Consumer Reports rates the new Impala best

[dishdude]

There are so many ignorant comments in this thread that I am not even going to bother participating.

I just don't get the brand bashing, especially when made up facts and flat out mistruths are used to bolster your own opinion.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted By: Huie83
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Originally Posted By: Huie83
Completely agree with you! My 2010 Impala was very nice when new. 70K miles and 3 years later and it feels very old and raggedy. Lots of rattles and "nickle and dime" repairs. No major issues but lots of little stuff like random electrical wires breaking, fluid leaks, fan motors going bad etc. Never had a car with so many weird issues.


Considering that your 2010 model is the same car (with a few cosmetic upgrades) that GM designed in the late 1990's, that was then based on an earlier car designed in the late 1980's... I'm not surprised.


I hear you, the 2014 is a supposedly "a all new design" so I hope its better than the 2010. I wonder what GM used in the internals of the electronics etc on the new Impala though? If it's the same old junk it's going to break just like the 2010 in a few years.

What broke in yours, because I have a 12 year old Trans Am and 15 year old Buick and everything still work and I have not had to replace anything except the headlight motor gear on the Trans Am.

 

[glock19]

Originally Posted By: ls1mike
They were all modified and took a good beating I don't remember ever putting 2500 dollars into any of them. $2500 for "routine maintenance" is B.S.


If you don't mind me asking, what exactly constitutes $2,500 in routine maintenance?

 

[morepwr]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
There are so many ignorant comments in this thread that I am not even going to bother participating.

I just don't get the brand bashing, especially when made up facts and flat out mistruths are used to bolster your own opinion.


Reading this thread, I came to the same conclusion.

 

[coolbird101]

Good for GM if this car is as good as they say, we have owned more GM cars than anything else. They always did the job needed but for whatever reason we always had small issues, o2 sensors etc. Had a alternator go out on our Monte Carlo at 36,500, just out of warranty. My wife and I have a running joke about Chevy's and check engine lights, every time I get behind the wheel of a GM product the check engine light comes on, we had a 2011 Impala rental for a week and sure enough the CEL came on while I was driving it - we had a good laugh about it. The last one I bought new was a 03' GMC Savanna 2500 van and it was back to the dealer 3 times for CEl's, one of the trips included dropping the transmission to replace a sensor in the transmission. These trips cost me money as my service van was down for the day or 1/2 day. I sold the van to a buddy at 100k and yes when he took delivery the CEL was illuminated, turned out to be another o2 sensor. Believe it or not the best one (most reliable) GM product we owned was a 97' Cavalier, never a hiccup out of that one.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted By: glock19
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
They were all modified and took a good beating I don't remember ever putting 2500 dollars into any of them. $2500 for "routine maintenance" is B.S.


If you don't mind me asking, what exactly constitutes $2,500 in routine maintenance?

Timing belt, valve cover gaskets, water pump, plugs, wires, oil change, air filter, and cabin filter.
That was at the Local Subaru dealer. Peninsula Subaru in Bremerton (really Gorst) Washington in April. He is the original owner all dealer maintained.
I would say maybe the valve cover gaskets are not routine, but this was the second time they were done on this car. Not sure how often they are done on a WRX, his maybe just a fluke.

Last month he had the clutch done so he used the Buick for a couple days. It was another 2000 bucks for that. We stopped to look at it. They had the motor out of it to do it.
I usually pick him off and drop him off when he has stuff done to it. He will generally use the Buick as his only car is the WRX.

 

[JOD]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
There are so many ignorant comments in this thread that I am not even going to bother participating.

I just don't get the brand bashing, especially when made up facts and flat out mistruths are used to bolster your own opinion.


Agreed. It's like a perfect storm of stupid: GM and Consumer's Reports rolled into one.

One thing that's funny is that the '14 Impala has received really good reviews from everyone who's reviewed it. Even I've noticed this and there's nothing I care less about that big sedans. Make an Impala wagon and I'll care. But anyway, let the nonsense continue.

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: stephen9666

The Taurus is a couple slots down the "upscale sedan" list. I just didn't list all the ones after the ES 350.

Same with the "luxury sedan" list. I only listed the top ones, not all of them. The MKS is in the luxury sedan category because it's more expensive. It's farther down the list.


Aaah - I'm not a subscriber to CR and I clicked on the Car and Driver link and saw everyone but the Taurus listed. Makes sense.

 

[glock19]

Originally Posted By: ls1mike
Timing belt, valve cover gaskets, water pump, plugs, wires, oil change, air filter, and cabin filter.
That was at the Local Subaru dealer. Peninsula Subaru in Bremerton (really Gorst) Washington in April. He is the original owner all dealer maintained.
I would say maybe the valve cover gaskets are not routine, but this was the second time they were done on this car. Not sure how often they are done on a WRX, his maybe just a fluke.

Last month he had the clutch done so he used the Buick for a couple days. It was another 2000 bucks for that. We stopped to look at it. They had the motor out of it to do it.
I usually pick him off and drop him off when he has stuff done to it. He will generally use the Buick as his only car is the WRX.


Well the only things there I would be concerned about are the water pump and the valve cover gaskets. Even then, I wouldn't be too upset changing the water pump if the car is over 100k miles. Changing the valve covers twice already would disappoint me. The timing belt, oil change, plugs, and filters are all routine maintenance on any car. As for the clutch, that is obviously going to vary by driver on how long that lasts.

It sounds like maybe the dealer he is going to is ripping him off on labor costs. The dealer I go to in Virginia (Sheehy Subaru) has been great to deal with. I haven't been going there long but so far it's been much better than the Toyota and Volvo dealerships I've dealt with. Maybe he should try going to a different Subaru dealer if he can.

 

[NHGUY]

Isnt the Impala based on the Lacrosse/Opel platform? So why didnt Lacrosse win all sorts of awards? Is the bowtie emblem enough to overcome the Shaq-backed Buick?

 

[Art_Vandelay]

This is a magazine that claimed an RCA television had a better overall picture than a Sony Trinitron. At a time when the difference between the two was equivalent to judging the paint quality of an El Camino superior to that of a Rolls Royce.

 

[Nick R]

This thread is absolutely ridiculous. Everyone who has SAT in the new impala, please raise your hand? Oh look! Funnily enough, it appears that NONE of the people who are ripping on the new one have even SEEN one in person, let alone SAT in one, or DRIVEN it. I am SO TIRED of this anti-GM bull[censored] that it's getting ridiculous.

"I drove a 2004 and it was junk! ALL IMPALAS SUCKZORX!!!"
"Pff the 2010 I drove was awful and blah blah blah"

Yeah, sure. EVERYONE knows those ones were. Guess what? The new impala IS class competitive. Guess what? It competes with the Taurus which is just as/more expensive. The Avalon? Please it's a dressed up camry and is about as bland as a camry at that (and yes, I've driven one)

If you have not seen/sat in/driven the new Impala, or any other car for that matter, I want you to stop talking smack about a car you know nothing about, other than "it's GM so it must be terribad and worse than every other car out there because of reasons."


I mean seriously.

/End rant

EDIT: By the way, this does also apply to OTHER Brands. So you can replace "GM" with "Brand X" because while this particular thread is about GM, I see this about pretty much everyone. But GM by far gets the worst of it by people whos grandfathers brother had one in the 70s and was junk.

 

[thrace]

I am giving GM a shot next time. I do not have any import-lover bias. I do have Honda bad experience.

Have found CR reviews less prejudiced than other mags. More reality based than other websites. The 2014 Impala is indeed similar to Buick Lacrosse which performs well with the V6. Hopefully driver visibility of Impala is better. I am willing to give GM a try. My Honda is a bad car. Frequent repairs. Evap system, transmission replacement, power windows, doors, IAC valve, all engine mounts, all transmission mounts, random check engine light, ignition lock cylinder, power steering line leak, ac resistor, road noise, wind noise, high distortion low fidelity audio system. Irritating need for timing belt change and valve adjustments. Assinine Honda dealer also. Maintenance by the book. Honda [censored]. My Toyota has been good and has a timing chain.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted By: glock19
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
Timing belt, valve cover gaskets, water pump, plugs, wires, oil change, air filter, and cabin filter.
That was at the Local Subaru dealer. Peninsula Subaru in Bremerton (really Gorst) Washington in April. He is the original owner all dealer maintained.
I would say maybe the valve cover gaskets are not routine, but this was the second time they were done on this car. Not sure how often they are done on a WRX, his maybe just a fluke.

Last month he had the clutch done so he used the Buick for a couple days. It was another 2000 bucks for that. We stopped to look at it. They had the motor out of it to do it.
I usually pick him off and drop him off when he has stuff done to it. He will generally use the Buick as his only car is the WRX.


Well the only things there I would be concerned about are the water pump and the valve cover gaskets. Even then, I wouldn't be too upset changing the water pump if the car is over 100k miles. Changing the valve covers twice already would disappoint me. The timing belt, oil change, plugs, and filters are all routine maintenance on any car. As for the clutch, that is obviously going to vary by driver on how long that lasts.

It sounds like maybe the dealer he is going to is ripping him off on labor costs. The dealer I go to in Virginia (Sheehy Subaru) has been great to deal with. I haven't been going there long but so far it's been much better than the Toyota and Volvo dealerships I've dealt with. Maybe he should try going to a different Subaru dealer if he can.

I didn't say he was upset. Their labor rate is on par with everyone in the area 85 to 95 dollars an hour. They are a very good dealership. They take care of Bill very well, he has always been pleased with their work. Just saying it is pricey to maintain one as compared to other cars. Normal maintenance is acceptable, that price for what was done is not.

Yours is brand new, time will tell, just like every other car on the road.

 

[glock19]

Originally Posted By: ls1mike

I didn't say he was upset. Their labor rate is on par with everyone in the area 85 to 95 dollars an hour. They are a very good dealership. They take care of Bill very well, he has always been pleased with their work. Just saying it is pricey to maintain one as compared to other cars. Normal maintenance is acceptable, that price for what was done is not.

Yours is brand new, time will tell, just like every other car on the road.


You're right, I'm actually a little leary of the CVT's durability and it's the main reason I bought the extended warranty. However, the point I was trying to make is that I don't think it's fair to single out Subaru as being unreliable or having high maintenance costs.

Out of all the vehicles we've had (including 3 Fords, 1 GMC, 2 Acuras, 2 Volvos, 1 Mazda, 2 Toyotas, and 1 Subaru) only a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee and a 2002 Jaguar X308 actually required a lot of expensive repairs. I think with all cars regardless of brand, will be pretty reliable if you maintain them properly.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
"I drove a 2004 and it was junk! ALL IMPALAS SUCKZORX!!!"
"Pff the 2010 I drove was awful and blah blah blah"

Yeah, sure. EVERYONE knows those ones were. Guess what? The new impala IS class competitive. Guess what? It competes with the Taurus which is just as/more expensive. The Avalon? Please it's a dressed up camry and is about as bland as a camry at that (and yes, I've driven one)


I find it kind of comical that you criticize others for generalizing about the Impala, then go on to call the Avalon a "dressed up camry". Since 2012, the Avalon shares a plaform with the Lexus ES350, which is no longer based on the Camry platform. Additionally, I'm not sure I'd describe the 2013 Avalon has "bland". Have you driven a 2013 Avalon? The Car & Driver review that SteveSRT8 posted earlier called the Avalon, which won the comparison, "an invigorating car to drive". I think it's fair to say that ALL of these large sedans have improved way beyond their predecessors. I'm sure that C&D itself is as surprised at that statement (an Avalon being invigorating to drive) as anyone else.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: ls1mike
Just saying it is pricey to maintain one as compared to other cars. Normal maintenance is acceptable, that price for what was done is not.

Yours is brand new, time will tell, just like every other car on the road.


I am always amazed at what others tell me is "routine" maintenance. We would go crazy here if our fleet trucks were down like that. Not something we are used to at all.

 

[Benzadmiral]

I like what I see with, and have read about, the '14 Impala. Just wish it was more competitively priced, more in the $25K range. It and the LaCrosse are on my short list to replace the Park Avenue someday.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
Just saying it is pricey to maintain one as compared to other cars. Normal maintenance is acceptable, that price for what was done is not.

Yours is brand new, time will tell, just like every other car on the road.


I am always amazed at what others tell me is "routine" maintenance. We would go crazy here if our fleet trucks were down like that. Not something we are used to at all.

I think that was my point, I don't have routine maintenance like that on any of my cars. Isn't your fleet stuff GM?

I didn't mean to single out Subaru, but it was fresh in my head and it is on Par with the WRX guys I know and that hang out with Bill.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
Just saying it is pricey to maintain one as compared to other cars. Normal maintenance is acceptable, that price for what was done is not.

Yours is brand new, time will tell, just like every other car on the road.


I am always amazed at what others tell me is "routine" maintenance. We would go crazy here if our fleet trucks were down like that. Not something we are used to at all.


Routine maintenance on my Focus at 100K miles is a spark plug change, coolant change.

Seems very reasonable to me! That's something I can do in my driveway in a few hours.