Dealer performance options on 5th gens
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 228
From: Largo, FL
Dealer performance options on 5th gens
Hey guys I was just sitting here at my pc reading alot of these posts and I had a thought run through my head...
What would the feasibility be on dealers making their own performance versions of car, or at least offering legitimate performance options?
I kinda got an image in my head like this...
A brand new 5th gen arrives at a dealership..
The dealership installs (or provides as dealer options) the following pieces:
- Emissions legal shorty headers and high flows cats attached to a high flow H or X-pipe
- An emissions and sound level (on the street) legal cat back exhaust system.
- Steeper rear axle gear ratios (3:55, 3:73, 3:90 or 4:10)
- Short throw shifter
- 50 state legal Cold Air intake
- Underdrive pullies
- Rear seat delete(?)
- 50 state legal Supercharger
- Wheel/tire/brake combos
Does anyone out there know what would be involved in doing that? Would it be legal? Anyone think people would buy cars with these options.
Anyways don't take this to seriously, just kinda one of those "what if's" I wanted to throw out there. I would love to see something like this done on the 5th gens.
Thanks in advance
What would the feasibility be on dealers making their own performance versions of car, or at least offering legitimate performance options?
I kinda got an image in my head like this...
A brand new 5th gen arrives at a dealership..
The dealership installs (or provides as dealer options) the following pieces:
- Emissions legal shorty headers and high flows cats attached to a high flow H or X-pipe
- An emissions and sound level (on the street) legal cat back exhaust system.
- Steeper rear axle gear ratios (3:55, 3:73, 3:90 or 4:10)
- Short throw shifter
- 50 state legal Cold Air intake
- Underdrive pullies
- Rear seat delete(?)
- 50 state legal Supercharger
- Wheel/tire/brake combos
Does anyone out there know what would be involved in doing that? Would it be legal? Anyone think people would buy cars with these options.
Anyways don't take this to seriously, just kinda one of those "what if's" I wanted to throw out there. I would love to see something like this done on the 5th gens.
Thanks in advance
Last edited by Florida_Z28_Boy; Apr 11, 2004 at 12:31 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 2,610
From: Cincinnati, OH
If the dealer installed these they could say it does not void the warrenty, and some people would be willing to pay the extra money for piece of mind. Id like to see some dealer performance options, definitely.
Registered User
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 2,368
From: OR
Yup, some dealerships do, but its mostly for appearance mods... I know one dealership around here that said they can do anything in their service bay, and depending on what they do of course, will still honor the factory warrenty. very expesnive though.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 228
From: Largo, FL
Yeah I've heard of Berger, lots of cool cars came from them.
Wasn't that what Baldwin Motion did back in the late 60's and early 70's too?
The more I think about this the more I wanna do it.
Wasn't that what Baldwin Motion did back in the late 60's and early 70's too?
The more I think about this the more I wanna do it.
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,925
From: Detroit
That would be a nice and well deserved slap in the face to those stupid insurance companies that dont insure modded cars.
Insurance agent: "We dont insure cars with aftermarket headers"
You: "That was a factory option *displays buildsheet*"
Insurance agent: "Oh...
"
Insurance agent: "We dont insure cars with aftermarket headers"
You: "That was a factory option *displays buildsheet*"
Insurance agent: "Oh...
"
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 228
From: Largo, FL
That would be pretty funny.I keep getting these images of me owning a dealership with all these hardcore Camaros on the lot
Anybody down here wanna start up a dealership in a few years??
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,306
From: Jersey Shore
Berger is probably the only dealer that still does anything like that. Yenko, Nickey, B-M, and a few others did it back in the 60's, along with Berger. Berger had a hand in the 02 ZL1 Camaros. They played around with the Camaro and made 380hp and a 440hp model, but the 440 was a one of a kind for some race car driver.
Problem with all that is the tuning and all that goes along with it. Its like the old days where you turned a screw. The prices would probably soar and it would probably just be cheaper to do it yourself.
Its a good idea, but less and less dealers would probably do that compared to the 60's.
Problem with all that is the tuning and all that goes along with it. Its like the old days where you turned a screw. The prices would probably soar and it would probably just be cheaper to do it yourself.
Its a good idea, but less and less dealers would probably do that compared to the 60's.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 228
From: Largo, FL
Originally posted by Big Als Z
Berger is probably the only dealer that still does anything like that. Yenko, Nickey, B-M, and a few others did it back in the 60's, along with Berger. Berger had a hand in the 02 ZL1 Camaros. They played around with the Camaro and made 380hp and a 440hp model, but the 440 was a one of a kind for some race car driver.
Problem with all that is the tuning and all that goes along with it. Its like the old days where you turned a screw. The prices would probably soar and it would probably just be cheaper to do it yourself.
Its a good idea, but less and less dealers would probably do that compared to the 60's.
Berger is probably the only dealer that still does anything like that. Yenko, Nickey, B-M, and a few others did it back in the 60's, along with Berger. Berger had a hand in the 02 ZL1 Camaros. They played around with the Camaro and made 380hp and a 440hp model, but the 440 was a one of a kind for some race car driver.
Problem with all that is the tuning and all that goes along with it. Its like the old days where you turned a screw. The prices would probably soar and it would probably just be cheaper to do it yourself.
Its a good idea, but less and less dealers would probably do that compared to the 60's.
and since I'm going to get ASE certified and learn all this electronics crap, I would love to do the work on these cars. I mean we all know they wouldn't be high volume.Either way, just a bunch of "what ifs" now.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 228
From: Largo, FL
Originally posted by Big Als Z
Berger is probably the only dealer that still does anything like that. Yenko, Nickey, B-M, and a few others did it back in the 60's, along with Berger. Berger had a hand in the 02 ZL1 Camaros. They played around with the Camaro and made 380hp and a 440hp model, but the 440 was a one of a kind for some race car driver.
Problem with all that is the tuning and all that goes along with it. Its like the old days where you turned a screw. The prices would probably soar and it would probably just be cheaper to do it yourself.
Its a good idea, but less and less dealers would probably do that compared to the 60's.
Berger is probably the only dealer that still does anything like that. Yenko, Nickey, B-M, and a few others did it back in the 60's, along with Berger. Berger had a hand in the 02 ZL1 Camaros. They played around with the Camaro and made 380hp and a 440hp model, but the 440 was a one of a kind for some race car driver.
Problem with all that is the tuning and all that goes along with it. Its like the old days where you turned a screw. The prices would probably soar and it would probably just be cheaper to do it yourself.
Its a good idea, but less and less dealers would probably do that compared to the 60's.
and since I'm going to get ASE certified and learn all this electronics crap, I would love to do the work on these cars. I mean we all know they wouldn't be high volume.Either way, just a bunch of "what ifs" now.
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,979
Apart from the supercharger kits available for the Ecotec, this is the piece of the pie that GM is really missing out on.
It costs a huge amount of money to validate a powertrain for emissions and economy and all that other fun stuff, but at some point the business case needs to be made, and made in the correct light.
GM has all but surrendered the sport-compact scene. The Cobalt SS might gain some credibility, along with the Red Line Saturns, but GM really needs to step up to the plate.
The frustrating thing is that most of the parts existed for the LS1, but GM and the dealers made it a complete pain in the rear end to get the work done. For the prices charged for LS6 heads and cam alone, the conversion of a Camaro to LS6 spec should have been a walk in the park AND validated so that it could be offered WITHOUT voiding the warranty, for less money.
The dealers are downright hostile towards modifications, and will look for any excuse whatsoever to void a warranty. The modifications should be ENCOURAGED, as long as they follow a GM plan.
LS6 heads, cam, and headers, a new clutch and new clutch hydraulics with a PCM flash for the LS1 equipped Camaros should have been an off-the-shelf item that could be installed in any Camaro, AND ROLLED INTO THE FINANCING AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. Harley-Davidson does this very thing.
You can finance up to $1000 in performance parts for a Harley-Davidson or Buell AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE, INCLUDING REQUIRED LABOR. No voided warranty, no nonsense, and I'll tell you this: Harley-Davidson and Buell WANT to take care of you. No voided warranty BS. Both offer a 1-year, unlimited mile warranty on the installed package, which DOES NOT void the Buell standard 2-year, unlimited mile warranty on the rest of the bike.
Heck, you can even finance helmets, jackets, boots, gloves, keychains, etc...
This is also a good selling point for Harley-Davidson financing. GMAC could take advantage of the same thing.
Harely-Davidson's greatest advantage is that they built a COMMUNITY around their product. Harley riders are fiercely loyal for this very reason.
Chevrolet needs to do the same thing!
It costs a huge amount of money to validate a powertrain for emissions and economy and all that other fun stuff, but at some point the business case needs to be made, and made in the correct light.
GM has all but surrendered the sport-compact scene. The Cobalt SS might gain some credibility, along with the Red Line Saturns, but GM really needs to step up to the plate.
The frustrating thing is that most of the parts existed for the LS1, but GM and the dealers made it a complete pain in the rear end to get the work done. For the prices charged for LS6 heads and cam alone, the conversion of a Camaro to LS6 spec should have been a walk in the park AND validated so that it could be offered WITHOUT voiding the warranty, for less money.
The dealers are downright hostile towards modifications, and will look for any excuse whatsoever to void a warranty. The modifications should be ENCOURAGED, as long as they follow a GM plan.
LS6 heads, cam, and headers, a new clutch and new clutch hydraulics with a PCM flash for the LS1 equipped Camaros should have been an off-the-shelf item that could be installed in any Camaro, AND ROLLED INTO THE FINANCING AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. Harley-Davidson does this very thing.
You can finance up to $1000 in performance parts for a Harley-Davidson or Buell AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE, INCLUDING REQUIRED LABOR. No voided warranty, no nonsense, and I'll tell you this: Harley-Davidson and Buell WANT to take care of you. No voided warranty BS. Both offer a 1-year, unlimited mile warranty on the installed package, which DOES NOT void the Buell standard 2-year, unlimited mile warranty on the rest of the bike.
Heck, you can even finance helmets, jackets, boots, gloves, keychains, etc...
This is also a good selling point for Harley-Davidson financing. GMAC could take advantage of the same thing.
Harely-Davidson's greatest advantage is that they built a COMMUNITY around their product. Harley riders are fiercely loyal for this very reason.
Chevrolet needs to do the same thing!
