View Poll Results: If GM built '02 F-cars again, would you buy one new?
Yes
76
56.30%
No
49
36.30%
I only buy used.
10
7.41%
Voters: 135. You may not vote on this poll
If they still made 2002 F-cars, would you buy a new one today?
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 16,176
From: Chicagoland IL
Re: If they still made 2002 F-cars, would you buy a new one today?
Originally Posted by dream '94 Z28
Charlie, why did you start this thread? I know you can't say anything, but is there a new rumor or news on the wind, or just striking up conversation?
Anyone else I wouldn't give it a second thought.
Anyone else I wouldn't give it a second thought.
BTW, if it doesn't rain I'll be at Lombard Saturday evening.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 33
Re: If they still made 2002 F-cars, would you buy a new one today?
Originally Posted by Joe K. 96 Zeee!!
I'll agree as well. The first thing I noticed is that I could barely get my duffle bag to fit throught the trunk opening. Secondly, I noticed the cramped interior. When I got it on the road, I noticed the seating position was not conducive to sprited drivng. The rear seats do NOT have any more room than a Camaro. Actually, since you can't spread your legs to either side of the front seat like you can in a Camaro, I felt there was LESS room.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 427
From: Houston
Re: If they still made 2002 F-cars, would you buy a new one today?
Why couldn't we have settled all of the issues with the CAW and whatnot, and just kept churning out fourth gens like they did with Astro vans and S10 Blazers until the fifth gen was ready. A slight tweak here and there would have produced better performance numbers than the Mustang, keeping it at least a repectible, although admittedly not an exceptional car through 2005 or 2006.
My suspicion is that GM felt that while the F-Body had a market, it became a relatively small niche that no simple redesign could overcome. I'm hoping that the strategy was to cancel the Camaro altogether for a few years to get really the public's attention when it returned, and re-invigorate the brand with the kind of buzz it had in 1967.
I know that this has been beaten to death in this foum, and I haven't read every theory on the demise of the F-body, so forgive the repitition, this is just me giving GM the benefit of the doubt.
My suspicion is that GM felt that while the F-Body had a market, it became a relatively small niche that no simple redesign could overcome. I'm hoping that the strategy was to cancel the Camaro altogether for a few years to get really the public's attention when it returned, and re-invigorate the brand with the kind of buzz it had in 1967.
I know that this has been beaten to death in this foum, and I haven't read every theory on the demise of the F-body, so forgive the repitition, this is just me giving GM the benefit of the doubt.
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 929
Re: If they still made 2002 F-cars, would you buy a new one today?
Exactly the same as in '02? Not a chance. Like others here, after buying my GTO I can't imagine a non-updated '02 selling to anyone in this new car market. Now, with an LS2 and some other updates...
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,646
From: Portland, OR
Re: If they still made 2002 F-cars, would you buy a new one today?
Originally Posted by NBred94
Why couldn't we have settled all of the issues with the CAW and whatnot, and just kept churning out fourth gens like they did with Astro vans and S10 Blazers until the fifth gen was ready. A slight tweak here and there would have produced better performance numbers than the Mustang, keeping it at least a repectible, although admittedly not an exceptional car through 2005 or 2006.
My suspicion is that GM felt that while the F-Body had a market, it became a relatively small niche that no simple redesign could overcome. I'm hoping that the strategy was to cancel the Camaro altogether for a few years to get really the public's attention when it returned, and re-invigorate the brand with the kind of buzz it had in 1967.
I know that this has been beaten to death in this foum, and I haven't read every theory on the demise of the F-body, so forgive the repitition, this is just me giving GM the benefit of the doubt.
My suspicion is that GM felt that while the F-Body had a market, it became a relatively small niche that no simple redesign could overcome. I'm hoping that the strategy was to cancel the Camaro altogether for a few years to get really the public's attention when it returned, and re-invigorate the brand with the kind of buzz it had in 1967.
I know that this has been beaten to death in this foum, and I haven't read every theory on the demise of the F-body, so forgive the repitition, this is just me giving GM the benefit of the doubt.
The cause of the car's desmise are many long running issues, not 1 or 2 outstanding ones.
Disciple
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 873
From: Chicagoland, IL www.5thGen.org
Re: If they still made 2002 F-cars, would you buy a new one today?
Originally Posted by NBred94
Why couldn't we have settled all of the issues with the CAW and whatnot, and just kept churning out fourth gens like they did with Astro vans and S10 Blazers until the fifth gen was ready. A slight tweak here and there would have produced better performance numbers than the Mustang, keeping it at least a repectible, although admittedly not an exceptional car through 2005 or 2006.
They got as much as they could out of the existing chassis, and 2002 was it.
Like the other Tim said, (yes I am a Tim too lol) there were MANY MANY reasons for the F-body's demise.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 8,504
From: Ohio
Re: If they still made 2002 F-cars, would you buy a new one today?
Originally Posted by dream '94 Z28
A couple of the larger issues was the F-twins were severly under-utilizing the plant they were built in, on top of which that plant was ancient and couldn't or wasn't in the planning to be upgraded (hence its demolition last year). 2 strikes so far. Add to the mix that (from what I've heard) the a-pillar design wasn't going to meet new roll-over standards, and simply to keep producing the cars didn't add up come 2000-2002 time frame.
The cause of the car's desmise are many long running issues, not 1 or 2 outstanding ones.
The cause of the car's desmise are many long running issues, not 1 or 2 outstanding ones.
Very true... it was probably all but unavoidable for the 4th Gen to run much past MY2002.
Howver, IMO, there is no excuse that is good enough for me that there wasn't a new Camaro ready to go for MY2003. Produced somewhere. Somehow.
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,646
From: Portland, OR
Re: If they still made 2002 F-cars, would you buy a new one today?
Originally Posted by Darth Xed
Very true... it was probably all but unavoidable for the 4th Gen to run much past MY2002.
Howver, IMO, there is no excuse that is good enough for me that there wasn't a new Camaro ready to go for MY2003. Produced somewhere. Somehow.
Howver, IMO, there is no excuse that is good enough for me that there wasn't a new Camaro ready to go for MY2003. Produced somewhere. Somehow.
When you figure that '97 was ALMOST the last year for the Camaro and Firebird and that the 4th gen chassis is strongly related to the Monza, I think GM got all they could out of that chassis and did a pretty great job with it, and we were fortunate to have it.
Disciple
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,479
Re: If they still made 2002 F-cars, would you buy a new one today?
Originally Posted by dream '94 Z28
Add to the mix that (from what I've heard) the a-pillar design wasn't going to meet new roll-over standards
From the rumour mill, Convertibles were exempt, and GM had looked into the possibility of having the T-tops classified as a convertible (they couldn't) to continue production of just T-tops and convertibles for 2003.
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,646
From: Portland, OR
Re: If they still made 2002 F-cars, would you buy a new one today?
Originally Posted by poSSum
I believe it was actually the head impact standards on the A-pillar and windshield header. To make it pass it would have impaired visibility.
From the rumour mill, Convertibles were exempt, and GM had looked into the possibility of having the T-tops classified as a convertible (they couldn't) to continue production of just T-tops and convertibles for 2003.
From the rumour mill, Convertibles were exempt, and GM had looked into the possibility of having the T-tops classified as a convertible (they couldn't) to continue production of just T-tops and convertibles for 2003.
If they tried to classify the t-tops as a convert, too bad they couldn't design a removeable top that was "remove-able" in definition only (you know, it would've come off...but you really would need to be ambitious that morning.
).
Disciple
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,479
Re: If they still made 2002 F-cars, would you buy a new one today?
Originally Posted by dream '94 Z28
too bad they couldn't design a removeable top that was "remove-able" in definition only (you know, it would've come off...but you really would need to be ambitious that morning. ).
).
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,646
From: Portland, OR
Re: If they still made 2002 F-cars, would you buy a new one today?
Originally Posted by poSSum
Like the late 60's early 70's Blazers.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,531
Re: If they still made 2002 F-cars, would you buy a new one today?
Generally convertible designs need a windshield that's raked back more than a standard hardtop. So it would make sense that the rule doesn't apply to convertibles.
