3500 reliability in new(ish) GM cars?

[heavywoody]

My mother-in-law is looking into a new Impala (2006) and from her description, it sounds like the 3500.

That's all fine and dandy, but does anyone know if the 3500's still have the same problems with the LIMG like the 3100/3400's do/did? They have the same LIM, and it looks like the same plastic gaskets (I looked in the 3500 differences thread tonight).

I'm leary of her getting a 3500, only to have problems with that stupid intake gasket later on... forgive me if it has been fixed by GM, but you would think that after over 10 years with the same basic style of gasket, the engineers at GM would figure out a way to solve the craptastic LIMG on their 60 degree V6 motors.

Or should I tell her to look for one with a 3900? Or are those problematic too? I know it's kinda hard to tell right now since the motors haven't been out all that long...

Thanks in advance!

[Rhedalert]

the 06 Impala should have the 3500 which is a smaller version of the 3900 design-wise. They actually quit routing coolant thru the lower intake manifold, and directing it via bypass pipes between the heads in a "U" route. So there shouldn't be any other issues, but only time will tell. I hold the thought that GM reliability hasn't gotten worse, but it isn't better either. If she's planning on holding onto the car for a while, I would expect the typical small-yet-annoying problems to crop up, like wheel bearings, engine or fuel sensor failures, etc down the road.

[heavywoody]

Understandable... and I expected those kinds of things. I'm just more concerned about the engine, as that can be catastrophic if the LIMG fails.

I'd rather replace a sensor or wheel bearings than clean out an engine of that milky gunk anyday.

[3400-95-Modified]

Yes the 06 has been rerouted and is a "mini" 3900 style motor. But 03 or 04 and up have the newer corrected lower intake gasket that has metal inserts around the coolant passages to prevent the gasket from being overtorqued and cracked. So to answer your question they did fix the problem, but it sure as hell took them a long time.