Newbie
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 515
Likes: 279
From: Carol Stream (Chicago suburbs) IL
An Update After Two Weeks
Again, I would like to thank everyone on the forum, I have been "lurking" for the most part and shared my opinion a time or two for what it is worth (which is not much!) I'm really enjoying the discussions, sometimes very spirited. Particularly the debate between buying low mileage cars and higher mileage cars like I bought. A lot of experience here and a lot of food for thought and sound advice to new buyers, too late to do me any good.
It has been two weeks since I bought my new to me Corvette. Since buying it; with the exception of a bit of snowy weather, I have driven it almost daily and put well over 500 miles on it in mixed driving. To say I am thrilled with this car would be an understatement! I found a bit of open road, after an easy start, I shifted into second and opened the car up- I've not felt anything like that since I sold my Ninja 8 years ago. What an amazing car.
First Tuco- thanks for the recommendation to buy that LMC5 device, I spoke to Richard at Compliance Parts today and ordered it because even after buying the new battery for my car, I continued to get the "pull key" error message. Also, last Saturday I stopped by the Chevrolet dealer nearest me and spoke to the service manager. Incredibly after the first recall (which was the reprogram only done in 2004- that saddled my car with the 1.5 mph fuel shut off); Chevrolet closed the recall on my car. So my car will live with the locking plate and "band-aid" reprogram. With the problem persisting after the new battery and the rather nonchalant attitude of Chevrolet over the issue I felt compelled to act quickly on your very good advice.
Next Rob 02, I found the sticker in the glove box and confirmed my car has the Z51 suspension (photo of sticker included in this post) and the web site with all those statistics on the numbers built is amazing, thank you for that. Looks like my car might represent a minority of fully loaded 6M convertibles with the Z51, but it is far from rare.
My custom car cover arrived last Friday. I will use it to keep the worst of the winter off of the car because it will be a driveway car. I intend to drive it as much as possible throughout the winter- being mindful to avoid heavy snow and salted streets. I bought the car to drive and with +98,000 miles; its not rare except to the extent it has more miles than most! So I don't see any reason not to enjoy it (and keep the undercarriage as clean as possible) for as long as I am able to drive it; I have no intention to sell it. Like a bottle of fine wine or a cigar; this car is for enjoying.
Until yesterday evening I had not taken a real close look at the tires on my car. I had assumed they were summer tires. To my amazement I discovered they are Michelin Pilot ZP (run flat) A/S (all season)- more or less the type of tire I wanted on this car so I can drive it year round! But there appears to be a better tire now, the Pilot Sport A/S 3+ ZP, maybe I'll get those in the fall. They are supposed to handle very well and do a bit better in the wet.
I've taken a few more photos of my car after a much better clean and polish and include them in the post, just because I am so proud of it.
It has been two weeks since I bought my new to me Corvette. Since buying it; with the exception of a bit of snowy weather, I have driven it almost daily and put well over 500 miles on it in mixed driving. To say I am thrilled with this car would be an understatement! I found a bit of open road, after an easy start, I shifted into second and opened the car up- I've not felt anything like that since I sold my Ninja 8 years ago. What an amazing car.
First Tuco- thanks for the recommendation to buy that LMC5 device, I spoke to Richard at Compliance Parts today and ordered it because even after buying the new battery for my car, I continued to get the "pull key" error message. Also, last Saturday I stopped by the Chevrolet dealer nearest me and spoke to the service manager. Incredibly after the first recall (which was the reprogram only done in 2004- that saddled my car with the 1.5 mph fuel shut off); Chevrolet closed the recall on my car. So my car will live with the locking plate and "band-aid" reprogram. With the problem persisting after the new battery and the rather nonchalant attitude of Chevrolet over the issue I felt compelled to act quickly on your very good advice.
Next Rob 02, I found the sticker in the glove box and confirmed my car has the Z51 suspension (photo of sticker included in this post) and the web site with all those statistics on the numbers built is amazing, thank you for that. Looks like my car might represent a minority of fully loaded 6M convertibles with the Z51, but it is far from rare.
My custom car cover arrived last Friday. I will use it to keep the worst of the winter off of the car because it will be a driveway car. I intend to drive it as much as possible throughout the winter- being mindful to avoid heavy snow and salted streets. I bought the car to drive and with +98,000 miles; its not rare except to the extent it has more miles than most! So I don't see any reason not to enjoy it (and keep the undercarriage as clean as possible) for as long as I am able to drive it; I have no intention to sell it. Like a bottle of fine wine or a cigar; this car is for enjoying.
Until yesterday evening I had not taken a real close look at the tires on my car. I had assumed they were summer tires. To my amazement I discovered they are Michelin Pilot ZP (run flat) A/S (all season)- more or less the type of tire I wanted on this car so I can drive it year round! But there appears to be a better tire now, the Pilot Sport A/S 3+ ZP, maybe I'll get those in the fall. They are supposed to handle very well and do a bit better in the wet.
I've taken a few more photos of my car after a much better clean and polish and include them in the post, just because I am so proud of it.
Intermediate
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 39
Likes: 6
Thank you, very kind!
Where to begin?
I'm 58 years old, owned lots of nice cars but never owned a Corvette. My father, a retired surgeon owned several Corvettes all bought new-'60 (bought while he was a resident), a couple of C-2s in the '60s, a '70 Stingray, '84 and his last Corvette a 50th Anniversary ('03)- which he sold only a couple of years after buying it primarily due to his inability to get in and out of it (he was in his 70s). So to say Corvettes were in my blood would be accurate- in terms of ownership life got in the way (school, children & etc.).
I bought this car three days ago, it was a love at first sight & drive which led to my purchase. I did not go to the dealership to buy a convertible. But this 2001 Corvette spoke to me in ways I have never been spoken to before--- my name was on it before I knew it.
I have gone over it with a fine tooth comb and the previous owners took very good care of it for me. So far the only thing I have been able to find that is not perfect is a radio tuning **** that comes off. What a great car, 17 years old, +96,000 miles. The original owner, considerately preserved the window sticker and I found it with the owners manual. The sticker pretty much tells it all.
Where to begin?
I'm 58 years old, owned lots of nice cars but never owned a Corvette. My father, a retired surgeon owned several Corvettes all bought new-'60 (bought while he was a resident), a couple of C-2s in the '60s, a '70 Stingray, '84 and his last Corvette a 50th Anniversary ('03)- which he sold only a couple of years after buying it primarily due to his inability to get in and out of it (he was in his 70s). So to say Corvettes were in my blood would be accurate- in terms of ownership life got in the way (school, children & etc.).
I bought this car three days ago, it was a love at first sight & drive which led to my purchase. I did not go to the dealership to buy a convertible. But this 2001 Corvette spoke to me in ways I have never been spoken to before--- my name was on it before I knew it.
I have gone over it with a fine tooth comb and the previous owners took very good care of it for me. So far the only thing I have been able to find that is not perfect is a radio tuning **** that comes off. What a great car, 17 years old, +96,000 miles. The original owner, considerately preserved the window sticker and I found it with the owners manual. The sticker pretty much tells it all.
Intermediate
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 39
Likes: 6
Congrats on your new ride! Had mine 3.5 years now and it.....Never....Gets...Old.........ever.
Comb through the tech stickies and find some of the must-dos and work on them over the winter. There's some stupid electrical things that are easy to prevent. Get a CAGS (skip shift) bypass, a column lock bypass, a battery tender for the winter, and learn how to retrieve codes from the DIC. Most importantly, have fun! Find a rally like Carlisle or Effingham and mark it on your calendar!
Comb through the tech stickies and find some of the must-dos and work on them over the winter. There's some stupid electrical things that are easy to prevent. Get a CAGS (skip shift) bypass, a column lock bypass, a battery tender for the winter, and learn how to retrieve codes from the DIC. Most importantly, have fun! Find a rally like Carlisle or Effingham and mark it on your calendar!
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 515
Likes: 279
From: Carol Stream (Chicago suburbs) IL
Will do! Actually my wife and I have already talked about a pilgrimage to the Corvette museum as soon as we are able--- I saw that you can get a build sheet from them- but I guess I was thinking it was pretty much the same thing as the window sticker. Shows you what I know.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 515
Likes: 279
From: Carol Stream (Chicago suburbs) IL
Congrats on your new ride! Had mine 3.5 years now and it.....Never....Gets...Old.........ever.
Comb through the tech stickies and find some of the must-dos and work on them over the winter. There's some stupid electrical things that are easy to prevent. Get a CAGS (skip shift) bypass, a column lock bypass, a battery tender for the winter, and learn how to retrieve codes from the DIC. Most importantly, have fun! Find a rally like Carlisle or Effingham and mark it on your calendar!
Comb through the tech stickies and find some of the must-dos and work on them over the winter. There's some stupid electrical things that are easy to prevent. Get a CAGS (skip shift) bypass, a column lock bypass, a battery tender for the winter, and learn how to retrieve codes from the DIC. Most importantly, have fun! Find a rally like Carlisle or Effingham and mark it on your calendar!
