Test drove a ZL1 today

[jashobbsie]

If you want crazy power... Do what I did... Mod my ZL1... Heads,cam, injectors, heat exchanger intercooler, CAI, ported snout, long tube headers, pulleys changed upper , lower... Etc. then you will feel the ZL1 move...

[Expunge]

I already test drove a Supercharged Camaro, slept on it and came back the next day and it was gone. That was 572hp and a deal that for a while I regretted that I missed out on.

Then I got a chance to test drive a Black ZL1 6spd manual. I had been waffling if I wanted to spend the money and get one. That test drive sold me on it, and I freaking hammered it in 2nd gear.

GM's debut of the 2014 Camaro at the NY auto show forced my hand as I wanted to wait til the end of this year to buy, but that new rear end, to put it nicely I am just not a fan of.

So I ordered and picked up my ZL1 a little more than 3 months ago and could not be happier.

It's fast, it's comfortable, it handles great, it looks badass, and it gets noticed. Every freaking time I take it out to Twin Peaks, Hooter's, autoshow's, etc people will stop and take pictures of it. No other car that I have owned has had that effect.

Choose what you want, a ZL1 is not for everyone. I have yet to hear of anyone here that had a ZL1 and went back to a SS.

[LuckyZL-1]

Originally Posted by jashobbsie

If you want crazy power... Do what I did... Mod my ZL1... Heads,cam, injectors, heat exchanger intercooler, CAI, ported snout, long tube headers, pulleys changed upper , lower... Etc. then you will feel the ZL1 move...

Exactly!!!!
If you mod any car you obviously don't care about warranties and I preffered start with a ZL-1 and only worry about modding the engine and not everything else around it. My car is stupid fast now!!! That's what guys say that ride with me. Quoting them "this is stooooopid!" "Damn this is fast!" It's only money and we can't take it with us!

[boondocksaint]

What I have learned from this thread: Punctuation is a lost art.

What I have also learned from this thread: nothing.

Honestly, I drove an SS and a ZL1 back to back and found the ZL1 to be more responsive...to my requests to turn. I'm no drag racer, so straight line speed was a box that I checked on numbers alone. If you're a drag racer, it's pretty obvious you could get a lot more HP with an SS and some goodies you buy with the difference. More power to you. But you're cross shopping the wrong car.

Re: the ZL1 not feeling that fast, the butt dyno is the least accurate measurement tool of all time.

Bottom line: buy what makes you happy and remember what made you happy you bought it.

[Evotion]

Originally Posted by H8S FORD

Not even a top 5...

I respectfully disagree.

No Camaro will ever be able to replace my 69. That being said, my ZL1 is as close as one could come.

Out of all the Camaros I have driven, this is the best. Historically speaking, it is not top 5, but line this up on a road course with any current or previous production Camaro and it's game over.

[RLHMARINES]

To the OP, did you make sure to have PTM in atleast 3 or 4 during your test drive?

Make sure that your oil temp is up to normal temp and that you turn off the traction nannies/stabilitrac before testing one out next time.

The car is programmed to reduce power in the lower settings of PTM and if your steering angle increases if you have it in normal mode for your safety. I did not know this until I read the owners manual a little closer, after trying to get on it a little bit and having the car bogg down a me on launch early on, now I typically drive in PTM 3 unless the wife is aboard or the roads are rough then it's PTM 2 for touring mode for a smoother ride.

It makes for a whole different experience in these cars along with the proper gasoline octane installed.

[jessrayo]

When I bought mine I thought the performance felt pretty reserved for a car with almost 600 hp but I knew it had a lot of potential. Trust me, it does, GM tried to really make it driveable for everyone. With just a few mods it turns into an animal.

[crg]

I also traded a 10 SS for my Z and yes it doesn't feel all that more powerful. I took the car off the lot to put gas in it with the salesmans credit card, so unless 87 was put in at the factory, all it's run was 93. A few reasons why I traded up was as follows, better looking front end, heavier duty rear end and axles, beefed up trany, mag ride suspension, piston cooling jets, and all under warranty. I was planning on an STS twin turbo on my 10, but after all the chassis and drive train upgrades, the end cost was right up there with the Z's. I think with a little modding, the Z is a much more capable platform for the end result with less cost out of pocket cause a lot is done from the factory. Just my personal thoughts.

[ZL1-V]

Originally Posted by crg

I also traded a 10 SS for my Z and yes it doesn't feel all that more powerful. I took the car off the lot to put gas in it with the salesmans credit card, so unless 87 was put in at the factory, all it's run was 93. A few reasons why I traded up was as follows, better looking front end, heavier duty rear end and axles, beefed up trany, mag ride suspension, piston cooling jets, and all under warranty. I was planning on an STS twin turbo on my 10, but after all the chassis and drive train upgrades, the end cost was right up there with the Z's. I think with a little modding, the Z is a much more capable platform for the end result with less cost out of pocket cause a lot is done from the factory. Just my personal thoughts.

That was one of the main reasons I bought a ZL1. It has most of the stuff we would buy (more money spent) and install as soon as you drove it home. 20" wheels, Brembo big brake package, mag ride shocks, thicker sway bars , wider tires, stronger rear end.

The OP is just rationalizing, others have done it before!

[rzrbck_zl1]

Originally Posted by davidcroft

pardon my ignorance but WTF is a super chip?



I'm pretty sure you mean a tune. The last time I saw a chip I was in college and owned a rustang. Camaros are tuned by flashing the ECM

I suspect he's talking about a Superchips brand tuner...

[Secret Squirrel]

So many pretentious people on this forum. The OP said he went with the intention of trading up, but the car didn't live up to the hype in his opinion, so he decided against it. How is that rationalizing? He hasn't denied that it is a great car. Just wasn't worth the extra money for him. I test drove one and had the same experience. I still love the ZL1s, but I can't see myself ever dropping the money on one just because to me, it isn't worth it. Just because you thought it was, and decided to pull the trigger, doesn't mean the OP is rationalizing, or jealous, or whatever other bs you want to throw out there to make yourself feel better about your car. Opinions are like ass holes folks. Everybody has one, and they all stink. Get over yourselves.

[JCunningham]

thats one of the best things about the ZL1 All under warranty. You cant build it cheaper. Sure you could put a SC on a LS3 and make more power but add in the rear end, brakes,rims, tires, bottom end of the LS9 and I bet its over budget and unless the dealer installed it all no warranty.

[Camaro2ss2013]

Originally Posted by Secret Squirrel

So many pretentious people on this forum. The OP said he went with the intention of trading up, but the car didn't live up to the hype in his opinion, so he decided against it. How is that rationalizing? He hasn't denied that it is a great car. Just wasn't worth the extra money for him. I test drove one and had the same experience. I still love the ZL1s, but I can't see myself ever dropping the money on one just because to me, it isn't worth it. Just because you thought it was, and decided to pull the trigger, doesn't mean the OP is rationalizing, or jealous, or whatever other bs you want to throw out there to make yourself feel better about your car. Opinions are like ass holes folks. Everybody has one, and they all stink. Get over yourselves.

Do like I do and just ignore the crazys. It made me laugh at the people saying I was lying and I didn't test drive a ZL1.

Originally Posted by RLHMARINES

To the OP, did you make sure to have PTM in atleast 3 or 4 during your test drive?


Make sure that your oil temp is up to normal temp and that you turn off the traction nannies/stabilitrac before testing one out next time.

The car is programmed to reduce power in the lower settings of PTM and if your steering angle increases if you have it in normal mode for your safety. I did not know this until I read the owners manual a little closer, after trying to get on it a little bit and having the car bogg down a me on launch early on, now I typically drive in PTM 3 unless the wife is aboard or the roads are rough then it's PTM 2 for touring mode for a smoother ride.

It makes for a whole different experience in these cars along with the proper gasoline octane installed.

You may be on to something here I held the traction control button for 10 seconds like my ss so default was probably set to 1. That could have been the problem right there. I wasn't familiar with how the ZL1 controls worked. Guess I will have to test drive it again. I should have watched the youtube video on how it works before I tested it.

[djnice]

If you hold it for 10 sec it should have turned everthing off. Both lights will be on and nothing displayed in the center screen. I would probably just stick with the 13 SS and do the mods you want. As long as warranty isn't an issue.