[pyroguy]

Debt is dumb, cash is king. Get the car that will not put you into debt. I'm one to live by the rule, "There's no replacement for displacement". However, I'm also the guy who has overcome enough debt to never want to go back again, it just isn't worth it. As stated, you're getting a comp sci degree which when you land a permanent job will net you some good money. When you graduate and can pay cash for the SS trade in the V6 on it and go with that. The V6 will give you more punch than you realize. Not as much as a V8, but that's the draw of a V8. Also, who cares if someone else doesn't like your car as much because it doesn't have the last 2 cylinders? Are they paying your bills? At the end of the day you'll be much better off financially and you won't have to worry about anything except for school if you get the car that you can pay for outright. This is coming from the guy who took out a car loan in school and while they liked the vehicle well enough, hated the payments and 3 jobs it took to pay for it.

[Lazerbrainz2k3]

Originally Posted by Getnlwr

I like that some people on here are suggesting he saves. If the money is being offered specifically for the purchases of a car then its stupid to tell him to save it, as that may not be an option.



Young guy getting the opportunity to get a fun car at 21. I'm 36. Bought my first 500HP vehicle at 28. Then got a little crazier after that. All work and no play makes for a sad and boring life. WORK AND PLAY. You can have both in moderation.

A new or new-ish Camaro SS isn't play "in moderation" for someone financing it on his parents' monetary gifts and no certain prospects for a concrete source of income covering what the gift doesn't.

Maybe saving isn't an option, but maybe it is. If he can talk his parents down from the "must have blindspot monitoring" requirement, and propose they give him the full $20k but he takes maybe $5k for a decent older car to get him through a couple years to a real job with good income, while banking the rest to accumulate interest all the while, I expect that to be well received - parents like that kind of mature, long-term thinking. Sure beats the big red flag of "I'm going to put it all into a car costing twice that number and hope for the best with the job thing," which tells parents they stand a decent chance of finding themselves on the hook for the rest (if only for a while), too, if the kid's job optimism doesn't work out the way he planned for.

Then, after a few months' saving from the real degree holder's job income, he's got a decent pile of cash from his job plus the pile saved from his parents and whatever the value of his beater car is at that point, and he can dump it into an SS or whatever he wants and avoid that much more debt, with an established steady income to pay off the rest, and with a couple bolt-ons is around that 500hp mark even earlier than you got there.

[locodile]

I am a college student too. I had 2011 2LT (v6) and now a 2016 2SS (v8), both cars basically optioned out the same. I had the the 2011 for 4 years and it was great. I wanted more power, so I went with the v8 and I was blown away. Having said that, the v6 is plenty of power and I'd much rather have the 6th gen styling and interior over the 5th gen. Quality and appearance are so different. The v6 is like 1.1 seconds slower 0-60. It won't have the low end torque of a v8 or the high top end, but it will still be a blast to drive around.

Go test drive both.

My recommendation would be a used 2016 2LT with RS package and the NPP (performance exhaust).

[Zack46]

Originally Posted by locodile

I am a college student too. I had 2011 2LT (v6) and now a 2016 2SS (v8), both cars basically optioned out the same. I had the the 2011 for 4 years and it was great. I wanted more power, so I went with the v8 and I was blown away. Having said that, the v6 is plenty of power and I'd much rather have the 6th gen styling and interior over the 5th gen. Quality and appearance are so different. The v6 is like 1.1 seconds slower 0-60. It won't have the low end torque of a v8 or the high top end, but it will still be a blast to drive around.

Go test drive both.

My recommendation would be a used 2016 2LT with RS package and the NPP (performance exhaust).

[LianaHuff]

I think you should hold on to that money and not spend it now to buy a car. You can always do that. You better consider getting a quality education and investing in it as a college student. A college education is a path to success in various life paths. That's why earn a degree is really important. If you pay special attention to education now, then later, you will get many as a professional. In that case, you can make good money and buy a car without the help of your parents. So it's better to save money for now so that you can buy something much better later.

[tpat]

Originally Posted by LianaHuff

I think you should hold on to that money and not spend it now to buy a car. You can always do that. You better consider getting a quality education and investing in it as a college student.

This thread is so old they're probably about to graduate by now.

[Gen6cyl]

If he got the V8 he might have dropped out and got a full time job to pay for and support it.

[Wyzz Kydd]

I don’t buy more car than I can pay for in a year.

[Allez]

And the answer is . . . 2SS Hot Wheels edition

https://www.camaro6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=588145

[JTS]

Looking at the time line of this Thread from his first post #1 to him deciding on a Hot Wheels edition couple years ago, to now 12/11/22 , he's probably married has 2 kids a house payment, and drives a EV . When I looked at dates going back to 2019 and topic , I shook my head. Some threads that are bonafide to be continued good Camaro information died or die before there time.