Nice Ride

Corvette really add to the car? Looking at the threads on todays forum page there is discussion about problems with heated seats, bluetooth, navigation package, fobs and the list goes on. Got me thinking about my 62 Corvette and even my 74 Corvette and how I was able to survive with none of the above so called improvements. Corvette is America's Sports car and maybe it would be better off being the best it can be with more focus on high performance and a pure fun driving machine without luxury car frills. Just saying.

Torchsport

Yes

Vette_DD

Some of those bells and whistles are optional and you don't have to have them if you don't want them. I like most of the options, especially the windows that you don't have to roll up with a crank.

The first Corvettes in 1953 supposedly had 2 options: a radio and a heater. However, all 300 Corvettes made that model year had both options.

C3 Vette Fan

Great post.

As for bells and whistles. Some guy actually claimed right here on the forum today he is done with Corvettes because the Nav sucks, and in part because Eli Manning dissed the car after the Super Bowl. I'm not kidding. So to some the bell & whistles do mean something.

LS WON

It all adds up to $$$$ makes the car more expensive to purchase and maintain in the long run. If you hang onto your cars a long time it also adds to more headaches. It's usually the options that break first and cause all kinds of problems.
Unfortunately todays car consumers want this kind of stuff a loaded up car with electronics, nav. stereo, computer

capehorn3

Every time I shop for a car I say I'm not going to get all that stuff that only breaks and costs lots of money to fix. Dang look at that , I'll take the 3LT and load it up, I'll know when it's time to trade.

Jimmy W1

I've said the same thing for many years. If they brought back the 62 Falcon 6 cylinder with only a radio and crank down windows and the 54 Chevy with the same options- they would sell like hotcakes..........

R&L's C6

Everyone is different. My last car was a 3lt and my new is a 2lt. I lost the hud, heated seats, drivers memory settings and f55 and I never had nav. It hasn't changed my driving pleasure one bit and as you stated, a few less things to go wrong. Power windows and air conditioning are my only must haves.

Vette_Pilot

I think they add pazzazz to a car. Hopefully one day I'll be able to get a newer toy like you folks in Vetteland!!

Garret

I have to agree with the OP. I like some of the stuff on my 3lt, but most of this electronic mumbo jumbo is just a problem waiting to happen. Tire sensors, mine are already reporting issues and there is no problem. HUD, come on, it's a gimmic or they would remove the real speedo electric doors...another issue or they would not have emergency exit pulls I really could live without electric windows, but those are nice. heated seats are nice when needed, but really, turn on the heat in the car Don't have the fancy NAV, that is what my phone or real GPS is for.

I could go on and on about all this fancy stuff and how I can live without it and that would mean less to worry about breaking. I bet without all this extra stuff this car would only cost 20-25 grand!

Flame Red

Ok, I'm the opposite take. You want a 50's car - more power to you. Yes, they are classic but the allure is the memories and retro.

Gooberment Motors still has to compete in the market and be somewhat competitive both in feature and price. Want a race car - you can get a super car with no heater, AC and radio and pay $100K easy. Not going to be very pleasant on the street. Don't forget that a lot of the options are cheaper than the old school mechanicals. Computers and chips were not available back in the day. Now the chips and computer make it cheaper and better and more reliable than complicated mechanicals. Also remember that the Gooberment mandates for pollution control, safety and such would not be possible to meet economically.

You want simple, go buy a Tata!

Me, I'd rather drive in AC rather than the Florida 100 degree inferno, and be able to close my window when it pours by hitting a button than have to pull over and crank on a window. Me, I was looking for a 3LT.

wayback

I like some of the options, esp the HUD. Could live without most of them. I mean how often does anyone use the telescoping SW? I forgot I have it. Memory seats? I'm 6'3 and the seat stay all the way back all the time. Heated seats are of little use in TX (have not needed them at all this winter).

Gm needs to make them all stand alone options. Let us order exactly what we want. But that will never happen.


My next Vette will be a 2LT as it now comes with HUD.

dvilin

I am fine without all the bells and whistles, but in todays times if the Corvette did not offer all these options it would struggle even more in the marketplace.
Times have changed and people want the latest and greatest to many that means HUD, heated seats, NAV, etc.

michaelinmech

Not at today's prices - adjusted for inflation I would guess price tags of $20,000. + . . . . .

JScottH3

My wife calls my car a 'big electronics experiment'. She may be right!

VetteNGT500

I think it all comes down to personal preference, and the $$ you want to spend, I got an awesome deal on my 09 1LT, its my first vette and to me, the 1LT is a loaded car, the only options I wanted were a nicer sound system and the HUD, I upgraded those myself and now I have the car I want, oh yeah, I added that e-force thingy too... lol. BUT, that being said, more bells and whistles = more stuff to go wrong as the vehicle ages, bottom line, get what YOU want and drive it like you stole it

Tarl

I have wanted a Vette all my life and finally at the ripe young age of 51 I pulled the trigger last month. I initially wanted a bare bones left over 2011 GS 1LT. I was happy with that...the main things I wanted (that this car didnt have) were the upgraded stereo with USB port for my flashdrive and bluetooth for my phone.

After driving afew cars that had the HUD, I thought this was a cool gadget and wanted that too, but decided I could probably install it AFTER. The dealership with this car didn't want to deal that much...I checked many, many dealerships....I also had a trade in car which I was getting mainly lowballed on. Eventually I found a left over 2011 C6 Coupe that had all the cool little goodies I wanted and more, the discounted the price enuf, and gave me by far the BEST trade in value. So I picked that one up.

I kinda like ALL the 3LT options.....Do I need them all? NO, however, they are kinda fun to play with....and from my experience on trading my previous car in, ALL those options are better down the road for selling or trading. The phrase I kept getting on mine (even thou I had loads of options) "Bottom line, it's only a 1LT."

AORoads

know any cars, not just corvettes, made today that are as basic as either of the two Corvettes you mentioned, '62 or '74? as mentioned by Jim, some things can be done without, but they're not, so it is what it is.

as to difficulties, I recall that mechanical fuel injection had some problems way back when. things get solved over time--recall jack podell, among others? I remember f.i. being an issue in beetles in the '70s models, and in the volvos of same era models. times have changed, don't hear about them being an issue now.

power windows, recall when the motors used to burn out fairly early in its life? not many do today.

electronic/computer key fobs have been around for quite a few years (more than a dozen) and the C6's are a little more sophisticated/different than the standard. many/most c6 owners have no issues with them, but it does happen.

nav is a design issue, not unlike the i-drive first intro'd by bmw (along with the "bangle butt" about the same time). it can be designed well, or a little more complicated/arcane. guess which one was chosen? it won't stay that way.

same goes for hud, and all the other things. takes time for some to get it right, but things do improve.

btw, do you have a c6?

LS WON

There are still alot of people that want simple. Back in the 80's you could order a 5.0 Mustang GT or a LX 5.0 whatever way you wanted to .. You could even leave out the air cond. My friend bought one of those 5.0 LX sedan in 1988 barebones no air cond and no pwr nothing.
He got it out the door for a total price of 10,000.
I ordered a 5.0 Mustang GT and paid $16,000 with all options including gear ratio.
We compared our cars and noticed that between our two cars accessibility to fix anything was alot easier on his car because there was nothing in the way.

23 years later I notice that every item that was an option has gone out and had to be repaired.
On his nothing.

Coolness

I studied a while before buying my 2008 1LT. I read a post that made total sense about buying a base and upgrading what you want. Now I am in total control of what I want my Vette to be. Looking at adding a better sound system, adding a suspension, Carbon edition interior components, its all up to me. Using this approach I read able to get a newer Vette with the LS3 I wanted and build from there.