1959 Chevrolet Impala: A Comprehensive Guide To Maintenance Costs, Reliability, And Average Prices

Summary

• The average annual repair cost for modern Impalas is $568, but maintaining a 1959 Impala can cost much more than that.
• The reliability of the 1959 Impala is rated at 7/10, running costs are 8/10, and the highest reported mileage is 120,000 miles.
• A well-maintained 1959 Chevy Impala will have fewer issues, but rust is a common problem that affects the body panels.

The Chevrolet Impala is an iconic model that was first launched in 1958 as the top trim of the redesigned third-gen Chevy Bel Air. It was originally available as a two-door coupe or convertible and was on sale for only one year. In 1959, the Bel Air was completely redesigned again and the Impala became a standalone model. This new Impala still shared a striking resemblance to the newly redesigned Bel Air and used the same powertrain as the previous model.

The 1959 Chevrolet Impala was built on a new X-frame chassis and was made available as a four-door hardtop and sedan, a two-door sports coupe and convertible, and a five-door station wagon. It’s been over six decades since this Impala launched which instantly makes this a classic and a collector’s item. You might be in the market for a 1959 Impala and this article will help guide you on everything you need to know about the maintenance, reliability, and current values of the Chevy Impala.

This guide provides comprehensive information provided by the manufacturer. Top Speed sourced additional data for maintenance costs (CarEdge, RepairPal), reliability (Carsurvey.org), and average prices (Hagerty Valuation Tool, Classic.com).

Maintenance And Repairs

Maintenance of vehicles like this depends on the mileage and maintenance of the vehicle throughout its lifetime. A well-driven but well-maintained example will have fewer issues than a similar vehicle with an awful maintenance history. There are a lot of factors that need to be considered when buying cars like this but fortunately, they have much simpler mechanics compared to modern cars.

According to RepairPal, the Chevy Impala has an average annual repair cost of $568 but this mainly applies to models made after 2000. Data sourced from CarEdge says that it will cost about $6,524 over a 10-year period to maintain an Impala. This number can easily go higher than stated depending on the condition of the vehicle and underlying issues. But the 1959 Chevy Impala has one major issue that can easily affect any Impala from this era.

Most Common 1959 Chevrolet Impala Problems Reported

The biggest thing you have to look out for is rust. The Impala wasn’t made using the best steel material, this was done to save cost and it worked at the time. But as these cars have gotten older this defect has begun to show mostly in certain low areas. The floorboard and wheel wells have to be inspected thoroughly as these are the areas that tend to rust the most. Other notable issues for cars like this include:

• Worn interior
• Leaking/torn convertible tops
• Degrading wires
• Old and worn-out mechanical parts
• Oil leaks
• Old carburetors
• Faulty transmissions
• Paint fade
• Bad gas tanks

Taking into consideration that the Impala is over 65 years old at this point it is a very old vehicle. Most factory components are already worn out and need replacement. If everything is complete which rarely isn’t you still need to make some major changes, especially to the rusted body panels and aged interior. But the engines in these cars seem to be quite robust and reliable.

Repairs And Pricing Info

(Source: Classic car industries)

The great thing about classic cars like these is that parts are readily available from little bolts to replacement engines if needed. The classic car restoration industry has blown up in the last decade and more aftermarket companies are making these parts available for you and me who might be willing to take on projects like these. Since these cars are mechanically simple, many replacement parts have been made to fit on most cars from this era. If you need a replacement motor, OEMs have made that available as crate engines to fit easily into these cars.

Recalls And Safety Investigations

Unfortunately, there is no recall information available for the 1959 Chevy Impala. And since it was the first generation model with only two years of production, a lot of the complaints these first cars might have had would have been addressed on later cars that shared the same components.

Reliability, Running Costs, And Expected Mileage

The overall reliability rating for the Chevrolet Impala is 4.0/50 according to Repairpal but this mainly applies to modern cars. Accurate ratings for these cars are not available as many of them are quite old and are still rotting away or are undergoing full restorations with all-new powertrains. But an owner has given his take on his unrestored junk yard ’59 Impala.

Reliability Rating: 7/10

Only one reliability rating has been submitted by an owner whose Impala had the 283 cubic-inch V-8 was very reliable with a 7 out of 10 rating:

According to an owner from Carsurvey, he bought it “junkyard fresh” with the 283 cubic-inch (4.6-liter) V-8. All he needed was some starting fluid, fresh gas, and a new gas tank to get the engine running. He said it’s an incredibly simple and reliable car with mechanical parts being easy to find. His main complaint was the amount of rust which is expected from cars like these.

Running Costs: 8/10

Only one owner information is publicly available on Carsurvey with the owner giving it an 8 out of 10 for overall running cost.

With a score of 8 out of 10, it means the Impala is a reliable car even in bad shape but with a good engine. The owner only needed to put in fresh gas, change the fuel tank and it was good to go. But this is a thirsty car so expect to visit the gas station for regular fill-ups.

Highest Miles Reported: 120,000 miles

The highest mileage recorded is by the same owner on Carsurvey with 120,000 miles. Most of these cars only came with a five-digit odometer so once it’s past 100,000 miles, it may be hard to keep track of the actual mileage. Bring a trailer also had two examples with a reading around 50,000 miles.

The owner of the high mileage example said when he got the car in 1997 it already had 100,000 miles. He drove another 20,000 miles in the next five years of ownership before giving his review of the car in 2002. He gave the car an overall ownership score of 7.5 out of 10 saying it was an incredibly simple and reliable car.

Pricing And Values

Valuation Highlights

(Source: Hagerty)

The table above represents the valuation for the 283 cubic-inch (4.6-liter) V-8 cars that would be the most popular sought-after engines for these cars. There are also cars available with the more powerful 348 cubic-inch 5.7 liter V-8 but those are rare and cost a fortune. The highest recorded sale for a pristine example was $368,500 with the 348 cubic-inch V-8, it had undergone a complete restoration and had only 530 miles. But a well-driven example with 49,101 miles and the big V-8 had also undergone a restoration and sold for $225,000.

Just like many important classic cars from this era, they weren’t built for very long as this first-generation Impala was only in production for two years. In 1959 alone, over 72,000 cars were built but the values of these cars have significantly risen since new when you could get one for $2,800. In October 2022, an Impala convertible that had been left in a field with other cars to rot sold for $88,500 without an engine. Another car in similar condition sold for $66,500 while a hardtop with an engine that didn’t run sold for $44,000.

What To Look For Before Buying

Cars of this nature aren’t a walk in the park and due diligence has to be done before making any purchase. With the values going haywire in recent years, you have to make sure the car is what the seller truly says it is before you make a purchase. Things like authenticity, matching numbers, mileage, body type, maintenance, and many more come into play. But let’s assume you aren’t one of those guys who wants any of these but just want one for nostalgic purposes but with good value. These are some of the things to look out for.

Rust On Body Panels

This should not be overlooked no matter where you buy the car from. While some will be worse than others, the steel used to make these cars is prone to rust and isn’t as corrosion-proof as modern cars. In most cases, this will determine if the car is a good buy or not. Look at the underside, wheel wells, subframes, door sills, and more. Although replacement parts are available for these cars, knowing what you’ll have to replace will help you negotiate a better purchase price.

Engine Condition (If any)

Some cars do not come with engines as they’ve been purchased for use in other cars. In this case, it doesn’t matter since you’ll get another crate motor. But if you’re getting one with its engine, verify it’s the right engine and the current condition of the engine, the old carburetors may need changing after so many years. Plastic parts will need to be replaced since they’re all degraded by then. Finally check the overall health of the engine, any cracks, worn seals, misfiring, and any detected problems should be considered. Luckily, there is a lot of aftermarket support available for these engines.

Connections, And Small Parts

This may not matter when doing a full restoration but when buying a car in good or fair condition you have to check for all connections. Wires have dried out and may start to fall apart which would need replacement. Nuts, bolts, screws, fasteners, and small parts also need to be checked to make sure they are all in good condition.

Is It Worth Buying a 1959 Chevrolet Impala?

Cars of this era are bought as nostalgic or collector pieces and values in recent years are climbing fast. With that said, this will never be a vehicle you drive every day so you have to make sure you can afford to have money tied up in a vehicle that will barely be able to keep up with most modern commuter cars. While they may have good reliability the initial cost to get them roadworthy can be a pain.

A small fortune has to be spent to get the car to acceptable conditions before you can enjoy that nostalgia and old-school simplicity. But if you are ready for the challenge, then it is a great car worth buying with good reliability. So if you can find one at a good price then it could be worth pulling the trigger.