ULTIMATEORANGESS

iTrader: (4)

i agree.if im going to buy new im getting it optioned how i want it or not at all.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

Sadly this seems to be the case, very disappointing to me but most people like the gadgets. I would love to order a top engine in a base trim car, and/or be able to delete several common modern features.

As new cars continue to move further and further away from what I prefer, I think it's unlikely I'll ever buy a brand new car again; the cost savings of a lightly used example helps soften the blow of buying something that's a compromise in the first place.

ULTIMATEORANGESS

iTrader: (4)

i gotta say i like open roofs,recaro seats,stripes,spoilers,exhaust packages,bigger tires and rims. i prefer as unique as you can order a vehicle and make it stand out anyway possible.

i also like a very nice sound system. touch screen options are nice too. keep it coming lol.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

Just a modern version of the '80s digital dash tragedy IMO. I genuinely hope it disappears from the automotive landscape.

Z Fury

iTrader: (1)

I'm honestly shocked at how big the touch screen infotainment systems have become. I know I've asked it before, but if texting and driving is bad, how can these screens be okay?

To be honest, I love having the big display, but I miss having the buttons that I can memorize by feel - the ability to reach over and adjust things without taking my eyes off the road.

NW-99SS

iTrader: (6)

Agreed, but we may be the minority as I feel like on of the "older" owners on tech (I'm 35 - owned my 99 for over 15 years now).

I bought a 98 K1500 Chev a few years ago, and I can't tell you how happy I was to see the stock CD player intact, the same one in my Camaro. No spending countless hours looking for settings on that deck!

ULTIMATEORANGESS

iTrader: (4)

i admit i dont want anything to be complicated to figure out but i do like a ton of options just not the cost.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

I couldn't stand the MyLink/infotainment garbage in the '13 Malibu I rented last year. Way too much hassle and delayed response while operating the screen. As said, these things should be able to be done by feel rather than taking your eyes of the road.

I'm also in the "older" LS1Tech crowd and I greatly prefer buttons, switches and *****. The touchscreens are a huge step backward in terms of road-friendly usability, not to mention they look unsightly with all the visible fingerprints when the car is not running.

Like you, I'm also old enough to have bought two of my 4th gens brand new. Frankly, I would MUCH rather be able to buy another brand new 4th gen today, but with an LS3 (not LT1) stock, than anything on the current GM roster or pipeline. 4th gen plus an LS3 would be just about as simple to work on as the LS1, and getting one brand new again with a full warranty and all fresh parts would be ideal; light, nicely styled (IMO) with a traditional raw muscle car feel (vs. the pseudo-luxury feel of most modern performance cars) and reasonable entry price tag. I suspect I'm probably the only person on this site to feel this way. That's OK, I don't mind being different.

Irunelevens

I remember back in the '00-'02 period seeing bargain-basement V6 Camaros advertised at ~$14-$15k in the newpaper. They were giving away F-bodies down here until a year or two after they were canned. I remember test driving an '02 slick-top Z28 6spd back in early '04, and it was $15k!
With the way life and the world are going in general, that's never going to happen. They will, however, continue to make it more reliable and intuitive. I prefer switches and ***** too (depending on the car), but that's just how it is.

NW-99SS

iTrader: (6)

We are on the same page - and no argument on wanting to buy a new 4th gen. Every time I see a low mileage one in the classifieds, I have to remind myself that I don't have the need for another, or the garage room. Having said that, I would love a 2015 Z/28.

I know the US market was completely different from ours. In fact, California sells more passenger vehicles every year than all of Canada - so we don't register as that important in the eyes of the big 3. I feel lucky to have bought my 4th gen for the price I did here - the sticker on it was 48K!

SSCamaro99_3

iTrader: (1)

There's at least three of us. All that fancy crap breaks as the car ages and is expensive to fix. I have almost always bought used out of warranty cars, so I am senstive to that part of the equation.

Last car I bought was my 2002 Expedition. Bought it for $9K with 28,200 miles on it in 2010. It has almost no options other than 4wd, power windows and power locks. Been realy reliable for the last 5 years and coming up on 80,000 miles. Only downside is the rust is getting bad. It was a U.S Forestry Service vehicle in upstate NY.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

I understand and agree, as I usually keep cars for 8-12 years or more and hate to deal with the added hassles of aged techy-gadgets. Recently the wife and I have bought new-to-us daily drivers ('10 and '12 Malibus) which were just about the newest mid-sized sedans you could get from GM without touch screens or excessive gadgetry. I'm really not looking forward to what we'll have to buy in another 10-12 years.

X-ray

iTrader: (6)

I just don't understand why everyone and everything has gone to touch screens when switches and ***** accomplish all of the same tasks, except faster, easier, and safer. I cannot think of one advantage to a touch screen. I am 28 and I've been using computers since the Commodore 64 when I was 3 years old, so it's not like I have trouble learning new technology. The problem is I prefer what is faster and more efficient, and touch screens are a step backwards.

I've had my 2002 Z28 since 2009 and I can't foresee getting rid of it, ever. I wish I had more money and a nice garage so I could buy a couple more f-bodies to preserve for myself. Okay I know we're way off topic but I couldn't help but get in on complaining about this subject.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

I feel exactly the same. I'm about a decade older than you but agree completely on all counts. The good news is that I've recently talked with a GM salesman who mentioned that several customers have begun to complain about the mandated touch screens and have expressed our same interest in being able to delete that option in favor of normal HVAC/Radio controls. I've even gone so far as to write a paper letter to GM Customer Service about this and place a follow-up phone call. Of course, it will take vastly more than that to instigate any change, but things have to start somewhere.

Agreed again. I'm always tempted to buy more really nice ones just to have spares, but space has become a problem for me.

Mappinsj

Probably nothing! 10-12 were damn good years on the impala and Malibu

X-ray

iTrader: (6)

Well that gives me a little hope, because I thought no one was listening to us.

02firehawkT/A

iTrader: (2)

I dunno, I have to disagree on the touch screen thing. I'm 24 with a tech job, and I always want the latest tech in my cars. I switched the stock Monsoon head unit out of my T/A for a touchscreen JVC unit that lets me mirror my android phone and control it from the headunit. Pandora integration is an awesome feature too that I use all the time.

Any car I buy, I want to be able to sync with my phone seamlessly. I'd argue that having these features seriously minimizes the risk of distractions by playing with your phone.. Having the car read out a text message over the speakers or me being able to hit 1 button and say "call John Doe" is something important to me. I want this tech in cars for kids driving in the future because I don't trust them to not physically pick up their phone to text or talk on.

I can't speak for every touch screen based set up, but the one's I've used (BMW iDrive [although not technically touch screen], Uconnect 8.4, JVC etc etc) have been fast and performed very well. I've heard that the Cadillac CUE system is pretty bad though, but haven't tried it.