2006 Chevrolet Impala

quietpro

I'll second most of what dispencer2 states. I'm on my second Chevy and I had no problems with the first one and only a couple minor ones with this one that are probably worked out in the '07 and late '06 model. My problems were the Remote/fob issue, Bose stereo, heat/AC programming. While all of them are things I insisted on having corrected, none of them would rate as major issues in my opinion. Also, I have visited three different Chevy service departments and all have been extremely courteous and eager to please. That goes a long way with me. They aren't perfect but it is evident that they are trying. I have no problem recommending Chevy to my friends.

tree17

I have had my 06 SS for a year now and have almost 70,000kms on it with no troubles at all. My last car was a '00 Malibu that I put over 400,000kms on with only a couple minor problems (allthough in the end it was pretty much done). So keep knocking them but I am happy with mine and the next car I buy will be a Chevy as well.

garsarno

Have 7,000 miles on my '07 SS - no problems or returns to the dealer for adjustments. Cannot say the same for our Lexus ES350. Transmission issues / engine knock when cold, all deemed "normal" by Lexus.

dispencer2

Take it in whatever number of times you need to for an item they won't repair (but is covered under warranty) and invoke the lemon law and let the dealer have it. Get another one.

jz68

1. brakes (tsb)
2. bad battery (dead cell)
3. Clicking from dash (removed dash to fix)
4. All 4 windows scratched (replaced windows and seals)
5. Drivers side window scratched (yes, again)
6. Hiss from speakers (replaced amp)
7. loss of all radio stations (happens once every few months)
8. A/C defaults back to outside air (looked at but not fixed)

Honorable mention: Rims stolen

:lemon:

geffen

Actually I wasn't knocking Chevy's, i was just stating what i read in previous forums about the 06 Impala's, I realize rollout of a new revised product will have some glitches I just didnt want to get caught up in dealing with multiple quality issues.

tree17

That wasn't at anyone specific. It was directed more at the one's who have nothing good to say and just like to bash them.

303ss

My brakes are fine.battery is good,no clicking around dash,no squeaking windows or scratched windows, no hissing, only from my wife,no loss of radio stations ( thats probably an XM issue)AC works fine...and no one has stole my rims!!!( is that a warranty issue? stolen rims?) The only real complaint I can see is an issue on the this forum is the paint problem, the other issues aren't worth anything!! I have tree pollen on my car , is that a warranty issue? Think I'll take it in and complain that my car attracts tree pollen....I'll let you know how I made out :mad:

dispencer2

I don't know why the '06 Impala 4 speed transmission is different from all the others. I've had or have 4 speeds in my '94, '97. and 2000 LeSabres, my '88 Fleetwood, my 88 Delta 88, my 2001 Malibu, my '98 Silhouette, and my '03 Deville and even my old '86 Silverado that I still have with 140,000 miles on it and all have worked flawlessly. No kicks in the rear end or abrubt shifts. All the LeSabres and the Olds and Malibu went more than 80,000 miles before I sold them or turned them in. At least one LeSabre and several of the other cars went more than 100,000 miles. No problem at all with any transmissions. I wouldn't say that GM doesn't know how to build a 4 speed automatic. I'd say that they screwed up with the Impala one though. Perhaps it came from China like everything else.

wbowl99

Okay, my last post because of my problems. I've said I thought I got one that was a lemon. My next step will be BBB report. You can read all the problems I've had in other posts. Won't bore or upset you repeating them. Didn't say there was a better model out there. I don't know. I drive my cars until they fall down around me, that's why I bought the extended warranty. I put 211K on my Camero with no major problems until the last 6-9 months. By then so much was wrong it would have cost more to fix than it was worth. So I now have the Impala and it has been in the shop numerous times in the 7 months I've had it with 16K on it.

I'm done.

quietpro

Wanda,
I don't think anyone is knockin' you for sharing your troubles. The point was being made that some folks come on here and like to bash Chevys for being Chevys. The politically-correct belief these days is that Toyotas and anything else branded in Asia is superior regardless of how well the product actually performs. I like that the poster above shared his Lexus IS350 story with us. No brand is immune to problems and I, personally, have only heard engine knock lately from another "premium" brand, an Infiniti.
Anyway, please don't go away. I want to know how your story turns out. My sister and nephew each own Impalas as well as me and we have a pretty big stake in the model. You have a legitimate reason to be upset with your car and by bringing your issue here, you're helping others find that there is likely an issue with GM's red paint. It will help all of you get fair restitution in the end.

Be strong! Fight the power! :P

jz68

Most of my issues are covered with TSB's so nice try trying to blow them off as they're only my problems. The following are documented TSB's: Brakes, Clicking from dash, Radio Hiss, AC mode and Window scratches. Nice try being a funny guy, but maybe you should know wtf you're talking about before you comment.

quietpro

6. Hiss from speakers (replaced amp)
7. loss of all radio stations (happens once every few months)
8. A/C defaults back to outside air (looked at but not fixed)

jz,
Just curious, I've heard from some others that after having their Bose system fixed, their systems are A1. Mine still has a hiss (although not as bad as it was) but still noticeable by anyone who doesn't wear a hearing aid. Would you say your system is "premium" now with the new amp? I'm wondering if maybe I should take mine back again because I still don't like the way it sounds.
I don't know about your loss of radio stations. I would guess you're having a programming issue with your stereo head unit but I'm sure that will be a tough one to pin down.
With the A/C, there is a reprogram that is addressed in the forum that fixes it. It says that it returns it to where you left it but as far as I can tell, it just defaults it to recirculate rather than fresh air. I prefer it that way so if you are of like mind, go in and ask for the reprogramming. You will lose your stereo presets during this procedure, though.

Oh...and as for the honorable mention with losing your rims...sorry for your loss but I hope you don't mind that you gave me a chuckle. At least you know the rims are in high demand.

Take care,
Ron

dispencer2

I agree with Quietpro. Please share your problems with others on the forum. Some may not recognize a problem that someone has discussed until it causes an accident or destroys something that may not be covered by warranty. Wanda - I wasn't questioning anybody who has a transmission problem. I am agreeing that the "kick in the pants (or skirt)" that I have experienced and others, too is not normal at least in my experience with lots of GM cars. I have never liked Toyotas. I can't put my finger on it but they just aren't as comfortable as GM cars. They seem stiff. This is probably safer but I never liked the "European" (now Japanese) ride as exemplified by the Mercedes. I am also familiar with the famous oil sludge problem. When someone comes in with a ruined engine the first thing Toyota says is that he didn't change the oil periodically. They finally accepted the problem probably because of lawsuits. Also I have always gotten the impression at virtually every Toyota dealer all the way back to 1982 that they felt that they were doing me a tremendous favor by selling me a car and that it was unbelievable that I had the presumptuous gall to ask for a discount. I wrote them off years ago. Anyway -stay on the forum and let us all know what happens with your car.

charts2

I can understand anyone who buys any brand new car with the hard earned money they worked for and within a short time have transmission problems, screeching windows or ticking dashboards etc. They have a right to vent their frustrations on this forum just as on any car forum whether its under warranty or not. We all know once in awhile problems will arise. Its when service departments turn the tables on the owners and make it look like its not a big issue or we can't help you out with your problem. Keep the good & bad comments coming so we can all learn more about our cars, and make sure any problems no matter how minor are reported to their dealership so future products can be improved.

jz68

To be honest, I didn't even notice the hissing until I looked for it. It was very bad with the stereo turned down all the way (but not off) and the turn signal on. After the fix there is no noticeable hiss at all.

I had read about the AC problem here and let the service department know of the fix. They claim to have done the reprogram of the HVAC system but mine still defaults to outside air. Personally, I don't think they did anything.

I was shocked that the rims were stolen. I never thought they were that nice looking but I guess other people like them. I now have two sets of McGard locking lugs on each rim so I'm pretty sure they'll be safe now.

quietpro

Thanks, jz, they definitely didn't PROPERLY reprogram your HVAC. Maybe make another trip if it's worth it to you. Regarding your Bose stereo, would you now say it truly rates as a great sounding stereo? I know it's an opinion call but mine is pretty obviously NOT that great so I'm getting as many other opinions out there as I can. I'm having a hard time finding another '06 Bose system to compare head to head. Thanks in advance for you input.

Ron

jz68

The sound quality is pretty good but far from the best I've heard. My main complaint is with the sound quality of XM radio. There is a noticeable difference between terrestrial and XM stations. I've even noticed that some XM stations sound better than others. I also think the volume should go higher than it does.

garsarno

I was also a little disappointed in the Bose on my '07 SS but I was comparing to the Mark Levinson set up in my wife's Lexus ES350. Not much better than the factory set up in a previous '98 Lumina LTZ. But.. It does sound better than my daughter's Jeep Grand Cherokee Infinity system. I rarely listen to the Bose stereo around town, just enjoying the exhaust rumble of the V8.

quietpro

Thanks for the input, guys. Sounds almost random in the performance of these systems but that could just be because we are all human. In mine, the XM reception is somewhere better than FM but nowhere close to CD (but there IS a difference between various XM stations; talk and music is acknowledged by XM at a different quality, not sure of others). I guess I'll just have to keep searching for another system I can compare head to head since it's probably the only way I can get the service guys to do anything about it anyway.

Thanks again for your input! Every little bit helps.

cnw

Ron,
Just bought my wife a 2007 Grand Prix--she said she didn't want book end Impalas in the garage--that has the upgraded Monsoon sound system. The XM in it is indistinguishable from CD, and the volume will drive you out of the car. I was particularly curious since reading of your experiences here. Seems very peculiar that GM would let two divisions market systems that were so different; I'm inclined to think that you need to compare head to head and then take to the dealer.
Clark

quietpro

Clark,
Thanks for the follow-up. I agree that head to head is the only way I'm going to get anything solved in my situation.
Hope you enjoy the GP and Monsoon. Good luck and enjoy the new car.

Ron

kmauss

Thanks everyone for their widely varying and very informative opinions! There's a lot of food for thought in here and I'm taking it all into consideration. On a personal note, I had a Chevy Beretta for almost eight years and never once had a major mechanical problem with it. This was a car that various people advised me not to buy, that it had a terrible reputation, etc, etc. But that car was rock solid. So I totally understand that every brand has its lemons, but that little car did a lot to restore my faith in American cars. I probably WOULD buy one that was a year or two old though. Depreciation is just a killer.

dispencer2

Just picked up a 2008 brochure. The 1LT is what the 2LT used to be and the 2LT has the 3.9 engine. Appearance-wise there doesn't seem to be any difference from the 2006 and 7.
This is definately a carryover. Can't wait till the program 2008 Sebring convertibles are available. The Impala will be history.

nosirrahg

Is there still a base model LS, or do things for 2008 start with the 1LT? Just wondering if they were cutting out the least expensive model to make room for the Malibu, and to move the Impala a little further up the price spectrum in preparation for the possible RWD Impala coming in a few year (which I suspect will sticker higher than the current FWD version).

charts2

Off topic. I believe the LS is still the base model for 2008. A couple colors were dropped and a couple new ones added. The LTZ can now be ordered with 18" wheels. I would believe most of the bugs in the 06/07 Impalas have been addressed in the 08 model.

The latest information circulating is the RWD Impala will probably go into production in 2010 as a 2011 model. A year later then originally anticipated.

poncho167

"After reading some of the issues with the new Impala's I have my doubts now if I should even consider one, The warranty is very impressive however I do not want to spend all my time dropping the Impala off and picking it up from a dealers service dept. doesn't seem that the quality is there any more for Chevrolet."

Well this is a car forumn where most people come to voice their problems/complaints. If you were to go to the Toyota Camry or Honda Accord forumn you will see similar troubles from their cars. The Toyota Camry is not one of the top cars for reliability and it hasn't been for several years.

imidazol97

>Well this is a car forumn where most people come to voice their problems/complaints. If you were to go to the Toyota Camry or Honda Accord forumn you will see similar troubles from their cars.

See examples below:

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f0c6927/3590
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f10b8bd/214

charts2

The 2006 Impala was a big improvement over the previous 00-05 models. Chevrolet has come a long way in reliability in the past few years, and service department personnel dealing with customer complaints are improving. but the competition isn't sitting still either. Improvements have to be made on a continual basis. The 5 year powertrain warranty now in effect is an improvement, but the basic car warranty is still 3 years 36000 miles. When GM makes their basic warranty 5 years 100,000 miles then GM will be equal to or getting closer to some of the competition thats already there.

The new 2008 Malibu coming out in the fall will have larger dimensions inside/out compared to the current Impala that is currently GMs car sales leader. It will be interesting to see how many sales the new Malibu will steal from the current Impala that will be around for another 3 years in its current form.

bobber1

My 02 Impala has 147,000 miles on it and has been trouble free. I did put a new wheel bearing on it last fall, but that can happen to a new car if you hit a pot hole wrong. Other then that a perfect record and it still has original brakes, transmission, engine, etc etc. It still doesn't burn any oil!

geffen

I agree with you there, I was basically just voicing my own opinion on the Chevy Impala product.

geffen

Actually I would not purchase a 2007 Camry

nosirrahg

My daily driver is a 2000 Impala w/107k miles (which I bought new)...equally as good a car as the Toyota I had before it. I had planned to continue to drive this one until the RWD Impala made an appearance, so I could choose between the new Malibu, the outgoing FWD Impala, or the new RWD Impala. Not sure I can hold out until 2011 though, especially if the Malibu proves to be everything I've heard it is.

dispencer2

There is nothing really wrong with the Impala. It is as good if not better than any of its competitors. It rides well, gets good gas mileage, and is well equipped in its base model. Just don't buy a new one unless you want to kiss a third of its value away when you drive it off the lot. Buy an extended bumper to bumper warranty if you are concerned about reliability. The powertrain rarely fails in 100,000 miles - that's why they are giving you a powertrain warranty. For $15k a program 8-10k mile Impala is a good deal. For $23-25k a new one is a poor deal unless you plan to keep it for 5 or 6 years when all full size cars from Chevvies to Cadillacs are worth about the same and mileage and condition count more than years.

bobber1

I wonder if the new Impalas are depreciating as fast as the ones a few years back?

The reason I say that is part of the reason they used to depreciate so quickly was because of the huge rebates the domestics used to give out to sell a new car. Both GM and Ford have noted this and have said they'd like to wean themselves off of giving rebates. I'm not sure if they've got the job done yet, but they are working on it and if successful depreciation should be less steep for their vehicles.

charts2

Autotrader.com.........hundreds of used 2006 Impalas in the $11,000-$14000 range. Some high mile cars in the $10,000 range.

nosirrahg

By the same token, a local Chevy dealer here (Arkansas) has an ad in the newspaper today selling a 2007 Impala that lists for $21,710 for $16,124 (or $15,624 if you're active military). Deal includes $1,500 factory rebate, $1,000 "bonus cash" and $3,086 dealer discount. Even though that'd be a base model, I think I'd rather spring for the new 2007 model (w/better warranty and better chance of having 1st year bugs worked out) than gambling on a used 2006. The ad also says they'll offer the same discount on any unit in stock, so it's not limited to base models either.

geffen

I noticed a Chevy Dealership here in Michigan advertising the 07 Impalas starting at $18,892 thats including the $1,000 bonus cash. I didnt see anything about a factory rebate is this by certain regions the $1,500 factory rebate is available?

dispencer2

Well, I was contemplating turning in both my 2006 Impala 2LT (11,000 miles)and my 2003 Cadillac Deville (53,000 miles) for a program 2006 DTS. They offered me $13k for the Impala and $10k for the Cadillac. That should give you an example of what a 2006 9 month old Impala (garaged, same as new condition) is worth to a GM dealer. I'll sell it privately next year- buy a Sebring convertible -and probably still get $10-13k for it. Depreciation is terrible because thousands of ex-rental cars are being dumped on the market and because if these sell for $15k a dealer isn't going to give you anything for yours. I'll never buy another new domestic car. The Impala is my last one. I'll spend my money on gas -not depreciation.

nosirrahg

I checked chevrolet.com, clicking on "Special Offers" on the left-hand column and compared deals on the 2007 Impala in both Michigan and Arkansas, and they look the same to me..."$1,500 Cash Allowances AND $1,000 Bonus Cash OR as low as 0.0% APR for qualified buyers (2) AND $1,000 Bonus Cash". There's a bunch of legal text afterwards, but the only key bit I saw was you have to take delivery by 5/31/07.

geffen

Do you happen to have that Chevy dealers name if you can provide it or the zip code in Arkansas, i'm just wondering if the factory rebate isn't included in the price and its per dealership.

charts2

Were now at the end of the current model year production and offers will come up to clear out the 07s as after every car year when the next year model goes into production. 2008 Impalas can be ordered now. There is a guy on ebay selling the 2008 Chevrolet Impala brochure (50th anniversary) of the Impala.

nosirrahg

I'm 90% sure it was Superior Chevy in Conway; here a link to their site: http://www.superiorchevy.net/en_US/

Unfortunately we packed up all our papers yesterday for recycling so I can't put my hands on yesterday's paper, and I didn't see the ad in today's issue. Looks like they're closed on Sundays, but they should be open tomorrow. Their toll-free number is 800-429-6106.

dispencer2

I don't know why he is selling it. It is available at the dealer for nothing unless this is some special brochure. The 2008 one is smaller in length and width than the 2007 one. I actually picked it up the other day because I figured it was a different edition of the 2007 one. It doesn't say "2008" on the cover.

geffen

Looks like Superior Chevy only has 2 new Impala's left in stock? and I didn't see any under used. They must have sold out at the low price they were offering i noticed they are actually open on sundays I may give them a call tommorow or tuesday if they're closed for the holiday.

nosirrahg

Yeah, I looked online and they seem to have a couple of LS models and one LT left. Unfortunately they're about a 30 mile drive from here; otherwise I'd go cruise the lot for you to confirm that.

On the other hand, if their online inventory is to be believed, they've got 162 new Silverados on the lot...something tells me they didn't exactly anticipate the market as well as they should have.

If you come up empty with Superior you can go to chevrolet.com and do a dealer search based on my ZIP code (72223), and call another dealer and see if they can get you the answer you're looking for.

charts2

I believe it says 50th anniversary. Brochures were printed this month (May). This is the earliest I have seen them out.

The Impala is a very good car, and availability is abundant as a 1 or 2 year old vehicle to purchase at a great price.

charts2

The Silverado is selling very well this year (truck of the year) over 635,000 sales through January. The Impala sold 289,000 for the same time period. Impala 7th top selling vehicle for 2007. You must have a lot of time available to hand count 162 vehicles in a parking lot. (LOL)

kmauss

Hello again! Well, now I AM an Impala owner. I found a VERY nice sales demo over the weekend with exactly what I wanted on it. The price and the financing were right, so I "threw caution to the wind" as it were and just bought it. After six months, I was tired of looking and I kept coming back to the Impala as the car I liked the best of everything I had test driven, and to me that's the bottom line most important thing about a car. Also, the Intrepid was developing transmission problems and I knew I was on borrowed time before I had to dump a ton of money into it. :sick: I will report back in a few weeks/months and let you all know what I think but right now I'm LOVIN' it! Karen

geffen

Which model Impala did you purchase? and did you get a great deal on the dealer demo?