blakkmajik

Hey all.

Just a little backstory. I had a '99 Sub that I purchased in '06. It had about 115k miles on it. But I figured, it was a Chevy truck, and I was buying it from a used car dealer that was well known for selling good cars, so I figured I was good. For the past two years, it was running great. I did eventually get the dreaded "crazy needle" problem about a year after purchase, but I knew my gas mileage, so no problems. However, I ran into a problem that warranted immediate attention. Like I said before, I knew my gas mileage. So, I went to the gas station and it topped out at 6 gallons. What?!?! So, I run the truck a couple of days, and try to get more gas, same thing. I decided to take it to a dealership the following Monday. Before I went to the dealership, I tried to put gas in it again and this time, it took a whopping 3 gallons! I knew there was no way in h e double hockey sticks that this tank was full.

So, I get my fiance to take the car to the dealership, since I made the appt. for 9am and couldn't take off work (she doesn't work at the moment). They only charge $50 for a full diagnostic, which I thought was a great deal, since the dealership back home charges $60 per hour. So, around lunch time, she calls me with the bad news. My baby is sick, and on the verge of breakdown. I get a laundry list of problems from the mechanic, ranging from bad sparkplugs to a leaking radiator. I had NO IDEA that there was so much going wrong under the hood! The final tally was around $2500 to fix it, or I could spend around $4k for a new engine. Oh, and this doesn't even count the $300 to drop the tank and figure out why it would only take a few gallons at a time.

So, as much as I loved my truck, it just wasn't worth it. The horrible gas mileage, the cost of repairs, etc. was just too much for me to handle. So, that pretty much ruled out the new Silverado, and any other SUV.

When I knew I was going to have to buy a car, I easily decided on the Impala. I have been impressed with the Impala since the '96, which was the first one I really, really wanted. I didn't really like the bodystyle of the "new" Impalas, but the look kinda grew on me the past year or so. The model I chose was an '07 LT with about 32k miles on it. Looks like the previous owner was a bit of a road warrior. So obviously, I decided to buy the extra protection, which should keep me safe another 68k miles, or 4 more years.

I'd like to know, are there any serious problems associated with Impalas in general? I know the model I have is fairly new, so I don't expect to find out a lot of information specific to the one I have. But, are there problems that arise with the "newer" models?

And if there are "Impala problems" that I should look for, are there preventive measures I can take to avoid them, outside of regularly scheduled maintence?

rbarrios

we bought a new 07 Impala 3LT. The 3LT comes with the 3.9L engine with Active Fuel Management. The car has been exceptional.
we put about 17,000 miles in the 1st year. No issues so far. We live in Southern California- so the roads are decent.
Ive read about Impala owners who live in parts of the country were the roads are salted....
they seem to find that the rotors rust....... but with all the salt- I guess all that stuff down there will rust.
Also- I believe your engine computer will take a little bit of time to learn your driving style. Seems they now learn certain parameters in the drivers style of driving....
Id keep track in a notebook- the average MPG you get, hand calculated and using the DIC

smoovebologna

Just purchased an 07 Impala myself. It was a former rental car (unbeknownst to me at time of purchase, but no biggy) with just over 30,000 miles. Rides like a Cadillac... comfortable and spacious and not bad on gas for a 3.5l engine. Good luck with yours.

evinrude55

Just something to think about. I have an '07 Impala Lt 3.5 non flex fuel and I love it. But it has currently been sitting in the Chevy garage waiting on parts for for 2 weeks with a badly leaking head gasket. Chevy has designed a new gasket and has a TSB out about this problem, but obviously the dealer is having a tough time getting the new parts. It is under warranty as the car only has 18,000 miles on it, but it is still a pain in the a** having to be in a loaner vehicle when I want to be driving my Impala (they gave me an 05 Trailblazer). So, Chevy knows that this is a problem and it is something to watch out for. The leak can range from seepage to a major leak. I found a good size puddle of coolant under my car in the garage when went out shortly after getting home from work, so I don't know if it leaked at work or started on the way home.

Good luck with yours.

Gwampa

Have an 06 LT (with 3.5) and couldn't be happier. Mine is a flex-fuel (K on VIN) and gets great mileage (although I'll probably never use E85 fuel).
Many owners have had problem with intermediate steering shaft popping noises. Easy fix though (dealer/GM needs to do this for you).
Driver side seat rail problem might crop up too (this is a recall - TSB issue).
Other than that, damn nice car. You'll enjoy yours I think.

Dave B

My GF bought an 07 Impala with the 3.5L VVT (in sig)inOct 06 and has 18,000 or somiles on it. Really rides nice and the seats are real comfortable. No problems with it. It is a 2LT model. It is not E85. So far, so good.

Enjoy yours. They are nice.