2005 and Earlier Chevrolet Impala

b4z

Going on a trip to the North Carolina Mountains on July 28. Will probably change before the trip.

nosirrahg

I e-mailed mcdill a few weeks ago; he's doing fine, just working full-time over the summer, and staying too busy to spend much time on-line. He had no complaints about his Impala either; otherwise I'm sure he'd be dropping in.

sweetpolly

Hi Hunter,

I think you may be experiencing the same problems I had on my car. Anyway, it's covered under the warranty, so, just take it in for servicing. Sounds like your track may be bent as well. It's not cheap. The replacement track parts costs over $600.00! Therefore, if anyone is experiencing problems with their driver or passenger seats, get checked out while still under warranty.

mediumfry

My '01 LS with the 3800 hasn't used a drop of oil in 15,000 miles. I changed the oil/filter at 1500 and 3000 miles to rinse out the system, put in Mobil-1 and changed it again w/filter at 12,000 miles with a intermediate filter change at 9,000. Now I'm on track to change the oil every 12,000 miles and filter every 6. At the 9,000 mile filter change, the oil had 6000 miles on it and the dipstick showed right at the top (just like the day I changed it). Never smoked at all. I'd get it checked into. Sorry. After the Intrigue I suppose you're tired of dealer visits.

Gas mileage is getting better all the time, holding around 27 average for the life of the car, with 30.1 my best tank (warm and all highway) and 21 my worst tank (cold and all short trips). Some have claimed better mileage from their 3800's...I'm still proud of mine.

By the way, I've been finding Mobil-1 in special 5-quart containers at Wal-Mart for $17.88. It's not in stock all the time but it's a heckuva deal if you want to use Mobil-1. Saves about a buck a quart off the normal single quart or 6-pack price. If you're a Mobil-1 user, keep an eye out for it.

tomaso7

Hi Chris. E-mail me at tomaso7@home.com. I have all the info you need re Zaino. The manufacturer has tested it for years.

jeffreyw1

That sounds cool about painting the side moulding strips blue. That would look sharp on your silver paint Impala. Keep us informed on your decision.

00impala

You can in fact remove the side ones,But the ones on the Front and Rear Bumper Covers look like they are painted onto the bumper cover, I waxed my LS the other day and I used that Blue Painters Masking tape to cover them, I will post a pic tonite, They look cool blue, But I wouldn't want them that way, Also what color pin stripes go with the Galaxy Silver? Anyone have pinstripes on their Silver Impala? Don

b4z

Have not been able to get the wax haze off of the mouldings. Tried color back, which just covered it up and as soon as it rained the haze came back.
Tried the amorall cleaner which worked great on my intrigue but the haze came back on the mouldings after i washed it.
i need something permanent.

Will talk to a body shop about taking them off. The sides should be easy. I am assuming a blow dryer and some fishing line will get them off and goof off will take care of the residue.

i think there might be a gap between the bumper cover and the rear fender so i am wary of pulling them off in back.

If anybody has seen the car without the mouldings let me know.

00impala

Did you try WD40? I heard that it works on removing the Wax Residue, It can be avoided by being very careful wile waxing, but that is a bit more than I care to do, So I cover them with the Blue masking tape and it is cool , you can wax right over them, and when you are done they are residue free! I wouold think that the doors would look weird without the moulding in place since there is an indentation in the door skin for them. Check them out body colored in RED on my Webpage

http://community.webtv.net/dman4ford/00IMPALALS
I will remove and put up some new pics tonite, so check back. I used the Mothers Clay bar and McGuires Gold Class and the results are AWESOME! Super Glowing Galaxy Silver! Don

00impala

Are you sure you can even take them of the back., I looked closley at the rear moulding the other day and it appears to be one with the bumper cover, However the licence plate surround on the '01 that we drove the other day seems to have that section seperate from the bumper cover.

Teo.... The Base Dark Blue Impala that we drove had a Fresh Build Date of 7/01. I was suprised to see that it was so new! This dealership seems to get 'em in and move 'em out... That way there are no 1 1/2 year old cars sitting around, I still see in the paper here some dealers trying to sell New 1999 Blazers for goodness sake! I often wonder how some particular vehicles slip thru the cracks and stay at the dealership for an extended period of time.

hvan3

I wish those damn side moldings were painted the same color as the body panels. Perhaps, chrome moldings would look pretty cool; similar to the Lincoln LS.

Those black side/front/rear moldings are nasty looking. Yuck!

9899olds

Had some time to kill before golf this morning and after the car wash I stopped at Micheals Chev in New Baltimore Mich to look at a SS Camaro coupe and noticed a SS Monte.. This was a white car w/grey leather, sunroof, and lower body extensions with a sticker shock of $27,200. WOW- that is big time for the Chevy bunch and the 200 hp 3.8 go power..

Since a GTP loaded goes about the same in dollars and they throw in a SC engine; it appears someone at Chevy central has gone off the deep end..

b4z

i might try WD40 since it works for everything else. Maybe some duck tape too. LOL.

All body mouldings are removable and there will be body color paint underneath.

I don't know if you guys remember that when the last generation C/K pickup came out in 1988 it had a side indentation in the sheetmetal with a thick body moulding placed in it.

Several years later Chevy actually took the moulding out of the indentation where it was meant to be and placed the moulding UNDERNEATH the indention!

Of course the sport truck crowd started taking the moulding off completely when the truck came out and later a work truck W/T was offered without the mouldings.

A very clean look in my opinion.

The best way to take mouldings off is to get some fishing string and tie both ends to some wooden dowels. Place the string under the corner of the moulding at the sheetmetal and use a sawing motion. A blow dryer will loosen up the glue.

I am hoping it will not scratch the paint.

I feel that the same thing could be done with the impala and hopefully it will not look too slab sided.

00impala

http://community-2.webtv.net/dman4ford/VARIOUSPICTURESOF/

impalanator

00impala..-- Where did you find "low-gloss" amorall? Is this just the tire stuff or the general purpose protectant. I've trying to find something low gloss for use on the dashboard. With these windshields slanted at this extreme angle anything glossy reflects really bad.

I think your safest bet for pinstripes is black. I have a Regal blue Metallic that has white pinstripes. If they don't contrast then whats the point? Personally I think the GS color would look cool with two wide (not to wide and just the right separation) black racing stripes up over the hood, roof and down the trunk. Kind of reminiscent of the Old's 442 look. Maybe a GT350 style stripe just above the rocker panels would look good to. In that regard I think the White Impala with blue stripes would really stand out. Nice pics on the website.

nosirrahg

Just a thought before someone goes tearing off their black side moulding and wishes they hadn't; why not take a walk through your nearby "U-Pull-It" auto parts place, and see if you can't find a crashed Impala to experiment with before you trash your own.

teo

I second that suggestion. You don't wanna say oopps! with your own car. Perhaps the door's rubber trim can be easily removed but I have my doubts about the bumper trim removal without messing up something else.

Personally the black trim doesn't bother me that much. I have had cars with fully painted bumpers and door trim and when those things get nicked or chipped they don't look that great either.

I think the use of plastic bumpers is a way to justify the reduced cost of these by manufacturers. I always believed that bumpers should always be metal like in the old days. Bumpers in most new cars are an absolute joke.

Instead of pursuing trim related issues I will probably change the tires of my car and put new Yokohama AVS dbs Ultra High Performance tires. I think the $500 investment on better rubber will give me a significant improvement in handling, cornering, ride, traction, noise reduction and braking abilities.

I also think that the OEM Goodyear Eagle GA tires, while decent tires, they do hamper and limit the Impala's handling dynamics. they are also noisy a problem that will be remedied with the new Yokos.

00impala

I did see a Silver Impala on one of those Junk yard Web pages that had the rear door molding removed, I will try and find it and post it on my newer web page. I found the low Gloss Armor All at Wal Mart, It is not always there, But they did have it, I use a different item on my dashboard, and not too often called Black Magic Low Gloss Dashboard protectant May have to check Pep Boys or Wal Mart for that. Teo....What are you gonna do with the GA's? Trade them in or sell them? Don

teo

I will try to sell them at first. They only have been used for 2100 miles so they are still practically new and under the Goodyear warranty.

If you or anyone else might be interested please let me know.

woo_by

I'm also considering changing my tires...I have the Uniroyal ones on the base model...
I was looking at the Yoko's for $96 a tire, as well as the Firestone (gasp!) Firehawk SZ50's for only $49 a tire (ZR-rated with pretty good reviews on tirerack.com)

what do you think?

teo

I have no real world experience with neither one of them but I would tend to go with the Yokos. Many years ago I had a Ford Aerostar van with Firestone tires and those things turned to junk in no time. With Firestone you get what you paid for.

I have read good reviews on the Yokohama AVS tires and they seem to return a respectable level of performance without sacrificing road/noise levels of comfort. They are more expensive indeed but based on Garypen's feedback they seem to be a worthy investment considering how much they enhance the Impala's driving character.

I have also been suggested to look into the Dunlop SP5000 tires.

The Goodyear Eagle GA is an OK touring tire with sturdy construction and good tread life but they do come up short in terms of handling and road noise.

9899olds

I understand you have the base Impala which has the non-sport suspension..To buy a speed rated tire is a waste of money for the suspension does not work well with the stiff walled tires..The Uniroyal tire isn't that great but your car wasn't build for any handling awards..

The Goodyear GA tire is a decent tire and may be a little harsh; but will perform well under Impala conditions.. Put 34# of air in and it handle much better.. OEM tires are price items--Cadillac STS/SLS in the 108mph state get Goodyear LS tires; same ones being std on many cars costing 20k less..

teo

True, I forgot about the different suspension tunning on the base Impala. Perhaps a lower price alternative should be consider in Woo by's case. At any rate I would stay away from the Firestones..

What OEM tires were included with your Intrigue?

teo

Here are some basic spec differences between the Impala Base (3400 V6) and the Impala Base 3800/LS sedans:

Impala Base:

* Variable-rate front coil springs and nonlinear rear coil springs

*Hollow 32mm front and 14mm solid rear stabilizer bars

* 3400 V6 engine steering ratio 15.2:1

Impala Base 3800/LS:

*Variable-rate front coil springs and nonlinear rear coil springs

*Hollow 30mm front and 17.2mm hollow rear stabilizer bars

*3800 V6 engine Steering ratio 13.3:1

hvan3

Yokohama tires are nice. From what I hear, they have the softest rubber compound in their tires. That means those Yoko tires don't last that long, especially high performance tires. Same is true for any low profile tires that is 17" and greater. My Dunlop SP8000 low profile tires that I had on my Accord averages about 22K miles before replacement.

For anyone who wants good performance tires, I would recommend Michelin MXV4. These tires are "energy efficient" and gives smooth quiet ride. The MXV4 is OEM for Honda and Benz. Prepare to pay big bucks for them.

9899olds

The Impala specs are misleading..The LS is sport tuned which means different rates and bushing hardness..Sway bars are also different..

The Intrigue comes with GY LS 225/60/16. Nothing special; but the four on my 99 GLS are amazingly perfect in balance and roundness..They are running low on tread at 47k miles but they have worn evenly, no cupping or uneveness of tread..They are so perfect I hate to have them replaced and go through the BS of balance/roundness.. The Intrigue's suspension is perfect for the 75/85 cruise for it holds the tire to the pavement..

I had the same tires on the 98 Intrigue and for 20k miles it vibrated until I told my dealer to keep the car and cure the shake..They put 2 new LSs on the front and fixed the vibs..At 26k GM got the car back; but it was smooth.. Smooth lemonade!!!

If you had LS tires I would have you send them up to Detroit and you get your Yoko tires.. The SH30 Firestones are a well rated tire and should be compatible..The speed rated tires are manufactured and inspected to a higher quality level than the run of the mill OEM stuff..

The Intrigue's alignment is perfect at 47k and will probably last until the I dump it on the z-28..Cars don't really lose their alignment unless you really clobber something..If he struts are changed then you have to have it done..

Buicks are the worst for alignment because they start to wear out tires and you are forced to go through the baloney until one realizes the OEM Buick struts are shot at 40k miles..

The Intrigue struts are firm like tractor vintage..

teo

I find the sunvisor extensions kinda of useless specially if you have the overhead trip computer?

If you set the sunvisor towards the side window the extensions work better.

Good news for 2001 is that the sunvisors actually stay in place when you fold them back against the windshield.

teo

Misleading in what way...? I don't follow..

bdime

Chevy was throwing out coupons on 2001 Impalas for the Chicago are at the race-
$1500 off. Nice but aren't most folks waiting for the 2002 by now? I guess if the
price were right--

9899olds

Read over what you posted for the Impala specs disregarding the sway bars info and what does it say????? What are the base rates and the LS rates for the front and rear????LS steering is quicker..

Do the Impalas have sun visor extensions????

If so; then the Impala hertiage is real close to Buick---AARP land..My LeSabre had the visor extensions..Really hate to admit that i owned one because they are actually dangerous to drive until one reworks the suspension..

My first panic stop in the 94 LeSabre reminded me why it had seat belts::::::to keep one from sliding off the seat onto the floor..The front end dip was so bad i couldn't believe it was allowed..The car was 5k miles old---paid 14K in 95 for it..Ran it a quick 113k miles and traded it in on the 98 Intrigue..

b4z

Think the spring rates might be the same and the sway bars are different.
Wbodies don't differ much in spring rates. Mostly sway bars and struts.
The intrigue has a huge front sway bar and stiffer damping.

mediumfry

I've had excellent luck with Michelin tires for years and years. I like the Goodyears on my '01 LS pretty well but I'm looking forward to putting Michelin X1 or equivalent tires on it when the GY's wear out. I had Michelin XH4's on my Grand Am and they performed nicely (not race-track nice but a good soft ride with decent traction and awesome wear). The XH4's had 105,000 miles on them when I sold the car, and they still had 6 of the original 9 32nds of an inch of tread on them. I have X1's on my minivan, they have 20K on them and negligible wear...they're still like new. And talk about quiet and smooth!!!!

Michelins also hold their balance and shape as well as any tire. They're expensive but they're very well worth it...

tomaso7

Please go to the address below and you will see that Zymol falls flat and Meguires is old news.

Please remember that even though the cheap Zymol is better than the more expensive Zymol it contains Carnuba - finally the truth is out there about Carnuba.

http://www.nsxsc.com/nsexcitement/waxtest.html

bbrowne74

Are you the one who resells it? If so then perhaps you're a little biased?

Zaino is a GREAT product. I read some other forums (Autopia, etc.) where people are almost fanatical about what they use. one Grand Blitz Wax is a GREAT product, has carnuba, and works just fine.

You're showing a NSX owners group opinion on this. FOr everyone one of these there's another opinion out there, just as valid, that would prove you 200% wrong.

I guess it's all subjective, just dont' forget that because you're selling it...:>

spider717

Does anyone know the curb weight of a '01 Imp LS? Just curious. (in addition if anyone knows the weight of a ford contour can you tell me, it seems they are a "bit" faster than an Imp)

spider717

Does anyone actually use their fog lights? I can see them come on adn stuff, but well, I would expect more than just the little difference they make. Please excuse any poor grammar, it's 3:15 am and I am tired. Long days of work

night_owl1

I re-wrote the page and dumped the splash page. Please take a look and let me know what you think.

http://home.hawaii.rr.com/impala/

p.s. For those of you who were using the http://home.hawaii.rr.com/impala/Welcome.html address, dump it. You will need to use the above address.

Aloha

woo_by

wow, night_owl, great job on the web page revamp!

on the subject on k&n air filters, I have an extra filter (brand new, unopened)
would anyone be interested in buying it from me?

email me: brian.woo@marconi.com

teo

Impala Base: 3,389

Impala LS: 3,466

kenbuzz

Nice pics. I see your plates begin with "AYH", I'm guessing you're in the SW part of the state? I used to live in Dayton, and the sequence seems familiar.

fathertyricius

was just absolutely fantastic. I did a roundtrip from NJ to Ontario Canada, for a total of 1,094 miles roundtrip. The LS performed so smooth, and gave me 31 mpg with a fully loaded trunk with my family of four. She performed flawlessly. This car is really beautiful. I loved every mile I drove.

2ndgrade

Hi, we have a 2000 Impala LS with 18,300 miles on it that was built in March 2000. About two months ago it started making a vibrating noise that has been getting louder and more annoying as the weeks pass. The dealer has had the car twice and they say they have no idea what the noise is. The noise is present at all speeds but is most noticeable and loudest between 25 and 35 mph, in other words, the noise vibrates slow at slower speeds and fast at faster speeds. Also when I turn the steering wheel to make a sharp turn I feel something strange in the steering. The first time the dealer had the car they said it was the rear brake pads and since there is a TSB out for the rear brake pads, they replaced them. The car still made the noise when I drove off the lot. The second time they had the car they replaced a wheel bearing in the rear left driver side tire. That didn't solve the noise either. It's going in next week to be looked at again. Could someone please describe what the "cradle noise" problem sounds like? Is there any chance this vibrating noise could be a cradle problem? Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

hunter39

Sounds more like the Intermediate steering shaft than the cradle issue, but then, it could be both of them! Have your dealer look at both, since there are two tsb's for them (one for each) Have them look straight away at those two items, and don't let them tell you there is nothing wrong with them. There is a history on this car for those two items and it is most likely the culprits!

00impala

Determine the letters as to the geographical Area? I live in Cincinnati, 8 miles from the Indiana Border, Cant get much more South West in Ohio than that.... it is (A X H)...I just read an article in the paper today that all OHIO Plates are going to change over to a Bicentennial Theme starting Oct. 1st. "OHIO BICENTENNIAL "1803-2003" They are going to start implementing them Oct 1 ,2001 and ALL must be changed by January 2003, I have to re-new my plates before Aug, I will have go again to get some "new" plates come Oct. They are pretty nice looking and have 2 letters followed by 2 numbers Followed by 2 more letters and they cost .75 cents for replacing the really old (prior to '95) Blue and White and $2.75 to replace the current Gold/Blue "Birthplace of Avation" plates. Hows that for off the subject? Ok...Back to Impala's.....................Don

jerseyimpala

Hi this is my first post on this board but I have been following it for about 2 months. I have an '01 black ls, fully loaded, build date of 6/00. Tomorrow I will be pursuing the 103 amp at my local dealer. I have a question regarding a problem with my engine during cold starts. I'm in New Jersey so it's not too harsh here in the winter, usually around 40 degrees in winter when I start out. I noticed that before the engine warmed up on colder days, usually when the temp. was below 50, the engine would hesitate when going from 1st to 2nd. Normal operation on the engine will shift around 3000 RPM, but when cold, it would hit 3000, prepare to shift, then the engine would race on its own up to 5500 RPM and finally kick into 2nd. Hasn't happened in the warmer months or when the engine is warm. Any suggestions/TSB's out there on this?
Thanks, Dan - NJ

mebock

My 2000 Impala LS has a build date of 05/00. At 3000 miles, it had the same problem. Once it was warm, it would not repeat it for the same day even. They ended up replacing the valve body and valves in the transaxle. Likely one of the valves is sticking. It was hard for the dealer to duplicate. Had to leave it overnight so they could start it cold. At 5900 miles they had to replace a defective pressure switch. I actually think they damaged it when they replaced the valve body. It is very delicate according to the shop manual and should be handled with care. It mounts on the valve body assembly. If they replace the valve body, try to have them put on a new pressure switch instead of reusing the old one. This may save you having the same problem. I only have 6200 miles on it now. If we have anymore transaxle problems, we will be talking buyback. Once mechanics at a dealership have to touch anything, your confidence in the vehicle is gone!

teo

If you buy a new 2002 Pontiac Sunbird (Gasp!) you can also get an optional 400 Watt Moonsoon stereo!!!

Hello Chevy, don't you think the Impala would be a better more deserving recepient of an optional Moonsoon stereo?

hvan3

I too have 2000 Impala with a build date of 5/00. I also have a slight hestitation at start up. In the morning, temperature is at high 60's (CA). I get slight hestitation at speed of 10-15 mph. Once I feel the hestitation, I immediately let go of the gas pedal. It doesn't bother me that much because it doesn't happen that frequently. Maybe once a month?

What I do is warm up the engine for at least 5 minutes before driving to work. Normally, I warm up the engine, go back into the house to get my briefcase and lunch sac. By the time I get back into the car, the engine is nicely warmed. I haven't had any problem since performing this routine. It would be nice if I had an automatic starter remote.

Anyway, i'll take your suggestion of having the valve body replace if it gets worst.

Other than that, I love the car!

discgolfer

OK, I decided to do it. I printed out about 10 to 12 of the posts here regarding the Amp replacement and went to my local dealer at lunch time today. I decided to go directly to the Service Manager with it, but of course, he was OTL (Out to Lunch). I went ahead and talked to a Service Advisor about it and showed him my printout. He read 1 or 2 of them, then said "Lets schedule you an appointment next week. I'll have to have a tech look at it" (Even when I took it in for the wheel liners, WITH A TSB OUT, they wanted to look at it first). Anyway, he seemed very helpful, and I have an appointment on Tuesday. I'll post the results next week...

drew_