"Normal" ownership driving

[Camcar]

I know there must be other Camaro owners like me who drive their cars to work every day and just enjoy driving them. People who appreciate the Camaro for the legitimate muscle cars that they are and poke the throttle every now and again for some fun. Sometimes it seems like some Camaro owners want to push the limits and install all kinds of mods and beat their car until they have problems, and then they present themselves almost as victims when they experience mechanical failures. These cars are not video games. Have some respect for your Camaro. Maintain it properly and enjoy it. I can modify a Pinto to run a 12 second quarter mile. But that's not the point. The point is that these cars came from the factory legitimate muscle cars. Celebrate that. Enjoy the capabilities of your car as it was produced.

[mikeinmobile]

Stock daily driver, spin the tires weekly, cross country 3 times and all over Southeast up to DC (DC twice), keep her spotless inside and out and underhood, still enjoy driving everywhere. Don't care if people mod their cars. Easy for me to say since I have a built 455 in my Cutlass. Even after 5 yrs I rarely pass up a good opportunity to abuse some tires, so definitely appreciate the stock muscle.

[redcoats1976]

mine is a daily driver,completely stock.chevy hit it out of the park with these cars,very comfortable and practical (at least compared with the other cars ive owned)

[Ryanbabz71]

I will mod and drive my car as I wish since I paid for it. Thanks!

[Skirwin]

Originally Posted by Camcar

I know there must be other Camaro owners like me who drive their cars to work every day and just enjoy driving them. People who appreciate the Camaro for the legitimate muscle cars that they are and poke the throttle every now and again for some fun. Sometimes it seems like some Camaro owners want to push the limits and install all kinds of mods and beat their car until they have problems, and then they present themselves almost as victims when they experience mechanical failures. These cars are not video games. Have some respect for your Camaro. Maintain it properly and enjoy it. I can modify a Pinto to run a 12 second quarter mile. But that's not the point. The point is that these cars came from the factory legitimate muscle cars. Celebrate that. Enjoy the capabilities of your car as it was produced.

Although I do daily drive my Camaro (rain/snow doesn't matter) and it is completely stock (for now) I do not think its fair to call people out for modifying their cars. After all, that is the essence of the car culture. Making your ride an expression of you as a person is what has built the car community from the ground up. I may not agree with everyone's mods/looks, but I appreciate the work and style people put in.

Except Mustangs......(kidding)

[Hixson]

I would be willing to bet most people fall under the same beliefs as I do, we bought a 5th gen Camaro because it looks awesome and is an incredible platform to build on and customize. Parts availability and the aftermarket scene for these Camaros have no comparison and as such, this is a perfect car for those of us wishing to get our hands dirty, improve of cars performance or make our cars unique. Stock Camaro MSRP was what - $35,000 on average new? And a lot of us purchased the cars with 10%+ off MRSP. So initial investment of a little over $32,000 and a mod budget of say $5K-$8K brings your total to just a tad under $40,000. As long as you are mechanically inclined, and don't mess it up, the end result should be an absolute monster of a car. I would argue that you would have a tough time finding a better bang for your buck in that price range.

I'm happy that you enjoy your vehicle stock; the Camaro was beautiful straight from the factory. But I most definitely say us "modders" respect our cars just as much, if not more than you do. A decent sized mod budget and some time spent learning how to work on this car can result in a car pushing 450+ RWHP, under $40k total investment, retaining great reliability, and arguably the best aftermarket parts scene makes it a no brainer to build on this platform. Gotta remember this a hobby for some of us - building, researching, dreaming about future upgrades - its what keeps some of us going and is a big reason people LOVE the LS platform.

I have a dream, that some day V8 owners and V6 owners, modders and non-modders, can all come together and go "wow, I like your Camaro too - way to go" lol

[Moto-Mojo]

My average MPG is 13.5. Granted, that's a city number but it also indicates my foot is in it. But I appreciate the tires and almost always have the nannies on. That keeps me of off of Youtube FAILS!

[LsxDoctor]

I DD my cammed/bolt-on SS rain or shine. Car has straight pipes and is loud as hell and sounds mean! No greater feeling after a long, stressful day at work then hopping in the ride and letting her rip on the freeway! Not to mention sitting at a stoplight and getting thumbs up at and little kids staring with an evil grin, knowing that they will grow up wanting american muscle, not a ricer.

[Stormcloak]

I think most folks that seriously mod the powertrain learn that failure risk goes up in correlation to the power added. That's just how things go, and it's applicable to all cars not just this one.

Or, as the old saying goes, "Cheap, fast, dependable - pick two" As for the idea of keeping it stock, that is simply a matter of individual taste. Most cars in their stock form have elements that appear because of cost-savings measures, or some broad appeal element (or just a weak point in the design itself). Nothing wrong with wanting to address these, or improving on an already good platform.

[splashlog48]

Who are you, or anyone else to tell anyone how to modify their car ?

[MrChrisLS3]

Well, I'm sure there are a few folks that bought 302 Z/28's back in 1969 that dropped a big block in the car or modified it one way or another that kick themselves every time they see a survivor car go across the block at Barrett Jackson. (Though I doubt that will be the case with modern cars like these)

For the enthusiast, the car is a very specialized item. Everyone has a different reason and different purpose for the car. Even cars like the Camaro are designed and built in a cookie cutter fashion, to appeal to the mass of people. Some like the 'original' factory style and keep it like it just rolled off the showroom floor. Some like to explore to unleash the real potential of the car, much of which was left on the table for warranty and general marketing to the mass market. (Some folks actually want the car to be quiet, if you can imaging that, lol)

There's room for everyone. It's a personal preference, enjoy the car the way you want to, stock, modified, it doesn't matter because at the end of the day, it is just you that you have to answer to.

[frankwjr]

I think I get some of OP's point and I don't believe he was knockin mods per se done PROPERLY! We all see the threads from peeps with 1 post with the above complaints..BS in my opinion and bad on YOU for not taking the time to research before pullin the pin on ANY mod....lulz.

I wish I could find the video of the GM drive train engineer that THRASHES the 2010 M6 in a 1 to 4 and back down power test..called it the Woodward Blvd test...these cars ARE monsters and when prep'd properly last long and are easy on parts...(freakin easy to work on too!)

OP if you are happy that is all it is really about. Personally I believe these cars can benefit in STOCK condition from an aftermarket tune. Your eyes(and buttocks!) would feel the difference...and better gas mileage to boot. I average 17 in town with a heavy foot..over 20 hwy..

my mods where based on approx 6 mo of research before doing anything and address what I believe all Gen 5 M6 cars have as weak links...see sig..

Merry Christmas all and please be safe travelin!

[Terryfied]

OP sounds like a liberal. Always telling people what to do or think and that they know what's best for them.

[Welker2]

OP, if you are happy with the way your car came from the factory, then great and, yes, these cars come off the line with plenty of power for most. However, other's like myself who are what we used to refer to as 'gear heads' think vehicles are more then just a mode of transportation to get from point A to point B. They are a hobby we are passionate about, sometimes even obsessed with; we enjoy modifying/customizing them regardless of make or model or if it is a DD or not. I have been doing so since I was teen and still doing it now that I'm in my 50's and, hopefully, will continue to do so for decades to come. Do you risk a higher chance of failure when adding HP/modifying the drive train and other aspects of the vehicle? Yes. However, I have owned a few dozen vehicles over the years, modified them all, to include several Corvettes and Camaros that were DDs, to one degree or another and have had over 100K miles on all of them before getting rid of them (sold, traded in, gave away) running and looking better then many cars people have with well under 100K miles on them. More importantly, I have gotten a great deal of enjoyment and gratification out of modifying, customizing and driving them.