[martelds]

Originally Posted by redcoats1976

and there is a reason why corvettes cost more than even camaro SS models too.most people buying the v6 find that under 6 seconds from 0-60 and a claimed top speed(RS) of 155 mph is quite adequate for daily use without owning a tire store or a gas station.best thing you could do is try all the engines out and see which you like the best and can afford without resorting to a steady diet of ramen noodles.sure,id like to own a ZL-1 just to open the hood at car shows but thats the only time it would be an advantage to me.not hating on the V8 models but after feeding a very thirsty pontiac big block through $4.00 a gallon gas during the early 2000s im not in a hurry to own another V8.

I drove a ATS with the Turbo 4 and one with the 6. Both fine engines. I'm just being flippant. For me the Camaro is about the torque and the sound that only comes from a V8. But it's great that GM gives people options to own a Camaro without it breaking the bank. The truth is the V8 is going to be killed off and we will all be driving electric cars and that is going to suck! Torque without sound is not the same.

[beflat10r]

I traded my 2015 2SS in for a new leftover 2017 2LT RS. I like it better in every way. It can also be driven when it's cold outside, unlike the 2SS. It uses regular gas unlike the 2SS. The 2LT has every available option which I enjoy more than the 65 horses I lost. It feels more nimble. The 2SS was fun to scare my friends with when I'd demonstrate 0 to 60mph. It was a badass looking Camaro! But,the 5th generation is looking "old" to me now. Before I had my 2017 I thought the gen6 was a radical redesign. Now that I own one it looks fit and trim and modern and new. There's nothing about my 2LT that I don't like. Even the wireless charger I can't use. A totally fun car that I enjoy immensely all the time.

[autocross]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

Turbo 4 1LE and V6 1LE weigh almost the same. At best it will be 100lbs difference..at BEST. The V6 has 60 more Horses ...the weight difference is not going to be enough to make a game changer in this category in a stock vs stock run..the V6 still wins all things considered being stock.



They drive entirely different. The I4 and V6 are loose and easy to swing around, super forgiving and just love having their limits pushed. The SS is a monster for a stock car. It drives heavy, confident, and tame but at the same time if you awaken the beast and you don't know how to keep her tame she will leave you in a bad situation in a hurry. It handles excellent, but you still basically..don't want to get too overconfident with the massive amount of torque it has that just simply isnt present or encountered in the I4 / V6.

The V6/I4 1LE use the same stock suspension parts as a BASE SS (not a 1LE SS which is an upgrade on top of that.) so the only real advantage is weight.. so yes it will out handle it..but not easily... and the excess power in the SS will easily make up for the minor gap it loses in handling.

What you said really interests me. You said the 4 and 6 are kind of loose compared to the V8. Do you believe this is because the V8 gives it more heft? That would explain the more planted feel. Would you go to the extent of saying the lesser powered models are more playful while the V8 is more of a speed machine?

Originally Posted by cooper1965

I4 turbo's are putting out 300+hp to the wheel, and 330+tq to the wheel with downpipe, intake, and a tune. Less than 1500$. The weight distribution is almost a perfect 50/50. I tossed around buying the 3.6, doing a tune, all bolt ons, and 327 rear diff swap with the A8, but at the end of the day, I couldnt make I4 numbers without going FI. The I4 sounds like crap, although quiet from factory. Not much you can do about that. Engine design... Myself, I will quiet it down while keeping it free flowing when I get to that point. I would rather hear the turbo, tire and road noise's anyway.

So, just to clarify, you’re running a I4? You chose this because of the weight distribution, and you’re able to make better numbers than the V6? How ‘bad’ does it sound. Is it like a japanese tuner car which is very high pitched? Or is it like a civic? Any turbo noise coming from that beefy turbo?

Originally Posted by beflat10r

I traded my 2015 2SS in for a new leftover 2017 2LT RS. I like it better in every way. It can also be driven when it's cold outside, unlike the 2SS. It uses regular gas unlike the 2SS. The 2LT has every available option which I enjoy more than the 65 horses I lost. It feels more nimble. The 2SS was fun to scare my friends with when I'd demonstrate 0 to 60mph. It was a badass looking Camaro! But,the 5th generation is looking "old" to me now. Before I had my 2017 I thought the gen6 was a radical redesign. Now that I own one it looks fit and trim and modern and new. There's nothing about my 2LT that I don't like. Even the wireless charger I can't use. A totally fun car that I enjoy immensely all the time.

You can’t drive the 2SS in the cold? Is it related to the tires? I heard the V8 consumes a lot of oil too? How’s the V6 feel when driving. Is it a rough and sporty engine with some character, or smooth and kind of tame? Do you ever wish you had more power? Have you noticed any difference running premium vs regular in that engine? Sounds like they’re squeezing power out of the engine so I’d imagine it would respond better to a higher octane?

Sorry for the questions! Trying to really get my fill of information before I check out more biased information on the specific engine forums!!!

[redcoats1976]

i run 89 in my V6,although GM says 87 is fine.some claim it will run better on 89 and get very slightly better mileage but thats debateable and certainly the cost difference would more than compensate for that,but im old school and just wont put lawnmower fuel into my motor.the 6 is a very smooth engine but if equipped with the NPP option it would certainly make very sporting noises when you wanted it to,and unless you live in a small town or out in the country you wont have much chance to put your foot down all the way with either the 6 or the 8.you have no dealer near you that will allow test rides?

[autocross]

Originally Posted by redcoats1976

i run 89 in my V6,although GM says 87 is fine.some claim it will run better on 89 and get very slightly better mileage but thats debateable and certainly the cost difference would more than compensate for that,but im old school and just wont put lawnmower fuel into my motor.the 6 is a very smooth engine but if equipped with the NPP option it would certainly make very sporting noises when you wanted it to,and unless you live in a small town or out in the country you wont have much chance to put your foot down all the way with either the 6 or the 8.you have no dealer near you that will allow test rides?

The dealer here is being an absolute pain in the butt. They keep trying to upsell me to the V8 even though it’s a little out of my budget. Mustang VS Camaro prices are relatively similar ballpark until you get into the V8, then the Camaro just takes off!!!
Long story short they’re trying to give me the worst possible experience in the 6CY and won’t even let me drive the 4. They said “OH the 4 is certainly not for you, no, you certainly would want a V8”
Then they do the whole, let’s keep the engine RPM down because the car isn’t broken in. We all know the V6 doesn’t have a lot of torque, so that’s pretty unfair. When we arrive at the lot he said, “See! The V6 is certainly down on power and not as fun as the V8!!!”
I was very annoyed because I don’t think he’s ever heard of a power curve, or a budget

[IMadeYouReadThis]

The v6 with the manual is comparable to a manual 4th gen LS1 5.7 v8 camaro. Nothing to sneeze at.

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by autocross

What you said really interests me. You said the 4 and 6 are kind of loose compared to the V8. Do you believe this is because the V8 gives it more heft? That would explain the more planted feel. Would you go to the extent of saying the lesser powered models are more playful while the V8 is more of a speed machine?

I believe it has to do with more weight on the front of the car than the V6 has and I'm also certain it has a stiffer suspension than a 1LT / 2LT model.

It's kind of weird how this works... But my 1LT loved accellerating and staying in higher RPMs and at times I could find myself doing 80 / 90 without even realizing it. It isn't slow. It's able to keep up with my 99 Z28 LS1 V8 and has at times made me question if it could beat it or not. I'd say on a bad day for the LS1 it probably can. My 2SS is alot more controlled and collected. Everything that happens in it is because it's precisely what you meant to do...but it has practically unending power in reserve.

We have a private drive at work that is pretty much never used and has those speed reducer divided islands every few thousand feet. Well.. My V6 could whip around them without ever slowing down at 45 - 50 MPH... I'd have to be a bit more careful with the SS. So basically the V6 is nimble and super easy to manuever.. The SS is solid and confident and precise.

You should go and test drive both. Start with a I4 then V6 and finally an SS... You'll feel what I mean pretty quick.

Originally Posted by autocross

You can’t drive the 2SS in the cold? Is it related to the tires? I heard the V8 consumes a lot of oil too? How’s the V6 feel when driving. Is it a rough and sporty engine with some character, or smooth and kind of tame? Do you ever wish you had more power? Have you noticed any difference running premium vs regular in that engine? Sounds like they’re squeezing power out of the engine so I’d imagine it would respond better to a higher octane?

Sorry for the questions! Trying to really get my fill of information before I check out more biased information on the specific engine forums!!!

I wanted to note that the 2SS he traded from is a 2015 5th Gen SS and not a 2016+ 6th Gen SS... However that asside there should be no reason he can't drive either vehicle in the cold. The LS3/L99 and LT1 love the cold. What he may be inferring is snow and ice...which probably wouldn't be fun in these cars...but still "doable" ..but it's not something I'd treat this car to. I'd buy a beater for that.

The V6 is a refined car. It was not intended to be a competition vehicle but more so a quick commuter vehicle. It drives like a Caddillac and can put you to sleep at 90 MPH. It isn't slow...it's just smooth and quick. It drives sporty in the sense that it has 8 gears and can be fairly aggressive in the fact that it likes to rev, but not like a Honda.. It also has a small final drive so it's not going g to like...put you in the back seat but it can surprise you.

As for the fuel... It's debatable. Some people are stating they have seen 30 and 35 MPG out of the SS. The best I have pumped out of mine is 23 but I haven't had any long highway trips yet and Atlanta traffic is hell.

For the V6 ... You won't notice a power difference between regular and premium. I've tried several times and it feels the same. You MAY feel it if you're in a hot region with tons of humidity and have the A/C on max all day... But in normal circumstances, it's a big waste of money to put premium in it.

Also be aware the I4 requires premium, just like the SS.

[Godfatha]

Get what you want! The V6 has plenty of power. I'm old enough to remember when 300hp on a stock factory car was a lot. My first car with 300hp was about 15 years ago on a V8 and I felt like I had a bad son of a gun then.

As far as someone mentioning electrics (not sure why that is even relevant to the discussion here). Perhaps I'm a dinosaur, or like burning them, but electrics, no matter how fast they go, are boring. Sorry, they just are. I know that's where it's going, but not all change is good. The sound is part of the experience. Who doesn't like the sound of an F-18 hornet flying over? Same with cars.

[redcoats1976]

sounds like a trip to another dealer is in order.my dealer is stingray chevy in plant city.i tested at least 8 camaros and a 2004 corvette before deciding on mine,and the salesman encouraged me to "drive them like you want to".how far would the next dealer in your are be,or one thats noted for its performance selection? i drive an extra 10 miles to get to stingray instead of the closest chevy dealer,but its worth the drive.

[Godfatha]

Yes, the dealer you've been dealing with sucks. I would find another one. You have a good idea of what you want. They need to listen to their customer instead of trying to upsell you. That's a big turnoff for me and will make me not buy from that particular salesman faster than anything.

[cooper1965]

Originally Posted by autocross

So, just to clarify, you’re running a I4? You chose this because of the weight distribution, and you’re able to make better numbers than the V6? How ‘bad’ does it sound. Is it like a japanese tuner car which is very high pitched? Or is it like a civic? Any turbo noise coming from that beefy turbo?

Yes, I am running the I4. I chose it because I can make 400WP safely and inexpensively on stock internals. The 50/50 weight distribution was just a bonus of the I4. In stock form, it doesn't sound bad. If you opt for BOSE audio, it actually sounds decent (inside the car). GM pumps fake engine noises through the speakers to cancel out sounds, and add other sounds. It does a surprisingly good job. Once you put a downpipe on is when it (in my opinion) sounds bad,.. (I will combat that with a long straight through resonator) It pretty much sounds like every other ecotec engine ever made, cavalier, cobalt, ect..with exhaust..Not high-pitched, more like tractor doing work. Turbo sounds can be heard, and are amplified by intake upgrades.

[mdhopt36]

My take, the V6 I had, a 1LT felt very quick and nimble. We have several places on my highway where you can 'open it up" some and it seemed to me to really start cooking at 80mph. Felt light, loud with the run-flats, a go-kart with a Rotax screwed to the back. Amazing seeing that it's an "out of the box" car. I feel like others; gonna cost to get significant HP gains from this engine. Mileage with premium was 27 mixed, and 37 at a pokey pace of 45mph---simply outstanding. I verified that with fill-ups, and calculator diddling. SS- at present, w. 900miles on it, is getting 21.3 mixed so far.
Bang for the buck, @ $26k new, all in with a few options was a steal, imo.
*********
-BUT-... as another dude said, if you want to stay satisfied with the 6, don't hop into an SS. Plain stupid if you want to minimize the wallet trauma.
Seems much more restrained, not nearly the road noise, not quite the 'go-kart" syndrome, but oh, MAN, that abundance of torque is amazing! Has that "put you in the back of the seat' ability, which could be troubling in autox???
*** A curious note, not sure why, but the SS is easier for us old farts to get in/out of.
My use, is cruising, summer trips, and daily driver. Sorta doesn't fit in with AX.
But if the latter is your thing, I believe a V6 slinging around fast and quick would be your ticket.
Premo vs reg gas at the pumps, I found out long time ago--- money wise, it's about a wash, but I ALWAYS got better mileage with the better "proof" stuff. Premo with no alcohol wasn't any better than E10. (but it lasts and stores better in lawnmowers and outboards)
Whatever you get, I think you should concentrate on ENJOYING it. That's where the real fun is.
Oh, the 6 sounds sorta like a Maserati, or such ilk when you mash the right pedal. The 8 sounds like American Muscle!!!

[iarepeyton]

Premium gas definitely gives the V6 a torquier midrange. It is nice that we can choose any gas we want, but the engine undoubtedly likes premium better. I can't imagine how retarded the timing is on 87 octane with our 11.5:1 compression ratio...
As for smoothness, I had a friend tell me it was smoother than her mom's BMW. The engine is tame for your boring commuting but is very happy to get wild/rough when you want it to.
Yes I wish it had more power and plan on going the FI route sometime down the road. That isn't to say the engine lacks it, I just want more lol. Even more desirable, at least for me, is an LSD. I'm not sure what is preferable in autocross, but the open diff is a pain if you want to turn hard and also accelerate.
As for the chassis, it is extremely well balanced and happy to work with you in all situations. When I say it's balanced, I mean that at the same point the car starts to understeer, it oversteers. It makes for a very controllable and predictable car. You can beat the hell out of it and it plays right along.

[JT58]

I had a 2011 2 SS. It was a great car, I loved the sound with the Flowmasters.It was also a very heavy car and did not seem to handle as well as my 2017 2LT V6.The best gas mileage I could get in the 2SS was 19 MPG. That was driving it with the lightest foot I could on all back roads, revving it to only 2.5K RPM.And it used premium gas.I took a new job with a very long commute and I get 31 MPG with my 2LT V6 and it runs on regular gas.So the gas cost is ½ of the SS I had.Not it’s not the fastest car out there but l love the looks of the car inside and out.So I only really miss the sound of the throaty V8 on the SS but not much else.But I have to admit if not for the gas mileage and I had a butt ton of money I would opt for an SS.