370z vs Camaro SS1LE
 

I found this little review and I liked it a lot because i've cross shopped both these cars on more than one occasion. I come away feeling exactly like the reviewer from the daily perspective. Having the convenience of 2 cars made me buy the Z. But if i needed practicality... ?
The 1LE drives amazing for it's size... I'm sure the Alpha will be a platform, that continues and exceeds the current zeta in the aspect of awesome performance. But the Z34, is truly unique and special. You either get it or you don't.... For those that do? It's impossible to find a subsitute for a Z under $55,000

https://www.yahoo.com/autos/bp/chevy...155001648.html

The main reason I have not seriously looked into the Camaro is the reported poor visibility. Well, that and GM's reputation for poor quality.

I wonder how it really compares to the Z, with the dumbo ears mirrors, mostly useless 3/4 window, etc.

Anyone?

I guess I could go try one out for giggles. Don't think it's the car for me, though.

Well, it may have poor visibility but it is certainly better than ours :bowrofl:

I personally do not care for the Camaro, it feels too 'big' inside - like I have to hold my arm way above my shoulder to even put it out the tank-like windows. Also it feels like I can barely see over the steering wheel with how the windshield / hood is designed, which is saying something because I am 6'1". When I worked for GM I got to borrow a 2013 SS/RS for a week and just couldn't get used to it. At least it was pretty quick in a straight line for weighing as much as a yacht

Plus the fact that there are thousands out there.... In just my neighborhood alone.

When I bought my Z I also drove the FR-S, 5.0 and SS. The SS was the worst by far even though it had the most power (slightly more than the 5.0). It cornered like a dump truck, rolled like a boat, looked like barf, and had a $h*t-goofy interior. Plus it's a Cheby... no thanks.

You can't see out of it because the windows are like 8" tall.:icon14:

I see like 10 of them just on my way to work!

yah, i too prefer smaller cars. camaros are too big. z's like the perfect size. not too small, not too big.

Don't care. Just as popularity doesn't automatically make something good (see: music) it also doesn't make something automatically bad.

If the Camaro or Mustang was really freaking awesome I wouldn't care if there were 100 on my street, I'd still buy one.

I think it's about perfect too. It feels big enough to be substantial but not so big that you can't toss it around pretty well.

;) ;) ;) :yum: :bowrofl:

The 5.0 is severely underrated in the handling dept IMO. A set of lowering springs and some sticky tires goes a long way on those cars, and power mods are cheap, widely varied, and give you big gains compared to our Z.

It doesn't handle as well as a Z but it's not as far off as people like to think. The difference is it's got WAAAYYY more power mod for mod.;)

I bought my Z partially because everyone has a Mustang and I had just crashed one.:roflpuke2:

I'm actually pretty excited about the S550. :tup:

I owned a 2011 Camaro SS for three days. I hated it. Handled poorly, blind spots, just an overall big heavy car

I love how people claim that the SS handles poorly, so the 1LE must also be a sloppy boat. :rofl2:

These threads make it easy to separate car fanboys from car enthusiasts.

Reading comprehension isn't your strong suit, huh? :rofl2:

He was being sarcastic about the handling comment

I guess it's not :shakes head:

Seemed to me that he was trying to say that the SS doesn't handle poorly.

No one but you thought that. Others read it correctly. No child left behind, my ***. :rofl2:

These cars are basically a VF Commodore under the skin and there are a heap of Walkinshaw Performance upgrades available for them to get them to turn/stop

That said, they are a big car that you "open the door and get into", whereas the Z34 is a smaller package that in my opinion, you "put on" like snug-fitting clothes.

I've owned hipo Commodores in the past including Group A road-registered race variants back in the 80's and I much prefer the Zed.

[EDIT] My bad .... 1LE already has the stop/go/turn bits on it ..... still prefer the Zed tho'

Whatever you say buddy. :tup:

The 1le optioned out will run you what a nismo runs. I have trouble buying a Chevy product unless it's a vette but this car (1le) deserves respect.

I'd buy a new model mustang with track pack first but don't be fooled. American "quality" is seriously lacking....from both (Ford and chevy) companies.

Okay it may be better than the late 80s but I've had newer mustangs and dodges etc and they have all pretty much had issues compared to my Nissans which needed whiper blades and a tail light.....all totaled, that includes a (versa, a g37, a titan, another versa and the new z)

With Ford's etc there is always some freaking light shorting out/rattle/ knob broken/error code/squeek/grind/clunk/ etc. However a replacement fog light (g37-busted by a rock) at the dealership will run you $300 at an infinity dealership vs $70.00 (mustang) at the Ford dealership....so in a way it's a wash.

(Mustangs and Camaros and callengers) They wear on you and no matter how much you try to love them, they have a way of sucking the fun out of it because you spend just as much time stressing about issues as you do enjoying the car....

Also once again the "internet commenter" disproves Darwinism.

I wish my car had intelligent awd...

I owned a 2010 Camaro SS for 3 years... not one problem. The 1LE will out handle the Z on any track.

I also did cross shopping on both cars and I am an LSx engine fanatic. Love those things, used to have an LS1 powered FD RX7. I just couldnt get past the interior of the Camaro and the size of the car. It was just too chunky. The Z had everything I was looking for. I am also one with a 2nd vehicle so practical really wasn't a factor in shopping.

Me too. I'd let my AWD do my taxes while I drove or something. :driving:

That guy sells Nissans. Doesn't know they have slip diff, doesn't know they aren't AWD. Doesn't know it doesn't have traction control.....


"Salesman"

Par for the course. One of the salesmen at my local dealership thought my NISMO was the GT-R that had been sitting in their showroom.:roflpuke2:

i got the base model, no awd for me :o

I figure I'll chime in here on something closely related as one of my best friends bought a 2013 ZL1 6MT this past weekend and on the day he bought it, he turned the keys over to me to test it out.

I'll be 100% up front - I have never driven a car with this much power. Until this point, a Corvette C6 Z06 (stock) was the most powerful car I had ever driven. The ZL1 puts down 580hp or so.

The ZL1 had very nice appointments compared to the SS I had driven before (2010 1SS). Some alcantara (or something like it) on the dash, leather/alcantara seats, butt-warmers, etc. A nicely finished interior (for a GM - must caveat that. They are only a couple notches above Subaru for interior appointments on average, unless you get a higher end model like a ZL1 or something from Cadillac). My only gripe about the car is the placement of the oil temp/pressure/voltage gauges. They're in a completely irrelevant spot in the car (in front of the shifter) rather than the more sensible placement of the triple gauges in the Z (line of sight on the dash).

Visibility is just awkward on the current-gen Camaro. Front, rear, side... all of it. I feel like a three year old at his first dinner at the dinner table without a booster seat. The Camaro is a pretty big car, but its interior setup capped off by the visibility makes it feel bigger than it is. The Z absolutely trumps it on forward and side visibility with the rear visibility being a wash, yet easier to work with because the Z has less rear size to it than the Camaro.

Performance wise - the power of the ZL1 is absolutely intoxicating. I broke it loose in 3rd gear at 40 mph at about 3/4 throttle. With it being not my car, I never got into an area of comfort that allowed me to go WOT at all. I found out all I needed to find out - this thing hauls *** without question. It's very planted at speed and it's pretty tight overall suspension wise. It's quieter than the Z by a good bit too, yet the sound of the supercharged V8 under load is pretty damn emasculating. As a daily driver, I can see why many people are attracted to the pony cars and less attracted to something like a Z. The pony cars represent a form of brute force while cars like the Z, Miata, and Cayman represent finesse to me.

At the end of the day, with all the extra space, power, and performance, I still feel more comfortable in the Z. The Z is a raw sports car through and through and I feel it offers an experience you can't get in a lot of other vehicles. The visibility is there where it matters, the grip is there in spades compared to the Camaro (even with my OE tires near end of life and the ZL1 I drove had just 2000 miles on them), and there's plenty of power to have fun with, whereas the ZL1 is just indulgence in something borderline maniacal. Lots of fun, but emphasizes an area of fun that I don't appreciate as much as the fun offered in my nimble Z car.

Both are pretty nice cars, but the Z is just more my style. I fear though that drivers like me are of a growing minority and cars like the Z and Miata will only exist for the size of the cult following they create.

This is well said. I agree 100%. Ive been behind the wheel of Mustangs, Camaro's, at the track in Sebring, a couple friends who drive them as DD, and yes they are fine vehicles. Admittedly, brutally quick too. That being said, what makes the Z...special lets say, to me is the intimacy factor of being connected to FD/RWD 2 seat small coupe with a decent amount of power. Thats intoxicating to me. Something the big, brawny muscle cars could never offer me.