Chevrolet C6 Corvette

habitat1 · December 2005

I don't have a particular affinity for Corvettes, or any real knowledge of what the right price would be for a wrecked one. But, perhaps that is a good perspective for the friendly advice I am about to give:

IMO, unless you can comfortably afford $55k +/- for a new Corvette, I don't think you should be looking to spend $35k-$40k on a previously wrecked one. Think about your exit strategy: If you ever have to or want to sell this car, who in the world is going to pay much of anything for a two-owner, previously wrecked car? It's not as though this is a fixer upper house in a nice, irreplaceable neighborhood that is likely to appreciate. A sports car is a purely discretionary - frivolous even - purchase. Most buyers don't want someone else's damaged goods.

Now, if you could easily write a check for $55k for a brand new Corvette, but are looking at this purely and objectively as a potentially better financial deal (taking into accout future exit issues), go for it. You might win the bet or lose the bet, but at least it won't break the bank.

My point is that, IMO, there are better things to do with $35-$40k than "stretch" to buy a wrecked sports car. But that's just my opinion.

donz1 · December 2005

Hey guyz, I am currently thinking about getting a Corvette C6 Full option. I would really like your advice on the options that I should take .. because they are quite expensive .. after everything the price was about 64k ,, so I want to know what options are necessary for the Corvette to turn heads. Thanks alot

ndmike88 · December 2005

Check into Corsa Indy's. I have the Indy Tiger Sharks on my '04. Can't hear them just crusing, but sound great when you get on it. If you go the Corsa route think about getting the "X" pipe also.

starrow68 · December 2005

I probably should just skip this, but here goes. I don't get it! Buy what you like or need but who cars if it turns heads? The type of heads that some cars turn are probably not going to make my day. I got my Vette because 1. I fit in it comfortably, 2. I thought it would be fun after 15 years in a Nissan Pulsar, 3. I enjoyed 12 years in an MG but that size sports car now is just too tight for a leading edge baby boom couple, 4. I could afford it and 5. I had some vague notion that I would learn to drive better. The options became a function of what I was looking for, I got a 6 speed to have fun and got the performance suspension incase I got to drive it in say an auto cross, I got the 12 disc CD since I thought the wife and I might do some trips, we have, and that went with the sports seats and dual zone A/C, etc. As to the electronics in the C6 they only way you are going to know if it will work for you is to do research and not just get opinions. Good Luck,
Randy

BTW, some 20 something on Van Ness in San Francisco in a vert Mustang pulled up next to me once and said, 'beautiful ride', I said Thank You.

blkhemi · December 2005

$64k for a regular C6? Why not add a grand and get a Z06 at 65K. You'll have better resale value retention and the bragging rights to match

tsy · December 2005

I'm assuming you're talking about a convertible- because a loaded coupe shouldn't be that much. As far as turning heads, do you mean cosmetic options? Because no one is going to notice if you have Nav or the Z51 etc, it will look the same. Chrome wheels will make it look different. You could put a huge Subwoofer in and make people turn heads. (j/k!)

I'm not sure what you're getting at by 'turning heads'.

We bought our C6 because it's a great car, comfortable and fast, not because we wanted attention. If you want attention, buy a used Ferrari or 911 or even a Maserati.

BTW, a Z06 is about $74 with dealer markup these days. (at least the last quote I was given last week)

Good luck

tom

blkhemi · December 2005

And that's why I opted not to buy from dealers because of the mark-up. $74k is what I paid Bowling Green for a factory order Z06 with a few options on it that you can't get at a dealer.

tsy · December 2005

I would love to have done that. It's just that Kentucky is really far away from the west coast! It must have been fun though (did you get to 'birth' a vette?)

tom

blkhemi · December 2005

Of course, and I did the museum thingy and everything. Very educational, just when ya thought ya knew everything about Vettes.

You could've still hooked up with Bowling Green, you just would've been slapped with freight charges.

donz1 · December 2005

Umm .. I really like the corvette and yes a convertible is what I want .. If the zo6 had a convertible style I would most definitly think about it. A used modena is about 100k+ and I actually don't like it .. I am in the united states as an International student so buying a car that expensive is very useless. I got the final price for the C6 convertible with tax. It's about 68k .. Is that a good price to pay for a C6 ? ... please respond.

motorhead1 · December 2005

I don`t know what part of the USA. you air in but check out kerbeck.com they have convertibles around 50k. It might be worth flying out there to by one.

jmess · December 2005

It's a buyer's market right now for C6s in most areas so you should be able to get a substantial discount. Kerbeck's is offering $5K off MSRP for Verts right now.

cutvette · December 2005

hi guys, new to the vette board...just bought my dream car...05 convertible with loaded except onstar. Anyway, a couple of questions for the experts:

1. What can I do to improve horsepower and not void warranty? I believe exhaust, manifold and air. Sorry for the ignorance, I just know how to look good in the car and drive it..ha ha ha Also, can you be specific (ie brands u recommend and what price range and how much HP it will increase it by...

2. What are the performance numbers for the 05 stick shift. IE 0-60 MPH i see a lot of different numbers...

thks guys, I really appriciate it. TAKE CARE AND DRIVE YOUR CARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

starrow68 · December 2005

All hearsay, so can't prove a thing, but the general discussion on the C5 was don't do heads and cam but any external add on would not seem to be a problem. What they look for seems to be abuse rather than just mod's However, with my C5 I added an oil cooler and when I had some electrical problems I had no issues with either work at the end of the GM warranty or a month later with GMPP extended warranty. I think it does matter where you take it, some dealers are into service and some seem to be a pain just for the sake of being contrary. Hard to judge since comments on the internet never tell the whole story.

Then again why add HP when you can spend money on learning to drive better? Run a few laps at a local road course and see what kind of cars are running similar lap times. You might be surprised at what is passing you and with a few trips with instruction what you could pass. Nothing like passing a GT3 and watching it receed in the rearview as you pull away, knowing that there are no red lights when you are on track. Hard to describe here how much fun getting the Vette up to speed can be when you know how!
Randy
BTW 0-60 times are driver dependent and then surface/weather dependent, just like driving on track, practice will make you better. Launches from a stop are really hard on any car.

gearup72 · December 2005

It has been almost a year since I bought my 2005 C6 Z51 Corvette lemon from Koon's in northern, VA. The auto transmission failed after 3 days and 300 highway mile. To make a long story short, they didn't fix the car after 3 chances and replacing the transmission, torque tube, and wiring harness. I had to throw a fit to even get a rental car from a different dealer where the car broke down. The general manager agreed to give me another car. They had an exact match on their lot. Even though I reserved that car with 3 managers, I got a call saying they sold that vehicle to another customer. They claimed that they had taken a deposit on that car before I reserved it. Total lies. Then I demanded my money back. They tried to screw me by offering $2,000 less on my trade in than what they paid for it. They said my trade in appraised at 2,000 less. Total BS. Thats when I hired a consumer lawyer. Two months later, I got all the money I paid for the car plus $3,000 in attorney's fees. I bought an Acura because it totally shattered my dream of owning a Corvette. I do believe that this one car was a lemon and an isloated example. But, beware if something like this happens to you. You will be treated like crap and will have to fight the company every step of the way!

topspin628 · December 2005

I love the shape of the C6 and after not driving American for quite a number of years, I'd say this is one car I'd consider. Perhaps those knowledgeable could answer a few questions for me.

1)What are the trade offs between the coupe and convertible? Can you fit 2 sets of golf clubs in each? How much storage space does the vert give up and how difficult is it to remove the panel on the coupe. Is the ride much quieter in the coupe?

2) Will they sell you the car with all seasons? Living in the NE I know it won't be a good snow car but to drive summer only tires in the cold where they are rock hard is uncomfortable and if a dusting of snow or some ice, very dangerous.

3) Edmunds is critical of the seat comfort. Any other thoughts as that is an area that is important to me having found the BMW and MB seats make it possible for long drive time in max comfort.

4) How quiet is the car in normal around town and highway driving?

Thank you for any and all input.

tsy · December 2005

I drove both and ended up with the coupe, and had many of the same questions.

1) Yes you can easily fit 2 sets of golf clubs- although if you have extra long drivers they may have to come out of the bag and fit semi-diagonally. The Coupe does have more storage space than the vert. I couldn't tell a difference in rigidity, although I'd guess the coupe is probably more rigid. I didn't find the vert significantly more noisy than the coupe (which was a pleasant surprise). The targa top of the coupe is not terribly heavy (40lbs?) and can be removed alone (if you don't have a bad back!)

2) Sorry, don't know the answer to this as it rarely snows here. I did live in the NE and I'm guessing this car would not do well in snow and certainly not on ice and is probably a 'garage car' when it snows. As far as I know, they don't make all seasons or winter tires in these sizes.

3) Seat comfort is a personal thing. Depends on what you like and your body habitus. I recently spent 3 hours in traffic and did ok.

4) the car is very quiet- relative to other cars of similar performance!

It's no Lexus, but it's reasonable quiet and comfortable and could (and is) be driven on a daily basis. It's much more comfortable than a 911 or Viper, which to me is amazing. I'm not sure how the engineers did it (of course I'm not talking about the Z51 or Z06- which are a little more uncomfortable ride wise- but still tolerable)

I guess it's not a good time of year for test drives there in NE. Find a dealer willing to let you test drive both and you'll be impressed (I was, and not much impresses me anymore) It's a great car, a blast to drive, comfortable to use everyday, and reasonable well put together. Warning, it's not a BMW or Merc (or Lexus) and don't expect it to be. Inside it's all business- nothing fancy (almost like older Porsches, the 993s and earlier) which to me is a good thing.

good luck. It's probably the best production American car out there today.

tom

starrow68 · December 2005

That seems to be the best way to get a good look at the C6. Looking is the only real input, opinions vary.

FWIW on the winter driving, I was up running on a road course for a weekend last spring at Reno-Fernley Raceway and the weather was great, low 60's. Going back to SF area over Truckee I-80 pass it was snowing at the ag... inspection station and about 34 degrees at the summit. I'm on summer performance Kuhmo's and in heavy stop and go with some open areas I did 15/20 miles in slush, sometimes up to a few inches between lanes having to do lane changes over an ice berm. You have to remember, Active Handling, it's amazing I didn't push but it still came on a few times just enough to nudge me into straight course. The car can be driven in weather but with only 3.5"'s of clearance it isn't going to do well in much snow buildup.

jmess · December 2005

All season run flats aren't a factory option but they are avaialable from GoodYear tire dealers like the Tirerack.

tsy · December 2005

Actually, tire rack only has 2 tires that will fit the vette, both max performance summer tires. Goodyear only has 2 tires in that size, both summer tires, one being the OE run flats.

This car just was never meant to be driven in snow.

tom

blkhemi · December 2005

This car just was never meant to be driven in snow

I agree with that statement. Who in their right mind would drive a Vette in the snow? Maybe the reason that snow shoes aren't offered on Vettes is because GM didn't design it to be driven in the snow.

topspin628 · December 2005

The idea wasn't to use the Vette as a snow car but the fact that the high performance summer tires usually become rock hard and very slick in cold weather and IF one was out when a slight dusting accumulated that was perhaps unforeseen. I have seen Vettes and Porche etc out in the winter in the NE so I was wondering if they had all season rubber for the above stated reasons.

jmess · December 2005

Search for the sizes (like 285-35-19) and select allseason:

"The M+S rated Eagle F1 A/S-C EMT is Goodyear's Ultra High Performance All-Season radial developed for the Chevrolet C-6 Corvette that was designed to provide traction on dry and wet roads, as well as in occasional light snow.

NOTE: There currently aren't any dedicated winter tires available in C-6 Corvette sizes.

The Eagle F1 A/S-C EMT features Goodyear's self-supporting Extended Mobility Technology to temporarily provide drivability even after a complete loss of air pressure while eliminating the traditional spare tire and wheel to allow more storage and luggage space."

rootboy66 · December 2005

Don't laugh, you only get to need hand controls if you are lucky enough to live long enough. I don't need it yet but I might in the distant future, I'm 6'3" tall, getting older, stiffer and have size 14 feet.
Has anyone had foot brake hand control or both foot brake and accelerator hand controls installed on a C6 automatic coupe? Manufacturer, model, installer, how tall are you, how did it work out, how do you like it?

tsy · December 2005

Hmm. That's funny. I looked up the goodyear website and they didn't have anything available. So much for my search!

I would consider a 911 Carrera 4 if you really think you're going to be driving in snow. But even AWD isn't going to save you with those big summer tires.

tom

topspin628 · December 2005

I'm sure all weather run flats must be available for the C6. I would love to hear what most owners really love about their C6's. Does it keep the smile on your face month after month of daily driving? The last car that did that for me was my BMW 330i. Then I went practical and went for a Lexus LS430 (I know, what a sell out!) Anyway it's a great car for what it is, super luxury, fantastic quality and very quiet and smooth. But, it's boring. And I'm too young to be that old. (Can you say mid life crisis!)
So I want the smiles back and the look of the C6 gives that to me. I also like the fact that it is what it is. In other words, it doesn't try to be all things to all people and wind up as some middle ground compromise. I just want to know that it's liveable as a daily commuter in the NE for at least 90% of the time when there is not a lot of white stuff around. I do want to drive it in cold and wet weather though. I haven't had an American car since my early 80's caddy. Only German or Japanese since.

Why does Consumer Reports rate the vette much worse than average in reliability, yet the satisfaction of the owners is sky high?

What are the pros and cons of the roof vs vert.

jmess · December 2005

topspin628, I dumped my IS300 SportCross and bought a C6 and don't regret it for a minute. The more time you spend in the C6 the more you appreciate what a monster it can be to drive but it also can be a [non-permissible content removed] cat; it is really depends on the mood you are in.

I drive my C6 in wet and cold weather and the only problem is remembering you have 400HP and summers tires that don't like freezing weather. So when it is really cold you just have to be more careful when and how you get on the power.

The only long term daily driver issue I can see is the tire noise could get old. The 285-35-19 rear tires are really wide and they tend to make noise at freeway speeds. I always where ear plugs when I drive longer distances, even with the Lexus, so it doesn't bother me.

If you get one of these cars you are more likely to have a problem than say a Honda. Some people have no problems, some one or two, and a very few have multiple problems. They only make about 36,000 vettes are year so the owner sample base is much smaller than say a 150K Honda Accords. A 100 C6 owners who have problems is statistically more significant that 100 Accord owners with problems due to the lower volume of C6s. Some people get bad Hondas,Lexus,BMWs and some people get bad C6s.

The majority of the C6 problems occurred with the first 6000 or so 05s. As the model year went on GM made changes and the 06s should be more reliable than the 05s.

The pro of the coupe is having more space to haul stuff in the rear. The con is having to remove the top and install the top when you park it. In the summer time it can be a hassle to remove and install the roof. It is easy to do but if you are making sort trips it can be a pain. The coupe is also cheaper if that matters to you.

jms6 · December 2005

After years of looking, I am finally ready to buy my first Corvette - a convertible. And at my age, it could be my last one. Interested in a 2006, silver, with gray top. Car will be driven for pleasure on good roads.

1. Will I regret it if I don't get the F55 suspension option? Is the standard suspension tuned more toward the "tour" side or the "sport" side?

2. Any comments on that color combination? I haven't seen it in person. If someone owns that combination and could email me a picture, great.

jmess · December 2005

For me the F55 has been great. I use sport mode most of the time unless the road is really rough.

Here is a review of the mag shock technology when it came out in the 2003 C5 that convinced me the F55 was a nice to have option.

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/kb/question.php?qstId=503

Search some of the corvette forums and you should be able to find a pic of a silver vert with grey top. I have a silver coupe with ebony interior.

bigmike5 · December 2005

I have never had my 04 C5 off of "touring" mode so I cannot comment on the difference between sport and touring. But in the touring mode, the car handles very well and is not a lot more bumpy than my 99 Chrysler 300M. A little bit, because of the shorter platform, but not much. When I picked the car up the salesman had just taken my car and another new Vette to fill the tank before handing them over to the new owners. He had never done much driving in them either, as Vettes were new to the dealership which had recently bought out a Chevy dealer up the street. He was however a real gearhead, and he said to me that driving the same road to the gas station he could definitely tell the difference in how the two cars rode with one in "tour" and one in "sport" and he thought the touring mode was really very good. Its a $1,700 add on but I think it is a good investment in comfort. :shades:

topspin628 · December 2005

I just picked up a brochure for the new Cayman S and see that service intervals are up to 20K. It seems that several of the prestige companies are moving way up in terms of reccomended service intervals-oil changes (BMW, MB, Porche).
What are the C6 required maintanince intervals?

topspin628 · December 2005

Are their any opinions on how the F55 in sport mode compares to the base and the Z51 set ups?

vicv · December 2005

I've had my 06 Z-51 for a couple months now. Firm is relative - this one's too firm. I like the bigger brakes, gearing and extra cooling, but want to soften the ride a tad. Anyone know where stock shocks can be had w/o breaking the bank?

Regarding tires (from an earlier post), my understanding is that there are winter tires and all-season ones. Winter tires are designed specifically for cold weather and snow/slush using both compound and tread design. All-season (usually noted by the "M+S" on the tire) use a compound that is compliant enough at low temps to provide better traction than high-temp performance tires w/o the M+S rating. I had a Z-28 with Goodyear GS-C's on it. The GS-C was not an all-season tire and really lost traction below freezing similar to the F-1 Supercar tires on the Z-51. Check out the standard C6. Those F1's are M+S rated.

jmess · December 2005

You should be able to get a set of stock shocks from Fichtner Chev or FredBeans. They should be under $200 for a set of 4. Do a Google search on these names. I have been pleasantly surprised at how cheap the basic parts are for these cars.

One thought about how to soften up you current Z51. I have another set of stock wheels with non-runflat tires (stock sizes). The improvement in ride over the runflats is really noticeable. There is the risk of getting a flat but folks carry tire sealer, tire plug kits, and a small 12v air compressor.

vicv · January 2006

jmess, thanks much. I'll check with them and bounce their responses with the local dealer. On the tires, I replaced the original F1's on my 2001 standard C5 with Pirelli P Zero Nero non-run-flats. I didn't notice much difference in ride, but they were quiet and felt awfully good, too. Like the C5 Z-06, I carried some sticky stuff and a compressor like you suggested. The dealer I bought my C6 from has a program that replaces tires for as long as I own the car as long as I get it serviced there. So I'll probably always have Good Year run-flats. Good thought, though. Non-run-flats have more compliant sidewalls.

starrow68 · January 2006

The shocks you want may just be lying around pretty soon at some Corvette speciality shop that is upgrading to after market components. One shop I know in Roseville, CA seemed to have lots of excess stock parts during the C5 run.
Randy

vicv · January 2006

Randy,

Softer shocks are about $80 ea at my local Chevy store. I haven't called Fichtner or FredBeans yet, but will this week. However, do you have the name of the shop in Roseville? I have a friend who lives there and can get them to me if they have some good ones at a reasonable price.

Thanks,

Vic

topspin628 · January 2006

So please explain this to me. In the 2000 sports car comparo the Corvette finishes first and the 911 third. If you read the article you see that they are not so impressed with the 911.
In a 2002 comparo of luxury sports cars it also finishes behind the Lexus SC and the MB SL. Cheap interior and rough ride etc.
Then in the latest article it's the quintessential sports car and best by far in the head to head with the C6 Corvette yet it's character hasn't changed much at all. Maybe just a bit of an upgrade to the interior but still basically the same type of ride. Today I am sure that Edmunds wouldn't even mention an SC430 in the same breath.

Seems like maybe different editors using different criteria?

tsy · January 2006

In 2000 and 2002 they were comparing the 996 911, which is the largest 911 ever. In 2005 the 997 911 came out, which is much improved over the 996. This is the car they've been comparing the Corvette to. We still chose the Corvette over the 911, but it wasn't an easy choice. In the end, the Corvette was much more livable on a daily basis than the 911. I would say the build quality of the 911 is better than the Vette, and it does have 2 microsopic back seats (it could at least fit my kids). That said, we couldn't be happier with the Corvette and have not regretted the purchase.

Hope this explains a little.

tom

topspin628 · January 2006

I would love to hear your experience and opinion on the Vette as I have recently become enamored with it's looks.
I have only had BMW, Infiniti, MB and Lexus for the last 20 years and would never consider American for fear of quality and because there really is nothing other than the Vette that is interesting to me. I want to reward myself (50 years young) with a sports car and I'm beginning my search. I want a convertible and something with personality. I drove the Boxster and was not that impressed. I found the visibility somewhat poor and felt like I was sitting in a bath tub. I also found the engine noise to be a bit artificial as it felt like it was being pumped into the cabin. I may drive again though. I never drove the 911 but I guess I'd be looking at almost 100K for cab. and don't think I would go for that unless I just "had to have" after driving it.
How do you like the vette for daily driver?
Do you drive in bad weather? A bit of ice or an inch or two of snow?
Which suspension do you have?
How has the quality been?
I hear that it can be hard to control with possible tail spins. I am not a hot rodder and like a car I feel is safe and I can control.

The verts loaded are around 62 MSRP so I was wondering about the "value" factor. Used to be best bang for buck.
I want a real smile inducer, so what's your take?

Thanks for any input.

starrow68 · January 2006

I have had a C5, 2002 coupe for 4+ years and going on 48k miles. I came at the Vette from the bottom end, Nissan and MG for most of 25 years so can't compare to higher end cars. For smile inducement, the Vette with only 350hp is just about tops, at least 0-60 up freeway ramps is still legal and really fun. I have taken mine on road racing courses for the past 3 years and it is more capable than everything close in price and pushes 911's that are close to double the price.
Now for some of the down side. The S2000 with race tires is less expensive and faster on track, but a very tight fit, at least for me. The Evo and WRX can be very quick on track but as more ralley cars seem to get into roll overs more often that others I've seen and not what makes my boat float. On bang for the buck the Vette is hard to beat, I'd recommend looking for used ones, they exist and go for a few drives with and without sales people. Then I look on the internet for pricing before going to any local dealer.

To answer a few questions, I'm in San Francisco East Bay, worst we get is heavy rain and mine is a daily driver and track car both. I tried driving something else to BART for a couple years but liked the C5 so much I decided I would not worry about exceeding the 6/60 extended warranty on mileage before time. I did come back from Nevada and had to do 30+ miles in a snow storm down I-80 and due to stability control had no issues going over inch or two of slush between lanes when necessary, slowly for sure but it would keep me straight and true. Love the car as a daily driver.

The shop in Roseville is Motorsports Image, they have a web site. Ask for Mark or Terry

starrow68 · January 2006

Another thought on quality, probably much better in the C6 than in the C5, but there are still issues that have been discussed elsewhere on the web. Some of the new electronics have had what some describe as niggling problems. Have to get input elsewhere. My C5 has had a steering sensor go bad, replaced under warranty, had a rear brake system module go bad, replaced under extended warranty. Currently the radio seems to have decided it knows what channel is best without my input, soon to the shop. Oh, also the seat control was replaced under recall.

habitat1 · January 2006

"The S2000 with race tires is less expensive and faster on track"

I am surprised to hear you say that, given that I thought I also read a post of yours indicating that your Corvette is faster than a 911S and Boxster S on a track.

As a former S2000 owner, I will always remain a big fan of the car. And as someone who has not (yet) been to a track, I claim no first hand experience. However, as much as I liked the exceptional handling of the S2000, the PASM equiped Boxster S I considered was even better, and if I am not mistaken, remains the top car on Road and Tracks list in the slalom. My 911S is not quite up there with the Boxster S, but according to my seat of the pants from 4,000+ miles, and the test reviews I've read, still equal to or above the S2000 in handling.

Again, I am no track expert. But it would seem to me that even if the S2000 could keep up with the Boxster S and 911S through the tight curves, it would both have a significant disadvantage on the straights. The 911S has a 0-100 time of under 10 seconds, about 4 seconds quicker than the S2000.

So what am I missing in my armchair track speculation?? Thanks in advance for any enlightenment.

jmess · January 2006

There are lots of very capable cars available today. Go drive the C6 so you can compare it to the others. I wish they would hurry up and finish sweeping up all the gravel they dumped during our one day snow/ice storm so I can drive mine again.

tsy · January 2006

I watched a Japanese video with a 350Z track edition, S2000, Boxster S, and M3 raced around Tsukuba. They used a Nissan Skyline GTR as the camera car. The 350Z and S2000 spanked the Boxster- it just couldn't keep up and was way behind after just 2 laps. The S2000 was better than the 350Z on the curves, but the Z just pulled away on the straights, so the S2000 couldn't pass the Z. But near the end of the race the Skyline just blew them all away effortlessly. (We might get the next version here!)

I would guess a Z51 (and certainly a Z06) would leave the S2000 behind on a track. As good a car as the S2000 is for the money, it has too much of a deficit in power. But then again, it would also depend on the track too. I hope to get some track time in this spring and may be able to tell you more then.

tom

tsy · January 2006

The Vette is a very nice daily driver (for a sports car! It's no Lexus- trust me, we also have an LS 430) with the base or F55 (magnetic adjustable suspension) but a little on the bumpy side with the Z51 suspension. Much more comfortable than the 996 911, though I have not taken a 997 out so I can't comment there.

If you don't like the 'sitting in bathtub' position, you might not like any sportscar. They are all low to the ground, have poor visibilty, and feel a little claustrophobic. But you do get used to it rather quickly, and if you get a 'vert rear visibility will be great with the top down!

Sports car are not known for doing well in inclement weather- never used ours in more than rain where it is fine. Not likely to do well in snow or ice.

Quality is up from past GM attempts, but fall short of Japanese or German build. It's not bad though, and certainly with the money you save you could pay for a lot of repairs. But I've not noticed anything in the way of rattles or squeaks- I was pleasantly surprised with the build quality (but then again, I wasn't expecting much, to tell the truth)

The car has all sorts of electronic gadgetry to keep you from getting into trouble (stability control and ABS) which can save your butt if you do something stupid, as long as you leave them on. I was able to provoke the stability control on a turn and it brought the car right in line again.

For the money, there's not much out there like the Vette. From Porsches to Ferraris to Vipers, they are all much more uncomfortable and not significantly better performers (compared to the Z06). What's amazing is you can get an 6spd automatic with paddle shifters that makes driving in traffic very easy, yet the car still moves when you stomp on the accelerator. Can't say the same for the above mentioned cars (except the 911 with tiptronic).

Go and drive one (you will have to find a dealer that lets you, though) and if it puts a huge smile on your face like it did mine, you will have a hard time walking away without one. If you don't like it, maybe you're not really looking for a sports car but rather a sports coupe, something like an SC 430 or 6 series convertible or SL, all of which are more refined but not truly sports cars.

Good luck! Hope this helps.

tom

streetster · January 2006

What I have made out from your post is that you basically need a trusty 2-door cabrio which should be fun to drive and comfy as a daily driver. Which means that you don't actually need an adrenalin injected hot-rod of a sports car. I think that you should stop looking at the vette although it is a GREAT car in every respect, you won't find it up to your requirements. Here are some cars which I highly recommend for you:

*)6 series cabrio
*)Cadillac XLR (American, but believe me - it's exotic!!)
*)Lexus SC430
*)Mercedes SL or CLK cabrio
*)Porsche 911 cabrio

Hope you like 'em

vicv · January 2006

Motorsports Image. Got it. Many thanks.

topspin628 · January 2006

Here's my quandary. Shouldn't a 55-60K car be of top quality?

starrow68 · January 2006

I can't really provide analysis of why the S2000 is good but I would point you to http://www.speedventures.net/event_results.asp
and suggest you scroll down to the 7 class results for 10/1/05 at Buttonwillow. Big event and well attended. The stock Corvette coupe on streets, the S2000 with race tires (no aero) and the Elise are in that grouping. Well driven S2000s are always at the front of the pack and as noted a good set up on a M3 with good driver will get there too. My setup is mostly for street in the Vette and I'm running Kumho MX tires which give up a lot of grip for a heavy car no matter how much I regain on straights. If I went to D0T-Rs I would go up a class. The supercharged and/or aero modified S2000s are amazing in class 6.

As to the mag reviews of the Boxster and skid pad or cone courses, they don't come close to what it's like on a full road course. In 3 years on track I have yet to find a Boxster that I couldn't pass and the best I've seen had mods to the suspension and exhaust that he would talk about and DOT-Rs and he was still 1/2 sec slower at Sears Point which is a technical track, not a HP track.
Randy

Chevrolet C6 Corvette

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles