2005 and Earlier Chevrolet Impala

mcdill · December 2000

NO GM does not sell any type of performace exaust systems , that i know about , you would need go to a muffler shop to have an exaust system put on, Heck the chevy dealers take there new cars to muffler shops to have a special system put on cars , I should know , i work right by the largest muffler shop in a county of 400,000 people , ive seen a few 3.4 impala's and monte carlo's come thru there to get dual exaust , nothing special , just like the muffler on the right side moved to the left ,and two chrome tips .thanks-------------mattmcdill

platour · December 2000

Thanks Matt. I got the idea from this fellow's web site. It lools as if the configuration in the pics shown is a stock item but I could be wrong. I e-mailed him but have not received a reply.
http://community-2.webtv.net/dman4ford/00IMPALALS/

platour · December 2000

This Forum is Quiet. In any case, is there a build sheet hidden somewhere on the Impala? In my 1979 Corvette, it was above the gas tank....

nosirrahg · December 2000

Sorry I've been inactive for a while; we were hit with an ice storm here (Ark.) on Christmas Day, and we were without electricity from 3pm Tuesday until 4pm Friday. With only gas logs to keep one room relatively warm (about 50 degrees), it was a pain to say the least. My wife and I finally braved taking a shower (we do have gas hot water) on Friday, and went out to see a movie. As I was backing out of the drive, the FedEx truck pulled up and handed me my package from Campbell-Ewald with my pin set (#233 of 350, BTW). So, I had the pleasure of receiving (and opening) my pin set while sitting at the wheel of my Impala!

mcdill · December 2000

Hey buddy , ive been think about you , after i heard about all the ice in ARK. so i hope everything is getting better . happy new year----------------mattmcdill

nosirrahg · December 2000

Getting the pin set, followed by getting electricity (and HEAT) back made things much better. I can't wait to see our gas bill though - we burned the gas logs for 3-days straight, and unfortunately they're the purely decorative type that put out almost zero heat. We also lost everything we had in the fridge/freezer, but no frozen pipes or other damage at least. We did cook several meals on the fireplace though, which made for some fun moments. I did think about you when I went out Thursday to start my Impala to take the kids over to my in-laws (who got power a day before us); my car produced a large amount of white smoke after having set in the garage for 4 days. The smoke didn't look blue or smell oily; had more of a fuel smell. It burned off within a few seconds, and hasn't been a problem since.

mcdill · December 2000

It was probably condensation , unless it came out RIGHT when you cranked it , like within 1 -2 seconds after crankup , condensation usually starts about 15 to 30 seconds after start up , on a cold day . Glad to here every thing got better for you .thanks-----------mattmcdill

hggray · December 2000

The current equivalent to the old paper build sheet is a label on the inside of the trunk lid.

platour · December 2000

Thanks aggray. I will check the trunk when I locate the Impala under the snow. This was the scene in my driveway early this morning. The Impala is under the cover....
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=223638&a=1656230&p=36656496&Sequence=0&res=high

platour · December 2000

Hggray, yes it is simply a sticker under the trunk lid. A list of codes with no descriptors....

night_owl1 · December 2000

3M sells a product called "3M Release Agent" part number 051135-08879. It comes in an aerosol spray can and has a straw tip like WD-40. You should be able to get it at any car store. I think I got it at NAPA. I have used it to remove weather-stripping and it works great. You can clean up any residue with 3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner, part number 051135-08984. It didn't damage the paint on my Camaro, but I have never tried it on the Impala, so you should test it on an inconspicuous area first.

Another option is using a heat gun or hair dryer and use dental floss to "floss" between the emblem and the paint. A little bit risker, though.

platour · December 2000

Thanks night_owl1. I will look for that 3M product. Do you have any info on my post re cat-back dual exhaust?

night_owl1 · December 2000

A cat-back dual exhaust is going to be an aftermarket thing. I believe there is a flange on the rear end of the catalytic converter so unbolting the muffler and the rear pipes should be no problem. A number of companies make cat-back systems and some use the existing hanger points, so installation is pretty simple. On smaller displacement engines, you need the back pressure for the low end. I have a 350 ci V8 on my Camaro, so I didn't have to worry about low end HP. I don't know what size pipes would be recommended for the 3.4L. A good muffler shop should be able to make recommendations. I'm gonna wait until one of the aftermarket companies develop one since they will do all the dyno testing and such.

McDill is correct about not being able to chip an Impala. They do make re-programmers that overwrite the car's EPROM. The benifit is you can tune the power curves without pulling the chip and risking damage. Also you can restore the factory defaults any time you want. The down side is that they don't have one for the Impala yet! Hypertech didn't have one in the works as for July '00. I guess it's time to ask again.

platour · December 2000

I accessed on-line a Motor Trend mag road report that states that the Impala 3.8L will do 0-60 in 7.6 secs and the 1/4 mile in 15.8 seconds at 89 mph. Braking distance from 60-0 is 130 feet. That is pretty impressive! Now in contrast, my summer car is a 1979 Corvette L-82: 350cid or 5.7L. These are the specs from Road & Track mag of April 1979 for the Corvette:
-0-60 mph, 6.6 secs
-1/4 mile, 15.6 secs at 91 mph
-brake 60-0, 142 feet

Not a lot of difference. No wonder the Police forces are testing the Impala! At least in terms of stopping old C3 Corvettes. The C5 is another story.....

2k_impala_ls · December 2000

If you want to know what I think, look at your 2001 Impala brochure on page 32 you will see my quote. you can also vist my website for 7 Impala reviews. http://www.luckyjdr.homestead.com/impala.html

2k_impala_ls · December 2000

this is the best i could get for now. it is also on the site.

lrcobra · January 2001

Happy New Year and Happy Motoring in our Impala's.
LRCobra

tomaso7 · January 2001

Hi all: I just picked up my new 2001 Impala LS, navy blue just outside of Toronto Onrario, Canada. While in the salesman's office I noticed something that I had read about on this site a few days earlier. So, I asked the salesperson that it was nice and if he could get me one. he sat up straight and said " I knew you were going to ask me for it. I had it in the drawer for a week and I told myself that if I put it on my tie Tom [me] would ask for it." Then he took it off and gave me his IMPALA SYMBOL TIE PIN! WHAT A COUP! I scanned the silver pin and chain and hopefully you will be able to see it here or in a following message.

The next morning I got up anxiously waiting to drive the new LS and when I looked outside I almost fainted - there was four inches of snow covering the car - it could have been my former car - Lumina LTZ. The roads were a mess but the traction control was flawless as was the AS system. Later in the day, in a warm garage, I cut out from 12 ml clear plastic forms that fit on the floorboards in the front and the back. It took about 3 hours to cut the plastic to fit but I am assured my rug will be clean during the Spring, Summer and Fall when it is removed. No more black marks on the rug beside the door. I used quarter inch staples to attach the plastic to the floor. I put it over the original mats because they also act as a sound deafener. Then on top of the plastic I put gray matching pant saver rubber mats.

When I picked up the car the air bag light was constantly on - why didn't they notice this during the initial servicing. The car was very dusty even in the dark, but by the morning it didn't matter any more. I switched the computer to Litres and kph. I have the infamous amplifier and so over the next few days I will be testing various CDs and then when I find the right one I will compare it to the cheaper sound system found in other Impalas.

The heated seats are great it was 10 degrees F here tonight = around -7 C. The steering is very responsive, more so than the Lumina LTZ which BTW has the same tires as the LS.

Sorry for the long post, but having a new car makes one want to share. Regards and happy New Year.

It seems I cannot paste the picture please let me know how to get a .bmp or .jpg into a post. Thanks

platour · January 2001

Is the hood galvanized? I was thinking of zapping the inner leading edge with WD-40 to prevent rust in the future. I realize that GM provides a six-year warranty against perforation but $2.00 worth of WD-40 cannot hurt......

frankencat · January 2001

..to all on the Chevrolet Impala forum. Thanks for all of your help.

frankencat · January 2001

Just had to share this with you all. While my wife and I were outside talking with our neighbors the other night, a couple of kids walking down the street stopped for a second and were looking at my LS in the driveway when one of them said to me, "that is a 'phat' car man". Made me feel pretty neat.
Frank

platour · January 2001

OK, I will bite on that lead. What is a "phat" car? BTW, the text in the messages is skewed way beyond the monitor face again.....

nosirrahg · January 2001

Unfortunately the smoke was within 1-2 seconds of starting; very thick and white (not like condensation). But again, the car had been sitting in a pretty cold garage for 4 days. It didn't smell like oil, but then again I've switched to synthetic - does burning synthetic oil smell any different from regular oil?

nosirrahg · January 2001

Unfortunately the smoke was within 1-2 seconds of starting; very thick and white (not like condensation). But again, the car had been sitting in a pretty cold garage for 4 days. It didn't smell like oil, but then again I've switched to synthetic - does burning synthetic oil smell any different from regular oil?

(My apoligies if I've posted this more than once - I've got a bad connection and can't get things to go through well tonight.)

mcdill · January 2001

I don't really know if synthetic smells any different than regular oil , ours still does it if it sits for more than 1 day , like 2 or more , according to the chevy dealer , it is just gasoline deposits ( ??????? ) stuck inside the combustion chamber , and also that the injectors may pump a little more fuel than needed at startup . who knows. thanks-----------mattmcdill

shamino · January 2001

Hi all: I just bought a 2000 Impala LS after Christmas. It's fully loaded: leather, heated seats, sunroof, uppgraded 8 speaker radios etc. It was a demo car, and everything runs great! The color of the car is galaxy silver metallic. I was wondering whether the metallic paint is only on the outside?? Cause when I open up the trunk, the color of the trunk lid inside is like a dull silver/grayish color. Also I've noticed the framework for the doors/hinges is not of a metallic finish, but only silver color. Is that correct??

On another note, I've read that there are 2 key problems that people point out about the 2000/2001 impalas:

1) something about the radio amp?
2) Aluminum engine cradle problems?

Can someone please explain what sounds or what to look for in order to find these problems?? My car was made in 04/00.

duraflex · January 2001

We have a silver LS and I believe the paint inside the trunk
lacks a clear coat and that's why it looks different.

IMPALA RADIO forum has all the info on the amp problem.
History, development, instructions, bypasser comments.

BYPASS instructions are reposted here in IMPALA XI at
#303 and #312 - if the numbers haven't changed.

teo · January 2001

Welcome to the club! Most GM cars do not have clearcoat applied to painted "Non-visible" areas such as door sills, inner door rings, under the trunklid and hood, etc. This type of finish tends to look rather dull, but my best guess is that this is a cost cutting measure than anything else. For instance, Japanese automakers apply clearcoat to every exposed and hidden painted surface, giving the impression of a better finished product. I don't think that the absence of clearcoat in those areas would make them more prone rust since the rustproofing coats seem to be properly applied. Newer GM cars seem to hold better against rust than Fords or other foreign counterparts (Japanese mainly).

As far as the interior is concerned, my only gripes with the Impala have been the 'chintzy' and cheap glove box latch assembly (Rattle madness)and the underdash black plastic panels (On both driver and passenger side)that house the footlights...these are a prime example of GM's cheapness (And therefore bad reputation)when it comes to screwing interior components the way they should be. If you bent down there, notice that these plastic panels are hold by two very flimsy and useless plastic clips....the rest of the panel is completely loose!!, nothing holds it and is prone to rattle and/or pop out of place completely on top of your ankles. I was amazed when I saw this...I couldn't believe it! It looks like they ran out of budget money to finish and hold these panels properly in place. GM seems to 'penny-pinch' when it comes to put a stronger, better quality glove box latch or a few cheap screws or fasteners to hold some under dash plastic panels (By the way I like them but if they only were properly fastened).

The center console (For Impala LS and base models with front bucket seats)has also a tendency to rattle and creak overtime. Fortunately, GM spent some extra $$$ to add 8 visible screws (6 7mm screws and 2 10mm screws)to hold the entire center console assembly in place. Make sure you re-torque these screws every six months to keep the console nice and firmly in place and also add some WD-40 or other lubricant to the plastic joints to minimize squeaks due to 'plastic against plastic' rubbing noises. There are two 7mm 'hex' screws on each side right at the console joint directly below the center dashboard at the height of the accelerator pedal and the other six screws are located inside the console storage compartment. To gain access to these screws (4 7mm and 2 10mm hex screws)simply remove the coin holder (Carefully)and then the rubber 'mat' at the bottom of the compartment..and voila! there you have your screws! You'll need a ratchet drive tool specially made for very tight spaces. There are 2 7mm screws located right under the cup holder cavity and are very tricky to get at unless you have a small ratchet drive tool.

As a 'funny' side note, if you look under the console compartment rubber mat you'll see the part inscription 'TEO'...I was cracking up...too much of a coincedence!

The dashboard is very well assembled and haven't had any rattles or squeaks coming from this area. It appears to be that the "Magbeam" bar (The Magnesium structure that runs the width of the car and holds the entire dashboard assembly) to work wonders and at least ensures good stiffness and torsional rigidity for the life of the car. The plastic trim that holds the headliner (Around the roof pillars, A, B, and C) is kind of cheesy as well and the adhesive that holds the plastic against the headliner fabric seems to be very sensitive to temperature changes. I just have a couple of spots where you can see that the factory adhesive is giving up....if anyone knows about a good automotive glue for this purpose I would really appreciate any suggestions (Not a biggie but want to prevent gaps between the headliner and the roof pillar plastic trim)

As for the rest of the interior, the car is reasonably very well put together and good fit and finish. The door panels are very sturdy and they don't have the unpleasant "Breath in and out" effect when raising or lowering the windows as noted in many current domestic and foreign cars.

GM needs to fire some 'bean counters' and start to spend the extra $$$ to better bolt their interiors together...the Impala is a much better "GM" product no doubt about it, but they have to do better in this area if they want to regain lost market share...just my opinion.

The Impala is a great car and if properly cared for you can squeeze as many as 200K+ out of it. I have enjoy this car far much more than all my rather stirile and 'boring' ex-Honda and Acura products.

Hunter39:: I would appreciate if you can send me a pic or a diagram of the screw placement to hold the black plastic panels under the dash. I need to make sure about the correct placement of the holes that I need to drill to add the screws and prevent damaging some under dash component in the process.

Happy new year to all and Happy new Millinium (Now it is for real! The 21st Century!!!)

shamino · January 2001

Thanks for the very informative info on the impala. I am no audio expert, but I think the upgraded RDS radio +upgraded speakers sounds fine. No reception problems (Toronto, Canada)
, no skipping cds or anything like that. The only major difference I've noticed with this unit is that I need to put the volume up to about 1/2 before the sound is good. On my other car (97' Taurus LX) I only need to crank the volume on the 'mach audio' system 1/4 of the way.

Another issue about the Impala I've noticed is the engine mount body welds? What is that about? What production period does this problem occur?
Did they resolve the problem yet?

Regards,
Shamino

teo · January 2001

I think you are referring to the Engine Cradle welds.....The engine is also supported by 3 torsion bars to increase torsional rigidity but have no relationship to the engine cradle welds whatsoever. The engine cradle is made of alluminum. This metal offer a very light weight solution and better suspension tuning when using a similar steel cradle. The problem is that Aluminum is very difficult to weld properly, expands and contracts under stress/heat and generally can be a sore spot for this particular type of application. As of now, GM has not provided a final solution or recall. The problem seems to be widespread among all 2000/2001 production vehicles (Altough I haven't had the problem on my LS after 13,000 troublefree miles)and GM has suggested for dealers to add more welds to increase the rigidity of the cradle and reduce "Flexing" (Which in turn causes the infamous popping noises when turning the steering wheel at low speeds). Another poster claims that his final solution was to have some cradle "bushings" replaced and no more cradle problems after that. So repair reports are still conflicting as some say the added welds fixed the problem, other say the added welds or new cradle replacement only made the problem much worse and others claim that only replacing the cradle bushings parts solved their problems without having the need to add new welds or rectify the factory welds.

Anyway, there is not a safety issue involved as there is not hard core proof or evidence of a safety issue because of this problem.

Go to the beginning of this "Impala XI" topic and locate the post (Or got to the Maint/repair forum and locate the "Impala Popping noises" topic for the remedy and part numbers for the cradle bushings.

teo · January 2001

"I own a Impala 2000 LS since Aug 99. It now has 24,500 miles. Around 12,000 the rotors had to be turned because of vibrations when braking. At 20,000 miles a poping noise exactly as people here describe started and got louder and louder. It took the dealership an entire day to find the problem, a couple weeks for the parts and another half day to install the new parts. Problem solve, front end solid again. This is what my repair slips says.

Found cradle mounts loose, insulators allowing exessive movement :
Correction: Replace insulators, ( 8 all together )

Qty Part # Description

2 10402880 Insulator 9.023
2 10402881 Insulator 9.023
2 10402882 Insulator 9.023
2 10402883 Insulator 9.023

One other thing that I have heard people complain about that I had also was the blower making a high pitched noise when set on lower speeds. I took mine out, turned upside down and put WD40 on the bottom off the motor shaft and let it sit for a few hours. Put back in car and 6 months later, no high pitched noise yet,

. Dealership probably would of replaced it, sometimes you just have to do it yourself,

.

To post a message, you must first Login."

blckthree · January 2001

I to have noticed the under dash plastic panels that are not well attached. I have not crawled under yet to see the clip, but would like to add a couple of screws to it to hold it in place when it warms up. I would also be interested in where to put some extra screws. And I do not even want to talk about the glove box door, warmer weather will bring out the sockets and see what can be done with that one.

Also noticed the problem with the headliner staying attached around the sunroof. Looks like it needs some new adhesive, something that will bond and stay stuck in hot and cold weather.

Traction control has worked great the past few weeks. It never snows much in Oklahoma, but it sure has this year. The car is sound, mechanically, and will get its first oil change this weekend at about 2500 miles.

cookie01 · January 2001

I've moved my login to the new Millenium... but the board still has some squeaks
doesn't it???

My car turns 1 year in my garage next week. No problems, but I'm starting to
hear the DIC (driver's information center) and rearview mirror rattle. Just slightly
but it might bug me enough to take it in with in the next few months.

Hope everyone had a great new year's eve and no one was held up by gun point
at their favorite bar.... Just joking Don.

Cookie.

shamino · January 2001

Duraflex & Teo,

Your insights on the impala have been very helpful!!! I never paid much attention to the headliner and the trim coming loose until I read the previous posts!!!
On my car, the trim in the right rear near the window is loose. As well, part of the trim on the pillar on the driver side is starting to come off a little bit.
I am not sure whether the liner on the sunroof is suppose to stick right up there?? Or is it on purpose they have a bit of a gap between the base of the sunroof and the liner? I know the question seems like a stupid one..but I've never had a sunroof in a car until my Impala.
If I bring it into a dealer, will they fix it free of charge?? I just have about 12000km on the car.
I just don't understand why GM would do cost cutting on the fine details that make the driving experience that much better!

On a completely different topic, I was wondering why automotive journalist almost always rate Japanese or other imports cars as higher quality and better in every category?? Seems like these guys always find the slightest faults in a North American car, while Japanese cars always seem to be "perfect."

One last question I can think of at the moment...anyone know whether you can order the police package upgrades (minus the flashing lights on the roof) for our civilian impalas??

lrcobra · January 2001

lrcobra · January 2001

Sorry about that Matt. I need an answer to your e-mail. The check will go out tomorrow. How long will it take to get my e-bay item? Write or call soon.
Cobra

teo · January 2001

Just came back from 'Pep Boys' and bought a 1oz tube of 3M "Plastic Emblem & Trim Adhesive" glue (Cat No. 03601)for $3.99. This appears to be the perfect solution to repair those 'semi-lose' pieces of interior plastic that hold the headliner in place. The glue takes 24 hours to cure after applied but again is specially formulated for this type of trim plastic material. Do not use Super Glues...biggest crap ever invented...great for paper, leather and minor jobs...just avoid it like the plague and get the real stuff that holds for this kind of job.

Right now my only problem areas are the 'joint pieces' that are coming off slowly (The piece that joins the upper B-center pillar trim and the plastic extension that runs on top of the door against the headliner and then extends into the forward A-pillar trim). I have the problem on the front driver's side and the rear right door joint piece. I think the factory adhesive is either very weak or they don't put enough of it to join and hold these trim pieces together. Anyway another example were GM prefers not to spend the extra penny for better glue or trim. Anyway, I'll put the glue in the morning and I'll let you know on the results.

Unfortunately, I don't think you can buy an Impala with the Police Package. As far as the engine goes, the 3800 V-6 is the same exact powerplant on both Civilian and Police version, so no extra benefit there. The transmission, steering gear and suspension are beefier for the abuse these cars must endure. Perhaps at some point the 9C1 package will be available on civilian cars...but I don't care for it. Give me a 2003 5.7L V-8 Impala SS instead!

teo · January 2001

If you look closely, the Overhead DIC housing has a single screw that attaches it to the headliner trim. Check and see if that screw is tighten properly (However, the screw is not a regular 'flat head' or 'star head' I believe it is a Pozidriv type of screw and you need the right screwdriver for this). As far as the rear view mirror goes, I don't know what you can try. The rear view mirror itself is pretty heavy and tends to rattle/creak on high interior temperatures. Most cars equipped with this type of fancy electronic rear view mirrors have had the same problems (The Toyota Camry comes to mind). These mirrors are supplied to different automakers so they are popular in many cars other than GM.

platour · January 2001

Teo, yes the 3M products are very good. I replaced all the weatherstripping on my 1979 Corvette with 3M adhesive last summer and it did a fine job. The reason for the post is to note that the cure/setting of these adhesives is temperature sensitive. An ambient 70F is just fine but do not try the job below freezing!!! That may be self-evident but where I am it is 10F at the moment and even in a garage out of the snow, the products will not work.

teo · January 2001

You are right! I forgot to mention about the adequate ambient temperature to ensure proper bonding of the adhesive...above 65F.

blckthree · January 2001

Will that 3M "Plastic Emblem & Trim Adhesive" glue (Cat No. 03601) work to reattach the Velcro strips around the sunroof opening also? I hate to let the dealer try and fix little things like that, but also do not want to mess it up and have to take it to the dealer to fix after I made it worse

cookie01 · January 2001

I will take a look for that screw, I bet it would help. I probably won't need to go
out and buy a new (unique) driver tho... my across the street neighbor has every
tool in the book. But he'd have what I need.

Thanks for the tip!

teo · January 2001

According to the 3M adhesive packaging....

"Ideal for bonding and minor repairs of Vinyl molding, interior trim, plastic and metal ornaments"

My Impala LS doesn't have the sunroof, so I am not familiar with the way the headliner attaches to the edge of the roof's opening. Non-sunroof equipped Impalas haven't had any headliner related problems as sunroof fitted ones appear to do. However, I think the 3M glue will work in re-attaching those Velcro strips back in place with no problems. It's worth a shot (Only $3.99 for the 1oz tube) to try to make the repair yourself as dealers are not very reliable (Or careful enough) when it comes to minor interior trim repairs.

The good thing about this glue is that it is resistant to heat, water, vibration and fuels so it makes it adequate for interior/exterior applications such as these.

Don't worry about making a mess since the adhesive is clear, dries clear and only requires a thin coat to bond (If you put a thick coat of glue it will just weaken the bond creating a glue mess). Give yourself plenty of time to perform the repair to minimize the chances of messing the headliner fabric with glue.

Last, keep in mind as Platour stated, that these adhesives are Temperature Sensitive. If you try to repair your headliner on 10F weather, the glue will not cure properly or at all. If you have a heated garage and can manage to set the ambient temperature above 70F, then you should be able to do it with no problems. I have never lived in "Snow Country" so to me the idea of copying on a daily basis with freezing temperatures is as foreign as the Chinese language (I love snow just for skiing!).

Anyway, our current temp here in Miami is around 57F is still to cold (Based on tropical weather standards)for me to go out and put the adhesive but later in the day the Temp is expected to rise to 70F and with the sunny, clear skies, it will be just perfect to do it.

Tonight the temp will drop to around 42F which is freezing cold for us (We have already broken 50 year old records just this week alone), so you guys up there must be having "Fun" dealing with the artic 'blizzards' and power outages.

I'll let you know how the 3M adhesive works.

nutz4ls · January 2001

He, I haven't been around since things got busy for me but for the longest time I've read this page and recognize you as one of the "long timers" on the board. I read # 383 where you mentioned your rotors. I also have a bit of vibration while braking, typically at lower speeds. For the most part I blamed it on the roads since the streets down here are in poor shape. Is there anything else that would determine if the rotors need work? What sort of charge was there for the work you had done?
Thanks for any help you can provide.

blckthree · January 2001

I will give that adhesive a try when it gets above 70, which may be a few months. The headliner does not appear to be getting any worse, just sags in the middle, which is not that noticeable.

I have a set of mudflaps to put on when it gets warm enough to wash all the slush and snow out of the wheel wells. I tried a dry fit of them last night, but there was too much snow under there to get a good idea of how they fit. It appeared as though they would fit my 2001 with no modification, but until it is clean and dry under there, it is hard to tell. I bought them from gmpartsdirect.com, I can not remember the exact price, but it was less than $27 each, including shipping if my memory is right. Anyone looking for mudflaps might want to check there, they will probably beat dealer prices. Wish the weather would improve so I could get them on the car already.

This has been a lousy winter already. We have had 3 snow/sleet/ice storms in 3 weeks this December. Usually the snow does not last and melts away in a day or two, but the temperatures have been about 15 degrees below normal and it has stayed on the ground. This is only my second Oklahoma winter, and the worst part about it is that they do not have the equipment to take care of the roads after a snowfall, so the whole area is crippled. I spent 40 years in Iowa, and have heard from family of their lousy winter, a record of 32 inches of snow in December and a new record low for average temperature of 13 degrees, and just to make Christmas memorable for them, a low of –18 on Christmas day. I sure do not miss that stuff anymore, this little nuisance snow we get is bad enough.

dataman1 · January 2001

Although the impala's peppy nature is a plus, I find myself consiciously being very delicate
when I accelerate at speeds from zero to 20 mph. Since the car takes off with such a
jolt, it actually makes it difficult for me to have a smooth ride when driving local...with
many starts and stops. Stops and starts can be smooth in a vehicle....but I have not succeeded
at this kind of control in the impala. I have been driving for 20 years and am a little bit frustrated..

Does anyone know if the accelerator can be adjusted in this vehicle (in a manner that
would allow some softness in low speed acceleration)?

I may also consider some modification to the brake as well....as it would be nice to have
these 2 key items be in sync in terms of their responsiveness to pressure. They seem very
far apart in terms of how you apply pressure to them...and how they respond.

nosirrahg · January 2001

I'm in Little Rock, AR, which is right in line storm-wise with Oklahoma - so I feel your pain as well. I lived in Indiana for a couple of years, which helped me realize the problem isn't so much the lack of equipment to handle frozen stuff in the South, but the fact that it is usually hovering around the freezing mark when stuff falls. In the North, snow blows off the roads for the most part - here, stuff falls and melts slightly on the roads, then freezes overnight when temps fall (or as with the recent ice storm here, there's enough warm air aloft that we get rain, which instantly freezes to whatever it lands on).

Traction control on the Impala has proven to be very beneficial for the limited use I've had of it here this winter; my driveway sits at about a 30º angle (sloping away from the house), and so far I've been able to make it up and in the garage when it was covered with snow. I didn't risk it when it was pure ice, though - didn't want to take the chance.

this_is_nascar · January 2001

Does anyone have this and are actually using it. How well does it work. Can it be added as an after market item?

platour · January 2001

To nosirrahg. My sympathies! Here in Eastern Canada we had a major ice storm in January of 1998 that caused billions of dollars in damage and much misery. And in this land of ice and snow, we thought we were equipped to deal with it. I imagine down South in the USA you do not have even the basic highway equipment to cope. The freezing rain can be deadly: be very careful even with traction control. To this_is_nascar, I have never had a car without a block heater. They are standard in most makes in Canada. Mine is bubbling away at the moment. Do they work? It is the difference between staying home and going to work at -10F or so. Yes, they work very well. In my 1998 Saturn, it is a curious set-up; external to the block and glows like an oven element heating the outside surface of the block. I have never understood the logic of heating the great outdoors this way but it does work. In my Impala, it is more traditional: inside the block through a frost plug and heating the anti-freeze. That provides early heater use and defrost/heat. Of course, the block heater can be added on. I would imagine a cost of less than $75.00. Just pop a frost plug and insert.

night_owl1 · January 2001

Do you have the flat rubber ones or the moulded ones? If you do have the moulded ones and the rear ones fit without modification, please let me know what the stock number is. I am hoping that Chevy finally re-tooled for the 2001 model.

2005 and Earlier Chevrolet Impala

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