I put a deposit on my '02 Silver vert with A4 plus active handling and performance 3.15 axle on Sunday, picked it up Monday and have been out driving every chance I can get ever since. The top is so incredibly easy to put up or take down, that it makes no difference to me that it is a manually operated device. I have had other convertibles (and still own another one) and the hassles of putting the top up and down has always been a PIA to me. Not so with the new kid in the garage.

This evening, I went for a top down sunset drive out on the windy two-lane roads in my area. I live in Southern California wine country and was driving around the rolling hills and grapevines as the sun faded. It was awesome.

I just love the precision feel of the steering, braking, acceleration and handling. It's all about control with this car. And I personally have never owned a car with this much raw HP and torque since the 1965 Buick Riviera with the Wildcat 454 V-8. But instead of driving like an ocean liner, this thing feels SO RIGHT.

With the bumpier ride, I almost feel like I'm sitting in one of those great Autopia cars from Disneyland circa 1968, but without the track rail in the middle of the street and training wheels keeping me from running off the road. That's what the active handling is for.

I burned a CD with all my favorite driving songs and had an absolute ball listening to the music, feeling the wind in my hair and hearing the rumble of that stock exhaust that's going to sound so much better when I throw on the Borla stingers eventually.

It's taken me a couple of days of fiddling with the seat controls to come up with settings that finally fit me like a glove. I can't recall ever having so much available power on tap whenever I decide I'd like to run up to the speed limit (and maybe a couple MPH beyond) in a hurry.

At last, I understand why Corvette owners wave to one another. It's a joyful acknowledgement that we are driving something very, very special.

I passed by one guy in a C6 and I waved, but never saw whether he returned the courtesy, because his windows were up and tinted, and I never really saw him as we were heading in different directions. But at least I did my part as the new guy on the block.

More great news... We've got some very talented mobile paint repair guys around here. I have a paint scrape on the lower front and some chips out of the front license plate filler plate thingy and got an estimate today on reparing both by blending with new paint and clearcoat. One day and $150 is going to do it, with a warranty for as long as I own the car. A bodyshop wanted to pull the whole front end, keep the car for a week and charge me $950 to repaint the front clip.

I'll be sure to post some before and after pictures.

 

Enjoy your new car!

 

Congrats! Sounds like you have your priorities in order.

 

I think thats being done as we type!

Its only the beginning, your gonna love it.

One word of caution... beware the mod bug!

 

congrats

 

JMc......

You mentioned that you burned a CD and played it in your Vette. My daughter burned one for me and I can't get it to play. I tried it in the stereo and the disc changer and it wouldn't play in either.

How did you burn it??

I have an '02 coupe.

Thanks,

Russ..

 

She probably forgot to 'finalize' the disc, which is necessary to for a disc to play in a non-recording player.

 

You are among like minded people here, and I for one, totally relate to your story. I have owned Lotus and other sports cars most of my adult life, and NON of them have the balance of power and comfort and style and handing as the C5. I really love mine., as you will ever-more-so in the months to come.

 

Congrats. .Driving a vette enhances the driving experience for sure..

 

 

 

I'm surprised you were able to stop driving long enough to tell of the experience

 

I'm glad I looked in this thread. I've been searching the forums trying to find out if the convertible top is power or manual.

 

Great write up

I recognise those feelings

Congrats on the new car

 

Well said! I feel the same about my '01 that I picked up last fall.

 

Congratulations! I'm flying to Florida next Tuesday to pick up a '98 I bought yesterday!

 

Congrats

 

Congrats - be sure to check the Pacific section of the Forum for regional events. Always somthin' going on in SoCal!

 

Congrats! A drive, even a short one will put me in a better frame of mind.