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Old 05-02-2013, 11:08 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by S3XPanther View Post
^You guys probably don't know this, but the transmission is upgraded in the 1LE as well. It's not "minor" differences. It's more of a night and day difference.
I knew about the differently geared trans. It's better but not night and day better.

If you couple the difference between the gears and trans compared to a stock SS....yes, the 1LE is definitely going to feel much more torque. However, add the 3.91 gears to an SS like I did and that gap is greatly reduced.

Quote:
Originally Posted by S3XPanther View Post
Yes, and super sticky tires

All in all, a $3500 package that is worth well beyond $3500...hell, the rims alone are more than that.
Super sticky tires aren't cheap either as well as wear out much faster. Again, if your plans are to track your car then you'll want those wheels/tires. If it's going to be a daily driver then you need to factor in some extra money into your monthly payment for tires which aren't cheap by any means.

I go back to my statement that unless you plan to really track your car and you already own an SS Camaro then it's probably not going to be worth the loss in trade plus increase cost of the 1LE vs just upgrading to gears, wheels, and some suspension. If you're buying new, the 1LE is without a doubt worth the extra cash.

Wheels are the biggest thing holding me back (well, the driver needs more experience as well) but I would put my Camaro up against a 1LE at the drag strip, Auto-X, or track. I'm not saying I'll blow one away but I'll bet a 1LE won't walk on me either.

Just my take though....
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Old 05-02-2013, 11:34 PM   #16
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The transmission on the SS is fine. Put some new gears in, and you're golden. Going up to 3.70s in my L99 made a world of difference.

If you want a manual, and are starting from scratch, sure, a 1LE might make sense. If someone's going to trade their SS in for something else, it should at least be a ZL1.
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Old 05-03-2013, 12:41 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by Nick S View Post
And you presume to know what I did or didn't lose on my trade in or what my intentions are to do with my 1LE. I do know the differences in how a car feels as I have a 2002 Camaro SS that I've had since it was brand new (11 years now) and I have put a full suspension on that. So I do know how to tell the differences between two cars. I do however like to keep my cars in excellent condition and therefore do not drive them in any weather other than sunny weather. And further more I also have other projects at home that I work on that sometimes take priority over taking my cars out to beat on them all the time. Last year happen to be a busy year for me and therefore I did not get to drive my car as much as I wanted to. And I've only had my 1LE for a week so forgive me if I would like to break it in properly before I run it too hard.

And no I won't be buying the next better thing because my 1LE will be plenty for what my needs are. So please don't presume to think you know what my experiences are or are not. I was upfront and honest with the OP because I didn't want to get on here and say that the two cars are night and day difference when for regular street driving there actually is not much perceptible difference. In fact I think the 1LE is a better quality ride on the street than my 2011 SS was. I like the responsiveness better and the suspension really did not seem that harsh at all. But then again I'm comparing my 2002 full aftermarket suspension to a factory OEM suspension on a car that is 11 years newer.
get'em thats what i like to read
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Old 05-03-2013, 12:46 AM   #18
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Originally Posted by E.T. View Post
The transmission on the SS is fine. Put some new gears in, and you're golden. Going up to 3.70s in my L99 made a world of difference.

If you want a manual, and are starting from scratch, sure, a 1LE might make sense. If someone's going to trade their SS in for something else, it should at least be a ZL1.
also dont forget the amount of horsepower the 1les are putting to the ground i now they say there rated for 426 at the crank but multiple users ( check the 1le forum for dyno sheets) are puttin anywhere from 385-406 hp to the wheels bone stock i had mine put on the dyno with no mods in 55 degree weather at close to sea level and i put 397, 395, 395 on 3 runs about ten minutes apart
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Old 05-03-2013, 12:52 AM   #19
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If you don't go to the track then it is probably a waste of money. Most will say it's not a waste of money even if you don't go to the track, but it is...
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Old 05-03-2013, 12:54 AM   #20
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IDK why people think the 1LE is a track monster or something. In fact i think the 1lE handles the way a stock SS should handle.
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Old 05-03-2013, 01:32 AM   #21
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Originally Posted by coreyaustin17 View Post
also dont forget the amount of horsepower the 1les are putting to the ground i now they say there rated for 426 at the crank but multiple users ( check the 1le forum for dyno sheets) are puttin anywhere from 385-406 hp to the wheels bone stock i had mine put on the dyno with no mods in 55 degree weather at close to sea level and i put 397, 395, 395 on 3 runs about ten minutes apart
Thanks to the gearing I'm sure.
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Old 05-03-2013, 02:05 AM   #22
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Rather than link to the thread, I actually got to drive a 1LE owned by a good friend of mine recently. He and essentially have the same mods.

Here's a comparison between a 2011 1SS and a 2013 1LE both with bolt ons/tune, the 1SS has aftermarket springs and wheels/tires.

Somewhat relevant wall of text incoming!!!



I was in the fortunate position tonight to drive a 1LE for the first time


This is basically a comparison of two similarly modded camaros, one is a 1SS/RS, the other is a 1LE. Keep in mind here, I'm not a test driver for a fancy auto magazine. I'm just a middle aged guy, who gets his jollies off having a spirited drive every now and then in a badass car.

This 1LE belongs to my good friend SSRS55. This was a perfect situation because He and I essentially have the same engine mods.

Both of us have a JRE 415 tune mated up to Long tube headers, he has a CAI intake, I have a new era. He has TSP headers with HFC's I have Pacesetters with HFC's (Yeah welfare I know. But they work LOL) He has a solo mach xl catback, I have a muffler delete (where were my food stamps again )

He has the 1LE wheels, with stock rubber, I have Forgestar F14's with 275 front 315 rears on nitto invo's. He has the FE4 suspension with the 1LE upgrades, I have a 2011 SS with the FE3 suspension, and PFADT 1.25" drop springs.

All that being said, let's get to the good part, the driving impression!

While we couldn't get too crazy because it was a pretty short drive on a back road with some nice curves, this is what I got out of the experience.

Compared to my car, with my mods, his felt a good bit more responsive. The weight of the steering was much lighter, it felt as though moving the wheel itself took considerably less effort. In fact, his clutch felt a good bit lighter as well. As for steering input, the 1LE was noticeably more responsive. It wasn't a night and day difference, but it was CERTAINLY noticeable. The 1LE felt a bit more planted in corners, I didn't push the car as hard as I would my own but it was very confidence inspiring. Body roll was similar to my SS with the drop springs, very flat. Cornering, like my SS was very predictable.

As for power delivery, it felt very similar. The 1LE that I drove has a much smoother exhaust than my muffler delete, and it certainly attributed to how "smooth" the power delivery felt. The differences in the transmission were subtle, and in the conditions that I drove in I really couldn't discern much of a difference between his car and mine. I think to truly appreciate the difference in gearing, one would need to be on a race track, or perhaps a drag strip.

Aesthetics: oddly enough, and I did NOT expect this at all, but I LOVED the new steering wheel, and shifter in the 1LE! The materials on his steering wheel were much more pleasing to the touch, and the smaller shifter knob on the 1LE was a very welcome change in contrast to the bulky hurst shifter knob on my car. Since I had a 1SS, I am also not used to the HUD. What a cool feature. I would love to add this to my car someday. I also liked how his door locks were on his doors! Not the center stack like in my car. Overall, I like the newer interior, as well as the 1LE steering wheel/shifter knob much more than the older style controls in the 10-11 SS.

In summary, the best way I can compare these two cars is as follows:

After driving the 1LE, my 1SS feels like a "prototype" car... while the 1LE felt like the "finished" product. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with my SS, I don't like it any less, it's just that the 1LE felt more crisp, more refined. Had the 1LE package been available when I ordered my car I would not have hesitated to check that box in the options window.

Would I trade my SS in for a 1LE? Personally, *I* wouldn't. I don't autocross or race. I daily drive mine to and from work in the fair weather months. I drive it for pleasure in my off time. For me to de-mod my car, take a several thousand dollar hit on the trade in wouldn't make sense, but that's my situation! I could definitely understand why others would "trade up" and if doing so wouldn't be a financial disaster for me my answer to the question would likely be different.

What I CAN say is that driving this 1LE made my future performance goals for my SS a lot more clear.

The first thing I need to do is order an exhaust from solo. Man, I tell you SSRS55's car sounds beast... and inside it is much smoother sounding than the muffler delete/long tube combo that I'm sporting. I'm sure the wife will be happy that I'm spending another grand on my car again soon

I think that I would also do well to do an FE4 conversion with ZL1 spec sways from PFADT. I think this would tighten up my steering a bit and make the car feel responsive enough. Perhaps throw in some solid subframe bushings as well.

Thanks to Eric (SSRS55) for letting me drive his VR 1LE. It's a beautiful car man. Well done. (start a freaking build thread
btw.)


One more thing I'd like to add. About a week after I drove the 1LE, I had the opportunity to track my 1SS at watkins glen international. (paced laps, but we got moving)

I could see where the 1LE's transmission would shine (in theory) on that course. I likely would have had to do less shifting. I also think that a set of sways would have helped me a bit as well.

Again, I'm just an average joe who likes to drive fast once in a while. This is all antecdotal experience.
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Old 05-03-2013, 02:31 AM   #23
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Thanks to the gearing I'm sure.
also if you read up on some of the buzz in the camaro commuinity there is talk that the 1les ls3's were hand selected
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Old 05-03-2013, 02:35 AM   #24
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If you don't go to the track then it is probably a waste of money. Most will say it's not a waste of money even if you don't go to the track, but it is...
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Originally Posted by mikeSS View Post
IDK why people think the 1LE is a track monster or something. In fact i think the 1lE handles the way a stock SS should handle.
maybe because it does 1G of lateral run sub 3 min at VIR ( virginia international speedway ) beats a gt 500 on road course dont remember where that info came from but some car mag also compare 0-60 times in a 1LE to a stock ss the 1le is a complete monster considering the cars it devours on the "road courses " which imo is more desirable for a person who drives there car on public roads ...anybody can go fast in a strait line it takes something different to be able to take a car for under 50k and tear down a back road with complete confidence in its abilities to outperform almost anything on the road so to address the question i think it worth the 3500 as far as it not being worth it the 1le is my 3rd camaro and 2nd ss i drove a 2012 45th 2ss and i can tell you the pure enjoyment that the 1le gives me over the 2012 is day and night its a totally different car keep in mind its just my opinion though
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Old 05-03-2013, 08:51 AM   #25
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Here's the official parts list. A good chunk of gear for $3500. It was an easy choice when choosing from new. I test drove a regular SS and 1LE back to back before choosing, and the difference was very noticeable.

Whether it's worth trading an SS you already own would come down to the specifics of the car, budget, and goals.

  • Tremec TR6060-MM6 (different gearing than Tremec TR6060-M10)
  • Air-to-Liquid Transmission Cooler
  • ZL1 short-throw shifter
  • 3.91 axle ratio
  • Larger, 27-mm solid front stabilizer bar, and 28-mm solid rear stabilizer bar
  • Higher-capacity rear-axle half shafts
  • Strut tower brace
  • Forged Wheels 20x10 Front, 20x11 Rear
  • 285/35ZR20 Goodyear Eagle Supercar G:2
  • 1LE-specific Monotube shocks
  • ZL1 wheel bearings, toe links and rear shock mounts
  • ZL1 high-capacity fuel pump and additional fuel pickups
  • Front Splitter
  • ZL1 flat-bottom steering wheel
  • Electric power steering (all 2013+ Camaros)

Last edited by SSRS1LE; 05-03-2013 at 09:18 AM.
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Old 05-03-2013, 09:37 AM   #26
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Originally Posted by mikeSS View Post
IDK why people think the 1LE is a track monster or something. In fact i think the 1lE handles the way a stock SS should handle.
The 1LE is 8 seconds faster around VIR than the SS, and only 3 seconds slower than the ZL1. For $3500 more than a stock SS, I am going to give it monster status! You are correct in the statement that the SSM should have handled this way out of the box!
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Old 05-03-2013, 10:12 AM   #27
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I test drove a 2SS and a 1LE. There is a difference in handling and shifting. Didn't think the suspension difference caused a harsher ride. If you can afford the 3500 I think it would be worth it....even if you never put it on the track.
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Old 05-03-2013, 11:09 AM   #28
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Originally Posted by gajagfan View Post
The 1LE is 8 seconds faster around VIR than the SS, and only 3 seconds slower than the ZL1. For $3500 more than a stock SS, I am going to give it monster status! You are correct in the statement that the SSM should have handled this way out of the box!
I'm giving it monster status since it was only a few ticks behing the GT500 with over 200 more HP!
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