The only "logoed" mudflaps that I'm aware of bear your choice of the GM logo, the Chevy Bow Tie or the word "Chevrolet". I don't know of any that are Impala-specific. The part numbers for the above-mentioned mudflaps are:
Black, With White Chevrolet Logo (9" Wide) 12497403 Black, With White GM Logo (9" Wide) 12497401 Black, With White Bowtie Logo (9" Wide) 12497404
Here's a photo:
There's also a Black mudflap with no logo (9" Wide) 12497400
Go to www.gmpart.com to get a price quote from Chuck Hutton Online (a dealer who sells discounted parts and ships for free). Note that these are GENERIC Chevy/GM mudflaps, they're not molded specifically for the Impala. The molded mudflaps are currently under recall, since there was a change to the wheel well design for 2001 and GM did not update their mudflap design. If you're looking for flaps for a 2000 model, the part numbers are:
The front guards mentioned by kenbuzz are still available and fit correctly on the 2001. The rear guards need to be modified to fit, but it's really easy to do (cut off a 3x5 cm section). The tough part might be finding a set of 12496350 flaps. My dealer had to order them from stock at another dealer. They look really nice.
Installed the smoked lexan hood guard on the weekend. It looks really nice - even has "IMPALA" stenciled on it. GM part #10953641 (in Canada anyway). List price CDN$80.
Pretty easy install, it's held in place with two plugs and screws that fit into holes that are already in the underside of the hood (the plugs spin in the holes which is a bit of a pain, but you can get around that with tape). There are also four clips that clip to the front edge of the hood (the install kit includes clear protective tape to put on the hood under the clips). Finally, there are nine "bumpers" that you stick to the hood all along the top edge of the guard to prevent the guard from rubbing on the hood. I debated putting the bumpers on the guard, but thought they might rub on the paint.
The only thing I don't like is that I'll have to remove the protector if I want to really wash under it.
I did take pictures and I'll get them scanned at work once they're developed. Now all I need to do is figure out how to post pictures!
The first message in the Photo Gallery gives instructions on how to post a photo in the Town Hall. If you have difficulty or need help, just let me know!
I have a complete set of 2000 Impala/Monte Carlo Factory Helms manualsfor sale $100 plus UPS They are also on ebay Item # 591908677. They cost me $150.
It's been mild and clammy for the last 2 weeks here in Maryland, preventing me from getting the nice bra warmed-up enough to allow me to install it on the nose of the Impala.
I got the hood piece on with a little difficulty. It's still refusing to go on all the way, there's about 1/2" to 1" of bra sticking forward of the hood corners which probably won't go away until a nice warm afternoon.
I tried installing the nose piece last night. No luck. I need another 2-3" of play before it'll stretch enough to go all the way around. The snaps are installed, but that's all. Kinda frustrating!
Question time: When looking at the nose piece, I saw the several different ways it attaches to the car... snaps, bungee loops, bungee hooks, and "tabs". While I have figured out that some of the tabs go around the headlight cover, and still others go between the grille and the nose fairing... WHAT THE HECK am I supposed to do with the tabs along the bottom edge of the bra?
You are supposed to bend them into a "U" or "V" and then hook them under the underside. It took 2x before I got them on right on my '01, but now it is on snug and looks quite sharp with my dark blue!
Driving Milwaukee to Green Bay today w/ Road Construction up the wazoo in I-43. Saw LOTS of the Silver Impalas, some LS but most were base model, minus 2 that had the Onstar Antenna (I think) but must have had the spoiler delete option.
That bra on this highway today saved me - I found a couple rocks stuck into the bra and LOTS of bug junk.
If you followed the directions and are placing the hooks in the 2 holes where you removed the 2 plastic gromments near the front of the underside of the hood, It will NEVER be Snug, I hook the hooks in to one of the 2 holes on each side along the side of the hood near the Hood Strut, This way the tension is holding the piece on and it fits like a glove, Not too tight and not as loose as the original way, It felt to me like it would slip off with the straps going width wise across the hood, Hook them into the Holes already in the underside of the edge of the hood near where the Hood Strut is connected to the Hood, You will much happier that way! And it will be Sweet! No more sagging in the corners, I don't know why they don't revise the mounting instructions, I mentioned it to the guy at PerfectFit and he agreed way back when I couldn't get mine to fit,01/00 I thought the same way as you, "It will heal itself on a warm day", ""NEVER""...I had a Monte Carlo '96 Bra from perfect Fit and it attatched the same as I Mentioned above (along the in-sides of the Hood near the Strut) so it was a natural that the Impala Fit the same way...After I though about it and fought with the Impala one for a week, I thought it was sewn wrong and was in close contact with the guy from P Fit to possibly send it back and get another and Bingo I got the Solution! Don
I've got the perfect fit on my '01 LS. It DOES fit snug. You snap it on 5 snaps on each side. Under the car itself there are tabs that are hard. You bend them and then hook them to the underside of the car - that's what he was talking about.
Mine fits fine and doesn't move. It IS snug and works perfectly!
Don - unless I'm WAY off base here I dont' think you know what he was actually saying.
Actually, Don was talking about the hood piece, which I also complained about not fitting quite right in my original note. Don, I'll give your suggestion a try so see if I can get the hood piece to fit better.
BB, thanks for the tip on the U/V tabs. Right now, the nose piece won't fit on the car. I come up several inches short from one set of snaps when the other side is snapped in. Dosen't help much that my car (and the bra in the backseat) spends most of it's time in my garage or in the parking garage at work. Maybe I'll leave it sit out in the driveway tomorrow... supposed to be nice and warm, maybe that'll do it.
I am talking about the HOOD PIECE, You are right Kenbuzz....The first Paragraph of your Post 108 is what I was reffering to, The Bottom part of the Bra is SIMPLE, Providing that you can get all of the snaps done,PULL IT on there it will not Rip! The top Hood part is also Simple, But if you do it by the directions you may get some sagging in the corners and overall looseness, I did until I put the 2 longer hooks on each end of the Hood Piece into a hole next to the Hood support on each side making it more taught by actually holding the piece on more securely and it solved the problem and it fit great in the corners. Don
Okay all, JCI and KenBuzz are going off-topic for a moment!
Ah yes, Naperville. My girlfriend, her 7-year-old daughter Ellen, and I drove up to Naperville from Dayton for that gig... it was the first one of the 1996 tour. I'm a friend of the band, so I've got access as long as I don't abuse it. I took Ellen backstage, where she got to meet many of the band members, including Sam Clayton. Sam asked her which song was her favorite, to which she diplomatically replied, "anything by you!" (Sam really *was* her favorite, he walked right into her trap!)
During the gig, just as Sam was being introduced to sing "Spanish Moon", he said that he had made a new friend before the show and that he was dedicating this song "to Ellen". The 7-year-old squealed! That's still one of my happiest Feat memories...and there are lots!
Feat are still touring. They've just wrapped up a Eurpoean tour (last night was London, they're homeward bound now), and are beginning a tour here in the US later this week. They're starting with 9 gigs in 6 days in the greater DC and VA areas beginning next Tuesday (all 6 shows in Annapolis are already sold out...) I'll be catching them in Annapolis, Richmond, and Norfolk.
The band's website is www.littlefeat.net If any Impala members are interested in meeting me, or in using me to meet the band, lemme know!
My Silver LS is leased, so I have to be careful about which modifications I choose to do. The following are my thoughts and plans. I'd appreciate any and all comments and suggestions.
STEREO - I just replaced the rears with JBL GTO 930's. A big improvement. I took them out of my Civic, which I had only installed a couple of weeks ago. Tomorrow, I'll see if the GTO620's will fit in the front. Doubtful. GM uses oversized 6-3/4".
TIRES- The Goodyear GA's are ugly, noisy, and don't handle very well. I plan on replacing them with a quieter, better handling tire. The Yokohama AVS DB is a speed rated ultra performance tire that is also quieter than most touring tires, which is rare for a performance tire. I'll do that next week.
WHEELS- In all of the photos in the Gallery, and on individual members' personal websites, I notice that everyone still has the stock LS wheels. Am I the only one that feels a 16" wheel is too small on a car this size?
JET POWER MODULE- Has anyone tried this? It sounds very cool. It also seems like the only performance mod that I can do to my leased car. I want to know if it works before I shell out $200.
GRILL- I'd like to replace the grill with a black metal one. I can only do this if it is simple to swap out. Of course, I don't want to spend a lot, either. Any leads?
FLOOR MATS- I'm looking for a complete set of high quality, custom fitted, carpeted mats with the flying impala logo. Any leads? I was shocked at how embarrassingly cheap the factory mats were. Real crap. GM should be ashamed. I ran right out to Costco, and bought a temporary set.
LICENSE PLATE FRAMES- I'd like to find frames that match the silver finish of the car's body, with maybe a black bow tie logo.
WOOD GRAIN TRIM- I've found a couple of sites that sell trim to match the Impala's. However, they all sell whole sets. I only want to do the console, keeping it tasteful. I don't want the interior of the car to look like a paneled den.
BRA- Nope. Don't like the way they look.
I look forward to any knowledge, ideas, or experiences you folks care to share with me.
Here's the post where I tell all. I got it through the parts department at my dealer.
<<a href="/direct/view/.eea692d/105">bh0001 May 22, 2001 6:52pm>
I did have a problem with it at first. The "tabs" that get screwed to the underside of the hood both cracked. It turns out that these get pinched between the hood and a couple of the hood bumpers. I got my dealer to give me a warranty replacement and I carefully cut out the part of the guard that was getting pinched between the bumper and the hood. No problems now. It takes a bit of work to mark out the area that needs to be cut away, but is really easy to cut if you have a hole saw that's the same diameter as the bumper. Brad
Thanks for that info! I looked up that PN on Hutton's site. It is a SPO item selling for $29.75US. I may check out my dealer to see if they have any in stock so I can see the mounting hardware and application procedures for myself.
But I must say that I love the way it looks on the Impala. I have a black one as well.
My concern was the ease of REMOVAL for washing the hood. Have you had that experience yet?
That price is incredible! You'd better verify with them that it is the correct guard. The Canadian part number might be different from the U.S. part number.
I take mine off all the time for washing (or for when I switch over to the full bra for longer trips).
All you do is remove the two screws and off it comes. Very simple. I did a switch over from the bra to the guard last night and it took me about three minutes.
Ray is installing a JET Power Control Unit in his Impala and has been keeping me updated on his progress. I have posted the installation instructions so you can see what is required to do this upgrade. It doesn't look all that difficult and at least we now know what the TPS and MAP are. As he feeds me the info, I'll update the page.
I want to thank night owl and others for posting information relating to my modifaction plans. They may not have even been in response, but they have been very informative, just the same. I also want toupdate on what I have done so far:
1. I originally replaced all four speakers with JBL GTO's, which were only borrowed from my other car. I liked those low priced JBL's so much compared to the factory jobs, that I ordered JBL Power Series for the front and rear, a set of tweeters for the upper door panels, and a new amp. I've installed the fronts and rears, so far. They sound so good with the stock amp, that I'm going to return the JBL amp. I will keep the tweeters, and install them in or around the plastic panel by the side mirrors.
2. I replaced those horrible Goodyear GA's with Yokohama AVS db's. Man, what a difference! Much better handling. Much better looking. And, the quietest ride I have ever sat on top of. I have to disable the auto-volume on the stereo. Even on low setting, it gets too loud at high speeds, because the ride is so quiet.
I look forward to hearing more about Ray's experience with the Jet Module, and night owl's experiences with his grill.
If anyone has actually purchased high quality custom logo floor mats, I'd love to know where you got them from.
If anyone knows where I can get license plate frames color-keyed for the Impala body color, I'd appreciate that as well.
I just leased a 2001 LS, and was assured by the dealer that I could upgrade the sound system with an after-market product (I want to add mp3 technology). One installer at a specialty store told me about a "black box" designed to record data upon car impact present ONLY IN LATE 2001 Impalas !!?? Installation of a non-factory product could, according to him, cause deployment of air bags, screwed up dash electronics, and many other electrical issues. Enquiring minds want to know - whats more, I can't play mp3 - can anyone verify this ?
I called the dealership today and spoke with the service department (not believing sales) and the service manager said it is INDEED true ! The unit is called a "type 2 data bus" and will become the standard on all new GM vehicles. There is a work-around kit so I can install an after-market unit but the steering wheel controls for tuning and volume will no longer work - alas, I am forever doomed to a life of factory audio !
Dry traction appears about the same. I can't compare wet traction, as I don't think it rained at all during the 3 months I had the Goodyears. It drizzled a little lately, and the Yokohamas were excellent. Handling/cornering is another story. The car now feels confident on the cloverleafs, changing lanes, or even simple u-turns on the boulevard. No squealing. No skittering, which happened on a number of occasions while turning through roughly paved intersections. Noise/Ride is unbelievable. I have never driven on a quieter tire, period! I paid $96 each at my local America's Tire/Discount Tire (tires.com) for 225/60ZR16, which are an exact size replacement for the stock GA's. Unfortunately, I don't think they have an up-size that will match that diameter. If they did, I would have gotten 17's or 18's. I always felt that 16's are too small for the Impala. The 90's era Impala SS had a 17 that looked exactly like the current Impala LS wheel. Tirerack.com also has the Yoko's for $96.
If you can I highly recommend new tires for your Impala. The GA's that come with the car suck, they give out early and squeel when going around a sharp curve. My first major mod to my Impala was wheels and tires. I replaced the wheels with a set of 18's X 7.5" and got some Kumho Ecsta Supra 245/40/ZR18 tires. What a huge difference, you can feel your car grip to the ground, and you can take sharp curve at fast speeds without losing traction and no squeeling. I got pictures of my setup at http://members.home.com/chrbut
I have the custom floor mats in my Regal Blue 2kls, I got the blue color with my gray leather interior, the contrast in color looks cool (the logo is gray/silver thread embroidery so it goes well with my gray interior) I don't know if Nathan has the source listed on his site for the mats, but I think you can find them at gmparts.com or try Chuckhutton.com and follow the links, they offer a 15% discount and free shipping in the US making the cost somewhere around 84.00 for 4 mats, two front logo and two rear plain.
"Type 2 data bus" sounds like a method to transmit data vice a way to record it. The Impala radio utilizes an audio class 2 serial data line to transmit commands from the head unit to the CD changer and the rest of the car (this is how you re-program the car).
If, as the installer claims, adding aftermarket audio equipment could potentially set off the airbags (highly unlikely) then a workaround kit could likewise affect the airbags and cause it not to deploy when needed.
If your intent was to change out the head unit, you are correct in assuming that you will lose the use of the steering wheel controls. You will also lose the ablility to reprogram many of the features of your car. You can add an aftermarket changer to your car using a FM modulator or the universal kit from Crutchfield.
A while back I did some surfing on the 'net for aftermarket add-ons that will let you use steering wheel radio controls with aftermarket stereos. I remember finding something that wires into the steering wheel controls, changes the signals to IR, then transmits them to IR-capable aftermarket head units. Unfortunately I have no idea where I found this. Do some surfing to see what you can find.
Of course, you still have the issue of losing the head-unit car configuration programming, unless you move the head unit to the trunk like the guy did back here <<a href="/direct/view/.eea692d/84">snmpimp Apr 23, 2001 12:47pm>
Thanks! I just sent an email to Kim at Chuck Hutton (gmparts.acom). I look forward to my cool new mats. I couldn't believe what cheap crap the factory mats were. They were embarassing. The day I after I got the car, I drove over to Costco and bought a set of plain gray mats until I could find the logo deals.
I forgot to mention how the steering is much tighter and more deliberate. You can feel how much better the tires grip the road, right through the steering wheel. Also, the Yokohama's look much sportier with their cerrated bands compared to the plain smooth-walled Goodyears. Some might even think the Yokohama's sidewalls are too "busy".
If you want to change your factory head unit and still want to keep you steering wheel controls working, crutchfield has an IR Adapter that lists for $69.95, PAC SWI-2; Steering Wheel Radio Control Interface. They dont have them in stock yet, but if you want to put in a sony head unit they got a different adapter you can use, its $99.95, Soundgate GMSW1; GM/Sony Steering Wheel Control Adapter. I was thinking about doing this, but how can I incorporate my onstar system with an aftermarket head unit. Chris
Thanks very much for the info. Based on your description it appears to be that spending that extra $500.00 for a new set of Yokohama AVS dbs tires will really bring noticeable improvements in terms of ride, handling and braking.
But the "LOGO" mats are NO different than the OEM Mats, They are EXACTLY the same but have the Cool Logo and word IMPALA, I get the drift that you hate the OEM's and think the Logo Mats are different by design? Better made or More Durable?, Afraid not.... They are the Same Original equipment Type, I too was not happy with the 'el Cheapo mats when I bought my car new and I thought I ordered "RUBBER" Logo'd mats and they arrived Carpeted w/ logo.. I like the look. The Rubber ones exist somewhere out there I saw them in an Accessories book. I have not looked for the p/n's or tried to find any.
Oh no! I can't believe that! That must explain why "genuine GM" Impala logo mats are cheaper than aftermarket. However, $95 is still way too much if they're the same cheap garbage-like quality as the stock mats. I hope Chuck Hutton takes returns, if that's true. Actually, I find the entire interior of the car to be poorly constructed of cheap materials. A $24,000 ($26+ MSRP) vehicle should be way better in that regard. You'd think it was made in Korea. If it wouldn't cost an arm and leg to get out of my lease this early, I'd return it and get an Acura TL for about the same lease payment. For now, I'll just make the best of it and spend a few bucks to spruce up the Impala with things like mats, splash guards, tires, speakers, etc. BTW, the Impala accessories brochure shows rubber logo mats. Did you check with Chuck Hutton at gmparts.com?
There are vinyl ones and their part numbers - plug that into Chuck Hutton's site. IF they don't have them they'll order them for ya - Kim there is GREAT.
I wouldn't recommend sawing the pipe. If you want to do it yourself, go and rent/buy a exhaust pipe cutter. If you saw the pipe, chances are that you won't be able to get a square cut. It's like a regular pipe cutter, but the cutting wheels are attached to what looks like a bicycle chain.
If you have never done something like this before, don't do it all by yourself. At least find someone who has some experence.
The biggest expense was the flowmaster itself wasn't it? Almost any muffler shop would be able to install it for you for a nominal fee ( I think I paid $45 for mine) not a whole lot to have a professional install it. They have to re-do your muffler hangers too, and while they are there, might as well get a nice nifty exhaust tip too!
I am ordering a set of the Rubber logo Floor mats for my Impala, I am only ordering the Front Set $47.00 from Hutton. The P/N for the Grey Front Set is P/N 12496002 and the rear Set P/N 12495234 The rear set costs around $34.00 and seems like a waste for me since I Have 2 sets of carpeted ones for back there.
bbrowne74.....thanks for the link to the part numbers, Hutton does not have them in stock but can get them, the site you listed above shows ALL of the P/N's for the Grey,Beige, and Blue Front and Rear. You can use the P/N's from the site above on Huttons price checker on their site www.gmpart.com to see the prices. They Show up even though they are not in stock. Thanks Again Don
I recently installed a jet power control module.... about ten minutes after installing it the check engine light came on. I contacted jet... the only response I got was that the unit I have may be defective. The unit also needs a different way of mounting it...velcro strips suck. The glue melted after a few days. I recommend not buying one. The 200+ dollars is better spent on something else. The check engine light went away after I uninstalled it.
You are the third person who mentioned the Check Engine light issue. From what I can tell, this unit can be used for a number of cars, including the MC. Is JET going to send you a new unit?
It really sounds like it's not worth the $200, or the aggrevation, for a 10-12HP increase. A cat back exhaust will probably provide more of a boost. I've gotten increased performance by simply switching to premium gas. For only a few pennies more per gallon, it's an extremely cost effective way to increase performance. I'm sure that most of you already do that, as you love your cars so much. Not me. I figured that I'd save money, as long as the manual said regular gas was OK. Now that there is such a small difference in price, I'd be foolish not to enjoy the added benefits of premium. If anyone is still using regular, try switching. You should notice the difference almost immediately, at most after only two fill ups.
Comments
Black, With White Chevrolet Logo (9" Wide) 12497403
Black, With White GM Logo (9" Wide) 12497401
Black, With White Bowtie Logo (9" Wide) 12497404
Here's a photo:
There's also a Black mudflap with no logo (9" Wide) 12497400
Go to www.gmpart.com to get a price quote from Chuck Hutton Online (a dealer who sells discounted parts and ships for free). Note that these are GENERIC Chevy/GM mudflaps, they're not molded specifically for the Impala. The molded mudflaps are currently under recall, since there was a change to the wheel well design for 2001 and GM did not update their mudflap design. If you're looking for flaps for a 2000 model, the part numbers are:
Molded Splash Guards (Front) 12496349
Molded Splash Guards (Rear) 12496350
If you've got a 2001, you'll need to wait.
Pretty easy install, it's held in place with two plugs and screws that fit into holes that are already in the underside of the hood (the plugs spin in the holes which is a bit of a pain, but you can get around that with tape). There are also four clips that clip to the front edge of the hood (the install kit includes clear protective tape to put on the hood under the clips). Finally, there are nine "bumpers" that you stick to the hood all along the top edge of the guard to prevent the guard from rubbing on the hood. I debated putting the bumpers on the guard, but thought they might rub on the paint.
The only thing I don't like is that I'll have to remove the protector if I want to really wash under it.
I did take pictures and I'll get them scanned at work once they're developed. Now all I need to do is figure out how to post pictures!
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
They are also on ebay Item # 591908677.
They cost me $150.
I got the hood piece on with a little difficulty. It's still refusing to go on all the way, there's about 1/2" to 1" of bra sticking forward of the hood corners which probably won't go away until a nice warm afternoon.
I tried installing the nose piece last night. No luck. I need another 2-3" of play before it'll stretch enough to go all the way around. The snaps are installed, but that's all. Kinda frustrating!
Question time: When looking at the nose piece, I saw the several different ways it attaches to the car... snaps, bungee loops, bungee hooks, and "tabs". While I have figured out that some of the tabs go around the headlight cover, and still others go between the grille and the nose fairing... WHAT THE HECK am I supposed to do with the tabs along the bottom edge of the bra?
Driving Milwaukee to Green Bay today w/ Road Construction up the wazoo in I-43. Saw LOTS of the Silver Impalas, some LS but most were base model, minus 2 that had the Onstar Antenna (I think) but must have had the spoiler delete option.
That bra on this highway today saved me - I found a couple rocks stuck into the bra and LOTS of bug junk.
Mine fits fine and doesn't move. It IS snug and works perfectly!
Don - unless I'm WAY off base here I dont' think you know what he was actually saying.
BB, thanks for the tip on the U/V tabs. Right now, the nose piece won't fit on the car. I come up several inches short from one set of snaps when the other side is snapped in. Dosen't help much that my car (and the bra in the backseat) spends most of it's time in my garage or in the parking garage at work. Maybe I'll leave it sit out in the driveway tomorrow... supposed to be nice and warm, maybe that'll do it.
Ah yes, Naperville. My girlfriend, her 7-year-old daughter Ellen, and I drove up to Naperville from Dayton for that gig... it was the first one of the 1996 tour. I'm a friend of the band, so I've got access as long as I don't abuse it. I took Ellen backstage, where she got to meet many of the band members, including Sam Clayton. Sam asked her which song was her favorite, to which she diplomatically replied, "anything by you!" (Sam really *was* her favorite, he walked right into her trap!)
During the gig, just as Sam was being introduced to sing "Spanish Moon", he said that he had made a new friend before the show and that he was dedicating this song "to Ellen". The 7-year-old squealed! That's still one of my happiest Feat memories...and there are lots!
Feat are still touring. They've just wrapped up a Eurpoean tour (last night was London, they're homeward bound now), and are beginning a tour here in the US later this week. They're starting with 9 gigs in 6 days in the greater DC and VA areas beginning next Tuesday (all 6 shows in Annapolis are already sold out...) I'll be catching them in Annapolis, Richmond, and Norfolk.
The band's website is www.littlefeat.net If any Impala members are interested in meeting me, or in using me to meet the band, lemme know!
STEREO - I just replaced the rears with JBL GTO 930's. A big improvement. I took them out of my Civic, which I had only installed a couple of weeks ago. Tomorrow, I'll see if the GTO620's will fit in the front. Doubtful. GM uses oversized 6-3/4".
TIRES- The Goodyear GA's are ugly, noisy, and don't handle very well. I plan on replacing them with a quieter, better handling tire. The Yokohama AVS DB is a speed rated ultra performance tire that is also quieter than most touring tires, which is rare for a performance tire. I'll do that next week.
WHEELS- In all of the photos in the Gallery, and on individual members' personal websites, I notice that everyone still has the stock LS wheels. Am I the only one that feels a 16" wheel is too small on a car this size?
JET POWER MODULE- Has anyone tried this? It sounds very cool. It also seems like the only performance mod that I can do to my leased car. I want to know if it works before I shell out $200.
GRILL- I'd like to replace the grill with a black metal one. I can only do this if it is simple to swap out. Of course, I don't want to spend a lot, either. Any leads?
FLOOR MATS- I'm looking for a complete set of high quality, custom fitted, carpeted mats with the flying impala logo. Any leads? I was shocked at how embarrassingly cheap the factory mats were. Real crap. GM should be ashamed. I ran right out to Costco, and bought a temporary set.
LICENSE PLATE FRAMES- I'd like to find frames that match the silver finish of the car's body, with maybe a black bow tie logo.
WOOD GRAIN TRIM- I've found a couple of sites that sell trim to match the Impala's. However, they all sell whole sets. I only want to do the console, keeping it tasteful. I don't want the interior of the car to look like a paneled den.
BRA- Nope. Don't like the way they look.
I look forward to any knowledge, ideas, or experiences you folks care to share with me.
Thanks.
Brad
<http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1694777&a=13443628&f=0>
http://home.hawaii.rr.com/impala/
Forgive me if you have posted this info before, but where did you find it and who mfr.'s it?
Thanks!
RR
<<a href="/direct/view/.eea692d/105">bh0001 May 22, 2001 6:52pm>
I did have a problem with it at first. The "tabs" that get screwed to the underside of the hood both cracked. It turns out that these get pinched between the hood and a couple of the hood bumpers. I got my dealer to give me a warranty replacement and I carefully cut out the part of the guard that was getting pinched between the bumper and the hood. No problems now. It takes a bit of work to mark out the area that needs to be cut away, but is really easy to cut if you have a hole saw that's the same diameter as the bumper.
Brad
But I must say that I love the way it looks on the Impala. I have a black one as well.
My concern was the ease of REMOVAL for washing the hood. Have you had that experience yet?
Thanks!
RR
I take mine off all the time for washing (or for when I switch over to the full bra for longer trips).
All you do is remove the two screws and off it comes. Very simple. I did a switch over from the bra to the guard last night and it took me about three minutes.
http://home.hawaii.rr.com/impala/
I also want toupdate on what I have done so far:
1. I originally replaced all four speakers with JBL GTO's, which were only borrowed from my other car. I liked those low priced JBL's so much compared to the factory jobs, that I ordered JBL Power Series for the front and rear, a set of tweeters for the upper door panels, and a new amp.
I've installed the fronts and rears, so far. They sound so good with the stock amp, that I'm going to return the JBL amp. I will keep the tweeters, and install them in or around the plastic panel by the side mirrors.
2. I replaced those horrible Goodyear GA's with Yokohama AVS db's. Man, what a difference! Much better handling. Much better looking. And, the quietest ride I have ever sat on top of. I have to disable the auto-volume on the stereo. Even on low setting, it gets too loud at high speeds, because the ride is so quiet.
I look forward to hearing more about Ray's experience with the Jet Module, and night owl's experiences with his grill.
If anyone has actually purchased high quality custom logo floor mats, I'd love to know where you got them from.
If anyone knows where I can get license plate frames color-keyed for the Impala body color, I'd appreciate that as well.
Thanks and drive safely...just not too slow.
Areas of interest are:
* Traction wet/dry.
* Handling/cornering.
* Ride quality/noise?
I have a new '01 LS and the GA's are not bad but not the greatest tires either. Is there a noticeable improvement in terms of handling/cornering?
I think the GA's are not performance oriented rubber therefore they tend to squeal and give in a bit too soon.
Last but not least...how much you paid for your Yoko's?? Where did you get them?? Did you consider other tires as well??
What is the actual size specification of the Yoko AVS that you installed in the Impala?
Thanks for your responses!
Gerry "2001 Sand drift LS" V
I can't compare wet traction, as I don't think it rained at all during the 3 months I had the Goodyears. It drizzled a little lately, and the Yokohamas were excellent.
Handling/cornering is another story. The car now feels confident on the cloverleafs, changing lanes, or even simple u-turns on the boulevard. No squealing. No skittering, which happened on a number of occasions while turning through roughly paved intersections.
Noise/Ride is unbelievable. I have never driven on a quieter tire, period!
I paid $96 each at my local America's Tire/Discount Tire (tires.com) for 225/60ZR16, which are an exact size replacement for the stock GA's. Unfortunately, I don't think they have an up-size that will match that diameter. If they did, I would have gotten 17's or 18's. I always felt that 16's are too small for the Impala. The 90's era Impala SS had a 17 that looked exactly like the current Impala LS wheel.
Tirerack.com also has the Yoko's for $96.
Chris
or try Chuckhutton.com and follow the links, they offer a 15% discount and free shipping in the US making the cost somewhere around 84.00 for 4 mats, two front logo and two rear plain.
If, as the installer claims, adding aftermarket audio equipment could potentially set off the airbags (highly unlikely) then a workaround kit could likewise affect the airbags and cause it not to deploy when needed.
If your intent was to change out the head unit, you are correct in assuming that you will lose the use of the steering wheel controls. You will also lose the ablility to reprogram many of the features of your car. You can add an aftermarket changer to your car using a FM modulator or the universal kit from Crutchfield.
Of course, you still have the issue of losing the head-unit car configuration programming, unless you move the head unit to the trunk like the guy did back here <<a href="/direct/view/.eea692d/84">snmpimp Apr 23, 2001 12:47pm>
I couldn't believe what cheap crap the factory mats were. They were embarassing. The day I after I got the car, I drove over to Costco and bought a set of plain gray mats until I could find the logo deals.
Also, the Yokohama's look much sportier with their cerrated bands compared to the plain smooth-walled Goodyears. Some might even think the Yokohama's sidewalls are too "busy".
Chris
Thanks again!
Actually, I find the entire interior of the car to be poorly constructed of cheap materials. A $24,000 ($26+ MSRP) vehicle should be way better in that regard. You'd think it was made in Korea.
If it wouldn't cost an arm and leg to get out of my lease this early, I'd return it and get an Acura TL for about the same lease payment.
For now, I'll just make the best of it and spend a few bucks to spruce up the Impala with things like mats, splash guards, tires, speakers, etc.
BTW, the Impala accessories brochure shows rubber logo mats. Did you check with Chuck Hutton at gmparts.com?
Go to:
http://www.gmgoodwrench.com/accessories/vehicles/parts/cvfm-sp.htm
There are vinyl ones and their part numbers - plug that into Chuck Hutton's site. IF they don't have them they'll order them for ya - Kim there is GREAT.
anyone here have experience with the Impala's muffler? is it possible to replace the muffler with sawing off the old pipe?
If you have never done something like this before, don't do it all by yourself. At least find someone who has some experence.
bbrowne74.....thanks for the link to the part numbers, Hutton does not have them in stock but can get them, the site you listed above shows ALL of the P/N's for the Grey,Beige, and Blue Front and Rear. You can use the P/N's from the site above on Huttons price checker on their site www.gmpart.com to see the prices. They Show up even though they are not in stock. Thanks Again Don
I've gotten increased performance by simply switching to premium gas. For only a few pennies more per gallon, it's an extremely cost effective way to increase performance.
I'm sure that most of you already do that, as you love your cars so much. Not me. I figured that I'd save money, as long as the manual said regular gas was OK. Now that there is such a small difference in price, I'd be foolish not to enjoy the added benefits of premium.
If anyone is still using regular, try switching. You should notice the difference almost immediately, at most after only two fill ups.