[Evil-Bee-NH]

Originally Posted by red_johnny

Heck YES!!

[Rayfield]

Originally Posted by mdhopt36

Did I ever say what you should have in YOUR car? I just stated what works for -ME-.

As for age/education, that has very little to do with "smarts"---you either have it, or you don't. Being that I have an engineering background as well, I'm sorta surprised at your post.

LOL, sorry if I offended, your post came across to me as if you were stating that "smart and experienced people" automatically know that autos are the way to go, now that they're not "young and dumb", etc, anymore. Sounds like I misunderstood.
I do like to surprise people, though!

Originally Posted by autocross

I mean, the STI motor is kinda old. The new WRX has a new motor, but I’m not big on their boxers anyways

My 2002, with STI block, bigger turbo, and no cats sounded outstanding to me. Characteristic unequal header length rumble, with the whistle of a turbo spooling up, mixed in...awesome.

[dpevans]

People are hilarious. The reason they offer so many different configurations because there are so many different types of people and needs. I chose the V6 because I prefer the bells and whistles then a low end 1SS. I don't track the car and the V6 offers more then anything I will ever need on the street. If I wanted to track the car then I would step up and buy a ZL1, If I wanted to drag the car then I would get a SS and mod the crap out of it. But in the end I don't care what anyone else thinks because I am the one grinning when I open the garage. Even back in the day you could get the SS in numerous mechanical configurations and the RS was more of a dress trim. You could even get the SS in RS trim. So love what you drive.

[IMadeYouReadThis]

Originally Posted by Nsxmatt

Thank you for explaining what motor was in your SS and ZL1. We really had no idea till you cleared that up.

LOL.

[Hops]

Originally Posted by dpevans

People are hilarious. The reason they offer so many different configurations because there are so many different types of people and needs. I chose the V6 because I prefer the bells and whistles then a low end 1SS. I don't track the car and the V6 offers more then anything I will ever need on the street. If I wanted to track the car then I would step up and buy a ZL1, If I wanted to drag the car then I would get a SS and mod the crap out of it. But in the end I don't care what anyone else thinks because I am the one grinning when I open the garage. Even back in the day you could get the SS in numerous mechanical configurations and the RS was more of a dress trim. You could even get the SS in RS trim. So love what you drive.

I don't know, I've been held up at track days by big v8 power by drivers, that would probably have a better time with a lower powered car. To that end, I think the v6 1le is totally under appreciated. And, i even wonder if the v6 1le is too much car for a beginner/intermediate like me to learn on, it's very close to bmw m2 lap times!

[IMadeYouReadThis]

Originally Posted by iarepeyton

I just found out that there are no V6 models that come with MRC, so it seems to me like the V6 1LE is essentially a base SS with a V6 in the engine bay. At that point it's just a nit pick on the weight, but the V8 has a far better power to weight ratio, and the power comes with a warranty unlike a modified V6

Well that's where you're getting confused man this it was never about a V6 being better than an SS and faster than a SS. This was about the V6 being a car that could stand up in its own right and be awesome for what it is.

It's a car that handles better and has less front-end heft than the SS. It's not as fast as an SS but it's most certainly not as expensive.

It is faster than 95% of cars on the road today including most V8 cars and it can run with even last-gen Camaros and Mustangs. Though the last gen Camaros are 0.5 Seconds faster in 0 to 60

The op wanted to know why there was no love for the V6 Camaro. I think this thread shows there is plenty of love for it. There's always going to be guys who bought a more expensive car that want to bash other cars that they seem to believe are below them. There's also going to be the guys like the ZL1 guy who just wanted to come here and s*** on everybody to make himself feel better.

the bottom line is it is the new poor man sports car. The V6 handles like it's on Rails sounds fantastic when you put the NPP exhaust on it. and really is the best value for your money. Is the SS better? absolutely. Do I wish I had it? sure if I had the extra money who wouldn't want it. Is my V6 enough to put a smile on my face every single time I drive it? you betcha.

This is a V6 that you need to have no regrets about owning. it's fast it sounds good and it's good on gas.

And that turbo 4 is nothing to sneeze at either. it's even cheaper the younger crowd loves turbos and it just gets more interest into the Camaro platform. I don't see why people would think there's a downside to that.

So again I say op there is lots of love for the V6 Camaro. 3.6 is on the wards 10 best list. It does 0 to 60 and 5.1 seconds. And it sounds exotic when equipped with the right exhaust. Go ahead and buy one you won't be disappointed

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by harrist5683

Based on your experience, that makes you at least 3 times more qualified on a V6 vs V8 discussion.

I described my current circumstances because someone implied I wasn't self-made, not to insinuate that a V6 is below me. I just don't think that it's a performance car. That's my opinion and other's have theirs.

Fair enough...

I don't consider it a performance car either, I consider it a sports coupe of which I personally believe is different. There are many sports cars out there but most are not designed to be all out performers such as the SS, Mustang GT, any another above that.. they were designed to give you your kicks and grins at a economical affordability and I believe the V6 does a great job at that.

Performance wise, alot would need to be done to surpass its limits of which feasibility wises it easier and cheaper to upgrade.. not bashing the V6 in that regard but overall I personally feel this is why the aftermarket is weak in that respect.. Its cheaper and easier for aftermarket vendors to stock and supply for one model that is far more likely to get attention (as far as modifications go) than it would be a car that was intended to be an entry level sports coupe that is nearly maxed out from the factory short of F.I. however...that doesn't necessarily mean it's not a great performer nor does it mean its not a sports car, it just means from the factory it was never intended to compete in the performance category..it was intended to give people an option to buy a Camaro who didn't want to bite the coin for an SS or ZL1 and honestly its presence is probably the only reason that Camaro's are really still in production given sales numbers and profits.

[Rabidsquirrel22]

You might want take a read through this I4 autocross thread if you haven't already. I have no experience with either the I4 or V6, or autocross at all, but it sounds these guys make them sound quite good at it.

https://www.camaro6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=477232

[iarepeyton]

Originally Posted by IMadeYouReadThis

Well that's where you're getting confused man this it was never about a V6 being better than an SS and faster than a SS. This was about the V6 being a car that could stand up in its own right and be awesome for what it is.

It's a car that handles better and has less front-end heft than the SS. It's not as fast as an SS but it's most certainly not as expensive.

It is faster than 95% of cars on the road today including most V8 cars and it can run with even last-gen Camaros and Mustangs. Though the last gen Camaros are 0.5 Seconds faster in 0 to 60

The op wanted to know why there was no love for the V6 Camaro. I think this thread shows there is plenty of love for it. There's always going to be guys who bought a more expensive car that want to bash other cars that they seem to believe are below them. There's also going to be the guys like the ZL1 guy who just wanted to come here and s*** on everybody to make himself feel better.

the bottom line is it is the new poor man sports car. The V6 handles like it's on Rails sounds fantastic when you put the NPP exhaust on it. and really is the best value for your money. Is the SS better? absolutely. Do I wish I had it? sure if I had the extra money who wouldn't want it. Is my V6 enough to put a smile on my face every single time I drive it? you betcha.

This is a V6 that you need to have no regrets about owning. it's fast it sounds good and it's good on gas.

And that turbo 4 is nothing to sneeze at either. it's even cheaper the younger crowd loves turbos and it just gets more interest into the Camaro platform. I don't see why people would think there's a downside to that.

So again I say op there is lots of love for the V6 Camaro. 3.6 is on the wards 10 best list. It does 0 to 60 and 5.1 seconds. And it sounds exotic when equipped with the right exhaust. Go ahead and buy one you won't be disappointed

Oh for sure, I love the V6 and wouldn't even want to trade it for a V8. It has a fun amount of power imo and it's not scary to put your foot to the floor lol. I've just been giving OP some perspective on the base 1SS vs V6 1LE since that was part of the original question. But yeah, fr they're both amazing and have both proven it on the track. I can't wait for OP to actually drive them and let us know what he thinks lol

[autocross]

Originally Posted by iarepeyton

Oh for sure, I love the V6 and wouldn't even want to trade it for a V8. It has a fun amount of power imo and it's not scary to put your foot to the floor lol. I've just been giving OP some perspective on the base 1SS vs V6 1LE since that was part of the original question. But yeah, fr they're both amazing and have both proven it on the track. I can't wait for OP to actually drive them and let us know what he thinks lol

Going to the dealership this afternoon! I got the call - also going to test drive a Mustang GT/ecoboost while i’m out there. I’ll be back this evening with my findings

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by autocross

Going to the dealership this afternoon! I got the call - also going to test drive a Mustang GT/ecoboost while i’m out there. I’ll be back this evening with my findings

Looking forward to your feedback!

[autocross]

Oh man! What a day! I’m back after 5 test drives... (all around the same location for accurate comparison)

2.0T
Really felt like it had a beefy midrange. I was shocked how it pushed me back into my seat! Very quiet, nothing too impressive noise wise. The engine felt very, very smooth. Kind of surprising having such a smooth engine in a sporty car, but not bad. The car felt very nimble, but I can’t imagine you’d notice the weight difference as an advantage daily driving. It is more of a different FEEL than actual performance change.

V6
Hmm... I am very conflicted about this. The dealer let me wind her out, and at high RPMs it literally screamed. It was so exhilarating, but I was left wanting a little something at low RPMs. It didn’t feel super torquey down low. The 2.0T actually felt quicker if you were driving around town at 7/10ths. When you really let her wind out, that’s when you know there’s a little more power under there. I couldn’t imagine myself doing this though, so I’ve got mixed feelings.

V8
Oh boy, what words can I use? Teenage boys probably have wet dreams about it. When I fired her up it was incredible. The car felt heavy, but it didn’t feel bad. If felt like it was very planted and hooked up. Not as playful as the other cars, more like “cut the crap, let’s go”... I really did like it, but the fuel economy was absolutely horrendous. I couldn’t afford to keep one of those bad boys with my heavy foot. I basically soiled my underwear when he told me to give it some gas. I couldn’t believe it. Fun car.

Now for the funny part, let’s talk about stangs on the camaro forum!!!

2.3 Ecoboost
I’m not a ford guy, but I’m impressed. The ecoboost runs out of breath at higher RPMs, but it certainly FEELS faster than the V6. I know the V6 is technically faster, but my butt got some good feelings from that 2.3... The steering wasn’t as nice, but the car was very playful. I found myself chirping tires, and honestly just felt kind of like a hoonigan. In my opinion it was more fun to drive slow, if that makes any sense.

GT
Let me just say I have mixed feelings. The active exhaust is marvelous. Both the GT and Camaro SS had them, but the Coyote just has a much feistier snarl. It also felt quicker for some reason. It just pulled all the way to 7! (Yes, the dealer let me go there...I felt guilty!) I found the GT a little more scary than the Ecoboost. The I4 was fun to hoon around in, probably the funnest car I drove today (NOTE fun, not best), but the GT was just kinda uncomfortable. It had SO much power that it always wanted to let loose. Anywhere, all the time. If you mastered the throttle/engine, you could have a hell of a time just skidding around everywhere (just like old school muscle cars), but to me it was scary.

So, what’s my consensus?
I really don’t know. The V6 felt like the best performance bargain, and puts down the best acceleration times other than the V8.

The 2.0 camaro felt more powerful when putting around town, but you felt like there was a little bit of a top end compromise.

The ecoboost felt more potent and playful. I had the most fun in this car, but I was aware it wasn’t the refined performance machine the camaros were. That might have just made it more entertaining.

Hopefully this long babbling post helps someone, because it sure as hell doesn’t help me!

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by autocross

Oh man! What a day! I’m back after 5 test drives... (all around the same location for accurate comparison)

2.0T
Really felt like it had a beefy midrange. I was shocked how it pushed me back into my seat! Very quiet, nothing too impressive noise wise. The engine felt very, very smooth. Kind of surprising having such a smooth engine in a sporty car, but not bad. The car felt very nimble, but I can’t imagine you’d notice the weight difference as an advantage daily driving. It is more of a different FEEL than actual performance change.

V6
Hmm... I am very conflicted about this. The dealer let me wind her out, and at high RPMs it literally screamed. It was so exhilarating, but I was left wanting a little something at low RPMs. It didn’t feel super torquey down low. The 2.0T actually felt quicker if you were driving around town at 7/10ths. When you really let her wind out, that’s when you know there’s a little more power under there. I couldn’t imagine myself doing this though, so I’ve got mixed feelings.

V8
Oh boy, what words can I use? Teenage boys probably have wet dreams about it. When I fired her up it was incredible. The car felt heavy, but it didn’t feel bad. If felt like it was very planted and hooked up. Not as playful as the other cars, more like “cut the crap, let’s go”... I really did like it, but the fuel economy was absolutely horrendous. I couldn’t afford to keep one of those bad boys with my heavy foot. I basically soiled my underwear when he told me to give it some gas. I couldn’t believe it. Fun car.

Now for the funny part, let’s talk about stangs on the camaro forum!!!

2.3 Ecoboost
I’m not a ford guy, but I’m impressed. The ecoboost runs out of breath at higher RPMs, but it certainly FEELS faster than the V6. I know the V6 is technically faster, but my butt got some good feelings from that 2.3... The steering wasn’t as nice, but the car was very playful. I found myself chirping tires, and honestly just felt kind of like a hoonigan. In my opinion it was more fun to drive slow, if that makes any sense.

GT
Let me just say I have mixed feelings. The active exhaust is marvelous. Both the GT and Camaro SS had them, but the Coyote just has a much feistier snarl. It also felt quicker for some reason. It just pulled all the way to 7! (Yes, the dealer let me go there...I felt guilty!) I found the GT a little more scary than the Ecoboost. The I4 was fun to hoon around in, probably the funnest car I drove today (NOTE fun, not best), but the GT was just kinda uncomfortable. It had SO much power that it always wanted to let loose. Anywhere, all the time. If you mastered the throttle/engine, you could have a hell of a time just skidding around everywhere (just like old school muscle cars), but to me it was scary.

So, what’s my consensus?
I really don’t know. The V6 felt like the best performance bargain, and puts down the best acceleration times other than the V8.

The 2.0 camaro felt more powerful when putting around town, but you felt like there was a little bit of a top end compromise.

The ecoboost felt more potent and playful. I had the most fun in this car, but I was aware it wasn’t the refined performance machine the camaros were. That might have just made it more entertaining.

Hopefully this long babbling post helps someone, because it sure as hell doesn’t help me!

Yes.

All of this sounds about right.

I told you that you would see what I meant when you test drove a V6 vs an SS.

The reason the I4 "feels" beefier than the V6 (and I certainly noticed this as well when I was test driving) is because it has a very sharp torque curve where as the V6 has a gradual torque curve. With the graduality of the torque curve, you won't "FEEL" the accelleration in the V6 until the higher RPMS where its making its peak torque, however; much like the same comparison to the OLDER LT1 4th Gen and LS1 4th Gen, (The LT1 4th Gen felt faster but the LS1 actually IS faster.) don't let your butt dyno give you numbers... the V6 is a good bit faster than the I4 out the factory, and it also dominated the ecoboost as well.. its just not as exhilarating driving around town however..it loves to Rev and over time you will find those sweet acceleration spots and it becomes more fun then.

The SS is exactly as you said...it doesnt screw around...its an absolute beast and you gotta becareful with her too because she will take you for a ride you don't wanna go on if you start playing too much with her...

[mdhopt36]

+1.
To me, you nailed the power characteristics between the V6 and V8 Camaros.
However, the mileage in mine (V8) with about half and half driving was a verified 27.74mpg---
Which is precisely what I got with the V6 on the same route, and at the same speed.
????????
Go figure. I suppose if you're a bit heavy with the right foot, mileage will be affected. In my case, there were a lot of bears around, so in each case, I didn't push my luck. Both cars liked 80mph, but I felt the 6 was just a twitch off on the low end.
Nice update!