Buying a new Camaro V8

Buying a new Camaro V8

Author
Discussion

MuscleSaloon

1,550 posts

175 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
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The dual-mode exhaust comes with magnetic ride control on the Euro / UK cars. Not sure if that is the same as US spec cars ?

Camelot1971

Original Poster:

2,699 posts

166 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
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MuscleSaloon said:
The dual-mode exhaust comes with magnetic ride control on the Euro / UK cars. Not sure if that is the same as US spec cars ?
2 separate options on US cars, unless you add the 1LE pack, which has both as part of that. My "perfect" spec car is coming out around $54k list price (not sure what deals are on offer in the US market). That's about £43k (not including taxes). Edited to add the same car via Canada is £37.5k + taxes

Top spec UK cars are priced at around £45k for the coupe, but it's the 2018 car. I'm not ready to buy for 14 months, so I doubt there will be any UK official cars at that point anyway.

Edited by Camelot1971 on Wednesday 3rd July 21:20

MuscleSaloon

1,550 posts

175 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
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300bhp/ton said:
MuscleSaloon said:
The S550 is light years ahead to own and drive though.
Don't know about light years. And arguably has lost a little of the character. I do like them and don't mind the looks myself. But the S197 certainly looked better IMO.
Getting out of my '13 GT and into the '17 the leap feels vast. Predictably a lot of that is down to the independent rear suspension, but obviously there's more to it than that alone. Ford did great things to get the live axle cars as good as they did but really the S197 could have moved things on earlier had it gained IRS from the start.

MuscleSaloon

1,550 posts

175 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
quotequote all
Camelot1971 said:
I'm not ready to buy for 14 months, so I doubt there will be any UK official cars at that point anyway.
Just don't leave it too long ….

https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1123780_7th-ge...

https://en.businesstimes.cn/articles/114520/201907...


irocfan

40,439 posts

190 months

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

190 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
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MuscleSaloon said:
Getting out of my '13 GT and into the '17 the leap feels vast. Predictably a lot of that is down to the independent rear suspension, but obviously there's more to it than that alone. Ford did great things to get the live axle cars as good as they did but really the S197 could have moved things on earlier had it gained IRS from the start.
Not wanting to derail the thread. But I struggle to see the live axle vs IRS really being that big of a deal. I've never really driven a live axle performance car and thought if only it was IRS.

irocfan

40,439 posts

190 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
quotequote all
300bhp/ton said:
MuscleSaloon said:
Getting out of my '13 GT and into the '17 the leap feels vast. Predictably a lot of that is down to the independent rear suspension, but obviously there's more to it than that alone. Ford did great things to get the live axle cars as good as they did but really the S197 could have moved things on earlier had it gained IRS from the start.
Not wanting to derail the thread. But I struggle to see the live axle vs IRS really being that big of a deal. I've never really driven a live axle performance car and thought if only it was IRS.
You're correct WRT the live/IRS issue - however the interior of the S550 is also streets ahead

Camelot1971

Original Poster:

2,699 posts

166 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
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MuscleSaloon said:
I guess the world is changing and V8 muscle cars will soon be consigned to the history books. It's a shame, because the press love the Camaro (V8 at least) but a good car doesn't always translate to a car that sells well.

This is why I want to buy when my current lease runs out, and then keep it forever. Probably won't get another chance to enjoy a glorious V8 frown

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

190 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
quotequote all
Camelot1971 said:
I guess the world is changing and V8 muscle cars will soon be consigned to the history books. It's a shame, because the press love the Camaro (V8 at least) but a good car doesn't always translate to a car that sells well.

This is why I want to buy when my current lease runs out, and then keep it forever. Probably won't get another chance to enjoy a glorious V8 frown
I guess car sales numbers are hard to really quantify though. Or least in how a car is deemed as selling well or not.

For instance GM sold 51,000 Camaro's in the 2018 in the USA and 68,000 the year before.

By comparison BMW only sold 45,000 3 Series in the USA in 2018 and 59,000 the year before.

On this basis I'd have thought the Camaro is a good seller.


The Mustang has historically outsold the Camaro, and this seems true; 76,000 for 2018 and 82,000 the year before. But even so, the Camaro's numbers still don't look bad to me.

To give some levity to these figures. In the USA for 2017 Jaguar only sold 39,500 vehicles in total across all of their range.

Jaffa123

3 posts

58 months

Friday 5th July 2019
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Zed Ed said:
Quite tempted by a V8 Camaro.

Any U.K. drivers care to comment on lhd practicalities of this car given the restricted rear three quarters vision.

Thinking slip roads and the like.
We have a V8 5th Gen and it can be an issue. Joining roads from slip roads can be a challenge as can overtaking. The vision is dire but TBH its so much fun you just learn ways of navigating around the issues. Oh and dont do drive throughs as its just that bit wide to not get a bit angsty and car parks where you have to take a ticket require one of those disability grabbers but tbh we tend to loud them.
The car is an immense amount of fun and every bit worth the trade offs.
Other points
: you can get 4 adults in one albeit getting in is an adventure it is NOT skirt/ dignity friendly
: allow double the time to du fuel as every man and their dog wants to chat about it, but lets face it we dont buy these cars to be discreet.
Buy it and have fun :-)

irocfan

40,439 posts

190 months

Friday 5th July 2019
quotequote all
Jaffa123 said:
We have a V8 5th Gen and it can be an issue. Joining roads from slip roads can be a challenge as can overtaking. The vision is dire but TBH its so much fun you just learn ways of navigating around the issues. Oh and dont do drive throughs as its just that bit wide to not get a bit angsty and car parks where you have to take a ticket require one of those disability grabbers but tbh we tend to loud them.
The car is an immense amount of fun and every bit worth the trade offs.
Other points
: you can get 4 adults in one albeit getting in is an adventure it is NOT skirt/ dignity friendly
: allow double the time to du fuel as every man and their dog wants to chat about it, but lets face it we dont buy these cars to be discreet.
Buy it and have fun :-)
fair assessment

Camelot1971

Original Poster:

2,699 posts

166 months

Friday 5th July 2019
quotequote all
Jaffa123 said:
Zed Ed said:
Quite tempted by a V8 Camaro.

Any U.K. drivers care to comment on lhd practicalities of this car given the restricted rear three quarters vision.

Thinking slip roads and the like.
We have a V8 5th Gen and it can be an issue. Joining roads from slip roads can be a challenge as can overtaking. The vision is dire but TBH its so much fun you just learn ways of navigating around the issues. Oh and dont do drive throughs as its just that bit wide to not get a bit angsty and car parks where you have to take a ticket require one of those disability grabbers but tbh we tend to loud them.
The car is an immense amount of fun and every bit worth the trade offs.
Other points
: you can get 4 adults in one albeit getting in is an adventure it is NOT skirt/ dignity friendly
: allow double the time to du fuel as every man and their dog wants to chat about it, but lets face it we dont buy these cars to be discreet.
Buy it and have fun :-)
biggrin

M3ax

1,291 posts

212 months

Friday 5th July 2019
quotequote all
How much are they in the UK? Sorry if that’s been answered but the search function has disappeared on the mobile PH thingy smile

Camelot1971

Original Poster:

2,699 posts

166 months

Friday 5th July 2019
quotequote all
M3ax said:
How much are they in the UK? Sorry if that’s been answered but the search function has disappeared on the mobile PH thingy smile
A new one is around £40k - £45k, depending on spec. Convertibles are about £5k more.

Zed Ed

1,106 posts

183 months

Friday 5th July 2019
quotequote all
Jaffa123 said:
We have a V8 5th Gen and it can be an issue. Joining roads from slip roads can be a challenge as can overtaking. The vision is dire but TBH its so much fun you just learn ways of navigating around the issues. Oh and dont do drive throughs as its just that bit wide to not get a bit angsty and car parks where you have to take a ticket require one of those disability grabbers but tbh we tend to loud them.
The car is an immense amount of fun and every bit worth the trade offs.
Other points
: you can get 4 adults in one albeit getting in is an adventure it is NOT skirt/ dignity friendly
: allow double the time to du fuel as every man and their dog wants to chat about it, but lets face it we dont buy these cars to be discreet.
Buy it and have fun :-)
I thought as much.

Checked out a video of a cold start in track mode earlier. Awesome engine.


M3ax

1,291 posts

212 months

Friday 5th July 2019
quotequote all
Camelot1971 said:
M3ax said:
How much are they in the UK? Sorry if that’s been answered but the search function has disappeared on the mobile PH thingy smile
A new one is around £40k - £45k, depending on spec. Convertibles are about £5k more.
Thanks. I can feel a plan hatching smile

irocfan

40,439 posts

190 months

Friday 5th July 2019
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2016+ are possibly more 'sports car like'
2010 - 2015 are more muscle car

Gary H 2008

3,507 posts

189 months

Saturday 6th July 2019
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I agree with the Chevvy 'triple threat' tag line - It's incredible on track (7.16 and 7.29 ZL1/ZL1 1LE respectively) around the 'ring, holds it own on a drag strip (0-60 in 3.4 and 1/4 mile in around 11.4 on standard tyres(ZL1)) and incredibly composed on the road.
The Gen 5 does look considerably more old school, however the game's moved on and and I think the Gen 6 (especially in ZL1 form) is a muscle car for today and sadly, probably the last of it's type we'll see.

that's why I've bought one.

bobchevy

275 posts

183 months

Monday 8th July 2019
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Having recently exchanged my Gen6 Camaro for a Grand Sport Corvette at Ian Allan I can say that the Camaro is very good value for money as the Corvette at double the price is not twice the car ! .
But the Corvette has the wow factor for me, the Camaro is a very capable car and I believe Ian Allen could possibly do a deal on some of there stock as all have to be registered before September.
I did have the auto gearbox issue on my car but it was sorted under warranty in fact a friend has just bought a manual Gen 6 because of the possible issues
The mirrors do have blind spot warnings and that really helps with LHD, visibility is poor but you adapt quickly and it was never really a big problem I thought.

If you are waiting until next year I guess a few trade in's will still be around with some warranty left, my car is still on there site when I last looked.
In fact three Camaros have recently been purchased from Ian Allen to friends in the East Midlands area together with two Corvettes so the deals are out there.

Good luck finding your Camaro.


I

Edited by bobchevy on Monday 8th July 21:58

Zed Ed

1,106 posts

183 months

Tuesday 9th July 2019
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The manual box seems to do ok in the reviews I have read, but for some reason the auto box appears to suit the car quite well.