2007 Chevrolet Impala LT 3.5

Summary:

Look elsewhere, below average quality

Faults:

Front rotors at 16K.

Intermediate steering shaft at 16K.

Rear tires wore out at 19K, 36K, 58k; faulty suspension.

No heat at idle at 55K.

Fan motor makes a noise at 44K.

Engine check valve at 56K.

Smog pump at 56K.

Burns oil, 2 quarts per 3K.

General Comments:

OK comfort wise.

Faulty rear suspension; dangerous in slippery conditions.

Runs good.

Archaic transmission.

Overall not acceptable in today's marketplace.

Lawsuits pending due to faulty rear suspension.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 13th December, 2013

18th Mar 2014, 14:00

I am the original poster. As of 3/17/14, the left front hub has been replaced, and the right front now is starting to howl. At 62K, the transmission hangs up; won't shift properly in cold weather. It's on its third set of rear tires, CEL on, evap leak, turned out to be a bad gas cap; finally an inexpensive easy repair!

2007 Chevrolet Impala LT 3.5L

Summary:

Decent

Faults:

Hub assembly/wheel bearings on driver and passenger sides, replaced twice, covered under the 100,000 mile powertrain warranty.

All 4 tires replaced twice, that's 3 sets of tires including the originals that were on the car when purchased. Basically tires are needed every 25,000 miles.

Pads, rotors, and calipers... replaced once.

Exterior door molding/trim on the driver's side passenger door came loose in the third year of ownership; not covered under warranty.

Dexcool/antifreeze disappears from the car approximately every 8 months. I typically can tell when it's low, because the heat stops working, or it only works when driving, not idling.

Tire pressure sensors are always malfunctioning, really should be recalled. I typically just ignore them.

* My personal pet peeves: interior carpeting (gray) stains incredibly easily, the car is easily prone to dents and dings, a slight nick will easily remove paint to the grey primer coat. Back seat is unbelievably cramped, my 9 & 6 year old can hardly fit. Factory radio woefully under powers the speakers; replaced the unit with a JVC radio, which sounds 10 times better.

General Comments:

All in all, the car is a solid runner, however future buyers beware, this car has solid hub assembly/wheel bearing issues, which are $700.00 each side to replace; they need to be replaced approximately every 35,000 miles.

The car is not good on tires.

Approximately 60,000 miles of the miles on car are all beltway miles. Perfect car for the beltway driving, terrible car for city driving, as the transmission struggles to change gear in stop and go traffic; the car will jerk. I have learned to accelerate slowly to prevent rough gear changes. On the beltway this car moves and handles very well; it's meant to be on long stretches of highway, so it suits my needs, but if I need a inner city car, this would not be the one. The car is tough, I really can't complain... yet.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 9th June, 2011

17th Sep 2011, 23:42

I am the original poster, this is a follow up to the review above. My Impala now has 82,000 miles, and recently the water pump, serpentine belt, front hub assembly (this is the 3rd time the hub assembly has been replaced in 4 years of ownership), oil filter housing gasket, transmission lines gaskets, and 2 front tires have been replaced due to wear within the last 2 months. All work done was covered under the power train warranty with the exception of the tires.

I would not buy this car used. It's an excellent car if you plan to buy new, simply because the power train warranty covers most repairs within 100,000 miles.

The driver's side door lock is starting to stick, will not always open/unlock with the remote.

Remote start is moody, works when it feels like it.

I'm burning approximately 4 gallons of gas every 90 miles.

17th Mar 2012, 05:33

I am the original poster for this review.

The car now has 90500 miles on it, driver's side door lock sticks, remote start car remote barely works (battery has been changed), transmission is starting to hesitate more frequently. Besides that, no new problems.

As stated previously, the car is great for highway driving, but terrible for city driving. Gas mileage is average at best, averaging 300 miles to a full tank of gas (14 gallon tank).

Handling is subpar, and the interior is below standard for normal wear.

I will not be buying another one, and probably will stay clear of Chevy's in the future.

26th Nov 2012, 18:13

I am the original poster for this car.

The car now has 96500 miles on it, and recently the tie rods, front rotors, and pads have been replaced. The transmission is starting to hesitate a bit more.

The interior has not held up well for family use, however vehicle still drives like a champ on the highway, but city driving is terrible.

Good luck if you buy this car used... I definitely wouldn't.

10th Jan 2014, 20:50

I am the original poster for this car. Traded the car in December 2012 after the transmission began to fail. Bought a 2013 Dodge Durango; handles and drives much better than the Impala, with better gas mileage. Do not buy the 06-09 Impala used; too many issues, see the above post.

9th Feb 2014, 12:49

Thank you for sharing your experience and posting updates. I will steer clear of these cars used.