You hit the nail on the head. The Corvette is designed to fit a price. Fortunately for us, they held very high standards on the powertrain, suspension and chassis structure.

More good news, is that the interior is reaonably well done and very comfortable. If the like new interior in my 96 C4 is any indication, it will hold up too.

 

If you need to be convinced to own a Vette it is not the car for you. Stick with the status symbol cars you enjoy. I don't mean that negatively just that for most happy vette owners it was a love at first sight thing not having to know 'the value side of the equation."

 

Still driving a Corvette at 116 years old! You're my hero!

 

I really am asking about the performance aspect since I assume that's where the money is in the car. (they don't have wood or softest leather, greatest sound system etc). Do you consider that the engine, suspension, transmission are superior to MB, BMW, Lexus etc? No flames please, but just want to understand. Is the cornering really great? Somewhere I read that the turning radius is not as short as it should be, is that true?
As I said, I am really emotionally drawn to the car and just want to better understand what it is that is so compelling to this passionate group. (by the way, I've owned several Lexus and they are great machines and very boring. My BMW 330i was the most grin inducing car I ever had and I would hope that the vette would be even more so. I did love the sharp steering feel of the BMW and in a short test of the vette a while ago found that it wasn't really as sharp- but small trade off for other grin inducing aspects!)

 

Hey, I think the vette is a status symbol car too and I mean that in a good way. Status can deserved.

 

The Vette really doesn't have particularly sharp steering. It doesn't feel particularly light and nimble. Driving my wife's Miata is a much more "raw" sports-car experience than driving my vette.

But that doesn't mean it isn't a HUGE amount of fun to drive. If I had to pick one word to describe the vette, it would be "Big". Everything about the car is big. Big torque, big car, driving it feels like driving a nice solid big touring car. But it also turns in commendable numbers at track duty - cornering Gs, acceleration, etc. It doesn't feel lithe - it feels big, but it does everything that it does very well, and with confidence and brute force.

I knew what to expect with the interior. Fit and finish is surprisingly good, especially compared to years past. The whole interior does the job - there's nothing that I notice on a daily basis and go "God, it sure is irritating that they compromised on this". There are a few little things I would like to have seen, but none of it gets in the way of enjoying the car.

It really is a fun experience. It's not necessarily for everyone, which is why this board might not be the best place to get opinions. It obviously is the kind of driving experience most of us want. The only way to tell for sure is to go on a longer test drive. Don't be afraid to rip into it on the test drive - they know it's a performance car and how it's supposed to be driven. If it doesn't put a big smile on your face to feel it power around a corner or to launch it from a light and get to the speed limit in 3 seconds, then it might not be the car for you - and there's nothing wrong with that

Just my 2 cents.

 

Has anyone leased? It seems that the leases are not so attratctive relative to the price when compared to more expensive cars that lease out in same range.

I have leased my last 3...sure there are some pros and cons but that is what you will have to decide....Actually with the vetts high residual value it makes it a pretty good deal to lease....I just want a new car every 3 years without having to take a beating on a trade in. It is "fun" car so I never go over the 15,000 mile per year on the lease. I like to lease some think it is foolish to throw away 30,000 grand with nothing to show for it....to each their own I say....

One thing is for sure, you won't regret your decision if you purchase/lease one!!

 

I sent you a private message of my experience, worth reading.

 

I'd say, test drive the corvette, Lexus SC, and Merc SL back to back. I think you'll find that as far as overall performance, the corvette is truly better than both the SC and the SL (the SL may be very fast in a straight line, depending on which one you test drive, but again the added weight means it won't handle as well, plus for the price of the SL you can look at porsches).

Compared to the BMW, it's much closer. The vette will definately have an advantage in terms of power (compared to either the E46 M3 or the current 330), but the steering won't feel as "sharp" as your old bimmer. Again, as I said before, I think if this was 3-4 years ago and we were comparing an E46 M3 to the C5 corvette, it would be a very close comparison. However, today I would definately go w/ the C6 (and in fact I did as I just ordered one last month), as the M3 is going to be redesigned very soon and the C6 has a very big power advantage over the M3. I'm sure the next M3 will be a different story, but we'll have to wait for that, and I wouldn't be surprised if a big price increase doesn't come along with it.

Given that you seem to favor luxury over sport, did you look at the Merc SLK?

Also, you do realize that the Boxster is mid-engined, right? That "fake engine sound" comes from the engine being right behind you, not from a CD

 

This was me about one year ago! After a lifetime of commitment to Euro-machines, but a fond, distant recollection of the Stingray era, I became interested in this new Corvette which kept coming up in conversations, newspapers.....

The more I read (magazines, All Corvettes are Red , etc.) and the more I learned from talking to Corvette people, the more I got interested in this whole Corvette lifestyle thing. Since I really liked the design and most of what I was hearing, even though I was apprehensive about buying a Detroit made auto, I made the purchase.

I absolutely love the BlueCoupe! It's not perfect, but I guess that is why God invented mods.

 

I was only kinda joking on the CD comment but I do know that with today's advanced technology they can eliminate all or part of most engine sounds. As a matter of fact, I read that in the new Jag XK they had to go back and allow more sound in so that it would have a more sporty appeal. There was something a bit artificial sounding in the boxster and again I have read that they actually have pipes in some cars to send the sound into the cabin.
The new M3 will be quite a car (8 cyl. I hear) and with their SMG etc it should be very advanced. A different experience than the Vette I imagine. I drove my buddy's M3 last year and it was VERY raw. It was not happy at low speeds around town, so not for me. Too much hot rod for every day. I like to be able to cruise when I want but also want some presence in my car and yes a vert is needed now.

 

You're not a vette person. Don"t buy one. You'll never be satisified.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Topspin627
I realize that I mentioned several different types of cars and that some are more lux than others. To me, as long as the car can go 0-60 in mid 5's thats fine for me. I'm not going to track it. I tested the boxster and didn't really care for it. It was too cramped and more of a roadster. It also had a "fake" engine sound that I swear was pumped into the cabin as if it were on a cd- no kidding.
The vette doesn't appear to me to be a roadster in the way that an S2000 or Z 4 would be. I like to have a bit of a bigger feel that's why I included some of the others I mentioned. The lease prices on some of the much more expensive cars like an SL may not be that much of a stretch from the vette. I think you can get an SL for around 1200 per month with 5K down. Any idea of what a Vette vert leases for?
I want to test a 911 just so I can see what the top of the food chain is like and then I can compare the others. Who knows, if I have to have....
The Cayman S is terrific looking but I want a vert and as I said the boxster didn't do it for me.

My experience with my BMW dealer has been stellar. Full maintaince for 4 years is a plus. My 330 was extremely reliable, my X5 not so much but the dealer handled everthing quickly and efficently.

I will take a test drive in the Vette as soon as the weather breaks in the East and then let you know my impressions.
Thanks so much for all the great data on this forum. As I mentioned in my initial post, one of the things that has me so interested in this car is the passion that its owners have for it.
That's a club worth joing!




But if I had to guess I would say no way he intends buying a Corvette.
Very interesting FIRST post

 

Well, I guess you can try to predict but I'm just really looking for opinions and figured this is the best place to get my questions answered. Not sure what it means to be a "vet guy" because I know many different types of people who enjoy many different types of cars.
If someone asked me about the pros and cons of owning any of the cars that I've owned I feel that I can be objective about them and tell them both what I liked and what I disliked or liked less. Having lived
with a particular car 3 years or more I believe puts one in a postion where they can really give the true picture of the experience. Much more so than a short test drive. That's the value of the "information age" we are in where we can easily share data that others may find helpful.

Thank you to all of you who responded openly, honestly and sincerly to my questions. Your input is appreciated.

 

how often does the Corvette require service ?

Just wondering, since it's an ultra high-performance car.

Thanks.

 

well from my personal experience( i've had 3 porsches including a 911,a mb convertible a bmw vert and currently a lexus 430 along with the c6 forget the fact that the vette is the best looking, the torque, power and handling are just unbelieveable if i was concerned with the intereior( the c6 interior is fine but shoddy compared with the lexus but i got the car to drive not to sit in and admire the interior. i had one problem and the chevy dealer took me in to service 1 minute after i called about the problem drove me home after dropping off the car bought me coffee and donuts on the way home ordered the part and had the car fixed just fine in 2 days at no charge.so if you're into cars the vette standa alone as far as i'm concerned it's my 9th vette and second c6( oh yeah i had a viper too)

 

Hi .I am a 1st time vette buyer. I have found that the C 6 is of a much higher build quality than GM of old.

 

Thank you for your input.
On the handling aspect, what are the attributes that you favor most besides straight line acceleration? Does it handle the twisties well?

 

Back when the BMW Z3 came out it was very popular and I thought (if only for a split second) that I may want one. I put down $500 just to test drive the thing and boy was I disappointed. I could run faster than that car could drive. After years of driving a Vette, it was a big letdown. The interior IMO was cheap and cheesy. So I got my money back and bought another Vette.

I have also driven several different classes of Mercedes and like them okay, but even the sportier ones tend to roll in the corners, unlike a Vette. I like to drive fast and hard, and the only car that can fulfill my expectations is a Corvette. There is just no matching the power that a Corvette has for the price.

I like the C6 interior. Some people may say the new Vette interior is spartan or doesn't compare to a luxury car like a Lexus. It is not supposed to. That is precisely why I like it. I am a minimalist who loves how clean and uncluttered the Vette interior looks. I don't like and don't need the woodgrain and all the other extras that luxury cars have because the Corvette is not a luxury car. It's a sports car!

As most have said, when you take a test drive, bring your checkbook. You will buy it!

 

I think that vette is doing it right in not trying to make a sports car into a luxury car. When you try to be too many things to too many people you wind up diluting the product. It's good that they know who they are and don't try to broaden their market appeal by compromising the car. I can't wait to take one for a long test drive.