I love my tuned L99, but would never buy another - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

ORANGE U NV · 04-18-2012, 06:09 PM

We ordered our 2010 SS before they started building them in 2009. It's been almost 3 years and I still love the car and it gets me excited. My wife drives the car more than me and lately I've been wanting to get my own car and reserve my pickup for just chores.
Having said this, I would not buy another NEW Camaro with auto (L99). I'm not a master mechanic, but I'm always mindful of vehicle components and how they're working (brakes, tires, steering feedback, any unusual noises or vibrations). I also prefer automatics for their convenience.
My problem with the L99 is the AFM. It literally made me angry and upset having to drive it. It produced strange vibrations, groans and hesitations that frustrated and embarrassed me when driving with friends

. The Camaro gets attention and the wimpy exhaust tone made me want to hang my head.
I resisted getting a tune to turn the AFM off because I kept thinking I would get use to it and I wanted to keep my warranty. However, my frustration wasn't going away and I was resenting the car. I had a professional tune done on the engine and tranny. It was a night and day difference. Now it's the best car I've ever owned.

But if I buy a new or nearly new car with an auto I would somehow suck it up and try swinging a used Corvette or used ZL1.... or dare I say a Mustang, just to avoid AFM and have a warranty. Right now I'm leaning towards rowing gears in a Camaro (maybe a 1LE), but we'll see. I just wanted to throw this out there for anyone on the fence about which tranny to go with.

1954 Belair-man · 04-18-2012, 06:21 PM

1LE w/manuel, now your talking... a two Camaro family, thats living large

BowlingSS · 04-18-2012, 06:30 PM

I removed the exhaust and installed headers and turned afm off. Got it tuned and it is so much more fun to drive. Now all I need is a cam and TC.

Bill

LakeMarySS · 04-18-2012, 06:54 PM

Amen!! I love my Camaro but HATE that damn AFM. When it drops into 4cylinder mode I get pissed. My fault for not researching it before I bought it. I naively thought that both auto and manual came with the LS3. Never again!!

jtzako · 04-18-2012, 06:58 PM

I hate the AFM also, and will eventually tune it out (if I dont sell the car first). However, I would have purchased the L99 either way.

sasquash1984 · 04-18-2012, 07:13 PM

I hate the l99 in general lol it's a half ass ls3, but if warranty wasn't an issue the options are limitless

SSGUNNER · 04-18-2012, 07:14 PM

Love my L99. Don't mind the AFM but that's what's holding me back from getting an exhaust.

Fnfalguy · 04-18-2012, 07:18 PM

What's an AFM?

sasquash1984 · 04-18-2012, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fnfalguy

What's an AFM?

Active fuel management soft ware programmed into the ECM of the auto camaro with the l99 motor to turn off 4 cylinders under low loads

E.T. · 04-18-2012, 07:25 PM

Really GM, I don't know what you were thinking. Keep the gas-saving features on economy cars. It's almost like they don''t understand what driving this car is all about. They made it as quiet as they could. I want to hear that V8 rumble, damn it! They put AFM on it to save what, 1 mpg? If I wanted a 4-cylinder engine, I would've bought one. They put tons of TQ management in, and they put crappy gears in (although, at least they made 1st gear on the auto really aggressive.

IMO, GM neutered the L99. Coming from a V6, I was impressed at first. After some mods and a tune however, I realized what I was missing

Nutro · 04-18-2012, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LakeMarySS

Amen!! I love my Camaro but HATE that damn AFM. When it drops into 4cylinder mode I get pissed. My fault for not researching it before I bought it. I naively thought that both auto and manual came with the LS3. Never again!!

Yup. I'll never buy another camaro in the future, especially an Auto.

S3XPanther · 04-18-2012, 07:30 PM

Why don't you guys just get LS3 conversions? Sure, it'll void your warranty, but warranties are for sissies anyway.

Plus, it's an excuse to get a bigger cam while you're in there.

pincoin · 04-18-2012, 07:30 PM

AFM saved the gas guzzler tax from what I understand. Maybe they should offer the L99 both ways.

y2k king · 04-18-2012, 07:31 PM

tuned it out.

04-18-2012, 06:09 PM	#1
ORANGE U NV Drives: The Wife Crazy Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: TAMPA BAY Posts: 550	I love my tuned L99, but would never buy another We ordered our 2010 SS before they started building them in 2009. It's been almost 3 years and I still love the car and it gets me excited. My wife drives the car more than me and lately I've been wanting to get my own car and reserve my pickup for just chores. Having said this, I would not buy another NEW Camaro with auto (L99). I'm not a master mechanic, but I'm always mindful of vehicle components and how they're working (brakes, tires, steering feedback, any unusual noises or vibrations). I also prefer automatics for their convenience. My problem with the L99 is the AFM. It literally made me angry and upset having to drive it. It produced strange vibrations, groans and hesitations that frustrated and embarrassed me when driving with friends. The Camaro gets attention and the wimpy exhaust tone made me want to hang my head. I resisted getting a tune to turn the AFM off because I kept thinking I would get use to it and I wanted to keep my warranty. However, my frustration wasn't going away and I was resenting the car. I had a professional tune done on the engine and tranny. It was a night and day difference. Now it's the best car I've ever owned. But if I buy a new or nearly new car with an auto I would somehow suck it up and try swinging a used Corvette or used ZL1.... or dare I say a Mustang, just to avoid AFM and have a warranty. Right now I'm leaning towards rowing gears in a Camaro (maybe a 1LE), but we'll see. I just wanted to throw this out there for anyone on the fence about which tranny to go with. __________________ "God is great, beer is good and people are crazy" 2010 2SS IOM/IOM L99 Black Rally Stripes, Polished Wheels, Loudmouth II, Rotofab CAI, IOM Heritage Grille,Tune by Jeremy Formato (Fasterproms Tuning).

04-18-2012, 06:30 PM	#3
BowlingSS Camaro Owner Since 1987 Drives: 2011 2SS/RS L99 RJT Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Lawrenceville, GA Posts: 2,185	I removed the exhaust and installed headers and turned afm off. Got it tuned and it is so much more fun to drive. Now all I need is a cam and TC. Bill __________________ 2011 Camaro 2SS/RS L99 RJT CAI, Inc. Cold Air Induction;ADM Scoop Rx Catch Can;Rx Breather;Roto-Fab Washer Container VMax Ported RJT Throttle Body XSPower Headers and XSPower 3" Exhaust System Elite Engineering Tunnel Brace, Gorilla Wheel Lock System; Bear Rotors, Hawk HPS Tinted Windows 35%;EFILive Tune

04-18-2012, 06:58 PM	#5
jtzako Drives: 2010 IBM Camaro SS Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: DFW, Tx Posts: 1,157	I hate the AFM also, and will eventually tune it out (if I dont sell the car first). However, I would have purchased the L99 either way. __________________ 2010 Camaro SS Imperial Blue \| CAI Inc, CAI \| Solo Hi Flow Cats \| X-Pipe \| Backup Camera \| PDIM

04-18-2012, 07:13 PM	#6
sasquash1984 502 RWHP N/A Drives: The yeti Join Date: May 2009 Location: Saginaw/ Ft Worth TX Posts: 3,085 View My Garage	I hate the l99 in general lol it's a half ass ls3, but if warranty wasn't an issue the options are limitless __________________ factory motor factory trans, Gpi ss4 cam stock heads ported and milled, full exhaust, circle d 5c 4000 triple disk, 3:91 rear end with posi mod, cai, bmr derlin rear diff bushins, bmr derlin cradle bushins, bmr trailing arms, toe rods with bushings, and bmr anti extreme sway bar. Weld rt-s 17x5 fronts and 17X10 rears on mickey thompson et street r's

04-18-2012, 07:14 PM	#7
SSGUNNER Chu no guat a hasa is? Drives: 14 Jeep G Cherokee Overland HEMI Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Some where in So Cal Posts: 4,272	Love my L99. Don't mind the AFM but that's what's holding me back from getting an exhaust. __________________ 11 2SS/RSL99No Longer Stock (Sold) 6/19/14:AAC Plasma DRL's \| Plug n play harness \| Elite CC \| Tint: 35% & 5% \| LED Dome light \| Show-N-Go Plate Holder \| Flowmaster AT \| C.A.I. Intake \| VMAX CNC Spiral Ported TB \| Husky Splash Guards

04-18-2012, 06:21 PM	#2
1954 Belair-man Drives: 2010 Camaro IOM 1SS M6 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Michigan Posts: 889	1LE w/manuel, now your talking... a two Camaro family, thats living large

04-18-2012, 06:54 PM	#4
LakeMarySS Drives: Black 2010 Camaro 2SS Join Date: May 2011 Location: Lake Mary, FL Posts: 49 View My Garage	Amen!! I love my Camaro but *HATE* that damn AFM. When it drops into 4cylinder mode I get pissed. My fault for not researching it before I bought it. I naively thought that both auto and manual came with the LS3. Never again!!

04-18-2012, 07:18 PM	#8
Fnfalguy Supreme Advisor Drives: 2011 Camaro SS Convertible Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Central Florida Posts: 258 View My Garage	What's an AFM?

04-18-2012, 07:25 PM	#10
E.T. Drives: 2012 Camaro 2SS/RS Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 3,272	Really GM, I don't know what you were thinking. Keep the gas-saving features on economy cars. It's almost like they don''t understand what driving this car is all about. They made it as quiet as they could. I want to hear that V8 rumble, damn it! They put AFM on it to save what, 1 mpg? If I wanted a 4-cylinder engine, I would've bought one. They put tons of TQ management in, and they put crappy gears in (although, at least they made 1st gear on the auto really aggressive. IMO, GM neutered the L99. Coming from a V6, I was impressed at first. After some mods and a tune however, I realized what I was missing __________________

04-18-2012, 07:30 PM	#12
S3XPanther by Odeon Drives: '12 SS/RS A6 IOM SOLD, '13 1LE IOM Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Good question Posts: 1,707	Why don't you guys just get LS3 conversions? Sure, it'll void your warranty, but warranties are for sissies anyway. Plus, it's an excuse to get a bigger cam while you're in there. __________________ "It works 60% of the time, every time." "Some say it's a waste of time, others say it's an incredible waste of time." "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." 2013 IOM SS/RS - 1LE. Born 5/6/2013 (1 of 32 1SS IOM 1LE's)

04-18-2012, 07:30 PM	#13
pincoin Camaro owner since 1982 Drives: 2012 Camaro 2SS-RS Conv IBM L99 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: PA Posts: 1,651	AFM saved the gas guzzler tax from what I understand. Maybe they should offer the L99 both ways. __________________ 2012 Camaro RS-SS Conv IBM, L99 1968 Camaro RS Coupe 327 AT 1968 Camaro RS-SS Conv, sold 1993

04-18-2012, 07:31 PM	#14
y2k king Drives: 2011 ss camaro Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: spring hill, fl Posts: 1,705	tuned it out. __________________ 10/28/2010 got it