Buying an Impala

I've just sold my only vehicle and have pretty much decided on an Impala (over accord and camry), and the ones in my price range are roughly 2000-2005s. My big question is are there any years I should stay away from? (I've read that there was/is a lawsuit against GM for faulty intake manifold gasket for 2000-2003 Impalas). Should I pick the 3.8 or the 3.4? (I'd rather have the 3.8 but if there's something wrong with them I would pick the 3.4). Also if there's any other little things I should know it would be greatly appreciated, as I'm in school and really don't want to lose money (I lost a few thousand on my last vehicle).

Thanks!

Oh, also, if something were to go wrong, are replacement parts pretty cheap, since there's a newer generation now?

I have an 05 with a 3.4L. Every seal that the OEM coolant ever touched has leaked which has made me really mad. Water pump, upper and lower intake, head gastet ....... Only 75k miles.

The 3.4 has aluminum heads with a cast block. My suspicion is that with the added stress of the coolant issue, a recipe for leakage.

The same OEM coolant (Dexcool) was used independent of the engine series. I recommend that you take off the radior cap and look into the coolant overflow tank. Make sure there is no residue or sludge. From what I read, if the coolant level ever gets low, the Dexcool oxidizes and starts to cause problems. Can easily be noticed by buildup in the radiator or the reserve tank.

Secondly, take a good look at the brakes. The OEM calipers are not the best quality. Listen for skipping rotors and inspect for uneven wear on the pads.

I had a bad run with the engine gaskets which has really sucked. It is certainly a risk with the vehicle. As far as driving, though, the 3.4 has plenty of power and the fuel economy is good. I get 30+ mpg on road trips and usually 25mpg for tooling around teh city. Comfortable ride with plenty of space. I have 2 little ones in booster seats, and there is even enough room for me (6', 215 lbs) to squeese between the seats and watch a DVD with the kids on a longer road trip.

I've got an '02 with the 3.4 that I bought new. I replaced the intake gaskets on mine at 104k (or almost 15k miles ago) and refilled with the yellow "mixes with anything" coolant (Wal-Mart brand). No problems so far. Other than that, everything is original (except the battery, tires, and brake pads, of course). We've got some Impalas that are corporate cars (2005's) and they are exibiting the same exterior leakage that my car showed, so the problem is widespread.

Check the following to verify leaking intake gaskets:

1.) Look along the side of the block - along the black diagonal "V" seal near the power steering pump (passenger side, where the serpentine belt is). If you see dampness or liquid seeping downward, look into the trough below (still behind the PS pump). If there is a sandy muddy mix in there, the gasket has been leaking.

2.) Pull the radiator cap and look on its backside. If you see fudgicle-sludge (mud-like), the gaskets have been leaking.

3.) As Jim-Milwaukee said, also inspect the plastic recovery tank, but that can be easily cleaned masking the problem (as can #2).

4.) If the "LOW COOLANT LEVEL" message appears on the dash, the gaskets are probably leaking (the "mud" gets on the sensor and makes it trip).

5.) Although not the case with my Impala, some say a leak can develop under (?) the throttle body (driver's side). Might be hard to see this, however, without a flashlight and/or mirrors because there is lots of stuff in the way over there (throttle linkage, hoses, etc).

Steering column is also a problem on my Impala (although, to this point, I've done nothing about it). Turning the wheel in one direction causes a clicking, bumpy, or otherwise non-smooth feeling. There is a half-shaft portion of the steering column that needs to be removed and re-lubed or replaced all together. SECURITY dash message can also appear, causing the car to not start. This has happened to me 3 times in the last two years, none before that. It's been almost a year now since it happened last. Car always starts 10 minutes later. It's a problem with the PASS-LOCK security system. Possible solutions or work-arounds abound all over the Internet. Whether they actually work is another question.

I would think you could buy an '02 (3.4L) today for $4k-$5k. But that's just a guess...

The 3.4 gets better fuel mileage than the 3.8.Get the Dorman kit for the intake gaskets.It is complete with new bolts and the intake gaskets are made out of metal instead of plastic.GM says to use new intake manifold bolts on the 3400s

The Dorman kit sounds pretty good. I don't know if it was available when I replaced my gaskets last year (never heard anyone talking about it). So for me, it was either the GM gaskets or FelPro. After looking at both, I went with the FelPros because they had metal frames (whereas the GM gaskets looked like reconstituted plastic clothes hangers). I paid $80 at AutoZone for the kit (came with Upper & Lower gaskets, coolant tube O-Ring, but no bolts and no EGR gasket ... although you can probably re-use the old one, it's pretty rigid). I cleaned and re-used my original bolts, which many said was OK to do, but in retrospect I probably should've replaced them. Although they looked OK, who knows if any of them were internally fatigued.

But check out the Dorman kit first. GM's latest kit last year (which ultimately came with the bolts) was running around $50 here, so maybe the Dorman kit runs about the same price???