Considering "New" Impala. Advice?

TomJones76 · Sep 25, 2004

I'm asking here because as far as cars go, BITOG is the biggest no-spin, straight facts zone I've ever seen for cars on the Internet.
I'm looking at a car on the "Used" lot of a local new car dealership. It is a 2003 Chevy Impala with around 29,500 miles, asking price $10,995.
It has the 180 HP 3.4L V6 that GM makes.
I have good reason to believe that it may be a vehicle retired from fleet service with Enterprise or another rental car agency.
I know I like the car. The ride's good, and while the handling is slightly on the squishy side, it works for me.
Does anyone have feedback on the 3.4L ?
How about the tranny in this? I'm assuming it gets the 4T65E.

Below's a pic:

TomJones76 · Sep 25, 2004

Oh yeah. VIN is 2G1WF52E239321779 in case anyone was curious.

motorguy222 · Sep 25, 2004

Tom Jones?! Where? Where?! I couldnt resist.

This is a little bit of a report on the car in question from CarFax.I AM NOT associated with CarFax in any way.They have a free search that will tell if any records exist on a vehicle.

It says:

FREE Record Check Results

VIN: 2G1WF52E239321779
Year/Make/Model: 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA
Body Style: Sedan 4 DR
Engine Type: 3.4L L6 MFI
Manufactured In: CANADA
Search Results: 5 records found in our database

IMPORTANT! The 5 records on this 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA may confirm a clean title history or uncover potential problems. Find out by ordering the complete CARFAX Vehicle History Report.

The rest rest is up to you,you can go to www.carfax.com and order the report if you like.

Hope this helps.

pscholte · Sep 26, 2004

TJ76,

Proceed with caution. I would indeed check the history through CarFax. There may be many on this board that have had a good experience buying a former rental car (if indeed that is what this one is), but they can take some real abuse depending on the area in which they were driven. I'd get a mechanic you trust to check it out unless it comes with a warranty of some kind.

I wish you the best...

TomJones76 · Sep 26, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by pscholte:
TJ76,

Proceed with caution. I would indeed check the history through CarFax. There may be many on this board that have had a good experience buying a former rental car (if indeed that is what this one is), but they can take some real abuse depending on the area in which they were driven. I'd get a mechanic you trust to check it out unless it comes with a warranty of some kind.

I wish you the best...

Thanks for wishing me the best.
At this point, I really must assume that the vehicle *WAS* part of a rental fleet. The options match a base Enterprise Impala Slave Drone fleet vehicle... down to AM/FM/Casette. WTH orders that on a new car?
Additionally, some of the SPID codes from
This comes with 6,000 miles worth of factory warranty.
If I buy it, I intend on buying an extended warranty that will take me out to the 100,000 mile point.
My financial situation is what you might consider "fragile" and I'm trying to set up a scenario where I have *NO* unpredictable auto expenses. The warranty I'm considering (GM's Majorguard) covers most expensive repairs except for exhaust, shocks and brakes.

Some details about Majorguard can be found at the below URLs, in case anyone was curious:
http://www.gmacfs.com/insurance/mechanicalrepair/majorguard.htm
http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/gm_warranty/

TomJones76 · Sep 26, 2004

Oh yeah. If this comes from Enterprise's local region fleet, the vehicle would have been driven in the Greater Cleveland area.
Not that there is ANY way to really tell where a rental has been transferred to and from within a national rental fleet.

pscholte · Sep 26, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by TomJones76:
Oh yeah. If this comes from Enterprise's local region fleet, the vehicle would have been driven in the Greater Cleveland area.
Not that there is ANY way to really tell where a rental has been transferred to and from within a national rental fleet.

As frequently as rentals get washed it should not have corrosion, but given the way they use salt in Ohio (at least around Dayton) I'd give it a good look over for any kind of pitting or precursor to corrosion.

Steve S · Sep 26, 2004

Before you buy ,remember the ad campain Chevrolet the Heartbreak of Amreica?

Ugly3 · Sep 26, 2004

Look, the miles are OK, you can see it has not been in a wreck. The price is pretty good. Get the extended warantee and drive for many miles. There are risks in buying any used car, even from a good first owner. You have the major risks covered. Enjoy your new drive.

JohnBrowning · Sep 26, 2004

Normaly I would say go for it! The 3.4 is not the engine of choice though! I would stay away from it based on this engine alone! If you want an Impala try to find one with the 3.8 V6!!! THe 3.4 has been plagued with intake manifold leaks and head gasket leaks for years! It normaly happens as soon as your warranty is gone! I have friend his went through three head gaskets and 8 intake manifold gaskets in 4 years time. He purchased the 100,000 miles extended warranty and it payed off.

FL-400S · Sep 26, 2004

Get yourself a GM credit card, use it for a while, then get $2000 off on a $17000 new one. That way you know where its been its whole life. I wouldnt want to buy any rental car that Ive driven

I know what people like me do to them, haha.

Unless that one comes with a "neutral drop counter" on the dash.

TomJones76 · Sep 26, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by FL-400S:
Get yourself a GM credit card, use it for a while, then get $2000 off on a $17000 new one. That way you know where its been its whole life. I wouldnt want to buy any rental car that Ive driven

I know what people like me do to them, haha.

Unless that one comes with a "neutral drop counter" on the dash.

**** , last time I rented a Ford Escape I found out what happens when you perform a full throttle shift from OD to R while going 60 on the Interstate.
(Real boring, actually. Just kinda' stalls.)

TomJones76 · Sep 26, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by JohnBrowning:
Normaly I would say go for it! The 3.4 is not the engine of choice though! I would stay away from it based on this engine alone! If you want an Impala try to find one with the 3.8 V6!!! THe 3.4 has been plagued with intake manifold leaks and head gasket leaks for years! It normaly happens as soon as your warranty is gone! I have friend his went through three head gaskets and 8 intake manifold gaskets in 4 years time. He purchased the 100,000 miles extended warranty and it payed off.

I'll definitely bear this in mind.
Too bad the 3.8 isn't a free-standing option. You have to order the "LS" package, which means the car winds up coming with everything except an electric butt massager and leather. I would be paying an extra $2K if I wanted the 3.8, and that just doesn't fit in with my plans.

DJ · Sep 26, 2004

A year ago we got an '03 for my wife, with the 3.4l, we bought a new one with an odd equipment package so it was a leftover. It is a nice little car and perfect for her.
I know today it is considered not so little but to me the Impala died in 96

and my 96 Caprice is more of an Impala than the FWD cars. Again though nice car and even with the little motor in town power is adequate, she says the highway power is good to, my opinion there means little because I drive a modified car that skews my perceptions of what should be available under my right foot.

brianl703 · Sep 26, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by FL-400S:
I wouldnt want to buy any rental car that Ive driven

I know what people like me do to them, haha.

Unless that one comes with a "neutral drop counter" on the dash.

I've actually returned rental cars in better condition than they were when I picked them up.

Usually I add the 10 missing PSI to the tires.

By the way, neutral drops get old after, say, the 2nd or 3rd time.

XS650 · Sep 26, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by FL-400S:
I wouldnt want to buy any rental car that Ive driven

The saving grace of rental cars is that they are abused in different way by different drivers, so they don't continually get the same abuse. On a one owner car, it will have been abused the same way by the same idiot all it's life.

Steve S · Sep 26, 2004

quote:

By the way, neutral drops get old after, say, the 2nd or 3rd time.

quote:

No they don't

crossbow · Sep 26, 2004

Autocrossers in my area rent car's, pay the extra insurance, then beat the living crap outta them on the courses over the weekend.

Some even take them to the track. (Like laguna seca). After seeing first hand what happens to most rentals, and most "dealer" cars (oh we just drove between dealerships...ya right), I'd avoid purchasing either of the above unless you had zero options.

@ 11k...your just nippin on the toes of a wide # of "new" car's that are only a few thousand more.

T-Keith · Sep 26, 2004

I'd wait for a 3.8. It's a much better engine with more power and pretty much identical economy.

-T

Matt_S · Sep 26, 2004

Everyone rags on the 3400, but I'll be the one to stick up for it. It's a good motor overall. They've had some issues with the intake manifold gasket, but if you know what to look out for, you'll be fine. Not every car is going to have this leak, most don't. Don't let the engine keep you away from the car. The 3800 is a great engine with great power, but the 3400 is no slacker, either.

The one thing I'd say is you should have an independent mechanic check it over first. If he says the car's good, then go for it. If there's been a lot of abuse, he should be able to detect it. It'll be the best $100 you ever spent.

Considering "New" Impala. Advice?

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