My 2011 Camaro Follow Up

So I've had my Camaro for four months and six thousand miles now, and I thought I would write a follow up piece after my initial honeymoon period had worn off.

I'm still very much enjoying the car.  That's the bottom line.  I've been on long trips, short trips, and medium trips.  In every way the car has performed incredibly well, especially when you consider that it is just around the average price of a car sold in America today.

I've lost count of how many times people have told me it looks amazing, have asked me how fast it goes, or jokingly implied they would have to steal it.  Just today I was parking it and I saw a teenage girl attempt to surreptitiously take a photo of it, before looking embarrassed that I had spotted her doing it.

Despite it being nearly 14 grand cheaper than the BMW it replaced, I have had zero issues with the car so far.  If I am being really nit picky there is the faintest of rattle that seems to come from behind the radio at a certain speed, and once the compass refused to work for 24 hours.  But mechanically, and in terms of fun factor the car is astonishing.

As far as living with the car is concerned, it's clearly more sports car than family sedan.  If you are taking a passenger in the back they had better be small or they are going to have a hard time in that back seat.  The trunk opening is stupidly small, so anything bigger than a large suitcase isn't going to fit.  The glass in the car is very short from top to bottom so the driver visibility is very much reduced.

But the thing is, I wasn't looking for practical this time around.  I wanted a sports car, at a fair price.  What I got was a delightful compromise of performance and economy, sporty feel with a nice grand touring persona, great styling without a great price tag, and something I would enjoy driving each time I got behind the wheel.

Some say that the 2011 Mustang is a little quicker off the line or around a track.  Some say it is a more nimble drive.  But I wouldn't swap my car for a loaded V8 Mustang to be honest.

GM have hit a home run with this car, and have completely demonstrated that they can build a quality car these days.  Five years ago I would not have touched an American car with a stick, but now they have mended their ways and upped their game, and as a result I am very pleased to be a Camaro owner.

If you want something that's a lot of fun, and don't want to be killed on the price, this is the way to go.  There is a reason this car is now outselling the Mustang for the first time in 25 years.