:( second thoughts about my camaro

E34lover

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Well I never though I would even thinking about this, but I kind of want to sell my Camaro. I know I've only had it for a few months now, but I think I'm regretting getting it. I love how much hp my car puts out and the LS1 engine is amazing, but I feel like I would have more fun with a nice handling jap/german car. The Camaro rockets on straights, but man is it a heavy mofo. I mean if I lived in a more flat part of the US like the south I would be ok, but I feel like I'm missing something when I see an a4 or a 240sx take a corner on a canyon with a lot more ease. Also I hate the gear box on my car. It's sooo..... numb. Plus I don't think the shop, that I took it too before I bought the car, did a very good job of checking the car out because the clutch is slipping at WOT, I keep hearing this weird high pitch sound around 2000 rpm, and I hear some weird soft ticking sounds coming from the engine.

So really I'm down two 2 choices sell my car and buy a slightly cheaper jap/german car then spend the left over money on modifying the car or mount the new Nitto tires I just bought on some ZR1 wheels, upgrade the clutch, and put some lower springs + upgraded shocks on my car and see how well it can handle. So what do you guys think?

EDIT: Also this thing eats soooo much gas. Every week I put in about 40 bucks of premium and I get about 8 mpg.
 
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:lmao:

Congratulations, you own a Camaro. :p

Also, the South is not flat.
 
EDIT: Also this thing eats soooo much gas. Every week I put in about 40 bucks of premium and I get about 8 mpg.

That is a direct result of your driving style. If you can stay out of the loud pedal, you can triple that number.
 
That is a direct result of your driving style. If you can stay out of the loud pedal, you can triple that number.

Yes and no. I mainly drive in stop and go traffic so the number can't get much higher, but I have to admit I love romping on that throttle when I get a chance. Also to Spectre, yes I know not all of the south is completely flat, but a good bit of it is. Grrr.... Why did I think I needed a giant V8 for my first sports car.
 
Well, think positively, we expected you to have crashed and Nick Hoganed until now...
 
I don't think any car should be sold until you've had it for a year, unless there is some massive fault with it (in which case you should've seen it and walked away). I don't think you should ever regret buying your car either, because you could see a car every day that is better than yours in different ways. Every time I see a mint ?1000 Discovery I think I was an idiot paying ?1600 for a slightly rusty 32 year old SIII but it makes up for it in different ways.

Do you really want a fart can rice rocket? And how often are you going to take canyons with ease before overdoing it and pulling an Ice?

Give the Camaro a chance first is what I say.
 
Hold onto it. I had similar thoughts about exchanging my heavy, soft, straight-line gas guzzler for something smaller and nimbler, but I'm now realizing that this is a silly idea, and that this thing has its own special appeal that a little Japanese roadster couldn't match. Granted, an XJR isn't a Camaro, so keep that in mind when considering my advice :p.
 
If you are only getting 8mpgs, something is seriously wrong. Even if you are on the gas all the time, it shouldnt be that low.
 
Wait, hang on, so you've bought a Camaro ,As in : typical american (muscle) car and now you 'find out' that it doesn't handle well and guzzels gas ? Congratulations son......
 
4th gen camaros and firebirds have pretty good handling potential with fairly simply suspension mods.

As for the ticking sound, LS1s are known for having a bit of lifter tick. Start frequenting the many LSx boards out there.

8 MPG? I'd suspect your right foot first, but you might have something going on there. That's worse than I get driving the Sprint in traffic, and it's got a big block. You might think about getting a good tune. LS motors LOVE a good tune. You'll see more power and better mileage if it's done right.
 
Thanks for all of the advice you guys. Yea I'm gonna keep it and just continue to work on it. I'm on a couple of LS forums and people have told me that lowering springs, upgraded shocks, a strut bar, and a good tire/wheel combo will make my Camaro handle pretty well. Also I am goin to give it a proper tune but that will be down the line. In terms of mods I am going to focus on handling right now because it already comes with 365ish hp but once that's done I'm going to get a nice head and cam setup along with some LT headers into my Bassani exhuast system then add a electronic cut out + a ported LS6 tb and intake manifold. Then I'm going to get it tuned.
 
It will never be a really agile car, but once you go through the suspension and upgrade the tires that car will have an iron grip on the road. A friend of mine has a '94 Firebird with lots of bolt-ons and that thing can just rocket around highway clover-leafs and the like. 17x8/17x10 Torq-Thrusts with Nittos help too. He tried to autocross it and didn't do too well, but I want to convince him to take it to the road course at Heartland Park. I think it would really shine there.

A couple things I'd recommend, beyond what's already been suggested, are an aftermarket panhard rod and a 'short-throw' shifter (or just aftermarket bushings). GM really cheaped out those two things (lots of others too :p) and you will absolutely notice a difference after upgrading them.
 
Yea a tune up should help. Note though it will be a big job on an F-Body (changing the spark plugs alone takes around two hours). Do everything at once so you don't need to keep taking the engine apart.
 
I'd say do the tune up first. And as argatoga said, do it all at once.

When I bought my CJ I had some regrets because it decided to randomly break down the first rainy day it saw, but I fixed it and havn't looked back.

Mod the shit out of your suspention, and show those tuner guys what muscle can do in the right hands. :)
 
You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Labcoatguy again.

You had me scared there.

As for the Camaro, I don't know why, but I'm glad you decided to keep it.
 
Thanks for all of the advice you guys. Yea I'm gonna keep it and just continue to work on it. I'm on a couple of LS forums and people have told me that lowering springs, upgraded shocks, a strut bar, and a good tire/wheel combo will make my Camaro handle pretty well. Also I am goin to give it a proper tune but that will be down the line. In terms of mods I am going to focus on handling right now because it already comes with 365ish hp but once that's done I'm going to get a nice head and cam setup along with some LT headers into my Bassani exhuast system then add a electronic cut out + a ported LS6 tb and intake manifold. Then I'm going to get it tuned.



"You are doing it all wrong"- I believe Clarkson said that.

Your priorities are all wrong. The tune up should be first, along with a good oil change. Then start with the suspension mods. Why you ask, well you will save money on fuel and the engine will run cleaner helping extend it's life.
 
Yea a tune up should help. Note though it will be a big job on an F-Body (changing the spark plugs alone takes around two hours). Do everything at once so you don't need to keep taking the engine apart.

It's not that bad on an LS motor car.

LT1 cars on the other hand.... People aren't kidding when they say swap out the exhaust manifolds and put headers on when you do your first spark plug change. You might as well, and the headers make future changes MUCH easier.

And by "tune" I didn't mean a "tune up." I meant reprogramming the ECU. But in any case a tune up can only help.
 
My Camaro buddy went and traded it for a 2006 A6 2.0TFSI. He did say he didn't regret buying the Camaro, especially when it was deemed worth what he paid for it, but right now he had decided a more modern sedan would suit his needs more.
 
Is it a manual? Get a Pro 5.0 or B&M Shifter RIGHT NOW. Its a manditory mod for our cars.

Oh, and i get 22MPG in my camaro, you're doing it wrong.
 
You can make those handle somewhat well. Check out http://www.frrax.com/ .

Good shocks (If you're serious about handling, try some Koni Sport Adjustables... made a night and day difference for me.) and some bigger sway bars will do a lot of good. I remember reading that you guys have really small sway bars. If Konis are a bit too expensive for you, just stick with the stockers and get some bigger sway bars. Try a junkyard. I got myself a nice fat 34mm front sway bar for mine for $8.50. And of course there's the sub frame connectors. I think they're a bigger deal for thirdgens tahn fourth gens, but I'm not sure. But they should help stiffen up the frame BIG TIME.

The weight thing will always be an issue though. Do you know how much yours weighs? I've got my car on a bit of a diet and Im debating yanking out the A/C and it still weighs around 3250 with half a tank, but the fourth gens are 200-400 lbs heavier usually.

Also, +1 to getting a decent shifter. That will help a lot with the feel. And 8 mpg is horrid. I know of people taht get 20-25mpg all day long with LS1 cars. I've heard of guys getting 30mpg on the highway. If you're seriously getting 8 mpg I'd be worried something was up.
 
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