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1996 Chevrolet Impala SS 5.7L from North America

Model year1996
Year of manufacture1996
First year of ownership1996
Most recent year of ownership2005
Engine and transmission 5.7L Automatic
Performance marks 9 / 10
Reliability marks 7 / 10
Comfort marks 8 / 10
Dealer Service marks 3 / 10
Running Costs (higher is cheaper) 5 / 10
Overall marks (average of all marks)
6.4 / 10
Distance when acquired248 miles
Most recent distance67000 miles
Previous carPontiac Grand Am

Summary:

In my opinion, it is the best car out there, good looks, fast, and luxurious

Faults:

Alternator: I’m on my fifth alternator, the first four were warrantied. The bearings went bad, but they charged fine.

Right Taillight bulb: I replaced the bulb a couple times, then brought it to the dealer. They replaced the bulb. Yeah, OK, that lasted about a mile. Went back three or four times, and they finally replaced the whole taillight assembly.

Oil cooler lines: Replaced twice.

Transmission: It died with about 50,000 miles on the clock. Should have upgraded, but my wife was ready to have our daughter soooo…

Differential: Replaced with about 60,000 miles.

Optispark distributor: Replaced at about 63,000 miles.

Rear caliper pins: Just replaced them last week-end. The lower ones were rusted up good! I broke one and had to order a whole new caliper bracket.

General Comments:

I love the car!

For its size, it is amazingly quick, especially with a few mods. The last time I raced it at the quarter mile dragstrip, it ran 14.63 seconds. Since then, I have installed a Dynomax UltraFlo cat-back, 160 degree thermostat, and a homebuilt look-a-like RAISS cold air intake. Haven't raced it since, as I have conceded it to "cruiser" status.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 18th May, 2005

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1996 Chevrolet Impala ss 5.7 LT-1 from North America

Year of manufacture1996
First year of ownership2003
Most recent year of ownership2003
Engine and transmission 5.7 LT-1 Automatic
Performance marks 10 / 10
Reliability marks 9 / 10
Comfort marks 10 / 10
Overall marks (average of all marks)
9.7 / 10
Distance when acquired107000 miles
Most recent distance108500 miles
Previous carNissan Sentra

Summary:

Outstanding classic-like automobile

Faults:

Nothing so far, have only had the car for 3 months.

General Comments:

This car is seriously quick and handles like it's on rails with police suspension.

Handles more like my Nissan Sentra SE-R than a large 3400 pound highway cruiser.

Very strong acceleration, it easily spins the tires at lights with 330 lb./ft. of torque.

World class braking with 12 inch disc brakes all around and ABS.

Looks mean, like The Devil's Parade Float, and rides like Black Magic.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 3rd December, 2003

Comment on this review

9th Mar 2005, 13:33

The suspension in the 94-96 Impala SS is the same as the 9C1 police package Caprice because it's all based off the same B-body chassis, but the Impala got lower different rate springs and DeCarbon shocks, where as the 9C1 got taller different rate springs and Bilstein shocks. From late 1995 into 1996 the 9C1 Caprices got upgraded 5/8" Cadillac Limo lower ball joints, but the Impala still came with the regular 9/16" lower ball joints. Also it's closer to a 4300 lb. car, definitely not 3400 lbs. I love these cars and hope to own a nice low mileage Impala SS in the future, but for now I'm happy with my Caprice. Good luck with your Impala SS.

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1996 Chevrolet Impala SS 5.7 from United Arab Emirates

Year of manufacture1996
First year of ownership1998
Most recent year of ownership1998
Engine and transmission 5.7 Automatic
Performance marks 7 / 10
Reliability marks 6 / 10
Comfort marks 2 / 10
Running Costs (higher is cheaper) 9 / 10
Overall marks (average of all marks)
6.0 / 10
Distance when acquired25694 kilometres
Most recent distance85927 kilometres
Previous carBuick Roadmaster

Summary:

SS is Same as LTZ or Road master

Faults:

Brakes are not as good as they look like.

General Comments:

I bought this car because its Super Sports (SS) but there is not a single thing from which you can find the difference between SS, (LTZ) or Road master.

Believe me friends this car is a normal (LTZ) or a Road master.

My previous car Road master was the same thing with luxury.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 10th July, 2003

Comment on this review

19th Oct 2004, 19:52

Assuming that the Impala SS that was exported to the Middle East was the same as the one sold here, it certainly was NOT the same as the Roadmaster.

The Roadmaster was and is an old person luxury car, by no means a performance car, even with the LT1 engine. The LTZ never even came with anything resembling a performance engine nor the level of heavy duty and performance equipment that the Impala SS has, so there is no comparison there either.

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22nd Nov 2007, 20:08

Absolutely disagree.

Impala SS has all the 9C1 Caprice Police package performance goodies (suspension, lower stance, heavy duty suspension oil coolers, highflow cooling, gearing, alloys 255 etc.. wow how can you even compare if you ever had one)

Where in Road-master all you get is same engine that cannot support all the potential power output of the Super Sport, forget about handling and gearing feels like old mans Cadillac with softest suspension imaginable.

You clearly never drove ether Road-master or SS in order to make such absurd comparison.

Peace.

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19th Feb 2008, 23:07

I checked it and believe it or not it is true. the big Buick IS faster than the impala SS. where is my grand pa's Roadmaster?

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Average review marks: 8.4 / 10, based on 9 reviews