Make the damn thing water tight dammit!

I'm in the process of stripping my car yet again because a new water leak has started and now the cars starting to smell again.

Seriously, I know they tried to step up things with the ttop leaks over the third gens, and I haven't had any problem with them, but there's other dumb things that they overlooked in the search of cost cutting.

My new leak is coming from the fact that when the car's parked on a downhill, the water will pool up in the trough in the back hatch. There's a drain towards the back, but that doesn't do anyhting if you're parked with the car pointed down. Instead, it rises up until it leaks through the weatherstripping. My hatch is closing correctly and the litlle rubber bumpers are at their lowest. Why couldn't they have put a trough there up front? It coudn't have cost that much to have incorperated another one in there. It's these little things that **** people off and give these car's bad names.

For example, pop the rear hatch when it's wet out and it's designed such that water runs not into the trough but into the inside. My 15 year old nissan hatchback doesn't even do that.

It's hard to defend the quality of GM cars when they have a hard time comparing in something as simple as water-proofing to an import that's 12 years it's junior.


BTW, a lot of this is just me venting, but it is true. There's a lot of simple things that GM overlooks that ends up as problems later on in it's life.

 

Rant or no, I think there's definately something to be said for "attention to detail" - this being an issue I have quietly dealt with since my first 3rd Gen.

Performance certainly got me to like our cars, but the little details done right can make or break the Next Gen Camaro; especially with the new Mustangs excising most, if not all of the old foxbody nags. Besides, the performance debate seems to pretty much be settled (make it sexy, make it handle, make it fast), talking about the "little things" would be an interesting topic!

*EDIT - Oh yeah, I agree with you wholeheartedly about the rear hatch "levee issues", even if you are paying attention the rear deck can still get that "waterfall" effect real easy...

 

*Calmed down*

Yeah, that's what I meant. It's all the quirks that end up irritating people until they sell and move onto somehting else. Believe me, I've come real close to selling this damn thing because so many of those "little things" add up real quick.

 

The best fix for that, and what I really want is no hatch at all. A trunk lid would be nice.(yes like a 1st gen)

 

I agree. Hatch just adds weight and reduces rigidity.

 

I think it's been said not to expect a hatch. I'll miss the little unexpected showers!

 

try having a convertible :P

 

What really pisses me off is if I try to crack the drivers side window just a bit when using the windshield wipers, the wiper clears the windshield and then dumps the freakin water right down into the cracked side window, getting all over my window/door lock controls and my left leg. Never had a car soooo bad about that as this one, I can't have my window cracked even a 1/8 of an inch without dumping water in w/ the wipers on...

Keeps getting me because it'll barely start raining or something and I'll forget I have the window down just slightly, hit the wipers on and surprise!

At least my t-tops don't leak, but then again neither did either of the t-top thirdgens I had...

 

It is because of all the little quirks that my 4th gen has that it is not my daily driver.

 

I once owned a '97 Camaro SS. The hatch was a pain and when the car would sit in the rain, it wouldn't leak. Not until I took off, then a pool of water that had collected in the t-top seal came flowing down all over my wife. I sold it partly because it would not have made a good daily driver.

 

First gens are well known for their rear windows leaking into the trunk area and the bottom corner areas of the window rusting out. Its very rare to find an original First gen than hasn't rusted out or been repaired. (Correction: "impossible" to find.)

BTW, Second gen Camaros also had trunks.

 

Agreed, metal trunk would be nice for a change.

Yeah, the chrome trim was far from waterproof and made a great place for rust to grow.
I'm sure they could seal a rear windshield and trim nowdays tho...

(Edit: I owned a 1st Gen Firebird, nice deep water channel around the wishield under the chrome.)

 

Those saying "ditch the hatch" will miss it when it's gone, especially if a Camaro is your only car.

Some utility - Hatch = No utility

 

Came in handy for my move from LA to Monterey.

 

Agreed.