The Camaro is Back: Year 2007
- Thread starter Slick6
- 241 comments
- 22,313 views
Young_Warrior
(Banned)
- 2,285
Toronado
Ye shows you how flawed the c5 is doesnt it.Im sure the carrera will get some extra kicking soon enough but its the carrera 4s that spanks the c5.
Young_Warrior
(Banned)
- 2,285
Toronado
Theyre separate reviews in which they basically say that the c5 sucks.Oh and the camaro sucks aswell by the reviews ive got.
- 4,752
- Kansas City, MO
- FlyingAGasoline
I want proof. Since you "mistook" the c5 for c6, you're assuming all our posts are invalid. I was going with C5.
I want to see them.
The Camaro and Corvette did not suck. You don't like either of them, that's your opinion, and you're entitled to it. But don't try to make everyone believe they suck. I wasn't trying to make you believe the C5 is a better car, I was just pointing out that the c5 does not suck and that your posts were wholly inaccurate and flawed.
I want to see them.
The Camaro and Corvette did not suck. You don't like either of them, that's your opinion, and you're entitled to it. But don't try to make everyone believe they suck. I wasn't trying to make you believe the C5 is a better car, I was just pointing out that the c5 does not suck and that your posts were wholly inaccurate and flawed.
- 40,844
Actually, no it doesn't. It shows YOU how flawed the 911 always was when a car with 50 less HP and about the same weight is consistently better than the 911 was around the 'Ring. Also, if the Carrera 4 "spanked" the C5, then why in the hell did so many magazines CONSTANTLY pit the two together? I can guarantee that most magazines compared the two at least once a year.Young_Warrior
Young_Warrior
(Banned)
- 2,285
Toronado
They put them together because they are rivals and in the same category. i wonder swho won the reviews.MMMMM porsche. Its funny because a flawed porsche is still faster than any other car with the same horsepower in its class.
- 40,844
Did you think I was talking about the C5? No no. I was talking about the Cayman. And actually, no, most of the comaprisions ended up being draws between the C5 and Carrera. And about the fanboyish final rant, no. It's not. A Lotus Esprit goes faster. So does a TVR. As do most mid engined cars, including the Cayman, which also costs 1/2 as much as a Carrera.Young_Warrior
Young_Warrior
(Banned)
- 2,285
BlazinXtremeThe Camaro and the Corvette didn't suck...quit being a dumbass.
Ok the c5 did not suck.
But the camaro is rubbish that car sure did suck.
Young_Warrior
(Banned)
- 2,285
Toronado
So we agree then. There are plenty european sports cars that are in the same category as the c5 but are faster and nicer.
- 4,752
- Kansas City, MO
- FlyingAGasoline
You're giving up?
Okay, we can continue on about the Camaro, but first, I want to know who or what your sources are. It's fishy that you were so adament about the C5 being a "piece of crap", and now you're all of a sudden giving up.
I want to see your sources. You've mentioned "they" several times. Who are "they"?
Okay, we can continue on about the Camaro, but first, I want to know who or what your sources are. It's fishy that you were so adament about the C5 being a "piece of crap", and now you're all of a sudden giving up.
I want to see your sources. You've mentioned "they" several times. Who are "they"?
Young_Warrior
(Banned)
- 2,285
Road Test: Chevrolet Camaro (1998-2001)
Half star out of 5
Assets
Performance, visual drama.
Drawbacks
Witless road manners.
Verdict
Makes sense in Florida; impossible to take seriously here
----------------------------------------------------------------------
INTRODUCTION
Crowd pleaserIn the coupe/convertible market, looks are the most important factor, and this car is certainly going to get you noticed - for very little financial outlay. This American 'sports' car looks the part all right, with long, swoopy lines, an aggressive pointed nose and big wheels, and a convertible version, too. But under the skin, it's pretty old-fashioned, and will sadly disappoint sporting drivers. All mouth and no trousers? Yes, except the V8 version goes like stink: vastly quicker than European or Japanese coupes for the price.
RELIABILITY AND QUALITY RATING
The important mechanical bits are simple and basically tough, but the trim isn't too robust.
RELIABILITY AND QUALITY RATING:
The important mechanical bits are simple and basically tough, but the trim isn't too robust.
DRIVING RATING:
Powered everything and standard automatic transmission take the physical strain out of it, but it's big and clumsy in narrow streets, and you can't see the end of the pointed bonnet. The V8 probably deserves another star for its sheer acceleration and the lovely sound it makes, but in the end the experience is frustrating because everything else - steering and brakes particularly - is so soggy and imprecise. It isn't dangerous at all, just unrewarding.
PERFORMANCE RATING:
Even the cheapest models get a 3.8-litre engine, which ought to blow off the 1.8-litre in a MGF or Mazda MX-5. And so it will, but not by the margin you'd expect. The throbbing V8 in the top version, however, gives Jaguar XK8 performance for half the price.
SAFETY AND SECURITY RATING:
The extra size of a Camaro over baby European sports cars gives it a natural advantage in a crash. There are twin airbags, too. Anti-theft security is only average.
RUNNING COSTS RATING:
It's thirsty and likely to depreciate alarmingly, but the small group of dealers who service it charge just Vauxhall prices. The warranty is good, and insurance not at all bad. This not-very-pretty coupe has to compete in a crowded used market that now contains some great-value Japanese imports. It's good value and quite able, but that means little in a sector which is very image- and price-sensitive. It won't be easy to resell. A hard one to call. As a sports car this is far too crude. But you get a lot for your money: a big car, an even bigger engine, American standard equipment such as air-con, airbags, automatic transmission and cruise control, plus a good warranty. Proof that size isn't everything.
COMFORT AND EQUIPMENT RATING:
Its seats aren't bad, and they adjust to suit, and the air-conditioning is pretty good, too. The bugbear is the jiggly, shuddering ride from the Camaro's old-fashioned suspension. There's room to stretch in the front seats, but the rears are only for kids. Good space for a sports car, then, but poor for something this big end-to-end. Straightforward and loud, with a standard CD player on the top model.
Half star out of 5
Assets
Performance, visual drama.
Drawbacks
Witless road manners.
Verdict
Makes sense in Florida; impossible to take seriously here
----------------------------------------------------------------------
INTRODUCTION
Crowd pleaserIn the coupe/convertible market, looks are the most important factor, and this car is certainly going to get you noticed - for very little financial outlay. This American 'sports' car looks the part all right, with long, swoopy lines, an aggressive pointed nose and big wheels, and a convertible version, too. But under the skin, it's pretty old-fashioned, and will sadly disappoint sporting drivers. All mouth and no trousers? Yes, except the V8 version goes like stink: vastly quicker than European or Japanese coupes for the price.
RELIABILITY AND QUALITY RATING
The important mechanical bits are simple and basically tough, but the trim isn't too robust.
RELIABILITY AND QUALITY RATING:
The important mechanical bits are simple and basically tough, but the trim isn't too robust.
DRIVING RATING:
Powered everything and standard automatic transmission take the physical strain out of it, but it's big and clumsy in narrow streets, and you can't see the end of the pointed bonnet. The V8 probably deserves another star for its sheer acceleration and the lovely sound it makes, but in the end the experience is frustrating because everything else - steering and brakes particularly - is so soggy and imprecise. It isn't dangerous at all, just unrewarding.
PERFORMANCE RATING:
Even the cheapest models get a 3.8-litre engine, which ought to blow off the 1.8-litre in a MGF or Mazda MX-5. And so it will, but not by the margin you'd expect. The throbbing V8 in the top version, however, gives Jaguar XK8 performance for half the price.
SAFETY AND SECURITY RATING:
The extra size of a Camaro over baby European sports cars gives it a natural advantage in a crash. There are twin airbags, too. Anti-theft security is only average.
RUNNING COSTS RATING:
It's thirsty and likely to depreciate alarmingly, but the small group of dealers who service it charge just Vauxhall prices. The warranty is good, and insurance not at all bad. This not-very-pretty coupe has to compete in a crowded used market that now contains some great-value Japanese imports. It's good value and quite able, but that means little in a sector which is very image- and price-sensitive. It won't be easy to resell. A hard one to call. As a sports car this is far too crude. But you get a lot for your money: a big car, an even bigger engine, American standard equipment such as air-con, airbags, automatic transmission and cruise control, plus a good warranty. Proof that size isn't everything.
COMFORT AND EQUIPMENT RATING:
Its seats aren't bad, and they adjust to suit, and the air-conditioning is pretty good, too. The bugbear is the jiggly, shuddering ride from the Camaro's old-fashioned suspension. There's room to stretch in the front seats, but the rears are only for kids. Good space for a sports car, then, but poor for something this big end-to-end. Straightforward and loud, with a standard CD player on the top model.
Joey D
Premium
- 47,476
- Lakes of the North, MI
- GTP_Joey
- GTP Joey
I just use www.cars.com ... to have everything about everything
http://research.cars.com/go/crp/sum...tional&call=crp&makeid=9&year=2002&modelid=78
http://research.cars.com/go/crp/sum...tional&call=crp&makeid=9&year=2002&modelid=78
- 40,844
Actually, I don't agree. All I said was that there are plenty of cars that are cheaper or equal in price to a 911 that are just as fast ot faster. C5 included. Like it or not, it is just as fast as the Type 996 Carrera. An while some magazines have given the 911 it's well deserved props, I doubt any magazine ever compared a 996 Carrera and a C5 Corvette and came out and said that the Vette is so bad comprably that it sucks.Young_Warrior
- 4,752
- Kansas City, MO
- FlyingAGasoline
Oh - The Camaro wasn't built for Europeans by Europeans, it was Built for Americans, by Americans. Hence the huge motor, live rear axle, and low tech suspension. Why? It works. This isn't a Jaguar folks. This is a budget sports car. How many other cars in the same price range could outrun and outhandle a Camaro?
Young_Warrior
(Banned)
- 2,285
The Chevrolet Camaro, part of an American tradition of pony cars which includes the Ford Mustang and Pontiac Firebird, offers enormous bang for your buck. Whereas its big brother, the Corvette, has always had critical acclaim in the UK, the Camaro has always been largely ignored. As a used purchase, a Camaro promises unrivalled performance per pound, but is there more to building a performance car than an ability to wheelspin in third gear? Find out here
You get an appreciation of quite how foreign the Camaro is in the British market when you try to nominate a natural rival. Big, cheap, powerful coupes dont tend to figure in the British car-buyers vocabulary. In terms of straight-line performance, a Subaru Impreza or Lotus Elise compare with the Camaro Z28, but there wouldnt be much of a crossover from those buyer types. The only cars with a remotely similar appeal in this bracket are the Volvo C70 and the US-built Honda Accord Coupe, but even then the link is tenuous.
Build
Comfort
Depreciation
Economy
Equipment
Handling
Insurance
Performance
Styling
Value
First impressions of the Camaro wont set the pulse racing. It looks big and heavy, the long front and rear overhangs dont promise nimble handling, and the whole image is vaguely redolent of a modernised car from the early Toyota Supra/Mitsubishi Starion era. Climb aboard and the impression is reinforced. Peer over the big bulky steering wheel and the acres of bonnet stretching away kindle unwelcome memories.
Gazing at that vast hood, (acclimatising fast) a word slowly forms in the mind, and the word is Capri, before the unwelcome image is banished. The Z28 version tested has the usual slab fronted American style fascia with built-in stereo system, huge buttons conjuring up images of big Texan fingers jabbing at them whilst sipping from a bucket of root beer. Equipment levels are predictably good, as are the standard safety features. Twin airbags, ABS and a bodyshell strong enough to ensure that anything hit stays hit make the Camaro a safe car for its occupants at least.
All models boasts traction control, air conditioning and alloy wheels whilst leather upholstery and electric front seats proved to be popular options. The Coupe models come with the option of targa lift-out roof panels. Automatic gearboxes are standard fitment, with an option of a five-speed manual on the V6 and a really rather good six-speed manual on the Z28.
Expect to pay around £9,000 for the first of the 1998 S-plate Camaro 3.8-litre coupes, and another £1,500 if you hanker after the Convertible. The most popular option has been the Coupe with its lift-out targa roof, but there are a few who have been tempted by the Z28 coupe, available from £10,000 on the 1998 R-plate. Camaros are still relatively thin on the ground, so one of the twelve main dealers may be your best way of finding a decent used example.
Insurance is Group 13 for a 3.8-litre V6 Coupe, Group 14 for the Convertible and a surprisingly reasonable Group 18 for the V8-engined Z28.
Years of steady improvement have made the Camaro an unsurprisingly durable product. Yes, the Z28 engine may develop 288bhp, but such is its languid nature that for the most part youll just enjoy effortlessly surfing that swell of torque, the engine barely ticking over. Look for kerbed alloy wheels and check the condition of the steamroller tyres, but above all carefully inspect the condition of the glass fibre bodywork. If you choose a targa-roofed Coupe, check that the roof is easy to fit.
If the roof panel has been stored for some time, it can warp, especially if stood on its side and exposed to the sun. The soft-top roof is an honest, no-frills affair, but make sure that it hasnt been ripped, torn or discoloured. Most Camaros will have been treated to 100% main dealer servicing under the terms of the generous warranty, so you can afford to be as fussy. No, there arent too many Camaros around, but those that are should all be in tip-trop trim.
Negotiate a discount if all is not pretty much as it left the showroom.
(approx based on a 1999 Camaro Z28) Although youll only need to service the Camaro every 10,000 miles, this puts a premium on making sure that you use decent quality consumables. As such, expect to pay around £12 for an air filter, £15 for a fuel filter and a mere £5 for an oil filter. Spark plugs are around £8 each. With prices this reasonable, watching your rear tyres dissolve into plumes of acrid smoke may be less of a financial burden seems a bizarrely justifiable course of action.
Once again, the Camaro betrays its transatlantic bias when you get under way. A certain Europeanisation wouldnt have gone amiss as the ride is on the fidgety side, tailored no doubt for American billiard-table smooth turnpikes. As the road clears ahead, the supersized throttle pedal is slowly depressed, the prow of the car rises like a speedboat and the big V8 doesnt so much sing as bellow as the Camaro is flung forward. The effect is great fun and rather infectious.
Motorway on-ramps become a playground for the Camaro to unleash its full quota of horsepower, reaching 60 in 5.3 grin-inducing seconds. The 3.8 litre cars arent so much fun, the 193bhp engine taking 8.
5 seconds to drag the heavyweight Camaro to 60mph. Motorway off ramps are rarely such fun, however, as there lurks at the end of them an item which ties the Camaro in metaphorical knots, leaves it puzzled and embarrassed, scratching the back of its head and staring at its cowboy boots. That item is the roundabout. Whilst the Z28 Camaro is a straight 'A' student when it comes to acceleration, in the disciplines of braking and cornering its report card would read Must Try Harder. The brake pedal, while undeniably effective has a rather strange, over-servoed feel, which doesnt inspire either delicacy or confidence. Its somewhat all or nothing, hauling 1577kg of car to a standstill in a fuss-free manner. The Camaro never tackles corners with any great relish.
The old-fashioned live rear axle arrangement hops and skips slightly, the car never feeling fully at home.
You get an appreciation of quite how foreign the Camaro is in the British market when you try to nominate a natural rival. Big, cheap, powerful coupes dont tend to figure in the British car-buyers vocabulary. In terms of straight-line performance, a Subaru Impreza or Lotus Elise compare with the Camaro Z28, but there wouldnt be much of a crossover from those buyer types. The only cars with a remotely similar appeal in this bracket are the Volvo C70 and the US-built Honda Accord Coupe, but even then the link is tenuous.
Build
Comfort
Depreciation
Economy
Equipment
Handling
Insurance
Performance
Styling
Value
First impressions of the Camaro wont set the pulse racing. It looks big and heavy, the long front and rear overhangs dont promise nimble handling, and the whole image is vaguely redolent of a modernised car from the early Toyota Supra/Mitsubishi Starion era. Climb aboard and the impression is reinforced. Peer over the big bulky steering wheel and the acres of bonnet stretching away kindle unwelcome memories.
Gazing at that vast hood, (acclimatising fast) a word slowly forms in the mind, and the word is Capri, before the unwelcome image is banished. The Z28 version tested has the usual slab fronted American style fascia with built-in stereo system, huge buttons conjuring up images of big Texan fingers jabbing at them whilst sipping from a bucket of root beer. Equipment levels are predictably good, as are the standard safety features. Twin airbags, ABS and a bodyshell strong enough to ensure that anything hit stays hit make the Camaro a safe car for its occupants at least.
All models boasts traction control, air conditioning and alloy wheels whilst leather upholstery and electric front seats proved to be popular options. The Coupe models come with the option of targa lift-out roof panels. Automatic gearboxes are standard fitment, with an option of a five-speed manual on the V6 and a really rather good six-speed manual on the Z28.
Expect to pay around £9,000 for the first of the 1998 S-plate Camaro 3.8-litre coupes, and another £1,500 if you hanker after the Convertible. The most popular option has been the Coupe with its lift-out targa roof, but there are a few who have been tempted by the Z28 coupe, available from £10,000 on the 1998 R-plate. Camaros are still relatively thin on the ground, so one of the twelve main dealers may be your best way of finding a decent used example.
Insurance is Group 13 for a 3.8-litre V6 Coupe, Group 14 for the Convertible and a surprisingly reasonable Group 18 for the V8-engined Z28.
Years of steady improvement have made the Camaro an unsurprisingly durable product. Yes, the Z28 engine may develop 288bhp, but such is its languid nature that for the most part youll just enjoy effortlessly surfing that swell of torque, the engine barely ticking over. Look for kerbed alloy wheels and check the condition of the steamroller tyres, but above all carefully inspect the condition of the glass fibre bodywork. If you choose a targa-roofed Coupe, check that the roof is easy to fit.
If the roof panel has been stored for some time, it can warp, especially if stood on its side and exposed to the sun. The soft-top roof is an honest, no-frills affair, but make sure that it hasnt been ripped, torn or discoloured. Most Camaros will have been treated to 100% main dealer servicing under the terms of the generous warranty, so you can afford to be as fussy. No, there arent too many Camaros around, but those that are should all be in tip-trop trim.
Negotiate a discount if all is not pretty much as it left the showroom.
(approx based on a 1999 Camaro Z28) Although youll only need to service the Camaro every 10,000 miles, this puts a premium on making sure that you use decent quality consumables. As such, expect to pay around £12 for an air filter, £15 for a fuel filter and a mere £5 for an oil filter. Spark plugs are around £8 each. With prices this reasonable, watching your rear tyres dissolve into plumes of acrid smoke may be less of a financial burden seems a bizarrely justifiable course of action.
Once again, the Camaro betrays its transatlantic bias when you get under way. A certain Europeanisation wouldnt have gone amiss as the ride is on the fidgety side, tailored no doubt for American billiard-table smooth turnpikes. As the road clears ahead, the supersized throttle pedal is slowly depressed, the prow of the car rises like a speedboat and the big V8 doesnt so much sing as bellow as the Camaro is flung forward. The effect is great fun and rather infectious.
Motorway on-ramps become a playground for the Camaro to unleash its full quota of horsepower, reaching 60 in 5.3 grin-inducing seconds. The 3.8 litre cars arent so much fun, the 193bhp engine taking 8.
5 seconds to drag the heavyweight Camaro to 60mph. Motorway off ramps are rarely such fun, however, as there lurks at the end of them an item which ties the Camaro in metaphorical knots, leaves it puzzled and embarrassed, scratching the back of its head and staring at its cowboy boots. That item is the roundabout. Whilst the Z28 Camaro is a straight 'A' student when it comes to acceleration, in the disciplines of braking and cornering its report card would read Must Try Harder. The brake pedal, while undeniably effective has a rather strange, over-servoed feel, which doesnt inspire either delicacy or confidence. Its somewhat all or nothing, hauling 1577kg of car to a standstill in a fuss-free manner. The Camaro never tackles corners with any great relish.
The old-fashioned live rear axle arrangement hops and skips slightly, the car never feeling fully at home.
Young_Warrior
(Banned)
- 2,285
menglan
Mitsubishi lancer evolution. R32GTR. Supra turbo.
Oh and a 86 bmw m3 as seen on a certain car chase by the policeman in the 350hp camaro.
Oh and plenty of cars outhandle a camaro.
MX5 RX7 R32 Evo Impreza S2000 M3 Every single AMG .
Joey D
Premium
- 47,476
- Lakes of the North, MI
- GTP_Joey
- GTP Joey
He's getting them from a British site sololy based on the thing that they think all American cars suck...hence why me and Brits rarely get along. They have some sort of God complex among them thinking they aren't better then the rest of the world.
But I rarely pay attention to Bristish car reveiws...they are fair and balanced as much as Fox News is
.
But I rarely pay attention to Bristish car reveiws...they are fair and balanced as much as Fox News is
.Young_Warrior
(Banned)
- 2,285
Value
Plenty of power for your money, but high long-term running costs and fairly heavy depreciation are predicted.
Costs
Monster engines drink fuel greedily; high insurance; depreciation is quite steep.
Reliability
A well proven design, and built to tough US standards. Basic engineering is quite simple, so there's little to go wrong.
Driving
Leans heavily in corners; its weight and rear-wheel drive urge caution; steering is over-assisted; six-speed manual gearbox is effective, though sometimes awkward.
Performance
All the power you could need from the 193 bhp 3.8 - the monstrous Z28 5.7 is rather superfluous; it's just a shame that the handling's not taut enough to take full advantage of it all.
Comfort
Lavishly specified; soft ride; spacious interior but the overall effect is let down by cheapo interior trim; optional targa-style roof on the coupe models.
Image
Overpowered, over the top, and over here. Strictly one for good ol' boys...
Safety
Solid body, twin airbags, ABS - the Americans are very safety conscious.
Security
Immobiliser but no alarm. Fit extra Thatcham-approved aftermarket kit.
Plenty of power for your money, but high long-term running costs and fairly heavy depreciation are predicted.
Costs
Monster engines drink fuel greedily; high insurance; depreciation is quite steep.
Reliability
A well proven design, and built to tough US standards. Basic engineering is quite simple, so there's little to go wrong.
Driving
Leans heavily in corners; its weight and rear-wheel drive urge caution; steering is over-assisted; six-speed manual gearbox is effective, though sometimes awkward.
Performance
All the power you could need from the 193 bhp 3.8 - the monstrous Z28 5.7 is rather superfluous; it's just a shame that the handling's not taut enough to take full advantage of it all.
Comfort
Lavishly specified; soft ride; spacious interior but the overall effect is let down by cheapo interior trim; optional targa-style roof on the coupe models.
Image
Overpowered, over the top, and over here. Strictly one for good ol' boys...
Safety
Solid body, twin airbags, ABS - the Americans are very safety conscious.
Security
Immobiliser but no alarm. Fit extra Thatcham-approved aftermarket kit.
Young_Warrior
(Banned)
- 2,285
BlazinXtremeHe's getting them from a British site sololy based on the thing that they think all American cars suck...hence why me and Brits rarely get along. They have some sort of God complex among them thinking they aren't better then the rest of the world.
But I rarely pay attention to Bristish car reveiws...they are fair and balanced as much as Fox News is
According to that then blazing us brits are exactly like you yanks. We think were better than everybody else.
1 of those reviews is actually from a american owned and run website and now I shall get some reviews from german sites.
- 4,752
- Kansas City, MO
- FlyingAGasoline
his last review says the camaro is a great car in every category except handling -gets straight A's in everything but handling -must try harder Yet Y_W says it sucks.
From the second review, the pros far outweigh the cons. I guess he hasn't learned to interpret data from an article yet.
10,000 pounds?
an M3, a supra turbo, and and R32 all cost way more than the Camaro.
Hey... I like FOX news, but I also watch CNN.
From the second review, the pros far outweigh the cons. I guess he hasn't learned to interpret data from an article yet.
10,000 pounds?
an M3, a supra turbo, and and R32 all cost way more than the Camaro.
Hey... I like FOX news, but I also watch CNN.
Joey D
Premium
- 47,476
- Lakes of the North, MI
- GTP_Joey
- GTP Joey
It's Blazin...no g, but anyways you can say what you like about America, but I find it funny you didn't try to deny that you guys think you are better then anyone else.
Anyways, most car magazines in America: Car & Driver, etc. loved the Camaro, but agreed it was time to go away or be redesigned. The GTO is better then the Camaro I must say.
Anyways, most car magazines in America: Car & Driver, etc. loved the Camaro, but agreed it was time to go away or be redesigned. The GTO is better then the Camaro I must say.
- 4,752
- Kansas City, MO
- FlyingAGasoline
Young_Warrior, you haven't given the name of the site or magazine that sourced your "article". Quite Frankly, I think you wrote the first one. I've asked several times for a site to go see the sources myself but you just go around it. Why?
