2005 and Earlier Chevrolet Impala

bonni43 · May 2005

Not the greatest of news but thanks for the assistance! In the event I get a favorable answer, I'll be sure to give you an update, in the event you still own your Impala.

jim51 · May 2005

you talk about the traction cont/abs brakes---hope you don't have a prob. with one
of your abs sensor,because you lose your abs brakes as well as your traction
cont. now the expenses kick-in. i own a 2000 imp.(63k) and starting to have
some prob.--2-tie-rod ends,rear shocks and the tract./abs sensor prob.

luckily,i found the prob. for the sensor--it was in the rear,broken wire in the
harness at the abs sensor--very happy--everything is working is back to normal,
for now.

joe40 · May 2005

What is the expected oil usage for 2001 Impala LS? I have heard that 1qt. per 1,000 miles should not be considered a problem.

jarndt1 · May 2005

I'm having the windows tinted on my '04 LS. The laws in Virginia are 50% front side, 38% back side, and 28% rear window. Should I go for max tint on all windows, 50% on the fronts and 38% on the back and rear, or 50% all the way around? What would look best? Would having different tint levels on different windows look funny? Any advice would be appreciated.

jarndt1 · May 2005

Correction: 35% back side. And I've seen conflicting info on the rear window. (35% vs. 28%)

charts2 · May 2005

I bought my 2001 LS brand new........I only have 40,000 miles on it. The most I have ever added is 1/2 quart between changes most changes 3500-4000 miles.....I am sure others will vary......I have a few friends that have Impala's including my son who has a 2003 LS and oil consumption has never been a problem......you can check all the previous 13,000 posts on this forum and I don't remember it being an issue with this engine....

bh628 · May 2005

Hi,
I saw a nice article in an Auto Club magazine about the pros and cons of FWD, RWD, and AWD. Here's the link:

http://www.aaa-calif.com/westways/0305/auto/overdrive.asp

I've seen postings about AWD, and was surprised that there is a disadvantage to them--reduced gas mileage. Although it's only 1-2MPG less, that's a factor if you drive a lot and live in a pretty dry part of the country (which isn't this rain season, in the SW--37inches of rain). Then article also mentions when AWD and 4WD would be preferable.

Maybe something Edmunds might like to post on their website? I've seen the "Read Only" lists, but you have to go thru a lot of postings to get the information. An article would be nice.

nosirrahg · May 2005

I'm quickly approaching 80k miles on my 2000 Impala (3.8l engine) and haven't had any issues with oil consumption at all - I've been using Mobil 1 synthetic since about 5k; I check the oil occasionally, but I don't recall EVER adding any oil between changes.

rhed · May 2005

I had this happen to my 2000 impala while still under extended warranty - they did have to replace the entire a/c control module. Sorry...

does anyone happen to know where I can find a used auto dimming rearview mirror?

rhed · May 2005

My 2000 did too - it was still under exteneded warranty though and they did have to replace the entire AC control module. It was one of many problems I had. The body control module and the power locks were replaced besides the AC. The intermediate drive shaft also was replaced. New transmission put in at 60,000 miles. I love the car but thank goodness for the extended warranty or I'd have paid through my nose for this car repair.

nosirrahg · May 2005

Sounds like we've had many of the same problems with our 2000 models!!! My auto dimming mirror only has a narrow band right across the middle that still dims; I went to gmpart.com (Chuck Hutton Chevrolet) back in December and at that time they wanted @ $125 for a new one - my fear with buying a used one is it's going to eventually do the same thing, so I may eventually spring for a new one just to delay replacing it again as long as possible.

2000imp · May 2005

My wife's Impala will be running perfect and then suddenly die. This usually happens at low speed, but really concerns me. I have replaced the Pressure Regulator and the Fuel Filter. Is there a fuel relay on these cars? Anyone else heard of/know what is causing this? The car could run fine for days and then die. I would love to finally end this problem!

Thanks for any advice in advance....

jons01 · May 2005

My 2001 Impala is now about 4 !/2 years old and I am wondering how much longer I can expect the battery to last. When did you guys replace the battery?

It is working fine, but it may be better to not wait for it to fail and get a new one now.

Any thoughts?

juce · May 2005

I have a 2003 impala with 40000 miles, I bought the car brand new. Recently the security and battery lights were flashing, so I took the car to auto zone a couple of days ago and had the battery and alternator checked which they said were fine, but this morning the car is completely dead, won't start, no power at all, the doors won't even unlock with autokey device. I haven't tried to boost it yet, wondering if anyone had an idea on what the issue could be without taking it to dealer since its past the warranty. This is the fourth vehicle I bought(first domestic), others were a mazda protege - 295,000 miles - it finally died, nissan pickup - 75,000 miles - traded it in for a honda accord - 95000 miles that was totalled in a car accident. No issues with any of the previous, so I'm quite frustrated at the moment about my most recent purchase.

chrisis30 · May 2005

I had similar problem the battery light would also flash on my car when it was turned off,see if yours does that mine was a BCM (body control module) and was replaced under warranty,and brought no codes up at GM garage, it had to stay two days at the shop and as far as the domestic vs. foreign goes they all go bad things happen to all cars no matter what type think of this the computer in my car was made in another country right? so I guess its the foreign countrys fault right?!!

fathertyricius · May 2005

Well something similar happened to me with my 2001 LS ... the security light came on and stayed on while driving. When I arrived home, the car remained park for several hours when I tried to start it to run an errand. The car was completely dead. Nothing...... I got idiot lights on the dash, and had power to my windows and car stereo, but the car would not crank. I got in touch with onstar, and they connected me to a representative with road side assistance. After telling the person that the security light came on earlier, he told me that the car's computer shut the vehicle down thinking that it was being stolen. He mentioned to turn the ignition key for power only, not to try to start it, and leave the key turned for power for fifteen minutes. He said after fifteen minutes my car will start. Well he was right. The car started after fifteen minutes. I didnt have any issues with my battery light coming on like what happened to you, but this could be a combo situation where your battery is on the way out, and your ignition key's computer chip was either dirty or the key needing to be replaced. When you see that security light come on, clean the key immediately or use your spare key. Replacing these keys can be expensive, but there isnt anything one can do to fool the computer if the chip isnt working properly. ... I hope I was able to help you. Goodluck.

dontknowmuch · May 2005

We bought a 2001 Impala in November 2000. Replaced the battery about 1 month ago just before getting stranded.

Check out Advance Auto. They checked the battery and replaced at the store and I was on my way in about 15 minutes.

hanna5858 · May 2005

This post is my solution to all the posts about brake problems with the Impala. I had to replace my front brakes on my 2001 Impala. This is a pretty easy job. I replaced the front brakes and rotors,the car has 50,000 miles on it. I used the inexpensive rotors. After the job, the brake pedal was pulsing as bad as it was before the repair. I read all the posts on this site about it being a must to replace the rotors with the $200+ high performance rotors. Before going this route, I decided to replace the rear brakes and rotors which still looked good. The rear rotors were a little worn and had some small grooving. I also bought the inexpensive rotors for the rear brake replacement. Well guess what, this solved the pulsing problem. Lesson learned , always replace the front and backs together even if they don't look bad. No more pulsing, smooth stopping, and all with inexpensive rotors. Now I'm not saying the the cheap rotors will out perform the high preformance ones. Of course you get what you pay for, but this fix will still work. Hanna5858

karldotcom · June 2005

I just thought I would document this. I was taking a trip to Arizona to visit some friends in my 2004 Impala, and the seat belt broke. (Not good during the "Click it or Ticket" Campaign) The receiver would not take the seat belt and secure it properly, unless you pressed down the button and it seemed to hold. I went to a local dealer that said it would take 5 days for the part to arrive from Los Angeles. I said no thanks, and took it to my local dealer when I got back.

They said that since it was a safety issue, I could get a rental car at Enterprise for free (guess what I picked? An Impala!) I only put about 24 miles on the rental, since my part was in the next day. Had 6000 miles on the OD, so I had them rotate the tires too.

I didnt notice that my car rides a lot better than that rental car!

frankf3 · June 2005

I just check with my wife to see if the problem had ever come back. Believe it or not, it happened twice last week. Even this is a vast improvement as it was happening continually before. I had "closed the book" on this repair, but at this point, things may have just been disturbed to cause it to go away for a while. The dealer had replaced the headlight switch and for all purposes untill this week I thought we were ok. I am going to keep monitoring it to see if there is a pattern or a condition that makes it happen more often. Please let me know if some fix turns up for you.

Thanks,
Frank
:confuse:

bigjoe1 · June 2005

after much arduous searching, i have come to the conclusion that i am unable to make my 2002 3.4L impala any faster than it is. no matter where i turn, it seems that there are no parts available to upgrade my vehicle. no intakes, no exhaust systems, no nothing. am i destined to lag behind my friends and their fast cars, or can someone rescue me from my slow nightmare ? if anyone knows what to do to make my impala speed up, please let me know. email, IM, doesnt matter. anything to get this car moving.

pat · June 2005

Have you stopped by our brand new Speed Shop: Tuning & Modification board? You might find some help there and it's a great place to ask.

By the way, let's get folks to answer your questions here in the Forums so everyone will benefit from the exchange. Good luck.

anidez · June 2005

I have Limo tint on my back windows and one shade lighter in the front on my Impala and on my tbird I have limo on the back and 40 on the front it doesn't look bad

broha · June 2005

The Driver side window switch in my 2000 Impala hesitates to roll back up. If I pull the switch up from the other side, sometimes it works. So I figured that the switch underneath must be dirty or has a bad connection. I took it all apart and everything seems to be fine. Does anyone know anything about this??..Or know where I can get a driver side window switch chip board... ??

johnclineii · June 2005

It may not be the switch at all...it may be the "regulator." Which is, in fact, the power window motor. Just a thought. I wouldn't be a parts changer unless I was sure of the diagnosis first....

nosirrahg · June 2005

If you're only having problems when the window is going up, odds are your switch is going bad...same thing happened to me less than a year ago on my 2000 Impala (probably around 70,-75,000 miles). At first it acted like there was a short in the switch, and if you experimented you could find just the right spot where it would still roll back up, which I did for several months...but in September it quit all together (and of course, it was when the window is DOWN, so you're stuck with an open window).

From what I can tell the switch can't be repaired; a new replacement costs @ $90. When mine quit I was in a bind because I HAD to be at a presentation the next morning, and couldn't leave my car unattended with the window open...so I ended up running to Radio Shack about 8pm and buying a set of small jumper wires...if you remove the 4-window switch from the driver's door you can jump the wires to the corresponding connectors on the passenger door switch next to the bad driver's switch, and get the window closed...at least that's what I did...then I removed the switch so I wouldn't accidentally open it again, and bought/installed the new part at lunch the next day.

It's an easy enough part to remove/replace yourself (actually the night mine quit the only tool I had was a pocket knife with a broken blade, which JUST happened to fit in the screw heads in the armrest to remove the switch!!), so don't pay the dealer to install it by any means.

road46 · June 2005

average life of a battery here in upstate nys is 4 to 5 years....past 5 years you are pushing it. Not only cold but heat kills batteries. 3 very cold days in a row will kill a marginal battery. I know since I spent 5 years working for a auto parts wholesaler and the batteries would fly out by the third day here. Later

capt · July 2005

My 2000 Impala went to the Chevy store for a recall on something about the fuel pressure regulator and coincidentally (maybe) the engine started surging 2 days later, it is usually after it upshifts the last time and more so when it is pulling a grade, usually worse when the engine has not reached operating temp. but it will surge at times fully warmed up with 92 degree outside temp, no check engine light has ever came on with this problem, your help and comments appreciated.

frankcoopers · July 2005

So when is GM going to make this car a worthy RWD competitor to the Daimler-Chrysler RWD sedans? (300C and new Charger?) :confuse:

pluto5 · July 2005

No more RWD from GM, I hope. If you like spinning around in the winter get a RWD DC.

crosley4 · July 2005

I have no problems with RWD in winter here in Arizona....

pluto5 · July 2005

What's winter like in Arizona, 80 degrees instead of 120? :P

2k_impala_ls · July 2005

Our 2K-LS only had about 17k on it last November when it quit. The positive terminal fell off right in my hand. It had the dreaded leak that eat it away. I have heard of alot of delco leaks. Not sure if it is from over tightening at the factory or a defective battery.
I als had to remove the battery tray to clean all of the acid up.

bh628 · July 2005

Hi,

I am just about to ship my 1/2year old, mint condition 2004 Impala cross country. I love this car, I got just what I wanted (and more!). I have anxiety about damage during the shipment, but it's my best (probably only) option.

They drive pretty fast on those big car-shipping trucks. I need to empty the car completely because the vibrations from the truck going down the road can really move things around violently. Only factory installed items ok, license plates & spoilers have to be firmly fastened (I hope mine are, they're factory installed!).

I've arranged for someone to meet the car shipper at the other end at a GMC dealer, because I figure they would have a big lot for offloading. A win-win situation, because the sales manager of the dealership starts off with me in a good light, and I get my car offloaded and can get my car serviced near where i"ll live. Smaller town, few dealershps. I just had visions of a manager of a food store in a shopping center coming out and yelling at me to get that big shipping truck out of his lot.

Question--should I have the service dept of the new dealership look my car over after the car shipment? The car shipper release I have to sign says the shipper is not responsible to problems in suspension from vibrations (and any other damage, except a truck accident). My insurance tells me they aren't responsible while the car is being shipped--what you get when you buy low-cost insurance, I guess.

I wish there were another option than using a car shipper, but this is the way I need to go. My spouse already drove one car accross country, and it almost cost the same when you consider the flight back here and the days of hotel and food bills. We don't have a friend to drive it accross country, and our insurance would only cover people named on the insurance policy (yes, if a friend drives you home after a party, the insurance isn't in force if they get into an accident.)

Thanks! I'll probably be asking later about tips driving in snow. I have never been thru a real fall or winter.

pat · July 2005

Hi - you might want to have a look at our Car Transport Companies discussion. You might find some answers there, but it would be a great place to also post your questions as they are not specific to Impalas.

Meanwhile we'll see what other Impala owners have to offer on the subject.

chuck1 · July 2005

It seems that no one wants to accept any responsibility for the car during shipment. What's up with that?

bh628 · August 2005

Thanks for the link! I got some good ideas of what to check in the delivery process. Looks like I should note condition on the pickup report and also list mileage. I saw a few referrals, but i got a little anxious--this morning i paid a $200 deposit (credit card) on a pickup. Made the pickup dates WELL over the date i am to leave. So if any delay in pickup, I have 1 1/2 weeks left after the window.

i did some checking, even on the www.DOT.gov website. I'm going with A to Z Auto Shipping. I have heard good and bad stories about auto shippers. A friend said his brother's car was parked under a car with an oil leak. when he went to use the wipers, the oil made a big mess. i think it's good that it's being offloaded at a GM dealer, I think I'll have it serviced upon delivery.

I wonder if I would get better service if I tell A-Z that i'd give a good online review for them? I told A-Z about the bad review to on a competitor at www.ripoffreport.com, and they said that it could be a competitor doing the bad review. They trust the bbbonline. The bbb online states that their record began in '96, and i don't see any complaints for A-Z since '03. They may have had complaints, but none posted there.

All questions to A-Z were fielded to "Barry," who may be a "closer." But he seemed pretty open about answering any questions.

At some point, you just have to take a leap and decide. Wish me luck! I'm going to TN! :shades:

fathertyricius · August 2005

Today by complete surprise while my 01 Impala LS was having its oil changed, I was given a set of keys to the new 06 Impala LT from the salesman who sold me my 01 LS. I was very excited and could'nt wait to see the car and test drive it. It was white, and fully loaded with a sun roof. When I got in the car, all my excitement went out the window. I was very disappointed. The interior looked and felt so cheap. The dash cluster was different from my 01 with the DIC display around the guages, big control knobs for the stereo and climate controls, and the ignition being re-located back to the steering column. The rear view mirror had the Onstar controls on it, but it lacked the auto day/night feature. The outside mirrors on the doors also were a lot smaller then the 2000 - 2005 Impala's. The car appeared to be bigger while sitting behind the wheel, but I noticed that it appeared to have less leg room for rear passengers.
When I drove it off the lot and onto the main road, it drove and handled great. The 06 has the new 3900 V6 engine. I did notice that the feel to the steering wheel was different too. It didnt have that thick leather feel that my 01 has. The radio/cruise controls mounted on the steering wheel are different too. All radio/CD controls are on the right side, and the cruise controls are on the left. It took a little while to get use to how the controls worked. The volume control has two spearate buttons for hi and low where you push the buttons towards you from the behind the steering wheel without having to take your palms off the wheel. This was different. I didnt like the radio display. All the preset radio stations are displayed continously from left to right in one column. Whatever preset you choose puts a bright box around the station ID. I didnt like this new display. The radio in this car had only AM and one band FM, no XM. The sound wasn't all that great either. I had to boost up the bass level by three notches beyond center, where on my stereo in my 01, my bass setting is set at center. Chevy added a tweeter mounted on the left and right pillars too. This was a great idea, but for some reason I just wan'st impressed on the overall sound of the system. I also noticed that I had to reach a little farther to get to the controls on the radio then what I would do with my own car. This was uncomfortable since I wasn't familar with the controls and my eyes were going off the road trying to learn what knob did what. Of course in time once you become familar with everything, it would take no effort to control all the features.
Overall I drove the car for about 10 miles at hi way speed and city speed. The car handled great, and at one point, I decided to park the car off road and take a better look at the exterior. What I noticed is that the new 06 Impala resembles a grown up Cobolt & Malibu. Very similar tails and headlamps. The trunk lid at the bottom has this silver chrome plate that goes from the left tail lamp to the right tail lamp. It looks nice, but in time will become scratched and ugly. It has the big gold bow tie center on the trunk lid too. There should be an option where you can have the bow ties removed from the front and back. I never liked them. Well I got back in the car and drove to the dealer where when I drove into the parking lot, I saw my 01. Of coure the 2000 to 2005 Impala's have their own issues, but comparing it to the new 06 makes my 01 LS far more superior. Will I ever buy the new Impala ? I dont think so. I wasn't really happy after getting out of the car.

batista · August 2005

Having checked chevrolet.com you had the 3.5L engine not the 3.9L. It mentions that the LTZ models have the 3.9L and the LT and LS has the 3.5L.
You give a very thorough description of the sound system but not the engine's performance. Any better than the 3.8L? Smoother?
A lot of auto critics say that this new Impala has a way better interior with tighter fitting parts and better quality feel to the materials used. Why do you think the older impalas are better?

dan165 · August 2005

Are you serious, the 06 interior was "cheap" and the 01 is "far superior"?

I have driven many a 01-05 Impala and I can't see how you can say this. The new Impala interior is superior in every way and is not "cheap" by any stretch of the imagination. The reason I did not buy an Impala in the past was the horrible interior.

Maybe you like the old fashioned look interior, but that is another story.

As for the car over all, no doubt some features will have changed, but I doubt you will find many people who will agree the old Impala is "far more superior". New cars have more power, better interiors and better driving dynamics.

fathertyricius · August 2005

Yes I am very serious. I felt that the 06 interior was cheap with appearance and materials. The interior of the 06 had heavy use of fake wood panels eveywhere on the dash. One big wide wood panel on the glove box didn't appeal to me at all. The headliner material felt that it would tear easily. This turned me off immediately. Comparing my 01 LS to the 06 LT my car I felt was better with appearance and use of materials. Im not saying that the older Impala's have the ultimate best, but that my initial reaction stepping into the 06 was of a negative feel knowing what my car had to offer. I have no set preference on any type of style interior. Im just comparing what Chevy offered on the older Impala's to the new 06 model. I felt that Chevy went out of their way to cut costs any which way they could, just like what they did to the older Impala's getting rid of the Impala name on the doors of the LS models, getting rid of the shift indicators on the gear panel display on the center console, getting rid of the coin holder, just to name a few. My opinion is what I felt initially seeing the new 06, feeling it, and using it. Sorry that we don't agree, but just because I didnt like it and you do, doesn't mean that everyone has to feel like I do. Different tastes, different expectations, all makes for interesting conversation.
The 06 that I drove did have the 3.9 like I originally mentioned, not the 3.5. I took pictures of the 06 outside and in, and took pics under the hood too. I wish I was able to upload a few of them here, but I guess its not to be. I did mention in my original post how the car handled great. Yes it had power, and any power difference between my car with the 3.8 and the 06 with the 3.9 was not noticeable at all. The 3.9 was not supercharged.
Hopefully many of you here soon will test drive the new Impala, and post your feelings and opinions.
Best Regards.

charts2 · August 2005

The 2006 Impala LT comes with the 3.5 but can be ordered with the 3.9. The 3.9 is now the engine used in the Impala Police package. The metal strip that runs across the base of the trunk lid is attached by emblem tape.

bigjay · August 2005

With all do respect,at $32k, what were you expecting? If you're so picky, buy a better car! Nobody said the '06 Impala was a "perfect" car! It is a neat idea, a better design than the previous one ( I know, I own an '01 LS) and a pretty good value.

As far a durability goes, it can stand up to anything that the Japanese are building (Again, I would know. My 4 yr old LS has 135,000 trouble free miles on it). With choices of a potent 240 hp V6 or a ground pounding 303 hp V8, it has plenty of poop! It has great trunk space, decent interior room and it is nearly silent inside at speed.

In short, it is a better car than the Accord, Camry, Kia Sonata, and many others. These ARE the Impala's competition...not the 325i, the A4, the W8 Passat, and the like. Chevy is, and has always been, a mid priced, mid market car. Chevy has never been a "genuine wood trim" brand.

Comments like: "The headliner material felt that it would tear easily"..."Chevy went out of their way to cut costs any which way they could"...are assumptions.

You also said: "The car handled great. Yes it had power, and any power difference between my car with the 3.8 and the 06 with the 3.9 was not noticeable at all." Are you kidding? The "06 LTZ (240hp V6) kicked the pants off my '01 LS!!

Now, in fairness, you also said: "My opinion is what I felt initially seeing the new 06, feeling it, and using it. Sorry that we don't agree, but just because I didnt like it and you do, doesn't mean that everyone has to feel like I do. Different tastes, different expectations, all makes for interesting conversation."

Now, that I can agree with!

johnclineii · August 2005

Cost cutting is rampant in this segment, as it has to be to price the cars the way they are priced. I got a Five Hundred (I liked the AWD and high seating position, not to mention the CVT) to replace my faithful 00 Impala LS (which had 173,000 miles on it) and among the many cost cutting measures are a mast antenna instead of in glass, no glove box light, no inside marker lights on any of the doors, visor mirrors that look like they belong on a Playmobile set, a prop rod for the hood and of course, that same simulated wood on the dash. Not to mention the engine is the same 3.0 Duratech found in many Tauri.

(The saved money presumably went into Volvo levels of safety, the Haldex AWD system, the CVT transmission, and pricing the car in the mid to high twenties instead of mid to high thirties).

If you want all this stuff as it used to be these days, you are going to have to move up to Lexus, Acura, Infinity or Cadillac. And you will pay for it.

There is no such thing as a free lunch.

frankf3 · August 2005

I had a great ride today!! While on vacation in York, Pennsylvania with my family my 2001 Impala LS started to give me problems. Whenever I wanted to accelerate on the interstate the gas pedal would feel spongy and there would be nothing there. Not good when you pull out to pass someone. It got so bad that I started to hear ratchet wrench type noises from under the hood. I pulled into a larger Chevy dealer in York PA (Apple Chevrolet) to get it checked out. I was amazed at their efficiency. They found that the catalytic convertor had failed and was preventing the engine from reving up. It was so bad that the engine would not allow the transmission to downshift to pass.
While I was there getting the car repaired, I noticed they had a Black 2006 Chevy Impala SS with the 5.3L V8. The salesman asked if I wanted to take it for a drive - I told him I would love to. I think the salesman was itching to take it out also. As they put a plate on it and my family packed in, the salesman asked where we were going on sight seeing. We told him and he drove us out about 20 minutes away to find our next stop. We then switched and I got to drive it the 20 minute trip back. WHAT A SWEET RIDE!! As you accelerate you can hear the mellow rumble of exhaust. The engine is as sooth as silk. There is no perceptible difference in the number of cylinders being used as part of the "Displacement on Demand" system as it switches from 8 to 6 to 4 cylinders. As we just idled along the back roads, we could not tell it was running in 4 cylinder mode. The window sticker listed I think 24 - 28 mpg for mileage.
Reality set in when we finished the trip. The dealer gave us a quote for our 2001 Impala LS with 54000 on the clock. They offered us 7000 for our Impala and took that off of the window sticker of the 2006 Impala SS. They said we would be one of the first people to own one on the Eastern seaboard. Although it had lots of options, 8 speaker BOSE sound system, sunroof, leather seats, heated seats, XM radio and of course the 5.3 L V8, I could not go for the deal. Maybe another one will come my way.
The emissions warranty took care of the catalytic problem and I was on my way free of charge after just 1 1/2 - 2 hours at the dealer!

vanman1 · August 2005

I'm surprised by your comments also. I sat in a 06 SS a couple of weeks ago and the car looks superb, well assembled and of good quality materials.

Main reason I stopped looking at the current Impala when we bought last was the poor dash. This car to me seems far superior. From what I have heard about the drive, I can't imagine I would be disappointed when I do test one.

charts2 · August 2005

The new Impala is a winner. That was said back in 99 also when that Impala platform was first introduced. I took an LS out in August 99, I thought at the time it was light years ahead of the competion, but it aged quickly (my opinion) ..it went 2 years too long. Some might disagree. The car market today moves much faster then even 2 or 3 years ago. This new car will have to keep ugrading or will also become what the 00-05 Impala is to some now. I am not being negative.

I don't always go with the flow. I am a critic. We all know major improvements were made with this new car over the last generation Impala. Improvements were made in power, quality, fit/finish, brakes, etc. Why? because car analysts and critics continually pointed out the weak spots of the model 00-05. GM listened. If too many people keep saying all positives about this new car, then change will come a lot slower when it has to. For too many years the big three never listened to the public, they made cars that they believed we wanted. Today US car manufactures listen more to the public about change then ever before. They have to. I believe the new Impala will do very well, even better then the 00-05 models. I, like a few others thought that maybe they didn't go far enough. Some indicate they believed the LTZ/SS car should have climate control, underhood/glovebox lighting, etc. As options maybe (moveable peddles, or memory seats/mirrors for the LTZ/SS) The 2007 might ad a couple of these features to keep the car fresh. If car analysts, car testers & critics, don't keep pointing out changes they would like to see, the competition will blow right by! 2006 Impala. Thankyou GM for finally listening to people who like changes. If no one ever complained about their cars we would still be driving black model T's.

bigjay · August 2005

The new '06 Impala is great! I have put a deposit down on a Black on Tan SS and wil take delivery on August 30th. I am waiting for an escrow to close at the end of the month and will take delivery then.

In the meantime, "my car" is sitting on the showroom floor as a static demo. I am letting the dealer show it, but no test drives! I did drive it last week. It's nice, very nice. It has "professional image" without being pretentious or showy. It also has great entertainment value when one drives it.

It also has one other thing that some of the competition doesn't have: It has the elusive "oooohhh factor." People see it, recognize what it is, check out the fit and finish and stand there and say: "oooohhhh!"

I reeeeally that!

batista · August 2005

I cannot get more than 2 years (15K miles) out of my 01 Impala without having the ISS lubed?
How long is the lube lasting in your Impalas?
Is this the normal rate?
I read in another forum a GM mechanic saying that the new revised ISS are also coming back for repair. That is why I will opt for the lube.
You would think the 06 Impalas would have this problem fixed but knowing GM probably not.

johnclineii · August 2005

I put 173,000 miles on my 00 Impala LS. The ISS was never touched....

2005 and Earlier Chevrolet Impala

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