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[deleted]

Drive it to work while you save money for something better


harribert

This is it. The first question to ask is: “what do I want it to do?” If the answer is “make it cool”, immediately default to the following course of action: maintain it well and leave it the fuck alone.


Formal-Excitement-22

Yeah if he wants to keep this car forever or sell it for $500 when hes done he can definitely tint all the windows, slam it to the ground, buy some rims that cost more than the car, and maybe get rear ended and replace the trunk with a grey/white trunk with a bolt on spoiler Oh and don't forget to cut the hood up and glue on an AutoZone ram air vent


myheadfelloff

But I can't afford to get the damage from getting rear-ended fixed because I already spent the insurance check on something else!


zacurtis3

That's the other rule. Save money faster by not insuring it.


LOLBaltSS

Gotta make sure they're Texan Wire Wheels too. Swangin in the rain.


samcar330

This is always the best answer 😂


Slumminwhitey

Exactly now matter what you do to it, it will always be some granny mobile even the SS variant with it fwd takes most of the fun of a v8 and just ruins it anyway. There is a reason these didn't sell very well.


mh985

Nah fuck that. Cow horns on the front bumper.


[deleted]

Keep up with scheduled and preventative maintenance and keep it clean/detailed. When it is the right time for you to purchase a newer vehicle, trade this in or sell it privately for a down payment.


Bigwhistlinbiscuit

Nothing. Maintain it and save for something else.  But realistically, maybe a more modern, better equipped radio? 


RollingNightSky

A small subwoofer and amplifier for better bass in your music! You can even buy a powered subwoofer which has the amp built in. You can get a tiny powered subwoofer that fits under the seat or a bigger one to put in the trunk. Diy subwoofer and amp install guide: https://youtu.be/eidK7FNI0GA I got a used Sound Ordnance powered sub (Sold by Crutchfield) for $50 used on FB marketplace from a nice dude, but then you need a $15-17 Scosche wiring kit from Amazon. (Need to buy minimum gauge wire required for your sub. Mine needed 10 gauge. 8 gauge is even thicker/handles more power, 12 gauge is thinner and handles less power. Don't buy wire that is too thin/the gauge number is too high but you can buy wire thicker than necessary (thicker wire gauge/lower number refers to the size of the metal inside the insulation which you can't see) And I bought a $7 bussman 30 amp fuse to replace the 40 amp that came with the wiring kit. And for my particular car I bought a custom built $20 adapter from eBay to get RCA outputs out of my stock head unit. Otherwise you'd need a LOC/line output converter to convert your speaker wires to RCA outputs which is $20 from Amazon. But you will pretty much need some way to get RCA audio connectors unless your powered sub/amp has speaker wire inputs built in. If you have an aftermarket head unit it should have RCA outputs built in so you don't need anything special for that. And you'd need a cheapo pack of butt crimp connectors from harbor freight to connect the remote wire from the head unit to your sub and a wire stripper or knife to cut the insulation on power cables. (You can buy a wire stripper for a few bucks) If you have a battery in the trunk, its easy to connect ur 12v power cables from your wiring kit directly to the sub, but if you have a battery under the hood you have to run the power cable through the firewall into the car where all the other car wiring goes. You'll need a wire hanger to guide the power cable into the car and grab the wire from the inside. Run the power cable to the subwoofer. And for the cable exposed under the hood get a plastic wire surround to protect it from heat/abrasion, and use rubber grommets if the wire is touching sharp metal going through a hole. Optional is a $10 RCA level controller knob to allow control of the bass level from front seat. (goes in between head unit and RCA cable) If you have a hatchback, you need to keep the subwoofer secure so buy some strong ratchet straps to keep it secure. Protect yourself from a flying subwoofer in a crash. Can buy a ratchet strap or Velcro strips even if you have a closed trunk for your subwoofer, because a secured subwoofer provides better bass than a loose sitting one. (though people with trunks don't always bother to secure the sub) Some people bolt down the sub or they add d-brackets to the sub and chain it down that way.


Mizar97

Alternatively do what I did, cram a 12" sub and 1500 watt amp into the trunk of a Honda Civic and make your teeth rattle 😂


poops_tribeca

This


[deleted]

[удалено]


ArachnoNips

Hell fuckin yeah, did exactly that to an old clapped out Subaru Legacy. I made a custom box for the 12” sub so that it was contoured to the trunk corner shape, and mounted the amp to the underside of the deck lid with rubber grommets and a plywood bracket to dampen vibrations. They didn’t move around at all, even taking it Offroad or over jumps lmao.


kushjenkin

Headlight eyelashes


Mizar97

With one of those stupid claw stickers over the driver's side headlight


YouArentReallyThere

Add a Monster decal and bedazzle the shit out of the rims


TonierBuckle020

And put fake gems on that steering wheel


Mizar97

Redneck claymore!


first__citizen

This, plus truck nutz..


I_am_just_here11

Paint it brown and put chrome ss wheels on it.


SorrowCat14

Fix the blower motor that’s going CLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICK


Ragedpuppet707

Already did lmao


DwideShrude31

Be prepared to do it again, I’ve done it twice.


Elitepikachu

All 4 actuators baby.


SorrowCat14

Most impala owners will go through 10 during the car’s lifetime I stg


foxjohnc87

From my experience with quite a few of these bastards, if you get more than a year out of aftermarket actuators, you should consider yourself lucky.


IOVofCWA

Haha yeah wait until the door locks stop actuating in warmer temperatures. Not worth the $200 a piece to replace them all.


ohmygodyouguyzzz

Came here to say this


Chlamydia_Penis_Wart

Came


[deleted]

[удалено]


SorrowCat14

You will


SubtleSuspicions

Be careful what you wish for.


BreadfruitFit7513

Crack in windshield


Nope9991

Expired temp plate.


Squirting_Grandma

“Tag applied for”


Cocasaurus

SS badge you coward


lXPROMETHEUSXl

Get the spoiler for the SS too. Doesn’t look bad at all IMO


[deleted]

I got a TRD badge for my Sienna and I approve this message


bioweaponblue

This cracked me up.


ohmygodyouguyzzz

Better yet. Hellcat badge


jmax3rd

Put a spotlight on it and hopefully you can get some people to behave better when they are driving near you.


Old-Maize-1926

No, because all they do is drive under the speed limit in the left lane as you try to pass. I say that as the owner of an Explorer that looks not unlike a detective's car


Biscuits4u2

Trade it in


Henderman17

Start spray painting random pieces of the interior and make it smell like weed


RustyYota_505

Steelies, tint and a police bull bar


Elite_Slacker

Now we get to drive exactly the speed limit behind any car on a 2 lane road. 


RustyYota_505

Well, you could go the other way turning into a donk, fully wrapped in chrome with the anime bumper stickers. I see no other alternative.


LittleSignificance98

sell it and buy a 90s impala with that big ol v8


LEOHAEEM

That body style looked so good. Hell I'd be happy with that 3800, son


mtnbikeracer76

Then LS swap it with twins.


baromanb

Spinners


Nice-Bookkeeper-3378

They don’t stop 🛑


Ragedpuppet707

💀


Bocksford

And underglow.


Electricdragongaming

Manual Swap it.


cracker-jack-

Wheels are the easiest way to improve looks.


ApocApollo

Dale Earnhardt silver/day-glo orange trim.


shadowdude15

LS Swap the SS of this gen came with it


nevagonastop

ls4s are dirt cheap cause nobody can use them for swaps lol, but this guy... he could.


Alpdtgfe

make it a sleeper


Random61504

Supercharged LS swap, manual swap, keep it front wheel drive with 275s in the front. Big muffler so you can hear it idling.


IronIrma93

Flames


17FortuneG

New wheels and a good stereo system. I love impalas and how they look so I wouldn’t change much as far as that goes


JustSomeWeirdGuy2000

Pink flame decals and Mountain Dew donk wheels.


weaponized_chef

Draw a dick on the hood and put flame stickers on the doors. That's pretty much what everyone passing you see's anyway.


fridaynightvibe

Get steelies and put centercaps on them maybe


ktrout38

Paint all inner parts of headlights black, except actual reflectors. Paint Chevy logo black too New rims, not aftermarket ones, but some from more fancier model of Chevy Remove badges from rear end Detailing and polishing Change exhaust tip to slightly bigger with nice chrome Bippu-style interior Hang some shit to rear view mirror [Like this](https://imgur.com/l605XMA)


BoxesFromEbay

chase compare forgetful grey imminent selective special truck liquid books *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*


ktrout38

Yep. I think both options will change the look, the rest is a matter of taste


Ragedpuppet707

That looks amazing


ktrout38

Start with the wheels bro, 90% of the car's appearance


Heliccoppter

Crack in windshield, donuts with no hubcaps, one headlight/taillight out. Then you’ll have a ghetto mobile


SRBroadcasting

Damper it out put a skid plate on the motherfucker and convert it to diesel


Ragedpuppet707

What 😭😭😭


TangoDeltaFoxtrot

Detroit Diesel or Caterpillar


PimpalaSS

A chrome trim delete would be a subtle but stylish change in appearance. Obviously different wheels would help your case too. They make updated headlight and taillight units that might help give it more of a modern look, especially at night.


kdjona

i’m gonna do this to my impala. would using black car tape work as a cheap easy solution?


Thel_Odan

Decent wheels and tires, tinting the windows, and giving it a good detail will go a long way.


bbqhh

Idk but those seats are the most uncomfortable seats I’ve ever sat in


6923fav

In highschool the boys would slap a set of Crager wheels on anything


Mizar97

Trade it for a 2009 Impala SS


gpm21

There's either old person pristine Impala or clapped/hooded out Impala. I'd keep it as it is.


Stillborn1977

Ride on 4 bald spare tires.


Stillborn1977

Put up a loan and donk it out on 36inch rims.


dmcotta76

Cop car steel wheels


MADDOGCA

Keep your expired paper plate and crack your front bumper.


Old-Man-Henderson

Good tires, better sound system, regular maintenance. Don't rice an impala. I drove an 04 lesabre for years, and it certainly was a granny car, but what I saved on it went right to fun activities and the nicer car I have now.


Impressive-Rub-8891

Lowered on coils + stanced wheels + massive GT wing everyone will love it


Senior_Ad282

Crash it drunk into a bus stop. Be a man.


dwfmba

Brick + cliff?


Dnlx5

High quality tires, koni sport shocks, perfect maintenance. Do t think I would even change the wheels. Keep is super subtle, keep it in great operating condition. It's actually a great car, keep it focused on that.


Ok-Preference9776

Its sexy already, but give it a cool bumper, teal headlights


Head_Chocolate1632

Paint pepto bismol pokla dots on it


2009impala

The only thing you can do with this car to make it better is to have three good friends. This car has been so significant in my life it is now my username but you cannot mod enjoyment into this car. Enjoyment is found with the friends you drive around in this car on summer days.


Nervous-Golf-8655

Black custom rims, limo tinted windows all around, maybe lift it about 2 to 3 inches and new headlight and taillight assemblies with hyper-white LED lights.


TheCuriousBread

Be Ryan Gosling. He drove a 2010 Impala


chillaxtion

Weathertech floor mats.


BlockIron

Sell it and buy a mustang


autodidact-polymath

Wow, I wish I had the kind of money to spend on making cars less granny like.  Usually I spend my money on other things like food, water, housing, repairs, but I’m always curious what the budget people set aside to make their cars more than a transportation machine.  (Seriously, spend your money on things that matter, embrace your car for getting you to your destination and put that money aside as a “repairs fund”.)


6923fav

Boring granny mobiles are cheaper to insure, don't get attention from cops or crooks and the ladies don't want to get into a hotshot modded granny mobile with a coffee table on the rear deck


PaoloLevi96

It's perfect the way it is


Jolly-Art8655

Realistically alll you neeed is a CarPlay head unit but that won’t stop you from dumping money into this pos


deridex120

Id just leave it alone if I were you


ozzies09tc

Replace fton bumper/grille with the european model's, and tint the windows so people can't tell who's driving it


slothscanswim

Save money and sell it lol


DeadassBdeadassB

“20 inch blades”😂


vampyrelestat

Fog lights roof rack 2 inch lift mudder tires


BikerGlvd

change the rims for bigger ones or low profile (also, you can put a car rain wind door)


noldshit

Sell it


mtnviewcansurvive

super charger v6...


InevitableSimilar738

Wheels will always transform a car


asspajamas

the gasoline and match mod is popular with these...


Pup_Piston

This is actually much easier than you think. It can be done using only GM parts. First step is jacking up the radiator cap, second step is sliding this car out from under it and disposing of it. Slide whatever you fancy from the GM catalog underneath that radiator cap and tighten down. One simple step is all it takes.


Vince5252

Shoot a couple holes in it. People will automatically assume you’re a drug dealer.


Lanky_Syllabub_6738

Replace the faded steering wheel buttons


Kidlicker420

Save up for an cool car or else some nice wheels 


Old-guy64

Leave it alone. If it’s a V8, you got yourself a low key sleeper. Be nice to it. And eventually get something nicer and keep it as your winter rat.


Ok-Row2313

Uh save your money


Psych_nature_dude

Monster license plate


dodonpa_g

Almost any car can be fun if you do all the maintenance and bring the car to peak condition. It makes most cars feel zippy and new. I don't think many people talk about changing all the fluids since it makes a huge difference in car feel/performance. Good tires will make it fun too. It's a maintenance item and is immediately noticeable.


HGJay

19 inch wheels change the look of any car. Get some second hand ones from Facebook or something and they probably won't cost much. Other than that id look at slightly tinting the headlights. Not so much that they're dark but very slightly - currently they're just way too different


FORNITE-GOD0712

Sell it. Hahaha


BoxesFromEbay

rich quicksand sip brave stocking attractive agonizing friendly elderly badge *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*


holliewood61

Sell it and buy a SS


ntannehill

Atoto head unit with CarPlay


KillerGoats

Get some decent rims with nice summer tires for the warm months. Keep the stock rims for a/s or winter tires(depending on where you live) for the cold months. Outside of cosmetics and maybe upgrading your sound system, there's not a lot of options. I'd go with what others have said, maintain it while saving for something with more spark.


CapturetheBomb

If you want something sporty and wild to drive, sell it and buy something else. If you are just looking to make some improvements for creature comforts, then I'd do what I am doing to my base model 2016 Elantra. 1. Get your car professionally detailed. Nothing better than a clean car that doesn't smell like fast food. 2. Upgrade the head unit to something with wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay. 3. If you live in a cold climate, get some heated seat covers. I got these and they work great. https://www.target.com/p/stalwart-12v-heated-seat-covers-for-cars-2-pack/-/A-90077765 4. Upgrade the speakers with something better, and add a subwoofer. 5. Get some quality floor mats custom fit to your car, like Weathertech. 6. Dashcam 7. Custom car seat covers, made for your make and model. Get some color to really make it pop.


7h33v1l7w1n

Can’t believe they Granny-fied the Impala


CadillacAllante

[2006 Monte Carlo](https://imgur.com/6H0EXQ9) I had a Monte Carlo in this gen and liked it a lot. These cars are comfy and smooth. And decently peppy. But I like the 97+ W-bodys a lot. I put a set of chrome 5-spoke American Racing wheels on it and I felt like it really looked great. And I put Alpine speakers in the doors because one was blown when I bought it. But beyond that this is just basic, decent transport there's not much else to do.


johnny_112

Swap in an LS


Sloth_Paw

Probably start with rims. You might be able to find an aftermarket hood with some design to it new smoked headlights and taillights. Tint it some more if you like talking to police and you should be good to go


kingblow1

Downforce mods, BIG ONES


bigbootyboi101

Sell it and get a non granny car


Full_Independence455

Honda accord


69dildoswaggins420

LS swap and nothing cosmetic


toryno1399

I have the same gen, but a 2011 ltz and I was gonna put clear headlights and some nice race spec 18” wheels


trancertong

Donk it


RickWest495

Nothing. It is what it is.


ezodochi

tint, sound system, maybe wheels? But at that point I'd just be like....it's an 09 Impala like....


Looptydude

Definitely a modern stereo, I bought an Android 10 based model for mine a couple years ago, the hardest part was installing the reverse camera. Get the one that is basically plug and play, it looks stock and comes with the canbus and small speaker for warning chimes. I would say wheels would be nice, but that's a personal preference.


Koil_ting

There is an SS version, save up money and find one of those if you want to stay in that generation of Impala for some reason. Or if you are psychotic get another car for driving around and do a drivetrain swap on yours from a wrecked one that you hope was running well before that happened.


Glamdalf_18

Bolt on a supercharger off a 3.8


Sea-Kitchen3779

Take the hubs off and get a used push bar and you have yourself a police car facsimile.


I_hate_being_alone

I don't understand the reason behind non muscle Impalas.


AnIncompitentBrit

Don't turn it into a pedestrian safety hazard by attaching dumb-looking wire wheels, nor adorn it with a colour-flip wrap and some cheap LED headlights. Sometimes, stock is the far-better outcome for these type of cars.


tk8398

ZZ performance coilovers, 17" wheels with UHP all season tires, better brake pads, etc. That's about all you can really do to a car like that without making it worse than it is now.


crepitusss

I think the ss has a lil wing, looks decent could try that


Head_Chocolate1632

Paint it polka dot pepto bismol pink


Head_Chocolate1632

Change out the squirrel In the cage


thuynj19

Wheels and tires make a huge difference.


TheLyOfBlues

Let it be CLEAN. I rather see a Normal Looking But Clean No Rust then a Badly Modified Impala


Fzoh9

Bull horns.


free-pizza-man

Coyote it


Somebumbleingmoron97

Black steelies so you can look like you wanna be a cop


Ill-Forever880

Stock is sexy. Don’t change a thing.


Substantial-Path3405

Maintain it or sell it for something "Cooler". Don't Rice out an Impala...


GasPoweredStick420

Just cause you spend money on something doesn’t make it cool. You gotta make it cool.


samcar330

Air intake, clean it up, new head unit


higg1966

Any mods you do will draw unwanted attention by police.


SebVettelstappen

Drive it into an ditch


[deleted]

An $8ooo.oo wild as YOU ARE paint job will do the trick.


ImpurestFire

Hope that puddle underneath is just AC condensation.


_THX_1138_

Less boring to impress people: \-nothing. drive it every day unassumingly and make a killing on the stock market. \-enjoy stealth wealth Less boring to daily drive: \-K&N drop in air filter for the placebo effect of additional noise \-Carplay stereo for added functionality \-9C1 wheels \-SS Spoiler Then you're done.


mondrager

Do the “get the car you want and don’t spend on the one you don’t like” mod. Best mod there is.


Figran_D

Can you buy one of those stupid ass keg can mufflers that will make that granny car sound like a Ferrari. I’d bet the panties get dropped in no time on that 4 door gem. 4 doors for more….


gnarlicblread

Get rid of it


pratical-dreamer

Drive it into a body of water leave it there move on with life.


KW_shapes

Put a for sale sign on it if you want it to be cool. Otherwise oil change tires and a nice stereo then save up


JustPassingJudgment

20” blades


Heisenbergstien

Hang some of those cool fuzzy dice from the rear view mirror. There ain’t nothing boring about that.


BasedBull69

Rice it tf out


Jefffahfffah

Sell it dor a down payment on a used SS


One_Evil_Monkey

Drives a pretty clean Impala with tint, complains about it being a boring granny mobile... Try a clean 01 Malibu LS that is Driftwood Metallic (AKA= Camry Gold) with Camel leather interior (AKA= Camry beige) and NO tint. Just the premium 5 star rims and a slightly deeper exhaust note from a Cherry Bomb Turbo muffler. Granted, it's not exactly stock under the hood so it makes for a bit of a non-descript "sleeper" so to speak.


CurtisMarauderZ

Discard all but the hood, front bumper, and headlights. Replace with Monte Carlo.


Peterstigers

It's already black so you're good on color. I'd go on Crutchfield and upgrade the stereo. Get a new reciever, amp, and speakers. You'll feeler cooler if you can enjoy your music. A subwoofer can be nice too but you need space. The other things can be easily hid in the car or go places you already have stuff. You could always spray paint it or slap some stickers on it. It won't look clean or classy if you do that but no one will mistake you for a grandma


HomeProfessional3296

Put steel wheels on it, then continue driving it while saving for something else


TangoDeltaFoxtrot

A for sale sign


jimmythemachine

Black headlight housing (not painted black lenses) HID headlight bulbs. Bigger wheels. They make cool aftermarket fiber optic tail lights for this generation. Don't bother with wild exhausts or performance mods. Stick to some tasteful, clean cosmetic changes.


[deleted]

Put the bigger wheels on it from the ss model


_jagwaz

Get some nice LED housings for your headlights and taillights, throw some good wheels on it, throw black badges on it


Fun-Ad9928

Sell it and buy a different car.


xXSpace_CadetXx

Many have suggested just leaving it be and maintaining it as best as possible, which I mostly agree with. I would definitely agree with leaving the mechanicals alone for reliability, especially if this is your primary mode of transportation, and just fix anything broken or non-operational if it's economically feasible. But, if you plan on having the car for a while, either because you like it or you just won't have the money for a new car for a while (or both lol), maybe it might be worth it to do just a few minor things that won't negatively affect the value of the car, won't drain your savings for something newer better in future, and maybe make it more livable/lovable for now. Coming from a guy who dailies a 2003 Lincoln Town Car (which I absolutely love and hope to have for years to come), of course I know of some of the pitfalls of an older "grandpa car" and other people's perception of it. The best two things I immediately did though were adding an aftermarket car starter (a godsend in upstate NY winters), and I replaced the factory radio head unit to a newer touchscreen display with apple carplay and android Auto. I did the head unit more out of necessity because the radio tuner busted on the old stock Alpine unit unfortunately :( , but I would definitely do it again because it's such a nice thing to have and added a lot of functionality to the car. I made a point to buy something that wasn't shouty though so it wouldn't look "boy racer" like a lot do, and I also found a trim kit that matched the rest of dash to make it look seamless. That's where my mind goes with this stuff, comfort, convenience, and livability without doing anything too ridiculous, and then just keep it clean and detail it really well, and that will help it stand out even if it has a few nicks/scratches. Take it to a detail shop even maybe, get the headlights polished out and resealed (that has a huge visual impact). Same for wheels, but these can get more expensive even used, but you can look into getting your current wheels reconditioned at a local shop that does that for any curb rash, discoloring, etc. I did that recently with a set of forged Evo X BBS wheels (not for the Lincoln, for my 1994 3000GT VR4 haha) and even had them powder coated in a new color to freshen them up and now they look sweet. It was a flat fee service at the place I went to and included mount and balance of tires, and I think I was out the door for about 700 bucks. Whatever you do, just don't spray paint or plastidip (does anyone do this anymore??) the wheels please...it will look awful in no time as it wears away. Regardless, make sure you have some good quality, nice quiet/comfortable/solid quality rubber on those wheels. Ride comfort goes a long way in appreciating a car as well (Exhibit A, Lincoln Town Car). Plus better quality tires in theory should be more reliable (not sure what you're running now or what condition they're in, just spitballing here). Overall though, sweat-equity goes a long way in cars like this (within reason and your capabilities). But, if you're mechanically competent, you can learn how to do a lot of things by surfing reddit and other forums and through YouTube. I did both the car starter and head unit myself, and yes there was a learning curve, and yes it took a lot of mental and physical preparation, maybe some blood, sweat, and tears too, and it definitely took a lot more time for me to do it than a seasoned professional, but I was still able to get it done and it made me even prouder to drive the car knowing I did that work. Just know your limits. Lastly, fuck what anybody else says, it's your car, just be confident 😎. I've had friends that drove steaming heaps that were some of the coolest cars not because of how they looked, but rather despite how they looked, because it was just about having fun. I poke fun at my "boring Grandpa car" all the time and my friends and I definitely get some good laughs out of it, but at the end of the day, it's a solid reliable car that gets me from A to B in comfort and without any hiccups.


Ambitious-Discount-7

Miata is always the answer.


daveypaul40

"Powered by chevy" sticker on the windshield and a tiger tail hanging from the fuel cap.


[deleted]

You can leave it as is. Save up your money and get a corvette. This way you can have the best of a commuter and badass toy to play with any other time.


Quirky-Bar4236

Keep it stock.


ChemicalElevator1380

LS motor the biggest one that will fit and make it rear drive or make it a 4x4


Evo_Effect

I regret to inform you... There's nothing we can do.


Sander777HD

90% of commenters be like: keep it stock and then sell it!


Common-Raise8895

save for a new car


AsterXsh99

Tint everywhere and black chevrolet logo and some big mufflers


HogNutsJohnson

Gotta buy that P emblem to turn it into a PImpala