Repair-It

kevm14 wrote:Life with an SS: http://www.ssforums.com/forum/2014-chev ... eview.html

Some highlights:
Modern infotainment GPS navigation integration is still improving. Take a look at this.
http://www.ssforums.com/forum/83578-post13.html

and this

http://www.ssforums.com/forum/86642-post31.html

Directions in THREE places if you want it. Pretty nice. Also you'll see the HUD G-meter.

Please give me an example of cutting edge styling amongst luxury sedans from Europe and Asia. You think the 3 series or 5 series represent fresh, daring, exciting styling? Most European cars are subdued in styling and this is what people want. The auto media used to criticize Pontiac for adding too many ribs, hood vents, cladding sections, etc. to its cars and praised the restraint of refined European styling. Fast forward less than a decade and now people are saying we want more outrageous styling from our American cars.

Exactly! The SS is much more of a drivers car than any of the MOPAR offerings. I've owned a G8 GT and have driven the SS, the Super Bee and the 300C. It's not even close when you talk about driving dynamics. The MOPARs are more like traditional muscle cars. They are great with straighline performance. The G8 and SS are about offering more than that. They are performance sedans. The Super Bee is damn fast and it's a blast to launch. But soon as you turn the steering wheel it's another story. The car just feels large. It's not nearly as nimble as the G8/SS. The looks are a subjective issue and while I feel the SS is too subdued, I feel the SRT8/Super Bee are overly aggressive in styling. Bottom line, I like to drive, not just accelerate. And the car that's easiest to have fun doing that in is the SS.

While I enjoy driving the SRT, it feels more like an old police cruiser than a sports sedan. Everything feels so detached and far away from the driver. All four corners act like they're hanging out on flexible rods with the driver suspended in the middle. The car flexes and twists and the movements don't feel nearly as controlled. Undulations cause the car to float in the air and it never feels planted. The steering has a dead spot on center and then a quick build up in effort and reaction.

The SS, while appearing to have the technological handicap, shines on the track. Randy's comments were a series of "greats" followed by whatever component he was showering praise upon. "The brakes are so solid, exactly the same in the last corner of the last lap as the first corner of the first lap. I feel so comfortable and it gives me so much confidence. Turn-in is beautiful and mid-corner has a little understeer but nothing like the SRT, a 3/10 at most, and then just such gentle and controllable oversteer on exit."

I felt as though I could put the SS anywhere I wanted and keep it there. The SS carves a tight, controlled line. In the SRT I needed a lot of space as the car was flung around and rotated. Even sliding the back-end around didn't tighten up the line, it just rotated as the whole car slurred towards the outside curb. The natural track ability of the SS was backed up by lap times, the SRT turning a decent 1:27.74 compared to the SS's 1:25.71, those 2.0 seconds are huge on Streets.

The only complaint either of us had with the SS was a complete and total absence of lateral support in the seats. They look great, but you may as well be standing on your left leg while driving and save the weight of the seat.