Comments: 1-15, 16-25
Nothing... Brand new.
I only have this beauty since three days and it gets a lot of thumbs up and comments. Mine is orange with a manual 6 speeds and 426 H.P mill.
I'm a large and tall man, and this car is surprisingly large and long enough for my shoulders and legs in the front seats to feel comfortable, not tight.
It takes some times to get use of the small windows all around, especially the doors ones.
I found the clutch to be very stiff and I don't like to go in town with it.
As I cruise on the highway, this Camaro is also surprisingly soft for a sports car.
Performance wise.. Watch out!.. this Camaro is fast, very fast!! And before I feel the sensation of going fast, the speedo is at around 170 km/h (110-115 MPH). And for the first 3 speeds, rear tires screams and your head literally snaps the headrest when pushed hard. I don't know how fast this Camaro can go, no intention for now!
There's only one thing I found annoying; when the steering wheel is set comfortably for me, I have to move my head to properly read the cluster gauge's tach, speedometer and especially flasher ind. lights. I don't know if there was a head up display (HUD) option as I would certainly take it, but I think the windshield is already small enough. Every time I think of hard accelerations from a red light, I most of the time think of the very expensive Pirelli ZR 20's on all corners that are known to "melt" like ice under the sun, I easily slow down and listen the marvelous rumbling sound of the LS3.
I haven't raced yet with Mustangs or Challenger to compare, and for now I'm the only one in my area who owns a SS, and these cars are very rare for now.. Acuras, Nissans, Hondas, they just look and leave me alone, I guess they know why!
A review at 12 km. Might be a new record for carsurvey.org.
I'm sure that it's a welcome change after the Roadmaster.
Congrats on the Camaro and thank you for supporting your country by buying American. I checked out the 2010 Mustang, Challenger and Camaro and am undecided as to what I would buy at this point. I could care less about power. I drive a V-6 Mustang and it is far more than adequate. If I got a Camaro it would be the V-6 for sure. I've pretty much ruled out another Mustang because Ford has stupidly dropped all its sporty colors except red. Challenger and Camaro at least come in yellow and orange. My biggest gripe with Camaro is that hideous dash, but maybe they'll change it by next year when I'll be in the market. My favorite based on styling and interior is by far the Challenger, and the 250hp V-6 is more power than needed for any driving need. I just regret that it so big and such a poor handling car. Maybe Ford will come out with yellow or orange next year. We'll see.
Sorry for the mistake, had it brand new with 12 km and also considered as a 2010 model year. When I wrote this comment the Camaro had around 420 km.
"I haven't raced yet with Mustangs or Challenger to compare, and for now I'm the only one in my area who owns a SS, and these cars are very rare for now.. Acuras, Nissans, Hondas, they just look and leave me alone, I guess they know why!"
Perhaps they leave you alone because they know better than to endanger lives by street racing.
Well, Car and Driver says go with the Mustang overall. But I'm a Camaro guy in general (already had 3 older style ones before). So I just couldn't buy a Ford after growing up racing against 5.0 guys. But frankly, the Chapter 11 and gov't ownership afterwards, it kind of bothers me, and dealerships are closing around where I live. Also, I've always believed it's not the best idea to buy the very first run of a brand new type of car... have to get the 'bugs' out in the first year or two oftentimes. But, we'll wait for the Consumer Reports reliability stats to find that out...
As for the new Camaro itself, in my own opinion, visibility while driving the new ones is pretty bad, and it rides on the rough side which gets annoying as a daily driver at my age, and frankly I don't like the gauges. I test drove a couple already (a V6 and a V8). But I guess what can you expect, a Caddy-type cushy ride? Other than that they look pretty cool.
The only thing is, why do they all look the same?? LS, LT (which are both V6's), and 2 types of SS V8's, and out of which I cannot tell any outward differences between any of them (unless you add stripes or ground effects or whatever). But if I were going to spend 42 - 50 grand on a Camaro (!!!) -- & yes that's what many dealers are actually getting (it's 10 or 15 over sticker) for the new SS's at least -- then I want it to look noticeably different from the V6 model!! Back in the day you could always tell which was an IROC or a regular Z and which was an RS or a basic sport coupe!
Yes! If GM cannot get this straight, that is poor marketing!
Why would someone want to buy an SS and have people confuse it with a V6 model? If you ask me, if GM doesn't differentiate their Camaro lineup, they will fail. I had a Trans Am in the late 80's and believe me, those of us who had a TA didn't want our cars to be confused with a Firebird V6!
May I ask how tall you are? I'm 6'1" and I tried to sit in one with a sunroof and I had no headroom. Basically had to recline the seatback gangsta style so far back I could no longer see over the dash before I could say I had head clearance... I can't imagine how I'm going to wear a helmet for track days =(
"Why would someone want to buy an SS and have people confuse it with a V6 model? If you ask me, if GM doesn't differentiate their Camaro lineup, they will fail. I had a Trans Am in the late 80's and believe me, those of us who had a TA didn't want our cars to be confused with a Firebird V6!"
GM did this with the last gen. of the Camaro as well. You couldn't tell a Z-28 from a V6 car unless you looked at the exhaust or the little badges on the sides of the car. They even offered the same wheels on both cars. I always hated that about them and it is too bad it hasn't changed.
I can't believe once again, the ridiculous markup on these cars. Why are people so obsessed with being the first one to buy something? Funny thing is, usually that something is buggy and defective until the second or third year. American car dealers are most known for this markup practice and it is just another reason they are suffering. I wish people would stop wasting their money on these overpriced cars and let them come down to reality after a couple of months when no one buys one. Must be nice to have money to burn, especially in this economy. I'd opt to do something better with it then hand it over to a dealer. Your car depreciates based on the MSRP so paying $10K over that is like tossing $10K into the trash (+ however much more depreciation occurs). Is it REALLY that cool to be the first one?!?
I'm the original poster, and was surprised and pleased to read good and bad things that have been written.
I finally sold the Camaro to one of my good friend after only 3562 kilometers, with not a single problem.
To answer some of your questions, I am 6'3" and 290 lbs, and was able to lean the dorsal to drive and feel comfortable.
I can tell you that every day and almost everywhere I had multiple thumbs up and everybody knew at first look it was a real SS, never arguing for an "ordinary" Camaro.
But this car has a real problem (for me at least!) that finally made my decision to let it go.. The Camaro SS is a "COP MAGNET"..I'm 47 years old and didn't have any tickets for maybe the last 20 years, and in less than one month I had 2 speed tickets (3 points each) and 9 registrations check-ups, I wasn't racing, just fool enough not to put cruise control while on highways, as I originally wrote you don't feel the sensation of going fast, lost 6 demerit points and 480 CDN $ worth of fines.. I assumed all of this, and you can now laugh at me, (Honda Acurs, Nissan owners.. LOL!) My opinion is during the last week, I felt and saw that many cops, not all of them, think that you're dangerous for the society if you drive a Camaro SS.. Maybe true for some!!.., while giving me tickets or doing check-ups, they were always telling me things like I was a little kid or yo-boys, then I told myself that's enough! I'm not in vacation anymore with this beautiful Camaro SS like I was in my Roadmaster, I am not driving anymore but always watching the speedometer, the indicated speed limit signs, or cop cars, which I NEVER did before!, And before I loose my license I regrettably sold it, I didn't lose a cent because I sold it with no profit 43000 CDN dollars, as paid.
And now I can drive and feel good being a nobody with my Buick. But the Camaro SS is an awesome car that I will never forget but regret, Just hope my friend will be smarter than me, he's living in a far small village... Don't ever come to Montreal with a Camaro SS.. Cops will be your "friends".. See ya!
There are no such things as "cop magnets". Policemen (and police women) are professionals and not swayed by a car's looks. I have friends and family who are police professionals and they laugh themselves silly over this urban myth. I've proven it time and again year in and year out myself. I'm a car enthusiast and usually own 3 to 5 cars at a time. I love bright colors and sporty cars. My current sporty car is a bright orange Mustang with wide black rally striping, hood scoop and louvers on the rear and quarter windows. I have never been stopped in it. My last ticket was received while driving my Ford truck. It probably had something to do with the fact that I was breaking the law. That's usually the case. You should have kept the Camaro and driven sensibly.
I found with a red Viper otherwise but not negative reactions. It has received compliments, not tickets issued.
Like I have written, not all policemen (neither women) are like that.. Some of them asked me to look at it in the first days of owning.. But since I have sold the Camaro, no cops are looking at my cars anymore, or stopping me for registration check-ups.
I've also talked with a policeman who shared the same passion of me for nice sports cars, and he told me I was unfortunate to get too suspicious cops seeing someone with a new toy, and next year when there will be plenty of Camaros, they'll get use to it and they would leave you more alone, if I drive sensibly!... then I told myself, maybe I was driving a manner they didn't like or that couldn't be forgivable while having such a nice car.. Now I'm driving nice big old cars.. And now do they forgive me!?.. Maybe I wasn't a good Camaro driver for them, I don't deserve it!?.. Now I finally feel free driving my not so hot big cars and still regret the Camaro...
My friend whom I sold the Camaro to called me (long distance call) and we laughed.. He had his first speed ticket in almost 25 years of driving last week or the week before, I don't exactly remember..!!!.. A Buick Roadmaster and a Camaro SS, both going too fast at the same time on a highway or rural road, I'm wondering which one the cop will stop... Naaaa, must be a myth!..
Should I have kept the Camaro? When I see one like the one I had... oh god yes, I miss the look and the power of the Camaro SS a lot.. but when I see a cop car.. NO.
I am in a Corvette club and in our gatherings and caravans police are quite complimentary. A show condition car with much invested is not prone to street exhibition and reckless driving. I have seen many police admire my own that are quite interested. We have up to 100 at a time and with traffic control police are very nice. I have never been picked on or had any negativity. Maybe if you a solo speeder you have a different observation. I have too much in mine to thrash it and we help charities with our model.
"I'm wondering which one the cop will stop... Naaaa, must be a myth!.."
It IS a myth. Some time back my wife and I were traveling to a gathering in separate cars. I went through a speed trap in my customized, very flamboyant muscle car and didn't raise an eyebrow. My wife came through a few minutes later in her very dull and boring compact sedan and got stopped. I rather think it was because she was speeding and I WASN'T. Police don't stop people who are not breaking the law regardless of WHAT they are driving... PERIOD.