Used cars can be a huge pain in the neck at times. I've had used cars that were plagued with problems, driving me nuts. However, used cars can be a real life saver at times, too. For much lesser the cost of a new car, used automobiles can save you money and still provide you with a good mode of transportation. After I had my share of my plagued 1995 Nissan Maxima, I threw in the towel and decided to look around for a used car. My stipulations were (1)that it had to be a four door sedan, (2) a reputable manufacturer/car, (3) have decent gas mileage, and (4) must be 2003 or newer.

Previously, we had sold another car, a 2001 Mercury Cougar, to a car dealership. He had offered us a good price for our car, and so we went to see what he had in the used sedans. He didn't have much, however he did have this 2004 Chevy Impala with 50,000 miles on it at $9,100. Although I wasn't too big on the color (sandstone), I decided I would take it after a test drive that left me somewhat impressed as to the overall ride as compared to my decade-older Nissan Maxima. I would have loved to get a Honda, a Nissan, or a Toyota, but at the time I didn't have the financial means for it. Chevy would have to do for now.

The 2004 Chevy Impala
The 2004 Chevy Impala is a fairly large sedan (though classified as a midsized), four door, and came in three different trims: the base Impala, the Impala LS, and the Impala SS. This review is on the base Impala. The base Impala, when first sold, started out at around $21,500. At the time I bought it, with around 50,000 miles it cost me $9,100. The base Impala came with a 180 horsepower 3.4 V6 engine, whereas the LS and the SS both came with a 3.8 V6 with boosted horsepower (200 hp for the LS and 240 hp for the SS).

5 Star Rating for Safety
One nice added feature to the Impala is the fact that it was rated 5 stars for front collisions and 4 stars for side collisions. Five stars is the highest rating. This puts me at ease, because often my wife goes on trips out of state to visit her family, taking a semi-dangerous highway to get there. The Impala's 5-Star rating is likely due to great safety features such as an anti-sway bar on both the front and rear of the car, daytime running lights, lower childseat anchorage, anti-theft prevention (alarm), and front airbags (and side airbags optional). Unfortunately, though, this car does not automatically make your wife a safer driver. She smashed the side-view mirror while in the drive-through at Taco Bell. "Dear, when I said 'run into Taco Bell, I didn't mean 'run into Taco Bell'."

Exterior Styling
Overall, the Impala has a pleasing appearance. I think that the color really makes a difference as to whether or not the car looks good. My Impala is a sandstone brown/tan color, and though I was weary about it first, it's grown on me. Available colors for the 2004 base Impala are black, white, "victory red", "sandstone metallic", "berry red metallic". "cappucino frost metallic", "galaxy silver metallic", "medium grey metallic", and "superior blue metallic".

Each Impala has a thick stripe of black molding running horizontally on each side, as well as on the front and the back, this probably being the first detail that catches your eye when you see the car. The car's design is really nothing noteworthy, and looks like any average four-door sedan. There are a few minor details that give the car a somewhat sporty look, such as the tail end being slighty raised and the slightly lower profile front end. The strip of black molding makes the car look long and sleek, and both front and rear bumpers are painted to match the car's paintjob. The tail lights are rounded, similar to a Corvette's, and the headlights too are rounded, but are encased in the light fixture. As a safety measure, this car has daytime running headlights. The car is 200 inches long, 73 inches wide, and 57 inches tall.

Internal Features/Design
The stripped down version of the base Impala isn't as bad as some base models are. Though the base model only comes with an AM/FM radio and cassette player and manual seats, it does include front side airbags, air conditioning, power windows and locks (front power windows are one-touch), four cupholders, and courtesy lights. Our Impala has the added features of a CD player and a driver's side power seat.

Seating is comfortable, and driving for long periods of time doesn't bother me at all. Although the car can hold as many as six persons, I do not recommend cramming more than five in there at a time, preferably no more than four. Nonetheless, there is room for three persons in front and three persons in back, though you will not be able to use any arm rests or cupholders.

The dashboard is fairly simple, gauges include your speedometer, fuel gauge, and temperature gauge. The windshield wipers have several speed levels and the rear glass has a defogger and defroster, handy for those wintery months. There are both driver and passenger air-conditioning controls, though I don't understand this, since you'll be sitting a foot apart from each other.

Trunk space is adequate, and several bodies, er, I mean suitcases will fit in there.

Engine/Black Gold (You Know, Texas "T")
For a full size car, the Impala is fairly peppy. Especially considering that the car weights 3,389 pounds, give or take a wing nut. It has a 3.4 V6 180 horsepower engine connected to a four-speed automatic transmission, and I have not problem catching up with traffic on the highway. Horsepower peaks at 4,000 RPM. Though this thing is quick for it's size, don't think you can outrun those guys in blue. There is also a Po-Po Chevy Impala package that is faster than even the Impala SS, which packs a punch in itself.

As far as gas mileage, the car is rated at 21 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. In my experience, though, I find that I usually get around 17 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. The Impala takes regular 87 fuel, which cost my grandfather a nickel per gallon when he was a kid, and costs me three bucks today (that's sixty nickels by the way). Being a 17 gallon fuel tank, it costs me $50 to fill 'er up. On the highway, though, this will last me 400 miles or more.

Handling
Being a full size sedan, the car handles pretty well. The steering is responsive and neither too lose or too stiff. The car has a 39 foot turning radius, and it's not usually hard to pull into or out of a parking space. Parallel parking, though is a little more of a challenge since the car is long. No one likes parallel parking anyway. The Impala's ride could be slightly smoother, though, but I'm not complaining because my last car was a rough ride. Possibly the anti-sway bars contribute to the somewhat rougher ride on the Impala. On smooth highways, though, the car rides great. It's when those curbs jump out in front of ya that it starts to get rough.

A Few Troubles, Nothing Big
A month after we got the car, the gauges started acting up. At first I thought the car was overheating because the temperature gauge was too high. However, when I turned the car off, I noticed that the gauge did not drop. When I turned the car back on, the gauge shot up even higher. The car wasn't overheating, it was simply that the gauge wasn't acting correctly. Also, the speedometer would do the same thing. It would stick, or sometimes it wouldn't work at all. Lately, though, the gauge haven't been acting up. Maybe it fixed itself. How's that for a deal? A car that fixes itself.

Later, I noticed that the temperature gauge was acting up again. Though previously the car had cried "Wolf!", it actually turned out to be the water pump. It had broken and I had to have it replaced for $144. With the exception of these few minor problems, and the current U-joint that needs replaced, I have had good experiences with this car.

Final Recommendation
Altogether, I feel that the 2004 Chevy Impala base model is a winner. Although the looks are kind of bland, overall the car has provided me with a reliable mode of transportation for the past seven months. Yes, I've had to have a few things fixed, but for a car with 101,000 miles, that's not too shabby.
Amount Paid (US$): 9,100
Condition: Used
Model Year: 2004
Model and Options: Chevy Impala base model