I've thinking seriously about buying a new car for my wife. She loves her Mustang, but both of our parents are getting up in age, and requiring trips to the doctor, and so forth, and the Mustang doesn't have a very good ride, or much space inside. I have considered a Ford 500, Impala LS, Hyundai Sonata, Pontiac Gran Prix, etc. I like the Ford's interior, the Impala's reliability, the Hyundai's warrenty, and the Pontiac's looks. Any experience with any of the above?

The Grand Prix is quite comfortable inside, and can be optioned to handle fairly well. Even the base 3.8 NA is no slouch. The main thing I didn't like after renting one for the weekend was the outline headrests, which I found too visually cluttered when trying to merge in traffic. That was several years ago, though. I haven't driven a 2005.

My wife has had a 2004 SS Impala for almost 2 years, probably one of the best cars we have owned.

Good gas milage (25-30) Great comfort ( 4 doors )

And goes pretty good to!

Everything from the base 4 door ( 3.4) to the loaded up SS ( 3.8 supercharged) has been pretty much trouble free

My .02$ :drive:

Gary

Bill,

Thise 3.8's are well proven. I had a '97 GTP that was the most reliable car I ever owned, Sold it 2 months ago at 278k miles....and still going strong. Or you could always pick up a '94-96 LT1 Caprice...........

I rent cars all the time. Although I have not driven a 500 yet, I can compare the Taurus/Sable with the Impala/MonteCarlo. To top it all, my boss drives a Taurus sedan and station wagon. When I leave on a trip, I can easily do 3-4K miles in a week.

Interior: I am not really impressed with the interior space in the Fords. You can however alsmost fit 4 16" tires in the trunk of an Impala. The Monte Carlo is a little more space challenged but still better than the Fords. I do not think there is much difference between the fit and finish, but it does seem that the GM products have a little less "hard" plastic in these days. The seats in the Fords suck (at least for me). Even the better leather seats in my boss's station wagon (with leather) is not as good as the base seats in the GMs.

Engines: The Fords sound thrashy when driven hard. The GMs have more power, sounds better and seems to have slightly better gas mileage. The GM motors are definitely smoother too.

Brakes/handling: The GMs install a little more confidence in driving. All of them understeer but that is understandable if you look at the market it is aiming for. The last Monte Carlo's seemed to have brakes that grabbed very hard initially and then smoothed out and became more easy to modulate.

General: Visibility is good in all of them except the Monte Carlo. Out of these 4 I would choose the Impala.

Mazda6 impressed me lately. very nice interior, all the gadgets, very solid V6, not too heavy.

Infinity G35 is kinda like that too, but more money, more gadgets, better engine, and more gorgeous. also more fun, rwd, and available with a 6sp

i like to track my firechicken, but i'd never recommend anything domestic for daily driver duty, the quality is just appaling.

Thanks for the ideas. I'm leaning towards a GM with the 3800. RHSupra, my son has a Mazda 3 that I've been impressed with, but my own experience with an import automobile (1990 Camry), was lousy. My old 4Runner is the best vehicle I've ever owned, while that Camry, (US built), was the worst. I'm still interested in the Hyundai Sonata, if only for the peace of mind that warranty comes with.

GTO?

The Sonata has been getting great reviews, and the price and that warranty are hard to beat.

If you're concerned about your folks, get the Impala. Easy to get in and out of for most people, plus it's 4 doors. Also, don't forget to check insurance rates on all cars. Look for "program" cars that some dealers are selling, especially this time of year. Usually have huge discounts. Rode in a buddy's '03 Impala from LA to Pehonix a few months ago; best passenger seat and ride comfort I have been in in a long time. I'm 6'2" and had no legroom issues.

Sounds like you need a wagon or a 4 door car, GTO, Subi outback/ sti, 300m/ magnum, srt4, a4/s4, or a Trailblazer SS(6.0L) or a Yukon with a mild drop so it's easier to get into.

You ever tried to get in the back seat of a GTO?

I should have mentioned we want a 4 door automatic. My wife can drive a manual, but prefers an automatic. I love the mid-nineties SS Impalas, but she thinks they're too big. Anyway, keeps those ideas coming.

The new Impala SS's are a full second faster than the mid-nineties version, and get much better gas mileage to boot. I just don't like FWD. However, I may end up buying an SS anyway, simply because of the ride and overall bang for the buck.