General Comments:

I can’t believe this car, it has been a real disappointment to me and I have been driving “Only” Chevrolet's since I began driving. My first car was a 1955 Chevrolet, and now I have finally moved through until I made it to my present 2000 Chevy Impala LT.

When I turn my blinkers on, all of my alarms go off on the cluster, lights and buzzers both. And it has now started stalling out some of the time. I have had four near accidents due no brakes or power steering. No one can seem to figure out what is wrong with it. Should I junk it or pray that one day I can get it fixed??? I really loved it until all of this began, can anyone help with suggestions?

Faults:

Transmission went out at 87,000! :(

Tail lights do not seal and let water in them.

Thermostat at was replaced at 91,000.

Brake pads at were replaced at 89,000.

Air bag light turns on and off.

Starter can be touchy at times.

General Comments:

This car handles well for its size, and has plenty of power. Gas mileage ranges from 23 city to 33 highway (K n N air filter boosted mpg by 2-3)

The interior is extremely roomy and is one of the last cars produced with as much interior space. The seats are comfortable, and the tach is a nice feature. Steering wheel controls are a helpful feature. Sound system is very sufficient and is so far reliable. Wood trim is classy, and the Impala emblems are sporty.

Mechanically this car has a few bugs, but is still worth keeping around. My transmission went out at 87,000 miles and I considered getting rid of the car, however this particular GM trans is defective. My previous 3.4L Impala had the same problem, and I have heard of several other impalas that needed new trannys.

Other than the poor transmission, the only other problem that I will probably SEE is the intake manifold, which is common in 3.8 engines regardless of make.

The transmission was expensive, but the car is still worth the trouble; it is a sporty and comfortable cruiser with trouble free accessories.

The main reason I purchased the car and am keeping it, is because of the bulletproof and well known 3800 engine. If taken care of, these engines will easily reach 200,000.

Faults:

Water pump: 40K

Radiator: 85K

Radiator fan motor: 87K

AC fan motor: 50K, again at 70K

Steering wheel deteriorating at 80K

Window regulator: 50K, 70K and AGAIN at 85K.

* Parts are pretty expensive for a some-what budget car that is VERY common on the roads today! *

General Comments:

It's a base model, and I'm a loyal Chevy guy... I realize I'm short on options because it's a base model, but here it goes:

It's a comfortable, reliable, inexpensive family car. It hasn't had a major mechanical issue since I've had it, but I have had some issues...

The AC fan motor doesn't drain condensation/water well, the firewall fitting easily clogs and backs water up into the AC ducts, causing a wet floor/burned out fan motor issue. Poor design.

Like my 95 Lumina, I've had a lot of cooling issues... water pump, the radiators cheap plastic side cans cracked, and recently one of the radiator fan motors quit working. That's a lot of cooling issues for a car under 100K miles.

The interior has a lot of cheap plastic, which is starting to look ratty, especially the falling apart steering wheel. Unsatisfactory.

This car is a consumable design, it isn't built to last 20 years, even if you baby it, and maintain it well. It's made to be driven for 5-10 years and scrapped. I wouldn't expect anyone to have one last much over 150,000 miles, so be warned if looking at a used one.