[Gen6cyl]

I had a 02 v6 manual. It was less than 2 years old and 20 k miles when I got it for $13k.The 3800 was the best thing about the car imo. I had good grunt and would top out at 125 mph . I traded it less in than a year . Third gear syncros failed. GM called me after trading ,said they would replace the transmission.The gen 6 is much better, especially build quality.

[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by Evergreen6

I keep seeing this thread, which is why I keep replying.

I had a V6 Camaro in college, a long time ago. It was a '97 with the 3800, 5-speed manual. I got it when I was 17 years old, car was a couple years old at the time, had about 40k miles on it. I thought it was pretty cool...had dark tinted windows, and a Flowmaster exhaust. Man those 3800's were raspy...lol.

I was lucky to have such a car. But, I always wished I had a V8, those were the cars I really admired. Parents said absolutely not, even with my own money. The incremental cost of a V8 car wouldn't have broken the bank. Even though I enjoyed it and look back on the car with fond memories, I don't really cherish the fact that it was a sensible choice, not very fast. Not long after I graduated school and started pulling in a paycheck did I go out and buy a lightly used LS1 Z28. Black, t-tops, black leather. I was in 7th heaven. My folks paid my insurance while I was in school, and that day was my last day on their policy! They said, you're on your own, kid. I did the right thing though and always kept it well-insured. Never got myself in trouble with it.

That's all to say, if you can't get what you really want... maybe wait. V6 Camaros (and turbo 4's) are good cars, good engines.

But they're not an SS car. I do like the LT1 models, but they're also...not an SS.

^^^ OP, this post from Evergreen6 sums up very well the spirit (not the exact situation) of why I traded my V6 for a V8 and never looked back. Think it through, and it's your decision at the end of the day, of course.

[len125]

camaro V6 auto 10 speed thats what you get...that works...with gas, insurance, its durable, dependable, and driveable......thats what you get dont listen to anyone else

[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by len125

camaro V6 auto 10 speed thats what you get...that works...with gas, insurance, its durable, dependable, and driveable......thats what you get dont listen to anyone else

[1939 Ford]

Think I might go V6 then, it's cheaper so I can get maxed out interior easy, and lower miles, plus a few people here and you said it's reliable and easy to maintain. I'll prob do the automatic and get one that had the shudder fixed early on. I wanna go V8 but I'll prob wait until I work full time after college

Thank you for amazing help

[Jc9767]

For under $20k you can get a C6 Corvette.
https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/7...-921a5e5c0597/
V8 and usually cheaper insurance. Very reliable powertrain. Just my 2 cents.

[SuperSnake1972]

Get a 2SS w/ A10, matching paint and calipers, sunroof, NPP exhaust, front splitter,magnaride,1LE rear spoiler,navigation,NO 1LE option ! Recaro's suck IMO.

[The Maverick]

V6 fan here, ever since my first "8 hour test drive" in a sixth gen rental car. A short way into my trip I pulled over just to pop the hood because I had to see what was in there, and I was amazed to find a naturally aspirated V6!

I have over 60K LT miles combined between two V6 sixth gens, primarily as daily drivers. Like you, I also have a vintage V8 Ford in my stable. I also have some limited experience with the sixth gen V8 as a basis for comparison, having rented a 2019 SS for a two-day road trip.

The V8 in the sixth gen is certainly exhilarating, but the V6 gets the job done and offers more than enough spirited performance for a daily driver. The only thing I feel like I am missing is the V8 exhaust note - but if you want a louder exhaust from the V6, the factory NPP cranks the volume knob up (and offers some adjustability). The lighter V6 also has a noticeably more nimble feel, which I realized after my SS drive. I like the upgrades of the RS package (although the general recommendation is to ditch the factory runflats).

My first sixth gen had the A8 but my 2SS rental experience convinced me that I had to upgrade from my 1LT to a 3LT with the A10. The extra features, particularly the wide-angle rear view mirror, are must-haves for daily driver convenience. It is heresy to say around here, but I do not miss the performance of the SS - it was fun for a weekend, but overkill for my daily driver needs. The V6 holds its own against factory V8's of yesteryear. 335hp on regular gas suits me just fine!

Now if someone wanted to give me a ZL1 (and garage space), as a weekend fun car, I wouldn't say no. But I'd still keep the 3LT as my daily. The sixth gen, in any trim, is an amazing car - it convinced this life-long Ford fan to buy my first GM vehicle!

[Anjilslaire]

Perfectly said, Maverick

[CalgaryZL1]

Originally Posted by The Maverick

V6 fan here, ever since my first "8 hour test drive" in a sixth gen rental car. A short way into my trip I pulled over just to pop the hood because I had to see what was in there, and I was amazed to find a naturally aspirated V6!

I have over 60K LT miles combined between two V6 sixth gens, primarily as daily drivers. Like you, I also have a vintage V8 Ford in my stable. I also have some limited experience with the sixth gen V8 as a basis for comparison, having rented a 2019 SS for a two-day road trip.

The V8 in the sixth gen is certainly exhilarating, but the V6 gets the job done and offers more than enough spirited performance for a daily driver. The only thing I feel like I am missing is the V8 exhaust note - but if you want a louder exhaust from the V6, the factory NPP cranks the volume knob up (and offers some adjustability). The lighter V6 also has a noticeably more nimble feel, which I realized after my SS drive. I like the upgrades of the RS package (although the general recommendation is to ditch the factory runflats).

My first sixth gen had the A8 but my 2SS rental experience convinced me that I had to upgrade from my 1LT to a 3LT with the A10. The extra features, particularly the wide-angle rear view mirror, are must-haves for daily driver convenience. It is heresy to say around here, but I do not miss the performance of the SS - it was fun for a weekend, but overkill for my daily driver needs. The V6 holds its own against factory V8's of yesteryear. 335hp on regular gas suits me just fine!

Now if someone wanted to give me a ZL1 (and garage space), as a weekend fun car, I wouldn't say no. But I'd still keep the 3LT as my daily. The sixth gen, in any trim, is an amazing car - it convinced this life-long Ford fan to buy my first GM vehicle!

And take that V6 on some spirited mountain roads, you will have no issues with nose heavy weight with all the power you need in the turns and straightaways

[DevilsReject97]

Originally Posted by 1939 Ford

I'm looking up upgrade from my first car daily driver soon, and been super interested looking at the 6th gen camaros. I work part time but make decent income for my age while going to school but that's paid for by my family, I'm looking at used automatics with 80-100K miles from around 2016-2018 but don't know if I should get the V6 RS or V8SS. I already have a weekend V8 1939Ford with an LS1 engine, so it's not as fast as the SS but is fun to drive.

I'm still saving my downpayment and plan to put around 40-50% down for the car but still just don't know if I want the V6 or V8 and just worried about reliability overall. Any answers or recommendations would be appreciated thank you

So I am actually going to come at this from a different angle, and that is I think you need to start with the cost of your insurance. Based on your post, I am assuming you're either a 16-18 year old or just started in college. This age group is generally a very high risk group for insurance when it comes to cars like the Camaro/Mustang/Corvette/etc... Now, things like which state you live in, more than one vehicle insured, or just being on someone else's policy can all change those rates certainly. However, this can be a large expense and could actually alter what you are able to pay monthly for the car. As someone who was hurt by this when I was younger, I just wanted to put this out there.

With that said, if that isn't an issue or something you have already factored in, then my advice would be to actually consider looking at a manual trans Camaro with your choice of V6/V8. Going with the manual transmission car eliminates AFM as problem and it's a great thought that you think about this. The V6 has plenty of power for a daily commuter/spirited driving/small track work. You can generally find these cheaper than a V8, and usually they tend to be more loaded.

The V8 on the other hand, is in my opinion, more fun. Mainly this comes down to the rumbling V8, the exhaust note, and of course, the tire spinning. Sure, you can do similar in a V6 and I've seen several awesome ones out there. It's really going to come down to what you can afford overall.

Something I would possibly consider too is looking at a 5th Gen Camaro as well. While they are a little heavier, and older of course, those parts are all available pretty much anywhere and generally going to be easier to do repairs yourself. Also, the cars are just cheaper right now compared to many of the used 6th Gens.

[CalgaryZL1]

Originally Posted by DevilsReject97

So I am actually going to come at this from a different angle, and that is I think you need to start with the cost of your insurance. Based on your post, I am assuming you're either a 16-18 year old or just started in college. This age group is generally a very high risk group for insurance when it comes to cars like the Camaro/Mustang/Corvette/etc... Now, things like which state you live in, more than one vehicle insured, or just being on someone else's policy can all change those rates certainly. However, this can be a large expense and could actually alter what you are able to pay monthly for the car. As someone who was hurt by this when I was younger, I just wanted to put this out there.

With that said, if that isn't an issue or something you have already factored in, then my advice would be to actually consider looking at a manual trans Camaro with your choice of V6/V8. Going with the manual transmission car eliminates AFM as problem and it's a great thought that you think about this. The V6 has plenty of power for a daily commuter/spirited driving/small track work. You can generally find these cheaper than a V8, and usually they tend to be more loaded.

The V8 on the other hand, is in my opinion, more fun. Mainly this comes down to the rumbling V8, the exhaust note, and of course, the tire spinning. Sure, you can do similar in a V6 and I've seen several awesome ones out there. It's really going to come down to what you can afford overall.

Something I would possibly consider too is looking at a 5th Gen Camaro as well. While they are a little heavier, and older of course, those parts are all available pretty much anywhere and generally going to be easier to do repairs yourself. Also, the cars are just cheaper right now compared to many of the used 6th Gens.

Very good points, also I do miss my GEN5

[speedyink1]

I'm going to echo that regardless of which one you get, you're getting a nice car. My neighbor down the road has the 4 cyl, and she loves it. Clearly people here love the V6. I love my SS. Clearly people love their ZL1s.

Get whichever one you can afford and makes sense to you. You will be happy with it.

[Gen6cyl]

Get whichever one you can afford and makes sense to you. You will be happy with it.[/QUOTE]
Great answer. I have driven the 4,6 and the lt1 all manual. All of them were very desirable to me. I got the one that was best for me.