One more option: 2008 Chevrolet Impala

[ls1mike]

I don't listen to anything dwcopple says about GM.
My best friend and co worker Wes Richards has a 2007 Ford 500.
Every time he drives my W Body Buick he ask "When will you sell me this thing so I can get rid of that pile o Ford I drive."
Everyone has an opinion some people just don't know when to give up.

I bet your Brother in law gets great service with that car. The updated 3.6 in that is over 300hp and moves out well. Some folks actually like how the car rides and drives. It is just like my Buick, and IMO which won't mean much, it is much better than Wes's Ford 500 all the way aroud.

 

[hardcore302]

Excellent cars which serve the NYPD well. We beat the [censored] out of them, idle them, use them at WOT, run them 24/7, and neglect them, and they run like tops. All on Petro Canada conventional oil changed at God knows when intervals.

Get it.

 

[pandus13]

SteveSRT8 and hardcore302,

can you tell the OP any differences that you know of between the police cruisers Impala's and the run of the mill car in the street?

like that we can help him to an enjoyable car experience.

I see impalas all over Chicago area and they still seems to chug-along. Note: we are in the rust belt yet they are still alive.

 

[SteveSRT8]

^^^IIRC they have the standard police package which includes extra cooling, larger alternator, upgraded brakes, etc.

The below from GM website.

SELECT STANDARD FEATURES
Features based on 9C1 unless otherwise noted.
Safety and Security
Dual-stage frontal air bags* with Passenger Sensing System;* driver and front-passenger seat-mounted thorax side-impact air bags;* outboard front and rear head curtain side-impact air bags*
PASS-Key III theft-deterrent system
StabiliTrak with police calibration
Interior
Front cloth bucket seats with space between seats for equipment
Rear vinyl seat
6-way power driver and front-passenger seat
Dual cupholders
Steering-column-mounted shift lever
Single-zone climate control
Cruise control
140-mph certified speedometer and Driver Information Center
Wiring provision for headlamp and taillamp flasher
Remote Keyless Entry
Tilt-adjustable steering column
Power windows and door locks
AM/FM stereo with CD
100-amp ignition-controlled main power supply under dash 
and in trunk
Auxiliary ground stud in trunk
Mechanical
Front-wheel drive
3.6L SIDI DOHC V6 VVT with E85 FlexFuel1 capability
Oil Life Monitoring System
6-speed automatic transmission
Heavy-duty power 4-wheel disc antilock brake system
Heavy-duty police suspension
Power rack-and-pinion steering
170-amp alternator
720 cold-cranking-amp battery with rundown protection
Engine, transmission, and power steering coolers
Exterior
Power rearview mirrors
P235/55R17 W-rated tires
17” steel wheels with bolt-on center caps
Trunk, driver and front-passenger door key lock cylinder

SELECT OPTIONAL FEATURES
Options are available on certain models only. See your Ordering Guide for details.
Headlamp and taillamp flashing system 
(includes flashing module and control wire)
Heated outside rearview mirrors
Spot lamps, driver and passenger
Remote Vehicle Starter System
Bodyside moldings
Content theft alarm system
Full-size spare tire includes Tire Pressure Monitor** sensor 
(not programmed)
Heavy-duty vinyl flooring
Grille lamps and siren speaker wiring
Horn/siren circuit wiring
Roof wiring
Inoperative inside rear door handles, locks, and window switches
Common fleet keyed alike
Ignition-controlled trunk release
6 additional keyless entry transmitters
Daytime running lamps delete
Automatic lamp control delete
Rear spoiler

 

[threeputtpar]

If the 3.5l doesn't have AFM, then you should be OK. My SIL has an 08 with the 3.9l with AFM and on the highway when the engine deactivates cylinders it drinks oil something fierce. From Madison to Appleton (120 miles) she goes through a full quart. Almost no consumption when driving in town. It's a well documented issue for GM.

Oh, and she recently lost the transmission in it at just under 100k miles. The dealer had to install a reman and a new computer to get it to function correctly. And she's been battling electrical issues with the power windows and door locks not working.

It is a nice road trip car, though aside from the oil consumption issues. 30 mpg on the highway and it rides quite smoothly.

 

[Zero]

Thanks all, after speaking to my wife, it will be a test drive and a toss-up between a 2003 Camry LE or a 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix GT.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Zero
Thanks all, after speaking to my wife, it will be a test drive and a toss-up between a 2003 Camry LE or a 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix GT.


I suspect the choice between those two will be easy to make once you drive them both. They're in many senses polar opposites of each other. I suspect you'll find the Pontiac more engaging to drive with a sportier flair to it, and I suspect you'll find the Toyota will have a more refined interior with a quieter structure. One will likely suit your wife better than the other; it will simply depend on what she wants in a car.

Happy test driving!

 

[dwcopple]

Originally Posted By: Zero
or a 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix GT.
pay attention for a steering clunk when making left turns. Another fiasco with the intermediate steering shafts.

 

[gregk24]

Camry Camry!

 

[Huie83]

We have a 2010 with about 70K on the clock.

It hasn't been perfect but it's a okay car if you just want plain transportation and can pick one up for a good price.

The 3.5 is buttery smooth as well as the 4 speed trans. Everything about the Impala is old school but it seems to work okay. Just change the oil per the OLM and trans services every 60K or so.

The main issues we have had:

- Trans cooler lines and fittings leaked. Fixed myself~ $80
- Eats a set of front brakes every year ( warps the rotors, they are known for this) ~ $130
- Ignition interlock locked key in ignition. ~ Found broken wire on shift interlock sensor. Fixed myself,maybe $100-200 at dealer to re-pin connector.
- A/C recirculate motor bad ~ Fixed myself $40

As you can see, not perfect but no major issues yet. The little stuff that breaks will nickle and dime you if you are not mechanically handy.

 

[dwcopple]

Originally Posted By: Huie83
- Eats a set of front brakes every year ( warps the rotors, they are known for this) ~ $130

inexcusable
Originally Posted By: Huie83
- Ignition interlock locked key in ignition. ~ Found broken wire on shift interlock sensor. Fixed myself,maybe $100-200 at dealer to re-pin connector.

mind boggling how this can even happen.

 

[Huie83]

dwcopple-

I hear you, I think some of the enginering and design on this car is just.. well... lazy I guess is the way to put it.

I have a friend with a 08 and her's eats front breaks every 1-2 years also. I think that some just live with the pulsing from the rotors warping, I can't, it drives me crazy.

Also, the key interlock really threw me through a loop. I ended up just taking the covers off the column as well as the center console. After unplugging and plugging in every connector from the column I looked down to see one little wire on the sensor that gets pushed in when you put the car in park/drive to be hanging out. Re-pinned it and it was good to go.

It looks like it happened because that connector wiring is just kind of floating in the console so it can wiggle around. I guess after 3 years the wire just broke from vibration... pretty [censored] design.

 

[SteveSRT8]

The inexcusable part is that someone didn't eventually figure out the brakes. Rotors repeatedly "warping" are almost always correctable. And it's easy and cheap.

Brand bashing is a lot more fun...

 

[NHHEMI]

My Sister's 06 that she had for 4+ years was on the original brakes. No rotor warping for her.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
My Sister's 06 that she had for 4+ years was on the original brakes. No rotor warping for her.


Yep. There ya go.

And I would bet she didn't go all over the Web posting stuff about how good her car was. The whole problem here is the Internet Amplification, where one or two bad examples get tons of repetition ad infinitum...

 

[dishdude]

Everyone has had trouble with rotor warping, uneven lug nut torque and really riding or being hard on the brakes can cause excessive runout.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
Everyone has had trouble with rotor warping, uneven lug nut torque and really riding or being hard on the brakes can cause excessive runout.


Absolutely agreed.

But the more interesting question is why do so many NOT experience these issues anymore.

 

[Huie83]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
My Sister's 06 that she had for 4+ years was on the original brakes. No rotor warping for her.


Yep. There ya go.

And I would bet she didn't go all over the Web posting stuff about how good her car was. The whole problem here is the Internet Amplification, where one or two bad examples get tons of repetition ad infinitum...


Sorry guys, not really sure what to tell you, going off real world experience here. I forgot that we did my sister's 2009 Impala last summer too because she couldn't take the pulsing anymore. That's a 3 year spread of Impala's that all have issues.

I'm not trying to bash on the car or "spread the word", just calling it like I see it, a weak point in that car. Overall though not a bad vehicle.

I wonder if it is a climate or temperature issue?? All of these Impala's have been in MN their whole life. maybe such a dramatic temperature shock to the rotors are warping them in this case....