48 Hours Since Driving Off The Lot In My New 2SS (last car, '03 Cobra)

[DrillSgt]

Hey Gang,

New to this forum - first post. Never owned a Camaro before this one. Honestly, last Thursday morning when I woke up, I never intended on having a Victory Red 2SS/RS in my garage that night... but that's what happened. Just wanted to share my story.

My Vehicular Background:

Among a spattering of other cars here's a few that I've owned thru the years, just so you can get a feel where I'm coming from.

Corvettes: '73, '79, '85, '94, '98

Porsche 928 S4: '88

Ford Mustang Cobra: '03 (was my first and most likely last Ford)

After buying the Cobra in 7/02 I got involved in a local Mustang group and they got me hooked on modding, dynos, and a little bracket racing. I was like a kid in a candy store. When I was finished with a handful of mods I had RWHP near 525. It was an 11 1/2 sec car - I was not an 11 1/2 driver . I always said the Cobra lacked nothing on power but it also had nothing for comfort, ride, or tech whistles and bells. It was an elongated forhead unibrowed Neanderthal.

Sold it in '07 and was driving a Cadillac as an interim car for a bit until I found my new ride. The putrid economy made that bit a little longer than anticipated. I had been kicking around a new Vette - but I'm a family man now and need the back seat or a third car. Looked at the Shelby 500 but couldnt see the value for the money and kept thinking of the Neanderthal (still have not really seen one so I may be mistaken). Considered going the new Cadillac, Lexus, BMW route - nah, wasn't me. Not yet.


Thursday July 2, 2009

Around noon, checked AutoTrader.com for a feel on recent pricing nationwide and did the search on various makes and models... then thought, wonder how the 2010 Camaros are doing? The last time I looked, dealers were wanting something like $10k over sticker. I didn't need to be the first kid on the block with this new toy for that kind of money. Today was different however, I noticed premiums had narrowed to around $2-3k. Econ 101, every buyer has their point - this was close enough for me to call dealerships and check inventories.

Called a few dealers, got their salesmen on the phone and made them work. I cut right thru their sales BS, qualification probing and trial closing. Told them exactly what I wanted 2SS/RS, didnt care on transmission, no stripe, sunroof preferred, in Black, Blue or Silver only.

Three hours later I had financing in place, insurance ready to go (just in case) and discovered that from being former military and member of USAA, GM offers an incentive code for USAA members $750 discount (and yes it worked!) Ok I found a Black one, automatic, sunroof but it had the rally stripes. NP, dealer said they could take them off in 1/2 hour. Scooped up the wife and kids and off we went. I was still giving it a 50-50 chance of success at this point. Dealership had orange, maroon, yellow scattered everywhere. 1 Black in the shop getting detailed, sharp car, very sharp car. Next to it in bay 3 was one that had just 15 minutes earlier been rolled off the truck - still had the white scratch covers all over it. Wife looked over and waited to see if it caught my attention - it did. 45 minutes later I was driving away in it.

I had not even pulled off the lot - was waiting for traffic to slow... here comes a Porsche 911 Turbo. I laughed as I watched the Porsche pass and saw the driver's head nearly snap off trying to get a peek at this machine pulling off the lot. The other head that I noticed almost twisted off was that of a State Trooper traveling in the opposite direction... nah, not what you think, I was babying it. But I really thought he was going to flip a U-e and pull me over just to see the car.


First Impressions:

Are lasting ones... OHH EMM GEE. What a car. Performance was every bit as much as if not more than the 03 Cobra, better responsiveness, better ride, better handling, astronomically better comfort and interior feel. See ya later Ford I'm back to my GM home. I have all of 125 miles on her now and will continue to break her in slowly and monitor the forum for tips. If I was forced to tell what if anything I felt could be improved on the car - I can only think of a tricky blind spot over the driver's left shoulder issue but just be aware of it and be careful when changing lanes.

Want to really know the true test of the 'coolness' of the ride? My 12 year old son says to me... "Dad, on the first day of school PLEEEEASE take me!!!"

How many of you thought of returning to school and/or actually anticipated it during the first week of July?


I only skipped thru a few threads and noticed some GM employees sometimes check in. If you happen to see this, please pass along two thumbs WAY up from Houston.

[JUSTINASS]

Cool story...glad u enjoy it...waiting for ours to arrive...can't wait

[Blownhotrodder]

[DrillSgt]

Ok Ok, tomorrow morning - first thing

[len56]

If you liked the interior of this car just wait till you get a German one (you indicated you would head that direction later :P)

[SS_in_Black]

DrillSgt... great story and well told! Congratulations! Enjoy the ride. I've had mine three weeks now and none of the great feelings I had when I first picked up the car have waned. I can't go to the grocery store without it being a 30 minute drive... the store is a mile from my house Have fun and thanks for sharing.

[2SSRS@Gen5diy]

Nice story, Lets see the car.

[novajess1972]

Congrats!!!!

[super60]

DrillSgt

Glad you like the car It seems everywhere i go its always the same response " Love the Camaro " I will pass your comments on to my fellow workers. Thanks for supporting GM and Team Camaro

Super60

[IROCanSS]

Originally Posted by DrillSgt

Hey Gang,

New to this forum - first post. Never owned a Camaro before this one. Honestly, last Thursday morning when I woke up, I never intended on having a Victory Red 2SS/RS in my garage that night... but that's what happened. Just wanted to share my story.

My Vehicular Background:

Among a spattering of other cars here's a few that I've owned thru the years, just so you can get a feel where I'm coming from.

Corvettes: '73, '79, '85, '94, '98

Porsche 928 S4: '88

Ford Mustang Cobra: '03 (was my first and most likely last Ford)

After buying the Cobra in 7/02 I got involved in a local Mustang group and they got me hooked on modding, dynos, and a little bracket racing. I was like a kid in a candy store. When I was finished with a handful of mods I had RWHP near 525. It was an 11 1/2 sec car - I was not an 11 1/2 driver . I always said the Cobra lacked nothing on power but it also had nothing for comfort, ride, or tech whistles and bells. It was an elongated forhead unibrowed Neanderthal.

Sold it in '07 and was driving a Cadillac as an interim car for a bit until I found my new ride. The putrid economy made that bit a little longer than anticipated. I had been kicking around a new Vette - but I'm a family man now and need the back seat or a third car. Looked at the Shelby 500 but couldnt see the value for the money and kept thinking of the Neanderthal (still have not really seen one so I may be mistaken). Considered going the new Cadillac, Lexus, BMW route - nah, wasn't me. Not yet.


Thursday July 2, 2009

Around noon, checked AutoTrader.com for a feel on recent pricing nationwide and did the search on various makes and models... then thought, wonder how the 2010 Camaros are doing? The last time I looked, dealers were wanting something like $10k over sticker. I didn't need to be the first kid on the block with this new toy for that kind of money. Today was different however, I noticed premiums had narrowed to around $2-3k. Econ 101, every buyer has their point - this was close enough for me to call dealerships and check inventories.

Called a few dealers, got their salesmen on the phone and made them work. I cut right thru their sales BS, qualification probing and trial closing. Told them exactly what I wanted 2SS/RS, didnt care on transmission, no stripe, sunroof preferred, in Black, Blue or Silver only.

Three hours later I had financing in place, insurance ready to go (just in case) and discovered that from being former military and member of USAA, GM offers an incentive code for USAA members $750 discount (and yes it worked!) Ok I found a Black one, automatic, sunroof but it had the rally stripes. NP, dealer said they could take them off in 1/2 hour. Scooped up the wife and kids and off we went. I was still giving it a 50-50 chance of success at this point. Dealership had orange, maroon, yellow scattered everywhere. 1 Black in the shop getting detailed, sharp car, very sharp car. Next to it in bay 3 was one that had just 15 minutes earlier been rolled off the truck - still had the white scratch covers all over it. Wife looked over and waited to see if it caught my attention - it did. 45 minutes later I was driving away in it.

I had not even pulled off the lot - was waiting for traffic to slow... here comes a Porsche 911 Turbo. I laughed as I watched the Porsche pass and saw the driver's head nearly snap off trying to get a peek at this machine pulling off the lot. The other head that I noticed almost twisted off was that of a State Trooper traveling in the opposite direction... nah, not what you think, I was babying it. But I really thought he was going to flip a U-e and pull me over just to see the car.


First Impressions:

Are lasting ones... OHH EMM GEE. What a car. Performance was every bit as much as if not more than the 03 Cobra, better responsiveness, better ride, better handling, astronomically better comfort and interior feel. See ya later Ford I'm back to my GM home. I have all of 125 miles on her now and will continue to break her in slowly and monitor the forum for tips. If I was forced to tell what if anything I felt could be improved on the car - I can only think of a tricky blind spot over the driver's left shoulder issue but just be aware of it and be careful when changing lanes.

Want to really know the true test of the 'coolness' of the ride? My 12 year old son says to me... "Dad, on the first day of school PLEEEEASE take me!!!"

How many of you thought of returning to school and/or actually anticipated it during the first week of July?


I only skipped thru a few threads and noticed some GM employees sometimes check in. If you happen to see this, please pass along two thumbs WAY up from Houston.

So you ended up with red? Not black, blue, or silver?! No worries VR is awesome. It was our second choice, enjoy!

[ljustin293]

congrats and welcome to the site

[DrillSgt]

And here she is...



It's a cloudy day - the best pics for the conditions.



and the nice tail

[Vash]

Gratzz!

[Blownhotrodder]

Nice.