Motor Trend First Test: Camaro

[AAS]

Here's a nice article reviewing all powertrain iterations for the Camaro: MT Article

Needless to say... this put a smile on my face!

[Intrepidation]

High praise indeed!

[Camino LS6]

That is certainly a glowing review!

Well done, Camaro team!

[CaddyXLR-V]

Thank you Holden for developing Zeta. Without you, all we would have is Epsilon, Delta, and the ancient W bodies.

[Intrepidation]

Thank you Holden for developing Zeta. Without you, all we would have is Epsilon, Delta, and the ancient W bodies.

[Nick]

I'm very excited for this car.

The interior quality and weight are the only gripes I have...Otherwise...wow...

[balthazar]

The interior is no good on this car either ???

[Nick]

The interior is no good on this car either ???

It looks like the fit is good, and I like the layout...but the quality isn't exactly great.

[Intrepidation]

It looks like the fit is good, and I like the layout...but the quality isn't exactly great.

Yes it seems like NOS' fears came true about the cheap interior, which is a s shame. I though GM was done with cheap interior materials. The Mustang has a higher quality interior now.

Wouldn't stop me from getting one though.

[longtooth]

Yes it seems like NOS' fears came true about the cheap interior, which is a s shame. I though GM was done with cheap interior materials. The Mustang has a higher quality interior now.

Wouldn't stop me from getting one though.

I was thinking about developing a scheme along the lines of removing certain panels and wrapping 'em in Mylar or leather a la one of those shows where they do stuff like that all of the time.

I'm bummed in hearing that the 'tubular' ambient-lighting scheme is either on hold at the moment or 'on constraint.

We'll see.

[Intrepidation]

I was thinking about developing a scheme along the lines of removing certain panels and wrapping 'em in Mylar or leather a la one of those shows where they do stuff like that all of the time.

I'm bummed in hearing that the 'tubular' ambient-lighting scheme is either on hold at the moment or 'on constraint.

We'll see.

I had wondered about it. I hope they don't canel the option because I thought that was an awesome trait.

How do they wrap plastic door panels in new materials? I've long wondered it. I know it's been done I just don't know how, since Today's door panels are glued or plastic riveted together.

[FloydHendershot]

That's one hot ride!

[longtooth]

I had wondered about it. I hope they don't cancel the option because I thought that was an awesome trait.

How do they wrap plastic door panels in new materials? I've long wondered it. I know it's been done I just don't know how, since Today's door panels are glued or plastic riveted together.

Seriously. I don't exactly know the science of wrapping but I think it involves some heat and pattern matching (if any) and shrink-to-fit.

Leather seems somewhat more straightforward and more costly.

When I was in Doraville I had placed a suggestion into the system re: Wrapping an entire vehicle on-site.

I left the location before receiving any disposition on the suggestion and I never renewed it. About a year later I read where GM was going to 'look into' wrapping. Then, not a peep since '07.

Yes, the panels are glued, ultrasonically welded, riveted or friction-fitted together. If I screw it up in doing it myself I'd best be ready to eat the cost to buy replacement panels for a brand-new car. I don't know if I'm ready to take a hatchet to it as soon as it comes in.

Years ago I had some success in covering dash panels with anodized/brushed sheet aluminum .008" thick which caused me to think of doing this to the Camaro. Using a variety of materials and textures.

I'm still trying to get the definitive word on the ambient lighting. If it continues to be on constraint it wouldn't bother me to have my order skipped until it's widely available.

I'm not fretting it though. These things happen at launch with many vehicles.

Then, in 18 months you see them sitting in a row at a dealership with 0% financing and a rebate on the hood. I hope GM can match quality with quantity and keep demand in balance.

[Intrepidation]

Seriously. I don't exactly know the science of wrapping but I think it involves some heat and pattern matching (if any) and shrink-to-fit.

Leather seems somewhat more straightforward and more costly.

When I was in Doraville I had placed a suggestion into the system re: Wrapping an entire vehicle on-site.

I left the location before receiving any disposition on the suggestion and I never renewed it. About a year later I read where GM was going to 'look into' wrapping. Then, not a peep since '07.

Yes, the panels are glued, ultrasonically welded, riveted or friction-fitted together. If I screw it up in doing it myself I'd best be ready to eat the cost to buy replacement panels for a brand-new car. I don't know if I'm ready to take a hatchet to it as soon as it comes in.

Years ago I had some success in covering dash panels with anodized/brushed sheet aluminum .008" thick which caused me to think of doing this to the Camaro. Using a variety of materials and textures.

I'm still trying to get the definitive word on the ambient lighting. If it continues to be on constraint it wouldn't bother me to have my order skipped until it's widely available.

I'm not fretting it though. These things happen at launch with many vehicles.

Then, in 18 months you see them sitting in a row at a dealership with 0% financing and a rebate on the hood. I hope GM can match quality with quantity and keep demand in balance.

I'm afraid to try and swap out the door handles of my car, because unlike cars from even 5 years prior, the door handles/housings are glued and plastic riveted in place. No screws...which is annoying. I'm afraid to break it.

If you get word please let us know. It won't be the end of the world if the feature is canceled, but it's something cool and unique that I would love to have compliment the interior.

[longtooth]

I'm afraid to try and swap out the door handles of my car, because unlike cars from even 5 years prior, the door handles/housings are glued and plastic riveted in place. No screws...which is annoying. I'm afraid to break it.

If you get word please let us know. It won't be the end of the world if the feature is canceled, but it's something cool and unique that I would love to have compliment the interior.

I will Dodge'.

I'm going to make a serious inquiry into the matter and try not to gut any friendships which I've left intact.

As to the panels, or related to it, about 15 years ago or so at our plant an engineer brought in samples of what was later to evolve into the so-called 'superplug'.

It was the guts of the inner door mechanicals containing the window regulator assembly (manual or electric) speaker(s) and wiring etc. The 'plug is in wide use today and is a difficult repair to just replace one failed component although replacement pieces are sold individually. Typically for a warranty replacement the entire assembly is replaced. The perforated heavy-duty nylon tape used to lower or raise the window is even sold separately. It feeds onto a spool riveted to the regulator housing assembly. 'Easy-to-fix' mechanical linkages are somewhat rare these days. Injection-molded ABS plastic handles are the norm too. They once were chrome-plated die cast items secured to the crank stud with a circlip.

[edit] The "door handles" are composite construction using high impact ABS too. The bother with replacing those lies in doing it without removing the door cover panel. Have some nylon push-clips handy in case of breakage. Some clips become brittle with age and break easily.

Edited March 21, 2009 by longtooth

[Intrepidation]

I really dislike it. Especially since I liek to fix things myself if I can.

Case in point. The Prizm we have had a broken driver's door regulator. Pulling the panel off was easy enough, and the regulator was bolted (not riveted) into the door. By contrast, the Grand Marquis' regulators are riveted and very hard to get out.

The Prizm's arm rest and door handle were seperate pieces that couple be unscrewed and taken apart...so no risk of braking the parts. This is good because the door handle broke off once.

[longtooth]

I really dislike it. Especially since I liek to fix things myself if I can.

Case in point. The Prizm we have had a broken driver's door regulator. Pulling the panel off was easy enough, and the regulator was bolted (not riveted) into the door. By contrast, the Grand Marquis' regulators are riveted and very hard to get out.

The Prizm's arm rest and door handle were separate pieces that couple be unscrewed and taken apart...so no risk of braking the parts. This is good because the door handle broke off once.

I think that they calculate the mean-time between failure for these various items and count on: Premature failure as a rarity and 8 to 10 years down the road that someone would either be an enthusiast looking to do some restoration or someone wanting to extend the life of an otherwise dependable car. 4th generation Camaros are/were notorious for 'slow' power windows. They had that somewhat under control by the time that the '98 F-bodies were reworked. Nonetheless I did have an entire assembly replaced on an '00 Z28 within the first 14 months. I think that the drive to reduce costs by all manufacturers have led to some corner cutting. Noisy seat operation, for electric seats, is a common complaint for still-in-warranty cars. Keyang, a South Korean supplier, built some of the loudest that I'd ever heard during my time spent inspecting/testing them back in the '90s.

In my opinion it all relates to cost. Especially if you're a project engineer calculating cost to the 5th decimal place over a 5 or 6 year model run lifespan. Even longer if component commonality remains the norm.

[gm4life]

What a glowing review coming from M/T. Maybe I'll keep my subscribing for another year, just because of this.