for one. Doesn't make it useless to everyone, but some dont' care for it!
--Leather: Leather gets HOT AS H-E-double hockeysticks here in the summer. I've had both light and darker colored leather, and never found much interest in it. I prefer cloth, so I made sure my LS had cloth in it.
So I think it is QUITE worth it to go w/out leather and w/out a moonroof if you choose. Some like it, some don't. Is my car any less of a "Great" car because I didn't choose it? I dont' think so!
So I dotn' think the comment: "It doesn't make sense to buy a fully loaded LS without leather seats" really is correct. It's a personal choice. I chose that I didnt' want it, so why pay the extra cash!?
If another good reason to get the leather seats are the seat warmers, but again, these are a moot point in Florida. The Moonroof is nice, but interestingly enough not many Impalas are to be found in FL with the factory sunroof which is a $700.00 option. The leather seats command a $625.00 premium and the heater add another $425.00 or so to the final bill. I have better uses for that money...that's almost the equivalent of over a half a year of fuel expenses.
Different strokes for different folks I guess, if leather or cloth makes you happy, no matter what you get the Impala LS continues to be a sensational automobile.
My Main equipment requirements in the LS are the rear deck lid spoiler, the trip computer, the self dimming rear view mirror and a good sounding stereo. The rest is great as it is.
My sister and brother in law really like our car...they might be buying a new '01 Base as early as next week.
Nick
Nick
Of course, cloth versus leather is a matter of choice and climate and finances and... But the comment about slipping on the leather with jeans on is just why I chose leather. Since I like to clap off my shoes outside the car before rotating into the seat (particularly in the snow), the cloth can get my briefs all bunched while the leather leaves me neat'n'tidy...
I never got any replies on the wet brakes problem. Anyone notice temporary loss of braking power when the roads are wet (presumably due to wet rotors) with the LS wheels?
Today I noticed that my rear splash guards had popped a couple of fastners. A few hundred posts ago we discussed how the rear guards don't fit the '01 Impalas as well because of the wheel liner change. One fastener really has some stress on it because the guard won't fit easily against the rear of the fender well. I had to remove mine, trim the part of the guard that interferes, and re-install. I also added another fastener on the inside bottom of the guard. Much more solid and better fit now. I wish I had a camera...I'd submit to Nathan for addition to his splash guard page.
My roof trim is peeling also. This was not a problem on the intrigue.
Car seems to be a little quieter than the intrigue. Drove around a little yesterday with the stereo off, enjoying the relative quiet. The stereo was always on in the intrigue due to its high road noise levels.
My build date is 01/00. Car arrived on the lot in february. It does have the new amp. No complaints.
Tweeter appears to be mounted in the lower door panel. In the intrigue it was next to the side view mirror. Midrange is better in the impala. Highs were a little better in the intrigue. I will listen some more to see if my initial impressions hold up.
I am seriously thinking of taking off the grey mouldings that go around the car. Major project though, and if i don't like it i am stuck with paying to have them put back on.
I wish i had been able to get a car without the spoiler, as it makes the rearend look to tall. Also don't like the onstar antenna.
Would like a 17" version of the current 16" wheel.
I wonder if anybody makes those?
I will have one tough looking car when i am finished. Thinking about a very light tint also.
Living in Southern CA (hot sun), leather seats haven't really been a problem for me. I do get some discomfort from the hot leather seat, but it last only 10 seconds or less. It does help if the windows are tinted (24%). Perhaps adding mink oil to the leather seats can reduce the heat? With cloth seats, it takes longer for my rear end to cool off. Also with cloth seats, my rear end and back tend to sweat during the summer month driving.
I agree with Hunter39 that the cabin cools quicker in the leather seats.
I"m also interested in the 17" wheels. I believe Chevrolet sells the 17" deep dish wheels for the '96 Impala SS. Check it out with the Parts Dept or at your local wheel stores.
But even with cloth seats, I never find myself pushing the fan speed on the Impala beyond the #3 or 4 speed settings. The car still cools down very quickly thanks to the efficient and powerful A/C system it has. The car is always parked outdoors so it doesn't get any shade. I put a windshield sunshade with a reflective material to protect the big expanse of the upper dashboard. I personally don't like window tinting but I might start looking into it as a long term way to protect the interior from the harmful sun's UV rays.
For anyone considering an Impala at this time, whether you go with leather or cloth seats, you'll be equally pleased. The leather seating option in the Impala is one of the cheapest ($625.00) among many other cars in its class. Most other manufacturers (Honda, Nissan, Toyota, VW, etc) charge in excess of $1,000 for just a leather trimmed interior. The same money in the Impala buys you leather seats + front seat heaters...try to match that to any other vehicle in its class.
If leather still doesn't 'tickle your fancy' and for one reason or another don't like it, then you'll be happier opting for the cloth seating. The cloth is a nice velour which is very soft to the touch and generally very pleasing to the eye. At least the fabric patterns offered in the Base Impala and the Impala LS are nice and in good taste. The Base Impala custom cloth has some funky looking patterns so it is up to you if you like them or not. As far as daily wear of the cloth there is not a problem..
Other long time missing posters are LRCobra (I know you are lurking!), Chimp00, Platour, shelline, etc.
Enjoying your new Impala?
Was duraflex the one with impala website?
I guess when i first started in edmunds both the intrigue and impala were new and people were really excited about their cars. The newness and some of th enthusiasm has worn off a little bit.
Yes, i am enjoying the car. Still have less than 100 miles on it. That will probably change today.
Wanted to ask you a couple of questions. When you are accelerating slowly does the car shift slowly on the 1-2 shift? Not a slip, but a hesitation.
How do you feel about the steering wheel rim? I am having a hard time getting comfortable with it and end up with my hands down low.
The DIC is very cool, and the stereo sounds great, but seems to emphasize the low end a little too much.
1)Transmission gearing between 1 and 2:: I have not experienced any mild hesitations when accelerating slowly from a standstill. You might 'feel' the shifting a bit more from time to time under slow acceleration but otherwise the tranny is smooth as silk and under regular driving I can't hardly notice the shifting pattern unless I am closely looking at the tach needle. Take a look at the tach to see if the car is shifting properly. If the hesitation is ever present or it feels like a 'slip' then take it to the dealer to have it checked just in case and clear any doubts.
2)Steering wheel rim size::: Yes the steering wheel rim size found in the Impala is a bit bigger than most other average sedans in its class. I think the two spoke design tends to make the wheel bigger. If you come from a car with a smaller size steering wheel, it does sure take a bit more to get used to. Before my first 2000 Impala LS I had a '97 Acura 2.5TL with a smaller 4-spoke design steering wheel. The trick is to adjust the wheel height in respect to a comfortable seat adjustment. Try different heights and seat aft adjustemnts until you find the most comfortable position. In my case the 'lower' I have the steering wheel the most comfortable I am....however, in long road trips I prefer to keep it at a higher setting. I am 5-10 so if you are a taller person, then the opposite might be true. I always try to maintain myself at least 10 inches away from the steering's center hub because of the Air Bag.
Other than that, once you get comfortable with the steering wheel, I find the grip to be excellent and I specially like the 'bumps' located at the 2 and 10 O'Clock positions. Another plus is the ability to rest your hands at the bottom of the wheel something that you can't do on cars with 3-spoke designs. Funny thing is that when I got my '01 LS the first thing that my wife I noticed is that the steering wheel on the new Impalas is actually thinner. The Steering wheel on my '00 LS was much ticker. I like the steering wheel thinner as it allows for better hand grip. We also noticed that the steering system has increased power assist at parking speeds thus reducing the amount of steering effort. I personally prefer a bit more effort than loose feeling power steering systems. I don't know if the new cars include a revised Intermediate steering shaft part, however.
3)I couldn't agree more, the DIC and Stereo are a blast to use! Love the sound of the new stereo, light years away from the 'Premium' sound found on the 2000 model year Impalas.
Personally I really like the steering wheel. I drive with my hands at "9 and 3" so they sit comfortably just above the spokes.
Seems strange to have someone commenting that there is too much bass in the system after all the posts on the bad old amp! I agree that the bottom end sometimes seems too "boomy" for my taste. Don't know if aftermarket speakers will help or not.
Brad
Actually this is the recommended way to place your hands on a steering wheel equipped with an Air Bag. Some experts claim that the old 2 and 10 O'Clock hand positions might actually interfere with the Air Bag should it deploys. And again, try to position yourself at least 10 inches away from the center of the steering hub.
We arrive in Augusta, check into the hotel, unpack half of the trunk stuff (leaving the schlager and the rest of the rapier gear in there), then head out to grab dinner at Damon's (Ken needs ribs!).
On the way from the hotel to the restaurant, I notice that the right-most light on my OnStar console, which is normally a steady green, is instead flashing red-red-red. I mash the OnStar button and talk to an advisor, asking about the light and whether I should be worried. She tells me that the GPS unit is malfunctioning, and that the last reported position she had for me was at the hotel. She runs a diagnostic, tells me that it's still screwed up, and that she'll make arrangements for me to take the Impala in to a local Augusta GM dealer to have the unit swapped out.
On a whim, I go check out the unit in the trunk to see if there's anything obviously visibly wrong. Perhaps a wire has been pulled out, or maybe the unit got pummelled while loading/unloading our gear... I pop the deck lid and immediately notice that the black plastic moulded cover isn't seated correctly. I remove the cover and do a visual inspection of the unit, but see nothing obvious -- all the wires are seated correctly, none of the hardware appears loose, all of the connections seem solid. So I reseat the plastic cover (it went on with a good solid POP!), go back to the front, and see that I've now got a solid green light. I call OnStar, and they report (correctly) that I'm sitting in the Damon's parking lot.
Lesson learned: Make sure that your OnStar cover is seated properly, and be aware of it's location when loading lots of gear in your trunk. It's rugged enough to absorb a bump or two, but don't go out of your way to seriously bash it. If the cover is on right, you will probably have no problems.
It wouldn't hurt to take a peek at your units and make sure the cover is on nice and snug. If you can move it, it's probably not seated properly. There are two hinge-type slots on the left-hand side of the unit, with two corresponding tabs on the left-hand side of the cover. Make sure the tabs are seated in the slots, then check that the two snaps on the right side (near the top and bottom) are firmly snapped in place.
Thanks guys/gals.
If you hear the motor running but the glass doesn't open, could be a symptom to a bigger problem. Make sure that the tracks are properly lubricated. If it persists, take it back to the dealer.
Again, I am not sure if this 'normal' behavior on the Impala.
I have been using the car bra on the front of my white Impala LS and the appearance of the car is great because it looks like a masked bandit. I wish I had a way of posting a photo of my car, but I do not know where I could store the photo online because I only have the internet at work. Oh well.
May everyone enjoy there Impala. Have a super day!
Last year there was a person who's Impala moonroof ripped right off the arms and slid off the top of his car. I don't know if it did anything unusual prior to THAT terrible experience. Needless to say he had to have the thing replaced AND the roof of his car repainted.
Hope this doesn't happen to you.
I have a moonroof, which I use everyday and I've had no problems. You should probably take it to the dealer and have it replaced while still under warranty. Otherwise, somewhere down the road you'll foot the expense.
The dealer insist they can't hear the problem, but I hear it all the time when going over rough paved roads, and over speed bumps at low speeds.
Has anyone else noticed how noisy the cabin of the impala is when you go over rough pavements?
If you are looking for Impala accessories, you can check out the Accessories page on my site. There is a vent visor that slips into the window track vice clips, but I don't know what the brand name is.
http://home.hawaii.rr.com/impala/
The static shock comes from the cloth seats. When you get out, you rub the seats and build the charge. I have learned to bump my shoulder on the door when I get out to discharge myself. I ordered a set of Wet Okole seat covers for the front buckets and I'll let you all know how that works out. I am expecting my first child in September and I have been warned how unforgiving a child can be on car seats. I'm not too concerned about stains, but a child's digestive system can slip into fast-forward and the stories I have been hearing about having to take the child seat out and hosing it off makes me worried about lingering smells. The Wet Okole covers are supposed to be 100% waterproof and cool. At $240 for the front set and $250 for the rear, I figured I had better try the front ones out first and decide if I really like it.
I have black paint and I love it. Yes, dirt/dust shows up quickly. It is a difficult paint to maintain. It absorbs heat faster than lighter shades. But for me it's still worth it. Ask me again after my child arrives.
I didn't want leather. I wear shorts most of the time and getting leather would be like getting vinyl seats. Sticky and sweaty.
This is like the spoiler/no spoiler discussion. The only things I would have added to my Impala is the 12 disk CD changer (anyone figured this out yet) and a power passenger seat. My pregnant wife would love to adjust the height of her seat.
I checked the 2k Impala and there are a few spots on it that are "ruff".
I talked to a co-worker that has a white 99 GMC truck. He had the same problem on his paint. He bought the Mothers Clay Bar system from Checker Auto. The kit comes with the clay bar, spray lube for the bar and a small bottle of wax. About $15.00 here in AZ.
I used this stuff on my Silverado and I swear you could use the truck as a "slip & slide" now that the paint is soooo smooth!
I am going to touch up a few spots on the Impala this coming weekend.
Tony
I called last week to order a front & rear set for my '01 LS. The gal told me because of the redesign they haven't come in yet & to check back with them in a couple of weeks. She couldn't confirm if they install with clips or not because they haven't seen them yet. I have them on my 2000 Silverado & they are great. They just slip into the window channel in about 1 minute & you are done. I think they are manufactured in Germany. The tape on ones are a joke (imho). As far as getting shocks, I always remember to firmly hold on to the top of the door frame when exiting the vehicle making sure I am holding on to the metal . That takes care of that problem in almost all instances.
My list of complaints is small, and they are not serious defects, just minor annoyances.
1. Although the trunk is large, the width of the opening is narrow, restricting the size of items that can be loaded into it.
2. The paint is a bit thin.
3. The molding strip along the sides of the car looks kind of tacky and is a nuisance when waxing the car.
4. The arm rests need some padding, on a long trip the hard plastic becomes uncomfortable.
5. The luggage net in the trunk is small and virtually useless for anything more than a couple bags of groceries.
Overall, the car is a good value, a good performer, and has been economical to own and maintain. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a roomy, 4 door vehicle.
About the article -
The latest Popular Mechanics magazine has an article on the Impala, but it does not state what year model they are talking about even though the Impala has been produced for two model years. This article points out the good selling points to influence people to buy them. The article also contains survey information of Impala owners. The article also tells about two of the main problems that plague the Impala. Are you ready for them? The two are the noisy air conditioner blower and the noisy tires. They claimed that a few dealerships changed out these noisy tires with a new set of quieter tires. Can you believe that they did not mention the intermediate steering shaft or the engine cradle as plaguing problems! They did a good job of praising the car, but the Popular Mechanics writers did not feel that the car was worthy of the Impala name because it was a weak car with a front wheel drive engine. They wanted Chevrolet, and I can not blame them for wish, to produce a more powerful Impala model to give it the SS badge.
The latest Hot Rod magazine also had an article on why the Impala SS would not be produced. The 4.8L engine they tried in the Impala broke the transaxle several times and the wheels would not quit spining once started out from a stopped position. This engine must have been fairly powerful. I do wish that Chevrolet would make an Impala SS though. I know I would buy one since they are stopping manufacturing the Chevrolet Camaro for a while.
Happy Impala motoring to all!
Now if it would only stop raining around here so I could wash mine!
RR
If you are into that sort of thing.
It is post #2966 in the intrigue forum.
Congratulations on your new car!
The now defunct FWD SS appears to have a 17" version of these monte carlo wheels.
Does anybody know anything about this?