Well, I have been testdriving a '10 5-speed in the crystal red..I have some questions for those who drive these daily...
I biggest issue for me is the lack of traction under boost. It has the limited slip diff but anything over 1/4- 1/2 throttle just spins the tires. This is a make it or break it for me, as how could a stage 1 kit even work if it won't hook up? I didn't even try the launch control, just didn't want to fry the tires.
I noticed another strange thing, around 5 psi boost, coming out of a turn, it seemed to loose boost and then come back... this was normal driving, not trying to get on it at all.
Oh and it had 12 miles on it and discovered it wouldn't go into 5th gear????
we drove back to the service garage...I wasn't very happy....even the salesman was speechless...
now discouraged, maybe I'll go for a used one again...

 

Somebody probably "Test Drove" it before you. Better off ordering one, thats fresh.
Oh, bye the way. Lots of H.P. and FWD equals wheelspin.

 

I could never get my wheels to spin, even if I tried. (5 sp, LSD, Stage). Mine sometimes breaks a squeal a little, but always hooks up and pins me back in the seat. Maybe glazed tires? Cement test bed?

Sounds like you're talking yourself out of this vehicle already, so maybe it isn't for you.

 

I'll be honest, i could go threw a set of tires (fronts) every month, If that was the goal.

 

I don't constantly drive in competitive mode. I save it for the back roads. I can lose rubber there, but I'd rather save it. Maybe my TCS is working correctly in normal mode?

 

wheel spin just happens. even a 94 olds no turbo I owned would spin the wheels. both my ss's will spin, one an auto & a 5spd with lsd. enjoy the wheel spin.

 

Wheel spin in these cars is over exaggerated. Once you get the clutch pedal pressure down its like driving a normal car. I have over 300whp/wtq and I can take off and accelerate perfectly fine without spinning the wheels all the time (this was with my factory tires). The only time I had trouble with my high tune was in rain sometimes I would give it a little to much gas from a start.
Learn to drive your car normally and not like a race car every where.
Then again I've had and drove at least 1 stick shift car for the last 15 years. But still the clutch pedal in my HHR SS is the most forgiving as far as clutch pressure goes out of any car I've had for the last 15 years. Smooth as butter.

 

You need to learn to launch, the goal is to not spin your tires on launch. I never have issues putting the power down and launching without wheel spin.

Practice launching on gravel and once you have it down on gravel asphalt is a piece of cake..

 

I would venture to guess that wheel spin is more prevalent in the auto. Now with my tires reaching the end of their servicable life (36K) I notice a lot more wheelspin and it gets harder to hook up.

 

The traction control does allow a little wheel spin, more than in other cars. My favorite way to use the power from the GM tune is once I hit second gear. It just pins you back in the seat and doesnt start to spin the tires till it reaches full boost at 23 PSI and it is just about time to shift into 3rd.

Oh and mitechman, if you would be interested in a black one, my local dealer Jay Chevrolet had a black 10' 5 speed on the lot a couple weeks ago. It was loaded with all options including the performance package with LSD and Brembo's. This dealer is not more than 35-40 min from you near U23 and M59 G.B.