[JBones81]

So overall the car is amazing. Very happy so far. The stock exhaust sounds great (with it set to track mode anyway). I may get used to it, but I'm content for now.

I'm having trouble getting used to the rear view mirror being a camera. It's like my eyes struggle to make out the lack of depth that they're used to seeing whenever I glance up at a rearview mirror. Can we disable that, or is that just the way this "mirror" is now?

The stock shifter. I sold my 17 SS 1LE back in 2019, and that was my last manual, but I feel like the shifter in that car was a lot crisper than this one. I certainly could be wrong, but it seems like this one isn't as crisp on throws. I've gone into 5th a couple times when casually trying to go into 3rd. Maybe I just need to get used to it, but is this something people upgrade with a different shifter?

Are Rock guards mandatory? The stock wheels stick out pretty far past the body, and I'm sure they're going to kick rocks back. I noticed that I already have the dealer's tire shine all over the side of the car. IIRC, the sides of my wife's old 16 2SS at 25k miles were pretty chewed up from the stock front wheels. Tonight I was checking out the zl1 addons website's deluxe rock guards. Are they a good option for our cars?

Finally, the lower rear reflectors. Does anyone make a good tint film covering for those? I already ordered the tinted LED side markers so I'd like to complete the look by tinting those rear reflectors too.

[Vigilante375]

Rock guards aren't mandatory. I drove my car up and down 2 miles of Georgia dirt road, sometimes mud from the rain, for a couple of years and still do from time to time.

Before I put on the rock guards, I didn't have any issues with rocks or dirt messing up the paint. So it's not the big rocks you have to worry about but the smaller debris.

You'll find that the rocks, from the sticky stock tires and other high performance summer tires will just throw rocks up and around the car. I've actually had them land on the windshield wiper area.

[NashZL1]

Flip the lever on the bottom of the rearview mirror to get to the "normal'' mirror setting. I can't stand the camera either.

I have ACS mud guards. At $400 pricy, but fit and look OEM.

[raptor5244]

The rear view mirror camera was messing me up as well at first but now I love it. It is like you said, you just need to get used to it. It took about a week or so but I no longer get the depth perception issue and the visibility and clarity across 3 lanes behind is awesome. Now I want one in all cars.

As for the exhaust, I pull the fuse so the flaps stay open all the time. Even in Track Mode they will close and partially close depending on throttle position and speed. I also don’t like the sound it makes as the flaps transition. Pull fuse 51 and they stay open all the time. It is not really any louder when the fuse is pulled, the flaps just don’t get in the way anymore and created that weird exhaust note transition. Remember, these exhausts are tuned to meet drive by sound regulations.

As for rock guards, I don’t have them. I think they are more useful cars without the side skirts as they help block a lot of the dirt and rocks.

As for the shifter, I know the gearing is quite different in the ZL1 (much taller) vs the SS 1LE you had but I wouldn’t expect much change in the feel of the throws. Maybe you just need to break it in a little and get used to it again?

[LT4Greg]

The OEM shifter in my ZL1 is very good but of course not as good as a Hurst shifter. It’s a real pain to install one and that’s the main reason I didn’t upgrade to one. I don’t have any rock guards on mine and don’t plan to install any but if you want them then I would install some on your ZL1.

[The Maverick]

Originally Posted by raptor5244

The rear view mirror camera was messing me up as well at first but now I love it. It is like you said, you just need to get used to it. It took about a week or so but I no longer get the depth perception issue and the visibility and clarity across 3 lanes behind is awesome. Now I want one in all cars.

Another thumbs up for the camera mirror.

I like being able to change the magnification as well for city vs highway or two-lane country road driving. The main adjustment factor for me was in recalibrating my mental assessment of distance for cars shown in the camera mirror. I went from always using a clip-on wide-angle rearview mirror in my 2016 to feeling that I have a better look behind me with the camera mirror.

[Z OH 6]

You get use to the rearview camera quickly and I would never go back. I did have to adjust the FOV though to make it most like a real mirror. I think the default FOV is wonky if I recall.

[Gunkk]

Congrats on the new ride!

Originally Posted by JBones81

I'm having trouble getting used to the rear view mirror being a camera.

If you need (or will need) reading glasses, the rear-camera thing may not work so well.

Are Rock guards mandatory?

Either the ACS or ZL1A guards will do fine, or a good PPF. You gotta do something to protect the paint or you'll regret it.

[radz28]

Originally Posted by JBones81

So overall the car is amazing. Very happy so far. The stock exhaust sounds great (with it set to track mode anyway). I may get used to it, but I'm content for now.

This is the first car I felt like I didn't need to do anything to the exhaust. I could stand it to be a little louder, but I love the adjustability, and if you're willing to compromise the warranty, the tuning can go even further after unlocking the CCM, and get pretty much a completely range of adjustability. Another great attribute of, at least the catback, is it isn't holding-off any meaningful power until you are near 800WHP.

I'm having trouble getting used to the rear view mirror being a camera. It's like my eyes struggle to make out the lack of depth that they're used to seeing whenever I glance up at a rearview mirror. Can we disable that, or is that just the way this "mirror" is now?

Agreed. But I also agree that most people can get used to it after a while. It is definitely useful.

The stock shifter. I sold my 17 SS 1LE back in 2019, and that was my last manual, but I feel like the shifter in that car was a lot crisper than this one. I certainly could be wrong, but it seems like this one isn't as crisp on throws. I've gone into 5th a couple times when casually trying to go into 3rd. Maybe I just need to get used to it, but is this something people upgrade with a different shifter?

Are Rock guards mandatory? The stock wheels stick out pretty far past the body, and I'm sure they're going to kick rocks back. I noticed that I already have the dealer's tire shine all over the side of the car. IIRC, the sides of my wife's old 16 2SS at 25k miles were pretty chewed up from the stock front wheels. Tonight I was checking out the zl1 addons website's deluxe rock guards. Are they a good option for our cars?

I think some sort of protection is mandatory, but that's if you care about the paint. Or - plan to keep the car long enough that paint damage will be a concern.

This is my keeper and dream car, so for someone like me, rock guards were the choice for this part of the car. In retrospect - I might have chosen ppf instead, but I noticed the same thing as you the first time I slicked-up the tires.

I don't know that I like the look of guards, but the protection prevailed.
What I would probably do, if I were to again, would be to ppf the sides, in addition to the front. I think the front is even more important, if you haven't addressed that already. Additionally - I wouldn't put anything on the car other than ppf. I had a mask before, and that was a mistake. I should've just used the $$$ to ppf from the start. That would be my recommendation, as many others have already offered from the beginning.

This paint is so fragile I don't know how it's considered okay for a car.
It is a bit of a letdown. That's about the only letdown, IMO, though.

Finally, the lower rear reflectors. Does anyone make a good tint film covering for those? I already ordered the tinted LED side markers so I'd like to complete the look by tinting those rear reflectors too.

Those are replaceable with some pretty inexpensive ones. It takes a little time, but they can be had for cheap, and it'll bust your knuckles up just a little. It's worth it though, IMO, because I hate the red/orange lamps/reflectors.

[JBones81]

Thanks for all the responses. I'm going to get a quote for doing PPF on the front and sides, but if the tires are still going to throw rocks up high, then maybe the guards are a better choice (along with PPF on the front of the car). I do plan on keeping this car for a long time (that's why I chose to spend the $$ for the sc v8 and manual, two things that are probably going to be extinct soon). I found some smoked rear reflectors for like $30, but it looks like install is a PITA! I'll see if I can get used to the rear view and shifter - I'm sure I will. Finally, if I just pull the exhaust fuse, as mentioned above, will that affect anything else, or is the car totally fine with just that fuse gone?

[turbo_jimbo]

I just wish the rear view camera was something that could be zoomed in. The picture quality reminds me of the first generation camera phones. Otherwise, I like the camera view for the most part. Helps with those blind spots.

[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by JBones81

Thanks for all the responses. I'm going to get a quote for doing PPF on the front and sides, but if the tires are still going to throw rocks up high, then maybe the guards are a better choice (along with PPF on the front of the car). I do plan on keeping this car for a long time (that's why I chose to spend the $$ for the sc v8 and manual, two things that are probably going to be extinct soon). I found some smoked rear reflectors for like $30, but it looks like install is a PITA! I'll see if I can get used to the rear view and shifter - I'm sure I will. Finally, if I just pull the exhaust fuse, as mentioned above, will that affect anything else, or is the car totally fine with just that fuse gone?

PPF is a must on the front, no question about it, the paint is so fragile it isn't even funny. On the sides (rockers and quarter panels), side skirts already go 90% of the way, rock guards add 9% and you'll still probably want PPF for the occasional freak straggler that hits the rocker panel or above.

Those rear reflectors are much easier to swap on a lift or at least when you put the car on jackstands, but it's a massive pain unless you remove the rear bumper, which btw is also painful and somewhat risky (at least on my 2018). The reflector itself is a trivial single Philips screw plus tab affair, it's just that easy access would require a Martian with 10" fingers.

Hope you'll be able to get used to the rear view camera mirror, if you're over 40-45, your eyes might have some trouble adjusting so fast that quick glances would still work.

Fortunately, the exhaust valve circuit was designed by enthusiasts, they thought of us (you) and pulling the fuse has zero side effects, don't worry.

Congratulations again on this masterpiece you've scored

[RamAir02]

This video helped me a lot with the smoked rear reflectors install

[DangerZL1]

The mirror is a must. I wouldn't have purchased another Camaro with out it. Being able to see what's behind you is worth the adjustment period or trade-off. I don't daily drive mine, so it's more noticeable each time I drive it.