Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums - Camaro5.com
 
Roto-Fab
Go Back   Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums - Camaro5.com > General Camaro Forums > 5th Gen Camaro SS LS LT General Discussions


Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 08-16-2009, 01:24 AM   #1
Doc
Dances With Mustangs
 
Doc's Avatar
 
Drives: 2010 1SS/RS MT
Join Date: May 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 3,819
Getting Antsy

I've been fine the whole time. When I ordered my car back in May, I knew it was going to be months and I've been patient; haven't felt any worked up emotion or anything. Until....I called the UPRR tracking system yesterday and found out my car will be in the rail yard 10 miles from my house...today. All of a sudden I'm getting antsy.

Last night I actually dreamed of having it in the garage and cleaning it in great detail. Stupid thing is, it's not like I haven't bought new cars before or really nice performance cars either. I've had 3 brand new Trans Ams, a sweet little Miata, and my current car which is a beautiful blue RX8 I've had for 6 years. And that doesn't count the SUV's, commuter cars, and whatever else I've bought new over the past several decades. So it's not like this is my first new car.

And yet...there's something about THIS car that has brought out a feeling in me like I haven't felt since high school. I've got all my paperwork ready; I ordered a washing/detailing kit which is sitting in the garage ready for this car. I spend hours reading through Camaro5. I couldn't tell you what's happening in the news because I don't watch TV much at all anymore; I'd rather read this forum and look at pictures of what others are doing/have done with their Camaros. Am I crazy? I'm too old for a mid-life crisis....no literally. I've always loved cars; still do. Doesn't seem to matter what age I am my heart still skips a beat when I see a gorgeous car.

Tonight I took the old RX8 out to get it washed for the last time. Took some snaps with my cellphone. I've always had a hard time trading in or selling any car I've owned because I get attached to them in a way; they're like friends kind of, or maybe like a good horse that's carried you through the many miles and years. The RX8 has been and still is a beautiful car; handles like a dream, great interior, fun to drive...just not enough power.

My 6 year old 8 still sparkles like the day I bought it. I treat cars with respect and I've found if you do, good ones will take care of you. If it's a lemon that's another story, but I wash them, take care of them, keep them in good shape.

I know when I hand the keys over at the dealer I'll feel that familiar tightening in my chest the way I always do when I say goodbye to a car I've owned but I'll have to just turn away and not look back.

Lots of thoughts going through my head as I look forward to getting my car finally after all this time. This is the first American car I've bought since 1988. The last car was a 1988 Trans Am GTA that was great when it ran; which wasn't very often. It had so many problems it wasn't funny and the dealer sucked. They'd keep it all day, claim to have "tested" it and after they didn't call like they said they would, I'd call at around 5:00 pm before they closed and they'd say "oh yeah, it's ready". I'd go to pick it up, the paperwork would say nothing was wrong, couldn't duplicate the problem. I'd drag whoever's butt out I could find, show them the problem I'd brought it in for, they'd go "oh" and tell me to bring it back.

At the one year mark I had it in again for warranty work and they tried to charge me for it, claiming the car was out of warranty. I'd bought the 6 year extended warranty which showed on my contract (I'd leased it) but they claimed I didn't have a warranty and wouldn't let me pick up the car. A friend had taken me there so I had to go back, get the contract and bring it back and show them. I'd paid $1,000 for it. They go in their files and come back out with a TYPED contract (my original was handwritten) that showed i had NOT purchased an extended warranty; price hadn't changed though. And my signature is supposedly on the bottom of this "other" contract. My paperwork also showed that I'd leased it EXACTLY one year ago to the day so it was still covered by the factory 12 month warranty; it was the last day. They were none too happy about that but they had to release the car to me and cover the repair.

I of course immediately contacted the lease company which had that same bogus contract. I sent them a photocopy of my original contract and they refused to do anything about it. So I told them they'd breached the contract. I specifically had purchased the extended warranty to cover the entire time of the lease and now this "problem" car had no coverage? I told them to pick the car up and I was cancelling the lease due to breach of contract. We went round and round a few times with the legal types and all but in the end they lost. My original was signed by everybody and held as the original legal document. I was going to go after the dealer but they filed bankruptcy and went out of business. I had no difficulty understanding why; what a bunch of crooks.

That was my last experience with American cars and dealers and I swore I'd never buy American cars again. I've bought Japanese ever since. My experience with Japanese cars has been great; well designed, well built, reliable and works as advertised. The Mazda RX8 has been fun but a bit different; the first rotary engine car I've ever owned or driven. They have their quirks but you adjust to them. It's been a good car.

There's something about the Camaro that's hard to define. It was love at first sight the moment I saw an ad for one on TV when they first came out. And the first time I saw one? It looked even better than it did on TV which was unusual; car makers usually try to make their cars look "bigger than life" in their TV ads. The Camaro looked breath-taking in the TV ad, it WAS breath-taking in person. Then my best friend in high school got a 1967 SS 350. It had the hideaway headlghts...it was fast...and we put a ridiculous amount of miles on it cruising around, street drags at the local hangouts, hamburger stands, etc. all back in the days when you parked and walked up to a counter. No drive throughs, no "eat inside". A hamburger stand was just that; you stand to eat or sit in your car like everybody did...parked backed in so you could see "the action". Every item on Taco Bell's menu was 19¢; take your pick. Police were cool in those days; if they pulled you over for racing, they'd either give you a warning, "break it up" so everybody had to leave, or maybe give you a ticket. Guys were cool; you knew when to race and where.

Then I got my own Camaro; a 1969 Rally Sport 327. More great times. I have a lot of good memories associated with Camaros.

Maybe that's why I'm so excited about getting this car; it brings back memories of a very different America. I honestly never thought I'd see the likes of this car come out of an American car company again. No disrespect but for me they stopped making Camaros in 1973. When they began those huge "safety" bumpers and all that politically correct stuff, that's when the Camaro became a prisoner of war; the war against America and what it was to be American. The war is still going on so it's incredible to see the Camaro break free from it's POW days and ring the liberty bell once again. A REAL American car; a real American MUSCLE car... like the old days only better, stronger, faster.

This may very well be my last car. If I'd known then what I know now, I'd have hung onto so much of what we at the time just took for granted. I'm excited for this new Camaro like I haven't been for an American car in a long, long time.

I'm sure there will be a lot of you younger people that won't understand a lot of what I've posted here and that's a shame; I wish you'd gotten to see and experience the America I did when I was growing up. It had it's flaws for sure, but it was a better place then. More freedom. Common sense was in fact, "common". Don't take this Camaro for granted; don't take the freedom to drive it, gas it up when you want, modify it how you like....don't take that for granted because you don't know what the future may bring.

Well, this has certainly turned out to be a much longer post than I had intended!! lol. But I can't sleep, can't shut down. Can't stop thinking about my car just a few miles away. You have no idea (or maybe some of you do) how good it feels to feel like this about a car again, and not just any car, but an American car...and not just any American car, but a CAMARO.
__________________

Blue Angel is here!!
1SS/RS LS3 M6 IBM

Last edited by Doc; 08-16-2009 at 01:34 AM. Reason: spelling correction
Doc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2009, 07:36 AM   #2
jpack
 
Drives: 2005 F150 for sale!!!
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Orlando Fl.
Posts: 56
Nice story & good luck with the car...
jpack is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2009, 08:11 AM   #3
rickerda
 
rickerda's Avatar
 
Drives: 2010 Camaro 2LT RS
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Chester VA
Posts: 513
Change a few details and that could be my story
rickerda is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2009, 08:15 AM   #4
bdstealth

 
bdstealth's Avatar
 
Drives: 2SS/RS White/blk int.M6,GFX
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Central New York
Posts: 822
I grew up in the 70's,I wouldn't change a minute of it.
bdstealth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2009, 08:30 AM   #5
BabyBee2010
 
BabyBee2010's Avatar
 
Drives: 2011 Rally Yellow 2LT/RS
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 105
Loved your story !! Please come back and let us know when you get it.
__________________
2LT/Rally Yellow/Black Leather/Sunroof/Automatic VIN 4711 Bought 5-9-09--Totalled 6-21-11

2LT RS/Rally Yellow/Black Leather/Sunroof/Automatic
Bought 7-29-11

BabyBee2010 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2009, 08:31 AM   #6
Sir Nuke
Master of All Things
 
Sir Nuke's Avatar
 
Drives: '20 Corvette Stingray
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Southeast of Houston, Texas
Posts: 22,292
and are I will assume you camping next to in in the rail yard and supervising every move.......I know I would if I could, Congrats, the wait is about over, and the adventure begins.
__________________

Last edited by Sir Nuke; 08-16-2009 at 10:33 AM.
Sir Nuke is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2009, 08:50 AM   #7
Doc
Dances With Mustangs
 
Doc's Avatar
 
Drives: 2010 1SS/RS MT
Join Date: May 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 3,819
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Nuke View Post
and are I will ass7ume you camping next to in in the rail yard and supervising every move.......I know I would if I could, Congrats, the wait is about over, and the adventure begins.
Lol I'm not quite that fanatical, although I did email and call my dealership and told them to NOT touch the car once it gets there; I'll do my own prep hehehe.

The adventure began last year I think when I first discovered this forum and started following it. Even though I didn't make my first post until May when I ordered my car, I've been reading this forum for about a year.

I'm hoping I can get it tomorrow; everybody that needs to be there isn't there this weekend at my dealer. It's no wonder American car dealers are struggling if they take weekends off; who ever heard of a retail business that takes weekends off!? lol
__________________

Blue Angel is here!!
1SS/RS LS3 M6 IBM
Doc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2009, 09:40 AM   #8
CloudXTC

 
Drives: 1LT|RS|SIM|M6|BA Stereo
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Brampton, Ontario
Posts: 1,838
congrats and the best of luck with your new car
__________________

1LT | RS | M6 | SIM | BA Stereo
1000 - [07-23-2009] Order Made at dealer
1100 - [08-04-2009] Preliminary order accepted
2000 - [08-25-2009] Accepted by GM
3000 - [09-01-2009] Accepted by production control TPW = 10-05-2009
3300 - [09-28-2009] Scheduled for production
3400 - [10-01-2009] Broadcast - Being Built
3800 - [10-13-2009] Produced - Built- VIN 2G1xxx54917
4200 - [10-19-2009] Shipped
5000 - [10-19-2009] Delivered to the dealer
6000 - [10-20-2009] Delivered to the customer

CloudXTC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2009, 10:38 AM   #9
Sir Nuke
Master of All Things
 
Sir Nuke's Avatar
 
Drives: '20 Corvette Stingray
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Southeast of Houston, Texas
Posts: 22,292
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doc View Post
It's no wonder American car dealers are struggling if they take weekends off; who ever heard of a retail business that takes weekends off!? lol
ESPECIALLY a car dealer.......I would bet money that MOST deals are made on weekends, when MOST of us are off work, IF I owned a dealership, and couldn't be open 7 days a week, the days off would be in the middle of the week and we would be open saturdays and sundays.
__________________
Sir Nuke is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2009, 12:16 PM   #10
mutant chicken
Mutant Member
 
mutant chicken's Avatar
 
Drives: '10 SS/RS, '10 Mini , 07 Harley
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Nor-Cal
Posts: 507
Great story ! I'm there with you, not quite as old but same feeling. My first car was a '67 Firebird and all my friends were driving similar cars, '69 Charger, nova, Torino, etc. No two cars the same. We were all able to cruise the main street of our town, hot rod our cars, find that back country road... , hang out at the local drive in ( yes there were still a couple left then).

It makes me sick to see that it's all about doing doughnuts in residential neighborhoods, street racing, and seeing how many thousands of watts of audio/tv/video games you can fit into your car now. Too bad.

We're all with you on the wait, we ordered ours last Oct. and had to wait until the end of June to take delivery, the wait seemed endless...... just think, you are almost there !
__________________
Ordered Oct. 13th, Del. Jun. 29th! CGM, 2SS/RS

mutant chicken is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2009, 02:21 AM   #11
Doc
Dances With Mustangs
 
Doc's Avatar
 
Drives: 2010 1SS/RS MT
Join Date: May 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 3,819
Well tonight my beautiful Imperial Blue Metallic SS Camaro is sitting in my garage.

I'm still kind of in shock that it's actually here. After all the months of waiting, reading, tracking production status, getting excited to see an actual VIN, downloading and studying my window sticker, etc. Today I was called by my dealer and I went down and picked it up.

I said goodbye to my RX8 and drove home in my new Camaro. I had intended to follow a special performance break-in procedure that requires you follow it for the first 20 miles of the life of the car, but I was forever robbed of that by some fine soul at the dealer who decided they had the right to put 39 miles on my car before I picked it up. The car arrived at the rail yard Saturday and I picked it up this afternoon on Monday so I'm guessing sometime on Sunday this asshat whoever he was had a good time driving around with my car.

This is the process I had intended to follow but I'll never get to do it now because it has to be done in the first 20 miles:

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

My only hope is the "asshat" who I'm sure thought he was being real slick by borrowing my car, MAY have done me a favor and driven it hard the first 20 miles anyways. I won't know until I dyno it.

That was the only negative of the experience today. The car was dirty as I had left strict instructions to NOT wash it or wipe it down. I did my own prep following the procedure detailed in the following post:

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26594

I had bought their detail kit and that part went well; after clay barring the surface the car shone like a mirror. I'd never used a clay bar before and I could not only feel it pulling stuff off the paint, I could actually hear it picking stuff up. Using the microfiber cloth to dry it that came with the kit, it was like drying glass the surface was so smooth.

The car is SO NICE!!! It's deceptively quick too; I would have sworn I was doing about 35 and I looked at the speedo and I was doing 51. It doesn't feel as fast as it is.

I know people have said they can't hear the exhaust but I thought it sounded pretty good; even with the windows rolled up.

The interior is just beautiful. The two-tone grey cloth looks really sharp and the ribbed texture of the cloth on the seats looks really classy. The dash looks pretty neat at night; has a kind of futuristic retro look, like something the designers back then would have thought looked futuristic.

The car is big; definitely bigger than my RX8 was but it doesn't handle awkwardly like you'd expect. For all the world it feels like I'm driving a machine version of a big jungle cat; big, lithe, muscular, fast when necessary, effortless graceful movement, powerful.

It has a familiar feel; the view out the back is so reminiscent of my old 69 RS 327 I had way back when. I had the mirrors adjusted in no time and old habits for the right rear quarter view came right back.

After I pulled it in the garage I just stood and stared at it for awhile; still hasn't completely sunk in that the wait is over and it's actually here!!! hehehe

Reading the forum, waiting.... had kind of become a way of life lol. Now I get to begin my project...it's HERE!!!!!
__________________

Blue Angel is here!!
1SS/RS LS3 M6 IBM
Doc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2009, 02:59 AM   #12
JewelZ
Just Lovin' My Camaro!
 
JewelZ's Avatar
 
Drives: CGM 2LT/RS/AUTO
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: san antonio, tx
Posts: 1,325
Loved your story and yes I am a young'n at age 22 but have been a muscle car enthusiast since I could reach the pedal from the edge of the seat in my dad's cars. Ford GT90 was my first love which I collected many models of, building them all from ground up for days and days as a hobby. But, I know what America is and I know what America is about and I feel ya(from hearing grandpa's stories ofcourse). My car is here about 22 miles from my house as well. I can't sleep, I can't eat, and I can't concentrate or speak of anything else but my car. I bet I will be one of the few who have cry when they get in their car for the first time. It has been the best and worst 18 weeks for me. I think this is the one of the biggest things that has ever happened to me in the 22.5 years of my life and this car will be my treasure and I will be poppin a u-turn in my life. I will be able to function normally again and may actually attend to normal life instead of sitting on this beautiful forum day and night. Enjoy your car and I hope it never fails you in anyway.
__________________
CGM( GRAY 2 tone interior ) 2LT/RS/AUTO

NJHKKM $29,965.00 1EH37 1100 03/28/2009 AFF, B34, DCP, FE9, GBV, LLT, MX0, SGC, UQA, WRS, 2LT

50 YEARS FROM NOW, DON'T YOU WANNA BE ABLE TO LOOK BACK AND SAY YOU HAD THE GUTS TO GET INTO THE CAR!?!?

ORDER STATUS : 6000 as of 08.18.2009. VIN# 33,985!!! His name is 'GOLIATH'!!!

GOT MY CAR!!!! AND I LOVE IT!!!!
JewelZ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2009, 10:15 AM   #13
Doc
Dances With Mustangs
 
Doc's Avatar
 
Drives: 2010 1SS/RS MT
Join Date: May 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 3,819
Quote:
Originally Posted by JewelZ View Post
Loved your story and yes I am a young'n at age 22 but have been a muscle car enthusiast since I could reach the pedal from the edge of the seat in my dad's cars. Ford GT90 was my first love which I collected many models of, building them all from ground up for days and days as a hobby. But, I know what America is and I know what America is about and I feel ya(from hearing grandpa's stories ofcourse). My car is here about 22 miles from my house as well. I can't sleep, I can't eat, and I can't concentrate or speak of anything else but my car. I bet I will be one of the few who have cry when they get in their car for the first time. It has been the best and worst 18 weeks for me. I think this is the one of the biggest things that has ever happened to me in the 22.5 years of my life and this car will be my treasure and I will be poppin a u-turn in my life. I will be able to function normally again and may actually attend to normal life instead of sitting on this beautiful forum day and night. Enjoy your car and I hope it never fails you in anyway.
Thanks! and grats on your car; you're going to love it. Take good care of it. I know a classic when I see and drive one and this car is it. It has that "feel" of being more than just a new car; there's something special about it and you can feel it when you look at it and drive it.

American cars in the early to mid 60's had a boxy look; they were still smothered in chrome and some still had that big fins zoomy spaceship look that was the trendy style of the late 50's. The 63 vette was the first to break that look but they were expensive. The Mustang tried but still had a kind of rectangle/boxy look. The Camaro hit the scene like a thunderclap. They look kind of boxy now, especially compared to the new one, but back then it was fast and racy looking. People looked at a Mustang when they first appeared; they STARED at the Camaro. The Mustang was out first, but the Camaro stole the show when it appeared.

This new one has that same "feel" to it. Over 40 years later those first Camaros are prize cars and still look great. And restored and fixed up they sell for 30x what they originally sold for. Keep your car in shape and hang onto it, it will be a lifetime friend and good investment.
__________________

Blue Angel is here!!
1SS/RS LS3 M6 IBM
Doc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2009, 12:21 PM   #14
ClaymoreZ28
 
ClaymoreZ28's Avatar
 
Drives: 2010 2SS/RS IOM Camaro
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Cary, North Carolina USA
Posts: 480
Brilliant thread Doc

You summed up a huge amount of what makes this car special.

Hope you have many, many years of joy with your new SS
__________________
SSMAUG - IOM 2SS/RS/6M
Breathing Fire since October 8th 2009 !
ClaymoreZ28 is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply

Tags
kool-aid

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
8/3 TPW Check In rudack Camaro Price | Ordering | Tracking | Dealers Discussions 976 09-07-2009 10:34 PM


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:32 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.