Chevrolet Impala

First of all, let me begin by saying that I didn't purchase this car on eBay. I bought my car from a local Chevrolet dealer for about $13,000 dollars in 2003. It is a fully loaded 2000 Impala LS. I have a job that makes owning a reliable vehicle an absolute requirement. I am in field service, and am responsible for my own vehicle purchase and care. If my vehicle doesn't work, I don't get paid! I am the second owner of this vehicle. The first owner was a salesman whom traded the vehicle in for a 2003 Impala when the warranty expired. I was leary about that at first, but for the price and what the car offered, I took the chance. I bought the car with about 34,000 miles on it, and now have 161,000 very hard miles on it. I have driven this car through over a foot of water on flooded streets, through severe North Eastern US snow storms where SUVs were getting stuck, and through traffic jams in 105 degree summer weather, and I can honestly say that it has never even stalled once while I have owned it. I have also never had the vehicle not start. That in its own right is incredible, but it gets better, the vehicle still averages about 24 to 25 mpg between city and highway driving. Keep in mind that this is a large family car that does dwarf most other cars that I park next too. My favorite part though... that this car will get up and go much faster than most of it's counterparts. Now you know why the police like them too, not Volkswagons! In fact, the Impala's 0-60 time is literally more than 3 seconds faster than the Ford Crown Victoria police interceptor is, which despite only being 200 lbs heavier has a much bigger v8 to the Impala's v6. When I got into my field, I had a Taurus, big mistake! Then I had a Camry... even worse than the Taurus. That's right, I said it! I had a Toyota and didn't like it. It would of been okay except that it never seemed to want to run. In fact, it seems to me that anyone who isn't a senior citizen that had one feels the same way. I also had a VW which around 80,000 miles seemed to fall apart like there was no tomorrow. So much for that hot German engineering! I also had a Chrysler for two years. That was probably the best up until the Impala. It was just a little underpowered. I am 100% content with GM now and will look to them in the future. That may be why the military uses GM and almost all the senior techs were I work drive GM vehicles. They are ahead of the game. The only real tragedy is, I have no ambition to trade this car in. It seems to want to just keep going and going. Hey, I'm not going to stop it. It can make me all the money it wants! I would seriously take a good look at General Motors for your next vehicle. I did it on a whim and have been happy ever since. The only thing I do is the maintenance that the manual recommends, which is inexpensive even at the dealer and hardly is necessary anyway. In fact, the cars has only been tuned-up twice its whole life. It also only had brakes put on three times. The only thing I had too have done was the passenger side axle, which was about $130 for everything plus an alignment. Sadly, that was just because the CV boot ripped. Overall, the car has been wonderful, and I still get a cheese grin on my face when a sporty little car trys to go zippin around me and all I have to do is gas it to ruin their day!

Picked it up last fall on a swap, and got a clean, no problems, no rust, no holes in the trunk floor, no rust scale on the frame, no holes in the wheel wells, just an all around decent used 1976 Impala 4 door sedan.

It will never be a convertible or a race car, but it is a rock solid dependable vehicle that starts in the coldest of weather, drives like a limo, and will be there ready for me when I need it, capable of driving cross country and not letting me down.

I was shocked how clean the frame was, including the drive train and engine bay. I have to emphasize that for the year and model, its a decent car. They have removed most of the chrome, put American Racing chrome rims and brand new radial tires on it and its actually attractive.

I am in the process of replacing all of the brake lines so that there are no surprises some day when I come charging up to a red light, hoping they work. Even that is a surprise, the brake lines are breaking lose and not stripping out like the bleeder nuts usually do! When is the last time you had that happen to a Minnesota car?? (my answer is never)

Chances are this car came from down south, I haven't carfaxed it yet but I will. I am considering removing the door handles and SEMing them up with electronic openers, but time will tell.

The odometer says 22k which I am betting is 122k but again, the carfax will open up that area for discussion.