My new Impala SS

[Homer Simpson]

Bought the wife a new car. She wanted a replacement for her 06 focus 2dr hatch that was larger and more "family friendly"; she has nieces a nephews from <1yr to 8yrs old, plus we may have our own kids someday. putting a car seat in that thing was a PITA. i also wanted something i could drive when needed. i hated the focus. its small, ugly and wimpy. of course im used to fast cars so anything that's relatively slow annoys me

i wanted to get something full size and fun. i already have a G8 GT for myself so that's the kind of thing i was looking for, only cheaper. started looking at Grand Prix GXP's and Impala SS's. Wanted to make sure the wife had front drive and traction control and all that and i had a nice V8. the GXP has more bells and whistles plus larger brakes and stiffer suspension but they were also priced a bit higher than the impala's. so we ended up with a nice deal on a 2008 SS. its white and almost fully loaded. its missing the 6 disc in-dash, 8 speakers (has 6) and sunroof, none of which were dealbreakers. she uses her ipod for music so the AUX jack is enough and we didn't want a sunroof for a car that will sit outside (kansas=hail and my G8 and GN get the garage ).

Anyways, the w-body platform has been around a while and i know how to work on it having owned a grand prix gtp for a few years (and my dad still has his gtp and mom has a 07 impala). never had any issues beyond typical wear and tear stuff. i think i did alright.

i know its the wife's car but ive driven it a few times and the torque of the v8 feels great. a nice growl from the exhaust is nice too. definitely a step up from the focus.

 

[alkemyst]

They stopped making real impala SS's in 1996.

 

[Arkaign]

Should be a good reliable comfortable car, but I don't get the combo of V8 + FWD. It's not really a fair comparison to a Focus, as the Focus is the equivalent of a Civic/Cobalt/Sentra class of vehicle, and is supposed to be an economical compact. The Impala SS is a family cruiser, and MSRP is about double. It's got decent safety ratings. Did you look at the '09+ Malibu? It's a quantum leap for GM.

 

[Homer Simpson]

alkemyst: yeah, i always wanted one of those. they held their value so well it was never really a viable option for me at the times i was looking.

arkaign: i know its not a comparison. thats the point. the focus just wasnt going to cut it as a family car. had to move up to something bigger. the trunk on the impala can easily fit 4 dead hookers. LOL. yes, we looked at the new 'bu a few months ago. it was nice but a little smaller; inside and in the trunk. i felt cramped in it. (6'1", but not fat). plus ones optioned how we wanted were a little pricey.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

They stopped making real impala SS's in 1996.

I still want one to this day.

 

[Arkaign]

alkemyst: yeah, i always wanted one of those. they held their value so well it was never really a viable option for me at the times i was looking.

arkaign: i know its not a comparison. thats the point. the focus just wasnt going to cut it as a family car. had to move up to something bigger. the trunk on the impala can easily fit 4 dead hookers. LOL. yes, we looked at the new 'bu a few months ago. it was nice but a little smaller; inside and in the trunk. i felt cramped in it. (6'1", but not fat). plus ones optioned how we wanted were a little pricey.

I love that movie

Hmm. I'm 6'4" ~250lbs and I fit very comfortably in either my '08 Focus coupe or the '10 Malibu (bosses rental). I think a lot of it depends on more than size though. I feel oddly cramped in my brother's 4G Acura TL, as well as the new BMW 3-series. Something about the space around my legs, a giant center column area that feels like it's getting in my space makes me squirrely if the car isn't right for it. I feel the same feeling in the Vette, but when in the Vette, it feels 'right'.

Cars are so damned subjective

Enjoy your Impala, it should do great for the things you listed!

 

[Zargon]

same here.

but new ones are pretty nice too

nice snag OP

 

[halik]

Bought the wife a new car. She wanted a replacement for her 06 focus 2dr hatch that was larger and more "family friendly"; she has nieces a nephews from <1yr to 8yrs old, plus we may have our own kids someday. putting a car seat in that thing was a PITA. i also wanted something i could drive when needed. i hated the focus. its small, ugly and wimpy. of course im used to fast cars so anything that's relatively slow annoys me

i wanted to get something full size and fun. i already have a G8 GT for myself so that's the kind of thing i was looking for, only cheaper. started looking at Grand Prix GXP's and Impala SS's. Wanted to make sure the wife had front drive and traction control and all that and i had a nice V8. the GXP has more bells and whistles plus larger brakes and stiffer suspension but they were also priced a bit higher than the impala's. so we ended up with a nice deal on a 2008 SS. its white and almost fully loaded. its missing the 6 disc in-dash, 8 speakers (has 6) and sunroof, none of which were dealbreakers. she uses her ipod for music so the AUX jack is enough and we didn't want a sunroof for a car that will sit outside (kansas=hail and my G8 and GN get the garage ).

Anyways, the w-body platform has been around a while and i know how to work on it having owned a grand prix gtp for a few years (and my dad still has his gtp and mom has a 07 impala). never had any issues beyond typical wear and tear stuff. i think i did alright.

i know its the wife's car but ive driven it a few times and the torque of the v8 feels great. a nice growl from the exhaust is nice too. definitely a step up from the focus.

Sorry, but transverse FWD V8 is just fail. IMO one of the worst drive train combos that GM has produced in the last 2 decades and the exterior/interior doesn't exactly have a lot going for it either.

 

[Homer Simpson]

I love that movie

Hmm. I'm 6'4" ~250lbs and I fit very comfortably in either my '08 Focus coupe or the '10 Malibu (bosses rental). I think a lot of it depends on more than size though. I feel oddly cramped in my brother's 4G Acura TL, as well as the new BMW 3-series. Something about the space around my legs, a giant center column area that feels like it's getting in my space makes me squirrely if the car isn't right for it. I feel the same feeling in the Vette, but when in the Vette, it feels 'right'.

Cars are so damned subjective

Enjoy your Impala, it should do great for the things you listed!

thats probably it. on some cars, my knees hit the dash or the steering wheels just is not in a good spot, epsecially if its not a telescoping wheel, then it really bugs me. if i recall, i think the dash was a little too close to my knees and i couldnt scoot back further or i woulda crushed the knees of the sales guy in the back. if i cant keep my front seat position comfy and still have an adult sit behind me, its not gonna work. and no, i dont ride laying down either. i just have long legs.

 

[fbrdphreak]

My Dad has one (an 08 I think?) and it's a decent car. Nothing anywhere near a corner carver at all of course. The suspension is very soft which makes for a nice ride, but is controlled enough that it doesn't quite feel wallowing.

It definitely needs a brake upgrade though. If you do any sort of spirited driving, you'll quickly trash the rotors.

I actually considered one when I was looking for a better highway cruiser than my Legacy GT, but I'd want the Grand Prix GXP for what *should* be a better handling experience.

Still, it's a nice comfy car with a good amount of room and plenty of power. The tall gears of the four speed auto and torquey V8 make for a very smooth driving experience.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Sorry, but transverse FWD V8 is just fail. IMO one of the worst drive train combos that GM has produced in the last 2 decades and the exterior/interior doesn't exactly have a lot going for it either.

Have you driven one?

 

[HannibalX]

Have you driven one?

I'm guessing he hasn't. GM basically solved the issue of torque steer in its FWD, V8 cars in the mid 1990s. I'd go into specifics but it'll be lost on him. Suffice to say, the rest of the auto industry, especially Nissan could learn a lot from GM when it comes to putting high horsepower engines in FWD cars. Nissan cars are notorious for their outrageous torque steer in their FWD V6 models.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

I'm guessing he hasn't. GM basically solved the issue of torque steer in its FWD, V8 cars in the mid 1990s. I'd go into specifics but it'll be lost on him. Suffice to say, the rest of the auto industry, especially Nissan could learn a lot from GM when it comes to putting high horsepower engines in FWD cars. Nissan cars are notorious for their outrageous torque steer in their FWD V6 models.

220 HP V6 + FWD with no traction control = why I dont like to drive my I30 in the rain

 

[PricklyPete]

Congrats man. I'm not sure I'd love the FWD/V8 combo, but that motor is solid and smooth...I'm sure it is a fantastic highway cruiser.

 

[fbrdphreak]

220 HP V6 + FWD with no traction control = why I dont like to drive my I30 in the rain

Your discontinued, rebadged Maxima is nothing like a GM W body, FYI.

Yes, the V8 FWD W-body has torque steer. With all the electronic nannies off, it still isn't as bad as the 95 Grand Prix 3.1L I drove in high school. Leave everything on and while it won't smoke tires off the line, it will propel you quite fast and with little fanfare.

 

[Tsavo]

They stopped making real impala SS's in 1996.

I had one. Briefly.

Driving it was like fucking a fat woman on a water bed.

 

[Arkaign]

Your discontinued, rebadged Maxima is nothing like a GM W body, FYI.

Yes, the V8 FWD W-body has torque steer. With all the electronic nannies off, it still isn't as bad as the 95 Grand Prix 3.1L I drove in high school. Leave everything on and while it won't smoke tires off the line, it will propel you quite fast and with little fanfare.

I've driven the V6 Impala ('07 IIRC), and it was a rental, so probably the basic spec. That thing had heaps of understeer, of course it's not supposed to be a sports car. For what it was, I thought it did great, but there's no way in hell it handles as well as even an older Maxima (drove a '99 SE MT, what a world of difference).

 

[fbrdphreak]

I had one. Briefly.

Driving it was like fucking a fat woman on a water bed.

Bwahahaha. That about describes the late model Merc Maurader I test drove. Fine if you take things calm and easy, but gets all jiggly if you start beating on it :twisted:

I've driven the V6 Impala ('07 IIRC), and it was a rental, so probably the basic spec. That thing had heaps of understeer, of course it's not supposed to be a sports car. For what it was, I thought it did great, but there's no way in hell it handles as well as even an older Maxima (drove a '99 SE MT, what a world of difference).

Nah, the W-bodies are pigs when it comes to handling. Understeer city for sure, but then again so are almost all cars these days.

 

[Arkaign]

Bwahahaha. That about describes the late model Merc Maurader I test drove. Fine if you take things calm and easy, but gets all jiggly if you start beating on it :twisted:

Nah, the W-bodies are pigs when it comes to handling. Understeer city for sure, but then again so are almost all cars these days.

Hehe yeah. I think it's fine though, if you're driving so hard you're running into understeer, you're either having way too much fun in a family car or econobox, or you need a sportier car, maybe both.

Torque steer used to be really bad on a lot of cars, particularly stuff like you mention, so funny .. floor it .. one wheel drive AND wheel hop, lol.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

I drove a 96 Impala SS for eleven years and over 300k miles until I traded it 4yrs ago for an 06 Impala SS which now has 45k on it. I was very hesitant because I was afraid of the V8 FWD and doubted it could ever match up to the 96, but I couldn't have been more wrong. After 4yrs of driving the new version I prefer it in every single way over the old one. It's lighter, faster, rides better, handles better and stops better, and torque steer is a non issue and can only be noticed with 100&#37; acceleration from a dead stop with TC off.

The main thing that really surprised me was how much quicker the FWD is off the line, a buddy of mine still has a 96 with pretty low miles in excellent condition and we have dragged them red light to red light a few times and it's literally no contest, by the time he gets that big beast rolling, I'm gone and watching for him in my rear view. I will say the 96 had a bit more on the top end, on the few times I pushed it I got it up past 140 where the FWD model doesn't want to go much past 130, but who wants to go those speeds in a passenger car anyway

 

[Arkaign]

I drove a 96 Impala SS for eleven years and over 300k miles until I traded it 4yrs ago for an 06 Impala SS which now has 45k on it. I was very hesitant because I was afraid of the V8 FWD and doubted it could ever match up to the 96, but I couldn't have been more wrong. After 4yrs of driving the new version I prefer it in every single way over the old one. It's lighter, faster, rides better, handles better and stops better, and torque steer is a non issue and can only be noticed with 100% acceleration from a dead stop with TC off.

The main thing that really surprised me was how much quicker the FWD is off the line, a buddy of mine still has a 96 with pretty low miles in excellent condition and we have dragged them red light to red light a few times and it's literally no contest, by the time he gets that big beast rolling, I'm gone and watching for him in my rear view. I will say the 96 had a bit more on the top end, on the few times I pushed it my I got it up past 140 where the FWD model doesn't want to go much past 130

The big difference is also it's not hard to get a lot of extra power in the old 5.7L 350, it was limited stock to 260hp, but could EASILY be boosted to ~350hp+ with common reliable daily-driver-friendly mods. With FR layout, that's pretty easy to handle, of course some suspension tightening and sways are mandatory.

With the FF 5.3L V8 setup in the new one, stock is the best way to drive it. Sure you might be able to add some power, but a heavy FF car is just going to waste that power outside of top-speed runs.

 

[fbrdphreak]

With the FF 5.3L V8 setup in the new one, stock is the best way to drive it. Sure you might be able to add some power, but a heavy FF car is just going to waste that power outside of top-speed runs.

I disagree. For a daily driver, it could add a lot of acceleration oomph without much compromise. Leave the Stabilitrak on and it will get you off the line smoothly, but the four speed auto has such tall gears that it could use more power to at least make it feel like there's more going on. As is, it gets you to speed without much excitement or drama.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

The big difference is also it's not hard to get a lot of extra power in the old 5.7L 350, it was limited stock to 260hp, but could EASILY be boosted to ~350hp+ with common reliable daily-driver-friendly mods. With FR layout, that's pretty easy to handle, of course some suspension tightening and sways are mandatory.

With the FF 5.3L V8 setup in the new one, stock is the best way to drive it. Sure you might be able to add some power, but a heavy FF car is just going to waste that power outside of top-speed runs.

No doubt! The 96 was definately more mod friendly, and as you note adding power to the newer ones is useless because they are already engineered at the limit of acceleration that the frame and setup can handle. I literally don't think they could make it any quicker 0-60 using the current platform.

 

[Arkaign]

I disagree. For a daily driver, it could add a lot of acceleration oomph without much compromise. Leave the Stabilitrak on and it will get you off the line smoothly, but the four speed auto has such tall gears that it could use more power to at least make it feel like there's more going on. As is, it gets you to speed without much excitement or drama.

Well, you might have misunderstood what I said. It's already a 303hp land tank pulling from the front wheels. Boosting that to 350 or 400hp might add a little bit of extra oomph, but really I don't think the 0-40~ would be helped any, nor would it be helpful on anything with curves (understeer already with stock power). It might satisfy the butt dyno (more TQ always does, hehe), but I don't think it would really be worth doing.

It's a good car stock for what it is, a well-rounded comfortable urban/highway cruiser that's not really meant for apexes and sweepers.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Agreed. 0-40 and corners would not be helped at all - those are limited by the FWD and suspension.

I just think of my Dad, who doesn't take corners. He does punch it off the line, but enjoys being a bit of a jackhole and flooring it to pass people or just zoom around in general. Knowing the gearing on that car, the added power would provide a nice boost in 2nd and 3rd.