Flex182

Have owned several 911 s and even an older 928 , never a cayman. Must say the 911 SI had was awesome, but the C7 is better in more ways. And build quality is even except the paint I have to give to Porsche

Gearbox22

Having been a dyed in the wool Porschephile for the last 4 decades, I have to be honest, I am trading in my 2008 Cayman S for a 2017 Grand Sport LT3 for a number of reasons which I won't go into here. But as for pure quality, the Porsche is still far superior. Forget about the better materials, fit and finish in the Porsche, I have owned my Cayman since new and it still does not rattle nor squeak. Everything is working perfectly and this is an 8 year old car. And from the Porsche forums, this is pretty typical. But from what I have gleaned from this forum and through my research, the C7 seems to have lots of issues from new, from the roof squeaking or banging, to bad paint quality, transmissions prematurely failing, and problems with the engine management systems, and electronics. It seems that since the C7 debut, there has been 566 TSBS issued and 10 factory recalls, of which 35 and 1 are on the 2017 Corvette which only launched last September. Whereas the Porsche had none. So to answer the question, yeah Porsche has the better build quality hands down. But with all this said, I'm still going to buy a Grand Sport, if I'm lucky and get a good one, I'll keep it for awhile, if not, it would be a good excuse to buy that C8 with the LT5 when that comes out. Always nice to have an exit strategy lol.

DaveFerrari458

^^^^ I don't doubt your Cayman was trouble free but know that there a ton out there that were not just like some Corvette's have been lemons but most have been trouble free. And as far better quality interior in an 2008 Cayman, then I am speechless cause those cars are filled with cheap feeling hard plastics throughout the entire interior!! They might not rattle so much but they are cheap!! The new generation fixed some of that but they're still not all that in the base trims.

Gearbox22

^^^ LOL, I must have hit a nerve here, but the question was build quality and if you Google Porsche issues and then Google Corvette issues, the Corvette far exceeds Porsche for problems, recalls, and TSBS fixes. And this was only what I found for the C7. And since you brought up the interior, every automotive journalist says this is one of the short comings of the Corvette yet I have yet to read any criticism on the Porsche. All cars now a days have plastic dashes, consoles, and door panels which are wrapped in either leather or faux leather including the Corvette, but the main issue with the Corvette is that it still feels and looks like plastic. But we are talking about build quality, and even by your own accounts that "they might not rattle as much" is testament that Porsches are built better. And while I have not heard a squeak, rattle, or vibration in my 8 year old car, or any other older well maintained Porsche, I am reading a number of complaints about the Corvette from their owners. And these are brand new cars right off the lot. A common complaint was the roof panel, either it started rattling or making noise right away, or right after the owner removed it for the first time. And on a thread on this forum, an owner took it back to the dealership with less than 1000 miles and he was told that it was normal and it should go away in 7 thousand miles lol. And then there was this thread about vibrations dependant on ambient temperatures. So regardless of what you consider as a "cheap" plastic, if it was quality controlled correctly, it should not be rattling. I don't know yet on how Chevy quality tests it vehicles, but Porsche spends thousands of hours testing in sub zero temperatures, 120 degree heat, and torrential rain storms to ensure that everything works correctly and nothing breaks or vibrates. So based on owners input from both cars, the numerous complaints by owners on this site and others, Federal records of complaints, recalls, and TSBS fixes required after the car left the factory, the evidence shows that the Porsche build quality is far superior.

Jimbob26

I owned a Porsche 911 Carrera for 6 years, and it was the best built car I have ever owned. No rattles, everything was well engineered, and it was pretty much bulletproof (except for the horn which had to be replaced twice). Even in the VW family Porsche is put a step above the other makes like Audi in terms of quality of materials and parts. But, you pay for it.

I love my C7, and have owned it for 3+ years with 12k miles on it so far, being one of the first to get one. It has had a clutch replacement at 10k miles (under warranty), but otherwise no issues that required a dealer fix. The engine and drivetrain seem every bit as good as the Porsche, and i think the LT1 engine is pure gold. I don't think the overall build quality is as good as Porsche, but it is still very good, and certainly better than most. IMO the interior materials are not up to Porsche quality, but are put together well with no rattles.
At the end of the day, GM had to cut some corners to keep costs down and I think the interior, although better than previous versions, is still not up to Porsche.

But, in the end, it's all about driving fun, and the C7 for me is way better than the Porsche. Granted, I had a base Carrera; I recently drove a friend's Turbo S and was stunned by the pure speed and solidness of the car. My wife asked me what I thought - and I said "I want one!" There's a minor issue of $200,000 but maybe some day i'll get one. But I am never parting with my beloved C7.

On another note, I also have a Honda CR-V. Now that car has some build quality.

obxchartercaptain

Also...it comes with a bottle of "Grey Poupon"

Gearbox22

JimBob, that pretty much sums up my take on the two cars from my 40 year ownership of 20 some odd Porsches and what I have gleaned from my research on the C7. I wasn't trying to disparage the Corvette in any way, but just to answer the question on build quality which I thought was obvious. Like I have said, I am buying a Grand Sport after a long line of Porsche ownership as my primary sports car (daily driver if you will) and I am hoping to have the same experience as you had. But despite the issues, I am going into this with both eyes open. My reasons for the change was due to a test drive in a new Z06 and Grand Sport. It was exhilarating and had my heart pounding, much like the feeling I get when driving my Lotus Elan or Formula Atlantic car on the track. I think the Z06 was trying to kill me as the car was way too easy to throttle over steer and spin coming out of a fast turn, but the Grand Sport was much better for a street car as the power and balance was perfect. The grunts and exhaust noise were wonderful, especially with the Rev Match which rivaled the AMG GTS that I test drove. And the gadgets were overwhelming, from front and side cameras, HUD, to the performance data package that if offered on a Porsche would have added another $20K easy to the price. And with the MSRP and discounts on these C7's it was a no brainer. Half the price of the GTS and the C7 is faster. Plus you can get the C7 in a stick which in my mind, is the only way to go. The AMG and the new Porsche Turbo is only offered in PDK. Coupled with the decision to turn the Cayman and Boxster into a 4 cylinder only car and the dealer trying to get me to take a PDK on a Carrera S4 or a 718 Cayman S with a $3K exhaust option to try to make it sound better, I lost interest. The C7 is a brute in comparison, it addresses all your senses at once in a wonderful way. So what it it rattles, vibrates, and parts fail, I'm good at diagnosing those issues and the car is under warranty anyway. So like you implied, it's a trade off, but I believe what you will get far outweighs the minor annoyances. Plus I lived through the Italian and British cars of the 60's and still own many of them today, so it will be like turning the clock back 5 decades lol. Thanks for you input and looking forward in getting my own experiences with the car.

ForbiddenRooster

I sold my 2012.5 911S (991) to buy the Z06. My 911 had lots of issues including warped door panels along the top on each side, numerous rattles that the dealership would fix and would recur after a couple of weeks, squeaks under the dash, rear driver side window rattled, and the PDK transmission would often hesitate when paddle shifted. The car was fun to drive, but I got tired of taking it back and forth 35 miles to the closest dealership to get issues fixed. I decided best to sell it and risk bigger bills if something major were to go wrong.

jversluis

Corvette is great value, but I really like my Porsche I added to my stable this year.

VY427

The last year and a half with my C7 ('16 M7 Z51) has not been all roses. I figured by the third model year the bugs would've been worked out...nope. From day three I was getting dash/gauge-cluster squeaks which really affected my new car bliss; they made the car feel cheap. I chased those squeaks for the first six months to a year (I finally stopped them...a combination of readjusting the gauge cluster lens and moving the telescoping steering wheel nearly all the way forward). Within two months, the drive-train started making an odd and very annoying gear-whine type noise under certain conditions (dealer confirmed the noise, but could not locate the source). At roughly the same time the head-unit stopped working (no big deal, fixed under warranty).

The Corvette's performance is good for the buck, and I do like the way it drives, but GM needs to bump the quality/fit-and-finish up another notch or two. Porsche builds a car that feels noticeably better put together. Of course, they do cost a lot more. That said, Corvettes aren't exactly cheap...big discounts aside, it doesn't take much to eclipse the $70K mark.

My C7's issues have soured the ownership experience. It's difficult for me to enjoy a car when it annoys me on a daily basis. Unfortunately, this one isn't a keeper.

TXTrojan21

I'm really not sure you can even compare the two. Disclaimer before I share my opinion. I've never owned a Porsche but have rode in several. I currently own a 2016 c7 z51.

When I think of "build quality", I think of refinement. In that way, any Porsche beats Corvette hands down. The road noise, rattles, interior quality, and speaker quality are FAR inferior in a Corvette. It's really a shame too, because the c7 would be the perfect car if it didn't skimp on these things.

A 911 is way more money than a base Z06. So perhaps that's partially where the extra money is going in the Porsche.

If I had money to afford a Porsche I would be in one. For most, there price points start out at a place far too attainable for most. That's where the Corvette fits nicely into the market. It's attainable for the upper middle class who are looking for a no frills performance sports car.

Just my two cents...

Sixgun95

How can you compare a C7, even a Z06 to a GT3? Not even the same league, certainly not the same price point.

Gearbox22

Maybe not the same price point, which is a good thing in my mind, but if it can pass McLarens, GT3s, and other supercars on the track, has the ability to stay on the track and not blow up, I think it deserves a seat at the table lol.

cheapthrills

^^^ Cool vid, and I think the PDR is an awesome +, have no idea if the P cars offer anything like it, but chevy showed it's roots by putting such a crappy camera in the thing. How much more would a decent cam cost? At $1,800 you would think the picture quality would be acceptable. On the plus side nothing compares to the performance of the Z for the money (well maybe a 2017 Camaro ZL1)

I never owned a P car and haven't had a great desire to own one so far so I can't add to the rest of the thread.

dcc7

Have owned 3 Porsches (993,997 and now 991) not really a P-car fan but I must admit the build quality is first class. Fit and finish, paint and NVH is spot on, can't say the same about material as plastic parts melt.

Owned a '16 Stingray and numerous GM cars and IMHO build quality is 75% of Porsche cos of the mentioned shxtty paint and fit and finish. Having said that for the money / performance, Stingray can not be beat. And I haven't even started on it's STUNNING looks.

Oh now the Grand Sport, what a perfect car. Big NA motor, CCB and wide body. Only if it was a 4 seater!

Busa Dave

It is a Chevrolet not a Porsche.. Cannot compare the two. I own both. The Corvette Z07 is a great place to start for me to make a fire breathing monster which I have done. Love it - but not on the same planet as the other.

DaveFerrari458

^^^ LOL whatever!! Of course they are comparable! They've been compared to for decades. Perhaps GM should only produce 10,000 C7's and 1,000 Z06's and charge Porsche prices and then perhaps they would be compared in your mind! LOL....it's a Porsche NOT a Lambo or Aston Martin, etc, let's keep it real!

Busa Dave

^^^ Never had to reclear a Porsche because it looked like a Orange I did my Z07!


Let's get real! Panels not aligned? Lets get real! Squeaks and rattles -- more in the Chevrolet. Let's get real!


Chevrolet is a poor mans sports car. Nothing wrong with that because I own one albeit modified and love it now...

DaveFerrari458

Busa Dave......I'll show you $250K cars with Orange Peel. That said sure GM needs to improve the paint on the Corvette and it looks like they are working on that! I'll also show you ultra expensive cars that rattle! Sure GM needs to put more attention to final fit & finish. They've done that but still have a little more to do in that dept.

You can put a Porsche on a pedestal and sh*t on the Corvette if that makes you happy but I won't! And FYI just in my case, the people I know that own a Corvette are more well off financially than the ones I know that own a Porsche! One is driving a Turbo Cab and living in a $1500/Mo tiny apartment studio. And I never thought of someone buying a $60-120K toy as a Poor Man!

Busa Dave

^^^ You and I will agree to disagree.. Sorry but fanboys aside even the cabin materials are no comparison. Do not even get me started with AMG's but the thread is about Porsche and Chevrolet. I still love my Vette and yes I have seen many 150 to 250k cars with some OP. Mine looked like an orange though. Hell my 2016 Cummins Ram metallic white made the factory paint look like crap. It only MSRP's at 74k.