I recently seriously surprised myself; I bought an American car. Time will tell if this was the right move or not, but so far I am pleasantly surprised, which appears to be the consensus among the auto journalism community.
My issue with America cars since I moved to America in 2000, was that they were unreliable, depreciated like a rock falling off a cliff, and had insultingly bad warranties. All good reasons to not buy.
What Chevrolet have achieved with their new Camaro is give people a taste of the classic, with the modern features that one would expect in 2010. I opted to purchase the 2011 2LT model, which is the top of the line V6. Now many die hard car 'experts' will immediately start shaking their heads at the mention of the V6, but this is 2010 folks, displacement isn't everything. My engine gets me from 0-60 in under six seconds and outputs 312HP, all while returning 29 MPG of regular gas on the interstate. What's more, I paid right under $30K.
For a sub $30K car, the features are remarkable. I have two decent size informational displays one being what they used to call a trip computer, and the other for the sound system and phone system. In addition to that, new for 2011 Chevy have added a very cool Head Up Display, much like a fighter pilot uses to save them from taking their eyes off the horizon.
I get a USB port that can talk to my iPhone, charge it, and play songs off it. I can even shove a bunch of MP3s on a memory card so I don't have to worry about forgetting my iPhone in the car.
There's no navigation system, but OnStar has a feature where you can press a button on the mirror and tell the operator where you wish to go. The directions are then downloaded into your car, and turn by turn instructions are delivered verbally by the computer and also displayed on one of aforementioned display screens. The catch is that after six months you have to pay them $28.90 a month for that service. A big catch, but it is a sweet service.
In addition to the cool technology, the driving experience is particular stellar too. The comfortable seats are leather, as is the wheel and gear stick. The automatic has a standard 'D' mode for every day use. If you want to get frisky there is a sport mode where the computer causes far more aggressive gas drinking shifts. And if you want to pretend to drive a stick without the hassle of learning or using a clutch, there are paddle shifters on the wheel which allow you to change up or down manually.
The optional RS package adds some sweet 20" rims, some styling improvements that include BMW-like 'Angel Eyes' halos around the upgraded HID headlights.
One of the things that sold me on this car, beyond the great looks, is the ride and handling. No doubt it's a pretty big and heavy car. Critics are quick to point out that the 2011 Mustang feels lighter and more sprightly despite the single rear axle. But for me the ride and handling are excellent. The car feels settled and calm, even when you push it. It's not the razor sharp experience of driving a Nissan 370Z, for example, but I got way more technology, two back seats, and an actual trunk. I also don't have the insane unpleasant tire roar of the Nissan either.
Ask me in two years if going American was the right choice. So far I am very pleased. If you look around the available cars for this kind of price, it's hard to think of something that looks so striking and delivers in so many areas as this car.
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