Turbolag

I looked in the search box and I don't think I saw a thread asking about daily driving a C6.

I am looking to pick up a car in a couple months and have narrowed it down (so far) to a 2011 Subaru WRX STI, or around an 07-08 C6.

Budget is $25,000-30,000.

I drive about 10,000 miles a year.

What is everyone's thoughts on a C6 for a daily driver ? Reliability wise, and cost of maintaining. I'm a back yard mechanic, so I kinda prefer to change the oil and service stuff myself.

Any opinions are appreciated.

Thanks.

Tide Will Roll!

I DD approx 18,000 a year
Life is too short to drive a Subaru.

TheYoungConnoisseur

29mpg every day 30miles 1 way to work very comfortable

Vette_DD

A C6 has been my DD for all except 8 months of the last 9 years, for a total of about 70K miles.

Madman06

Bought mine in June of this year and have driven it to work daily since. Rain or shine doesn't matter. Most comfortable car I've ever had

Firewater Burns

It may depend on a few factors.

It is easier to DD in an area that gets little snow. I think many high performance tires are recommended to stay above freezing. Obviously, if you want to have 2 sets of tires, this is no problem.

Road conditions in your area can play a part. Poorly maintained roads can cause issues, but any pothole that is going to bottom out a Vette, will bottom out that Subaru.

Cost of ownership will be a little higher due to better tyres, more oil, and higher grade fuel. You can change your own oil for ~40 bucks. If you drive mostly highway, you will get better MPG in the vette. I can get up to 20 MPG in the city if I try hard enough. You can roll around town at ~45-50 mph in 6th gear at real low rpm and take off slower than a Semi, but whats the fun in that!

Reliability, has more to do with how you take car of the car. If you treat both cars the same, the Subaru may be a little better, but not as fun...

Jeff-Ford

That's an easy choice. Id get the C6 and with that budget you should easily find a great car.

peter pan

Ours was a daily driver before we adopted two boys was awesome to be in a Vette daily

Copterdoc

Bought my C6 in January '13, and have put 14,000 miles on it already. Love driving this beauty.

Mad*Max

I don't know anything about Subarus but the C6 is a great DD - you did not mention your location so I don't know if snow is an issue.

Turbolag

No snow. I'm in Tx. We get hot weather and rain. Haha.

That MPG doesn't sound bad at all. I'd really like get an 07-08 to get the LS3.

I've driven a C5 before and a WRX. Both cars were very comfortable. I'm on the larger side so room is an issue. But I was real comfy in both cars. Really like them both. Wish I could get both!

Tonylmiller

07 C6 is LS2. If you want an LS3, get an 08. But the LS2 is awesome, too.

Turbolag

Thanks man. I thought I had read the 07 was ls3. Oops.

What's the hp difference between the two? Ls2 vs ls3?

Tonylmiller

Something like 30 HP, but many of us feel our LS2 is faster.

You can read up on some of the LS2 vs LS3 threads...

Turbolag

Thanks man. Ill check them out.

I'm really pleased with the L series by gm. My camaro was an LT1 and it was a great car. It was my daily for like 4 years and I only changed the fuel pump on it once.... Two weeks after I got it. Haha.

I've heard all positives on the Ls1 and Ls2.

AR8007

I use mine as a DD great gas mileage fun car to drive, I put 20K on my 05 a year all Freeway to work and back, I bought it to enjoy not look at it when I get home every night, we live in Washington State and it does rain now and then, there is no choice!!

Vette_DD

LS3 gets an additional 6 HP if it's got the dual mode exhaust. I can feel the LS2 - LS3 difference with an 012 A6.

Turbolag

EXACTLY!! I don't want a trailer queen.

Nosferatu

I bought mine for a daily driver in April. 10,000 miles later still love it. Great on gas. I don't "baby it" and I get high 20s to low 30s highway and upper teens around town (18-19mpg). This is with the 6spd manual LS3.

Has a decent size trunk. It's comfortable for long road trips (took it 1150mi in one day). Incredible sound and torque.

You'll get attention driving this car (and not the bad attention an F-body does). I used to own one and cops would be on me like vultures. The vette shockingly doesn't give that kind of attention (maybe because it's considered a different kind of car). It's typically good attention if ya get me.

There's more to it than the power difference. It's an updated transmission as well for the manual (and it's considerably better). Search around there's more differences than LS2/LS3. Cliff notes of what's added each year in LS3 years.

08 - First year LS3
09 - added bluetooth
10 - added launch control
11 - added USB input to nav units

EDIT: Maybe this video will convince you. Here just simple bolt-ons to the LS3 can give you gobs of power. Here's mine after headers/tune. Mustang dyno 392rwhp/420rwtq (dyno jet that's likely around 440-450rwhp/470rwtq). Unbeatable sound IMO.

Turbolag

Wow thank you for sharing. I had a grin on my face through the whole video. That sound is incredible.

Thanks for the info man.