my thoughts on interior

[Hylton]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

We're freaking spoiled. Have the interiors of cars are better than the interior of my bed. And we still complain.

I agree with Optimus Prime, 100%. How often, when you're racing...when you're driving at ALL...do you touch the dash? Do you sit there at a stoplight and fondle it? There's no point to it in crashes...because the entire inside of the car will explode with airbags anyways.()

Chevy had choices to make with this car. They saved money and increased durability by opting out of a 'soft-touch' dash. But they still made sure that everything you and I touch inside the car regularly...is soft and cushy. In a 2LT, 1 or 2SS, these parts are wrapped in leather, too! Steering wheel, shifter, armrests....

I think that will sell the car. While folks are hanging onto the steering wheel for dear life on a test drive, they won't ever notice that the IP or doors are made of plastic.


That's not to say I wouldn't like a soft-touch dash - I actually would....but I'm grateful they didn't waste the money (OUR money when we buy it) on such a useless feature. What we're getting....for 22k or 30k...is astounding. It wouldn't be if they made the inside feel like a Buick.

And I agree with Dragoneye. I gave this topic some thought as I sat in the car last week and I quickly realized how I feel when driving my 4th gens. It's about the connection with the car and it's ability to put you in "the zone". What is "the zone" you ask? It is a mindset where you and the car are one. The car becomes an extention of you as you are driving and returns pertinent information through sight, sound and most importantly feel.

Dash material does nothing to connect you with the car and you rarely look at it. The fact that it is firm will give many the opportunity to customize it to their taste. Put a grab handle on the passenger side like they did in the '69 or pehaps replace the center cloth/plastic piece with leather or brushed stainless steel. Lot's of options for people.

[Mosher]

Alot of people compare the Interior to the 370Z... I was thinking about it and I am not so sure that's totally fair....

How many 370Z's can sticker for 25K? If GM was GOING to make over 30K per unit sold I bet they could of afforded those more expensive materials. That said, I am still hopeful that there will be more changes made down the line. I am very pleased that they did decide to make this car affordable too! The V6 option is growing on me lol

[Optimus Prime]

Originally Posted by Mosher

Alot of people compare the Interior to the 370Z... I was thinking about it and I am not so sure that's totally fair....

How many 370Z's can sticker for 25K? If GM was GOING to make over 30K per unit sold I bet they could of afforded those more expensive materials. That said, I am still hopeful that there will be more changes made down the line. I am very pleased that they did decide to make this car affordable too! The V6 option is growing on me lol

That was precisely my point. But I would say it's fair. GM aimed at the Z as a competitor, and except perhaps for engine size (SS to Z) and the lack of a back seat in the Z, I'd say they are rivals. They're certainly close in performance. Anyway, the 370Z IS more expensive all-around. In turn, GM saved us some cash by going with the "less-nice-feeling" dashboard, and I for one am very grateful. That's one of the things that shocked me when I looked at the Z. I sat in a Touring model without the Sport package (so only 18-inch wheels, no upgraded brakes, no spoiler), and the sticker was already over $35k, and it was auto, which I didn't like, especially considering the cool Synchro-Rev thing they've got going with the manual. So I'm thinking, wow, this thing is pretty much equal to my SS's sticker, but I also get Brembo brakes, bigger wheels, a spoiler, a 6-speed, better exterior looks (IMHO), a bigger cabin, 2 extra seats, bigger front seats, a limited-slip diff, and a bigger, more powerful, and IMO better sounding engine. Now, the salesman did say I could probably get the Z below sticker, but then, there's a reason for that too. The Camaro is hotter, for the time being more rare, and will probably turn a LOT more heads than any Z, and I'm willing to pay a little extra for that. So in the end, I was pleasantly blown away by what GM and Chevrolet have done for us with this new Camaro. *tear* *sniff*

[greenrail]

Originally Posted by Hylton

And I agree with Dragoneye. I gave this topic some thought as I sat in the car last week and I quickly realized how I feel when driving my 4th gens. It's about the connection with the car and it's ability to put you in "the zone". What is "the zone" you ask? It is a mindset where you and the car are one. The car becomes an extention of you as you are driving and returns pertinent information through sight, sound and most importantly feel.

Dash material does nothing to connect you with the car and you rarely look at it. The fact that it is firm will give many the opportunity to customize it to their taste. Put a grab handle on the passenger side like they did in the '69 or pehaps replace the center cloth/plastic piece with leather or brushed stainless steel. Lot's of options for people.

I gotta disagree with you on not looking at the dash. When I take long drives, there may be nothing to do other than look at the dash. I personally like the materials on my 2005 Grand Prix Dash (soft), 1998 Camaro SS - (soft), 1994 Z28 (Soft) my old 1979 Trans Am - (soft). I added a touch of security and luxury to the car. It is one of the reasons why I really like the interior of the New Malibu. It stands out in its class.

We are all looking at his from an enthusiasts standpoint. Like I said before, this is only one segment of the buying public. For each one of us, there are dozens of, others who look at a vehicle much differently. We gotta stop living in the past. We have to start really understanding what the general buying public wants.

That is why it was so crucial for the V-6 version to have excellent EPA Mileage ratings. (Much broader consumer appeal.) (More Sales!)

But, heck, that's what makes this country great, we can have different opinions and still walk away and be friends.

[Hylton]

^ I love ypu man...

[2KZ28_For_Now]

Originally Posted by Hylton

^ I love ypu man...

I agree that the interior is a VERY important point for me. The "speckle" pattern on the grey cloth on the door panels of my 2K made me have second thoughts about buying it. I would have preferred non-cloth.

But, it only had about 30K miles on it (in 2005!), had a good price, and the dash and instruments had that good-old comfy GM "feel" to it.

I was in love. I was ready to get over a few pimples to have a very long and satisfying relationship with a "Hottie."

Anyway - the new interior is a major step above. It may not satisfy the GTR-PS3 crowd, but it more than satisfies this Old Dog.

Did you all see this video yet? It ain't all that impressive, but I've had over 3,300 hits in just about a month, and most ofthe comments have been positive. Heck, I may have even sold a few. Sweet!



(be sure to visit the actual page and click the "HD" link - even though its not HD, it looks better).

My first impression when finally sitting in the BASE interior was "Holy Cow!!" The quality is just - there. Very nice.

But, YMMV.

Cheers.

[MikeZ28]

Originally Posted by greenrail

1994 Z28 (Soft)

Really? I had a '95 Z28, and although I traded it in '99, I don't remember anything soft on that dash at all. Maybe there was some vinyl on the pass side above the glovebox?

[Ugolino]

My feeling is that if you want a super-nice interior buy a Bentley, Ferrari, or AM Vantage...all these cars have magnificent interiors, and when you get inside it's clear that the designers want you to feel pampered, and they succeed. Just sitting in the car is an event, but you'd have to be an idiot to drive one of those every day, or drive it to the grocery store, the beach, or to the gym.

In contrast, you can drive the Camaro anywhere you want, every day. I feel the same way about my corvette...the interior is not covered in acres of fussy leather and piano black accents, it's a sports car that you can drive wherever you want. The car would look very strange if it had a really nice interior, in fact when people customize the interior of a corvette it never looks quite right, it looks like they're trying to make the car into something that it isn't.

The camaro's interior is just perfect: simple, clean, and elegant, it doesn't need anything else.