Quote:
Originally Posted by StoutFiles
Last week I ordered the 2LT/RS V6...and I'm trying to justify that choice instead of marching over to the dealer and changing it to the 2SS/RS.
Performance:
When I first researched the car, I saw 300 HP. Plenty powerful at first thought, but further research showed the cars huge weight and 0-60 time. Even if they get the car down to 5.9 seconds, that's still going to get beaten by a lot of cars, especially some embarrassing defeats (Cobalt SS).
I could throw on some mods to get that speed close to the SS, but it still won't be able to match it....and the money for those mods would match or go over the price of the SS. Can I really be happy with a car that has good HP but not the speed?
Cost:
The V6 cost is much less not from just the purchase price, but the added insurance I'm going to be paying for the V8 (under 25 years old), and the extra gas prices with premium and mileage. Is the 2SS really worth all the added expense?
This car is also going to be my daily driver...at least for a couple years until I get a regular car to save money on work commutes and for bad weather. Is the V8 good for daily use?
Overall Effect:
If I'm paying this much for a car, I want it to impress...i think everyone here wants their new car to impress. Both models will do that just based on first looks, but how big of a deal will the V6 rumble be over a sexy V8 rumble?
Also, I know a lot of people on here have said "the V6 is nothing to scoff at." I'm sure some people would agree but when I tell people I got the V6, you can sense the disappointment. It's like when you get the V6, people think you're "settling"...I want to be proud of my car at all times and have that "wow factor". Am I going to get that with a V6 and be able to keep impressing people with it for years?
So anyways, thanks for listening to my rant. Whether you're a V6 or V8 fan, please voice your opinion on which way you think I should go.
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I somewhat agree that you should get the car for yourself. But if your gut is telling you V8, but your brain is telling you V6 you've got a tough decision to make.
I've tasted V8 performance. I would not settle for V6 performance knowing what a V8 would do.
The fact that people said "Wow! 300hp! More than a Mustang! It'll outrun a Mustang!!" was stupid. It's going to be alright for a base car, but theres no way you're going to get SS performance for SS price if you buy a V6. There's so much more to the SS than V8 rumble and acceleration.
Everyone has said this before you get the FE3 suspension that will improve greatly upon the car's already great handling. You get Brembo brakes. I've priced those for the GTO and the fronts are around 3500 dollars. Just for a front kit. That's nearly the difference between the LT/RS/SS and the SS2/RS. That's not including the heavier duty sway bars, 9" rear wheels with 275 series tires on 20" wheels ($$$) as well as the tuning that goes into that setup to make it handle like it will.
If you can afford the SS, I suggest doing it. The V6 is decent I suppose, but when there's a car available that will do everything it does but better, it'd be difficult to settle.
On the subject of what people think of it, I'd like to say "Who cares what other people think, it's your money" but I know I'd be a little ashamed to show up to a cruise with my buddies and be the guy who says "I've got the V6". And at the strip, when they're smoking me by running low 13s and possibly 12s with good drivers and a little modding while I'm trying to break out of 14s with lots of money in mods, I'll feel ashamed then too. Or at least left out. The V6 apparently responds somewhat well to mods, but adding 30hp will possibly take a tenth or two off your 1/4mile time. And you'll have to spend a lot to make that. Those K&N air intake kits measure their power under the peak so it means that at one point in the power band, it has 14 more hp than stock. Or whatever number they're selling you. They're not a complete waste of money, but they're not going to make your car any faster. Maybe a 10th at most.
I suppose none of that should matter too much.. But being able to have the fun of a V8 is something as well. Don't count that out. Saying "Get what's best for you." makes sense, but like headpunter says, if you're thinking at all of getting a V8, do it. Because you'll regret it. Price insurance and make sure the V8 is going to be considerably more expensive before counting it out. Considering they'll offer the same safety features, prices may be similar.
The V8 will get decent mileage too. I get about 16-17 in the city in my GTO and about 25-26 (sometimes as much as 30mpg at low speeds for extended highway jaunts) or so with a similarly geared transmision on the highway. The Camaro should get near as good despite what the EPA rating says.