I want a Camaro

[Yourdogsdead]

I don't know why, but I recently fell in love with the fifth gen Camaro ( I like the older classics as well). I just hope that I can afford one.

Anyone else here own any sporty cars and have an opinion on the Camaro. Negativity and criticism are welcome.

 

[JoshK]

Awesome car! Some of the best times of my life have been in Camaros.

 

[Yourdogsdead]

I'm 19 and am seriously contemplating getting a brand new Camaro SS or LT. Just a matter of finding out if I can afford it or not.

 

[PvilleComp]

At 19 you better get an insurance quote as well before buying the car. Nothing sucks worse then buying a car and then realizing you can't afford to put it on the road.

 

[Yourdogsdead]

I should probably start saving

 

[PvilleComp]

I remember when I was 19 and a '79 Caprice Classic Station Wagon almost bankrupted me in Insurance.

On the bright side, as you get older you get the opportunity to almost be bankrupted by bad Fortune 500 company decisions that you have nothing to do with!

If you’d like a little unsolicited life advice... Cars are the worst investment on the planet. They are cool and they speak to your inner soul, but they are a horrible investment; almost as bad as Cell Phone hopping. The second the front wheels hit the curb on your title, they start depreciating like mad.

Put you money into a reliable used car you can afford and take the difference and put it in a Savings Account Every Month. Trust me, when your 25 and have a nice fat bankroll you’ll have a LOT more fun then having a sports car at 19.

 

[imtravis]

I'm thinking I might get a new Camero when the car goes out, and if so, then I'll have it modded by SMS... cause you can never have enough power!!

 

[CRKhead]

I love Camaros... New and old. However, watch this video... Then start saving your pennies for your new dream car...

YouTube - The World's Fastest Production Car - The Veyron SS

In all seriousness, though... Checking on insurance is the best advice, that alone could be insane... With that said, even muscle cars now are being built with a sense of reliability and even keeping fuel economy in mind...

However, the SS is gonna be a fuel hog and call for higher insurance... It starts at about $31,000... If that's what you want, I say save up and go for it! Cars are terrible investments, but they are one of the great joys in life...

 

[dmnall]

Why get the new camaro?? Insurance rates are going to be very high all cheap muscle cars their insurance will kill especially when you are 19.. Even when I was 23 and I had a 2002 Camaro Z28 my Insurance rates were almost 1200 a year *with a clean record and driving since I was 16*.. When I traded the car off for a 2005 Pontiac GTO *car with 400 compared to the 310 GM claimed which was actually 350*, my insurance on the goat was 700 a year. And even when I had the Camaro, if I would have bought a 2002 Corvette Z06 my insurance would have been 1/2..

So I would say get a 2006 Corvette Z06, I guarantee the insurance will be cheaper the 2010 Camaro, you will have a 505 HP *more like 550 or more because GM under rates the lsx engines big time* and for some reason Corvettes are known for old guys which means less accidents compared to the Camaro which is more younger people drive. Once a car starts getting more accidents by young people their insurance sky rockets.. So now I am driving a 94 Chevrolet K2500 pick up and with Full Coverage and zero deductible for comprehensive $ 432 a year.... I could cut it in half but since it is my dd, why not for that cheap!

HTH,
Charlie

 

[anon(40376)]

So I would say get a 2006 Corvette Z06, I guarantee the insurance will be cheaper the 2010 Camaro, you will have a 505 HP *more like 550 or more because GM under rates the lsx engines big time* and for some reason Corvettes are known for old guys which means less accidents compared to the Camaro which is more younger people drive.

Hate to disagree but I will. First, you guarantee the insurance will be cheaper? Probably a lot depends on the engine in the Camaro.

The 2006 ZO6 was the first engine GM certified using SAE J2723, which was voluntary at the time, but extremely accurate. J2723 is used to certify the rating obtained by J1349 or J1995, which are the SAE requirements for advertising of specific HP in a vehicle. (In other words, since mfgrs started using 1349/1995 they actually started advertising what the HP was, not what they wanted too.)

In fact, when GM rated it using this new SAE J2723 reg, the HP actually rose from 500 to 505 (the 500 was based on J1349 or J1995). GM, as well as Chrysler, did in the past (like over ten years ago) under rate their engines but that stopped years ago.

In addition, even though Vettes sales are high among 'old guys' the one reason why insurance dropped on the C5 from the C4 was due to the use of plastic panels and the hydro-formed frame rails vs. the use of fiberglass in older models. This meant body part replacement was inexpensive, could be performed by almost any body shop and did not require special skills.

 

[dmnall]

Hate to disagree but I will. First, you guarantee the insurance will be cheaper? Probably a lot depends on the engine in the Camaro.

The 2006 ZO6 was the first engine GM certified using SAE J2723, which was voluntary at the time, but extremely accurate. J2723 is used to certify the rating obtained by J1349 or J1995, which are the SAE requirements for advertising of specific HP in a vehicle. (In other words, since mfgrs started using 1349/1995 they actually started advertising what the HP was, not what they wanted too.)

In fact, when GM rated it using this new SAE J2723 reg, the HP actually rose from 500 to 505 (the 500 was based on J1349 or J1995). GM, as well as Chrysler, did in the past (like over ten years ago) under rate their engines but that stopped years ago.

In addition, even though Vettes sales are high among 'old guys' the one reason why insurance dropped on the C5 from the C4 was due to the use of plastic panels and the hydro-formed frame rails vs. the use of fiberglass in older models. This meant body part replacement was inexpensive, could be performed by almost any body shop and did not require special skills.

Well actually the Insurance Rates are usually not based on Horsepower, if that were the case why would going from a 2002 Z28 Camaro to a 2005 Pontiac GTO according to GMs Specs +90 HP and +50 Torque to the GTO, why did my insurance drop down? Well for horsepower as looking at Dyno sheets from people with c6 Z06 vettes, the HP that GM is stating is FlyWheel.. When stock rear wheel HP is usually around 441.9 and torque 412.3.. Now take a fact that going from the Flywheel through the Torque Tube, to the Trans to the Rear Differential out to the Axle Shafts to the Wheels is roughly 18+% and even going by the 18% still puts the Vette at 521 HP and 486 lb feet of Torque.. Which is above what GM actually stated of 505 HP and 475 lb feet of Torque.. Now there are exceptions because not all will be 100% the same, for example some people have gotten what would calculate a factory freak and get even more hp to the rear wheels.. Well just because GM used to under rate their engines, does not mean they are still be completely truthful about their ratings now. Look at the 4th gen F-Body especially 98 - 02 when they were running LS1 Engines when the C5 Corvette was running LS1 back in 98 I think either Super Chevy or Chevy High Performance dynoed both cars and the Camaro aka F-Body produced more hp at the wheels then the Vette.. GM had to under rate the F-Body because they did not want the f-body to out sell their flagship car the Corvette! If the OP goes with an SS = you have 2 choices of Transmissions in the SS Range but both have LS3 6.2L 426 HP! I could see the V6 Model being a little cheaper but not much because of it being Camaro! Even with my clean driving record, my insurance agent tells me I am better off getting a Corvette because insurance would be cheaper... But I say no thanks, because I will continue to drive my truck dd until I get my 68 C10 Done which will have 600 HP out of a tuned LSx and Tremec T56 when I am done with it as well as get a decent mileage out of it..

Now if I am wrong, are you going to say that drivetrain loss for independent rear suspension is not roughly 18% and the old Solid Rear Axle like the 4th Gen Camaros are known for a 12% loss is wrong? CV Joint Axle Shafts actually has more loss then a Solid Steel Axle does...

The Body Parts is partially true, but most of the 4th gen f-body was plastic except the rear quarter panels were steel where the doors were plastic. Subframe/Unibody construction versus having frame rails around you. GTOs were even heavier because the mostly metal except the front facia/bumper and rear bumper as well as the rear trunk face was plastic where the rest was metal... How many LSX engines have you ever gotten to use for 5+ years?

Cheers,
Charlie

 

[Yourdogsdead]

You can't kill my dream

Although maybe I will get a Cruze instead.

 

[dmnall]

You can't kill my dream

Although maybe I will get a Cruze instead.

Not trying or wanting to kill your dream. My dream car is 1963 Corvette Rear Split Window with 327 375 HP 4 speed *love the first year of the stingray body style but I won't be able to own an original matching numbers car like this because of 6 - 7 Figure car*... I am just stating facts that Camaros and Mustangs have high insurance rates especially when you are under 25 - 26 with a clean record. You factor in the price of the car, how much money you will put down, how much car payments will be, Gas and Insurance... At 19 I drove clunkers until I got a decent job to buy a nice car and even then I hated working to keep my car. So that is why I am driving a 16 year old truck, I only paid $ 100 for it and I put $ 1100 into it to get it running reliably..

Really think if you have a lot of money to put down, how much are your payments going to be? Are you going to be paying the car off when you go buy it? How long have you had your license? How clean is your record? Just take it as someone who has been on both spectrums on wanting a relatively cheap but still expensive car, that working to own your car is not something that is cool, if you want a fast inexpensive to purchase car, why not look at 98 - 02 F-bodys *camaro and firebirds* or 05 - 06 Pontiac gtos *I would avoid 04 since 05 and 06 have the 400 HP LS2*.. I am still kicking around the idea of finding another 05 myself because I love these cars..

Cheers,
Charlie

 

[BetaRoc]

I am a GM fan, along with a Camaro fan. I worked for the largest dealership within 500 miles and did quite well, but when I drove the new Camaro I was disappointed.

IMO, it felt very cheap. Visibility almost all the way around was horrid. HUGE blind spots.

If I were to want to buy one, I think I would wait a few years and let them iron out a few wrinkles in the design.

 

[dmnall]

Why couldn't GM let me design the 5th Gen Camaro?? I swear the one concept they had for Nationals back in 05 *the first concept* looked just a like a 69 Camaro down to the fact that it had the long front end, low to the ground and just sexy as hell. I just don't like the body style of the new one personally. It looks too much like a cross between the Mustang and Challenger... Front End is too short *looks like a Camaro that hit a wall*, Sits to High for what the Camaros always were and the tail lights, Fugly...

I personally would buy the Challenger because it looks like a 69 Challenger and with a super charger, the car is a lot more of a beast as the srt8 with a 6 Speed Manual!

Cheers,
Charlie

 

[PvilleComp]

One of the best summers of my life I got to drive a '64 Corvette Convertible. Candy Apple Red and you could tell how fast you were going by watching the gas gauge sink toward E.

Best part was I got to drive it all over the city for the summer because I was the promotions director of a classic rock station, and I didn't have to pay for the gas or the Insurance!

Then after a day/night of hot rod cruzin… It was back to the Caprice Classic

Good Times.

 

[dmnall]

One of the best summers of my life I got to drive a '64 Corvette Convertible. Candy Apple Red and you could tell how fast you were going by watching the gas gauge sink toward E.

Best part was I got to drive it all over the city for the summer because I was the promotions director of a classic rock station, and I didn't have to pay for the gas or the Insurance!

Then after a day/night of hot rod cruzin? It was back to the Caprice Classic

Good Times.

I am so jealous, I would love to drive any year Stingray Corvette.. What year Caprice Classic? The mid 90s were very fun cars, not as fun as a 64 Corvette, but still the Caprice Classics were similar to the Impala SS of 94 - 96...

I decided on my long term project after a year of driving it with a 350 w/ 66 Vette Fuelie 2.02 Camel Back Heads, 66 Vette Hydraulic Cam Shaft, Edelbrock Performer Intake and Carter AFB 4 bl Carb along with a TH400 Auto trans and 3.73 Stock gears.. I got the worst gas mileage ever, 2 mpg in town and 4 mpg on the freeway, guzzling premium. Reason why I parked it and decided on a different engine and trans combination..

Cheers,
Charlie

 

[PvilleComp]

I am so jealous, I would love to drive any year Stingray Corvette.. What year Caprice Classic? The mid 90s were very fun cars, not as fun as a 64 Corvette, but still the Caprice Classics were similar to the Impala SS of 94 - 96...

I decided on my long term project after a year of driving it with a 350 w/ 66 Vette Fuelie 2.02 Camel Back Heads, 66 Vette Hydraulic Cam Shaft, Edelbrock Performer Intake and Carter AFB 4 bl Carb along with a TH400 Auto trans and 3.73 Stock gears.. I got the worst gas mileage ever, 2 mpg in town and 4 mpg on the freeway, guzzling premium. Reason why I parked it and decided on a different engine and trans combination..

Cheers,
Charlie

It was a 79 Wagon! Could not see from one end to the other due to the curvature of the Earth!

Great college car because it would haul anything. We would make beer runs to Canada and jam 7 people and 14 cases of beer into the car for a quick over the border and back with our 2 case per head duty free limit!

Still the only vehicle I?ve ever owned that I could lay a full sheet of plywood FLAT in the back of!

Serious Chick Magnet!

 

[dmnall]

Still a classic car and cool car especially if they are built right now. Now I can see why you would be bummed to be back in that, but hey the car can haul plywood where a vette would not *I would never try* but I am sure there have been a few that would lol.. I did one very uncomfortable trips for a 6 foot cage for one of my snakes, in a 99 Ford Escort Wagon, backseat laid completely down, both front seats all the way forward *very uncomfortable and barely fit, but trying plywood in it, would not fit lol*. I would have taken my 68 c10 out but the bed is filled with a 72 chev cab on a pallett.. So that was another reason for my current dd.. Not afraid to haul anything now.

Cheers,
Charlie

 

[PvilleComp]

Here's a picture. Not the same car I drove but identical. We had the Station logo decaled to the rear quarter panels.

Going from this to the Caprice...

I was 21 that summer. So the moral of the story is.... If you want to drive a hot sports car, and can't afford it... Drive someone elses!

BTW - It was a sad day in my life when we gave it away to a listener.