Alright, These babies stock push out 345 or 350HP on the fly. I know some of you have modded them to well over 400. The first time you drove your C5 did you feel like you were in total control? I don't want to sound stupid, but when you are used to a 175HP vehicle I can't imagine what it will feel like to have twice as much power. Is the acceleration sensitive, if you barely push it will it just wanna move? Active Handling is something really important. I imagine that will be a must for me, until I get used to the power. I just turned 19, owner maybe in 6 months, can't wait. Am I giving this engine to much credit, or rightfully so?

 

I think I can answer that...

Before I had my Vette, I drove a VW Jetta VR6 as my daily driver. It was a fun little car that had a great sport package, great interior and a whopping 190 hp!! I drove my Vette home from the dealer very carefully, so no, the acceleration is not overly sensitive. The problem is when you start getting used to the power and start pushing the envelope. Of course you DO have your idiots that get in it the first time and stomp the gas out of the parking lot and find themselves in a ditch! That's where traction control comes in, and believe me it works like a friggin charm! I was just pushing around a corner today with cold tires on a cold road. Tires started spinning and I stayed in my lane and just kept riding it out. As long as you're pointing the nose in the right direction and aren't the squirrly/panicky type, you'll do just fine with traction control on (to a reasonable point).

Now, for the last week I have been driving a Jeep Wrangler around while my baby was having a new rear fascia put on. After a week of driving that damn thing, the trip home in my Vette was incredible! It was like re-discovering all that power all over again! How do you guys go all winter without driving your babies??

Anyway, I know this was long, but hope it helps. Best of luck in finding the car you want and driving it safely! Respect the power, you'll be just fine.


Glen

 

It wasn't long at all. I appreciate it.

 

The power application through the throttle is very smooth in the Vette. Much of this is due to the fact that it is an electronic throttle and not connected by cable. The system senses the position of the throttle pedal and adds or diminishs the acceleration accordingly.

I had a 98 Mustang Cobra with about 320 hp before I bought my Z06. I sold it and bought the Z about two weeks later. After doing breakthrough on the trip home from NC where I had purchased the car new, I did my first WOT coming out of a rest stop somewhere in TN and was absolutely astonished at the power of this car. I started laughing hard I was so impressed and giddy at the fact that this beast was mine! I still love to hit it hard when I have the chance and have not yet gotten bored with the power that this car produces. Sometimes I wonder why I am wanting more power, when I can't even use what I have now!

 

My first Vette a C5 was an automatic , my second one 2004 C5 a manual .To me the acceleration feels more dramatic in the auto , not that it is faster but it does punch more at full trotle changing gears .In the manual you feel more in control .About the power , no matter how scarry it can feel doing you'r first drive , its adictive and like anny drug you keep wanting for more and more again and again

 

Before I got my C5 I had a 98 v6 camaro..

The V6 camaro dynoed 160 rwhp and ran 16.6 bone stock..

I supercharged it and dynoed 218 rwhp and ran 15.1 at the same track...

Sold it and went and bought a 04 C5 right off the show room floor...

It was my first V8...But I thought my supercharged v6 camaro was a good idea off what a v8 felt like......

Boy was I wrong........I stomped the pedal of the C5 and felt one of the most incredible sensations Ive ever had before in my life....


Went and dynoed it on the same dyno as my supercharged V6 camaro and put down 299 rwhp bone stock...

Thats 81 more RWHP ( or about 100 crank HP) more than my V6 camaro made with the supercharger...

Also my coupe C5 weighed in around 3280 pounds and my convertable V6 weighed in around 3650 pounds....

It was a 81 rwhp and 370 pound advantage for the C5....

Took the stock C5 to the track and was amazed when I pulled 13.5..

I had been trying to hit a 14.9 with the supercharged V6 for about 6 months.....

Then to top it all off I started reading that my 2.73 a4 C5 was the slowest C5 you could buy...

I could hardly imagine it being any faster....

BUT EVENTUALY IT WORE OFF AND I WANTED MORE....

But Ill never forget how powerful the car was when I first got it...

SIMPLY AMAZING

 

I traded my truck for the Vette. So mine was a big leap. But I always used to own Z28's and Trans Am's. So I thought I knew about what it would feel like. Ha, Ha, Ha. Boy was I shocked the first time I floored it. I couldn't stop laughing at how fast it was. But once you get used to it you'll be looking at how to make it faster.

 

I still giggle like a school girl whenever I get into the throttle on this car!

 

Power is always relative to what you are use to. So going to a Vette from an average vehicle feels incredible. And it is not just the HP but the tremendous torque of the Vette as well. However, once you become use to the power, when you see other cars out accelerate you, then you want more. Each leap power satisfies the need but only for a time. Power is addictive!

When we bought the Vette the 350 HP was WOW! Then we modded to 425 HP & were very happy with that until we modded again by adding the C5R-427 which gave us 520 HP & 540 TQ...INCREDIBLE until we got use to that. So a few more mods & now we are 600 HP & 650 TQ. Guess what...we can't wait for the new Magnuson Supercharger for 427's to be released. It never ends.

 

that's the biggest problem, you get used to it and need more, it's like a freeking drug

 

dont be afraid, the car is totally controlable, theres women in their 60s that drive em

 

My first car was a 1990 Pontiac Grand Am with a whopping 110 hp. Then I got a supercharged 99 Grand Prix GTP (the first car that I actually bought new) which had 240 hp. I thought it was so powerful compared to the Grand am. But I got used to it. Then, when I bought my vette, I drove it home like a little old lady since I was scared of all that power. Eventually, you get used to 350 hp and want more. I installed a blackwing, kooks LT headers, did a tune and went from 289 rwhp to 322 rwhp. The car really woke up and I thought that would be enough. But of course, as they say, you can never have enough horsepower. I recently did a heads & cam package and now I'm turning out 407 rwhp on my 2002 A4. At 18% drivetrain loss, my vette should be putting out 496 hp at the crank!! Imagine the difference between a 110 hp beat up sedan and a 496 hp vette!!! As of now, I'm still getting used to the power, at half throttle, the active handling goes off even from a rolling start I love it!!! At this point, I don't think I'll want even more power but who knows. Its like a drug, the more you have, the more you want.

 

As with any car you are not used to, just take some time to get to know how it reacts to different throttle levels. Its not overly sensitive, but you can get yourself in trouble if you are not aware of your surroundings and the road surface.

 

Different vehicles have very different handling characteristics. It's not just about the HP, but how that HP interacts with the handling. Like JD said, take some time and you'll be fine.