Sat in Camaro today, some disappointment

[JaysonAych]

Originally Posted by Skyman 08

I know I said I was through but I have one more comment...
I have owned 2 Saturn Skys since March 2006.. And you know something, I didn't notice until yesterday the top of the dash was HARD plastic... It looks soft to me and I never thought one time of pushing on it of knocking on it.. the only time I have touched it before was to wipe the dust off of it...and there was always a soft cloth between my hand and the dash... Oh the hood over the guages is soft....does that make it nicer? nope...

Hard or soft, it does not matter to me, if I like the way it looks and there are no rattles or squeeks that is all that matters to me....

The look of the plastic can make up for whether it's hard or soft. In the Saturn Sky, it definitely looks good despite the hardness. It's very difficult to tell what it has unless you actually touch it.

But the Camaro's hard plastic looks like hard plastic. And I think that's where some of the complaints come from...it does look hard and cheap, especially in the door panels. A little bit of soft touch material can go a long way toward making the panels and dash look better.

[Supermans]

Originally Posted by fbodfather

Yes -- in fact we did --

What makes this car tricky to design, engineer, and build:

>How do you make a car that enthuses the Customer Base - AND -- (lemme say that once again ..) AND..........

.............appeal to a wider audience -- some of which are BMW/Acura/ owners????

One last thought about I.P. finish.............


Some of these cars will be owned for years and years - - I don't believe that anyone thought that the 1969 Camaro would become the classic it has.........

Interior finishes MUST last -- they MUST look good twenty/thirty years from now......

People buying Accords and Camrys-- and arguably Malibus and Impalas aren't thinking in those terms.....

Camaro owners ARE!

Think about it.....



I DO know this -- while we may disagree, I believe 99% of the people on this site want the Camaro to be the best ever - world class -- and something that everyone can be proud of..........

........and I can guarantee you that "Team Camaro" at General Motors feels just as strongly - if not more strongly - than that!

TODAY IS A GREAT DAY!!!!

MARCH 16, 2009-- THE REBIRTH!


(.....AHH......the sound of Camaros roaring to life can once more be experienced......)

*eyes leaking*

Roaring camaro's of the world unite To reach the final destination of all its buyers homes...

[Jason@JacFab]

Originally Posted by fbodfather

Some of these cars will be owned for years and years - - I don't believe that anyone thought that the 1969 Camaro would become the classic it has.........

Interior finishes MUST last -- they MUST look good twenty/thirty years from now......

People buying Accords and Camrys-- and arguably Malibus and Impalas aren't thinking in those terms.....

Camaro owners ARE!

Think about it.....

Not to be rude, but if that were the case, wouldn't you have thought the same thing with the reincarnation of the GTO? Having been dead for 25+ years, wouldn't you think that people would want to hold onto their new GTO's? Why such amazing interior in the GTO? Do all of the Holden cars have great interior?

I'm sure most people will retalliate that the GTO was a big flop, but you have it admit it was/is a quality car!

[GTAHVIT]

There is going to be a ton of converation today.

Please everyone. keep the threads On Topic. if you 'd like to switch topics, quote the post you want to respond to and start a new thread in the appropriate section.

Thanks!

[greenrail]

I for one am not going to dismiss the Camaro if there are some minor points that don't suit my tastes.

I also am not going to flame anyone who at least is sticking with a North American Bred performance automobile (Mustang, Challenger, or Camaro).

It will all boil down to individual tastes, lifestyles and needs.

To me, I am incredibly thankful that Chevrolet, Dodge, and Ford, have seen fit to bring to market uniquely top quality machines designed to fit a wide array of tastes.

Quite frankly, I am pretty much a GM Booster. I love the Camaro (which is why I own two right now).

I would also say, that I would be proud to have any one of these three vehicles in my Garage (Challenger SRT8, Shelby GT500 or Camaro 2SS)(Space Lmited of course). It boils down to putting my money into the North American economy. That's my number one priority.

Either way, I have placed my order for a 2SS, and am waiting patiently for the call from my dealer.

[ArcAngel]

I am not dismissing it either and will not be getting another car besides the camaro contrary to poular belief

[Cyberstyx]

I 'm no fan of either GM, Ford or whatever.

I saw the new Camaro in the Transformers movie a few years ago and GASPed. 58th movie minute rockz.

All I could do is read this forum on a daily basis since Jan 2008, search for videos and read the occasional Chevy email I got. And that 's a year+ you know.

I still have to w8 until Nov 2009 for the Internation Motor Show in Athens to even have a CHANCE at looking at the beast up close and personnal, and I don't know if the car will be even present there (it was in Paris, I don't think it was in Geneva a few days ago).

2010 will prolly be the year the car will be available in Europe, and that 's a whole additional year of surfing this forum and watching other ppls videos reving up their cars and accelerating into hyperspace.

So let me see now... it 's prolly even an understatement to say that I 'm half of a fan of the new Camaro compared to most you, you have already bought your dream car or sat in it at your local dealer/motor show, AND YOU ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT SOME SILLY THING THAT COULD HAVE LOOKED OR FELT BETTER???

I think you deserve a car with 16" wheels, 2lt "turbo" engine that requires your credit card to be inserted in order to keep up with the gas consumption and not a 95%+ true Camaro concept car...

I 'm off to watch a few more rev and acceleration clips before I go to bed, and I 'll sleep with a wide smile in my face thinking about that "gas cap on the wrong side" lol

[jag107]

No vanity mirror light? Dang! If my chick tried applying makeup while I'm driving, she'd end up looking like a demented clown anyways, so the light is useless to me. Happy Camaro Day everybody!!!!!!!!!

[1GTEC]

Originally Posted by bobby35ny

I will return to the show tomorrow for a second look and sad to say I will spend some time in the SRT-8.

The same things are concerning to me too. I don't want to drop near $35K for a cheap interior.

[Redwolf20]

Originally Posted by 1GTEC

The same things are concerning to me too. I don't want to drop near $35K for a cheap interior.

Camaro isn't for everybody. Hope you find what suits you.

[jakemaxx]

Originally Posted by bobby35ny

While you read this you must know I bleed Chevy blue, however I refuse to drink the fanboy koolaid.

My past cars that I've owned:
1969 Z-28 DZ motor etc.
1970 1/2 Camaro RS
1970 Chevelle SS
1972 Chevelle SS
1983/84 Camaro Z-28 305-ho LOL!!

After those years I felt the Camaro's got bloated and sticker graphic busy. However some of the motors ran like raped apes...


Fast forward to the past 2 yrs. I wanted a muscle car. To me there are only 2 to choose from, the Chally and the Camaro. The Mustang just felt like a tin box when I drove it. Still being a Chevy blue guy all my life I could not bring myself to buy a Chally when the Camaro was coming out a year later.

So I waited.......Pre-order program started and I ordered just like the rest of us. We went by pictures and looking at the car from a distance at the shows.

Until today I only had 2 gripes with the Camaro, and gripes from pictures.

1-Gas filler on the wrong side of the car.
2-Black wire loom in the trunk.

TODAY was the BIG day!! I left the wife and kids at home so I can have peace and quiet so I can soak up all the Camaro juices...Sitting in the car brought back the good old days. There are TONS of positives about the car that we all know and agree on but there are some things that SCREAM "CHEAP" about the Interior.

Remember, I bleed Chevy blue and I will call a spade a spade. I thank the God above for my family, health and good fortune thoughout my life. I'm blessed and done well. I know the value of a buck and if I wanted a vette I would have bought one. To me 38K is alot of money. Don't tell me, "oh hey the car is cheap, its only 38K".

Today, after I sat in the car at the Ft.Lauderdale show I have 3 more gripes.

1-The ip is hard plastic, not like the cushion dash like most other cars today like the Malibu.

2-What were they thinking......If you are sitting in the passenger seat and want to let the person in the back seat out, its a 2 step operation. Even the colbalt has a 1 step slide. Make matters worse, the passenger seat is half power, only power is recline. Don't tell me the back seat is only for show, if its only show why put it there? It has a back seat and I want to use it otherwise I'd buy a Vette.

3-No light for vanity mirrors.

This car costs 38K, how much did Chevy really save by the above cost cutting measures?
Bean counters say if we save a dime here times 80,000 cars thats alot of profit. but guess what, you can cut costs TOO MUCH and there will be no volume...:(

I will return to the show tomorrow for a second look and sad to say I will spend some time in the SRT-8.

*******

=bobby

Are you reallygoging to complaine about no lighting for your mirrors!!!!! what do you need to put on some eye shadow!

[TJ91]

lmao and this thread is still going, this is one of my favourtie threads ever hahaha

[zebra]

Originally Posted by TJ91

lmao and this thread is still going, this is one of my favourtie threads ever hahaha

i wouldn't say it's one of my favorites, but it is funny that it's still going!

[greenrail]

Gotta throw in my 2 cents, again.

Many of us on here are extremely focused on certain aspects of the new Camaro. That is a given. Primarily, performance over anything else. Honestly, that is somewhat of a myopic view. Which is, in and of itself, not a bad thing.

We have to understand the overall perception of those who may or may not be potential buyers of this car over other competitive brands.

Yes, Soft Touch instrument panel is a huge issue to some. And that's okay. It shouldn't breed disrespectful comments. It is a perception element to many. I happen to like a soft touch instrument panel, because to me it lends an air of richness to a given vehicle. Is it a deal breaker to me. No, it isn't. Because I am not buying this car on this element alone.

just like the lighted Vanity mirrors, issue. To many it doesn't mean diddely squat. To others, though, it is again a perception issue related to quality. I have had several vehicles with lighted Vanity mirrors. My lovely bride loves them. Those vehicles generally were upper end vehicles (ACURA RL Comes to mind here.)( I have freely admitted to owning off shore brands in the past, so shut off the flame throwers.)

I again go back to what I want in this car. Is this a deal breaker? No.

I want the best performing, sporty coupe, at the best price in it's class. Anything above and beyond that is gravy to me.

So, in a nutshell, I can understand both sides here. I just don't care for snide remarks and demeaning name calling of those who disagree with these perceptions.

If this is a deal breaker for you, okay. That's fine, enjoy whatever vehicle you select for your use. I do hope however, that whichever auto you choose, it would be a North American Brand so we can help our economy at home!