Chevrolet C6 Corvette

mbd

For 2006 they are eliminating the magnetic red (but they still have the other 2 reds)and the present yellow, but coming out with a different yellow (a little different shade). They are also eliminating the steel gray interior, and coming out with a titanium gray interior (different shade). Also adding a new 3 spoke steering wheel.

mbd

When I test drove the Vette - I noticed it seemed hard to steer. Was this just me, or is it harder to steer than most sports cars? Parking in parking lots felt like I was driving a truck. Anybody else have any thoughts on this? Thanks.

starrow68

One issue with steering the Vette is tire size. The wider the tire the more difficult is it going to be to steer. Compared to our 98 V90 Volvo wagon which has a very small turning radius the Vette is not as nimble in a parking lot. Then again at speed the Volvo is no where near as precise. Pick your choice. When at the track turning in at close to 100mph can be fun if the car is balanced and you are already back to throttle before you even get to the apex.
Randy

ruking1

Tire size for sure. 2001-2005 Z06 are 265-40-17 fronts 295 35-18's.

mbd

Definitely black top. It looks so much more "stealthy" than the others.
White with red sounds beautiful, but take a close look at the interior red. Have you seen one yet? It's a little on the muted side, which may or may not be pretty to you. You decide...... you are the one who will be driving it everyday.

whm52

Have been test driving C-6 Vette and am interesting in hearing about suspensions. Thought the F55 felt really comfortable and refined while the Z51 felt like a washboard. Read many magazine articles saying the Z51 was "compliant", but this did not seem to be the case during test drive. Figured out the only way to be sure was to test them back to back. Am interested in hearing if anyone has done this and what they decided to purchase.

Also, Nav looks cheap in the brochure and cannot be programmed unless parked. Is it really worth the cost? And isn't Sirius much better than XM?

starrow68

The real question is what do you want to do with the car? If you plan to
track it, go with the Z51 and yes it will not be as comfortable on the road
as the F55. If you have no plans to track it and just want a touring car
why not get the F55 and be comfortable just about all the time. When it
comes time to try out a canyon road just switch to sport and stiffen it up
a little.

I love my Z51 2002 Coupe and since I track it regularly, wouldn't have
anything else.
Randy

jmess

I have the 05 Nav and it isn't worth the money IMHO if money matters to you. I bought my car off the lot but would never order a car with this NAV system. I seldom use it and the few times that I have it gave me erroneous directions. Nothing like being told to make turns where no road exists and never did. Some report that the current database DVD is about 4 years old which makes navigating in some of the cities interesting.

Another feature you get with the NAV system is a sterio that won't play MP3 and doesn't have CD changer.

If you have to have all the gadgets and aren't concerned about what $1600 really buys for you then get the NAV.

farscape

Why is there a move by most cars to a 3 spoke steering wheel? I found the 4 spokes easier to drive longer distances allowing you to rest your hand bottom center instead of gripping a side and holding your arm up to stay straight.

Claires

Follow-Up Test: 2005 Corvette Convertible
2005 Corvette Convertible: Still blazing after all these years.

ClaireS, Host
Coupes & Convertibles | Vans & Minivans

scanty

Jalopnik had this today. How does 0-60 in 3.7 seconds sound?Link

leokadia1

GM is letting Americans buy their new GM Cars at the same price their employees pay for them. There are significant lines in front of every Saturn Dealer across the United States, customers fighting to drive home a Saturn ION-1???????
Why is every Chevy included, "but not the Corvette???????????????
Don't GM employees purchase Corvettes and get a discount?
One more reason not to buy GM car, the only one I would buy is not covered by the new offers. After GM blasts on the radio and TV how you are going to get the employee discount. In low monotone voice the announcer states dose not cover the Chevy Corvette.

starrow68

They say right in the advertising that Corvette is excluded. So be it! As a matter of fact GM has two programs, employee and supplier sales, and they are usually set up for dealer stock and are voluntary for the dealer. It is a rare Corvette that ever sees either program except for the end of the 2004 model year. Trying to make it out as a scam is so naive as to be funny. Smart shoppers can get a deal on a current Vette but it takes some work and probably not at you local dealer.

BTW, did you know that not all Chevrolet dealers can even order a Corvette? Might do some homework to learn some basics.

leokadia1

Employee and supplier sales deals!!!!!! In the right-hand upper corner of the MSRP sticker is two codes, one for employees one for suppliers. The lower price is for employees, usually $1000.00 or more under dealer cost. Invoice
2005 Chevrolet Corvette
2dr Convertible (6.0L 8cyl Automatic)
Millennium Yellow
$800
$49,000 invoice - $1000. = $48,000 vs. $55,950 List Price
Are you still wondering why the announcer on TV & radio is whispering $7,950 reasons.

starrow68

Have you ever tried to get a Corvette at Supplier pricing? Unless it is close out you probably never will see one at that price. It is voluntary for the dealer to participate and that's been true for each of the C4, C5 and C6. Even employee pricing is based on 'availability' and right now the Corvette is not in excess supply. So why should GM give them away when they make it clear, as you note, that the Corvette isn't included in the deal?

Corvette's are very nice, two in the garage, but to get a deal expect to put in some effort on the internet and not to walk down to Joe Blow Chevy and get in line for delivery. Enjoy what you drive, I do!

ndmike88

Back in July '03 I got the first '04 vette sold in Tennessee for the GM Supplier Price. Listed for $47,785------my price before trade was $42,500. Yes my friend it can be done. It all depends if the stealer WANTS to do it.
Towards the end of the C5 model production you could have gotten one for $10,000 off the sticker price. Just have to be at the right place at the right time.

starrow68

I agree, my wife's '04 was $51k sticker and out the door for just over $39k, about $11.6k off so deals are possible. You just have to make some contacts in the internet Corvette world and you can get good deals.

However, bellyaching about something that is noted as excluded from the get go, seems like beating your head against the wall for fun. Just figure out the system and work it!
Randy

jason_jm

hey all, I need some adice / info if possible!

I am thinking of getting my first corvette, was wondering about 2 things in the new 06 model

1) is the 6 speed auto trans gonna make any real difference (good or bad)
2) is the 06 model gonna cost more?

also, is this car still still a damn fine car to corner with the standard package? or is the Z51 Performance Handling Package stuff needed?

also, is the 3.15 Performance Axle Ratio necesary in automatic?

Thanks!

starrow68

I would have to note that all first year GM stuff seem to have some issues, like the '05 6sp that had a mis-machined part and got recalled. They made it good but not what most are hoping to endure. I'm guessing you will have to wait for the auto industry reports before the world will know if the new auto is worth it. Seems to get good reviews in other performance cars.

Of course the '06 will cost more, haven't they already done at least one price increase on the '05 since introduction? Demand is pretty high for the Corvette considering the rest of the industry.

The suspension in the C5 is great and when I got the Z51 I really didn't intend to do more than go to a driving school maybe once. However, for some of us, one try leads to many more days on track and for that I'm glad I got the Z51, even it isn't as good in the corners as I now wish. On the street the Z51 is probably overkill. But will you always be happy on the street? I'm not!

The PARatio is something I've seen several people upgrade to after wishing for more response. The 6 sp gets great gas mileage if you stay out of wide open throttle, and gives you response when you want it. The std rearend gets ok mileage but less response, while the PAR gets you response but less mileage. Why not have the best of both worlds. The only reasons to not get a 6sp IMO are bad knees, etc., or more than 10 miles in stop and go on a regular basis.

Randy

Claires

Folks, please take this discussion to the Chevrolet Corvette: Prices Paid and Buying Experiences discussion.

scanty

Blue Devil Lives

leokadia1

We are talking about the 2005 C-6 Vet
under the heading 2005 Chevrolet Corvette! It should includes GM Pricing and current selling policies.

Claires

There's already a discussion in place for discussing Corvette pricing issues, in the Prices Paid & Buying Experience Forum. This one is for discussing the features/attributes, etc. of the Corvette.

jmess

The C6 is my first Vette and first car with so much lowend torque. I think it has sort of ruined me for the rest of my life. All the other cars I drive feel like slugs. I have a Honda van for a daily driver and my mileage has dropped off by 2 MPG since I got the C6. I find myself accelerating in the van and wondering why it is so dam slow even though I have it floored.

In the C6 you can have a blast doing zero to the speed limit and on the highway you can safely find holes in traffic that don't exist with slower cars. Along with being fast I find the C6 to be surprisingly comfortable for long distance runs.

starrow68

The fact that guys fall in love with torque is almost age old. But my wife gets more gushing about driving her 2004 almost every day she decides to get it out of the garage. She pulled away from some joker the other day and was suprised how easy it was. Then she even talked about how listening to me talk about the track, brake early, settle the car, accelerate out from the apex was getting her to think about how she takes the corners going to the Berkeley Lab site going over the top of Fish Ranch Road. Now I just have to get away from work so I can spend another weekend at the track tomorrow and Sunday. Can I break 2:20 at Buttonwillow? Just have to relax. HUMMMMMMM........
Randy

damsel1

Does anyone out there know what the " Autobook identifier" option is on the C6?Damsel1 in distress

glhendr1

I've been looking for a 05 C6 for a while, several months, and finally got a dealer to agree to order one with the option and color combo for $2500 off MSRP. I've been waiting for almost two month now and my car is suppose to be here by the end of the month. I know the 06 model is due out any day now but the based price is at least 65k MSRP. Am I getting a good deal with the C6? No one else would agree to cut the price more than 1500. I'm afraid if I don't get this car now I won't be able to get it new, with only the options I prefer, once the 06 start rolling off the lot. :confuse:

jmess

As with anything some have done better and some have done worse. If you are getting the car the way you want it then enjoy. The rumor mills seems to indicate that initially there won't be any significant price increase for the 06 but you will have to wait longer to get the car and miss out on a lot of nice weather.

zcarenow

Hey everyone,
I currently own a Nissan 350z and thinking about selling it to get a 2005 Vette. I have some questions for y'all vette owners. Has anyone here bought a 2005 Vette? Any personal reviews? Any major issues already with the 1st year's model?

Pricing: Has anyone been able to get the Vette for under MSRP? I've been hearing about how hot this Vette is , so wondering if one could buy under MSRP. Wish i had the money to get the Z6 coming in September ,i believe. Also, the GM discount doesn't apply to this vehicle. Now, does the GM Employee discount have any hidden costs or tricks that we don't know about or is it really an honest price. Anything to be weary or careful about this GM discount?

I've never been fond of American cars since my previous experience back in the early 90s have been horrible. This would be my first American car since my old Buick Skylark a while back. Any other good sites or forums on the new Vette?

Thanks everyone.
Darren

starrow68

I own a 2002 Coupe and a couple years later my wife, after getting to drive mine, asked if she could have one too. She has a 2004 Z51, 6sp, same as mine. I use mine for a daily driver and go to the track about once a month for a day or a weekend. We use hers for touring and she takes it to work 2 to 4 days a week, more often lately with the coupe roof panel out.

I've talked with several 2005 owners and seen several at the track. They seem to have a tighter feel than the C5's, nicer interior is obvious. To be very picky I would say I like the deeper rear deck area in the C5 and I don't care for the black moulding around the head lights on lighter color cars. Wish I could get one being rational but my '02 is still a great car even with 40k miles. The C5 coupe is about 8 sec's slower on a given track, mostly tires, I run Z06 wheels and tire sizes and get about 4 sec of that back. The C6 is about 1 to 1.5 sec's slower than a previous Z06, not shabby for a car that is about $5k at least lower in cost, fully loaded.

I have provided links to other sites in the past but since they provide the same service as Edmunds, automotive message boards that is against the rules. I will say that Corvette Forum and Corvette Action Center both have good specific info. Local dealers are still in some cases asking for up to $5k over MSRP, and more power to them, with few cars, they some times get it or at least some of it. On the Web you could get C6's at MSRP from introduction, but you might not be near one of the dealers. That is a bother for some people. I got both ours from Ken Fichtner in Montana, I'm in Northern Calif. The first pick up driving back through Yellowstone was so much fun we made it a longer trip the second time around and I will probably go back to get a third some day. I have seen up to about $2k off through the internet dealers, but I haven't been active looking lately and don't know what current inventories are.

On GMEP I think the deal is very good but as noted it doesn't apply to Corvette. I know a couple that got GTO's that way but it too was pulled from the program in the latest version. Keep us posted, the search to find what I really wanted was part of the fun, even if waiting for delivery was frustrating, drove a lot of used Vettes at dealer lots in those two months.

Randy

glhendr1

thanks for the comments. I'm looking forward to it finally getting it.

robclwtr

What are the differences going to be from 05 to the 06 Corvette? I know the steering wheel will change. And I know about the Z06. But I would like to know about the regular Corvettes with the Z51 packages specifically. I would appreciate help ...knowledgeable and factual, hopefully!

442fool

This car is a decent manual transmission away from world class, kind of a shame.

vettehopeful

Does anybody know what the 0 - 60 and quarter mile times are for the non Z51 C6s?

I personally am leaning towards getting a C6 with a manual transmission and the base suspension. However I have this fear that if I choose this option I may get out run by some kid in a new Mustang GT.

starrow68

I don't get it! If you don't want to be out run, why even consider anything but the Z51? After the price of the car, getting the performance suspension and extra cooling would just make sense if you have any idea that you may want to drive the car using some of its performance character. I don't think you give up more than a couple tenths with base suspension but the better brakes and cooling make the Z51 package worth the money. Also for resale there are two flavors that sell, IMO, 6sp with Z51 and auto with electronic suspension, of course cheap always will get some attention if you want the buyer to lowball you in the future.
Randy

exalteddragon1

•
6-speed Paddle Shift automatic transmission available on Coupe and Convertible

•
Three-spoke, 370 mm (9.4 in) diameter steering wheel

•
Advanced dual-stage frontal air bags with GM Passenger Sensing System

•
XM Satellite Radio included with Bose stereo (48 states)

•
Two exterior colors: Velocity Yellow Tintcoat and Monterey Red Metallic Tintcoat

•
Titanium gray interior color

•
Storm Gray convertible top color


click here

The paddle shifters with the 6 speed auto is a BIG DEAL imo :P

jmess

I think the A6 will be a great addition to the C6. I have some experience with manualmatic shifters and found that small levers/buttons can be awkward when you are on a tight road where you have to move your hands around along with changing gears. Having the ability to tap shift with a normal shift lever is more natural. The little lever/buttons on the 06 don't appear to be big enough to call paddles. In less stressfull conditions they will be nice for gear selection though.

glhendr1

I took delivery of my 05 C6 yesterday after a 2 and a half month wait. I haven't stopped smiling yet. Drove it off the lot with 3 miles, now have 125. I can't wait till the weekend comes.

starrow68

I still remember picking up mine and the next four days got me well broken in at 1350 miles, grinning all the while. Letting the wife drive an hour a day was just a little sacrifice but actually I used the time to read some of the manual, learned some too. Now that she has her own, which I get to drive a lot more than she drives mine, glad I made the sacrifice . Enjoy the weekend and don't forget to wave!
Randy

ndmike88

You are suffering from "permagrin". Never goes away.

bhill2

Yes. Interesting condition. Very short period between exposure and symptoms (for me, within about 5 minutes of first getting into my C5). As ndmike88 says, never goes away. I've heard it's even more severe if you're exposed to a C6.

xkss

I think the 2006 Corvette's 6 speed automatic transmission is similar to the one used in the 2006 Cadillac STS-V and XLR-V.

erickpl

How is the C6 as a daily driver? I'm looking at one and was interested in how it rode on a daily basis.

-Paul

starrow68

Compared to what and with what suspension? I think it would make a difference. I've got a Z51 suspension on a C5 and love it so much I won't take any of the other rides unless forced by circumstances. That is not the best suspension for a daily driver according to some. I've riden in a C6 on the race track and find it comparable if a little less body roll than my C5, it also had Z51. I would think the suspension choice might be a function of the transmission choice as well. With an auto, the Z51 would only be worthwhile if you wanted to do some drags on the weekends, not likely to be a good road course car. With the manual on the other hand, having Z51 will add some value to weekend driving and if you get a chance to take it to the road course. Good Luck!

Randy

jmess

I have the C6 with Mag Ride and have installed some Z51 sway bars. I tend to leave it in Sport mode 90% of the time. On longer trips with rough roads the touring mode is nice and provides a surprisingly comfortable ride.

If you plan on some serious track time the Z51 and manual are the only way to go. I have the auto because I am lazy and hate rowing the gears in traffic which I spend far too much time in these days.

erickpl

Guess I should have compared it.

I am comparing to a MB SLK350. I know, not exactly the same type of car, but that is part of my dilemma.

I would be doing manual transmission with the Z51 package. It would probably not see a track (okay maybe OCCASIONALLY), and would be used for a lot of highway driving to St. Louis and Pensacola.

I found a deal for a 2005 EXACTLY how I want it for 3,000 below MSRP with:
Manual
Z51
1SB package
DVD Nav
XM
Monterrey Red coupe
Cashmere interior

Only thing it needs is the dual tops...

I just need to convince the wife. She prefers the SLK and in general thinks the Vette is a statement about trying to compensate for something...

I've wanted a Corvette since I was 12 and knew what they were.

-Paul

glhendr1

93 octane is recommend for the C6, but not required. I've only had my car for 3.5 weeks and have used only premium gas. Anyone using regular unleaded, if so, have you noticed any difference in the engine? Would you recommend using regular unleaded or should I stay with premium?

bhill2

I've got to say that your wife's attitude that "the Vette is a statement about trying to compensate for something" is somewhat ironic since the SLK is kind of the badge of the socially insecure. Other than status, it is just a pretty good car at the price of a REALLY good car. Of the two, the C6 makes much more sense, since it is a vastly superior road car.

starrow68

Having done some long trips, 1000 miles plus in the C5, I'd have to agree that the size inside the Vette would be a much more comfortable car. To me the SLK is tight. I'm guessing the the mileage with the 6sp if you can keep it down would be fantastic compared to the MB, FWIW. From someone who never did have a thing for a Corvette growing up or along the way, I have to say, It's the most fun I've had in a car. Funny thing is that after a couple years riding and driving mine on occasion the wife wanted one for graduation from a very late MS in Nursing program and now she is totally hooked and talking about taking driving classes. You might find that it will grow on the wife if she isn't trying to compensate for something.

starrow68

Just read in a Corvette Magazine that the computer in both the C5 and C6 is set with two tables. If it gets good octane, say 91+ then it uses the upper performance table but if it gets lower octane then it just switches over and uses the other retarded performance set so there is no engine damage. If you run with low grade gas it will save a nickle, but you aren't getting a real Vette feeling, no matter how fast it feels.
Randy