Gen 5, maintaining engine through the years?

[jiggadeeholmes]

So,

I've been pricing out some customizations for my 2011 2SS Camaro. It's sitting on 51,000 miles(daily driver). Sitting here now my plan is to just keep it, mod it the way I want(strictly cosmetic, 426HP is plenty for me) and probably stick it in the garage someday as a weekend/drive to work occasionally vehicle.

However, as I'm getting ready to start putting money into it, I'm wondering how realistic the goal of keeping it for life will be? Mechanically speaking--when the engine screws up on me what's kind of money do rebuilds or replacements run? Any other types of things that go bad that will need replaced? It's an automatic, just FYI.

It will probably be a daily driver for at least another 4 years, so when I'm ready to buy a 'dad mobile', the mileage will probably be in the 100-120,000 range.

[Gunmetal Speedster]

Good news for you is that 51,000 is still relatively low. And you'll be happy to know that our cars are quite reliable as is, there are quite a few who have hit and went beyond the 120,000 mark so far. I'm not too familiar with the L99 engine (L99 is automatic, LS3 being manual. Your L99 is rated for 400HP, only the manual is 426! Just an fyi) I know some people state that lifters are your biggest downfall on the auto, coupled with AFM/DoD, which can be tuned out if you're familiar with that.

Here is a thread that was recently created asking what common problems are with the L99 platform: http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=494503. Maybe read through it and see what some recommend.

Note that the last post in that thread a member states he is sitting at 129,000 and it doing alright. So I think you should be good! Just take good car of her and she will take good care of you!

[jiggadeeholmes]

Originally Posted by Gunmetal Speedster

Good news for you is that 51,000 is still relatively low. And you'll be happy to know that our cars are quite reliable as is, there are quite a few who have hit and went beyond the 120,000 mark so far. I'm not too familiar with the L99 engine (L99 is automatic, LS3 being manual. Your L99 is rated for 400HP, only the manual is 426! Just an fyi) I know some people state that lifters are your biggest downfall on the auto, coupled with AFM/DoD, which can be tuned out if you're familiar with that.

Here is a thread that was recently created asking what common problems are with the L99 platform: http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=494503. Maybe read through it and see what some recommend.

Note that the last post in that thread a member states he is sitting at 129,000 and it doing alright. So I think you should be good! Just take good car of her and she will take good care of you!

Oh, never knew the difference between the two. haha Once again, thank you. You're like a C5 super hero. I'll definitely read through that post.

[STUNNAH]

IMO...I don't think keeping the car for the rest of your life is unrealistic...As long as you maintain the scheduled maintenance and continue to operate it as you currently do chances or that you may never have a major failure...However, as long as you're using it as a DD I wouldn't invest a great amount of money toward appearance until I was closer to the point of putting it into semi retirement...

[Gunmetal Speedster]

Originally Posted by jiggadeeholmes

Oh, never knew the difference between the two. haha Once again, thank you. You're like a C5 super hero. I'll definitely read through that post.

Thanks mate The site isn't that active at night so being on 3rd shift I'm usually one of the first to respond. Give it a bit, more will chip in haha!

Originally Posted by STUNNAH

IMO...I don't think keeping the car for the rest of your life is unrealistic...As long as you maintain the scheduled maintenance and continue to operate it as you currently do chances or that you may never have a major failure...However, as long as you're using it as a DD I wouldn't invest a great amount of money toward appearance until I was closer to the point of putting it into semi retirement...

I tend to agree, but then again mine is a daily driver for the time being with 75k and I just dropped a cam in it and the next few mods are all cosmetic so I'd be a hypocrite to tell him not to

[jiggadeeholmes]

Originally Posted by STUNNAH

IMO...I don't think keeping the car for the rest of your life is unrealistic...As long as you maintain the scheduled maintenance and continue to operate it as you currently do chances or that you may never have a major failure...However, as long as you're using it as a DD I wouldn't invest a great amount of money toward appearance until I was closer to the point of putting it into semi retirement...

I do an oil change and have them 'once over' it within a few hundred miles of the sticker from the last oil change, depending on when I notice it/have time to get it done. Is there anything else you might suggest?

Unfortunately I come from conservative parents who always drove routine mom/dad vehicles until they were paid off then bought new ones before they incurred any issues. So outside of oil changes, I have zero knowledge of automotive things. haha

[jiggadeeholmes]

Originally Posted by Gunmetal Speedster

Thanks mate The site isn't that active at night so being on 3rd shift I'm usually one of the first to respond. Give it a bit, more will chip in haha!


I tend to agree, but then again mine is a daily driver for the time being with 75k and I just dropped a cam in it and the next few mods are all cosmetic so I'd be a hypocrite to tell him not to

Oh man, I majorly feel you there. 3rd shift here as well.

My mod list really isn't that major. Exhaust change and doing a rim change to get rid of the staggered tires when my back tires wear out.

Outside of that I'm just planning on switching out the hood, changing the spoiler and having the stripes redone. All of that together will only be around $5,000 but the hood, etc. won't be for a while anyway--had my first kid last summer so my 'gun/car' money isn't what it used to be. haha

[Gunmetal Speedster]

Originally Posted by jiggadeeholmes

I do an oil change and have them 'once over' it within a few hundred miles of the sticker from the last oil change, depending on when I notice it/have time to get it done. Is there anything else you might suggest?

Unfortunately I come from conservative parents who always drove routine mom/dad vehicles until they were paid off then bought new ones before they incurred any issues. So outside of oil changes, I have zero knowledge of automotive things. haha

Oil change every 3-5k depending on what you use. Usually 3k for regular or 5k if it's full synthetic. Some change it sooner, others later. I believe the transmission fluid is due for changing at 50k miles so you just passed that. Any idea if it was done? I believe the rear gear oil gets changed at every 50k as well. If you have the owners manual it should have a list of recommended service changes! That's the best way to be sure you're staying up to date. If not, you can probably download one online haha.

[jiggadeeholmes]

Originally Posted by Gunmetal Speedster

Oil change every 3-5k depending on what you use. Usually 3k for regular or 5k if it's full synthetic. Some change it sooner, others later. I believe the transmission fluid is due for changing at 50k miles so you just passed that. Any idea if it was done? I believe the rear gear oil gets changed at every 50k as well. If you have the owners manual it should have a list of recommended service changes! That's the best way to be sure you're staying up to date. If not, you can probably download one online haha.

You're 100% right, I never even knew transmission and differential fluid were a thing. I have an oil change coming up in about 1,000 miles, going to get them all done then.

[Rock-It Man]

If you look at the service intervals in the manual, you will see that Transmission fluid only needs to be changed at 50,000 if you drive it hard.

5,000 for Mobil 1 is overkill by more than a factor of 2. Probably, you just need to change the oil once a year if you drive 12,000 or less. The oil life monitor will still be at 20% by then, probably.

You are getting close to the time limit on anti-freeze.

In my experience with modern cars, the engine is the last thing to go. Electronics are a worse problem, and are difficult to diagnose and fix. Eventually all those little black boxes will become unavailable, too. I was just reading about a guy with a 1999 Ferrari with an airbag light on. He can't get it inspected and the control box is unavailable.

I suspect that lifetime cars are a thing of the past. If I wanted a lifetime car, I would consider a bolt-off restored car from 1968-1972.

[myold88]

Originally Posted by Rock-It Man

If you look at the service intervals in the manual, you will see that Transmission fluid only needs to be changed at 50,000 if you drive it hard.

5,000 for Mobil 1 is overkill by more than a factor of 2. Probably, you just need to change the oil once a year if you drive 12,000 or less. The oil life monitor will still be at 20% by then, probably.

You are getting close to the time limit on anti-freeze.

In my experience with modern cars, the engine is the last thing to go. Electronics are a worse problem, and are difficult to diagnose and fix. Eventually all those little black boxes will become unavailable, too. I was just reading about a guy with a 1999 Ferrari with an airbag light on. He can't get it inspected and the control box is unavailable.



I suspect that lifetime cars are a thing of the past. If I wanted a lifetime car, I would consider a bolt-off restored car from 1968-1972.

I agree. All the newer computerized cars will become difficult to repair as they
age. I just did my 12th oil change in 8 years and 47,000 miles, but the engine
will not be the problem down the road. It will be the electronics. Everyone is
comparing these cars to the 60's-70's nuts & bolts Camaros.
It will not be the case imo.

[christianchevell]

6500-7000 cost of a complete intake to pan crate engine ls3-99, you may want to down the line remove the AFM lifters and replace them with regular lifters and delete it along with a good tune and a ls3 intake valley pan. over time things to look for; anti freeze does pit out aluminum from being overly acidic so its best to make anti freeze last only so long and there are litmus tests for it. When pulling the heads to replace the lifters its the time to look at cleaning the engine up and replacing the springs for a nice fresh set and you should be good to go IMO until the bores and rings wear out way down the line, and if you do not have a oil catch can yet....

[WoodBoss]

If you are really going to keep it I would look for a cheap beater car for now and start garaging it more. In 20 years it would be nice to have your car with 60k or 70k compared to 150k miles.

[5thGenOwner]

Originally Posted by jiggadeeholmes

You're 100% right, I never even knew transmission and differential fluid were a thing. I have an oil change coming up in about 1,000 miles, going to get them all done then.

I believe it is actually the '60,000 mile maintenance', as I just had my 60k maintenance done, which included flushing and replacing all of the fluids.

Mine's a city Camaro, and will never see insane odometer #s, but this LS engine (L99 included) is a beast of a motor, if well maintained. Things break, stuff happens, and they don't build anything like they used to... but I'm pretty sure I'll make it to my next 60k maintenance (8 years), and then some.