2005 and Earlier Chevrolet Impala

yurakm · October 2004

Probably, because the problem with fuel line happens seldom, but risk of death/injury is high. On the other hand, a warping intake manifold is just a mechanical problem.

bh628 · October 2004

Hi all,

I am a newbie, and I am needing a new car-- mine is dying. I kept it a lot longer because I love the bench type seating, with deep seat pans on my '86 Chevy Celebrity.

I tried the Camry. Hyundai Sonata and Accord, but the seats were too short for me. I got severe back spasms after not being able to get comfy during the Camry test drive! I and spent about a week researching cars on Edmunds, and decided on a Malibu. But I looked at a Malibu, and the bucket seats are too short! I have long legs and this would cause my back pain to flare up. And this is putting the back of the seat slightly farther back to make the seat pan longer, and then trying all kinds of back pillows.

I took a peek at the Impala, which didn't seem to have as deep a seat pan as I currently love. But it was longer than the Malibu.

Has this been an issue for any of you, and how do you feel about the Impala seats? I want to stay in the low $20's for a car, so I really can't go up into the luxury cars. I tried posting this problem on the "help me choose" board, but didn't get any feedback.

One poster from December posted about short seats on this website, but didn't say which car he purchased.

Would love your feedback! I am extremely sad that the Malibu didn't work out. The Impala looks like a beautiful car. Larger than I would like, but really beautiful! I thought I'd get feedback before trying again.

Also, does anyone have any info about a online back support group that I might post to?

THANK YOU

charts2 · October 2004

Welcome to the Impala forum. The only way you will know if the Impala meets your requirements is to take one for a long drive. I have a 2001 LS and I am 5 11" I find the seat cushion too short, a common complaint Motor Trend, Car and Driver and a few other Magazine articles have mentioned during the past few years about the Impala. that the seat cushions are too short and the back seat cushion too low and short..other then that the car has been excellent.

nosirrahg · October 2004

I'm also 5'11", and have a 2000 base Impala with bench seat (but w/3.8l engine). Other than the pretty non-effectual lumbar support, I've been very pleased with the comfort of this car - I can drive this car all day while on vacation, and get out and not be fatigued at all; not the same story with my wife's new Accord.

I would definitely suggest renting one and taking a weekend drive to somewhere several hundred miles away, just to get a real-world feel for the car. Actually, I don't know if Chevy is still offering the "24-hour test drive" deal or not, but that's a good way to get a feel for the vehicle at no cost to you (other than maybe fuel). I think they limit you to like 150 miles, but if you were to get in the car and drive it for a couple of hours and return it, you'd have a pretty good idea of how well the car will work for you.

bh628 · October 2004

Thanks, guys, for your feedback!!! I called marketing about the Chevy test drive program, and it has ended.

But they said to talk to a dealer.
The thing is, I had hoped to find the right car on my own, without a dealer's help. Then I felt I'd do a fax approach to getting the best deal on the car. Get competitive bids.
If a dealer is helping me figure out the car I want, I feel like a sitting duck.
I think I will check out the Impala on a test drive, but the model I'd probably want is the LS with antilock brakes. Just a few thousand more than I want to spend, and I feel hesitant about buying and negotiating for a used car. Any more thoughts? THANKS!!!

02impalals · October 2004

you can try the rental agencies. they dont do the haggling and most have some type of extended warranty if youre interested. you can also look at the service records and any repair history if any. i know that some people feel that the rentals are "abused" but even private cars can be run thru the ringer. i bought an 02 LS for 13k w/27k mi 1 year ago and it has been problem free. i now have 33k mi on it. although i havent put on alot of miles, its still is a great ride.

charts2 · October 2004

Do some homework. If there are two or three chevy dealers within an hour of your location check them all out and speak to different sales people. A great time to make a deal on a remaining brand new 2004 Impala LS. I am sure you will be able to take one for a drive to determine if this is the car for you. Don't go by yourself, take a friend. Sales people can be intimidating. Check out the window sticker prices of the cars you like, with incentives that they are offering and the car being a model year old now you should have a great opportunity to dicker a deal that might make you happy. You might find one dealer with a lot of 2004 Impala inventory and willing to make a better deal then another dealer. Don't be afraid to make a low offer. You can move up from there if you have to, or go to the next dealer. If you are going to finance check out your bank rate compared to GM financing rate you could save yourself some money there just in interest costs...One more thing, if you buy an Impala don't let them talk you into buying extended warranties or undercoatings etc...you can buy an extended warranty from GM anytime up to the 36 months or 36,000 miles, and the car comes with 6 year or 100,000 miles rust perforation warranty already. But they will try to squeeze those extra $$s from you! BEWARE!!

bh628 · October 2004

Thanks! I didn't know I had 3 years to buy the extended warranty! And thanks for the other warranty info. I have heard that if the dealer applies some rust protectant to some cars, it actually VOIDS the warranty because it's not done properly!

One thing I am noticing about the Chevy dealerships in my immediate area--they don't have the "Monroney" window sticker on the window! That sticker is a Federal law, and it's the only way you know what options are on the car and sticker price. It comes from the factory. Instead, they have a hang tag from the rear view mirror telling the MSRP, the discount they will give you, the rebate available (which they said was $2,000 when I went on Wednesday), and the total, which they call their "best price." I don't feel comfortable buying from these guys, and I hope other Chevy dealers aren't removing the stickers. I did see a sticker that was peeling off the '05 Impala car I was checking out on Wednesday(it's hot out in this part of the country), but I don't know what to do about their not following Federal Law.

Any thoughts?

impala04 · October 2004

Advice, please...
My new 04 Imp. Sed. came with a "dealer installed" sticker on the windshield stating that the First Oil Change is Due aft. 3,000 miles.
I checked the car manual and found NO reference to this first oil change aft. 3,000 miles; ....only that the "onboard diagnostic" system will tell me when the oil change is needed.

Do any of you have experience with this kind of "dealer Hook"? ....or is the 3,000 mile oil change indeed recommended by the factory???

Thanks for your feedback
Impala04

johnclineii · October 2004

You can rely on the oil monitor. The dealer has installed what s/he hopes is a profit maker in your car, a device to get you to bring it back earlier and more often for service....

impala04 · October 2004

Thanks John, I suspected that, just wanted to hear it from someone else.
Impala04

murray53 · October 2004

Thank you for providing the link to this excellent resource. I would consider it valuable to any car owner, especially when considering a used vehicle purchase.

charts2 · October 2004

Its a good practice to reset the oil monitor yourself. Don't ever rely on the service or sales personell at the dealership to have set this when the car was new or after any oil change, it might not ever go off...It might be a good idea to speak to the Chevrolet service manager regarding your first oil change. I have heard that an early oil change (first few thousand miles of operation) is recommended because of the seating of the rings that causes more filings in the oil then normal in the first few thousand miles of operation. It might be worth checking out. But use your oil monitor and set it yourself.

charts2 · October 2004

If you are looking at a 2005 Impala, and they don't have the MSP sticker in the window. go to www.GM.com.....then click chevrolet brand...then click on the Impala....it will list the Manufactures price of all the Impalas with the options packages listed...that might help for a 2005...If buying a 2004 tell the salesman you are interested in a certain 2004 that they have and you want to see the original 2004 window factory price with the options listed...if he cant or wont do that. then walk away...he's hiding something. Tell he has has lost a potential customer. You don't owe him anything. Find another dealer...Let me know how you make out...

erknotts · October 2004

I bought my 2001 LS because of the comfortable seats. I now have 109K on it and find it is not worth more than $6K. I have had all the warping, rattling, radio, check engine light, and all the other problems of Impala owners. I will not buy another one as it is now falling apart. Water pump, cooling fans, oil pan gasket leaking, and weird noises from the power steering and front end. If you are only going to drive it 20K a year or less, it is a good car. It is not built to stand up over 100K. I am going to trade it in on a RAV-4 Toyota.

johnclineii · October 2004

Hmmm. I had 173,000 miles on mine when I traded it last Wednesday. It had no warping, rattling, radio, check engine or other problems. The ONLY unscheduled repairs it had the entire time I owned it (I bought it new) were a headlight switch and an airbag sensor. It left me with its original fuel pump, water pump, timing chain, transmission, motor, etc.

It was a VERY good car. And oh, by the way, I drove it far in excess of 20.000 miles a year.

I know of MANY Impalas with in excess of 100k and none of them have had substantial repairs. I do know of engine cradle issues (which I somehow avoided).

I just hope the Five Hundred I just bought is even half as good mechanically!

Sorry you didn't have the same experience.

terence · October 2004

I have a 2000 Impala LS 3.8L and I've noticed there is some hesitation when starting and when accelerating. Took it to autozone and they told me it was a cylinder 1 misfire. The last time this happend about three months ago it was cylinder 4 and I had to have the #4 fuel injector replaced. Any other suggestions before I have the #1 injector replaced?

hvan · October 2004

I too have a 2000 LS Impala 3.8. Have your dealer run the PCM. It needs a new software upgrade. Once the software is upgraded, it should eliminate the engine hestitation.

Good luck!

hvan · October 2004

By the way, there's currently a recall on 2000 Impala for fuel regulator pressure. Recall #03054.

If you are out of warranty, have the dealer do the recall first (free). This should do the trick. If your engine hestitation still persist, take the car back in for the PCM software upgrade. Or, maybe you can have the recall done AND have the software upgraded simultaneosly (for free).

terence · October 2004

Thanks. I am out of warranty. When did this recall occur? Would you happen to know off hand a ballpark figure for the PCM software upgrade?

hvan · October 2004

The recall happened about two months ago. Get the recall done first (it's free), and see if the problem will go away.

I don't know how much the software upgrade.

bh628 · October 2004

Hello,

I am researching the Impala, haven't taken a test drive yet. I'm looking for a smooth ride--the Camry I test drove just floated over the road! The salesperson said it was the double wishbone suspension.

What is touring suspension? Is it a smooth ride like the double wishbone suspension?

badgerfan · October 2004

Your salesman was lying to you. Camry does not have a double wishbone suspension. About the only reasonable priced car that does is Honda Accord, but it does not have a boulevard soft ride. The type of suspension has little to do with ride, it is more how the suspension was tuned. Smoother ride generally means poorer handling, though there are quite a few vehicles on the road that are a good combination of both these days.

Impala has a decent ride without sacrificing handling too much. Very similar to the Taurus I drive. You might also want to try the new Ford Five Hundred.

The softest rides in the GM lineup are from Buick. You can probably grab a good bargain on a leftover 2004 Century or Regal as they are being replaced in 2005 by La Crosse. Century/Regal are not my cup of tea as I do not like floaty boat riding cars.

nosirrahg · October 2004

The base model Impala (3.4l engine) is going to have a "smoother" ride than will one with the touring suspension. I've got a 2000 base model with the 3.8l engine, which came with the firmer suspension. I like the handling of my car, but had the opportunity to rent a base model Impala recently, and found the smoothness of the ride to be very pleasing. However, when I bought mine, if you got the 3.8l engine, you had to get the firmer suspension - which also included traction control, ABS, and some other features that were not available with the base 3.4l model. I live in a rather hilly area (Little Rock, AR), and I can't tell you how many times traction control has helped me get going on an incline in wet weather - the payoff of a slightly rougher ride has been more than made up for me by the availability of traction control and ABS.

bh628 · October 2004

Thanks guys!

I'll look at the base 2005 Impala, then. I have some choosing to do then. I just learned that the base has a split bench seat, which I am used to. But it doesn't have ABS, some air bag options--unless that option is easily available.

So it looks like smooth ride and bench seats or slightly rougher ride, bucket seats (which seem to have a short seat pan, usually), and more safety features.

Thanks for the feedback on the Buicks and Taurus. I'll give them a look. I think I am used to "boaty" cars." I just don't know if I'll be able to make up my mind while they still have the 2004s~~

bh628 · October 2004

Gee, nosirrahg, I found another one of your helpful messages (see below)!
I've been looking at the LS because of the more powerful motor, extra air bags, ABS... But I am going to look at the base one definitely, now. I don't mind poor lumbar support--the ones they have are too low for me. I just use a rolled up towel. I just wonder if those options are easily available; I'll check gmbuypower.com.
________
"I'm also 5'11", and have a 2000 base Impala with bench seat (but w/3.8l engine). Other than the pretty non-effectual lumbar support, I've been very pleased with the comfort of this car - I can drive this car all day while on vacation, and get out and not be fatigued at all; not the same story with my wife's new Accord. "

charts2 · October 2004

bh628 if you are interested in an Impala for whatever your reasons and you are not in a hurry, my understanding is that the 2005 Impalas are on a short run. If you can wait until May of 2005, the 2006 Impalas are to hit the streets. The base 2006 Impala will have a 3500 engine that has 200 hp equal to the 3800 now......The 2006 LS will have the 3900 engine with 240 hp (not supercharged) ...The interiors are to be upgraded considerably. The rear and front of the Impala is to be freshened as well. The 2006 Impalas are to debut at the Detroit auto show in January or the LA auto show I believe in March.

hvan · October 2004

LA Auto Show is in January. Orange County Auto Show is end of this month. Hopefully, I'll get to see the new 2006 Impala this month. I'll take some photos....

Right now, I'll keep my 2000 Impala for another two years. After that, my choices are:

1) Preown 2003 Cadillac STS
2) Preown 2002 Infiniti Q45
3) New 2007 Impala
4) New 2006 Chrylser 300
5) New Pontiac Solstice
6) Preown 2001 MB E320

bh628 · October 2004

OH! Thanks, guys! It may te me awhile to choose. I don't know how much longer my car will hold up, but I dont drive much. Wow, I wonder if I can hold up till the LA sow in January.

How reliable is a car the first year if they make changes? I would like that 200hp engine.
It sounds like there may be some deals for the 2005s early on, however.

You are so helpful, thanks to all of you!

bh628 · October 2004

Thanks so much hvan,

Do you have any dates and location for the LA auto show? Is it at the Staples Center, or Convestion Center? I might not be able to wait till May (my car dies out in hot wheater, especially if I uce AC. ).

At least I'd get a non-pressured opportunity to sit in the car interiors to check them out. Then I could go do test drives. I wonder if any supermarkets will have discount coupons, or the next year's Entertainment book.

I was feeling sad that I'd lose out on end-of-year clearances, but the best buy is made when the decision is reached, not before.

hvan · October 2004

LA Auto Show is the first week of January.

http://www.laautoshow.com/2005/index.aspx

Right now, you can buy a brand new 2004 Impala with MSRP of $23K for around $16K. Check out the LA Times or Orange County Register Classified Ads.

I strongly believe that the base 2004 rides better than my 2000 LS. Quality is much improved.

frankf3 · October 2004

Impala04 - Since your Impala is new, I wouldn't necessarily wait until 3000 miles to do its first oil change. I know there has been a controversy concerning break-in and break-in periods, but I have always thought that a little extra care now would pay you back over the long haul. With my 2001 Impala and 2002 Tahoe, I changed the oil first at 500 miles. As is comes out at this point the oil almost looks like "metal-flake" paint in the sunlight from all the metal particles. I perform the next oil change, 1000 miles later at 1500 miles, (the oil is a lot cleaner with a lot less metal particles). The last oil change I do is 1500 miles later at 3000 miles. I reset the oil minder at each change then I let the oil minder take over at this point. I figure that all these particles are splashing around and circulating around inside the engine, they can do no good. 14 quarts of oil and 3 filters are a cheap price to pay if it pays off in a long life with the engine.

bh628 · October 2004

Thanks, hvan!

After reading your message, I checked online inventory of base Impalas near me. I'd like to go see what they look like. The thing that's disappointing is that the 2 that I found in one dealer don't have anti-lock brakes. I've been in a couple of skids on slippery roads, and thought that would be good to have. Is that base configuration usual? I thought you could get ABS as an option on the base , but I don't know if they don't usually come that way. The base has a 6-way power drive seat and lumbar support, which sounds great!

I also found out that the Orange County auto show will be next week. It's a long drive for us, but we might go. Chevy is one of the mfgrs offering test drives. However, it's first-come basis, and I am not sure we can get there that early. Don't know what cars they will be offering to test drive, either. When I called GM last month, they told me about a San Diego ride-drive event, and they said they never know what cars will be there to test. So I don't want to go the OC and not be able to test cars I would like.

Wish there was some way to test and compare cars w/o salesperson pressuring us. I thought about renting already. We have already rented one car, so I would like a short test drive before renting another car. It gets pricey. I would love to finally be able to decide. And then buy something, hopefully before I lose out on '04 clearance! I'll start keeping an eye out on those ads, Thanks for the tip. What a great price!

nosirrahg · October 2004

When I got my 2000 Impala, the only way to get a bench seat and the 3.8l engine (and the extras that came with it) was to get a base model - the bench seat wasn't available in the LS. However, my understanding now is you CAN get an LS with a bench seat - it may be hard to find on the lot (or you may have to order it), but I'm pretty sure it can be had now.

bh628 · October 2004

Gosh, till now I didn't realize that you could get either bench or bucket seats on the different styles! I thought that by looking at the base model, I'd automatically get the bench seat.

So many trim levels, option possibilities, and now bench vs bucket seats! So confusing! I was looking on the GM buypower site, and you can check the window sticker of the cars. None of the window stickers tell you if the car is bench or bucket seats, however.

It's good to know that the bench seats are available and that someone who is 5'11" enjoys them. I don't know how the 6way power driver seat works with bench seats, however. I didn't know that the back of the seat could move at all on bench seats. ???? Thanks for your help.

nosirrahg · October 2004

The bench seat is split 60/40, and there's a fold-down armrest on the driver's 60% portion of the seat. So the seat bottom I guess you could say is split 60/40, and the seat backs are split say 40/20/40 (driver's back - folding armrest/middle seat back - passenger's back). They changed the design of the folding armrest in the 2001 and later models, so it may be more comfortable when serving as a backrest now that it is in mine (I've got the flimsy fold-out cup holders; the newer ones are built in, and as such create a larger seat back area when folded up).

bh628 · October 2004

ok, now I see what you mean about the 60/40 split on the front bench seat. I went to a dealership after seeing your post. I was able to see two Impalas, side by side. One had bench and the other had bucket. I'll have to try both, if possible. I couldn't try it that day--it began to hail unexpectedly!

Maybe I can get to sit in a car or two if we go early, before a dealership. I just hate being hassled by salespeople! We tried that last week, after reading about it in a book. I was amazed at how many people are out there before the dealerships open, so they can look without being hassled.

If you are checking inventory online (you can do that at the GM site), how can you tell if the car has bucket or bench seats?

Thanks so much for the info! Have a fun Halloween!

nosirrahg · October 2004

If you get to the part at the Chevy site where you can see the dealer inventory, you'll have to look at the individual window stickers for each car. Check the "options" area first, and see if it says anything about "60/40 split bench" or "bucket" seats. If you look at the bottom area of the sticker where the standard "interior" features are, it may say cloth bench, but if it's different, it'll be listed in the "options" area at the top. For example, I just looked at a 2005 LS at my local dealer, and although the lower "interior" section says "SPORT CLOTH FRONT BUCKETS W/ FLOOR SHIFT & CENTER CONSOLE", the "options" section at the top says "LEATHER ACCENT 60/40 SPLIT BENCH SEATING(REPLACES STD/OPT/PKG SEATS)". So this is an LS that has a bench seat as an option.

FWIW - I primarily got the bench seat because my garage is VERY tight, and it's almost impossible to get into my car from the passenger side...so I got the bench seat to avoid the center console; MUCH easier for my wife to slide across a bench than trying to climb over a console (or having to stand outside in the rain while I back the car out). There have also been a number of times where I've parked downtown, and due to traffic found it much easier to slide out the passenger side than climb out into traffic. I also broke my right ankle about 6 months after getting my Impala, and was very glad I had the bench seat, so I could move my bad leg to the right and drive with my left foot when I had to; something I don't think I could have done with a console in the way.

bh628 · November 2004

THANKS so much for your comments, everyone (especially nosirrahg)!! Yesterday, I was able to test drive both a base Impala with 60/40 seat and an LS with bucket seats. The base, with the 60/40 seat, is soooo comfortable for me! The base steering isn't as stiff as the LS--I felt like I was fighting the LS rather than a smooth turn. So now I know I prefer the base Impala touring suspension, 60/40 seat.
The only thing is that the seats look ugly to me, but I can't ignore the comfort factor. This is the first car that looks promising!

(HUGE GRIN!)
The dealer has us working thru the fleet manager (thru a credit union), and he said that the '04 I test drove would be $100 over invoice. Is that good for an '04? I would imagine there would be the 3% holdback and probably a 5% carryover allowance on '04s. I don't know if it would be $100 over invoice for all his cars. Especially because I want antilock brakes on the base--hard to get--and he would have to bring the car from another dealer.
If he can't do that pricing, I might do a fax attack to uncover where my car might be. Not sure.
THANKS AGAIN for helping me find a comfy seat!

I think that I will try a Taurus before I make my final decision.

nosirrahg · November 2004

Initially the only way to get ABS in an Impala was to get the 3.8l engine (along with the sport suspension); I went to the Chevy site and did a quick "build your own", and was surprised to see you can indeed option ABS (w/traction control and tire inflation monitor) on a 3.4l base model (at least on the 2005 models, I didn't try it on 2004s).

Hopefully you can find one to your liking; I don't know much about current pricing - maybe somebody else can help you on that one. We know there's a new body style coming out in 2006, so that might give you a little more leverage.

bh628 · November 2004

Hi everyone,

Ok, you helped me decide on the 60/40 front seat. But the ugly grey cloth that was on that car I saw would depress me! I have seen that nice Impala sport fabric on the bucket seats, but is it easily available on the 60/40 seat? And would it just be an extension of the bottom half of the seat like on the bucket?

Already I am making it more difficult to find my car because I want a BASE with ABS. So I don't want to add too many variables. Do you have to take the sport trim package to get the sport trim cloth seats? I went to the GM Build your own site, but couldn't tell for sure. Thanks! I can almost taste ownership! But first I am going to push myself to rent it for a weekend....

bh628 · November 2004

Oh, I also notice now that on Edmunds the most popular configuration of the base includes 1SB, which includes the power driver seat I want. The 60/40 sport cloth bench also includes the power driver seat (AM6), but I don't want to pay twice for that. Also, AM6 isn't listed as a typical configuration. Should I guess that more often bucket seats are in sport cloth?

bh628 · November 2004

Hi all,

I just stopped off at a Chevy dealership in a nearby city, and saw their Impalas. The GM site said they had 60/40 seats with sport cloth, which I wanted to see.

Did they change the antenna and Onstar installation? YUK!

It looked like the antenna is now on the roof, like pictured in the '06 here on Edmunds site. Big black, ugly thing on the roof. Also, the Onstar has a cable that runs from some sort of lining on the windshield to the rear view mirror. I didn't like either the lining or the cable, it cuts into my vision.

Does anyone know if I can get '05s without this? Did they change production midyear, or should I try to scrounge up an '04?

I was so disappointed, that I went across the street to see Buicks--the Century looks really nice, and I wonder how the Century and Regal compare to Impala. All 3 bench seats look fine for me! The Century site isn't very active, so not much info there.

Thanks!!!

nosirrahg · November 2004

About all I can offer is that I know the Century/Regal are being phased out, to be replaced by the LaCrosse. I haven't been in the market for several years, but liked the Buicks - just couldn't get the 3.8l engine/bench combo back in 2000 when I bought my Impala. Things may have changed now, though.

On the one hand, you should be able to get a great deal on a Century/Regal, since they're on their way out - and they've been making these cars for many years, so any major bugs should have been worked out by now. But if you're concerned about resale at all, you might think twice - the Century/Regal are going to look dated pretty soon.

bh628 · November 2004

Hi,
Really, we found we like the looks of the Impala much more the Century. We sat in a Century yesterday, and it looks cheap inside. Also, notes in Consumer Reports says the seats get more uncomfortable the longer you sit in them.

They didn't have a Regal on that lot.

I am going to call GM about the antenna on the Impala. I am guessing they started doing it in the middle of the '05 year. If so, I better hurry up and buy my Impala! I also saw the antenna on the LaCrosse yesterday.

I think it detracts for the look. I could be wrong--the antenna could become a status symbol!

bh628 · November 2004

I called GM and they said this ugly antenna is standard on all Impala models, beginning with '05! Don't know why it hasn't been on the '05s I have been seeing till now. The antenna is for Onstar, which I know they have a financial agreement with Onstar (they also have this agreement with XM--we were stockholders).
While I don't mind Onstar, I do mind that it takes away vision ability from the windshield.
Sounds like I better decide on my car soon, and buy it! Hopefully, I can get one of the older Impalas.

nosirrahg · November 2004

I do know I rented a base model Impala (not sure if it was an '04 or '05) a few months ago, and noticed there was a black film/screen applied around the top of the windshield. Unfortunately I didn't notice it so much in the rental car, as when I got back in mine. The field of vision was much better in my 2000 model, since I can see all the say to the roof on my windshield. Although I haven't checked, I wondered if this film might not have been a cheaper alternative to putting sun visor extensions in the car. My 2000 model has these (and I rarely use them, as my driver information center display is essentially in the way) - but I don't know if the current models do are not.

bh628 · November 2004

Are the rear headrestraints on the Impala removable?

I am very close to buying an Impala. Rented one for the weekend. Really liked it, but noticed a blocked rear view. Partially by the headrestraints; didn't think of removing them till a few days later. I am determined to adjust to this, and am going to get used to using the side mirrors a lot more. I have a very old car that is pre-headrestraint, so this would be an issue no matter what car I drive.

I was at the market today and saw a VW bug where someone pulled off the rear headrestraints. Great idea, no one sits in my back seat!

Is it possible? I don't want to call GM Marketing again--I wonder if they keep tabs on how many times I have called...

Another workaround, till I adjust, is to get the fold-down seats and not use the trunk for awhile.

bh628 · November 2004

While I adjust, maybe i should consider getting a car with rear 60/40 fold-down seats? Then I could put the seats down in the back to get a little more view. It's like half the windshield is blocked.

Thanks for your comments!

jug · November 2004

I just purchased a 2004 Impala LS and noticed that the power steering makes a louder than normal (hissing noise)at an idle or slightly above. It seems to get worse the more the engine is warmed up. Have taken it back to the dealer and they replaced the power steeing pump and hoses but it still does it. Two dealers say that it is normal. I can't believe that this much noise is normal. Anyone else experiencing the same problem.

2005 and Earlier Chevrolet Impala

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