Gen 5 Camaro Racing Tech, Results - Any of you 5th gen owners move up from a 4th gen F-body

Any one w/ a 5th gen move up from a 4th gen f-body? If so, what are your impressions? How would you compare it with your 4th gen? I would like to read your opinions.

Go test drive one, you will be sold! The car is just better in every way, the 4th gen is a better DRAG car, but thats were it stops! The 5th gen is much faster stock for stock, rides much better and feels more solid. The build quality is way better, I could go on and on... I owned 2 4th gens and my brother still has his 2000 T/A, guess what he wants after being in my car. They are much more comfortable, and for a street/strip car this was perfect for me.

Anybody else?

See I test drove one and I dunno. It was more comfortable, the interior was nicer, but its just really big. My butt dyno also wasnt impressed with a 5th Gen compared to my full bolt-ons 4th Gen. Then again it was just a short test drive. I cant compare to those who actually own a 5th Gen and have put alot of miles on em.

I had 2 4th gens before my 5th gen. Ease of modding to go in a staight line goes to the 4th gen as does cost of modding. The 5th gen is a better all around car IMO. The 4th gen felt like a hobby car where as the 5th gen feels like a car you can live with everyday. It feels much more solid and well built. I miss the T-tops on my 4th gen but other than that I would take the 5th over a 4th for anything else until you get into low 11 or 10 sec. time slips. The 5th gen can do it but it takes a little suspension and drivetrain work. It does take a few mods to get the 5th gen to "feel" fast. A tune really wakes it up.

Had a cam only 11 second 00 Z28 and loved the car but not even close to the the love I have for my 11. Better all the way around and just great to drive. More torque, very comfortable and quicker/faster stock.

I Had a 02 Camaro SS A4 and a 2010 Camaro SS M6 and i like my 02 a lot better than the 10 !The 5TH Gen was like driving a tank compared to the 02 and the 02 w/ simple bolt-on's ran 11.80 @ 114 but the 10 made almost 100hp more w/the same bolt-on's but weighed 600lbs more! I have had 27 Camaro and the 5th Gen does not seem right to me but u need to drive one to see for yourself !!!!!!!

I had an 11 second heads/cam lt1 a few years back

I have both still. New one is family car. 2000 is play toy

Go test drive one, you will be sold! The car is just better in every way, the 4th gen is a better DRAG car, but thats were it stops! The 5th gen is much faster stock for stock, rides much better and feels more solid. The build quality is way better, I could go on and on... I owned 2 4th gens and my brother still has his 2000 T/A, guess what he wants after being in my car. They are much more comfortable, and for a street/strip car this was perfect for me.

^exactly +1, started with a 95 lt1 moved up to my 98ss and got a 02 z as well.. sold them all and got a new one. its the new kid on the block, and everyone stares at it. you wont be upset with this buy.

Sometimes I miss having a comfortable car, that is room inside with nice modern interior. I love my '01 Z28, but a lot of times it just seems inadequate. I wish I could have my '01 as my sunday driver, just mod the hell out of it, and have a new SS as my DD.

I've driven a handful of 5th gens, both auto and manual and can't stand them. I love how they look, but I couldn't drive one. My head hits the roof, visibility is piss poor, it's huge, and difficult to make fast. I'll keep my first and fourth gens...

Love my 4th gen but there's no doubt that the 5th is more of a car!

I have both still. New one is family car. 2000 is play toy

Same here. I'd rather drive the 2010 even though my 2001 would stomp it in a drag race. It's just an all around better car.

I dont understand this head room issue, a 4th gen is crazy small inside compared to a 5th gen and I am 6ft tall! No issue here, the leg room is allot better! As for fast, depends on how fast you want to go... they can run 11s pretty easy and be daily driven with with a much more refined ride. So it really depends on what your goals are and the use of the car. You want a 9 sec car... at this point the car is allot of money and so are the parts so its not cheap! Thats were the older gens are a better choice, so I feel its really about what you want out if it. I needed a car I love to drive every day, and have fun with at the track... short of a vette this is it! I sold my truck and my race car because I just could not do it anymore at this time, and I am happy I made the move.

I've driven a handful of 5th gens, both auto and manual and can't stand them. I love how they look, but I couldn't drive one. My head hits the roof, visibility is piss poor, it's huge, and difficult to make fast. I'll keep my first and fourth gens...


I agree with this. My brother in law and I test drove them when they first came out when he came home from a deployment. Since the day he left, he had said he was going to buy one within a week of coming home. We went to local Chevy dealer and they only had one in stock. White with orange stripes and an automatic. The 3 of us took it out (salesmen included) and I wound up sitting in the backseat. I'm 6'1 and had to lean up constantly so I wouldnt hit the roof. The front wasn't that much better. We also noticed the huge lack of visibility and really high windows. I will say though it drove great and definitely felt better than my 4th gen. Being that it was an automatic I never expected it to be a rocket, but we put it in first via paddle shifters and tried to launch it and it honestly felt like my 98 Stalled, Bolt on camaro could have beat it. It was a very nice car, but he decided there was no way he was going to buy it.

I sat in the 2010 Camaro a few months ago, it was in the show room at Kerr Cadillac. I had a problem with the head room also. I am 6'4" barefoot so with my shoes on i'm almost 6'6 My head was bent about 45 degrees, the seat was all the way down and back, Had the same problem with a 2008 Corvette. These were the only times I have ever sat in both of these cars my whole life and I was saying to myself "Geese, I hope I can fit into a Challenger".

When I race my 2002 WS6 at Cayuga, My head hits the t-top glass whith a helmet on when shifting gears. I have more room in my 2002.

Warren

I LOL at these replies. I've had 2 dozen camaro's of all gens and never had so much room even being 6'4" I don't have the seat all the way back and when helmeted have no issues. I can't even drive a manual corvette for heavens sakes, theres no left leg room.
My '11 is almost half a second quicker and 5 MPH faster stock then my '00. People need to learn how to drive.

i test drove a 5th gen and didnt care for it at all, yeah it was nicer , but i felt it was just a normal car, with a lil get up and go, i could not pull the trigger just because it didnt do much for me, performance vs the price was just to much, if i had the extra money i wouldnt mind one for a dd, i think that there are alot nicer cars for way under what a new 5th gen cost

i test drove a 5th gen and didnt care for it at all, yeah it was nicer , but i felt it was just a normal car, with a lil get up and go, i could not pull the trigger just because it didnt do much for me, performance vs the price was just to much, if i had the extra money i wouldnt mind one for a dd, i think that there are alot nicer cars for way under what a new 5th gen cost

My car is a 1SS and stickered at $30800 and paid 29K and change. List these nicer V8, manual coupes that run 12's stock for less money, better be a new car also. I see alot of the "I have a 4th and the 5th is no where near the car" syndrom.

I currently own a 2002 SS and a 2010 SS and there is no comparison. The 2010 is hands down a better car. It does more than just straight lines. The 2002 has a turboed 408 and i would rather drive my cammed 2010. May not make as much power as the 2002 but it is a hell of alot more fun to drive.

Same here. I'd rather drive the 2010 even though my 2001 would stomp it in a drag race. It's just an all around better car.

I like this one...even though my 01 would stomp it......but it's somehow an all around better car??? Why... cause it's new???

I have a couple Fbodys and just bought a 2012 5th gen SS 45th anniv. To me, the 5th Gen is the best driving, handling, and overall car I have ever had. Its loaded out and had the backup camera, HUD, nice sound system, paddle shift, etc etc.

I really love driving the car and it pulls hard to be stock. Consistent launches everytime.

BUT- it would take more $$ to make it run with a 4th gen for a drag car IMHO due to the suspension.

I got about 15k total in my 98 and it runs 11.0s all day long on a 100 shot small cam, and suspension.

I'm wanting to keep the 45th bone stock and the 4th gens to drag race. And I just cant see voiding the warranty on a new car.

I see them everyday and drive them alot. Just cant get over the weight, i can feel it when i get the car going, go into a turn initially and during braking. The visibility is another issue. The 4th gen isn't the best either but the 5th took it to another level. Yes it has better materials, it looks cool and so on. Just not a car for me at all. Ive been a GM guy my whole life and have had 5 camaro's, trailblazer and a chevy cruze. I have to pick the new 5.0 as the best overall car of the three meaning challenger, camaro and mustang. Cant knock the 392 its fast no doubt.

This is an old thread and I don't see what it has to do with racing but I will answer. I just picked up a 2010 2SS from a 98 Z28. The seats are more comfortable, the car is stiffer and has no rattles. The IRS is great for riding and handling as many have said all around more and better car. I am 6'5" and have no issues with head room with the seat all the way down and back even with a sunroof.

If I want refined, I drive my BMW. If I want utilitarian, I drive my truck.

If I want crazy fast, I drive the LS2 402. Just cruizin cool, I drive the 93 A4 383.

I simply can't get over a car nearly weighing 2 tons. I suppose my BMW does also but it seems to carry the weight pretty well.

For me the attraction of the Camaro was always as strong and nearly as light as a Corvette although it had a live rear axle and was way cheaper.

Now it is heavy as a pig. I can't get over that thought even if the new car doesn't seem to drive like a tank, that is the way I will always think of it.

After owning one 3rd Gen and four 4th gens (still have 2 of them), I will not ever own a 5th gen.

Perry

I've had multiple third gens and two fourth gens. A 96 Formula auto with 3.73 in it. The car was a bad azz little street racer (I realize it was nothing compared to all the cammed, supercharged, etc. cars here but it was plenty for me) Then I bought an 01 Firehawk with 1LE suspension, auburn rear, lid, SLP long tubes, mini cats and tune. The car was a beast up top and would have surely killed the 96, but it was nowhere near as fun from stop light to stop light. I traded that in on a Trailblazer SS because of my divorce. It was actually a fun, comfortable little rig. Now I have a 2012 SS. The engine is awesome, the brakes are awesome, but there are some interior design flaws that are unacceptable. No matter where you put the steering wheel it blocks a portion of the gauges (don't get me started on the fact that in order to get a full set of gauges you have to step up to the 2SS) My g-damn tahoe has a full set of gauges in it. The way the door lines are you can't turn your head if your wearing a ball cap or it hits the top of the door line. For some reason they decided to put door pockets on only one of the seats. The seats aren't nearly as comfortable as the ones in my third and fourth gens. No adjustable lumbar or side support. It also is a tank to drive, but going from the TBSS to the Camaro it is less noticeable than someone going from a 4th gen to a 5th gen. Although I never raced them, I'm convinced the hawk would have obliterated the 5th gen

I traded in my DD TBSS for my 2010 Camaro SS/RS 1SS A6, very happy with the decision. I did go from a medium-sized SUV so the Camaro feels pretty nimble to me. I've owned 5 4th gens as a reference.

I got mine to go 13.15@106.77 on a 1.95 stock. I think that's pretty good. In really great air I would have gone 13.00 maybe a 12.99.

Flaws... blind spots. I grew too accustomed to the elephant-ear sized mirrors on the TBBS, so I take car when switching lanes (only had my car 2 months).

I'm about to do some stuff to mine, hoping for 12.5's with ud, cai, mid pipe w/high flow cats. But I might need tune to hit that 12.5, we'll see. Then my next goal is 11.99 with DR's and whatever else I need, but no cam or blower for this stage. Hoping I get there with DR's, maybe long tubes, and if I have to a converter.

I traded in my DD TBSS for my 2010 Camaro SS/RS 1SS A6, very happy with the decision. I did go from a medium-sized SUV so the Camaro feels pretty nimble to me. I've owned 5 4th gens as a reference.

I got mine to go 13.15@106.77 on a 1.95 stock. I think that's pretty good. In really great air I would have gone 13.00 maybe a 12.99.

Flaws... blind spots. I grew too accustomed to the elephant-ear sized mirrors on the TBBS, so I take car when switching lanes (only had my car 2 months).

I'm about to do some stuff to mine, hoping for 12.5's with ud, cai, mid pipe w/high flow cats. But I might need tune to hit that 12.5, we'll see. Then my next goal is 11.99 with DR's and whatever else I need, but no cam or blower for this stage. Hoping I get there with DR's, maybe long tubes, and if I have to a converter.

a tune alone is worth a few tenths on an l99.

I test drove one and I walked away with the impression that I would have to have a supercharger to overcome the added weight. It was a really nice car though. I just couldn't afford one with a supercharger and didn't think I would be happy without one. I will have one eventually though.

Go test drive one, you will be sold! The car is just better in every way, the 4th gen is a better DRAG car, but thats were it stops! The 5th gen is much faster stock for stock, rides much better and feels more solid. The build quality is way better, I could go on and on... I owned 2 4th gens and my brother still has his 2000 T/A, guess what he wants after being in my car. They are much more comfortable, and for a street/strip car this was perfect for me.

Man I need what your SMOKIN, my 4th gen stock would RIP the Face off a new SS?? 8.46 1/8 Stock??? Am I wrong or did i have a freak? Just wondering.

IMO the new car is heavy and ugly compared to the 4th gen, If they stayed with ONE year car ..I.E. 69 front end and 69 rear end it would look much better but still be a heavy Pig. :confused:

My only real turn off other than its muted feeling, Is the poor visibility.

Maybe if there was a 5th gen Trans am I would be game but the 5th gen camaros look weak aside from the ZL1. In ny they are everywhere. I have to see at least 25 a day, I have driven a ss and it feels like a DD not a toy. I just rented a v6 vert for 5 days and aside from the tan I got it was the biggest piece of junk. It's huge, and can't get out of its own way granted this was the v6 version. I'm sure my feelings would be swayed if I had to daily drive my 4th gen, I like the unrefined toy feel of it. I wish I love the 5th gen, I want to buy something new. I really want to love the Zl1 but after the new GT500 I don't think I could pull the trigger on the Z.

The weight was a big turnoff for me too, I had a 1SS/A6 ordered two years and and cancelled it. But time passed and I still wanted a sporty daily driver.

I can feel the weight of the car and I'd still like to get 200 out of it.

I'm planning a big round of mods to the car with an intent to go low 12's stock internal with a concerted effort to run 11.9 by the end of the year. I'm going to push stock tires and then run drag radials.

I'm then going to do a super charger to go for 10.8's.

Lots of the newer 5th gen guys run blower and run high 11's... no good.

The soon to be introduced 1LE (I have owned 4 and still have one) made me consider it, but I simply can't get over a car that weighs a half ton over any of my 4th gens or my Corvette.

Perry

this thread really suprised me!!i am shocked at how many owners of 4th gens dont love the 5th gen....i have a 00 a-4 ws-6 that i love and will be with me until i leave this earth hopefully but in my opinion it is a distant second to the 10 m6 1ss that i recently got. i truly think the new camaro is much better in every way...we took the two cars out and drag raced them and the new camaro drove away from the ws-6(both are completly stock except a cat back on the ta and k&n air filters) and braking on the two is so far apart that they CANNOT EVEN BE COMPARED!the handling of the new one is fantastic although the road feel in the new one is gone but i think i like that better and as you get used to it it will outdrive the old ones stock to stock in every way!if you only drag race the cars then i could see you may not be as happy with the new one but if you DRIVE them i cannot imagine if you honestly evaluate them that you wont be way happier with the new one....and if you are carving curves on a bumpy back road the IRS will take the drama right out of it like its on rails!!

I LOL at these replies. I've had 2 dozen camaro's of all gens and never had so much room even being 6'4" I don't have the seat all the way back and when helmeted have no issues. I can't even drive a manual corvette for heavens sakes, theres no left leg room.
My '11 is almost half a second quicker and 5 MPH faster stock then my '00. People need to learn how to drive.

AMEN im 6.2 240lb and can slide my old 55 ass over the roll bar

I know more guys that have gone back to 4th gen from 5th gen more than anything.

I got my !sunroof L99 auto car back in April, and went 13.15@106 1.95 stock, took about 10 tries. Head room is great without the sunroof, but I think it could be tight with a helmet and factory sunroof.

Since then I've did a round of mods in concert with Camaro Now magazine, and went from 13.15@106 to 12.7@110 on stock tires, added DR's, and went 12.3@112 1.85.

I DD mine, totally love it.

Doing a few more mods, anticipating 11.8 stock internal, no power adders. Then round three a blower I'm thinking, and 10.6's.

Still have my 2000 4th gen hoping for 1k rwhp soon. Traded my 2011 ss for a 2013 zl1 took it to the track and turned off all the nanny BS and spun my way to a 12.70 @ 118 with 400 miles on it . I love the new 5th gen its a tad on the fat side (4050lb no driver ) but drives and handles like a champ . Pully cai headers soon then 125 + traps