Chevrolet C6 Corvette

Mr_Shiftright

Well I was kind of kidding about that but I have found in the cartoon business that no sooner do you make up some preposterous situation that real life imitates it.

Just out of curiousity, I did look up car-related deaths for teens in 2003 and it was about 2,300 fatalities. Probably a lot related to drinking more than high HP cars.

Here's a "First Drive" report on the new Corvette from Edmunds, just up!

First Drive/Edmunds Road Test of 2005 'Vette

starrow68

Talk about gushing review and never a mention of the skip shift. Whoa, I was really surprised that they also decided to leave out what I've heard is the real downside to the car, the lack of a space for the front plate. Now, living in a state that requires a front plate and not having one on 3 of 5 vehicles I admit it wouldn't present me much of an issue. However, when I do get tagged putting one on the C5 will not be a big deal, bracket is just covered. On the C6 we are talking about drilling holes in the front of the car to install a bracket, ugly forever, a real miss in my view.

andy

Am i missing something here. The new corvette is one of the more exciting car releases in some time and nobody has posted here in almost 3 weeks.

What gives. Let's hear some impressions. The car is out isn't it.

ndmike88

While the '05 Vette is a great sports car, I still don't like the front end. I've seen them up close and in person. Looks to Viperish to me. Other than the front end I relly like the new Vette, but I guess I'll keep my '04 C5.

r22549

It was a 6 speed, I don't do sticks. Did turn it over though. Was hard to believe I was in a Vette without any idle growl..Headlights don't do it for me. Also think they should have used a key. I currently have a 04 black auto. The orange color is a waste of a car, IMO. I have no doubt the car is sweet, but they are starting to push the envelope on the nature of the beast. I take one in a heart beat though, that's also the nature of the beast..:-)

bigmike5

My dealer has scheduled a big weekend event to bring in the new Caddys and Vettes, so I am looking forward to finally getting to sit in one and hopefully get a test drive to compare it to my new C-5 coupe. The wife wants to test drive an STS too, so hopefully we can do that at the same time. Hopefully.

rqc

I sat in one a month ago. Great car. Liked the nav, HUD, auto tranny, and keyless. Wish I could have taken it out for a drive. Seriously considering one when the price gouging dies down.

starrow68

I saw one a month or more ago at a dealer showroom and just saw the first one on the road Sunday going down I-5 as I went north, not a close view. It was DSO! Somebody must like it. Also don't know anyone who has one so hard to really comment except for mag articles.
   BTW, the factory has shut down production in the last few days. Seems there is a manual tranny issue, don't have any other details, but from MPOV not unexpected, there were bound to be some issues. Hope they sort it out soon.

bigmike5

I got a note from the Museum people a few minutes ago and it said that the factory was up and running [so tours are again available, along with Museum delivery.]

My dealer only has one C-6 and it is on the floor for the big event this weekend, so I probably won't be able to get a test drive as I hoped. Have to make another effort after the event is over to do it. I'm due an oil change in another thousand, hmmm...

r22549

As I've stated I have an 04 auto vette I picked up about a month ago. My AC stopped working about two weeks after I picked her up. Brought her back to the dealer. They put freon in with a dye. Two days later no AC again and a noise can be heard from the vents. Brought her back to dealer, replaced air compressor. Two days later, again NO AC and the noise is back. Called dealer, told me to bring her in and they will call GM to see if they are missing something...Just curious if anybody had a like problem or maybe a clue where the problem may be..Thanx..Rod

paisan

I'm not a big american iron fan, but I've kinda latched onto this car. My question is how is the build quality? My cousin had an early '90s vette and the roof leaked constantly and it was always being repaired for dumb stuff. Has the quality been brought to near $50K status?

Also anyone know if the Navigation Radio plays MP3s? Also how does the HUD work for the NAV? Thanks in advance for the answers.

-mike

bigmike5

r22549- I've only had my 04 since 1 July [3K miles so far] but have run the A/C a lot in KY. So far, it has run flawlessly and with no unusual noises.

paisan- The only irritant I have noticed is that in the car wash [touchless only] I get a few drops of water running down the inside of the driver side window from the blaster. And I do mean just a few, so I have just accepted it as a door seal being overwhelmed by high pressure water. Course at the factory they put these things thru a real high pressure bath before clearing them for movement, so I wonder how they missed my trickle. No other deficiencies noted at all. Otherwise good build quality.

ruking1

Neither was I, a big American iron fan. I not only think the build quality has vastly improved since the early 90's but the nexus for the 05's is the fact they have used the 2001-2004 C5 model as the baseline for what seems to be a constant improvement program. I have a 2001 Z06 Corvette bought new and now has app 66,000 miles on the clock. The only thing to go wrong was a very common (at the time) rear differential seals leaking. These were covered under warranty, even when the warranty expired.

Mr_Shiftright

I was looking over a 2004 the other day, and it really has, at least visually, gotten A LOT better than the early 90s. Corvette build quality has traditionally been pretty dismal, but that's all becoming part of ancient history, at least from eyeballing everything as I did. I don't know if they are screwing them together any better but I bet they are, as they push over the $50K msrp. No it's not a BMW 330cic and will never be in build quality. I can see that readily. Part of the problem is being a glass car. It's hard for a glass car to "pop" like beautiful paint will on sturdy steel or elegant aluminum. But the glass work is top notch and really, Corvette fiberglas, while maybe not always finished well in the early days, in the jambs and underhood, was far better than fiberglass on foreign cars, such as done by Ferrari or the Brits. Even in 1953 it was great for the standards of the day.

These days it's all in the "details" and in the grade of materials. I think having much better structural ridigity will keep the Corvette leaks and squeeks to a minimum. Probably their biggest challenge is upgrading the interior even more. That's better in 2005 too, I understand (but haven't seen).

I've always drawn parallels between Corvette and Harley in their evolution, but Corvette has broken that comparison wide open I think because their performance levels vis a vis other cars is much better than Harley vis a vis other bikes. A Japanese bike will humiliate a Harley but a Japanese car had best respect a new Corvette.

ruking1

Yeah, I also see it in almost all aspects. I would also agree that if you are for example looking for Porsche/BMW build quality, may I unpejoratively suggest getting a Porsche/BMW.

385 hp/torque was an achievement at the time (2001). (according to the Corvette engineers) A scant 5 years later?, 400 hp/torque is standard. Weight loss (100#'s) was a very distinct arduous chore. There are many other "constant improvement" type examples, but I think the concept is adequately expressed.

starrow68

the problem mentioned is not a common one. Rocking seat, rearend seals (as mentioned), some oil consumption in early C5's and Z06, and column lock are all common. Good luck.
  2002 now has 30k miles of which over 1k is on road tracks, more than normal stress. No problems except for a couple codes in the DIC which have all turned out to have tech service bulletins detailing the fix. Car is fairly bullet proof at this point. Wife's 2004 is flawless so far.

bigmike5

Got to paw over the new C-6 yesterday at my dealer's coming out party. Spent about 30 minutes looking at and sitting in it. Most noticeable change to me was the storage of the roof piece in the trunk. I think it is a little more convenient than in my 04. The seats seem just about the same to me. I worked the lumbar buttons and found that I couldn't really tell any difference to what I have. The seats in both are really good. The engine compartment seemed just as complex and confusing as on my 04.lol. No tinkering allowed as far as I can see. The upscale cabin appointments didn't affect me either way. A few brushed aluminum pieces here and there-like the button on the hand brake- but nothing I would rave about or criticize. Course I don't see anything wrong with the interior of the C5 either. I guess that is a personal taste thing. They started it to show me the button system, but only momentarily since we were in the show room area. Motor note seemed about the same as my 04. Test drive next time I am up that way hopefully.

Mr_Shiftright

Editors at Hemmings Muscle Machines say that they've research C5 warranty claims and found that highest single area of claims comes from "brake issues".

This makes sense, as GM brake rotors are notoriously bad across the board.

Certainly if you are a sporting and demanding driver and don't want to be swapping out rotors every couple years, a rotor and pad upgrade might be a smart thing on a C5.

paisan

Rotors... IMHO are a wear and tear item....

-mike

Mr_Shiftright

Well, not speaking strictly on Corvettes here, you tell that to people buying rotors every 15,000-20,000 miles. Naturally they need new pads, sensors, etc. as well. Really, would you like to swap 2-3 sets of rotors for every set of tires? Not me.

paisan

I guess I'm jaded cause I hit the track and am always changing tires, pads and rotors....

-mike

Mr_Shiftright

Yep, you're like the British and their attitude about rust. "Oh, change the oil and filter, and while you're at it, would you cut out my rocker panels and weld in some new ones? Thank you so much".

I go through brake pads and tires pretty quickly. Sometimes when I park I can hear my brakes crackling. I like that.

paisan

Yeah with 40+ track days a year Tires, Pads, Rotors and brake flushes are done quite often each year.

-mike

ruking1

YUP! This is just "part/s" of the logistics of tracking a vehicle.

dusty1

when i saw the road and track issue with the c6 as a main article the pics of it next to the c5 made it look pretty similar (besides the major change in the headlights) but when i saw the c6 in person it was TOTALLY different

starrow68

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/columnists/992528- 1.htm

Why he wants to pick on the HUD I don't know, I find it the one thing that disappoints me about driving other cars when I have to. I bet he didn't have a front plate and never thought about it.

starrow68

http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story.asp?StoryId=CqxhUqeicqvvutY1o- rvDdqvjt

Now how to find a job at such an obscure title that gets you into a test session, that's what I want to figure out.

apshemper

What do you think about the color combination for a 2005 Corvette Convertible of White exterior with red leather interior? Do you think this would be attractive for resale? It seems a classic enough combo if I ever decided to sell.
Black top?
Opinions?
Thanks!

coupedncal

A friend has a C4 (89 model year) with the exact some color scheme .. white exterior with attractive red interior and black top. He has had it for about 8 years now and it looks classic every day. But be aware you will need to maintain the white to keep it in good shape. White has a tendency to get dull over time if not maintained well. Hand washing it often will keep it prime for a long time.

starrow68

But for those trying to read all the reviews:

http://www.presstelegram.com/Stories/0,1413,204~32658~2484478,00.- html

Please note that the original Vette was White with Red, in a vert. But since I don't aspire to a Blue Flame Special under the hood, which might also be classic, I'll take my Corvette's in Blue, just like the GrandSports from the mid 60's. The issue to some of us is performance not looks.

Mr_Shiftright

Marina blue I think it's called.

Vettes were nice in white when they were smaller. Nowadays a big car doesn't look so good in white, since white makes a car look even bigger to the human eye.

rkelon

I have bought three for my family and I am a Porsche or BMW guy for sports cars.

Chevy: Build quality on the passenger door is not perfect, good but could use some work. Additionally, bring back the commercials, quit folding like a cheap umbrella and taking the safe road, what would have happened to GM if Durant did what you people are doing. Parents, if your young (or older) kids have access to your car keys and are able to get under your supervision radar or don't realize fantasy from reality...you have problems in your process not Chevy with their ads. You might as well not let them see the news for fear they will become a terrorist, murderer, or...a hurricane.

ruking1

Yeah, the thing about color is while it has objective color components that make up a particular color like white, blue, red, black, silver etc., the motivations that lets us chose is probably just as varied and complex a decision that even the decisions that motivate us to buy the car in the first place.

starrow68

Ruking1 you are on to something but it's a North American issue according to some studies. When trying to find out if buyers would pay for stability control or any safety feature it was determined that getting them to understand what it did was key but even that would not overcome finding that 80% of NA buyers consider color more important than other factors in buying decision. Same study in the EU gives less than 40% with same attitude, color being more important.

As to Blues, Marina, Admiral, Nassau or Electron just to name a few are all great IMO, navy is too dark and Le Mans is almost there as well. BTW, my car is faster in blue!

pathdoc

What is the availability on convertibles? Have they actually started delivery on them? Can the trunk be secured if valet parking(eg. is there a separate valet key)?
 If you live in the right climate there is no better way to go. Until the C6 a convertible has been somewhat less convenient without a power top but with it's availability it makes more sense now.

avolvofan

Actually, the fastest color in the evening is black - it is so stealthy that its speed can not be measured....

ruking1

For me, I got a speedway white Z06 (1/5773 in 2001). Outside of being a rare color for a Z06, (1/352)I really only found out the white was a classic Corvette color afterwards. I also got the red/black interior (1/137).

Since I do like to drive it, (going on 66,000 miles vs a host of folks that keep these things as hangar kings/queens and folks that would flog them no matter what color) there were a host of practical considerations in no particular order:

1. white is many times more visible than black, this might be good when cruising, or when see and be seen is important

2 white shows dirt and imperfections less than black.

3 white absorbs way less heat than black, i.e., runs cooler

4 white paint deteriorates far less than colors approaching black

5 white NEEDS less cosmetic maintenance that colors approaching black

starrow68

Ah, the old too fast to measure ... but remember I work for a sensor company, if it moves we can measure it. Now if I could just get the active handling message off the DIC for more than a week after they try the next fix..., did I mention that was our sensor too? Sure it's not the gyro, must be the steering or wheel speed sensors, not ours.
About white, I did that with a Volvo wagon, a Suburban, and a Pulsar, had all I could take even if it is easier to keep looking good. You'll get over it as well, I'm sure!

Mr_Shiftright

The comparison between a white Volvo wagon and a refrigerator is too close for my comfort.

I always thought that "real" sports cars like the Corvette need to look like "machines" or at least "muscular". This is why pink, rose and lime green don't cut it.

ruking1

Well for sure this is in the eyes of the beholder!

Mr_Shiftright

Oh, c'mon, you're going to drive a pink Corvette?

bigmike5

Didn't Kerbeck do one in pink for Corvettes at Carlyle this year? I think they did. Course on their two salesbeauties that would be a nice color.

avolvofan

I would have thought that the only one that would have a pink Corvette would be someone who works for Mary Kay cosmetics....

avolvofan

"...if it moves we can measure it."

Maybe the theme should be if it can be sensed, we can measure it.... If you can't sense something (such as the F117), you can't measure it....

starrow68

Ah, but the F117 know how fast it's going so it is being measured ... depends on POV!

Shifty, hope you aren't putting Blue in with those other "girlie men" colors. A nice medium blue to not arouse the attention of the radar folks.

For those who are into reading reviews:
http://www.suntimes.com/output/auto/car-news-vette25.html

One of the more comprehensive ones, yes it disses the skip shift, and seems to have almost all the facts correct, which many haven't.

ruking1

For sure the skip shift is an annoyance. It can be "cured" in a few optional ways. This can cost from zero, .50cents to 30 dollars. The penality for not using the skip shift would have been (I am told, I don't know for certain) a gas guzzlers tax of between 1000-1500 dollars.

coupedncal

Could someone explain how the skip shift work ? My understanding is that during normal driving, the car forces you to go from 1st to 4th gear in the manual tranny but if I do that in my Z, the car stalls (as expected) or heavily pings. How does that really work on a vette ? And physically, does the lock prevent you going from 1st to 2nd just like you can't go from one of the fwd gears to reverse directly ?

starrow68

It is a block out of the ability to pull straight back into second gear. The way it works is that about 1300 rpm up to 2100 rpm a light comes on in the tach area and 2nd is blocked. Since most don't shift below 2100 rpm anyway, not a big deal, how you gonna hear that V8 rumble? Since the car has 350 lb/ft of torque and is only 3200 lbs it doesn't seem to bog down at that point, at least not on the level.
   Now as to practical solutions, most just buy $20 plug in bypass electronics, pretty easy. I don't mind it and started shifting into 3rd early on with just a hesitation and find that works great. However, I hardly ever find myself shifting below 2100 rpm. You can always put it back in 1st, btw. The only place I see a real complaint is people like in SF that have traffic and hills, you can get caught pulling out slow into the base of a hill and voila wrong gear. To me it's no big deal, and getting that much performance without GG tax is very nice.

starrow68

From boston.com

CHEVROLET CORVETTE: Without even getting into technology and horsepower, the car is worth a cruise-by just to see its new headlights: mounted in the noses of the fenders instead of tucked away by ridiculous pop-up covers.

jjr1404

You got the right idea. My first vette was a 84 gold w/tan interior, second was a 94 white/tan, third was a 98 red/tan...my order is in for a 05 white/red coupe. I am really excited about this combo. In past years the red interior, in my opinion, has been either too orange or too dark...that cobalt red is cool. Good luck!

JR