Daily Driver bad idea!??!
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
Daily Driver bad idea!??!
I am about to buy my first vette. A 2001 automatic coupe with 25,000 miles on it. I am going to have this car as my daily driver, but a 'friend' of mine is trying his best to talk me out of it saying, "Corvettes are toys, not daily drivers." The car will come with a new 3 year - 36,000 GMAC factory warranty, so that makes me feel better.
I will admit I do not know anything about the maintenance of a vette, so his negativity scares me. Now I am beginning to think I will get into trouble buying & using a vette as a daily driver. Like somehow I will be pouring money into it later on. My work commute is 11 miles round trip.........
Any suggestions? I am financing the car, so obviously I don't have oodles of spare cash lying around to pay for car repairs. Is the engine maintenance just too costly and risky for me?
Kelly - Houston, TX
I will admit I do not know anything about the maintenance of a vette, so his negativity scares me. Now I am beginning to think I will get into trouble buying & using a vette as a daily driver. Like somehow I will be pouring money into it later on. My work commute is 11 miles round trip.........
Any suggestions? I am financing the car, so obviously I don't have oodles of spare cash lying around to pay for car repairs. Is the engine maintenance just too costly and risky for me?
Kelly - Houston, TX
Last edited by KelBelle; Aug 12, 2004 at 04:40 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 58,515
Likes: 70
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
many many many people here use theirs as daily drivers.
I put 15,000 miles on mine last year
There is a member that has over 300,000 miles on his C5... they are a pretty solid car.
The LS1 is a great motor and the maintenance isnt really that bad... C5's are more prone to have electrical problems.
Go for it! you will love it
I put 15,000 miles on mine last year
There is a member that has over 300,000 miles on his C5... they are a pretty solid car.
The LS1 is a great motor and the maintenance isnt really that bad... C5's are more prone to have electrical problems.
Go for it! you will love it
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 4,653
Likes: 6
From: North Royalton, OH
St. Jude Donor '06-'07
The only thing you have to worry about is changing your oil and keeping it clean. This is why you have a warranty! In fact, you can get an extended warranty, covering the same things for thousands of miles past the 3/36K limit from the factory. I bought my '04 as a daily driver and drove my '99 daily, even in the Cleveland winters. The main reason I got the '04 was because the '99 was out of warranty, and was beginning to need pieces parts replaced... These were parts that would have been covered by an extended warranty, but I didn't buy one. I did this time! Get the car - you'll enjoy it every day.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 5,362
Likes: 3
From: Delray Beach FL
I had a 93 that I purchased in 99 with 55k miles on it for my daily driver. I recently traded it in on a 01 Z06 with 13.9k on it. My 93 had 167,000 when it was traded in!! These cars were built to be driven, unlike Ferarris, Lamborghinis, etc. I live 28 miles away from work and drive it every day. As for maintenance, it is just like any other car, keep care of it and it will last. Neglect it and it will become junk. Pricing for repairs are a little higher because of the "Corvette Tax". "Corvette Tax" is the extra costs added to the repairs because the vehicle says Corvette on it. I will always have a Corvette as my daily driver. They can take it and they are the best vehicle on the road...IMO.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 5,374
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville Florida
I wasn't going to use mine daily at first. But every day I got up and said to myself, "Do I take the Vette or do I take the pickup truck?"
Duh..................Corvettes make great daily drivers.
Duh..................Corvettes make great daily drivers.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 19,459
Likes: 48
From: Schaumburg IL
CI 7-8-9-11 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Since your on the vette forum, most of the answers will be bias, however you will get a lot of great info here...so be prepared to read, read, read There are a lot of people that have Vette's that are daily drivers and they are very reliable....if the vette is really what you want and like GO FOR IT!! see I am bias too 
The only major issue I have seen, is the dreaded column lock (do a search here on this issue) where the steering wheel locks up and gets stuck...however since you are getting an automatic , there is a recall now that will fix this at no cost..plus you have the warranty so youre covered no sweat.
I'll let some others respond before I go on too long...hope I didn't scare you with the colum lock thing...the vette is an awesome machine, I have had mine for 1 year now and no major problems.
Good luck
There are a lot of people that have Vette's that are daily drivers and they are very reliable....if the vette is really what you want and like GO FOR IT!! see I am bias too The only major issue I have seen, is the dreaded column lock (do a search here on this issue) where the steering wheel locks up and gets stuck...however since you are getting an automatic , there is a recall now that will fix this at no cost..plus you have the warranty so youre covered no sweat.
I'll let some others respond before I go on too long...hope I didn't scare you with the colum lock thing...the vette is an awesome machine, I have had mine for 1 year now and no major problems.
Good luck
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,401
Likes: 0
From: Memphis
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Originally Posted by KelBelle
Any suggestions? I am financing the car, so obviously I don't have oodles of spare cash lying around to pay for car repairs. Is the engine maintenance just too costly and risky for me?
Besides, do you really want to pay a monthly note for it to sit in a garage and wait for a fair weather day??
BTW, Welcome to the forum! Nice to see another female Vette owner!
Last edited by unchained; Aug 12, 2004 at 04:46 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 896
Likes: 1
From: Overland Park KS
I bought my first Corvette ('02 6-speed coupe) this last February and have been driving it daily to-from work. I have absolutely no regrets in using it as a daily driver and it has been hassle free. On the flip side, I do have a "beater" vehicle as well and I leave the vette at home during bad weather (severe storms, snow, road repairs, etc). 
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Instructor
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
From: New Canaan CT
Daily driver
I bought my '04 coupe specificially as a daily driver. I get around 23mpg, and except for the gas gauge that is worthless, it has been a great car. Will probalby put 12-15k miles a year on it.
Enjoy it. "Saving" the 'Vette for weekend use only by driving something like a Corolla daily is not what living is all about!
Enjoy it. "Saving" the 'Vette for weekend use only by driving something like a Corolla daily is not what living is all about!
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 13,733
Likes: 66
From: Hurst, TX USA
I've had 4 C5s and a C3 and all of them were daily drivers. In probably 100000 miles of driving I can remember being stranded only once in the C3 because of a short that drained the battery.
Now if you make it a practice of hauling a ton of stuff, maybe a C5 isn't the right car. But for commuting it's great!
Now if you make it a practice of hauling a ton of stuff, maybe a C5 isn't the right car. But for commuting it's great!
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 19,459
Likes: 48
From: Schaumburg IL
CI 7-8-9-11 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Originally Posted by KelBelle
I am about to buy my first vette. A 2001 automatic coupe with 25,000 miles on it. I am going to have this car as my daily driver, but a 'friend' of mine is trying his best to talk me out of it saying, "Corvettes are toys, not daily drivers." The car will come with a new 3 year - 36,000 GMAC factory warranty, so that makes me feel better.
I will admit I do not know anything about the maintenance of a vette, so his negativity scares me. Now I am beginning to think I will get into trouble buying & using a vette as a daily driver. Like somehow I will be pouring money into it later on. My work commute is 11 miles round trip.........
Any suggestions? I am financing the car, so obviously I don't have oodles of spare cash lying around to pay for car repairs. Is the engine maintenance just too costly and risky for me?
I will admit I do not know anything about the maintenance of a vette, so his negativity scares me. Now I am beginning to think I will get into trouble buying & using a vette as a daily driver. Like somehow I will be pouring money into it later on. My work commute is 11 miles round trip.........
Any suggestions? I am financing the car, so obviously I don't have oodles of spare cash lying around to pay for car repairs. Is the engine maintenance just too costly and risky for me?
BTW - welcome to the forum....
now go get that Vette!!!
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 1,037
Likes: 0
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In V Veteran
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
I have a 2000 MY Coupe that I've been driving daily since the day I purchased it...brand new 4 years ago. Just turned over ~35K miles....To me, the engine just gets stronger the more I drive it!!! (and the remains the same!!) These cars were made to be driven, not just for sitting in the garage. Go for it and don't let anyone tell you different!!! 
Julie!
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 180
Likes: 0
From: The Brit in Sewell, New Jersey
Originally Posted by KelBelle
I am about to buy my first vette. A 2001 automatic coupe with 25,000 miles on it. I am going to have this car as my daily driver, but a 'friend' of mine is trying his best to talk me out of it saying, "Corvettes are toys, not daily drivers." The car will come with a new 3 year - 36,000 GMAC factory warranty, so that makes me feel better.
I will admit I do not know anything about the maintenance of a vette, so his negativity scares me. Now I am beginning to think I will get into trouble buying & using a vette as a daily driver. Like somehow I will be pouring money into it later on. My work commute is 11 miles round trip.........
Any suggestions? I am financing the car, so obviously I don't have oodles of spare cash lying around to pay for car repairs. Is the engine maintenance just too costly and risky for me?
Kelly - Houston, TX
I will admit I do not know anything about the maintenance of a vette, so his negativity scares me. Now I am beginning to think I will get into trouble buying & using a vette as a daily driver. Like somehow I will be pouring money into it later on. My work commute is 11 miles round trip.........
Any suggestions? I am financing the car, so obviously I don't have oodles of spare cash lying around to pay for car repairs. Is the engine maintenance just too costly and risky for me?
Kelly - Houston, TX
I have a similar commute (from Dallas to Irving) and one thing I enjoy about it... is doing it in my vette!
You'll be fine.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,296
Likes: 0
From: Pearland TX
St. Jude Donor '03-'06-'07-'08-'09
my 98 was a dd and had 52000 miles and was going strong when i traded for the 03...only problems were dealer related screw-ups...if it weren't for the fact that black is so hard to keep clean the 03 wouldn't be a garage queen
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 853
Likes: 0
From: Collinsville MS
St. Jude Donor '06
Drive that sucker... I have 2000 A4 as a daily driver and love it. Bought it to drive it not watch it sit in a garage.
Not to mention you will find it very difficult NOT to drive it everyday once you get it.
Not to mention you will find it very difficult NOT to drive it everyday once you get it.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
dealer related screw ups?
How can I avoid these 'dealer related screw ups'? Not knowing what I'm doing in the engine area, I'd put full trust in a dealership to take care of the car when I bring it in.