Whatever the 3rd gen's faults were, C/F sales combined, were usually in the 200-250K range, year after year after year.

That there would be the bottom line....

 

It's a different time now. The Thunderbird and Cougar also each sold over 100K units a year back then.

 

Spent a lot of time looking over Camaro's at Carlisle this weekend..and here is my only gripes about the car.

- The plain steel wheels on the "base of base" V6 Camaro LS are hideous. I know they are trying to get under a certain price point....but steel wheels...? Come on.

- The rear seat is way too small for a car this size. In the old cars you could get away with it...but something G8 sized...no.

- The steering wheel is so deeply recesses that some of the steering wheel controls are akward to reach with your hands around the wheel. Also some of the controls have a "too" rubberized feel. Like your playing with a tire on a toy car or something.

- No HUD...though I remember seeing one in the media pics. Apparently it is not available yet?

- Camaro with the sunroof (meaning no ditch in the roof) makes the top of the car look like a Challenger.


Pretty minor things, but whatever.

 

My point, which I did not think I had to say explicitly, is that nobody is saying they would. As such, I am unclear on why you are pointing it out.

 

I was agreeing with Josh on that. Maybe you didn't read that post.

 

It was a different time for sure. But the cars had broad appeal for a variety of reasons. Gearheads, racers, big haired girls in pink pumps, conservative school teachers, successful middle aged professionals and rich teenagers all bought them.

 

Don't feel bad. I'm a pizza delivery driver which means I see almost everybody in town on any given day around here and I saw my first 5th gen Camaro on the road yesterday.

 

I thought the black steel wheels were for the retro crowd. I doubt they are any cheaper than the 18" aluminum wheels. I also don't like those wheels.

The old cars were G8 sized too. Check out the dimensions of the 3rd or 4th gen. The new Camaro is shorter.

How many models of cars were on the market back the? Today there are more brands and more models. The only cars that sell 250K today are the mainstream family vehicles. SUVs have taken a huge bite out of the market, and now CUVs. The market for coupes just isn't what it used to be.

 

There probably isn't a picture available online that would "do it justice" I suppose.

I don't mean to belabor the point, I'm simply saying that there are enough modded 4th Gens out there to show that it isn't a nightmare to do anything under the hood if you want to, and that in modern cars tight fits are to be expected. It struck me as funny that the perception is the 5th Gen has the kind of room you'd find under the hood of a small block-equipped 60's sedan without the emissions stuff.

 

Actually, funny you post that. As i go down those lists here is what i think:
3rd gen
- every coupe had big heavy doors back then. Hell, the thirdgen doors were feathers compared to the 2nd gen doors, not even mentioning all the big coupes of the 70s.
- every car with a sunroof or Ttops back then leaked. If you knew anybody that didn't have a leak, you KNEW it because they were PROUD as hell of it.
- squeaks and rattles - no worse than any other car of the era.
- hatchbacks were the height of sporty style in the 80s, regardless as to their actual functionality
- exhaust hangs low, a valid point
- rear end didn't matter, none of the stock engines would blow it.

4th gen is the generation that killed the camaro. The continuation of many of those "every car" issues no doubt was a large contributor to their demise. Big doors that eclipsed the 4th gen doors were a distant memory. Hatchbacks were completely out of style. When the third gen came out, it was a revolutionary car. The 4th gen as evolutionary was really more stangnant than not and the third gens faults finally caught up to it there.

I'm glad you feel that way. However, the real question is, is it an improvement over the other cars on the market?

 

The Mustang may get a handling nod, but in its price range what car can out accelerate the Camaro, out stop it, and have a great combination between handling and ride quality? I won't even mention looks since that is complete opinion, I think nothing comes close to the look and stance of this car.

 

Something about the TPMS system alert threshold set too low for federal regulations and brake pedal pressure/cruise control possible malfunction. Both are just software updates; about 30 minutes to fix.

 

That was because of the sheerly MASSIVE amount of variety the car had. Gearheads and racers wanted the IROCs/Formulas. Big Haired Girls drove 2.8 Sport Coupes, RSs, base Firebirds, and around here quite often, LG4/LO3 TAs and Formulas. School teachers loved base Firebirds (I remember my elementary school parking lot full of them...when I was in elemtary school ). Middle aged professionals loved GTAs, and around here, IROC convertibles.

They were exciting. They were almost custom-made to your tastes with all the varietys. They had CHEAP V8s!!! I can't scream this one enough. It angers me that I can spend $25k on a 1LT base car or Challenger SE, but can't spend an extra $1,500 for a nice V8. This is what I want. This is what an LO3 RS was in its day.

The fact that if I want a V8, I HAVE to spend over $30k is sheerly stupid. The base car's suspension, brakes, whatever is competent enough to handle V8 thrust these days. This, more than the dash, has kept me out of the market. I CAN spend over $30k. I simply don't WANT to.

 

Honestly guys, I figured there'd be more orders for the Camaro by now. Considering all the hoopla surrounding this car, the fact that pre-orders started 10 months ago, and the years worth of pent up demand. Seems to me, demand is outstripping supply because of Oshawa's production pace. Nevertheless, stories like this hit the mainstream press, and on the surface that's probably good for the Camaro's image.

 

Factor in the status of the economy, the sales pace of the car industry in general, the fact that only a select group of people are willing to order a car without being able to see or drive it first, and you can see why there may be less than you, personally, may have expected.

That said, isn't the Camaro plant the only one authorized to run an overtime shift right now (or at least recently)?? ... if that is the case, it must be doing alright.

You are are pressed to find an available Camaro sitting on the lot... they are out there, but it's not like shopping for an Impala or Cobalt where you can select from an in-stock inventory if 60 cars. Many dealer still can't keep one on the lot.... And someone buying a Camaro, I'd imagine, would be more picky about the color they want, the options they want, etc, over someone buying an Impala or Cobalt.