5 Ways the 4th Gen Camaro is Better than the 5th
04-05-2020, 11:14 PM
#41
I'm not daily driving one any more. I can handle some pretty harsh ride conditions though, so I might not be one to really notice this. My '71 has HD multi-leaf springs with traction bars and pretty harsh shocks, so it rides almost exactly like a forklift...and even that is manageable to me on these horrible northern IL roads for some pretty long cruises during the summer. In fact I actually find it enjoyable as a toy, but if I had to daily drive that car I could see that setup getting old. In comparison, a 4th gen F-body rides as smooth as a D-body Fleetwood to me. 
04-07-2020, 09:09 AM
#42
(Can't believe I haven't commented on this thread yet!)
I've owned 4 F-bodies, a '76 T/A 455-4-sp, a '77 Camaro LT 305/2bbl-3spd, a '94 Z28 M6 'vert and my current ride, '98 WS6 M6 'vert. Notice a pattern here? No ATs.
I have nostalgia for the 2nd gens like many of the previous posters's nostalgia for the 4th gens. I have driven a 5th gen ZL1 around LVMS a few years back in a "Richard Petty's Musclecar Challenge" (also a 392 SRT Challenger and last-gen GT500). All of those cars seemed "tight" behind the wheel, but that is probably because I was wearing a helmet, so not a fair comparison. Yeah, those cars all would kick a 4th gen's *** on the track, but there is just something different about a 4th gen. I agree w/ previous comments about the good layout of the controls, the shifter falls right in your hand when resting your right arm on the console, and the radio & climate controls are a short reach away. The ONLY knock I have on the 4th gen's interior is the placement of the primary cupholder makes it useless w/ an M6. And the little flip-out cup holder for the front seat passenger looks like a "hail mary" from the interior designer who forgot to include a proper 2nd front seat cupholder. Also, thank GOD that GM finally fixed the flimsy turn signal stalk on their newer vehicles.
Having said all that, the 5th gen Camaro has never really enticed me that much. Partially because of my anger towards GM for killing Pontiac (and in turn the Firebird), but also because its heavier and not significantly faster than a LS1 4th gen (ZL1s and Z28s excepted). The 6th gen is more enticing because of its handling prowess (especially in ZL1-1LE trim), but now that the C8 is available, I'd have a hard time "settling" for a 6th gen if I were in the market for a new toy. In any case, no 5th or 6th gen comes close to the '98+ WS6s in exterior styling. Sure, the 4th gens have a big front overhang that makes the wheelbase look shorter than it needs to be, but the aggressively raked windshield, hide-away headlamps and hood nostrils of the WS6s make them the baddest looking F-body of any generation. This makes my '98 WS6 a keeper.
I've owned 4 F-bodies, a '76 T/A 455-4-sp, a '77 Camaro LT 305/2bbl-3spd, a '94 Z28 M6 'vert and my current ride, '98 WS6 M6 'vert. Notice a pattern here? No ATs.
I have nostalgia for the 2nd gens like many of the previous posters's nostalgia for the 4th gens. I have driven a 5th gen ZL1 around LVMS a few years back in a "Richard Petty's Musclecar Challenge" (also a 392 SRT Challenger and last-gen GT500). All of those cars seemed "tight" behind the wheel, but that is probably because I was wearing a helmet, so not a fair comparison. Yeah, those cars all would kick a 4th gen's *** on the track, but there is just something different about a 4th gen. I agree w/ previous comments about the good layout of the controls, the shifter falls right in your hand when resting your right arm on the console, and the radio & climate controls are a short reach away. The ONLY knock I have on the 4th gen's interior is the placement of the primary cupholder makes it useless w/ an M6. And the little flip-out cup holder for the front seat passenger looks like a "hail mary" from the interior designer who forgot to include a proper 2nd front seat cupholder. Also, thank GOD that GM finally fixed the flimsy turn signal stalk on their newer vehicles.
Having said all that, the 5th gen Camaro has never really enticed me that much. Partially because of my anger towards GM for killing Pontiac (and in turn the Firebird), but also because its heavier and not significantly faster than a LS1 4th gen (ZL1s and Z28s excepted). The 6th gen is more enticing because of its handling prowess (especially in ZL1-1LE trim), but now that the C8 is available, I'd have a hard time "settling" for a 6th gen if I were in the market for a new toy. In any case, no 5th or 6th gen comes close to the '98+ WS6s in exterior styling. Sure, the 4th gens have a big front overhang that makes the wheelbase look shorter than it needs to be, but the aggressively raked windshield, hide-away headlamps and hood nostrils of the WS6s make them the baddest looking F-body of any generation. This makes my '98 WS6 a keeper.
10-30-2023, 07:53 PM
#43
96 camaro After having both.. a 5th gen 2010 and selling it after 3 years, and then getting a 4th gen.. which I drive now I have to say that I like the 4th gen more. The 5th gen is just a huge car with terrible visibility. It is only after having both that you realize this very important point about visibility. When a car robs you of visibility it robs you of driving pleasure. Think about it. If you put yourself in a box, with no windows and get to 100mph in 3 seconds it is fast.. but where is the enjoyment? This is what the 5th gen does to a certain extent. It robs you of pleasure because you cannot see and thus feel the driving experience. Take the 4th gen for example, take the t tops off and it is simply a glorious drive and feeling. Further more, do I really need to be pushing around 4000 plus pounds of machine every where I go? Why do they need to make the 5th gen so big, so heavy? I am sure that history will tell that the 5th gens will not be worth that much in the long run as classic cars due to this stupid design. After all look at what a 2010 is going for right now. they are around 15k. Mustangs are fetching more. This is mostly due to the fact that they are big bloated tanks you cannot see out of. The LS3 engine on the other hand is a monster. I love it. However, it got only about 11-13 miles per gallon at best while my ls1 now gets about 16-18 mpg. If chevy would drop the ls3 in a smaller car the size of my Gen4 and with visability like my Gen4 i would want one. Long live the Gen 4!