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Originally Posted by 280z/300zx
Like I said, they both have pros and cons. The Camaro corners really well despite it's large size and weight. That being said you feel the weight when trying to throw it. The Z on the other hand is very tossible and more precise. Honestly for daily driving and spirited fun the Camaro gets the job done with no complaints. It's only on things like auto-x or canyon roads where the Z is the obvious winner. When driving the car on the streets it's no less fun than the Z. The suspension is also much stiffer in the Z (Nismo or regular) vs. the Camaro. This is good in that body roll is less but it can also wear on your passengers. This is more personal preference but essentially the Z is more track oriented out of the box vs. the more comfy Camaro. In auto-x the Camaro is usually right behind the Z in terms of time. Throw in better springs and/or sway bars and the Camaro will be right there with the Z. That being said it does take a better driver to get the Camaro around those cones to match the Z. The weight of the car is a hindrance.
The Z seats are better for racing as they hold you in better but the Camaro seats are better for long trips and crusing
The radio in the Camaro is better than the Z (both base and touring).
The overall ergonomics of the Z interior for the driver is better. Everything is very well positioned and intuitive. The Camaro is functional but not as driver focused.
Probably my biggest pet peeve between the two is traction. Whether new or with miles on the tires the Camaro has vastly superior traction compared to the Z. With the Camaro you can just rev and dump the clutch, the car just burns and goes. It's very easy to get a near perfect launch with the car. The Z on the other hand is very tricky to launch and typically ends up with massive wheel spin, wheel hop, or bogging. I'm actually about to change the stock tires for RE-11's and hoping this will change the way the Z drives but honestly it takes a lot of the fun out of the car. Essentially VDC always has to stay on, otherwise without VDC you have to be on top of your game at all times. The camaro is much more forgiving and easier to control. I have no problem going balls out from a light but in the Z I almost never do as I usually just spin like crazy (with VDC off). Honestly if traction is still an issue after the RE-11's I'm switching to something else. I've never driven a car that sucked so horribly with traction. I mean I've been driving RWD cars all my life and the Z is the worst. Even the C6 vette we used to have was better with it's run-flats. Maybe it's just me but I like to drive a little aggressively without having to worry about spinning out of control or VDC kicking in.
Speaking of which, VDC. The Camaro TCS is far better than the Z's VDC. With the Z, even the slightest slip causes it to kick in stopping any fun you were about to have. With the Camaro its far more forgiving and progressive. It allows you to spin the tires in a very controlled way allowing the driver to control the car instead of the TCS just shutting it down. It's only when the tires really start to slip that it kicks in hard. From my experience the Ford/GM brands have a much better TCS system compared to it's Japanese counterparts.
Like I said, both cars have pros and cons. Both cars provide a different kind of experience. In the end it's really going to come down to personal preference rather than numbers. On paper the Camaro is faster but in the hands of most people the Z will give it a good run. In higher speed rolling races my Nismo actually hangs right next to it. The Camaro is the better straight line and the Z the better corner carver, but the cars are so close to each other in both categories that it's really more about which car looks or feels better to the person buying.
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As someone who has good drive time behind the wheel of the camaro 2ss. I can completely agree with everything you say. A huge advantage on the camaro you didnt mention is push-pounding torque. when you smash that pedal, you get thrown so hard into the seat, you feel like part of the furniture. And even though a good driver can squeeze out as much acceleration in a z as you can from a Camaro. The Camaro feels like you are going much faster off the line due to the amount of torque pushing down from the wheels. Not even the stang which is faster feels as fast.
There's a lot of hate on Camaro SS's without people having drive time on them and falling into Stang fanboi hype. Granted, the mustang in dry well paved conditions can carve the **** out of a road with much better lap times than a Camaro or Z. But the Camaro, in spite of its size and weight is well above average. Honestly, if GM was smart enough to make this car a 3600lb beast, 2 inches closer to the ground and slightly firmer suspension. the camaro would probably be "the car".
Interior quality. It's not so much is an issue when it comes to performance. But when you're shelling out $38,000+ on a sports car, the 10-11 camaro's are disappointing. the interior just doesnt look $38000+. Upon further inspection of the newer models, i would say interior has improved greatly. I definitely like it over the stang and vette. But not over the Z.
Camaro seating. My first time renting one. I drove pretty much 10 hours in a day just cruising. The camaro seats are about as comfortable as they get. the camaros moonroof is perfectly sized and when opened halfway on a spring day. No need for A/C, it rushes cool air into the cabin like no other moonroof i've ever experienced. Open all the way and the air slipstreams over the car without much air invasion of the cockpit. Love the camaro. Just couldnt pick one over a Z. Camaro is well featured for daily use and super-long road trips for the versatile enthusiast. The z is a shorter distance aggressive drivers car.
Ahh last thing about the camaro. It definitely provides a much sportier seat positioning than both mustang and challenger. steering heft is great as well as wheel thickness. I prefer these features over the other 2 muscle cars... but if you're a track junkie. The stang is the muscle car champ and too compelling to pass up on that level of enthusiast sport driving.