Impala SS

[MGDriver]

I hope I won't be getting flamed for this but I've been toying with the idea of adding an Impala SS to my stable. They are almost as rare as Marauders over here but there are currently 2 for sale in Europe, 1 in Latvia and 1 in Germany.

I've never owned a B-Body and know nothing about them but I've seen a few people on here who also have Impalas so perhaps someone could tell me a bit about them, the good and the bad. It seems they are the only real rival/counterpart to the Marauders?

The one in Latvia is a late model 96 with a floor shifter and 160k miles on the clock. Its wheels are screwed and it seems to have some rust but apart from that it seems in decent condition and comes with some good mods too.
http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/details.html?id=220796772
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTA2N1gxNjAw/z/hrQAAOSwoydWnh7F/$_27.JPG

The one in Germany is a 95 with a column shifter and a whopping great 378k miles on the clock so I'm not sure if I would want that. The only advantage of buying one in Germany is that I don't have to import it, whilst Latvia is a whole other country so I would have to go through the whole importation process, being EU it is not as complicated and expensive than importing from the US but it still adds to the cost.
http://ww3.autoscout24.de/classified/272027927 (http://ww3.autoscout24.de/classified/272027927)
http://pic1.autoscout24.net/images-big/927/027/0272027927001.jpg

Any thoughts?

[L.Mark]

Owned both a 95 & 96 Cadillac Fleetwood, basically the same underpinnings and the only complaint I had was the coil pack...

[mongoosebynight]

Strong motor. My sis was in an accident in a Fleetwood and had hardly a scratch but was hit hard enough to not remember it. Fleetwood did not have plastic bumpers though. I am trying to get a lady I work with to sell hers. She's been selling cars for 33 years and has one with 20K miles that no one gets to enjoy. The one thing that would maybe deter me from one is what town in the states I am in. I have never been pulled over in a Marauder in almost four years but that might be a different story in the SS. Cool car, good luck.

[bigcowl-imp]

I wouldn't touch neither ..unless the price was right....way to many miles..The motors are excellent and live along time even if you put a nitrous kit on it..........but the trans are junk unless you leave everything stock and drive like an old man all the time... I bought a brand new one in 95......then i bought another one a couple years later, so i could pull the fast one the track..

[CoreyM75]

Out of the two, I would pick the one on the top. It seems like a better owner, who took care of the car.

[mongoosebynight]

I wouldn't touch neither ..unless the price was right....way to many miles..The motors are excellent and live along time even if you put a nitrous kit on it..........but the trans are junk unless you leave everything stock and drive like an old man all the time... I bought a brand new one in 95......then i bought another one a couple years later, so i could pull the fast one the track..

I have heard the trans is weak also. Not from experience but from quite a few of my customers. The Marauder trans seems to be able to take a beating quite better. I don't know how my customers drove the cars but they are mostly elderly.

[RubberCtyRauder]

My buddy here in ohio has a 2900 mile 96 one. Dark grey green metallic , the rarest color for 96 if you want to call it rare at 10,000 some colored out of 40,000 built that year. it's not advertised anywhere but wants $22500 firm for it. Stored in a heated insulated gsrage on carpet. But then there is shipping and etc.

[JimP]

The opti-spark distributor is problematic, mostly due to leaky water pumps which are just above the unit. These cars squeak, they rattle don't ride as nice as a Marauder. I have owned two and did enjoy them.

[Gerry24]

Jump on the 96 SS...it's already a rare care, so I would imagine in Germany it's even rarer.

[lifespeed]

The Impala looks cool, but the Marauder is a significantly better car. But you already own one, if you want it go for it.

[MGDriver]

Thanks for your thoughts everyone!

Looking like I'll be getting in touch with the guy in Latvia and see what we can work out.

Roadtrip anyone?

[bigcowl-imp]

Good luck, there great cars......let know if you have any questions and a floor shifter conversion is easy to do...you can also convert the cluster over to a Camaro ss cluster easy.... I still have this one but its a Caprice with the Lt1..... http://1finecaprice.com

[RF Overlord]

I agree...take the one in Latvia with half the miles, then get rid of the tailpipe extensions...they look like ass without bumper cutouts.

I love the '96 SS...great-looking car, excellent motor, last of the full-frame RWD cars from GM.

[8UWITH6]

Sold mine for a Marauder never looked back. After 3 optisparks in 2 years I said forget that noise.

[1Marauder]

I'd love to fly over for a road trip!

Seriously! You can drive your Marauder there... I will fly over, and trail you back in the Marauder... You drive the new SS!

[bigcowl-imp]

The Impala looks cool, but the Marauder is a significantly better car.

How is that when the Impala SS was faster and got better gas milage and motors lived a lot longer then Marauder motors. ??

[tbone]

Not true..Impala SS was faster and got better gas milage and motors lived a lot longer then Marauder motors...sorry but your wrong,..

Open to debate. But one thing is certain. Impalas are butt ugly. Especially the interiors. The dashboard looks like it was made from recycled plastic coke bottles.

[Crown Vicman]

Open to debate. But one thing is certain. Impalas are butt ugly. Especially the interiors. The dashboard looks like it was made from recycled plastic coke bottles.

oh boy here we go.:popcorn:

[Ambitious1]

Let me get a front row seat, lol! :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:


Guys, guys... they're both great American full-size cars! :burnout:

How about we all go find some Kias, Hondas or Toyotas to make fun of, lol!

:beer:

[lji372]

Let me get a front row seat, lol! :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:



Nah, I've had enough debates for this year already. :lol:

[tbone]

Not trying to start an argument.

My neighbor had one. I remember the first time I sat in it. I was thunderstruck by just how bad the interior was. I said nothing of course. But ...wow.

[lifespeed]

How is that when the Impala SS was faster and got better gas milage and motors lived a lot longer then Marauder motors. ??

The Marauder has a much better chassis: SLA on an aluminum crossmember up front with R&P steering and Watt's link in the rear. Good frame rigidity due to hydroforming. It was the ultimate evolution of the RWD full-frame car.

The Impala is a pretty car and I like them. But if you look at it objectively, well, the hardware is different.

[bigcowl-imp]

haha...oh boy here we go......impala had a much better design on the frame and was basically and truck frame and at least i could pull my hot rods around..

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f393/bigcowl-imp/396andimp022.jpg (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/bigcowl-imp/media/396andimp022.jpg.html)

[lifespeed]

haha...oh boy here we go......impala had a much better design on the frame and was basically and truck frame and at least i could pull my hot rods around..

No need to get wrapped around the axle, they both have their features. Either one will tow quite a bit.

[Mad1]

Watch out for the Latvia sales. Salvage titles with cheap repairs can be steals, but also money pits.

[crownvic97]

I like those impala ss cars a lot. I like Marauders more though, good luck if you decide to get the 96!

[JBeezy]

I owned a 96 for 6 years, and it was great, but when I got my MM it was no comparison. Loved everything about the MM more. Got tired of replacing water pumps and opti sparks. Tranny went out too.

[Guittard22]

Looked at a few over the years - found that a lot of owners just jack up the price now - being a rare car - good luck

[MGDriver]

I decided to let the idea slide for now... I looked into importing the car from Latvia and it turned out it's almost as much hassle as importing one directly from the States. What the hell is the European Union good for if it doesn't make these things easier for us? All they do is take my money and give it to the Greek while I get nothing from it, great!

Anyway, the 95 in Germany has actually sold in the mean time so that goes to show they are pretty desirable also over here. It had too many miles on it for my liking and I would prefer a 96 so I'm not feeling bad about it, maybe another opportunity comes along in time.