Hey everyone!
Well, as it says on my bio, I don’t have a car at the moment, but things seem to be getting a bit better! I will probably get a job by late January and should be able to afford a Camaro by May (since I have a little bit saved up from before) Before I created this account I was set on a Camaro LS, after spending many days here I now MUST have a SS!
Just a little about me so you guys know where I am at. I am 22, started driving at 18 and have around 20,000 miles of experience. I am not someone that drives fast; I have been told I drive like a grandma. I rarely go above the speed limit and I rarely accelerate hard when the light turns green. Aside from a different exhaust, I probably will leave it stock. Some might ask “why a V8?”, but I just fell in love with the sound
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My previous car was a manual FWD 2002 Volkswagen Golf 2.0 with a measly 115HP :(. I had it for a little over two years. So a SS will definitely be a BIG change for me, so I have a few questions and hope I can get some feedback!
Question #1. I did some quick calculations where I compared the gas usage (100% city and 100% highway) of the Golf, V6 Camaro and the V8 Camaro.
I took 780 miles, divided it by 16 miles/gallon and then multiplied it by $4 a gallon and got the answer. Did I do the math correct? If so, gas should be not be a problem for either scenario
Scenario. 4$/Gal. 780 miles.
Golf 21/28 = $148.57/$111.43
Camaro V6 17/28 = $183.53/$111.43
Camaro V8 16/24 = $195.00/$130.00
Scenario 2. 4$/Gal. 415 miles.
Golf 21/28 = $79.050/$59.29
Camaro V6 17/28 = $97.650/$59.29
Camaro V8 16/24 = $103.75/$69.17
Question #2. Now, as you guys know, I come from a car with 115HP so the SS with 426HP is a HUGE difference to me. So “with great power comes great responsibility” :p
These are some of the "craziest" things I did with the Golf, is it possible to do them with a Camaro without losing control?
1. Downshift and accelerate to pass a car.
2. At times, I could turn on curves at a slightly above average speed without losing grip or control.
3. Accelerate from a dead stop with flowing traffic to match their speed
What things should I be precautions of with that much HP and Torque and a RWD? Additionally, I do live in a place where it is usually raining.
Question #3. If I do get the SS it will probably end up being used, so more than likely it won’t come with any warranty. I have been looking at prices and I can afford a 2010/11. I have tried to review problems and I found the following:
1. Timing chain is weak and might need to be changed
2. Clutch has problems
3. Paint (sucks, but not concerned much)
As I said before, I won’t be racing, so I won’t be forcing the motor too much and will probably drive less than 6,000 miles a year. The problems that concerns me the most are the first two since they are expensive to fix (for me)
Should I be worried about them?
Do the first models have any other issues I should be aware of?
Also, is there a VIN number I should steer away from?
Question #4. This is more of a financing question.
I don’t have any credit history, so the Camaro will be the start of it and I am also expecting a high interest rate. (my dad might cosign)
At the most, I am planning to get a car under $28,000 and be able to give a $10,000 down payment.
Is it smart to give the down payment all at once, or just a partial down payment and extra payments throughout the months?
As far as I know, these are all the questions I have (for now at least :p) Thank you all who help me out! I know it’s a semi long read but I like to research a bit before I buy.