Chevy, and its declining street credibility
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 298
From: Hoboken, NJ
Re: Chevy, and its declining street credibility
i feel the same way, im 20 (21 on xmas day!!) and my first car was a '99 malibu with the 3100. although by no means a performer, it could still whip on a few civics and other such cars here and there, and i loved it. currently i drive a 92 celica cause it was cheap and i needed a car. but from day 1, ive been a chevy guy (mostly cause my dad made sure i was, heh)
it just really sucks when i tell people that my dream car... the car ive aspired to own (and hopefully will soon) is a camaro. they cant understand y i idolize a "chevy" or a "domestic" i got so fed up with celica.net for that kind of bull... i hope chevy can pull some winners out, and soon. im excited about the cobalt SS and will most definitly test drive one for the experience, but i wish chevy had the same respect it did in years past...im definitly a 'bow tie boy'
it just really sucks when i tell people that my dream car... the car ive aspired to own (and hopefully will soon) is a camaro. they cant understand y i idolize a "chevy" or a "domestic" i got so fed up with celica.net for that kind of bull... i hope chevy can pull some winners out, and soon. im excited about the cobalt SS and will most definitly test drive one for the experience, but i wish chevy had the same respect it did in years past...im definitly a 'bow tie boy'
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,769
From: cinci
Re: Chevy, and its declining street credibility
Originally Posted by MunchE
A testament to GM's decline in public opinion, when I got my tC this summer, I pulled up to work next to a guy with a new GTO. He was walking to his car with coworkers, and they all turned to my car and started asking me questions and wanting to check out all the niceties.
I don't think my car is even in the same league as the new goat, but the fact of the matter is, it excites people. People see or hear about my car and I'm amazed at how interested they are. I point out GTOs to my friends while driving and they say "oh....."
Honestly, the youth market and the enthusiast market (which cross over a lot but are not the same) have been all but abandoned by GM. They want to make expensive high margin sports cars and trucks for middle aged/old men with too much money, and blander than bland cars for middle aged men with not as much money.
As this post points out, GM is just thinking in the short term. The people into Scion today are probably going to look at Toyota first when it's time to buy a family hauler. The people into Honda today are going to look at Acura first when it's time to buy that nice sedan since you just got a big raise. The people driving Cavaliers today are going to swear to never buy another piece of crap Chevy again. Cobalt is a good step up, but what does the young guy who's grown out of a sport compact but can't afford a GTO do? Sorry, but the Monte SS and Impala SS are straight pretty much aimed right at the NASCAR fan, especially the Monte. That is a good sized demographic, but they need to branch out and stop targeting a niche with 2 of the biggest volume cars in Chevy's lineup.
Honestly, after owning my tC a while I realize there's just a lack of attention to detail in GM's cars, (as well as other manufacturer's, but this is a GM site so I'll keep it specific to them) Why can't their cars come with nice looking wheels, body kits, interiors? The tC is really nothing special. Camry engine and transmission, not particularly great performance....the body is nothing outrageous or aggressive, but the small touches made it a car that I'd buy, in fact the first car I've bought new. If GM would start paying attention to detail, the cars would improve and buyers would follow
I don't think my car is even in the same league as the new goat, but the fact of the matter is, it excites people. People see or hear about my car and I'm amazed at how interested they are. I point out GTOs to my friends while driving and they say "oh....."
Honestly, the youth market and the enthusiast market (which cross over a lot but are not the same) have been all but abandoned by GM. They want to make expensive high margin sports cars and trucks for middle aged/old men with too much money, and blander than bland cars for middle aged men with not as much money.
As this post points out, GM is just thinking in the short term. The people into Scion today are probably going to look at Toyota first when it's time to buy a family hauler. The people into Honda today are going to look at Acura first when it's time to buy that nice sedan since you just got a big raise. The people driving Cavaliers today are going to swear to never buy another piece of crap Chevy again. Cobalt is a good step up, but what does the young guy who's grown out of a sport compact but can't afford a GTO do? Sorry, but the Monte SS and Impala SS are straight pretty much aimed right at the NASCAR fan, especially the Monte. That is a good sized demographic, but they need to branch out and stop targeting a niche with 2 of the biggest volume cars in Chevy's lineup.
Honestly, after owning my tC a while I realize there's just a lack of attention to detail in GM's cars, (as well as other manufacturer's, but this is a GM site so I'll keep it specific to them) Why can't their cars come with nice looking wheels, body kits, interiors? The tC is really nothing special. Camry engine and transmission, not particularly great performance....the body is nothing outrageous or aggressive, but the small touches made it a car that I'd buy, in fact the first car I've bought new. If GM would start paying attention to detail, the cars would improve and buyers would follow
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 599
From: Inland Empire, CA
Re: Chevy, and its declining street credibility
Originally Posted by unvc92camarors
you sold your 97 z28 for a scion tc?
I have a classic that I'm using as my gofast car. The Z28 had 150k on it and destroyed both cats when the optispark died. So after fixing the opti, it needed another $1000+ to pass emissions, since aftermarket cats are illegal in CA on OBDII cars. I also wanted something a bit more commute and insurance friendly. Scion tC was the best value in my price range. Funny enough, it gets more positive attention than my Z28 ever did, especially from people riding inside of it.
Last edited by MunchE; Nov 23, 2004 at 08:07 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 917
From: Lexington, KY
Re: Chevy, and its declining street credibility
Originally Posted by MunchE
Scion tC was the best value in my price range. Funny enough, it gets more positive attention than my Z28 ever did, especially from people riding inside of it.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 3,376
From: Sarasota FL
Re: Chevy, and its declining street credibility
I like tCs on the outside a lot, and think its great to get something bigger than a 2.0 in a smaller car...
But that dash friggen kills me. With all due respect, literally the one thing that would stop me from buying the car (aside from the fact I will not buy an import anyways) is the dash...a little too funky for me.
Somebody else brought up a key point...there was a time not long ago when people, for their first car, could buy a used Beretta GTZ or Z26, a V6 Z24, a million used 3rd gens in all different states of trim, even nice one-owner V8 Monte SSs. Now? Eh, you want a used car in a '97-'99 range, well, uh...how about a 4 cylinder Z24? Malibu interest you? Try to find a V6 camaro around here is like a needle in a haystack, and gets worse every day...
There are no good used Chevys for enthusiats to cut their teeth on unless they;re willing to step up to an LT1/LS1. That's sad...and personifies my point.
I'm glad to see I am not alone here...
But that dash friggen kills me. With all due respect, literally the one thing that would stop me from buying the car (aside from the fact I will not buy an import anyways) is the dash...a little too funky for me.
Somebody else brought up a key point...there was a time not long ago when people, for their first car, could buy a used Beretta GTZ or Z26, a V6 Z24, a million used 3rd gens in all different states of trim, even nice one-owner V8 Monte SSs. Now? Eh, you want a used car in a '97-'99 range, well, uh...how about a 4 cylinder Z24? Malibu interest you? Try to find a V6 camaro around here is like a needle in a haystack, and gets worse every day...
There are no good used Chevys for enthusiats to cut their teeth on unless they;re willing to step up to an LT1/LS1. That's sad...and personifies my point.
I'm glad to see I am not alone here...
Banned
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,954
Re: Chevy, and its declining street credibility
Originally Posted by MunchE
Honestly, the youth market and the enthusiast market (which cross over a lot but are not the same) have been all but abandoned by GM. They want to make expensive high margin sports cars and trucks for middle aged/old men with too much money, and blander than bland cars for middle aged men with not as much money.
Banned
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,954
Re: Chevy, and its declining street credibility
Originally Posted by Jason E
My Z28 is coming off the road tomorrow, so I took it for one last spin down to the nearest Mobil to throw in some Sta-Bil and a full tank of 93 before its winter hibernation in the garage....
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 599
From: Inland Empire, CA
Re: Chevy, and its declining street credibility
Originally Posted by uluz28
I think those are sharp little cars. However, do you feel like you enjoy driving it as much as you did your Z28? I went from a '93 Z28 to a '00 Grand Prix GTP....I loved the GTP at first, but longed to have another RWD V8. I really don't think I can go without it...call me crazy
The Cougar is where I get my kicks for V8 power. Problem with the Z28 is I just wanted to go faster and faster, which is expensive with a late model car, and difficult in CA. Classics are where my heart is anyways.
Originally Posted by Jason E
I like tCs on the outside a lot, and think its great to get something bigger than a 2.0 in a smaller car...
But that dash friggen kills me. With all due respect, literally the one thing that would stop me from buying the car (aside from the fact I will not buy an import anyways) is the dash...a little too funky for me.
But that dash friggen kills me. With all due respect, literally the one thing that would stop me from buying the car (aside from the fact I will not buy an import anyways) is the dash...a little too funky for me.
Last edited by MunchE; Nov 24, 2004 at 06:16 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 161
From: Fargo, ND
Re: Chevy, and its declining street credibility
I think it's the snowball effect. The vast majority of these F&F fans either don't know anything about cars, or very little (just talk to some); and probably never would have gotten interested in them, if it weren't were that movie, or seeing them on the streets, or their friends have one, etc. You've all heard the "arguments": "More hp-per-liter" "Old technology V8's"; the list goes on-and-on.
I think if this crowd could approach the "tuner vs muscle-car" with a completely open mind, and actually drive a 4th gen for a month or so, they'd wonder why they thought a 4-cyl. economy car with a fartcan muffler and and giant wing was a performance car.
I think if this crowd could approach the "tuner vs muscle-car" with a completely open mind, and actually drive a 4th gen for a month or so, they'd wonder why they thought a 4-cyl. economy car with a fartcan muffler and and giant wing was a performance car.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 3,376
From: Sarasota FL
Re: Chevy, and its declining street credibility
Originally Posted by redzed
For the average "youth," the concept of storing a car for the winter is unimaginable, and more importantly, unaffordable. Even I can appreciate how "wierd" it must seem that I'm keeping my Z28 off the road in the winter, while I drive a "winter rat" that just cost me far more than the Camaro did to begin with. Unless you're an enthusiast with multiple cars, a F-body just does make sense in the snow belt.
My first car was an '89 V6 RS, and that car was fine in the snow with snows on the front and studded snows on the back. I would NOT want to try a 4th gen V8 in the snow even with studs however. You could do it, but its no fun.
Like I said in another post, I think AWD is almost a necessity for a 5th gen. While I personally would not buy it (the sand and salt alone are something I would not want to subject my new baby to), for literally thousands of potential buyers up north here, it took a completely impractical car and made it livable when the snow flies.
A lot of people don't agree, but I think AWD would be a great thing to have...
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 3,376
From: Sarasota FL
Re: Chevy, and its declining street credibility
Originally Posted by MunchE
The dash? What about it? I realy like the single gauge HVAC controls, seems a lot cleaner than the 3 gauge stuff I've had in cars before. The speedo/tach/etc are really clean and nice looking, I love the silver gauges. Do you mean that weird rice paper texturing on it? Cuz that is kind of weird, but at least it doesn't look like cheap hard plastic. It doesn't have the centermount gauges or anything, I never thought the dash was objectionable. I'd be curious to hear what you didn't like about it.
Otherwise, the seats were great, stereo was nice, shifter seemed solid, etc. A great car for the $$$...I'm just picky on dashboards. I sold an otherwise quite nice '02 Grand Am GT simply because I hated the dashboard...had that same bumpy-assed look to it. People on here don't give the Grand Ams much credit, but the GTs really were a nice driving car. Take all the plastic goop off the sides, and they were a nice shape
Oh wait, that was an Alero
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,769
From: cinci
Re: Chevy, and its declining street credibility
Originally Posted by Z28CamaroPower!
I think it's the snowball effect. The vast majority of these F&F fans either don't know anything about cars, or very little (just talk to some); and probably never would have gotten interested in them, if it weren't were that movie, or seeing them on the streets, or their friends have one, etc. You've all heard the "arguments": "More hp-per-liter" "Old technology V8's"; the list goes on-and-on.
I think if this crowd could approach the "tuner vs muscle-car" with a completely open mind, and actually drive a 4th gen for a month or so, they'd wonder why they thought a 4-cyl. economy car with a fartcan muffler and and giant wing was a performance car.
I think if this crowd could approach the "tuner vs muscle-car" with a completely open mind, and actually drive a 4th gen for a month or so, they'd wonder why they thought a 4-cyl. economy car with a fartcan muffler and and giant wing was a performance car.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11
From: Caerphilly, South wales, UK
Re: Chevy, and its declining street credibility
Imagine being here in the Uk where Chevrolets are about to be rebadged Daewoos. Talk about taking a proud a hallowed name and flushing it down the toilet. Sure, we'll market the Corvette as a brand on it's own. Sorry? The words Chevrolet and Corvette go hand in hand. GM, you're a sad bunch of idiots with no idea of heritage except how to destroy it. Can you imagine the scene in 20 years time?
"Hey buddy, is that an 05 Chevy?"
"Sure is, 3 cylinders, nearly a litre displacement and room for almost four pixies"
"Woooow! They sure don't make them like that anymore"
"Hey buddy, is that an 05 Chevy?"
"Sure is, 3 cylinders, nearly a litre displacement and room for almost four pixies"
"Woooow! They sure don't make them like that anymore"
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 33
From: Walton, NY
Re: Chevy, and its declining street credibility
Originally Posted by Jason E
Somebody else brought up a key point...there was a time not long ago when people, for their first car, could buy a used Beretta GTZ or Z26, a V6 Z24, a million used 3rd gens in all different states of trim, even nice one-owner V8 Monte SSs. Now? Eh, you want a used car in a '97-'99 range, well, uh...how about a 4 cylinder Z24? Malibu interest you? Try to find a V6 camaro around here is like a needle in a haystack, and gets worse every day...
There are no good used Chevys for enthusiats to cut their teeth on unless they;re willing to step up to an LT1/LS1. That's sad...and personifies my point.
I'm glad to see I am not alone here...
There are no good used Chevys for enthusiats to cut their teeth on unless they;re willing to step up to an LT1/LS1. That's sad...and personifies my point.
I'm glad to see I am not alone here...
I'm a devout Chevy guy, but there isn't a current Chevy that I'd even be excited about buying but a Vette, and that ain't gonna happen.
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,130
From: Kentucky
Re: Chevy, and its declining street credibility
Originally Posted by AronZ28
When I was 10, my dream car was a ZR1 Corvette. 400 HP, DOCH 350 V8, 6 speed, 192 MPH top speed. 
Also, you have to realize that Fast and the Furious and the whole ricer movement has brainwashed a generation(.
Also, you have to realize that Fast and the Furious and the whole ricer movement has brainwashed a generation(.
When I tok my TA to the track and ran a 13.20 the ricers where coming up to me like " No drags , street tires ? What do you have done to it ?"
I told them it was stock .
They acted shocked and I get ALOT of ricers trying to race me in my Ram Air . Even now that its cammed they think they have a chance in hell .
ANd I once outran a Turbo Eclipse and the guy acted like it was the end of the world .
Point being the people who are trying to race you in their 17 second Econo boxes are ignorant and have no sense of mechanical abilities . Most dont understand how a combustion engine even works . They hear things thrue the grapevine and see it on TV and think thats the way of the real world .
I wouldnt take an offense to it though .