Quote:
Originally Posted by autocross
Where would you find aesthetic modifications for the camaro? No, I’m not one of those R.I.C.E (race inspired cosmetic enhancements) people, but I would love to emphasize the aggressiveness of the car. I’ve been having a little trouble finding a good place for parts comparable to american muscle for the mustangs. Is there a good site to also find suspensuon components?
I might just bite the bullet and go with the SS. The car will handle about as well as the V6, especially if i put it on some coil overs. The V8 probably gets decent fuel economy when chugging around.
Would you guys recommend it with the auto or manual? If i opted for the manual, the skip shift would be my first mod. It would drive me nuts
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I don't really know much about the cosmetic enhancements, but I do know that BMR makes some susupension and chassis stuff for the Camaro. Here's a link:
https://www.bmrsuspension.com/?page=...s&vehicleid=26
Coil overs may help the handling, but probably not too much, unless you go extreme. Meaning, faster and lower springs, coil overs, stiffer sways, etc. DSSV's would be even better.
But I would recommend the Magnetic Ride Control. The SS with MRC stays very planted in the turns. There is so little body movement, it will be tough to improve on. Remember, the MRC is not just for comfort, it also enhances performance. The computer can tell the difference between slow transitions due to driver input from fast transitions caused by road imperfections. So, when you brake hard, for example, the computer knows you slammed on the brakes, and can sense the slow transitions in the struts. It then stiffens up the front, and loosens up the rears to keep the car from nose-diving. If you hit a pothole while braking, the computer can tell that fast transition was not from driver input, and will loosen the damping to absorb the bump in that specific damper (usually the front one), then it stiffens back up after that wheel passes the bump. Next, it loosens up the rear damper once it hits the bump as well. Meaning, it will adjust to the conditions each damper individually 1000 times a second on each wheel individually. So it's as though you have both a stiff and soft suspension AT THE SAME TIME. So if you are flying around a corner near the limits of grip, and you hit a pothole, it won't upset the car. The car stays planted and flat in the turns, but absorbs the bump like it wasn't there. Keep in mind that this is a heavy car for a sport car. You would think that on the track you have to concentrate a lot on weight management, but with MRC, you don't. It keeps the car flat no matter what you throw at it. There is a reason they use this on the best supercars in the world. It's that good.
Can you improve on it? Yes and no. If your goal is to win a race, then yes, you can get some DSSV's or something and shave a few tenths on lap times. But no, because if you did, you will loose all comfort and the dual nature of MRC. But obviously, if you are going to upgrade the suspension, don't pay extra for the MRC if you're just going to rip it out and replace it.
But, I have the MRC, and on the track, it's outstanding. The car seems to read your mind, and just goes where you want it, how you want it. It's so easy to drive fast it's crazy. I feel like, if I put the car in track mode, and override the steering to touring, I could run the track with one hand on the wheel and my other arm around my girl and still win the race while chatting about our next vacation. I have had several instructors get out of my car after a session and tell me that they are going to look into getting a Camaro. One guy had a 911, and I said, "but you have a 911!", and he just said "yup."
As for fuel economy, it depends on where you drive. If you get on the highway, set the cruse control to 65, and the roads are flat without hills, you will get close to 30 MPG's. Anything else (city driving, hooning about, hills, etc.) you will get like 17 MPG's. If you go to the track, you will get like 8 MPG's. When I go to Delaware to my sister's house, I get 29 MPG's door to door. Most of the time (no highway driving at all, and tons of steep hills), I get about 18 or so.
Auto vs. manual is a very controversial topic, and really can only be answered by your own personal preference. But the manual is a great transmission with smooth shifting. Skip shift can be annoying, but like you said, there is a mod. The auto (I have the auto) is great, but there have been some issues with the transmission "shuddering". The fix most of the time is a fluid change. Sometimes it needs several fluid changes, sometimes it needs a new torque converter. I changed my trans fluid early (about 2500 miles), so I never had the issue, and if you get the auto, I recommend changing the fluid early but after break-in as a preventative. As for the auto's performance, it is a pretty good transmission. Very intelligent programming. It doesn't hunt for gears, and will also engine brake when you are going down a hill. The 1-2 shift can be a touch harsh at times. Not bad though. Paddle shifting when in track mode and on the track is good and predictable. Paddle shifting in touring mode while driving normally, there is a touch of delay when upshifting. Again, not terrible, but not DCT like. If you have a ton of stop and go traffic in a daily commute, get the auto. If you love rowing your own, and don't have much stop and go, get the manual. Both great choices.