just got a 2004 Monte Carlo SS Intimidator!
Thread Starter
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 155
From: New Orleans, LA
bs bs bs and more bs... everybody is closed up for the day and my credit score took a few point hit from all the garbage these banks are playing around with... this credit crisis is a real mess...
STILL SLOW
Monte Of The Month -- May 2010
Monte Of The Month -- May 2010
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,082
From: Nubraska
The badges and emblems. A few more small parts.
Hi Mikhail and welcome to the forum!
I really hope everything works out for you and you do get the Intimidator. I know some dealers like to pull crap like that to get more money from you, the buyer. A few members here have similar stories where they thought they had the car. But then another salesman pulled the rug out from under them and sold the car to someone else. Victim of salesmen competition.
Hopefully what you're going through is just a small bump in the process and you'll get the car very soon.
But even if it doesn't, you're always welcome here!
As for the extended warranty question...
I bought the extended warranty for my 2004 Dale Earnhardt Jr edition (same as your Intimidator, just a different color and signature). But that was because I didn't buy the extended warranty on my 1999 Grand Am GT, and got burned badly.
The 2000-2005 Monte Carlos have much less issues than the Grand Am's though. The known issue that I had so far was one of my guages went bad. The original 6th generation Monte Carlo (2000-2005) instrument panel guages are known to go bad. This requires the entire guage cluster to be replaced. In my case, since I have Dale Jr's signature on the speedometer (you will have a Dale Earnhardt Sr signature), the GM dealership had to special order the proper cluster directly from GM.
My extended warranty covered the repair, but if I had to pay for it myself, it would have been $300 to $400 dollars. Or so they told me.
So for me, so far, luckily I haven't needed to use the warranty much. So it's really up to you and what makes you comfortable. If you've had bad luck with previous cars and feel more comfortable buying the warranty (like I did) then go for it. But so far, it looks like I didn't really need it (knock on wood).
Some other notes on your Intimidator:
It came with W-rated Goodyear RS-A performance tires. I also have noticed the poor traction of these tires, and have replaced them with a different tire.
Some of the differences between your Intimidator and the "standard" Supercharged SS Monte: Embroidered front headrests, "Intimidator" nameplate on the dash infront of the passenger, signature on the speedometer, "Intimidator" on the door sills, Intimidator badging on the exterior of the car, plus some others I may be missing.
As for oil, I use Castrol Full Synthetic.
I really hope everything works out for you and you do get the Intimidator. I know some dealers like to pull crap like that to get more money from you, the buyer. A few members here have similar stories where they thought they had the car. But then another salesman pulled the rug out from under them and sold the car to someone else. Victim of salesmen competition.
Hopefully what you're going through is just a small bump in the process and you'll get the car very soon.
But even if it doesn't, you're always welcome here!
As for the extended warranty question...
I bought the extended warranty for my 2004 Dale Earnhardt Jr edition (same as your Intimidator, just a different color and signature). But that was because I didn't buy the extended warranty on my 1999 Grand Am GT, and got burned badly.
The 2000-2005 Monte Carlos have much less issues than the Grand Am's though. The known issue that I had so far was one of my guages went bad. The original 6th generation Monte Carlo (2000-2005) instrument panel guages are known to go bad. This requires the entire guage cluster to be replaced. In my case, since I have Dale Jr's signature on the speedometer (you will have a Dale Earnhardt Sr signature), the GM dealership had to special order the proper cluster directly from GM.
My extended warranty covered the repair, but if I had to pay for it myself, it would have been $300 to $400 dollars. Or so they told me.
So for me, so far, luckily I haven't needed to use the warranty much. So it's really up to you and what makes you comfortable. If you've had bad luck with previous cars and feel more comfortable buying the warranty (like I did) then go for it. But so far, it looks like I didn't really need it (knock on wood).
Some other notes on your Intimidator:
It came with W-rated Goodyear RS-A performance tires. I also have noticed the poor traction of these tires, and have replaced them with a different tire.
Some of the differences between your Intimidator and the "standard" Supercharged SS Monte: Embroidered front headrests, "Intimidator" nameplate on the dash infront of the passenger, signature on the speedometer, "Intimidator" on the door sills, Intimidator badging on the exterior of the car, plus some others I may be missing.
As for oil, I use Castrol Full Synthetic.
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 722
From: Philadelphia, PA
Wow, a score of 738 and they won't approve the loan?
That is weird. I thought that anything over 730 was considered an "excellent" score.
I just got mine six months ago (Thanksgiving weekend) and I didn't have any problems getting a loan. I think my credit score was just over 730 IIRC.
As far as the oil: Pick a good synthetic that meets GM's specifications. I think most people on here will recommend Mobil 1, and it's an excellent choice. I've been using either Mobil 1 or Quaker State Q-horsepower both in 5w30 (whichever brand is cheaper at the moment) and AC delco or Mobil 1 filters, and when I pulled my lower intake manifold to do a gen 5 blower swap the lifter valley was absolutely spotless (at 38k miles). I also dump a half of a can of Seafoam in the crankcase the day before I change the oil though, to help keep everything nice and clean inside.
As far as the difference between the Intimidators and the Supercharged SS, I think it is only the badging that is different. I do know that all of the '04 Intimidator editions and Dale Jr. editions came with the FE4 suspension package, but I don't know if the Supercharged SS models did or not. You can find out pretty easily by looking at the build sticker on the inside edge of your driver side door. The FE4 package includes heavy duty front and rear sway bars and tubular rear trailing arms, and is available as an aftermarket upgrade for all W-bodies as the GMPP W-body handling upgrade kit (although the FE4 does not include the strut tower brace).
-Riggs.
That is weird. I thought that anything over 730 was considered an "excellent" score.
I just got mine six months ago (Thanksgiving weekend) and I didn't have any problems getting a loan. I think my credit score was just over 730 IIRC.
As far as the oil: Pick a good synthetic that meets GM's specifications. I think most people on here will recommend Mobil 1, and it's an excellent choice. I've been using either Mobil 1 or Quaker State Q-horsepower both in 5w30 (whichever brand is cheaper at the moment) and AC delco or Mobil 1 filters, and when I pulled my lower intake manifold to do a gen 5 blower swap the lifter valley was absolutely spotless (at 38k miles). I also dump a half of a can of Seafoam in the crankcase the day before I change the oil though, to help keep everything nice and clean inside.
As far as the difference between the Intimidators and the Supercharged SS, I think it is only the badging that is different. I do know that all of the '04 Intimidator editions and Dale Jr. editions came with the FE4 suspension package, but I don't know if the Supercharged SS models did or not. You can find out pretty easily by looking at the build sticker on the inside edge of your driver side door. The FE4 package includes heavy duty front and rear sway bars and tubular rear trailing arms, and is available as an aftermarket upgrade for all W-bodies as the GMPP W-body handling upgrade kit (although the FE4 does not include the strut tower brace).
-Riggs.
Thread Starter
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 155
From: New Orleans, LA
hey guys thanks for even more warm welcomes and advice! 
just got word back... they approved me for 14,000 at 9.4%... that is awful, but i have to take it... worse comes to worse i can refinance this bad boy after the credit market straightens itself out... what do you guys think? go for it?
just got word back... they approved me for 14,000 at 9.4%... that is awful, but i have to take it... worse comes to worse i can refinance this bad boy after the credit market straightens itself out... what do you guys think? go for it?
Thread Starter
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 155
From: New Orleans, LA
i actually got an 'ok' rate from statefarm bank believe it or not i am going to refinance some time this year after the credit markets stabalize and i have a full time job (i am on disability temporarily because of PTSD). but bottom line is I GOT IT!!! whoooo! i didn't look at the carfax i totally forgot... but the car rides/drives like a dream... i was in such a rush because of my meetings and being overly flustered i forgot to even check the carfax. the car was certified though (on the house) by the dealer and i have a 12 month 12k mile bumper to bumper on this bad boy so if anything is wrong, i will have my mechanic take a looksie at it next week when some things slow down for me and i will have it fixed for the price of on the house hahaha i'm glad to be part of the community guys! pics coming tomorrow!
question... i didn't notice this before... but what oil pressure do you guys usually show? i am not used to that gauge (i haven't had one like that since i had my firebird back in '04) and it reads right about in the middle. when i am accelerating it goes up a bit... is this normal? i can't remember lol. also my psi gauge for the supercharger only has gotten up to about 60% max (when i flew past a guy who was doing about 25 in a 40 zone...
thanks for all your kind words, and please help me with these couple issues! thanks!!
i am going to refinance some time this year after the credit markets stabalize and i have a full time job (i am on disability temporarily because of PTSD). but bottom line is I GOT IT!!! whoooo! i didn't look at the carfax i totally forgot... but the car rides/drives like a dream... i was in such a rush because of my meetings and being overly flustered i forgot to even check the carfax. the car was certified though (on the house) by the dealer and i have a 12 month 12k mile bumper to bumper on this bad boy so if anything is wrong, i will have my mechanic take a looksie at it next week when some things slow down for me and i will have it fixed for the price of on the house hahaha i'm glad to be part of the community guys! pics coming tomorrow!question... i didn't notice this before... but what oil pressure do you guys usually show? i am not used to that gauge (i haven't had one like that since i had my firebird back in '04) and it reads right about in the middle. when i am accelerating it goes up a bit... is this normal? i can't remember lol. also my psi gauge for the supercharger only has gotten up to about 60% max (when i flew past a guy who was doing about 25 in a 40 zone...
thanks for all your kind words, and please help me with these couple issues! thanks!!