Am I being unreasonable in thinking my Camaro has very poor build quality?

[civdiv99]

Well, before the Camaro I had a 2003 Avalon for awhile. Boring, but flawless execution. Gave it to one on my daughters. I have a crew cab tundra. It has a coupla issues, but the panel pieces do line up, carpet fits the space intended, etc.

But see none of that has anything to do with my post. Sure sounds like it, but no, it doesn't. My original post was discussing very specific items with my specific Camaro. Kicking myself for ever posting anything about any other cars since maybe a fourth of respondents homed in on that. But the reality is we ALL have to have some form of reference, our experiences as car owners, etc. It is where our general perceptions and expectations come from.

Originally Posted by Mr. iNCREDIBLE

why, you think their build quality is any better?


it's not.. wife has a 2007 Camry Hybrid, and I can list a half dozen issues with it's build quality.

"A" pillar interior panels won't stay seated, clips have been replaced 3 times, but they keep unsnapping (airbag behind the pillar cover so they are "collapsible" clips. Cheap plastic clip

Rattle in the HVAC vents from a broken vent cover between the blower motor and the vent tubing, replaced 2 times and problem is back, cheap plastic keeps breaking.

Headlight condensation in both headlights, lamps housing replaced, fine for 16 months, problem has returned, cheap plastic/cheap seals that have rotted out due to the recent cold temps.

wiper arm failure due to cheap plastic retaining clip. at highway speed the wipers were turned on and one went flying off the car.

---------


all of these items have Toyota TSBs and are know issues on the 2007 - 2011 Camry's 3 of them have continued into the new 2012 redesign (all but the headlight issues)

--


Yota quality isn't any better, Lexus maybe, but Yota is not.. I can name even more issues on the wife's previous 1999 Camry if you like, we can start with the known 1988 - 2000 head gasket issues on the 3.0L motors used in the Camry and the Truck/4Runner line..

the tie rod failures, the shifter failures, the gauge cluster failures, the HVAC blower motor failures, window lock actuator and window regulator failures, door seal issues... and the list goes on..


yeah Yota motors for the most part will run forever, and are cheap as hell to repair, but quality.. don't make me laugh..

[civdiv99]

Originally Posted by DanCamm

I have a 2011 also. I just went out and looked at my gaps, and they are both tight, about 1/4" when the doors are closed. Can you post a pic? I'd be interested in seeing it. With your carpet, I'm going to agree that this is a "fail". Mine isn't like that. As far as throttle response, mine is a manual, so I can't comment on that.

I'll see what I can do (says I whilst realizing I should have posted pictures of each of the tangible items I brought up to begin with......)

[bw26ss]

http://www.jegs.com/i/Sprint-Booster...arentProductId=

this is the direct link to the product specific to the camaro

[civdiv99]

It hasn't really crossed the OP's mind.......see, the OP is asking about other owners' and comparable experiences. Provides a frame of reference on things in the absence of, oh, i dunno, a whole neighborhood full of SS automatics with "ask me about my car" signs. Oh, wait, that's one of the things a forum of owners might be for!! Holy crap, who knew? So, I can see how daring to ask for comments and feedback about fit and finish to a forum full of other owners clearly implies the subject of interest must be destined for a discount on eBay.

Originally Posted by buckeyemike

I too think OP should just sell the car.

Of course, i get that flippant answers like my above reply ain't helping, but sometimes it cries out for some sarcasm, too.

[bw26ss]

did you look at the link, trying to help you on one of your issues with your car

[civdiv99]

Originally Posted by Dreamin

My 2 cents from anowner of a 2SS A6 daily driver with 70k miles on it.

First, you did not buy a $40k base line BMW, you bought a $23k Chevy optioned up to $40k. You should expect to not have any major issues with your car but not every Camaro produced is going to be flawless.

Second, you bought a car, not a summer sports car like a Corvette or Porsche. I drove my Camaro to work today on snowy icy roads. The car is designed to be slow and sluggish at low RPM's so people like me can get to work in the winter without putting the car in a ditch. The engine starts to wake up around 3k RPM's and hits high performance at 4-5k RPM's. Run the car in manual mode and get some RPM's behind it and see if you still think its sluggish.

Sounds like you would have been better off buying an LS since you bought the car to look at, not drive.

So......what I think you're saying here is that posting concerns about wanting more "snap to" throttle response = no interest in driving it. Ummmmmm. I dunno, but just off hand I think I hear the sound of "the point" missing you by a pretty wide margin here.

[civdiv99]

Read through it. Reading through everything; not ignoring any posts here - I posted in legit interest, not a "post and vanish." I figured on a handful of replies; clearly that ain't the case. Also busy time at work, some nights later than others, what with that whole "life gets in the way of living" thing ya can run into sometimes.

Lack of quick reply on my part does not equal ignoring the replies of others here.

Originally Posted by 11fastss

did you look at the link, trying to help you on one of your issues with your car

[bw26ss]

alright man, just trying to help

[civdiv99]

I actually had wondered if they made a unit for the Camaro, and then lost track of that thought somewheres or another. Thx. Will investigate.

Originally Posted by 11fastss

did you look at the link, trying to help you on one of your issues with your car

[DanCamm]

Civ, just filter through the BS. I don't even post much in here for just this reason. Like you, I've been a Camaro owner for about 25 years. Although I appreciate this forum, it's much different than the first gen forum.

[ketel0ne]

Anything I didn't like I either had the dealer fix or I had changed.

I don't have an SS, and while my carpet lays flat and my trim pieces cover the edges it is very close, and the trim pieces do move, my inner trunk lid appears to be fully painted, my dash gap is weird though and rattles up at the windshield at certain rpm's.
My issues list:
Passenger seat squeak. (Dealer fixed the tracks.)
The spoiler loose and scrapping paint off the edge of the trunk lid. (dealer added the spacer kit and touched up the trunk)
Dash rattle, dealer went through the dash and tightened things up, (better but they blame the exhaust.)
Exhaust, hated the mufflers (looks and sound), bought GMPP ones.
The way the car sat, bought lowering springs.
Wanted 4 pack of gauges the 2LT and 2SS had, bought them put them in. (My car only came as a 1LT)
Horrible paint on the painted aluminium wheels, got a set of polished aluminium wheels. (Only wheels in the Synergy Package in 2010)
Drive almost exclusively in S mode, unless on a long trip. It is like a different car even with the V6.

[CWI]

Originally Posted by civdiv99

Read through it. Reading through everything; not ignoring any posts here - I posted in legit interest, not a "post and vanish." I figured on a handful of replies; clearly that ain't the case. Also busy time at work, some nights later than others, what with that whole "life gets in the way of living" thing ya can run into sometimes.

Lack of quick reply on my part does not equal ignoring the replies of others here.

You are much more polite than I would be in this situation. Sll it, sell it, sell it. That's like saying dump your wife because she doesn't fold your clothes right or can't boil water. Way too much of this mentallity and not enough .

I have a 2010, # 8002 off the line. I don't have any of the problems you are having. I read nearly all the posts in this thread and did not see anyone mntion taking it to a dyno. Find out what it is doing. Not saying doing a tune that would void the engine warranty, just find out what it's got. Maybe go to a different dealer and explain the problems you have had, see if they can find anything to earn a new customer.

I did drive a 2LT before my car left the factory, it was one of the 2 cars that each dealer got from the early production before pre orders were built in 2009. I was impressed with it's acceleration. I also drove a 2011 L99 while my car was getting service. My dealer gave me the keys and lunch money, I have a cool dealer. It accelerated fine, I didn't think it was sluggish at all. Based on that and what other L99 owners have posted here over the last 3 1/2 years, something is not right about yours. You said you tried the fuse pull. Did you leave them out overnight or for just a short time? It apparently makes a big difference. I also didn't see anyone explain why the fuse pull. If I understand it correctly, and you get some lower octane gas which your dealer may have put in the tank, the ECM will pull timing to avoid knock. Higher octane allows for more advanced timing resulting in more performance.

I really feel the dealer should take care of the window, paint, and carpet on the 36K mile B to B coverage. Did you try resetting the window per the owner's manual?
The carpet is formed in a mold that should fit perfectly. Either it was not made right or it was not installed right, dealer should fix it.
The paint is sprayed by computerized robotics, every car should get the same coverage of paint regardles of color.
The gap at the door would probably be the toughest to fix. Most of the parts on the Camaro has a pin and locator hole so alignment is consistant and not necessarily adjustable. It falls into one available position. Mine has a little more gap on driver's side than passenger side but it's tight enough a #2 pencil won't quite go into the gap with the door closed.

The only problems I've had with mine are things that could happen to any car. Unless you are in the $100K range, there will be issues and maybe even in that range. I have 58K miles on mine and had the driveline replaced at 36K, the driver's side seat heat hasn't worked in over a year now, the rear window defroster recently quit working, may be a fuse, haven't looked yet. Only other thing is the module mounted to the fuse box under the hood doesn't stay in place but at C5F3 last year, Al Oppenheiser (Chief Camaro Engineer) said there was a fix for that.

You need to drive that thing to C5F4 in Indy this August. You will drive a different car home than what you brought. Without really changing cars. Your's would get fixed and be a beast on the trip home. There will be tons of people there willing to help out. Including GM brass.

[ayceman]

I have a 2010 L99 and I have not had any issues other than a mild Dash rattle at certain RPMs, it started after I changed my exhaust so.... My L99 was strong from the day I got it, I was aggressive during break in after the first 200 miles and even when I did not have a tune I could break the tires loose at will Prior to my L99 I had plenty of drive time with a 6.1 SRT Charger and the L99 pulled stronger. Drive it aggressively in competition mode since the A6 is adaptive to "how" you drive it. There are a couple of GM customer service reps here on the forum try contacting them and have a case opened since obviously these issues are an issue with you if not I doubt you would have taken the time to post them.

[atma]

Originally Posted by civdiv99

Well, yeah, in so far as the responsiveness goes. It's a subjective thing so it's natural to compare with the other stuff in the driveway. It's not a "speed" thing; dust this, whatever. It's about tipping in better than halfway, and wondering why it feels like the throttle opened at about half the rate the foot went down.

don't want to beat a dead horse, but am I way off here? seems I'm the only one in the entire thread that thinks that a ported throttle body might help with this. The improved throttle response may give you the feel you're looking for. or perhaps I'm reading this thing entirely wrong?