# Anyone drive a Chevy Impala? Or a Malibu? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 1, 2012, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684 "2012-12-01T16:10:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684/21 "2012-12-02T18:48:03Z")
Regularly get Impalas as rental cars. Can’t say I’ve noticed anything remarkable about them good or bad. Which is all I ask for from a car. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684/22 "2012-12-03T05:11:04Z")
Me, too, actually. But I’m driving a teeny sedan I got for its mileage about five years ago and want something with a little more pop and more space. Curiously, I want more cab volume as I, myself, am losing personal volume. Funny. So I think I’ve settled on a used Impala. They’re slightly bigger than the Malibu and have more horsepower, without sacrificing much in the way of mileage. The dealership I’m looking at has versions in 2007-2011. ---
**Author:** ![Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Throatwarbler_Mangrove)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684/23 "2012-12-03T05:32:32Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > I’ve not driven the new Impala (because it’s not out yet) but the old one is a floaty boat and really not appealing to anyone other than old people and Enterprise car rental. You mean a floaty boatLOAD OF FUN. The final 2 years (2012-13) came with the 300hp 3.6l LFX engine which combined with the…lightweight Reagan era W-body underpinnings gave it a similar power to weight ratio as a BMW 335i or Audi S4. The trunk is huge and IIRC it’s the last car on the North American market to come with front bench seats as an option. I would definitely consider one for the many miles of torque-steering amusement with 2 friends in the front and 4 in the trunk that are sure to follow. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684/24 "2012-12-03T06:01:08Z")
Well, sadly, as a 45-year-old father of two girls what I’m most likely to have in the back is 4 screaming tweener girls. It seems less exciting than your scenario, somehow. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684/25 "2012-12-03T06:04:03Z")
Apropos of nothing: on Car Talk recently, they talked about a guy who named his car “Vlad the Impala.” Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![romadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@romadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romadea)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684/26 "2012-12-03T07:15:59Z")
Impala\>Malibu ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684/27 "2012-12-03T13:12:43Z")
Yeah, that’s the conclusion I’ve come to. The V6 Avenger looks cool, but I don’t think I can get one for what I want to pay. ---
**Author:** ![hlanelee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3bc359/32.png) [@hlanelee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hlanelee)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684/28 "2012-12-03T13:39:49Z")
I had a 1975 Impala, 4 door, former police cruiser, painted baby blue. It had a roaring V-8 and in the late eighties and early nineties it was a huge car out on the highway. I drove it like I was never gonna die. Eventually the transmission gave out…:smack: This information is not pertinent to this thread, is it? Sorry, I’m an old man. Thanks for the memories. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684/29 "2012-12-03T13:41:54Z")
I recently spent a week with my wife in an Avis rental Impala. I was looking forward to it, as I like Chevys. We put 1,200 miles on it, between Portland, Maine and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. It was roomy and pretty quiet. The V-6 made decent power, and it did pretty well when passing other cars. Fuel economy was about 24MPG for the whole trip. But I didn’t like how it drove. At highway speeds it wandered about. It was work, needing slight corrections fairly frequently. It wasn’t that it pulled in any one direction. It would drift left or right depending on the road surface. Because of that it was not a relaxing car to drive. I didn’t check the tires for tread wear. I didn’t check their pressure, although visually they looked fine. So it could’ve been the tires. As a former Chevelle SS396 owner, I was disappointed that the Impala experience was that bad. ---
**Author:** ![Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Throatwarbler_Mangrove)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684/30 "2012-12-03T14:39:51Z")
Oh yes grandpa tell us about the good old days when we could choose between a 130hp 350ci V8 or a 150hp 400ci V8. :o ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684/31 "2012-12-03T14:50:00Z")
I drive an ‘06 Impala. I bought it because I got a screamin’ deal from a family member. How to put it…I have not once, including and since the first time I got in it, beeen excited to drive it. It’s not that it’s a lemon or anything, it’s needed some repairs but nothing out of line with whats expected of a car on 130k miles. Engine performance is good enough passing if I’m already at speed, but while the available power is there it never acts like it _wants_ to get up to speed. You know how some cars will seem to try to pull you in to going faster down an entrance ramp or the like? This car is the opposite. Like it _doesn’t_ want to go fast. It’s a loud car. I have trouble conversing with my kid in the back seat if we’re on the highway. It’s not extremely roomy, but it’s probably big enough for the average person. The back seats are a little cramped. The trunk is a nice size. I won’t buy another one, but the folks I bought this one from went and bought a newer model, so to each their own I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684/32 "2012-12-03T19:03:33Z")
> [@Dr.Girlfriend](#): > > My mom has an Impala, it’s either a 2009 or a 2010. It’s not a bad car, fairly comfortable ride. I’ve never driven it but she says it’s pretty solid. It does seem to have an issue with a sensor going bad. She keeps getting messages saying she has a low tire when all of them including the spare are fully inflated. I just traded (in March) a 2007 Impala that had the same problem. It seemed to randomly pick 1 or 2 or 3 tires that had a problem, even though there wasn’t anything wrong with them. As far as my opinions: I liked it for the roominess and ride. I thought the seats were way uncomfortable though. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684/33 "2012-12-03T19:20:22Z")
I love driving my grandfather’s Impala when I am back home visiting. I don’t know what year it is but I like driving it more than my 09 Camry. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684/34 "2012-12-03T20:13:16Z")
Well, I did it. [2011 Impala](http://www.carmax.com/enus/view-car/default.html?AVi=3&id=8990363&N=242&D=50&ASTc=Impala&zip=29461&pD=0&pI=0&pT=400&pC=200&pB=0&No=0&Ep=homepage:homepage&Rp=R&PP=20&sV=List&CD=14+966+398+9&Q=c976e0be-2cea-4d4b-8afa-644192c96c68) I ALMOST picked up a used 2011 Charger. But it would be another hundred odd dollars per month and couldn’t fit my kickin’ aftermarket radio that I’m having moved over. Still, I drive it off the lot here in 15 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684/35 "2012-12-03T21:48:39Z")
Well, they’re pretty fast about updating their website as all it says now is: “This car is not available”. ---
**Author:** ![simple\_homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@simple\_homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simple_homer)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684/36 "2012-12-03T21:49:07Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Well, I did it. > > [2011 Impala](http://www.carmax.com/enus/view-car/default.html?AVi=3&id=8990363&N=242&D=50&ASTc=Impala&zip=29461&pD=0&pI=0&pT=400&pC=200&pB=0&No=0&Ep=homepage:homepage&Rp=R&PP=20&sV=List&CD=14+966+398+9&Q=c976e0be-2cea-4d4b-8afa-644192c96c68) “This car is not available We’re sorry, but the status of this car has changed since you initially viewed it, and it is not currently available for sale. We update our website inventory frequently, in order to provide you with the most accurate information possible.” ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684/37 "2012-12-03T22:34:20Z")
Hah! That’s funny. 2011 Impala, all the bells and whistles. Even a remote start. I admit I’m still in a honeymoon period. But it has a much smoother ride than my old subcompact. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684/38 "2012-12-04T15:30:32Z")
Bigger cars and wider tires tend to do that. Congratulations!! Even if we can’t see it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684/39 "2012-12-04T19:14:48Z")
It’s been a while since I’ve driven anything not governed by fuel considerations, I admit. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684/40 "2012-12-04T19:19:35Z")
Well, look. I just got an email from Carmax. [With a personalized page of my car.](http://www.carmax.com/enus/carmax-owner/default.html?sn=8990363&cust_id=23667080&name=NATHANIAL&loc_num=7192&year=2011&make=Chevrolet&model=Impala&v_type=U&ref_type=1&purch_date=12/3/2012%2012:00:00%20AM) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-drive-a-chevy-impala-or-a-malibu/642684.md?page=3)