[RemingtonGoose]

Hello Camaro people, I am shopping and I need some advice from people experienced with these cars before I buy.

I am looking at 2019 SS camaro's. Around me there are plenty of 1LE cars, but it seems like I would perfer a 2SS car. I never plan to take it to a track, I just want to daily drive it, and I need a good reliable car for commuting and normal life stuff. These cars are comparable price to others on my list but I like GM vehicles and I live in the South so bad road conditions -(snow) is not an issue for round year use.

I have the following questions:

- does the driver seat have a lumbar adjustment?
- how is the comfort of the seat, would you take it for a long drive?
- does the seat heat your lower back or butt or both and can you separate them?
- does the 2SS come with brembo brakes or would that have to be a dealer spec'd item when the car was ordered?
- is the car reliable and would long term daily driving concern anyone?
- I am interested in the 6 speed version and I would like the mag ride and duel mode exhaust. (both for fun)
- Are there any day to day items that are irritating to you? For example do the breaks last in daily driving, tires, is the mag ride dependable? I'm looking for advice like that. Doing it over again what would you do differently and why?

Any of your opinions would be welcome before I spring for a brand new car. I am a 41 year old dude and you can tell from my questions I want a fun car that is 100% functional and reliable with the potential to kick ass. The car needs to be content being driven like a grandpa car when necessary.

I read things members said about the 1LE and it turned me off to that package: rocks flinging from tires, short tire life, and brake life, stiff bushings, springs, and bars, and if I never plan to take it to a track I think the comforts of the 2SS might outweigh the racy parts on the 1LE, -agree?

Last questions: does the bose 9 speaker stereo have a sub woofer as one of the 9 speakers? Does the 2SS have a diff and trans cooler or is that 1LE exclusive.

Thanks folks.

[Eric10905]

Hi,
Lots of good questions there, many of which i'm not sure about. I'm sure some more experienced folks can help more....my comments you might have already determined.
I don't daily mine, but I can say the pit falls that I've seen of it being such is the lack of visibility. Some reviewer said it was easier to see out of a wwii bunker. lol, it's not that bad, but probably every other car I've ever owned had better visibility. I decided I didn't care when I bought mine, but again not a DD. I have the 2ss and do like the blind spot monitor, and think that helps. I do know that's not on the 1SS, which was a decision point for me. Also the entry into the trunk is tight... doubt I could fit my golf bag through it (but haven't tried yet).
I've found the driver seat to be comfortable, with qualifier that all my drives thus far have been < 2 hours.
mine has 4 piston brembos - not sure if that is standard or not.

Good luck on your decision!

[matt fe2o3]

10K miles on my 2SS daily driver - I'll take a shot for an 18':

I am looking at 2019 SS camaro's. Around me there are plenty of 1LE cars, but it seems like I would perfer a 2SS car. I never plan to take it to a track, I just want to daily drive it, and I need a good reliable car for commuting and normal life stuff.

I got my 2SS for roughly 40,500 plus tax and license. Downward range for a 2SS is not a lot lower, regionally it changes. Good value at that price point. Cash is king buy what you can afford comfortable. You will not regret that. Lecture over.

I have the following questions:

OK

- does the driver seat have a lumbar adjustment?

No.

- how is the comfort of the seat, would you take it for a long drive?

Fine, yes. I'm 6'4" big guy and and fit. Not much more taller at all though. I'm the height max unless you have a low torso with same or close overall height.

- does the seat heat your lower back or butt or both and can you separate them?

I get heat and cool on seat and lumbar. The lumbar might be a creeping - go try one out. I like the seats. Go try one out.

- does the 2SS come with brembo brakes or would that have to be a dealer spec'd item when the car was ordered?

With Brembo brakes on Camaro label as base 2SS. 1LE I believe have larger front brakes. I like the brakes on the 2SS but understand why under high HP/Speed setting moar is better.

- is the car reliable and would long term daily driving concern anyone?

I has a rear end growl that updated fluid change at oil change resolved. No other issue. Long drives are great. SF to LA without a stop unless you need fuel. I daily drive without a thought except what to listen to.

- I am interested in the 6 speed version and I would like the mag ride and duel mode exhaust. (both for fun)

Nope, A8 for us around here. No shudder and no shifting - it's fun for a manual but reality is in big city here it is not practical.

Mag ride = expensive replacement at some point. Not for me. Did that with XREAS (sold before replacement) just expect it.

Dual exhaust mode. Nope. Why bother stock cans are fine and you get noise but no HP+. As soon as you do a catback or replace you either go GM for $$$ or Borla/whatever for less. Do as you will.

- Are there any day to day items that are irritating to you? For example do the breaks last in daily driving, tires, is the mag ride dependable? I'm looking for advice like that. Doing it over again what would you do differently and why?

Don't know about brakes, not a big deal. No issues so far. Stock F1 Summer Only are loud and stick like glue in warm weather. In rain and cold they suck eggs. I have a spare set of wheels and run PS3+ A/S. Expect that.

Any of your opinions would be welcome before I spring for a brand new car. I am a 41 year old dude and you can tell from my questions I want a fun car that is 100% functional and reliable with the potential to kick ass. The car needs to be content being driven like a grandpa car when necessary.

I can get 28 mpg out of it with my foot out. 21/22 overall is more common with semi spirited driving, for me. Everyone has a different foot and geographic area.

I read things members said about the 1LE and it turned me off to that package: rocks flinging from tires, short tire life, and brake life, stiff bushings, springs, and bars, and if I never plan to take it to a track I think the comforts of the 2SS might outweigh the racy parts on the 1LE, -agree?

I agree - although I'm in an urban area and little dings are a fact of life. Ride with F1 runflats is hard. Not terrible - they do the job.

Last questions: does the bose 9 speaker stereo have a sub woofer as one of the 9 speakers? Does the 2SS have a diff and trans cooler or is that 1LE exclusive.

Don't think there is a true sub-woofer. the sound system is OK. BOSE stands for "buy other sound equipment". It's fine - actually quite good - but you are buying a name.

Rear diff cooler - on the ZL1 I believe, not sure about the SS/2SS - someone else will have to offer up.

Thanks folks.

No problem. It's a good car - I like it.

[TBAtilidk]

You can fit your golf clubs. I just fit 2 mens sized golf bags in my trunk with letting the seat down. Just like any trunk, you'll have to find the good angle with them.

From a new 2SS owner, I can relate to what you're feeling and wanting to know. With that being said, I may not have the best advice for you since I'm new to the SS platform (DD'd a Mustang for 3 years). What I can say is all your worry's fade when you finally get the 2SS granted you stuck by your plans as it relates to specs.

My HBM 2SS 6speed had every spec I wanted and I don't regret it. Of course it has it's downfalls. Visibility, rear diff groan, no heat wrap on starter for '16 MY, etc. But there are somethings that you should just expect when buying a sports/muscle car or whatever you want to classify it as. Hope this was a little help even though I didn't answer your questions directly.

Originally Posted by Eric10905

Hi,
Lots of good questions there, many of which i'm not sure about. I'm sure some more experienced folks can help more....my comments you might have already determined.
I don't daily mine, but I can say the pit falls that I've seen of it being such is the lack of visibility. Some reviewer said it was easier to see out of a wwii bunker. lol, it's not that bad, but probably every other car I've ever owned had better visibility. I decided I didn't care when I bought mine, but again not a DD. I have the 2ss and do like the blind spot monitor, and think that helps. I do know that's not on the 1SS, which was a decision point for me. Also the entry into the trunk is tight... doubt I could fit my golf bag through it (but haven't tried yet).
I've found the driver seat to be comfortable, with qualifier that all my drives thus far have been < 2 hours.
mine has 4 piston brembos - not sure if that is standard or not.

Good luck on your decision!

[protovack]

Originally Posted by RemingtonGoose

- does the driver seat have a lumbar adjustment?
- how is the comfort of the seat, would you take it for a long drive?
- does the seat heat your lower back or butt or both and can you separate them?
- does the 2SS come with brembo brakes or would that have to be a dealer spec'd item when the car was ordered?
- is the car reliable and would long term daily driving concern anyone?
- I am interested in the 6 speed version and I would like the mag ride and duel mode exhaust. (both for fun)
- Are there any day to day items that are irritating to you? For example do the breaks last in daily driving, tires, is the mag ride dependable? I'm looking for advice like that. Doing it over again what would you do differently and why?

The Camaro seats are some of the most comfortable I've ever found in a vehicle, and I'm fairly picky about that. It does not have lumbar but I feel like it doesn't need it. The built in lumbar support is actually quite good. One of the first things my wife and I said to each other after our first long trip was mutual surprise at how comfortable the seats are. Once you get going on a trip, it feels like you could go on virtually forever and not have any pain. There are a few things weird about the interior--some of the switches are in non-ergonomic places depending on your height, not much storage, but seat comfort has never been an issue in a 6th gen camaro. It's very good.

Long term reliability has been good, although there are issues with the A8 transmission and of all things, that seems to be the biggest sticking point. I'd avoid it by going with the M6. You would still want to disable skip shift if you go that route.

Mag ride--mixed opinions on this, there are a few stories of expensive repair bills, but overall, its a pretty bullet proof system. I, for one, do not feel it is worth the added expense and complexity. I've owned a 6th gen with mag ride, and to me it makes the car feel very digital and cold. I much prefer a traditional shock setup. The advantage with mag ride is you get a stiff suspension that instantly adjusts if you go over a bump, so it offers the lure of the "best of both worlds"--the performance of a stiff aftermarket suspension but able to be forgiving precisely when you want it to. It is very appealing, BUT, IMO, you sacrifice the analog feel of an old school shock. You can rest assured that the SS suspension and shock tuning from the factory is very responsive and more than adequate for the track, and the street.

Dual mode exhaust--again, another feature that some will say is essential, while others would rather save the money for something else. It's another "best of both worlds" feature but it adds expense and complexity. If you really want the ability to flip a switch and get a deeper exhaust tone on command, then get it. But just realize that the stock exhaust sounds just fine and is plenty loud for most people. Some really want the look of 4 outlet exhaust, others think it looks too busy, etc.

Brembos--yes the SS comes with 4 piston brembos standard. If you aren't tracking, you'll never reach the limits of those brakes on the street. The stock pads do make a lot of dust (a trade off for high performance), which can be remedied with switching out the stock pads for something else (a lot of people do this).

Remember, this is a mostly enthusiast forum full of people who wouldn't be happy with anything less than a fully loaded 2SS with all the bells and whistles, and they will tell you that you "must" get all the features, etc, etc. The truth is, even a bone stock LS 2.0T Camaro on discount for 19k off the lot is a ton of car, and you would struggle to find the limits of that car on the street.

Since you just intend on daily driving, I would ask if you are fully set on the LT1, or if you'd be open to looking at LTG or LGX models. Is this your first performance car? First Camaro? I'm not sure if I would call any car with the LT1 a good daily driver, while the other engines tend to be seen as very awesome daily drivers that, if pushed, have surprising performance on tap that is usable on the street.

[Jbanta1983]

Originally Posted by RemingtonGoose

Hello Camaro people, I am shopping and I need some advice from people experienced with these cars before I buy.

I am looking at 2019 SS camaro's. Around me there are plenty of 1LE cars, but it seems like I would perfer a 2SS car. I never plan to take it to a track, I just want to daily drive it, and I need a good reliable car for commuting and normal life stuff. These cars are comparable price to others on my list but I like GM vehicles and I live in the South so bad road conditions -(snow) is not an issue for round year use.

I have the following questions:

- does the driver seat have a lumbar adjustment?
- how is the comfort of the seat, would you take it for a long drive?
- does the seat heat your lower back or butt or both and can you separate them?
- does the 2SS come with brembo brakes or would that have to be a dealer spec'd item when the car was ordered?
- is the car reliable and would long term daily driving concern anyone?
- I am interested in the 6 speed version and I would like the mag ride and duel mode exhaust. (both for fun)
- Are there any day to day items that are irritating to you? For example do the breaks last in daily driving, tires, is the mag ride dependable? I'm looking for advice like that. Doing it over again what would you do differently and why?

Any of your opinions would be welcome before I spring for a brand new car. I am a 41 year old dude and you can tell from my questions I want a fun car that is 100% functional and reliable with the potential to kick ass. The car needs to be content being driven like a grandpa car when necessary.

I read things members said about the 1LE and it turned me off to that package: rocks flinging from tires, short tire life, and brake life, stiff bushings, springs, and bars, and if I never plan to take it to a track I think the comforts of the 2SS might outweigh the racy parts on the 1LE, -agree?

Last questions: does the bose 9 speaker stereo have a sub woofer as one of the 9 speakers? Does the 2SS have a diff and trans cooler or is that 1LE exclusive.

Thanks folks.

I just bought the 2SS 1Le. It is a BAD ASS MACHINE. But I would not recommendthe 1LE ae a daily driver. You wouldhave to own 2sweets of tires for starters because it comes with the eagle f1 which are basically street slicks. I would just go with a SS as an every day driver. Just my opinion. I drive a honda every and keep the1LE in the garage for the weekend

[TheBusDriver]

I'll take a crack at it with my own opinions, they differ slightly from matt fe2o3's. I'm going to omit questions that have already been answered that are cut and dry.

I have a fully loaded 2SS with a 6 Speed (M6), just turned 30,000 miles.

- does the driver seat have a lumbar adjustment?

No. When I first got in one I thought this was ridiculous for a fully loaded car, but I feel as though it's not necessary with these seats.

- how is the comfort of the seat, would you take it for a long drive?

I've been on a few 3 hour drives with this car. These are the MOST comfortable seats I've experienced, maybe aside from a high end Mercedes. For me, when you sit down, you can immediately tell how soft they are and how much give they have. The bolstering is perfect, non-intrusive, and also soft (I have an issue with bolstering on BMWs, their seats also seem very hard to me). Love the seats.

- does the seat heat your lower back or butt or both and can you separate them?

I feel it on the buttocks and lower back. Honestly, the heating and cooling feel a bit weak, although the cooling does keep me from getting a soaked back even though I feel like it does very little. It does do something.

- is the car reliable and would long term daily driving concern anyone?

Haven't had any issues and it doesn't worry me in the least. Its a GM V8 mated to one of the greatest 6 speed manual transmissions of all time. I don't expect this thing to let me down.

- I am interested in the 6 speed version and I would like the mag ride and duel mode exhaust. (both for fun)

Both are GREAT features. I couldn't live without the NPP (dual exhaust mode) or my neighbors would egg my house. Upon cold starts, these things are LOUD. I use stealth mode in the morning for startup, and switch it to track as soon as I get out on the road. I think it sounds incredible stock with the valves open.

The MRC (Magnetic Ride Control) is also great. I usually have it in Tour when I'm just driving around in traffic (comfortable, but not too soft), but as soon as I get on a nice windy road, ship it into Sport or Track (depending on how smooth the pavement is) and the car feels more planted, stable, and doesn't seem to body roll quite as much. Love it. Yes, I understand that one day it may be expensive to replace the shocks, but I'm willing to deal with that.

- Are there any day to day items that are irritating to you? For example do the breaks last in daily driving, tires, is the mag ride dependable? I'm looking for advice like that.

The Brembos are the best brakes I've ever had on a car, they easily over power the stock tires. They should be the least of your worries, other than the stock pads dusting your shiny new wheels up to hell. That can be remedied with a ceramic brake pad compound.

Have had zero issues with MRC, it only makes the driving experience even more enjoyable than it already is.
My opinion is to get rid of the OEM Goodyear Bald Eagle Runflats. Runflats are very stiff, and transfer more impact energy to your suspension, wheels chassis. They also don't grip as well as a traditional performance tire would. There is much debate about this, and I'm sure I'll get maimed for this, but that's my outlook.

Nothing bothers me with this car other than the blind spots. You feel like you're piloting a Tie-Fighter with even less to see out of. This was all the more reason to go with the 2SS which is the only model you can get with blind spot monitors, a MUST HAVE for this car. The roof line protrudes so far forward, sometimes when at certain stop lights I can't even see the light if I'm first in line. The door sills are very high so when navigating in small parking lots or drive-thrus with curbs on either side, you feel like you're going to curb your wheels up even though you may be further than you think you are. Although, as long as you get a good grasp on the dimensions of the car and keep good spacial awareness, you should be fine. I have yet to tap a curb with my wheels.

Oh, rattles. @ 30k miles, the Bose sound system in this thing rattles the door panels and everything else to hell. When hitting small bumps, I also hear a high-pitched rattle noise and I can't pinpoint where it's coming from. Brand new, everything is tight, but give it about 20k-25k miles and you may start to experience rattles all over the place. I know this can be remedied with some Dynamat, but I have yet to start digging into that. The warranty should also cover this for 3 years. My warranty had just expired when these rattles came about.

-Doing it over again what would you do differently and why?

The only thing I'd do differently would be to get a ZL1. Financially, for me, a very bad idea, but I love going fast and modifying things, so the ZL1 with the bulletproof LT4 and supported fueling would've been great for me. Now I have to figure out how to make 600whp without spending an arm and a leg, and hoping my LT1 piston rings don't get to know each other.

-Does the SS have a diff cooler?

Yes.


The Camaro SS with the M6 is very easy to drive, easiest manual car I've ever driven. I've achieved 29.9 mpg (never 30) on the highway, city you can expect mid-teens. It is traffic friendly. That big V8 has enough torque for you to not even need to apply throttle to get moving.


My synopsis of the SS trim levels + performance packages:

1SS: Fewer creature comforts, but still a big reliable engine mated to a great transmission (with an A8, experiences may vary). Lighter weight, so if strictly performance/weight reduction is your thing, this will do it for cheap.

2SS: IMO, the best daily driver Camaro. More than enough power for the street, all the creature comforts you need (blind spot monitors!!!), although a bit heavier than the 1SS, oh well.

ZL1: Absolute monster on the street and at the track. If you've got the coin, the ZL1 could theoretically be a great daily driver, although I would assume that VERY few people would daily this beast. Still equipped with MRC.

1LE: Circuit racing king. I've heard in many reviews that she is very rough on the road, potholes are not your friend in this girl. She sure looks the part though, the best looking 6th gen Camaro IMO.

[gmw0181]

Originally Posted by RemingtonGoose

Hello Camaro people, I am shopping and I need some advice from people experienced with these cars before I buy.

I am looking at 2019 SS camaro's. Around me there are plenty of 1LE cars, but it seems like I would perfer a 2SS car. I never plan to take it to a track, I just want to daily drive it, and I need a good reliable car for commuting and normal life stuff. These cars are comparable price to others on my list but I like GM vehicles and I live in the South so bad road conditions -(snow) is not an issue for round year use.

I have the following questions:

- does the driver seat have a lumbar adjustment?
- how is the comfort of the seat, would you take it for a long drive?
- does the seat heat your lower back or butt or both and can you separate them?
- does the 2SS come with brembo brakes or would that have to be a dealer spec'd item when the car was ordered?
- is the car reliable and would long term daily driving concern anyone?
- I am interested in the 6 speed version and I would like the mag ride and duel mode exhaust. (both for fun)
- Are there any day to day items that are irritating to you? For example do the breaks last in daily driving, tires, is the mag ride dependable? I'm looking for advice like that. Doing it over again what would you do differently and why?

Any of your opinions would be welcome before I spring for a brand new car. I am a 41 year old dude and you can tell from my questions I want a fun car that is 100% functional and reliable with the potential to kick ass. The car needs to be content being driven like a grandpa car when necessary.

I read things members said about the 1LE and it turned me off to that package: rocks flinging from tires, short tire life, and brake life, stiff bushings, springs, and bars, and if I never plan to take it to a track I think the comforts of the 2SS might outweigh the racy parts on the 1LE, -agree?

Last questions: does the bose 9 speaker stereo have a sub woofer as one of the 9 speakers? Does the 2SS have a diff and trans cooler or is that 1LE exclusive.

Thanks folks.

I daily drive a 2017 Camaro 2SS A8, Snow and Summer with 27,000 miles on it.
1. no lumbar adjustment.
2. Seat comfort is fine once broken in.
3. Heated and Cooled seats, both butt and back work great.
4. 2SS comes with Brembo Brakes.
5. Very reliable transportation. Longest trip was 1800 miles, very nice highway car.



The Goodyear Run Flats did fine. I put 18,000 miles on them before hitting the wear bars.
The Bose Radio sounds great. Not sure if it has a sub but it does thump with base.
Moon Roof works great with no problems.

Cons:
1. No jack or spare tire (now without runflats).
2. Always need more power.
3. The wireless charger is to small for my 7S.
4. Center console and door pockets to small.
5. No Lumbar support in seats.
6. Wish the windshield defroster covered more of the windshield. Have to use higher fan speed with feet vent off to defrost during winter snow.

[WCKD 1LE]

I read things members said about the 1LE and it turned me off to that package: rocks flinging from tires, short tire life, and brake life, stiff bushings, springs, and bars, and if I never plan to take it to a track I think the comforts of the 2SS might outweigh the racy parts on the 1LE, -agree?

You get rock flings from all tires on the highway, Tire life is shorter than an all season tire but the tires are 1000x better for driving in summer weather. Brake life depends on the driver and their ability to use downshifting to slow the car, both systems use Brembo pads. The ride stiffness can be adjusted electronically and thanks to Mag Ride, in Tour mode it feels like a 2ss.

There are two versions of the SS. Both are Great, both are wild animals when it comes to the engine side. But You can now enjoy both sides by picking up a 2SS 1LE.

The 1LE is track focused (Its basically a ZL1 without the LT4) or the 2SS which is feature focused.

Either way you will be a happy owner.

[ctrlz]

I have the service manual for this car and can confirm that the heated seats have elements in both the cushion and seat back. It also has blowers for the ventilation function in both the cushion and seat back. This is shown in the schematics.

I have an M6 with both the MRC and NPP. I like gadgetry, so I would consider these both "fun" options, but not necessarily essential. The NPP is the better bargain of the two, and you get the quad tips.

No reliability issues, but I have had the front rotors/pads replaced once, and the rotors turned once with less than 18000 miles on the car. This was due to pedal vibration (disc thickness variation). The car is a daily driver for me and the second time I decided to switch from the stock semi-metallic pads to aftermarket ceramic pads. My rotors are not showing the wear like they used to, and there is less dust. My reading on this matter is that Chevy sells the SS as a track-ready car which is why they install the grabbier brakes from the factory. Clearly not preferable for my application.

The car is comfortable, but visibility is compromised due to the styling. This is most noticeable when parking. The car has a rear camera, but would benefit from a front camera and down-facing cameras mounted on the mirror pods.

The bose system is good but not great. The "sub-woofers" are 6x9's in the doors and 6x9's in the rear deck. the rear speakers are set up as "rear fill," if you know what that means. I typically replace the sound system in my cars, but have decided to live with this one. This car, with its rigid chassis, engine growl, and exhaust tone, is not exactly Symphony Hall on wheels. I have followed the audio upgrade section of this forum with wonder and admiration, but have decided to save my money for now.

Worst stock feature: the run-flat tires. Too noisy.

[z28pat]

Drive one and decide for yourself , I just got a 2ss 1le and it’s loads of fun, don’t know if it’s any more fun that a regular ss but the wheels, brakes, spoiler and seats swayed me right into this car.

[matt fe2o3]

Originally Posted by ctrlz

The car is comfortable, but visibility is compromised due to the styling. This is most noticeable when parking. The car has a rear camera, but would benefit from a front camera and down-facing cameras mounted on the mirror pods.

What I have done is set my passenger mirror to automatically dip down when in reverse. This helps parking quite a bit and keeps me away from curves.

The camera for backing up is a little iffy for the drivers rear. So i use a bit of caution there.

Even with the blind-spot alert - seeing two lanes over on freeway fast merging is a challenge - I may mount an small convex mirror on the side view mirrors.

[arpad_m]

Welcome RemingtonGoose

Lots of great responses in this thread so far, let me just add a few personal points.

- how is the comfort of the seat, would you take it for a long drive?

The seats are near perfect for street use, very comfortable. A slight peculiarity with the adjustments is that that raising the seat also moves it backwards and vice versa. Not a dealbreaker, just interesting. The car has 3 memory positions, one for either fob and one exit position, you set it up once and forget it.

- does the seat heat your lower back or butt or both and can you separate them?

Both, but there is no separate seat and back cooling/heating option. I have that in our SUV and only ever use the "both" setting, so to me this is a non-issue, wouldn't want to waste space on more buttons that I never use.

Seats have 3 cooling and heating levels, know that even the strongest isn't going to blow you away or burn your butt, respectively. I actually found cooling levels 1 and 2 useful (despite what most say in the forums), although only for a month in Spring and Fall, otherwise level 3 is good enough for me.

- does the 2SS come with brembo brakes or would that have to be a dealer spec'd item when the car was ordered?

Yes, 4-piston brakes. Plenty good for the street. The stock pads dust, but their stopping power is breathtaking (again, for street application only, I don't track this car so don't know if they fade or would be generally inadequate there). I had the wheels ceramic coated and don't mind washing them, it's an easy job now.

- is the car reliable and would long term daily driving concern anyone?

Yeah, it's good. No danger of the infamous A8 shudder if you get the manual trans. Doors open very wide and backwards visibility is limited, so proper side mirror setup is essential, parking in tight spaces takes some getting used to.

- I am interested in the 6 speed version and I would like the mag ride and duel mode exhaust. (both for fun)

The MRC is very good, you can vary the suspension feel between relatively soft and more precise, but rougher. I for one don't mind that it adds a point of potential failure, it's worth it.

One thing, just as other said, the runflat tires on the 2SS are pretty loud and stiff, defeating the MRC to some extent. I swapped them out for Michelin PS4S and those are quiet, great in the dry plus much better in the cold and the rain---the Goodyear runflats were twitchy in sub-60 temps and actively trying to kill me in downpours and puddles.

Go listen to the NPP exhaust and see if it's loud enough for you. I like being able to change exhaust modes, the NPP has no drone at all and to me it sounds great out of the box. However, if you don't care for mode and rpm specific exhaust sound or are already thinking about aftermarket, don't waste your money, get the standard exhaust and swap it out for a louder one.

- Are there any day to day items that are irritating to you? For example do the breaks last in daily driving, tires, is the mag ride dependable? I'm looking for advice like that. Doing it over again what would you do differently and why?

Don't count on the rear seats much. I put my kids there and they cooperate nicely, but legroom and headrom are both very limited, and getting in or out is a hassle, too.

I am a 41 year old dude and you can tell from my questions I want a fun car that is 100% functional and reliable with the potential to kick ass. The car needs to be content being driven like a grandpa car when necessary.

Apart from being a few years older, I'm the exact same type. Trust me, you'll love this car to the moon and back, whether you buy a 2SS or a 2SS 1LE.

[LT4Greg]

Either a 2SS or SS 1LE would be a good choice. The SS 1LE is more of a track car whereas the 2SS is more of a daily driver car. The M6 transmission is excellent and MRC is good option to have. The NPP exhaust sounds good and worth the extra money if you aren’t planning to go to an aftermarket exhaust. I was planning to upgrade next year to a SS 1LE from my 2016 2 SS but I found a used 2017 ZL1 with less than 500 miles for a good price so I got that. IMHO either Camaro you are looking at is a good choice!