Tuner Ready, or TR. We seem to be on the cusp of a new factory performance car trend. Or are we?

The general idea is, that many enthusiasts will buy a performance car, and then immediately start customizing with wheels, springs, sound system, etc....many of these pieces BTW, are factory developed and dealer installed. What a shame that this enthusiast had to pay for all the factory stuff in the first place - before disposing of it.

Scion will soon release a TR tC. You'll be able to get it with a SC motor and little else. No stereo since this is one of the first things to go. No fancy wheels either, just bare, black steel wheels with basic tires. Why pay for factory wheels that you're going to replace? Subaru offers a TR WRX this year as well...although it actually seems pretty well equipped, but you still save about a G-note compared to the regular WRX.

I was actually thinking about this while talking to someone about the Impala SS. We were saying that the SS's wheels are so ugly, that if you bought one and wanted it to look cool, they would need to be replaced with aftermarket wheels. And it's ride height is so high it would need to be lowered and stiffened with an aftermarket suspension....too bad you cant get a TR Impala SS with the LS4 and steelie wheels.....so you don't have to pay for stuff you're going to get rid of.

Soooo, what do we think? Would a Tuner Ready 5th gen make sense? Big motor, steel wheels, no stereo, fleet trim. And lots of GMPD engineered parts to choose from.

 

I think it would be a good idea. I read with interest about Scion. One thing I'd like to see is the 5th gen's ability to accept alot of different wheels. Right now for 4th gens we pretty much are stuck with Corvette "castoffs." Maybe the TR version with a kind of mix - n - match pick what you like list of options, instead of option packages?

 

That is a very interesting concept....I'll get back to this once I think a while.

 

I think it would be cool. the TR maro should be able to mix and match appearance looks from say the Z28 or SS.. such as they could get the better hood, if they wanted. The rest is cool but how far do you go? Should it be completely ****ty springs and shocks, or just crappy shocks? Some people may just replace appearance.. and some may replace just a few things

 

If said car existed , it would be the model I would choose .

As far as GM performance parts , have them ready when the car COMES OUT ! There are many many pissed off Cobalt SS owners who missed the boat to get the staged kits and the exhaust included in the new car loan/lease . Sure theyll still be warrantied purchased separately , but it sure is easier to blend the cost into a car payment up front , than having to cough up the cash later . Alot of would be GMPP buyers have moved on to shops that actually have parts out for the car .

 

It's an interesting concept, but I'm not sure how practical it would be. Nowadays cars aren't just a bunch of pieces bolted togethers, they are highly integrated systems.

- I can't see saving any money by putting "lesser" springs on a car on the assumption the consumer will be changing them. GM does occasionally put out cars with lower ride heights so that might be the way to do it.

- GM could put crappier shocks on it, but I doubt they would do that because if it made the car handle like a pig, there'll no doubt be someone out there that doesn't change them and then complains or has an accident. Besides, GM would have to test even crappy shocks, so any money saved would have to be run against the development cost.

- Radios are tough to delete now. Not are the completely integrated from a styling standpoint (curving with the dash etc.), but they are also well integrated into the vehicle electronics (e.g. used to set preferences for things like locks; have the DIC built in).

- Wheels could be a place to save money, but I'm sure GM will still be selling a steel wheel version. So the only place to possibly save money is deleting the wheel covers, but no dealer would ever order one and have it sit on his lot. And if GM was to make this 'cheap wheel package' option available on the V8 cars, it would still have to make sure the tires were speed rated so that would probably kill most of the cost savings (a problem Scions probably don't have).

 

Didn't Scion also have the idea to make paint optional since many 'tuners' would get custom paint? Since that was SUCH a good idea I am going to say NO on the motor in a box Camaro.

 

well ithink many of the chevy dealers around here offer aftermarket wheels anyways, and will roll the price into your financing.. but as for a strictly tuner camaro.. probalby not. Wheels, and maybe alarms, stereos, in car entertainment, maybe. other than that.. no. gone is the day of the C.O.P.O. cars.. and i fear it wont return ever.

what would be interesting is if they make the new camaro, will they make a B4C option? and how interested would law inforcement be in it to use as a persuit vehicle?

that'd be kinda cool.
-steve

 

I like the idea. For the impala SS, the Camaro, heck even the Trailblazer SS. It sounds just like a police package. Each of these cars should be offered with a Special Service option Steel wheels with speed rated tires. A very basic interior. A beefed up electrical system to handle either high power stereos or lights and sirens. Reduced sound deadening material for reduced weight.

The Camaro will be an awesome pursuit vehicle. The LS4 impala SS and LS2 Trailblazer SS would be awesome for cop cars.

 

Keep in mind that the steel wheels need to fit the brakes so it will hopefully be unlikely that they'll be available on any upgrade packages.

 

Lots of good points. Maybe using Police Package trim and parts might be workable. Maybe for Camaro, TR would be more appropriate for the V6 version only, with GMPD blower, exhaust, wheels, suspension, body kits , shifter *****, etc., available for dealer installation at time of purchase.

All I know, is an LS4 Monte Carlo would be more appealing to me with Police Package wheels and trim than SS trim. I just can't stand those SS wheels and really don't care for the SS ground effects.

In fact, I find the Malibu LTZ, Monte Carlo LTZ and Impala LTZ...to ALL be better looking than their corresponding SS versions.

 

I'd propose options being broken into 3 groups:

-powertrain
-suspension
-trim

with maybe 3 levels of each. That would allow you to get the stuff you want, without having to take the stuff you don't want.

 

Ding ding ding!!!! Sometimes I feel GMPP has no clue what the HELL is going on. Yeah, lets bring out a new 572 crate motor, but ignore the kid with the Cobalt SS...because the 65 year old guy with the 572 is putting it in a 56 Chevy, and the kid (who plans to actually plans to, you know, BUY MORE GM CARS IN HIS LIFETIME) gets looked at like a fool by his friend with the tC...

This has p!ssed me off for a long, long time...

 

You tell 'em Jason!

 

For the record , they havent ignored the car . From what I can understand , the staged cobalt kits have been held up so long due to emissions related issues . There fully warranteed , so they have to pass a smog test in all 50 states . I would just like to see this stuff ironed out before , not 1-2 years after .

FWIW- you could save a chunk off the sticker on a Camaro , by simply offering a steel wheel , and no fancy options . Not even a mega watt audio system .....which makes it SO MUCH harder to adapt aftermarket equiptment with factory based systems . Power windows , locks , cloth seats and 6 speed , trim the price down and gimme a good canvas to add my own wheels and sound system