Which new car? 370z IS an option.

shadoquad

Cuda, the interior of the Camaro I tested was literally falling apart. Cheap interior, not well built.

DivZero

Here's an interesting fact that speaks to the Camaro's handling prowess...

In the Grand Am Conti Series, the Camaro's can/must run a 6.1 liter unrestricted engine to stay competitive, whereas no one else has an engine displacement that large, even on heavier cars (M3 for instance). Many of the other cars with higher displacement must also run with a restrictor.

280z/300zx

Hello, current 370z NISMO and 2010 Camaro SS owner. Also previously owned a 09 sport/touring 370z. I'll try to give you my perspective as an actual owner of both cars as well as someone who as actually raced with both cars. No fanboyism or bench racing or regurgitation of what mags say.

The two cars are really different. The 370z is precise, nimble, powerful but with purpose. The Camaro is heavy, large, brutish, but can still deliver a great experience. In handling the 370z wins hands down but thats not to say the Camaro is bad for a driver such as the op who will only drive spiritedly on the street. Obviously on the track the Z will eat the Camaro in the turns but on the streets just having fun the Camaro is plenty good. It still handles better than the majority of cars on the road and provides that sports feel. Turn in, feed back, etc.... everyting when it comes to the handling of the car is better with the Z BUT again, for someone only looking to have a fun daily driver the Camaro has little to fault in the handling department

Power, well it's odd to say. The Camaro feels more powerful but it also feels like it's trying to move it's weight. The Z feels much lighter but it also has you waiting for the explosive feeling you get with acceleration, but it never comes. The Camaro puts down power from all rpm ranges where as the Z is adequate down low but only really feels powerful in the higher rpms. Obviously on paper the Camaro is the faster car when you compared 12.9 for the Camaro vs. 13.1 or slower for the Z. That being said, both will deliver fun and more acceleration than you need for the streets. The only thing I have to really praise the Camaro for is tractin. Dispite the bigger engine, more hp, and more torque it also has more traction. I'm not sure what it is about the Z as I'm not a track guru but the Z's traction sucks. I get slip all the way to 4th in my NISMO and the same was said for my previous touring/sport. The Camaro has much better traction dispite inferior tires from factory and more power. Also the traction control system on the Camaro is much more friently to spirited runs meaning that it's less intrusive and it comes on smoother. The Z's VDC is abrupt and comes on way too soon.

Interior, I'm not sure what Camaro's people are sitting in but the 2SS interior I have (full leather, etc) is pretty decent. My only gripe with it is the hard plastic materials Chevy is still using while others, like the Z, is moved towards softer touch materials. That being said, in almost 2yrs of ownership our Camaro interior is like new. I did prefer my touring interior to the Camaro but with my current NISMO interior I prefer the Camaro.

Overall you can't go wrong with either car as a daily driver. They will both provide a great ride and lots of fun. The Camaro is better for longer trips as its more comfortable and larger inside. I hate the trunk on it as the large trunk is hindered by the small opening to the trunk. The Camaro sounds better from the exhaust standpoint compared to the almost non-existant exhaust tone of the Z. The backseat in the Camaro is good in a pinch but I wouldn't want to drive anywhere long with someone back there. The Camaro is very easy to get tons of power from if you decide to mod compared to the 370z. The Camaro lacks the "cockpit" feel of the 370z which is something I love and have loved about all Z's. Stepping into my 280z, 300zx, or 370z it all feels the same; like everything is at your finger tips and ready for launch. The Camaro feels like your typical American car. All the pieces are there but it's not very connected. I had the same feeling in our previous C6 Vette.

I say drive them both. They both have pros and cons but in the end you can't go wrong with either. Lasly, have you considered the new Mustang. Actually, from all the cars in this price range the Mustang is really the hot ticket right now. Better power than the Z and Camaro while still retaining excellent cornering skills similar to the Z. And it's cheaper.

Cuda1337

So you're saying, Divzero, that the Camaro has great handling for its size?

I just got home from test driving some different cars, here are my thoughts.

Drove a Camaro SS - The interior was alright, wasn't wow'd by it but it was ok. I drove an auto with paddle shifters and it felt ok initially. Once I actually used it in manual mode though it definitely felt a lot faster. Not quite as quick as the Z though, or maybe it just felt that way because it's so big. In any case, it was nice, but it didn't blow me away.

I drove a 370 auto right afterwards and it just felt much quicker. The interior I saw as about equal quality to the camaro.


I also drove a Hyundai Genesis and I was very underwhelmed. I drove the 3.8 turbo version and it just didn't feel fast at all. The interior was good quality though.


Perhaps I need a longer drive on the Camaro to really get an idea for its handling/power. The route we took wasn't that great for opening it up.


On a side note, I have a bit of a dilemma. Obviously most people who opt for a sports car get a manual. I've never driven a manual. Any car I've ever owned has always been an auto and as such, I just don't know how to drive a manual. That said, I'm not totally against the idea of having one. I think its kind of silly that I'm literally cutting out half of the cars I can look at because I can't drive a manual. Has anyone else gone through a similar situation where they had to learn to drive a manual to handle their new car? How long did it take to learn? Do any of you have manuals that wish you had an auto? For what its worth, I do deal with a bit of traffic from time to time and this will be my daily driver.

280z/300zx

I taught myself how to drive manual because I wanted to learn. I bought my 280z barely knowing how to drive it and learned with in a matter of a couple weeks. I didn't stress because I still had my 300zx which is auto. It doesn't take very long to learn how to drive manual if you already know the basics. If you know the basics then it's all about practicing to make it smooth. Plenty here had to learn how to drive manual int their new 370z so maybe they can chime in. I had both my friends driving manual in a matter of hours, at least enough to drive car from point A to B. Then it just takes a couple weeks to perfect it. Then maybe several months to be perfectly smooth at it every time. It's all about practice but it's definetly not rocket science

In regards to traffic it's up to the individual. I used to comute in my 280z 2hrs each way to college. Stop and go stop and go. Never bothered me once to have the manual. Case in point, I took my 280z 4 days out of the week and my 300zx only 1 day out of the week. Then of course there are others who wouldn't be caught dead in traffic with a manual. Only you can answer this question.

90 ST

Just a note, the Genesis is either a 2.0 turbo, or a 3.8...double check which one you drove.

DivZero

No way. It need a larger engine than anyone else and needs less restrictions on that engine to be competitive. The handling is sub par and as such, the car must make up for it on the straights with increased engine power.

Slightly related... the AM Performance 370Z's were running circles around the Camaros in the corners of Laguna Seca and Mid-Ohio. While many suspension pieces on the AM cars are not stock (AST dampers, custom-fabbed sway bars, etc.), the stock geometry is maintained as per Grand Am rules.

Also, I think it should be noted for GM's sake that the Camaro is a huge leap in the right direction. It's not perfect yet, but it's much better than their other performance offerings in the past (Corvette excluded). Quality and R&D are up!

ImportConvert

Well, that may be so, but stock for stock, the Camaro SS will beat the NISMO 370Z on that track.

techumper

I went through the same thing in 05, I really liked a accord coupe but had a manual transmission, I had no clue on how to drive a manual. My dad ended up test driving the car, I really liked the car back then and I decided to go for it. Overal it took me a good month to feel comfortable driving it everywhere by myself, at first I was really nervous about inclines and the car rolling and me not getting the car in gear quick enough, but you live and learn.

I think if you have someone to help or guide you initially, you should be fine, all manaul drivers had to learn somehow... good luck!

mantella87

If I was in your position it would come down to the Gen Coupe (3.8) or the 370. I really like the 370's interior. It's pretty solid and not overdone. The 370 is also very hard to take your eyes off of. The 3.8 Gen Coupe fully loaded is hard to beat, and also looks awesome in my opinion. I can definitely tell you that the 370 is better and more fun than the 350. My Dad had the 7AT 370 and it was awesome to drive. The paddle shifting is a lot of fun.

exedy699

I learned to drive a manual when i was 7..mostly thanks to Gran Turismo as my birthday present and my dad, he loved teaching me stuff. When I got married, I only had one car, my z. My wife had no idea how to drive a manual, and after two weeks her Pontiac broke down and had to sell it.

It took me one week to teach her the basics before she could take the car on her own. did she burn the clutch? Nope, not one bit. Did she stall? you bet, we all do. Did she get in a major accident? Nope. Did she get annoyed and frustrated when changing gears and clutching during heavy traffic? Of course..

It has been 5 months since I thought her how to drive a stick. Now, I can toss her any stick car, and bam she gets it right away. As a man, i can tell you something: It is not difficult as long as you have someone to help you through it and as long as you understand the mechanics behind it. That will help you understand why certain things have to be done, or not done. I assume it would take you 2 days until you feel OK driving in the city with heavy traffic, and one week until you stop really thinking about it.

Just my 2c

shadoquad

Might have just been the tester I drove, but the cheap plastic in that Camaro was literally falling apart. Obv. It may have just been a lemon, but that was my test drive impression. It was a brand new '10 SS. This was in March or April 2010

ImportConvert

I have seen you post this over and over, but I don't know if you have ever said exactly WHAT fell apart?

My biggest complaint about the Camaro SS is who the hell decided the gauges should be obscured by the shifter? That's where the lighter plug goes. NOT the gauges

I'd buy a 2008 C6 for high 20's/low 30's before I EVER! bought a Camaro SS. They are pigs in comparison. However, I have seen what they can do on a track in experienced hands, and lets put it this way. Our instructors had to slow up so people in ZR1's could catch up. With cars, it's the Indian, not the arrow. However, the Camaro SS isn't exactly the best of arrows in the cars you listed. Food for thought, I raced numerous '10 SS's in my 2001 Trans Am. We were always within 2-3 feet of each other all the way up to 140+mph. So basically, when it comes to acceleration performance, you get a 2001 F-body with new looks. I wouldn't do it.

shadoquad

You're funny, kitten. Maybe you haven't seen that because you never bothered to ask. You act like I'm hiding something.



In this picture, there is a grey piece of plastic trim that spans the entire dash. It's located above the vents, it continues on either side of the gauge cluster. When I opened the door at the end of the test drive, the plastic trim running from the gauges to the door completely fell off the vehicle.

There, it's no secret, inspector.

ImportConvert

That trim is probably held on by a simple press/expansion type clip (I don't know the name for it). It probably somehow, some way, escaped QC at the factory (it happens with every brand). Wasn't pressed in all the way, and a few hot/cold cycles of the sun baking the car, etc. and it fell off when you jarred the vehicle with the door opening. Press it in, it would have probably clipped right in place and never been a problem. The A-pillar in my Z06 is identical, except it didn't miss QC.