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Last post on Mar 19, 2013 at 11:54 AM
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Chevrolet Impala Forum.
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Chevrolet Impala, Sedan
#12128 of 13618 2004 IMPALA SS ARE IN!!!
by charts2
Aug 17, 2003 (8:11 am)
Went to my local chevy dealership this morning Sunday August 17th.....in the back lot they have a black Monte Carlo SS supercharged, and the Black Impala SS....to be honest I was not impressed. The SS was loaded...most everything is add on. 17" diammond wheels with a plain chevrolet bowtie as the middle cap..same as the Monte Carlo. Dual exhausts with chrome tips, the Impala has the Monte Carlo dashboard with a boost gauge, no big deal.The flat Monte Carlo spoiler.. SS letters embroired on the inside door panels, otherwise everything the same inside as an LS...on the front exterior doors they removed the letters Impala where it was on the LS and have black stickers Impala SS below the side moldings. If you stand more then 5 feet away you cant even see the Impala SS letters. From a distance the side the car looks the base model....I believe Chevy dropped the ball on this one...This car I believe will head to the recycle bin like the current T Bird and Mercury Maurader will be soon....Its too bad. they could have done a lot more to add excitement to this car, to make it a winner!
#12129 of 13618 Warped Rotors, etc.
by jons01
Aug 17, 2003 (11:41 am)
Hi Folks,
It's been awhile since I have posted here. My '01 LS just turned over 20,000 miles and overall has been a great car. The only problem is the recent pulsing when heavy braking. On a recent trip through the mountains, it was very noticible when braking going down hill at 65 mph.
I remember that warped rotors were a common problem and may have been covered under warranty. I would like to have some information from owners before I talk to the service people at the dealership, so any help would be appreciated.
Also the roof trim strips are coming loose. Is this a warranty problem?
Thanks!
#12130 of 13618 warped rotors/roof strips
by charts2
Aug 17, 2003 (1:49 pm)
My buddy has the same car I have. 2001 Impala LS. We live in Ontario Canada. He has 32000 miles 49,000 Km on his Impala. Last month he had the pulsing brakes. Took the car to an independant garage for an opinion. Was told the back brakes were worn out and his rear rotors were pitted. Usually the front brakes wear out before the back ones. Went to the Chevy dealer where he bought the car. Explained his situation. They checked his brakes on all 4 wheels and they replaced the rear rotors and pads free of charge (the gm mechanic indicated that the (rear rotors were pitted) & prematurely wore out the back pads. Front brakes were fine but had the front rotors turned while there. He paid for that service. He was very happy. The roof strips are going to be a problem for everyone eventually. Mine are starting to lift at the back. They are held down by foam tape and it is starting to break down. My buddies Impala went into the chevey dealership 6 months ago and they reatached them under warranty. I have 12 months left on my warranty and for sure will have mine to the dealers to have my roof strips reattached. Hope this information helps you
#12131 of 13618 chart2 - Thanks For The Info
by jons01
Aug 17, 2003 (2:27 pm)
I don't think my dealership will give me any trouble, but it's good to have some background info just in case. I am hoping that they will replace the bad rotors with new ones instead of just turning the old ones.
Did your buddy get Goodyear Eagles with his car?
Mine are very noisy and have an annoying vibration at certain speeds. I had the tires rebalanced and rotated, but it seems even worse. I hate to get new tires at 20,000 miles. the thought of putting up with the noise for three more years is unacceptable. Big decision!
Any suggestions for quieter tires?
#12132 of 13618 jons01
by b4z
Aug 17, 2003 (2:37 pm)
Michelin Harmony
Aug 17, 2003 (5:51 pm)
I think you're correct that Chevy "dropped the ball" for the '04 Impala SS and Monte SS. They should've at least gotten Pontiac's permission to use their Series III S/C engine, instead of using the now dated Series II S/C. I disagree that it will wind up on the GM scrap heap. I think they'll be forced to offer the same V-8 the SSR is now getting for next year cars. Otherwise, bye-bye.
Aug 17, 2003 (11:19 pm)
I had a chance to test drive the '04 Impala SS at the AutoShow in Motion last Friday. As you recalled, GM hosted the AutoShow in Motion where they let you drive all sorts of GM cars, including BMW, MB, Lexus, Infiniti, and etc. From a distance, I think the SS looks awesome. I really liked the exterior look to it. As for the test drive, I raced through the course in a matter of seconds that I didn't get a chance to thoroughly test drive the vehicle. From first impression as I zig zag my way through the turns, I noticed the handling is much improve than on my LS. I can't report on the acceleration since the course was short and curvy.
Other cars I drove was BMW 530i, CTS, Z06, GMC Envoy, and the H2.
#12135 of 13618 2004 SS not impressed
by charts2
Aug 18, 2003 (7:15 am)
I don't see the style excitement about this car..I went twice to look at it.. the same inside as my 2001 LS except has SS embroidered logos on the doors and a tiny boost gauge..the front grille is the same, the rear light treatment the same as LS sport, no other exterior SS badging except for the black Impala SS stickers on black that you can't see from 20 feet unless you look for it. Sure the suspension is beefed up and supercharged and the rear end lowered but most mods made are from the Monte Carlo parts bin. Monte Carlo SS spoiler, Monte Carlo dashboard, carry over from last year style diamond cut wheels except 17", comes only in black. Only gray interior. Would never compete with an Altima or Maxima for performance/styling and I'm a Chevy guy....they could have had an aggresive egg crate grille like the 94-96 SS had..they could have played with the back lights to make them unique..from the back you only know its an SS because of the dual exhausts. from the front of the car it looks like any base model regular grille with no badging..for another grand they could have made this car look aggresive like its supose to be. My opinion.
#12136 of 13618 charts2
by b4z
Aug 18, 2003 (8:59 am)
it is already more expensive than it should be.
neutral is available.
#12137 of 13618 Miles to KM
by txguy
Aug 18, 2003 (9:26 am)
My '01 LS DIC will change the odometer from miles to km. I found it by accident the other day. Yes I have a manual! Just haven't read all of it