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Sr. Citizen Questions On Possible New Impala

3 messages,  Last post on Aug 23, 2008 at 8:58 PM

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#1 of 3 Sr. Citizen Questions On Possible New Impala by bobr14 Aug 22, 2008 (4:56 am)
Hello all,   Sr. Citizen now (sure does sneak up on you) and need a new car. Presently driving a '97 Buick LeSabre which have really liked. Lots of little problems over the years, but nothing major. Time for something new, though. Prefer a "larger" car.   My number one priority, by far, is reliability. It is hard for me anymore to spend the better part of the day in a service dept of a dealership.   Looked at the Buick LaCrosse. Nice car, smaller than my present LeSabre, but- probably the hardest most poorly designed car seats I have ever sat in. So that's out. Their bigger model is just too big for me.   The Impala seats don't appear too great either to me, but definitely better. So, it has more or less come down to the most basic model Avalon or the basic Impala. The major thing that I like better, of course, in the Impala is the price.   Also, that it is available with a bench seat (really dates me, I guess !). BTW: what % are ordered with Bench Seats; just curious ?   Let me please ask -   a. For the late 2008 and presumably for 2009, how has the reliability been ? Anything to be concerned about ?   b. Is the smaller engine on their basic model adequate ?   c. Would you buy another one ?   d. What don't you like ?   Not sure, but is there anything else I should perhaps be asking ? Any thoughts or comments would be most appreciated.   Thanks, Bob Replies to this message: ryster (Aug 23, 2008 1:33 pm)
#2 of 3 Re: Sr. Citizen Questions On Possible New Impala [bobr14] by ryster Aug 23, 2008 (1:33 pm)
Replying to: bobr14 (Aug 22, 2008 4:56 am) "Hello all,    Sr. Citizen now (sure does sneak up on you) and need a new car. Presently driving a '97 Buick LeSabre which have really liked. Lots of little problems over the years, but nothing major. Time for something new, though. Prefer a "larger" car.    My number one priority, by far, is reliability. It is hard for me anymore to spend the better part of the day in a service dept of a dealership.    Looked at the Buick LaCrosse. Nice car, smaller than my present LeSabre, but- probably the hardest most poorly designed car seats I have ever sat in. So that's out. Their bigger model is just too big for me.    The Impala seats don't appear too great either to me, but definitely better. So, it has more or less come down to the most basic model Avalon or the basic Impala. The major thing that I like better, of course, in the Impala is the price.    Also, that it is available with a bench seat (really dates me, I guess !). BTW: what % are ordered with Bench Seats; just curious ?    Let me please ask -    a. For the late 2008 and presumably for 2009, how has the reliability been ? Anything to be concerned about ?    b. Is the smaller engine on their basic model adequate ?    c. Would you buy another one ?    d. What don't you like ?    Not sure, but is there anything else I should perhaps be asking ? Any thoughts or comments would be most appreciated.    Thanks, Bob"   Finding an Impala with the bench seat is not difficult. Many, at least in this area, are equipped with the bench seat. As far as a percentage, not sure.   a. Reliability. The Impala is reliable. I purchased my '06 new and have put 30,000 miles on it. There isn't much that has changed since the '06 model year. I have had only 1 unscheduled stop to resolve a power steering issue. I do all my own oil changes, filter changes, etc. so it hasn't been to the dealer for any other problems. My brake rotors are warped, which is common with these cars, but that is just "one of those things" and I will get them replaced eventually. The Impala also has the Intermediate Steering Shaft issue...also common. It is nothing more than a minor annoyance. The car has developed some creaks and rattles here and there, but what car doesn't over time? Some of the glossy black exterior pillar covers are starting to discolor, but in '08 Chevy went to a flatter black finish that shouldn't have the problem. My steering wheel started to discolor, so I resolved that by stitching a fitted leather cover on to it.   b. The 3.5L V6 is perfectly adequate. More than enough power for day-to-day driving, merging on the highway, etc. I average 22mpg in mixed driving, and 28mpg on the highway.   c. Would I buy another one? Probably not. Undeniably, the Impala is a reliable, comfortable, and affordable car. However I believe there are better cars out there for a similar price. Dodge Charger SE Plus, Hyundai Sonata, just to name a couple. If I had no other choice, I would buy an Impala with either the 3.9L V6 or even the 5.3L V8. The base engine is perfectly fine, but a little added power is always fun. I also would have picked the LaCrosse over the Impala if I had to do it over again. The LaCrosse has just enough extra flair and better finish to put it a step above the Impala.   d. What don't I like? Fit and finish is merely average. Materials are okay, but the assembly leaves a little to be desired. The car has loosened up quickly. Mine has 30,000 miles on it, and it "feels" like it should have 50,000 on it in terms of body noises and suspension noise. I don't plan on keeping it much past the 36,000 mile warranty and have already started browsing for a replacement.   Other notes: The LaCrosse and the Impala are built on the same platform. Size-wise they are only within an inch or so of each other inside and out. The rear seats in these cars are very tight. If you frequently carry rear seat passengers, you may want to try the seat for yourself to see if it will suffice.   The base Impala LS does not have a fold down rear seat standard. If you are used to having one you may miss it unless the Impala you purchase has that option. Additionally, the base Impala does not have anti-lock brakes or traction control standard. Again, if you want them they are an added option. Finally, the basic Impala does not have the deluxe gauge cluster, so it would be missing the outside temp, compass, and theft alarm (if those are important to you).   It is interesting you found the Buick Lucerne too big. It is only 2.5 inches longer than your LeSabre, which should be hardly noticeable.   If I had my choice of an Impala or an Avalon XL I would go with the Avalon. In fact, I have considered an Avalon XL as a replacement for my Impala. Dealers in this area are currently selling Avalon XL models for $24K. That is about $4K more than an Impala, but I believe the added luxury, performance, and standard options would be worth the price. The Avalon also looks like it would cost $4k more than an Impala.   I have owned *a lot* of cars over the years and I always try to find the best deal/lowest price and purchase just-adequate transportation. In fact, I was just having this conversation with a family member a few hours ago. They basically told me that maybe next time I should buy what I really want, and splurge just a little (instead of finding a $20K leftover that meets my needs...go for the $25K car that has a little more). I may just do that
#3 of 3 Sr citizen by tommy42 Aug 23, 2008 (8:58 pm)
I have a 2001 Impala with a 3.8 engine. I"m happy with mine.I turned 66 in June. I like the ride ,handling & ease to get in &out of.

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