- coupe
- 4,975 high price
- Wallingford, CT
-
- autoshopper.com
2003 chevrolet monte carlo review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Race on sunday, sell on monday. introductionsomething comes over us when we're in a chevy monte carlo. It's hard not to fantasize we're rocketing down the front straight at talladega with 42 stock cars glued to the rear bumper. Or maybe we're going through the inner loop at watkins glen, bounding off the curbs as we go through the big chicane. It's just so easy to get along with this car. It's roomy and comfortable and easy to operate. It's fast and fun to drive. But for most of those years, the monte carlo has also been chevrolet's standard-bearer in stock car racing. Keeping ahead of the competition has required constant aerodynamic refinement. So there's a reason the monte carlo looks like it does: the winston cup rule book. The rules of winston cup racing demand the cars we see flying around the high banks are similar to those sitting in the showrooms. The result is an attention-grabbing shape like no other on the road, a shape born in the wind tunnels. it's a surprisingly practical shape as well. Its front-drive chassis is tuned for a comfortable ride and competent handling. An ss model, the only monte carlo to buy, provides a potent 3. 8-liter v6 to complement its racy good looks. But the ss does deliver spirited performance, along with a chance to feel connected to a winning tradition. . lineuptwo trim levels are offered. Standard equipment includes air conditioning with separate controls for driver and passenger; traction control; am/fm/cassette stereo; cloth-covered bucket seats; center console; power windows, mirrors, and door locks; and, new for 2003, remote keyless entry. Its tires are the same size as the ls model's, but are upgraded to goodyear eagle rsa performance rubber. All ss monte carlos come with a side-impact air bag for the driver, cruise control, pollen filtration, fog lamps, full instrumentation, sport seats with adjustable lumbar support for the driver, onstar communications, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, and a more modest rear deck spoiler. a high sport appearance package 2100) is available for the ss that includes full ground effects, a race-inspired deck spoiler, unique aluminum wheels, stainless-steel exhaust tips and a red bow tie identification in the instrument cluster panel. options for all monte carlos include power seats 325), power sunroof 795), and a premium cd stereo with six speakers 445). Chevrolet claims that xm's sound quality is remarkably close to a compact disc. . walkaroundnothing else looks like a chevrolet monte carlo. The monte's sharply creased quarters and thick rear roof pillars represent a design heritage 33 years old. At the same time, the 2003 model is as modern as the latest computer simulation, refined in the wind tunnel for maximum stability with minimal drag. the monte carlo is a slick car aerodynamically and, as we said, it looks like nothing else on the road. The folks who own them love them. To us, however, it looks as if it were designed by a committee. Individual elements are attractive, but we're not quite satisfied with how they hang together as a whole. In that respect, we have to give chevrolet high marks. Compared to pre-2000 monte carlos, the current model has been strengthened in the roof, doors, and floor pan. An extruded aluminum front cradle isolates the engine, transmission, steering, and suspension from the main structure of the car. A cast magnesium beam, (chevrolet calls it a magbeam) fits behind the instrument panel to further increase chassis rigidity, and to provide stiff mounting points for the dashboard systems. As a result, the latest monte carlo is much quieter than any previous generation. Increased chassis stiffness also makes the car less prone to developing squeaks and rattles over time. . interiorthe chevy monte carlo's interior is a nice design with a sporty flavor that reminds us of the corvette and camaro. The bucket seats are quite comfortable for around-town driving. Their shape makes it easy to get in and out of the car. Both seats are easy to adjust, and there's plenty of range for short and tall drivers, though headroom was lacking for a 6-foot, 3-inch driver who sat in the car. We liked the optional power driver's seat 325). The comfort seating package 445) comes with dual seat heaters and adds a power front passenger's seat. this is an easy car to operate. Turning on the headlights feels like a step back in time: just pull the big knob on the left. The steering wheel in the ss features well-designed audio and cruise controls. The cockpit-style dashboard separates the driver completely from the front passenger and provides fingertip access to every system in the array. It's a nicely styled package, and it works. The ignition switch is conveniently located on the dash, well to the right of the steering wheel. This makes it easy to quickly get in the car and get going, or quickly get out of the car after shutting it off. the instruments are straightforward, well-laid-out and easy to read. With black backgrounds, white markings and red needles, these gauges not only look racy but are also easy to read and scan. Major and minor gauges are placed on slightly different planes to add visual interest. The suspension instilled a strong sense of control on the back roads of virginia. Steering is tight and responsive, though we'd like a little more feedback. The ride is smooth, yet we felt well connected to the road. This is a nice car for cruising, whether motoring down the boulevard or charging across the state. It's stable at high speeds on interstates and in long, sweeping turns. the optional sport suspension works with the ss model's fat p225/60r16 goodyear eagle rsa tires to provide surprisingly high levels of grip. The tires are a little noisy, but that's a tradeoff we willingly accept for their bite. The monte carlo has the widest front and rear track in its segment. (the track is the distance between the left and right tires.) engine and transmission are responsive as well. The monte carlo ss features gm's thoroughly proven 3800 v6, which delivers 200 horsepower and 225 pounds-feet of torque. That may sound puny compared to, say, a 7. 4-liter monte carlo ss from 1970, but it's more than enough to break the tires loose on this front-wheel-drive car. Punch the throttle and there's instant power and lots of it. It's probably the most highly developed overhead-valve v6 in the world. Gm has baked in plenty of refinement since the late 1970s, reducing valve-train and bearing friction, bolstering bottom-end strength, and tweaking the electronic engine management and fuel injection. For a pushrod v6, this is about as good as it gets. Bucket Seats✔ Power Seats✔ Power Windows✔ AM/FM✔ Cruise Control✔ Aluminum Wheels✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Air Conditioning✔ Alloy Wheels
4,975 Wallingford, CTWallingford, CT at autoshopper.com