Darth Xed

Man... rather ticky-tacky aren't we?

You can still have a "Base Z28" and a "Loaded Z28" in the whole sense of how well equipped it is... doesn't really have to have anything to do with naming hierachy...

This place has become so over-sensative, I feel like I'm in the Emotional Wing of Estrogen University!

johnsocal

$28-35,000 for a v8 Camaro is very realistic considering that $30-$35,000 today only buys v6 sports cars like the new 350Z and G35 coupe or the rotary powered Mazda RX8. All these cars have smaller engines and less HP then a next-gen Camaro would have as well.

NEWBIE T/A

Right now, the (arguably) most cost effective sports car is a Cobra convertible for 36K or so sticker.

If an equivalent 5th Gen in terms of performance and features ! can't hit about the same ballpark then something is wrong.

Obviously, though, I am comparing dollars now w/ dollars in the future .

Still, as a car buyer in my late 30's I think that over 30K for a sports car is really pushing it if it's catered to the masses.

If you are pushing for a different market - say like for a Porsche Boxster, then fine, but I don't see how you will be able to do any qty's greater than where the Vette is now.

My .02.


Britt

P.S. They are not "panties" - they are "dainty undergarments" !

Z284ever

Does everyone wear panties there?

formula79

Well part of that is dealers never stocked the base V8 cars...least I never really saw one at the dealer, most cost at least $25,000. Also GM jacked all the base prices up at the end. A base 2002 V6 cost $19,000..the same car cost $16K in 98. Not many people want to go through the hassle of having a base car ordered and then having to pay full sticker. Plus I think there are options most people consider "must have" on a Camaro....like T-tops , the old 1SB package(power windows, locks, cruise), ABS, and ASR that normally bring your average 4th Gen Z28 to $26K...I think a new Camaro needs to offer similar features at that price.

Also of note when the 4th Gens came out they were quite a bit less than the cars they replaced. A 92 Trans Am GTA cost almost $25,000 new...the 1993 TA that replaced it cost $22K...

hp_nut

Sorry guys GM has little or no say on what a base V8 Camaro will cost. The '05+ Mustang GT dictates what a V8 Camaro will cost and Ford says an '05 V8 Camaro would cost $24K. Now assuming the Camaro is at least 3 years out for 2008MY, the GT may well be up to 26K by then. At a $28K base price, the Camaro wouldn't last much past its intro year.

GM has dictated that massive rebates and 0% financing shall be the law.

Good new for all us.

Be happy and unbunch yer panties

guionM

Few points you bring up I want to address because you aren't the only one to mention them.

1. Must Have Options: There are no such things as must have options. Anyone that wanted a cheap fast V8 car has one avalible in the Z28. If you MUST have power everything, t-tops, cruise control, and such DON"T WHINE ABOUT THE PRICE! That's like me crying about the extra 10 cents charged on a Cheesburger. If I want a burger and don't want to spend the extra dime, I'll order it without. I'm not going to bellyache about the cheeseburger costing too much.

2. It's the dealer's fault: If you go into the dealer and order your own car, you can get the car you want. It's not rocket science that if I'm a dealer & I'm going to stock my car lot, I'm going to stock it with cars I'm going to make as much profit as I reasonably can. Also dealers were not "ALLOTED" Z28 Camaros. Anyone who feels it's a hassle to put out the effort to get the car they want, and then complains that the car they want wasn't avalible doesn't get much sympathy from me.

Think about this: [i]You are going to spend the next 4-6 years of your life paying for this purchase, and may end up keeping this vehicle for years beyond that. Why in carnations would you get a vehicle that isn't what you want, and doesn't sound a bit pathethic complaining about it when you had the option of getting your car, and blew it off"?

As someone already said, if anything the last Z28s were underpriced! There is just a $4,000 spread between the turbo 4 SRT-Neon and a V8 6 speed sports car that is the only car on the planet that would do 5 second 0-60, 105 quarters, top out at 160 mph & handle like it was on rails that costs under $45,000 (Corvette).

It's begining to sound that some of you may prefer a comfortable "Luxury Touring" car instead of affordable performance, methinks.

Jason E

With all due respect, that is one lousy comparison. Even over on www.thirdgen.org, no one has EVER been able to figure out why in the world GTA prices soared so much for '91-'92. They were completely out of whack with all the other third gen offerings...

Compare a '92 Z28 to a comparable '93 Z28, and I guarantee the '93 Z was more $$, without a doubt. So were '93 Formulas, and base cars. Indeed, your numbers are correct, but you have to put them in the proper perspective...

'91-'92 GTAs were flat ripoffs, and people knew it...hence the miniscule production #s.

As for the question at hand, I pray there is a $28k 5th gen base V8. That is the car I have been lobbying for the entire time...I will buy one if they make it. Putting my $$ where my mouth is

97z28/m6

i want a stripper camaro and if i bought mine new thats what i would order so i hope the new one will be available that way.

Ken S

obviously less money is always better.. but if it costs $28k and I can honestly say its worth that much money, then thats fine.

Also, yes, the Mustang would be a competitor, but I don't think the F-bod should too tightly stuck to it..


Consider: (not necessarily true, just made up examples)
The future Mustang GT goes for $24k, with a solid rear axle and sturt suspension and heavy chassis comprimised for space and price..

Camaro Z28 comes goes for $28k, but with a superior suspension and chassis setup..

If the extra $4k really does reflect the value of better design, quality then thats okay.. Of course Chevy is going to have to educate/sway the public to understand this..


Obviously there's a cap on how much a Camaro would be.. I'm assuming $28k would be relative to about a $23k Camaro of '02, maybe a tad more..

Considering I saw '02 f-bod's in the $28-32k mark..

formula79

I am sorry but if I am paying $25,000 for a car I want cruise, ABS, and power locks to at least be standard...this is 2003, not 1973. And it's not crying over 10 cents...it's crying over $3,000 freaking dollars. All I am saying is the amount of people who will pay $25K for a car with roll up windows, no and, and no ASR is small...there are some, but it is small. Another thing to consider is I would not buy a Camaro without T-tops...just my preference...Alot of people are like that however. I would rather drive a Mustang..then a Camaro with no hard top...I would get tired of hearing "Dude, what happened you couldn;t afford T-tops?. That's not the image I want...and like it or not with a Camaro image is a huge part of the game. Now back to the topic...considering the new chassis is engineered from the beginning with power windows, ABS, and Traction control.it is unlikley a new Camaro would be made without them..and the fact that it will share it's powertrains and engineering globally I don't see how a Z28 with power every thing, cruise, and a few nicities could come in at more than $25,500...especially when they wanna sell 100,000+ units and the Mustang is holding a similar line pricing wise. Let the $28,000+ cars have steering wheel controls, and the other stuff.

Quote:

2. It's the dealer's fault: If you go into the dealer and order your own car, you can get the car you want. It's not rocket science that if I'm a dealer & I'm going to stock my car lot, I'm going to stock it with cars I'm going to make as much profit as I reasonably can. Also dealers were not "ALLOTED" Z28 Camaros. Anyone who feels it's a hassle to put out the effort to get the car they want, and then complains that the car they want wasn't avalible doesn't get much sympathy from me.

Again...power stuff and ABS is not alot to ask for standard in 2003...

Now think...you are looking at a $28,000 Camaro with a bit of options and the dealer says he can sell you that at $26,000 if you buy tonight....or you can custom order a stripper Z28 for $25,000 and pay full sticker Plus wait 2-3 months to get it...what would you do?Considering most new cars are impulse buys the answer is simple.


Also I bought my car after they were being made and the dealer could not find a Z28 under $27,000 to DX on the east cost.

Quote:

Think about this: [i]You are going to spend the next 4-6 years of your life paying for this purchase, and may end up keeping this vehicle for years beyond that. Why in carnations would you get a vehicle that isn't what you want, and doesn't sound a bit pathethic complaining about it when you had the option of getting your car, and blew it off"?

As someone already said, if anything the last Z28s were underpriced! There is just a $4,000 spread between the turbo 4 SRT-Neon and a V8 6 speed sports car that is the only car on the planet that would do 5 second 0-60, 105 quarters, top out at 160 mph & handle like it was on rails that costs under $45,000 (Corvette).

It's begining to sound that some of you may prefer a comfortable "Luxury Touring" car instead of affordable performance, methinks.

I think the Neon has a nicer interior and more usable space. Face it...the Neon is todays crowd what the Camaro was to the older crowd...affordable performance. It sounds to me like you almost want to take teh Camaro upmarket.

But no you wanna price the Camaro up..because all RWD cars cost money? Why? Why do they have to cost so much? Why is it so expensive to put a truck motor in a chassis that has all it's engineering costs spread among the company? I mean hell you would swear GM was trying to reinvent the wheel....

Throw a truck motor on the sigma chassis and add some cheaper parts from Austrailian cars and call it a day. Holdens sells thier cars plenty cheap....and they haven't even tried to build an affordable coupe like the Camaro.

PacerX

Well put.

a) I don't whine about price. My car sitckered at ~$33,000. Could have had my pick of others for a lot less. And BTW - it'll be worth every penny more if I ever decide to sell it (I won't).

b) T-tops are a must have for me. Leather is a must have for me. 6-way power driver's seat is a must have (I ain't small and I was a seat engineer, I know the comfort difference). Manual transmission is a must have. Fastest car I can possibly afford at the price I'm willing to pay is a must have.

c) Happily for me, there was a car that had all of this.



I'm willing to pay for both.

I want all the amenities I listed and the fastest car around for less than the price of a Corvette. I got it.

Z284ever

I like nice things. If I like something enough...and it's nice...I may even be willing to overpay for it.

If I don't like something...and it's not nice...I don't care how cheap it is...I don't want it.

It's pretty clear to me that most people are willing to pay a reasonable price..for a desirable product.

With that established..the onerous is on GM to supply the desirable product.

DaxsZ28

I'm gonna wait until about 2011 and buy a 2009 and let someone else pay the hit of buying a new car. Unless you're just loaded, buying a new car isn't a very sound financial decision. Of course, buying a sports cars isn't about finances I suppose.


BTW, this comes from the same guy that had to have a 93 when they first came out a paid full MSRP for it.

WERM

In 2001, I bought a Special Feature Ford Mustang for less than $25K. The car is loaded with every possible option. 460watt stereo, 6 disk in dash changer, leather, power everything, and a bunch of upgraded goodies. I'd hate to see a base V8 Camaro start at 28K. If they priced it at 28K and then threw a 3K rebate on the hood, then maybe we're talkin...

The pushrod 8 is cheaper to produce than V6 the OHC engines used by the competion anyways. Why does it have to be more expensive? Why can't it just stomp 'em for less money? Remember when V8 mustangs and camaros could be had for about the same money as a loaded 4 cylinder import sport coupe?

PS - quionM - I had one of those "base" Z28's - cloth interior, hard top, 6 speed, manual seats, but with power locks and windows - and I loved it!