How many people in here like or hate their 2000-2005 impala?

[MCO_Death]

Originally Posted by bermis519

the police package impalas aren't geared different then the civilian impalas. The police package impalas have alloy parts in place of the plastic parts in the civilian models. Still geared the same.

Mike

The police package Impala's have the 4T65E-HD transmission with a final gear ratio of 3.29. Civilian Impalas come with the Non HD transmission and the 2.93 Final Gear Ratio.

That information is straight out of a 9C1 catalog. Do tell how they are not geared differently.

[phewop118]

The base model has the 2.93 ratio. The LS has the same ratio as the police package (3.29), while the SS has the 2.93 ratio (I think) with the hd transmission from the Police pkg.

[harrymay]

ive driven my fiance's 2003 base with the 3.4, its a nice car, verynice ride,

weve taken it on a few road trips this past year and its pretty comfotable, great mileage. it looks ok, nothing amazing, but it looks descent, i would have preferred if it was the ls as i dont care so much for the front bench seat.

im considering getting a used 05 ls, i have a 3800II in my intrigue and the engine/tranny is a pretty good combo.

[bermis519]

It just annoyes me the people who haven't dumped money into their cars can sit there bitch about us complaining about our cars are a piece of shit. Just something for you to know. I got rid of my car, i bought a brand new subaru impreza and this car is just fricking awesome. It's all wheel drive, awesome in the snow, it gets 34 mpg. It's fast and it's simple. After all the problems i have had and all the money and time my car has been in the shop, well over 30 times in four years. Why in hell would i sit there and think chevy is still great. I drive a 2001 Chevy Suburban at work. It's a piece of shit too and it doesn't have 100k on it yet. The intermitted steering shafts is crap, the cd player doesn't work, the cluster dims and goes out on it's own. The radio doesn't illuminate at night. THe flywheel has been replaced. It's slower then shit too.

Now sit there and tell me chevy is a great company and that if all i want to do is bitch about my car then go somewhere else. I added up every damn dime i put in my car. $9,234.75. That does not include oil changes. If you think thats normal, then your just as good as the next person.

I have been on the phone with chevy, not once did i ever recieve a dime on my problems or did they assist me. Everytime, they said they would call back, never do, then a few days later, i would call back and they would say that the case is closed. Well they would open it, give them all the problems again, they would say they will call me back later today or the following day and not call back. It was just a vicious cycle. It got really old.

Now, why would someone have to take a brand new car and replace the brakes, I think that is stupid. If you dont' like it fix it....yeah i have been doing that, the car made me go into debt, left me stranded 5 times, almost killed me once because of the master cylindar that failed....twice...

I will probably never own a GM vehicle for a long time. They are not going into bankrupcy because peopel aren't buying their cars. They are going into bankrupcy because they did it to themselves selling shitty cars, then haveing to fix all those cars that have problems.

Everytime i got my car fixed, I would also think, well i hope I got all the problems fixed and I will probably be trouble free for the next few years.....hell no, a week later, a no start problem. Just one thing after the other.

After haveing it for four years. I was starting to see a pattern in repairs. I have replaced a shit ton of parts. Some parts have been replaced four times, like the fuel pressure regulator, twice on the master cylindar, i can't ever remember how many time i had to replace brake pads and rotors. The cd player was replaced, something with the windows, because they won't wouldn't go back up.

I have been posting on here for almost 3 years. I have learned a lot about the impalas and how to fix them. I didn't know shit about cars when i bought this thing, but now i feel like i'm a master mechanic.

Anyone feel free to add to this, i know I'am just ranting, but it really pisses me off to sit there and listen to people give us shit because we think our car is a piece of shit. I feel for every one of you that has had the problems i have had. I truely feel sorry for you and i know the fustrations of not recieving any help from chevy. The times you have been stranded, the countless repairs and all the money you put into it.

It doesn't break my heart one bit to see GM filing bankrupcy. They where at one time one of the best car manufactures around...what the hell happened.

But for those of you, feel free to flame all you want, but I have voiced my honest opinion!!!!!!!

[bigrod118]

ummm, im not trying to falme or anything of that nature, but im just curious as to what brought that on, the last post was just about that guy thinking the impala wasnt that bad. again, im NOT flameing in any way, just wondering where that came from.

and you are pretty mcuh right about the dealerships, while they may be independently run, almost all dealerships try to stick it to you. but in defense of the impala, they are a dime a dozen, and there are so many of them its bound to happen that there are goods ones and bad ones, like ive said in the past some of them will have every single problem in the book and some will go forever with only maintenence.

but again i'm NOT trying to flame, you are intitled to your opinion, I myself have been just fed up with the dealership, but not the impala. its just depends on the situation I guess.

[MCO_Death]

Originally Posted by bermis519

It just annoyes me the people who haven't dumped money into their cars can sit there bitch about us complaining about our cars are a piece of shit. Just something for you to know. I got rid of my car, i bought a brand new subaru impreza and this car is just fricking awesome. It's all wheel drive, awesome in the snow, it gets 34 mpg. It's fast and it's simple. After all the problems i have had and all the money and time my car has been in the shop, well over 30 times in four years. Why in hell would i sit there and think chevy is still great

Now sit there and tell me chevy is a great company and that if all i want to do is bitch about my car then go somewhere else. I added up every damn dime i put in my car. $9,234.75. That does not include oil changes. If you think thats normal, then your just as good as the next person.

I agree and disagree. First off, i'm happy you bought a New Subaru that your pleased with. Its also not comparable to the Impala, so I would assume that its greatly better than the Impala. You answered why there are so many Subaru's on the road now for that matter.

I've spent plenty of pretty pennies into my Impala and have no hard feelings against it or GM myself. Still have 3 GM cars in the driveway for that matter. I don't have every dime added up for repairs that have been done to my car, but its in the ball park of $5,000-$6,000. Certinly not $9,234.75, but not chump change either. In your case, yes its abnormal. But I hate generalizations of all cars being bad, my car would stand in the good category as for the milage i've gotten out of the $5-6k in repair is over 171,000 miles. Car runs perfectly like it should and has no problems going on. Certinly going against people assuming all GM cars can't last 100k miles.

I don't want to flame you or anything, I think your a good person, who has an understandable grudge against GM. You have your reasons, you've voiced them plenty to this group as a whole.

As bigrod put it, theres good ones and bad ones. Thats true for any car manufactuer, its how the deal with the bad ones that gets noticed by people. In GM's case its generally pretty poor. I know well enough, i've had a Older GM car that went through 5 head-gaskets due to shop incompantence at the dealership. (Never cost me a dime in the end BTW, I got lucky in that sense)

Phew, long winded reply. Good luck with your Subaru and it going that 100k miles flawlessly.

(Can this be the end of Impala hate posts?)

[ratinfested]

You guys are scaring me. I have had my 03 Impala LS for only about 4 weeks. I have put 2000 miles on it though and I love it. I do have the int steering shaft issue. And I know this might be dumb but I think I will repair it myself, I do not like having strangers working on my cars including dealers. The car is very nice. I know the typical brake problems cars have and have experienced it on my other cars. So I try to let the brakes cool before I park her if I have been driving a little hard and that has helped on my other vehicles except my Tahoe cause I pull a camper and it just cannot be avoided. I put pads and rotors on my Moms Bonneville and told her to ease up on the the fast stops but she doesn't listen. The last time I was in the car it felt like it had square tires when you hit the brakes. You have to let the brakes cool before you park a car or they will transfer friction material to the rotor and it causes an uneven friction surface. The rotors are not usually warped so just a cleanup with a D/A will get them working nicely again. I forget the technical name for what happens to them. Well anyway I love the car. It better stay that way or I will dump it real fast and get a Chevy truck. I ain't buying a freaking toyota. EVER!!!

[bermis519]

It just really ticks me off and my response was from a few posts on this thread that really made me mad. I know the next person is going to have little or just as many problems. But this is not the first GM that i have had problems with. I don't mind paying for something here and there. But damn it was just a constant battle. Lets say the intake gasket and the intermitted steering shaft went, yeah thats fine, not all cars are flawless, but when I'm turning about and replacing parts that I already paid to have fixed a year ago, now thats getting kinda ridiculous. I complained about my converter at about 70k. Well I took it to the dealership and they said it was fine, I took it again at 75k and then again at 78k. Knowing that after i hit 80k, it was going to be out of warranty. At 80410 miles, i took it in for an oil change, and they said they had a hard time starting it, well no shit, i brought it in 3 different times...but all of a sudden the converter was plugged badly and they wouldn't replace it because it was out of warranty. My god was i so fricking mad. I threw a tantrum in the dealership. I know the cats aren't cheap and it was replaced once already at 46k and it was replaced under warranty. Again this is just an instance of many that i have complained about. I got rid of my 2000 3.4 liter with 98,000 miles on it.

My friend has a 2002 chevy trailblazer with 60k on it and she just had a costly repair with the transfer case or something on it, can't remember exactly. I'm also a law enforcement officer and the county has purchased a few impala's and they have had maintance problems also. Tranny's going out at 60k. The cooling fan constantly staying on, and just an over all piece of crap.

The county ambulance service bought a 2003 Chevy Blazer and at 45,000 miles, the motor blew, it was not a response vehicle at all, and being a county vehicle it received proper maintance and oil changes. Now the county has taken the dealership they bought it from to court because they refuse to replace the motor. Yeah it's out of warranty, but you shouldn't have to be replacing motors at 46k, thats crazy

Now, we have a 2001 Chevy Suburban 2500HD First response vehicle with 86,000 miles on it. It's also been a nightmare. The onstar in it would come on for no reason, it was nice to hear that sexy voice at the other end, but it was disabled since it wasn't needed. At 36,000 miles, the flywheel was replaced, the cluster would stop illuminating at night which is a pain in the ass and annoying. The CD player doesn't work. The intermitted steering shaft was replaced. Non-stop problems with the four wheel drive, I know for a fact it's not working right now. The motor skips and misfires, and it's already had a intake/injector cleaning, new plugs/wires, fuel filter, the computer reprogrammed and a few sensors replaced, i dont' know which ones. Also when you step on the gas, it doesnt' go anywhere, once in a great while it will stall out. It's to the point now where they are thinking about retiring it early because you can't have a first response emergency vehicle doing things like this. They are getting a ford Excursion and see how it hold up to emergency responses.

I know that police departments are ever so thrilled with the dodge intrepids. They can really take a beating, some have 150.000 miles on them and they drive like brand new. The crown vics are ok, but they tend to fall apart after 100k, but they keep on going. Crown vics are a pretty serious work horse. I have also read about the impalas breaking down in high speed chases and all kinds of crazy shit.

I know all the vehicles i have talked about are not really related to the impala forum, but they are GM vehicles. I know my subaru could have the same problems also but i know it won't. It's been a great car so far, fun to drive great in the snow, yeah it only has 1600 miles on it. But my impala was in the shop three times with 1600 miles on it.

I dont' mean to scare anyone about GM. But I felt I had to get my side of the story because you guys are the only ones that seem to listen. LOL. Also don't take my post to heart as I'm only one person, if you ask the next person about it they might brag GM up and down and swear by them!!

[bermis519]

But on a good note, i will add that there are things that i did like on my impala. I loved the styling on it and the way it looked, it ticks me off that i had so many problems because I really wanted this car to last. Thats what disappoints me. The car was pretty comfortable to drive. I swear the people in the back have more room then the driver and front passenger. The trunk is HUGE. I literally have to crawl inside to get something that is all the way in there. It has a smooth ride, the seats are confortable, but has a little to be desired on long distance trips.

The thing I miss about it the most is the stereo system. Thats the only complaint i have about subaru, the sound systems sucks. But thats with any import car. The stereo system was all bone stock, and it sounded great, good quality sound, great bass and I never changed anything in it because i was pretty happy with it.

I do have good things to say about the impala, I wish I could have kept it. But just couldn't afford the problems.

[jhuckaby]

I agree....I kept mine for 2 years and drove 24,000 miles and it sure was a comfortable riding/driving car. Could not maintain with transmission problems, gasket leaks, having the radiator flushed 3 times during that period, etc, etc. GM made a decent car but equipped it with a crappy motor and transmission. Shame on them. Shouldn't be having these problems before 75-100 thousand miles and certainly not before 25,000.

[boyinshirt]

2001 Base Impala. 117,000 Miles.

there's plenty to love about it:

tough as shit. it's a tank. I got in an accident, and my impala was barely touched, the other car was kinda crushed to shit.

good mileage as a commuter college student, it's pretty nice not to have a gas guzzler.

stock soundsystem I love music. It's one of my passions, so a good soundsystem was in order. I waited forever to change the speakers, because of how good the stock system was. I was impressed.

speedy it's got some power behind it. I've got a heavy foot, so I was happy driving this home the first day.

roomy I always seem to be the driver when I'm out with my friends, and the ability to fit six full-grown people is awesome. And the trunk is gigantic. I have a 12-inch Sub with a custom box in there, and it's still spacious in there. Enough to fit drums, or guitars/amps.

and things to hate about it:

brakes and rotors I'll admit it, I'm hard on my breaks, but with all these people that have problems with theirs.... A friend of mine had a Malibu, and had the same problem with his. So I guess GM's partially at fault here... At least I can save money on installation because it's an easy DIY fix. (just a sidenote, are the brembos really worth it to anyone who has them installed?)

CD Player/Head Unit It's a pain in the butt if you want to get a new head unit, yet still be able to control your car's computer and have to keep your old head unit in the trunk. Also, I've had to reset my radio several times because the CD player has gotten stuck trying to eject a CD over and over that's not there. All i listen to are CDs.

Window Switch I also have the problem with my windows being stuck. It's only the driver's side, front. Which can be a pain, but at least it's winter, and they won't be down much.

little problems I've just had stupid little problems, but I guess because mines up there in mileage, it's just stuff that needs to be taken care of. This isn't too much, but it's just a little annoyance. It does seem like once I get one thing done, something else pops up.

I guess overall I'm happy with this car. It's my first car, I got a steal (IMO) on it. 2001 in 2003 for $4250 w/75,000 all hwy. According to the notary who appraised it, it was worth somewhere around 11,000-12,000 at the time.

[Doug Vann]

Overall I like the Impala - however I have had issues with the brakes/tires which I have been able to figure out and for the most part fix myself. Also I agree with one of the previous posters that mentioned asbestos pads being outlawed - this does cause different performance and possibly squeeky brakes - and not just on Impalas. I however have NOT had any problems with squeeky brakes on my vehicle. I know that the amount you drive on dirt roads also adds to the possibility of noisy brakes.
The brake/tire issue I had was vibration. There was 2 problems - 1 was vibration when appling the brakes and also vibration while driving at highway speeds. I changed the rotors and brakes pads on all 4 wheels at 85,000 km (about 53,000 miles) and this completely solved the vibration with applying the brakes. For those not afraid to work on their own car this is not a difficult job in my opinion.
I then took the car to Canadian Tire and had all 4 tires balanced and this has solved the vibration at highway speeds issue. They told me all 4 tires were out of balance.
We also have a 2000 Dodge Caravan and I change the rotors/pads every 18-24 months on this vehicle as well because of the exact same issue. I believe the pad material these days causes the rotors to get hotter and warp, thus causing the vibration.
My Impala does not have ABS, heated seats, DVD popping out of the ceiling etc - and my next car won't have this extra crap either. One of the guys at work had trouble with the ABS on his truck and after I found out what it cost him to get fixed there is no way this option is for me.

[Doug Vann]

You guys are scaring me. I have had my 03 Impala LS for only about 4 weeks. I have put 2000 miles on it though and I love it. I do have the int steering shaft issue. And I know this might be dumb but I think I will repair it myself, I do not like having strangers working on my cars including dealers. The car is very nice. I know the typical brake problems cars have and have experienced it on my other cars. So I try to let the brakes cool before I park her if I have been driving a little hard and that has helped on my other vehicles except my Tahoe cause I pull a camper and it just cannot be avoided. I put pads and rotors on my Moms Bonneville and told her to ease up on the the fast stops but she doesn't listen. The last time I was in the car it felt like it had square tires when you hit the brakes. You have to let the brakes cool before you park a car or they will transfer friction material to the rotor and it causes an uneven friction surface. The rotors are not usually warped so just a cleanup with a D/A will get them working nicely again. I forget the technical name for what happens to them. Well anyway I love the car. It better stay that way or I will dump it real fast and get a Chevy truck. I ain't buying a freaking toyota. EVER!!![/quote]

[Doug Vann]

Overall I like the Impala - however I have had issues with the brakes/tires which I have been able to figure out and for the most part fix myself. Also I agree with one of the previous posters that mentioned asbestos pads being outlawed - this does cause different performance and possibly squeeky brakes - and not just on Impalas. I however have NOT had any problems with squeeky brakes on my vehicle. I know that the amount you drive on dirt roads also adds to the possibility of noisy brakes.
The brake/tire issue I had was vibration. There was 2 problems - 1 was vibration when appling the brakes and also vibration while driving at highway speeds. I changed the rotors and brakes pads on all 4 wheels at 85,000 km (about 53,000 miles) and this completely solved the vibration with applying the brakes. For those not afraid to work on their own car this is not a difficult job in my opinion.
I then took the car to Canadian Tire and had all 4 tires balanced and this has solved the vibration at highway speeds issue. They told me all 4 tires were out of balance.
We also have a 2000 Dodge Caravan and I change the rotors/pads every 18-24 months on this vehicle as well because of the exact same issue. I believe the pad material these days causes the rotors to get hotter and warp, thus causing the vibration.
My Impala does not have ABS, heated seats, DVD popping out of the ceiling etc - and my next car won't have this extra crap either. One of the guys at work had trouble with the ABS on his truck and after I found out what it cost him to get fixed there is no way this option is for me.

[wohas]

I have a 2004 Indy SS and love it. The car looks great and drives great!