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I have 2 corvettes, so I have 2 reasons. My 69 convertible I have because when I was a kid in the early '70s that was the coolest car ever, so it's a bit o nostalgia that's fun to drive. I have a 2004 C5 that's my daily driver because I gotta drive something to work so why not drive something fun. Hitting the on ramp and getting to interstate merging speed (and then some) in <4.5 seconds is the highlight of my morning
I fell in love with Corvettes when I was just a little kid. One of our neighbor’s sons had a C2. I’m guessing it may have been a ‘65. He went to Vietnam and never returned. I saw his car sitting in their driveway for years. I have no idea what ever came of it. About a year later my kindergarten teacher’s husband rolled up in a brand new Corvette to pick her up when school let out. (I think it was a ‘72 Coupe). I got to sit in it in the parking lot. My love of these cars grew stronger.
Years past and many cars came and went. My first car was a 1967 Camaro SS 350 with a 2 speed Powerglide transmission.
Fast forward to 2008. My brother bought himself a brand new ‘08 Coupe for his fiftieth birthday. He died 13 day’s after his birthday. After his death, I drove his car, with only 300 miles on it, to a dealer to sell it and decided I’d buy one when I retired. That was the first time I had ever driven a Corvette and the first time since 1972 to ever be in one. I retired at 46 years of age in 2012 and bought my first Corvette, a 2005 Coupe.
We now own a 2012 Grand Sport and a ‘72 Coupe. So, if asked, that’s why we own two Corvettes. I’ve loved these cars long before I could even drive, and I still do. These are my “grown up” toys.
Last edited by Jstan2014; Nov 30, 2019 at 01:17 PM.
I own one because one day I woke up and decided 15 years of trans am, Camaros, chevelles, novas and a bunch others was enough I wanted something new and more exciting. Kept most of my cars anyway but I had a 63 splint window first I never got to drive it I traded it off needed more then what I could afford at the age of 19....I was a father already and this was around 2008
On my 29th birthday I bought my C6 Z06 and I fell in love, just recently bought a C5 as well. My mom had corvettes my whole life growing up she had a C4 anniversary car, 02 vert, currently has a 13 g/s..... My dad has a 62, he has had over 200 corvettes in his life but that one he always kept. He kept two 67 427 Corvettes as well but one was later stolen and stripped and the other was totaled out by a g/f of his in the early 80's before my mom came along. He has always been a big corvette guy and we do alot of car stuff together.
I bought my C6 because I worked my A$$ off to get to that point in my life, I worked three jobs since I was a 16 yo and always did responsible things, I could have bought one sooner but I was obsessed with other cars but the corvette has changed all that. its hard to look at my classics and my fbodys the same anymore, they are fun great and wonderful cars but they don't offer the same thrills in my opinion although they could
Last edited by docrocket1967; Nov 30, 2019 at 03:23 PM.
I had wanted one since I was a child. Marriage and 6 kids put It out of reach until recently. I have had mine for 3 years now and have enjoyed it as much as I dreamed about it.
Cars were my ENTIRE life when I was young. Every penny I earned was spent at the auto parts store in the '70s. When I was 24, with a decent job, I bought a LS6 Chevelle during the gas crisis for $2700. That car was awesome even though it couldn't corner or stop. That didn't matter, the smile on my face was priceless when I could pull almost any other car in town. Fast forward past 40 years of life and family, it's my turn again. I looked at all the cars I could buy for $20k. The muscle cars are WAY out of my price range. Newer Camaro's, can't see out of them and too heavy. Considered euro cars, can't afford to fix them. For me, the C5Z was the best bang for the buck in the market. And you can have a LOT of fun without technically exceeding the speed limit. It is also great exercise getting from seated to standing on exit. Parts readily available to go in any direction you want although for me stock is good. I have my GS1100e dragbike if I want to scare myself....
I've always been a car guy but never owned a vette. Spent a lot of time on fast bikes over the last 40 years and recently the wife asked me to stop riding due to so many of our friends being killed in accidents. I sold the bike last month and found a C5 that is perfect for me. I'm really enjoying the car and know it will be with me for a long time.
I've always been a car guy but never owned a vette. Spent a lot of time on fast bikes over the last 40 years and recently the wife asked me to stop riding due to so many of our friends being killed in accidents. I sold the bike last month and found a C5 that is perfect for me. I'm really enjoying the car and know it will be with me for a long time.
Very smart move
I go over to Zuni once in a while for a ride...i'm in Newport News across the James River
When I was 14, mid 80's, I fell in love with a Corvette 59 in the custom/hot rod french magazine called NITRO. Had the poster in my room for many years. For my generation of french people, witnessing a V8 in real was rare due to 70's fuel crisis and french import regulations. 10years later, 93, an internship in Santa Monica, CA, and I met a few LT1, been in one and I told myself I would own it one day. Life, work, disease, family....sedan....fast forward to 2years ago when my cousin showed up with a C5. Life is such that we are just a couple, no need for daily long trip. I looked for C4 LT1 and I read the fora to understand that C5 was good also, it grew in me. And I found mine, classic navyblue-tan stock salvaged in pretty good shape for a decent price.
so why do I have a Corvette? :
- I wanted one, it is my dream car.
- I can, thanks to family structure (2)
- I'd rather have it now than when I cannot sit in it anymore.
- I can, I can do 95% of the errands by public transport, the C5 Corvette remains a toy, I don't depend on it.
- my previous company cars were starting to be expensive for little use
- it makes me happy to drive it
The Crazy / Hot Matrix applies, but as Power / Price.
I looked extensively for a fun driver. There are tons of options, just none which were as inexpensive while also not having insane repair problems. CTS-V owners in 2012 when I got my 99 held onto them like gold. G8s meh. Mustangs I don't like. Camaros were all either wrecks or stay just ugly. I looked at foreign cars too. The S4 is a sensible contender, AWD with 6spd and 375hp is nice! However, when the timing belt spacers wear out and your engine eats itself.... I decided to pass. I looked at C6 options but they were priced high then. I looked again this year, but I just don't like the bodies and the interiors are no upgrade.
I got the SECOND (my third overall) vette when I thought I could extend my price/performance stretch over the current 99 which was SC'd at the time. Was not so lucky. The new h/c/i/sc car ate a valve at a stoplight on day 2.
The new mission remains the concept of power/price. But having spent a mint on a new 402 and tons of goodies.... That concept is now for my 16yo homebuilt Z to square against all the high price new cars such as the Hellcat crowd and exotics owners.
A bit of a different perspective from this side of the pond.
I am on my forth Corvette (C7 Z06) partly because ,what else gives the sort of performance that the Z06 gives for the money ?.
Even though my C7 cost me the equivalent of $120.000 in the UK it is still less than half the cost of a Ferrari or Mc Laren which gives similar performance.
And the maintenance and running costs are also a fraction of the European cars.
After I had owned a C5 and a C6 I decided on a change and had a Mercedes SL AMG. What a big mistake . Always at the dealership for one problem or another.
After a bill for £800 for a set of spark plugs ,enough was enough and I went back to Corvettes.
I like the rarity value in England and at my local car show it got loads of favourable comments ,whereas some people viewed the Bentleys and Ferraris as a bit' flash.'
I thought the best comment was from a pimply youth ,wearing his base ball cap back to front said "That is f......king naughty'. My feelings entirely.
No one who knows me is going to ask why I have a Corvette with the meaning that the alternative would be a "practical" SUV or sedan. I always have been a little nuts about performance cars, even dailying some sporty cars through the winter. So my answer to the question would be a little different than some other people on this forum. My C5 Z06 is my first Corvette. Why I own it is a little circuitous, but the steps made sense to me.
I have always been a Ford guy and I've owned a lot of different Mustangs, but I love cars in general as well. If someone who knows me were to ask me why a Corvette - basically they would be asking "why a Corvette instead of a Mustang"? My last Mustang was a GT350 and it was an awesome road course car. I really hated my winter beater, so I bought an '86 Porsche 944. It's got the NA 2.5 liter and a manual transaxle, and the 944 is super cheap to buy right now. The Porsche didn't work as a winter car due to multiple reasons, but I absolutely love the chassis on that car. I had it on track and really liked it due to the 50/50 weight balance, small size where it was easy to position the car on the road and hit your apexes, etc., but it could use a lot more power. I've done many of my own mods on cars, so my natural first inclination was to do an engine swap or power adder on the 944. However, once you get into that the upgrades can cascade into suspension, brakes, drivetrain, wheels, tires - on and on. Plus, a modified car is difficult to insure for actual value as a daily driver. Any sporty car I own should get driven a lot. So I thought, why not just buy a small V8 car with a better chassis? IMO the Corvette is a LOT better value for the money than a Porsche. Reliable, easier to work on and cheaper parts. Of course, a C5 Z06 wouldn't be a winter beater for me. I decided to sell the GT350 and buy a Z06.
I've read a lot of good reviews about Corvettes. I drove a couple C5 Z06s and some 2014+ Z51 cars. The 2014+ cars I didn't think they had enough headroom for me to wear a helmet without slouching, and I didn't love the removable top. The cabin seems tight in the C7 as well. The C6 styling isn't my favorite, and the C5 seems a little more classic Corvette to me for some reason. So the C5 Z06 was a natural. Right away I noticed that the combination of low ride height, small size and good weight balance really make the chassis function well. Body motions are very well controlled without requiring an overly stiff spring. More weight on the rear of the car with the transmission in the back helps a lot with grip, and when the car starts to break traction it is very predictable and easy to control.
So I own a C5 Z06 because it is a great car and a real performance bargain.
Last edited by MAndretti; Dec 1, 2019 at 10:15 AM.
A bit of a different perspective from this side of the pond.
I am on my forth Corvette (C7 Z06) partly because ,what else gives the sort of performance that the Z06 gives for the money ?.
Even though my C7 cost me the equivalent of $120.000 in the UK it is still less than half the cost of a Ferrari or Mc Laren which gives similar performance.
And the maintenance and running costs are also a fraction of the European cars.
After I had owned a C5 and a C6 I decided on a change and had a Mercedes SL AMG. What a big mistake . Always at the dealership for one problem or another.
After a bill for £800 for a set of spark plugs ,enough was enough and I went back to Corvettes.
I like the rarity value in England and at my local car show it got loads of favourable comments ,whereas some people viewed the Bentleys and Ferraris as a bit' flash.' I thought the best comment was from a pimply youth ,wearing his base ball cap back to front said "That is f......king naughty'. My feelings entirely.
Because of the special recipe of a lightweight body, 2 seat sports car, with the muscle of an American V8. To me a specialty built Corvette like this #108 out of 128 built Lingenfelter edition and this C5Z, are as raw and pure fun as it gets.
