New member- converted from Challenger

[Cyberfan]

Hi: Just found this forum and joined.

My daily driver is an 02 Trans Am Firehawk (Camaro motor and drivetrain- Firebird body)that I ordered new. It now has over 80,000 miles on it and 2009 might be the year to pull the trigger on a new Camaro.

As an old hot-rodder, I was sold on the new Challenger until recently- great looking car with a nice retro look. But then the General announced the new Camaro and so I compared the 2 cars, and the Camaro wins on almost all fronts:

1. A 422 horse SS Camaro is almost $10,000 LESS than the 425 horse Dodge SRT-8; (I am cheap, so that is important).

2. The Camaro is several hundred pounds LIGHTER than the Dodge; That should make it faster and better on gas- the SRT-8 Challenger is TERRIBLE on mileage;

3. The 6 speed is STANDARD on the Camaro, but an extra cost option on the Dodge;

4. The Camaro has several interior colors available- only gray on the Dodge;

5. Last but not least, CYBER GREY METALLIC is available on the Camaro!!

The only thing I really like better on the Dodge is the looks of the instrument cluster.

I think I want a Cyber Gray 1SS with just polished wheels and Boston speakers. Maybe the optional shifter. No stripes. I will not race or modify the car. This will just be a fun car to take to work and back.

I think I want the beige interior. But I couldn't find a picture of it, even after a search. I am not too wild about the 2 tone seat look, but would like something other than black for a change. Does the beige mean the whole seat or just the inserts with darker bolsters? Anybody got a link to a beige interior picture?

Anyhow, glad to be in the Forum, and I hope to learn a lot before I pull the trigger on one next year.

[TaylorRyanSS]

Originally Posted by Cyberfan

Hi: Just found this forum and joined.

My daily driver is an 02 Trans Am Firehawk (Camaro motor and drivetrain- Firebird body)that I ordered new, It now has over 80,000 miles on it and 2009 might be the year to pull the trigger on a new Camaro.

As an old hot-rodder, I was sold on the new Challenger until recently- great looking car with a nice retro look. But then the General announced the new Camaro and so I compared the 2 cars, and the Camaro wins on almost all fronts:

1. A 422 horse SS Camaro is almost $10,000 LESS than the 425 horse Dodge SRT-8; (I am cheap, so that is important).

2. The Camaro is several hundred pounds LIGHTER than the Dodge; That should make it faster and better on gas- the SRT-8 Challenger is TERRIBLE on mileage;

3. The 6 speed is STANDARD on the Camaro, but an extra cost option on the Dodge;

4. The Camaro has several interior colors available- only gray on the Dodge;

5. Last but not least, CYBER GREY METALLIC is available on the Camaro!!

The only thing I really like better on the Dodge is the looks of the instrument cluster.

I think I want a Cyber Gray 1SS with just polished wheels and Boston speakers. Maybe the optional shifter. No stripes. I will not race or modify the car. This will just be a fun car to take to work and back.

I think I want the beige interior. But I couldn't find a picture of it, even after a search. I am not too wild about the 2 tone seat look, but would like somnething other than black for a change. Does the beige mean the whole seat or just the inserts with darker bolsters? Anybody got a link to a beige interior picture?

Anyhow, glad to be in the Forum, and I hope to learn a lot before I pull the trigger on one next year.

Welcome

here is a link with the beige cloth

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10696

[Sizzox]

Well congrats my friend and welcome to a wonderful forum.

[Cyberfan]

Thanks. May have to see it in person- I like that better than the 2 tone seats on the Corvettes.

Can anybody tell me where you can get more BANG for the BUCK than a new SS? Seems like horsepower on sale to me!!

[GTAHVIT]

Welcome to the site!

[Camaro Lives On]

HOORAY!! Welcome to the Camaro5 family!

[carman]

Originally Posted by Cyberfan

Hi: Just found this forum and joined.

My daily driver is an 02 Trans Am Firehawk (Camaro motor and drivetrain- Firebird body)that I ordered new. It now has over 80,000 miles on it and 2009 might be the year to pull the trigger on a new Camaro.

As an old hot-rodder, I was sold on the new Challenger until recently- great looking car with a nice retro look. But then the General announced the new Camaro and so I compared the 2 cars, and the Camaro wins on almost all fronts:

1. A 422 horse SS Camaro is almost $10,000 LESS than the 425 horse Dodge SRT-8; (I am cheap, so that is important).

2. The Camaro is several hundred pounds LIGHTER than the Dodge; That should make it faster and better on gas- the SRT-8 Challenger is TERRIBLE on mileage;

3. The 6 speed is STANDARD on the Camaro, but an extra cost option on the Dodge;

4. The Camaro has several interior colors available- only gray on the Dodge;

5. Last but not least, CYBER GREY METALLIC is available on the Camaro!!

The only thing I really like better on the Dodge is the looks of the instrument cluster.

I think I want a Cyber Gray 1SS with just polished wheels and Boston speakers. Maybe the optional shifter. No stripes. I will not race or modify the car. This will just be a fun car to take to work and back.

I think I want the beige interior. But I couldn't find a picture of it, even after a search. I am not too wild about the 2 tone seat look, but would like something other than black for a change. Does the beige mean the whole seat or just the inserts with darker bolsters? Anybody got a link to a beige interior picture?

Anyhow, glad to be in the Forum, and I hope to learn a lot before I pull the trigger on one next year.

Agree 100% with your comparison comments, especially the instrument cluster.

Is it clear at this point that the SS sp will not get a GG tax?

[Cyberfan]

I use Kelly Blue Book to research cars with prices and options. If you look up 08 Challenger SRT-8, it shows MSRP of $37,995 with no options, plus a $2,163 gas guzzler tax. If you then look at the 09 Challenger SRT-8, MSRP is $39.995, but it has "N/A" for GG tax. I thought the cars were about the same unless the law has changed, which I doubt. There is a GG tax showing for the 09 Viper.

Looking up the SS Camaro on KBB, a bare bones 1SS one is $30,995 MSRP with zero options, and it doesn't have a place for the GG tax.

So based on that, it looks like no tax, but that's all I am going on. I do know that the SS is better on gas than the SRT-8, which makes sense as it weighs less.

[NAHURRY]

Welcome neighbor.

[Rodrunner]

Originally Posted by carman

Agree 100% with your comparison comments, especially the instrument cluster.

Is it clear at this point that the SS sp will not get a GG tax?

The 2008 vehicles subject to the gas guzzler tax are listed here http://www.epa.gov/fueleconomy/guzzler/index.htm in a PDF file. It clearly shows the Challenger SRT8 which has EPA ratings of 13mpg city and 18mpg highway as having a "Combined MPG" of 19.1....certainly not the average of 13 & 18, but rather it is "the rounded combined mpg value adjusted using the test procedure credit equation," which is an equation that accounts for the fact that bigger cars are less efficient. A car's "Combined MPG" has to be above the 22.5mpg tax threshold to incur the tax.

The automatic SS with a highway rating of 23mpg, and a "Combined MPG" even higher, certainly won't be taxed. The manual, I've read here, also won't get the tax, but I've seen no proof of that.

[DGthe3]

We have a couple of converts on here. Welcome!

Oh, and as for the GG tax, I think Scott said that they won't release the Camaro until it avoids the tax. Or words to that effect.

[Supermans]

Welcome to the sight. You are getting the exact same car as I am..I ordered a 1SS Cyber grey with the BA upgrade and polished wheels... I ordered the black interior just to be safe even though I like the two tone beige, however the beige looks too white colored for my taste..A grey interior with cyber grey might be just too much grey perhaps.. So black it is..

[BLSJDS]

I looked at a Challenger today (not an SRT8) and was impressed with the looks of the car and the interior. That said, there is no way I would pony up the extra cash for that car. Like the OP stated, the Camaro SS has it beat on all fronts and I can't WAIT to get my hands on one .

[MAROobsession]

my dad and i took a nice red G8 GT out for a test drive, and while getting of the highway a challenger R/T was driving in front of us giving it some gas trying to pull away on the off-ramp. Compared to us in the IRS G8 and his live rear axle he couldn't take the off ramp nearly as fast or confident.
After driving the G8 i really cant wait for the lighter more powerful camaro