Gmumd48

There is a serious lack of younger readers of both magazines, and from the Porsche clubs perspective ( and Corvette Owners need in my opinion) the push is to get younger people to experience the cars. One of the Porsche clubs actually had a "take a College kid out for a drive" and several of us let them drive our possessions which put a grin on many a face.

How many of you have thought of passing the opportunity on to someone who is 20-30 years old ? Someone in ten years that will be making that purchase ( if you believe demographics) ? I had no real interest in a Vette past a C-2 from an artistic standpoint ( great play things and cruisers in my mind since I had been around VW and Porsches for so long)

I did not desire a corvette

I drove a Corvette on a whim,or a dare more realistically a C5Z06 was
looking good at a track day and I knew the owner. He took me out and then dared me to try and beat with my 964 Porsches time. I was no way but the car turned in well and after 20 laps I was able to put the car where I wanted and brake later and later. I did beat the time in my own car and I was impressed by the cornering characteristics oversteer was dialed tight and it had no noticeable pushing that I had before in a Front engine rwd car. The power band and torque were addicting almost like cheating in comparison.

I tried for dealers in the area and could not arrange a test drive I finally talked a C-6 owner into going out for a spirited drive The absolute raw torque and power were a difference that you could feel right away. He had a ball driving my 911 turbo look at the time and we carved a lot of back roads. We both had a ball but likely would never had the experience except for each others willingness

Larry/car

Insurance issue. My current coverage would not cover.

Daekwan06

Not interested.

Its my car and Im ultimately responsible for it. And I'm not some old geezer, I'm in my 30's. If someone wants to let a teenager, 20 year old, woman, whoever.. hoon their 400+hp RWD sports car on the track/backroads.. then more power to them. Hopefully they've checked their insurance coverage and won't end up with some serious regrets. Hell.. 90% of the time I drive my own C6.. I'm not hoon it.

Lets also remember that Corvettes are not ridiculously expensive. A new one can be hand for $40k. A used C6 in great condition can be had for $20k. I paid $25.5k for my C6 over two years ago.. my car payment is $391. Anyone with a decent job & credit score who wants to experience a C6 should have no problem finding a used dealer to let them test drive one.. or a low $20k model to purchase.

Kappa

I had a Corvette at 20 and there's a good chance I'll have another before I turn 30. Don't see the big deal.

BlueOx

I would have no problem if the kid knows how to drive a stick. I would certainly do that with many 20 yr olds if I had an automatic...as long as I was riding with them!

jdhommert

I agree and am pretty much in the same situation. Had a Z06 in my mid 20's and I'll have another in a couple-few years I'm sure.

I let close friends and family that I trust drive the car even without me in it at times. Now I wouldn't go up to to my local college and ask a kid if he wants to drive my Vette, but I'm all for taking people for rides. I think getting a ride in a Corvette can do about as much as driving it, unless your a serious car guy that can really know how awesome they are and comparing them to whatever current car they have. Half of the people here probably got interested in Corvettes or cars because when they were pretty young they took a ride in one and were changed from that day on.

It's just a car though. Nothing wrong with letting people you trust drive it, or taking people on rides (more so with a stick or who have never driven a rwd car with more than 200hp)...

Although I suspect the majority of people here wouldn't even think of letting someone else drive the car as half the people are afraid to drive the car themselves for one reason or another

SCM_Crash

Let them try that with someone else's car. If I'm going to let a "youngster" drive my car, I would have to trust them 100%. I know a few mid-to-late 20's kids that I trust, and I'm still not 100% sure I'd let them drive my C7. Insurance or not, the car is worth less once it's in an accident and it will likely never ride the same again.

Process Black

I was in my early 20's when I bought my C6. Had a few friends drive it. One became a Vette owner because of the drive. It really depends on the person you had the keys off to. Age means nothing. There's people I know that are older than I am now (30's) that I wouldn't trust with the keys to my old go-kart.

A total stranger though? Neewp. I'm not that trustworthy.

Sin City

Depends on what SHE looks like.

BlueOx

She's somewhere between 20-30 yrs old, right?

Socko

Having owned sporty cars my whole life. I had no idea what a corvette was about till I bought mine. I do agree that if people had a chance to drive one for 5 minutes, there would be a bunch more people buying corvettes. I assumed they were more or less the same thing as a supra or z28 which I have owned in the past, just more hp/lb. I had gotten a ride in my buddies massively modified c5 and c6 for maybe 5-10 minutes and that was my only vette experience before I bought mine. If I would have known how spectacular they were i would have bought one 2 years earlier rather than the POS STI i had.

I have let 2 of my buddies drive my vette, I didn't even go with 1 of them. But one has had a ton of vettes so I just wanted him to shake it down, and the other is a better driver(significant track experience) than me so I wasn't concerned at all. He was pretty taken by the car and is seriously considering moving to one for his next track car. I am 33 they are both younger than me 30-31 maybe, so pretty much in this demographic.

No way in hell I would let some random stranger drive my car though. I am irrationally attached to it, and it is honestly WAY too much power/weight for someone to control if they are used to driving 150hp civics. Hell I am still getting the hang of taking advantage of all available traction. It is way to easy to just give it 10-20% too much throttle turning a corner in 1st from a stop and breaking into power oversteer. At the same time, if anyone wants to drive my ls2/4l65 97x aero(I like to tell people its an 05 coupe that I can use to tow my c5z ) they are welcome too. I don't really give a **** about that thing though.

JustinStrife

I use to let my last girlfriend drive my 2000 C5, and my previous 2001 C5. The 2000 had a Procharger but was otherwise stock on power and she was fine with it. My current C5 though she never got to drive before we broke up last year. Not sure she'd still have been able to drive it for a long while though considering how much faster it is.

Oh and she was 22 when we first started dating(and 24 when we stopped).

HogwildC7

GmdVT

People in their 20s and 30s are actually banned from driving corvettes, the seats do a cardon dating analysis on your butt and shut the engine off if it is less than 40.

SEVETGO

Depends on the maturity and knowledge of the person, used the Vette to teach my 17 year old grand daughter how to drive a six speed and it worke out well.

Jefe's GS

I let my 22 YO employee drive my new GS last year after I bought it. No biggie. I rode along and 'guided' her.

I've let many people drive it. It's just a car.

Same thing I said to the woman telling her approx. 4yo not to touch my car at the car show. When I arrived home I could see his little fingerprints on my drivers door. I smiled. It made me all warm and fuzzy inside and wishing for my kids to be 4yo again. This 14 and 11 attitude sucks.

Yes, I value it. It cost a lot of money. But, it's metal, glass, plastic, and rubber. It can ALL be replaced. People and experiences are what's truly special.

If your insurance doesn't cover other drivers, you need new insurance.

Jack Be Quick Racing

Amen.

Gmumd48

ed1

GM MARKETING DEPARTMENT ARE YOU LISTENING??? Create A GM sponsored US College Corvette Tour open to grad students and undergrad seniors. Come out and drive a C7 and enjoy live music, and free food plus a chance to win a new Corvette. Then create a recent grad purchase program like Lexus, Honda, Hyundai and others have with special incentives.

I would pay money to go to an event like this.

4GS7

I got to drive an IS-F around Monticello's south course when I was 24. Courtesy of Lexus. For free. Part of some driving experience tour they were doing. They brought a fleet of like 16 of them and Justin Bell to pilot an LFA. We did a small auto-x and lead follow laps in IS350 F-Sports, IS350s, and IS-Fs. Then we all got hot laps with instructors. Fastest person got hot laps in the LFA with Justin Bell. Also, we were allowed complete access to the LFA, just no driving.

GM, are you listening?