Chevrolet killed the Camaro in 2024 with no confirmed replacement, so you're shopping a discontinued platform with uncertain parts support ahead. The 6th-gen V8 models, SS, LT1, ZL1, are holding value at shocking rates while V6 trims crater: one 2LT owner lost $10k in equity after just 8,000 miles. The engine choice matters more here than almost any other car on the market. If you want a modern muscle car with a future, the Mustang is still in production. If you want a V8 Camaro before they're gone, buy the SS or LT1 and skip the four- and six-cylinders entirely, those are the ones dealers can't give away.
The mid-engine C8 runs with Porsches and Ferraris through corners, not just in drag races, and delivers legitimate supercar performance at half the price, no excuses needed anymore. But if you're shopping used to save money, know what you're getting into: the C5 needs an AGM battery to prevent corrosion eating the vacuum lines underneath, and EBCM modules and torque tubes wear out predictably (cheap if you wrench, painful at a shop). The C7 has scattered reports of trim separation and paint problems that aren't confirmed systematic yet. Buy the C8 if you want a world-class sports car today; buy a C5 or C6 if you can turn wrenches and want accessible performance; skip the Corvette if you need a carefree daily driver.