[RacerX78]

I am considering getting a SS 1LE for my daily driver/Track car. I currently drive a Subaru WRX STi that I daily and use for AutoX and HPDE trackdays. The STi is a great car handles great in all conditions and is fun everyday. But it’s not perfect, as the stock tune and pistons can have problems over time. While this is not guaranteed to happen, it’s more likely for some like me who goes wot daily and tracks the car a lot (10+ AutoX & 5+ HPDE a year). I have a warranty for 100K on the car but Subaru would be happy to void it if anything happened on the track. I can go the route of modding as people have worked out all the kinks, but I don’t know enough about tuning to make sure things stay running well.


This leads me to my question. How well would the SS, hold up to daily driving (14K Miles Annually) and track duties? I love to drive and don’t want to worry about modding, I prefer seat time. The 1LE is setup well for the track, and GM is ok with tracking them. Outside of getting extra wheels and tires for racing it’s pretty well setup for race duties. I also like to drive it no matter what the weather is outside without having to baby it. So I live in the Midwest and get plenty of rain and some snow. I’d get a set of A/S tires (I know snow tires are better in snow, but we don’t get enough of it here) for the winter, but I want to make sure it can still get out of its own way when its wet or snowy out.


I also would like to know is the LT1 a reliable/durable platform that can do 100k mi, daily and track without having problems (understanding that nothing is perfect)? Lastly is the 2SS worth getting for the backup sensors & blind sport monitoring?


TLDR;
1. Is the SS 1LE a good daily, including in the rain and winter?
2. Can it do daily driver and track duties for 60k+ miles reliably?
3. Is the 2SS worth it for blind spot & parking sensors?

[WhyUMad1LE]

The 1LE is a one year old car. Hard to say what it will be like in 60k miles because few if any have hit that mileage in a short period of time. I used to have an 06 WRX before getting the 1LE and it was better in inclement weather because of the tires and AWD. If you put tires with deeper tread on the Camaro it should be fine in the rain at least.

I don't miss the driver assistance tech because all I wanted was a backup camera. This is pretty subjective though.

[RacerX78]

I know the 1LE model itself is new, but mag ride, the LT1 and SS chassis has been out for just over a couple years now. I've not been keyed into the GM performance world to know how reliable those technologies have been.

I know overall the STi will always be better in the snow. But as long as the SS is manageable and not ice skating i'm ok.

I've test driven a 1LE already and i recognized the lack of visibility, but it didn't seem like something i couldn't workout.

[whiteboyblues2001]

1. The 1LE is great as a daily driver because of the MRC (Magnetic Ride Control), so it's not harsh at all over the bumps. There are visibility issues that some have no problem with (like me) and others do have a problem. You have to see for yourself. It also has a small trunk opening and not very useful back seats. Other than that, there are really no pitfalls to daily driving this car.

2. The reliability is a bit hard to say because it is a fairly new car. The engine (LT1) has been around for a while in the 'vette, and not many issues to speak of. The auto trans has had the shuddering issue that has been present in other GM 8-speed autos have, but the 1LE is manual only. My guess is that you will be just fine. I track (HPDE) and daily drive my non-1LE 1SS, and have had zero issues.

3. It depends on how much the visibility issue bothers you personally. For me, it's not worth it, because the visibility is fine for me. Others may not have the same opinion as me, so you may want to test drive it to see.

4 (additional answer to a question you didn't ask) If you are getting a separate set of wheels to run A/S tires, you might want to consider getting winter tires. I have the Pirelli SottoZero's. They are a high performance winter tire (not necessarily a dedicated snow tire exactly). I am in awe at how well they perform in normal dry (but cold) weather, and in the snow, they are amazing. I run these through the colder months, then just go back to my regular set-up in warmer months. There are other high performance winter tires as well, like Blizaks, so look around. Since you already have a summer tire, you might as well go with winter tires. All seasons are not great in summer or winter, they are just more convenient that switching twice a year.

[TrickracenLS3]

Originally Posted by RacerX78

I know the 1LE model itself is new, but mag ride, the LT1 and SS chassis has been out for just over a couple years now. I've not been keyed into the GM performance world to know how reliable those technologies have been.

I know overall the STi will always be better in the snow. But as long as the SS is manageable and not ice skating i'm ok.

I've test driven a 1LE already and i recognized the lack of visibility, but it didn't seem like something i couldn't workout.

Actually the 1LE is on its 2nd year. I live in Ca, so I couldnt comment on snow, but I wouldnt recommend a 455HP RWD car for it, since even in the rain its a little slippery. Visibility? Adjust your mirrors properly and you have no issues.

[RacerX78]

Originally Posted by whiteboyblues2001

1. The 1LE is great as a daily driver because of the MRC (Magnetic Ride Control), so it's not harsh at all over the bumps. There are visibility issues that some have no problem with (like me) and others do have a problem. You have to see for yourself. It also has a small trunk opening and not very useful back seats. Other than that, there are really no pitfalls to daily driving this car.

2. The reliability is a bit hard to say because it is a fairly new car. The engine (LT1) has been around for a while in the 'vette, and not many issues to speak of. The auto trans has had the shuddering issue that has been present in other GM 8-speed autos have, but the 1LE is manual only. My guess is that you will be just fine. I track (HPDE) and daily drive my non-1LE 1SS, and have had zero issues.

3. It depends on how much the visibility issue bothers you personally. For me, it's not worth it, because the visibility is fine for me. Others may not have the same opinion as me, so you may want to test drive it to see.

4 (additional answer to a question you didn't ask) If you are getting a separate set of wheels to run A/S tires, you might want to consider getting winter tires. I have the Pirelli SottoZero's. They are a high performance winter tire (not necessarily a dedicated snow tire exactly). I am in awe at how well they perform in normal dry (but cold) weather, and in the snow, they are amazing. I run these through the colder months, then just go back to my regular set-up in warmer months. There are other high performance winter tires as well, like Blizaks, so look around. Since you already have a summer tire, you might as well go with winter tires. All seasons are not great in summer or winter, they are just more convenient that switching twice a year.

I've driven one so var and while i noticed i couldn't see as much, the mirror seemed to cover most blind spots. I'm not worry about the trunk as I'd only be putting a couple bags in the back, and i don't need to put anyone in the backseat.

We don't have snow long enough on the ground to warrant snow tires. So far this year its snowed 4 time, and the streets are cleared before the afternoon. If i had snow tires they'd get worn out quickly, so thats why i wanted to get A/S with a tread warranty. So i'd switch between A/S and Summers on the stock wheels. The extra wheels would be for my race tires.

Originally Posted by TrickracenLS3

Actually the 1LE is on its 2nd year. I live in Ca, so I couldnt comment on snow, but I wouldnt recommend a 455HP RWD car for it, since even in the rain its a little slippery. Visibility? Adjust your mirrors properly and you have no issues.

I've known people from Cali and Texas that lived here and said that if it snows they don't leave the house. I've grown up here so i don't have a problem driving in heavy rain or snow.

[CPM]

The 1LE tires are a problem if the temp drops below 20; they can crack. I’m in Texas and haven’t been able to get it out of the garage many mornings because of this. Next fall I’ll probably be investing in a second set of wheels, since properly fitting the stock rear wheels with winters or all-seasons is impossible. Otherwise, I think it’s a pretty good DD, and it’s a heck of a lot of fun.

[RUQWIKR]

I know some GM engineers that had all high performance versions of the Camaro's over the last few winters. When the snow hit, they were on approved snow tires and did fine with them.

[RacerX78]

Originally Posted by CPM

The 1LE tires are a problem if the temp drops below 20; they can crack. I’m in Texas and haven’t been able to get it out of the garage many mornings because of this. Next fall I’ll probably be investing in a second set of wheels, since properly fitting the stock rear wheels with winters or all-seasons is impossible. Otherwise, I think it’s a pretty good DD, and it’s a heck of a lot of fun.

That is the plan, get a set of A/S tires for the winter.

Originally Posted by RUQWIKR

I know some GM engineers that had all high performance versions of the Camaro's over the last few winters. When the snow hit, they were on approved snow tires and did fine with them.

Thats good to hear, lord knows that Detroit roads are not the best especially in the winter.

[garfin]

Originally Posted by whiteboyblues2001

4 (additional answer to a question you didn't ask) If you are getting a separate set of wheels to run A/S tires, you might want to consider getting winter tires. I have the Pirelli SottoZero's. They are a high performance winter tire (not necessarily a dedicated snow tire exactly). I am in awe at how well they perform in normal dry (but cold) weather, and in the snow, they are amazing. I run these through the colder months, then just go back to my regular set-up in warmer months. There are other high performance winter tires as well, like Blizaks, so look around. Since you already have a summer tire, you might as well go with winter tires. All seasons are not great in summer or winter, they are just more convenient that switching twice a year.

Another vote here for the Sottos. I run them during the winter on my 2010 CTS-V and the best feature of the tire is that you lose virtually nothing in terms of handling/performance on wet or dry pavement as well as on ice. They also work very well in moderate snow, but not as well as the Blizzaks do in the deeper stuff. Unfortunately, driving with Blizzaks in conditions that the Sottos excel in is a waste of your car's performance in comparison.

Best regards,

Elie

[JamesNoBrakes]

Originally Posted by RacerX78

3. Is the 2SS worth it for blind spot & parking sensors?

No. But for the heated steering wheel? Hell-yes.


I'm becoming an expert driving this thing in the snow. In short, it sucks, of course i knew it would. I have compacted snow and ice in the neighborhood, but the city streets go between this and periods of being clear when they can plow enough and scrape up the ice. We have long periods where it's just compacted snow and ice. The front wheels traction and braking isn't bad, but pretty much no matter how slight you think you can be with the throttle, you are going to throw the rear end out, or it will just refuse to go anywhere if it's a slight incline. I have winter tires and next winter I may throw two studded rear tires on it just for fun to see what it does, but even then I won't be planning on taking it out much, just a little bit to stretch it's legs in the winter like now. Yes, the traction control and stability control is very good, but on ice and snow the car sucks. You can put 300lbs of sandbags in the trunk and go studded tires, that's about what it'd take to make it somewhat acceptable in my estimation (I only have about 150lbs in there right now). Mostly, I have the winter tires on there for the times when it hasn't snowed in a while and the roads are mostly-clear. We are pretty much dead smack in the snowiest time of the year now, it didn't really snow this winter until mid Feb and now it's much more frequent. More than anything else, that keeps me off the roads.

[JamesNoBrakes]

Originally Posted by TrickracenLS3

Visibility? Adjust your mirrors properly and you have no issues.

That's fairly misleading, while you can see one-lane over in your blind-spot, you don't see what is happening around you to a much larger extent and as such, you lack more situational awareness when driving the camaro. I totally agree, adjust your SIDE mirrors CORRECTLY (so as to not show the rear of your vehicle), but that doesn't solve the visibility issues. The high sills, small rear window, lack of any visibility past the B pillar, fact that the mirrors are small and only show a "tunnel" within their range, all mean that you may not see that semi truck a few car lengths back in another lane, or that delivery truck over there, or that minivan, etc. It's the stuff you don't plan for that gets you, all of a sudden a deer jumps out in front of you, or a rock falls from the hillside or is just in the middle of the road coming around a turn, now for whatever reason, you have to swerve fast and maybe brake or accel, do you know what's around you and if you can actually do this? There's no time to "check" first, but you don't want to be creating a worse situation either. That's where the lack of visibility will get you, not in what you can "plan" for, like lane-changes, overtaking, etc., but in the unplanned stuff.

It's the price we pay for the looks, driving position, etc. People make a bigger deal about it than it needs to be, as if the perfect sports-car is an econo-box or something with upright seating, but the visibility is an issue and it's important to realize what you are getting into. Humans aren't perfect machines and they make errors, something that lacks visibility in this case will make you more prone to those errors, so it's something to be aware of.

[RacerX78]

Originally Posted by JamesNoBrakes

No. But for the heated steering wheel? Hell-yes.


I'm becoming an expert driving this thing in the snow. In short, it sucks, of course i knew it would. I have compacted snow and ice in the neighborhood, but the city streets go between this and periods of being clear when they can plow enough and scrape up the ice. We have long periods where it's just compacted snow and ice. The front wheels traction and braking isn't bad, but pretty much no matter how slight you think you can be with the throttle, you are going to throw the rear end out, or it will just refuse to go anywhere if it's a slight incline. I have winter tires and next winter I may throw two studded rear tires on it just for fun to see what it does, but even then I won't be planning on taking it out much, just a little bit to stretch it's legs in the winter like now. Yes, the traction control and stability control is very good, but on ice and snow the car sucks. You can put 300lbs of sandbags in the trunk and go studded tires, that's about what it'd take to make it somewhat acceptable in my estimation (I only have about 150lbs in there right now). Mostly, I have the winter tires on there for the times when it hasn't snowed in a while and the roads are mostly-clear. We are pretty much dead smack in the snowiest time of the year now, it didn't really snow this winter until mid Feb and now it's much more frequent. More than anything else, that keeps me off the roads.

The desicision is 2SS and not PDR or 1SS with PDR. I think i'd like to have PDR more than i'd like to have heated seats.

In the winter i get excited when it actually snows because i can go have fun. As that is a rarity here that i can do it, i'll be fine not driving the SS during snow storms. I'll plan on running 275/35 A/S during the winter, so i can still take it out when the roads are cleared.

Originally Posted by JamesNoBrakes

That's fairly misleading, while you can see one-lane over in your blind-spot, you don't see what is happening around you to a much larger extent and as such, you lack more situational awareness when driving the camaro. I totally agree, adjust your SIDE mirrors CORRECTLY (so as to not show the rear of your vehicle), but that doesn't solve the visibility issues. The high sills, small rear window, lack of any visibility past the B pillar, fact that the mirrors are small and only show a "tunnel" within their range, all mean that you may not see that semi truck a few car lengths back in another lane, or that delivery truck over there, or that minivan, etc. It's the stuff you don't plan for that gets you, all of a sudden a deer jumps out in front of you, or a rock falls from the hillside or is just in the middle of the road coming around a turn, now for whatever reason, you have to swerve fast and maybe brake or accel, do you know what's around you and if you can actually do this? There's no time to "check" first, but you don't want to be creating a worse situation either. That's where the lack of visibility will get you, not in what you can "plan" for, like lane-changes, overtaking, etc., but in the unplanned stuff.

It's the price we pay for the looks, driving position, etc. People make a bigger deal about it than it needs to be, as if the perfect sports-car is an econo-box or something with upright seating, but the visibility is an issue and it's important to realize what you are getting into. Humans aren't perfect machines and they make errors, something that lacks visibility in this case will make you more prone to those errors, so it's something to be aware of.

I may go test drive the 1le here locally again for a little bit longer, to reaffirm I'm comfortable with the visibility. I'm pretty obsessive about my driving so I'm always paying attention to whats going on around me.

[USAFS197]

For some level of perspective, I went from a 2016 2SS to a 2018 1SS 1LE. Some of the amenities are very nice on the 2SS but frankly, since the 2018 cars have Apple CarPlay and likely Android Auto, I don't miss many of the features that are lost on having a 1SS. On top of that, the 1LE has heads up display, as well. Essentially, you lose dual climate control, fancy interior lights, home link buttons, heated and cooled seats, heated steering wheel and auto adjusting mirrors.

Given that perspective, I don't miss any of that whatsoever given the sheer performance of the 1LE.