I am new to the board but have been reading posts for the last few weeks. I love the look of the car but I have a few questions so that I can understand better the love affair you have with this beautiful car and so perhaps I can join in it one day.
I have only had BMW, Lexus and MB as my recent cars and I'm concerned that the dealer experience in sales and service will not be "pleasant".

The vert that I would consider would be around 60K so it's not cheap by any means and I'm wondering why the interior does not seem to be compareable to the imports. I would hope for that price that if the interior is a bit of a drop off then it is more than made up for in other areas. What are the owner's viewpoints on that?

I know that tourque and performance are an important part of the equation for the great passion you all obviously feel for your vettes, is it that much more powerful than say and MB SL, Lexus SC (different experience of course) or BMW M3?

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 really want to be convinced so please don't take any part of this post as an invalidation of anyone's purchase. I just want to know on the value side of the equation on a 60K car when one is giving up to the competition in such areas as interior, sound system, reliability etc. what you feel you get on the plus side.

I think it's by far the coolest looking car on the planet and the idea of cruising in a vert is very enticing to me. I just need to satisfy the "logical" part of my brain.

Thank you all for your input and I do love the passion I see displayed on this board. I've never seen such a loyal group of car owners.

 

Since your on a corvette forum, I suspect your going to get glowing reports of the vette. Why not just go to a Chevy dealer and test drive some. You can even tell them your comparing to other vehicles. They should be happy to let you drive and compare. Good luck

 

There are many on this board who have had all the types of cars you've mentioned and made the switch to the C6 and have been elated!

Unless the MB you had was a AMG SL65 nearly costing 3 times as much you are ready for a switch.

You may get a few comments on inferior interior here and there
but, you will get no argument on performance and yes it really
is that much more powerful than the cars you have driven.

Most factory stereos don't respond well to AM/FM but if you pop in a CD or get Satellite, the Corvette system is sufficient.

I had 4 C5s and when the top was down it covered the rear speakers. The C6 has addressed this and now there is no interference.

The fact that you haven't bought one means you haven't driven one.

If you can get a test drive, bring your checkbook and save yourself an extra trip home and back!

 

First time corvette owner, I AM VERY HAPPY I BOUGHT ONE.

 

A vette is a vette. There is no comparsion to any car you have driven. I've spent half my life (58years) in a vette. It's the only car worth driveing. It's a drivers car. If you have to think about getting one, don't.

 

I'm currently driving my 16th Corvette. There is no substitute. (Sorry, Porsche fans)

I've also owned Porsches (911s), MB, Lexus (LS and SC), Audi, etc., but I cannot envision anything else holding the same spot in my heart. My everyday car is a Jag XJR (also with 400HP/400 lb-ft), and I love that. It still isn't as much fun to drive as the 'Vette.

Yes, a Chevy dealer won't treat you like a Mercedes dealer, but that also means you can get service for a lot less money, parts are available immediately, and they won't treat you in a condescending fashion. Find a service adviser at the dealership who understands 'Vettes, and make him your friend.

The sales process need not be a hassle. Do your homework, and be prepared to patiently work to get the right deal. The Forum Dealers can help you to make this totally painless.

Drive one today!

 

unfortunately posing a question like this in a corvette forum will get you a biased response from corvette owners....it all comes down to what you want in a car....i have been looking at both an M3 and a C6 (purchase to be made in approx 1 year)....and well...i guess it comes down to what i want....i just came across a quote while researching bmw m3's vs corvette c6's that for me personally could not have said it any better....

"It's not how fast you get there. It's how you arrive."


i have read on here that theres a couple of people that have owned m3's and bought a corvette and they are never looking back to another car....again...research the pros and cons of each vehicle...i wish it was an easy decision :0)

 

The fit and finish has come a long way and is now firmly in the import idiom. The quality at least on mine is also very good. If you go by JD powers satisfaction surveys Mercedes has taken quite a hit recently. A friend who has a Z06 and an M3 has told me about the horror stories of BMW service. I was treated fairly and impecably by one of the forum dealers tommy jr at Macmulkin. My local dealers were not so nice so I did the deal long distance. Although a glass of wine and a nice showroom is nice in the long run who cares if the product is good. Certainly the corvette has a pedigree 50 years plus and a long following. The C 6 has been getting converts back to american cars from the imports for a good reason it will compete with anything in it's price range and above. As has been stated go take one for a drive and see for yourself all you have to lose is an afternoon drive.

 

Yeah, you can't get an unbiased answer here - even from those of us who think we offer them. I love my '06. My purchase experience was great (Rick Daniel @ Stanford) and with 2,000 miles on my car, I've had no service issues yet. Hopefully, if I need them the service department will treat me well.

The interior has grown on me. It's all business with the right amount of creature comfort. I don't want the burled wood I had in my Jag if it means a higher sticker or cheaper exhaust, for example.

I leased and got what I thought was a good deal; money factor around 4% which is not bad for a Vette (some dealers are offering .5% on hard-to-sell models).

I love driving the car and it just plain makes me happy. Life is short and then I'm dead a long time. I'm glad to spend a few years with a Vette.

PS - I got the NAV w/ the MP3 and I like my sound system.

 

I currently own a M3 and going through the same process. I have test driven the C6 and thought it was great. My concerns are with dealer service, if needed, and potential for rattles and squeaks. The C6 I test drove was solid and had no rattles and squeaks, but I just don't know what it would be like after 10,000 miles, or a couple years of driving.

My BMWs have all been very good cars and the service at my delaer has been great. I think I would enjoy the C6, but not if it develops squeaks and rattles. I can tolerate substandard service better than rattles and squeaks. Some owners report that their C6s do not rattle, while some say the removable tops rattle, and some say their cars are full of rattles.

Good luck with your decision. I have one to make also.

 

I have had all of the cars you mentioned and more.I traded in an o5 Mercedes for my Z51 equipped C6 and I can tell you there is no finer automobile for the $.It's got its issues but so does everything else,all of this nit picking should not discourage you,buy it,buy it now!

 

 

I've owned 3 Porsches, 3 BMWs, 4 M-Bs, and 3 Corvettes. My last Vette was a C5 Z06 that I traded for an E55. After 2+ years in the AMG I am going back to Corvette. I miss the 6-speed manual. I would normally just get a (C6) Z06, but Scottsdale has put the US's first highway speed cameras on my beloved 101 Loop. This little stretch of roadway is known locally as the "Arizona Autobahn", where a local was ticketed for 167 in a 65!

Since they have taken the "fun" out of the highways here, I'll "make do" with 400/400 and a Vert.

 

On the question of, why is the interior not on par with $60k imports:

Why don't you ask, why isn't the performance of $60k imports on par with the corvette? I'll agree that the corvette's interior isn't great (I don't think it's bad though), but there are tradeoffs on the value proposition. I'd love to get a Porsche Carrera S to get both the performance and the interior quality, but well equipped that would come close to $90k. The truth is, there are imports that perform as well as the vette, but they cost much more than $50-$60k, and there are imports that have better interiors at $60k, but they don't perform as well.

On your reliability concerns, I haven't owned a vette yet, but I wouldn't be too concerned about it's reliability. Everything I've heard and read indicates the corvette should be just as reliable as the competition. Sure, I know GM takes a lot of (often well deserved) flak for quality and reliability, but I think that's more compared to mainstream competitors like Honda and Toyota. The cars your comparing it to (particularly BMW and MB) have far from stellar reliability track records, and I'd expect the vette to be at least as reliable as a Bimmer or Merc if not more so.


On comparing a corvette to the SC, SL, M3:

If you have to ask how the performance differs from a Lexus SC, you really have no clue. An SC is a luxury topless cruiser for old ladies, it's not a sports car and is not comparable to the corvette in terms of performance. The M3 is a nice car, but I wouldn't buy one now given where it is in it's product cycle (if it was 3-4 years ago and we were comparing an E46 M3 to the C5 Corvette, IMO it would be a close call, but E46 M3 vs. C6 isn't close in my opinion). On the Merc SL, first of all it's a LOT more expensive than a corvette, and secondly this is another car that is more of a luxury cruiser than a sports car. You can get an SL with loads of power (if you're willing to pay for it), but the SL is a heavy car and is not going to have handling dynamics comparable to a small, light sports car. I find it odd you left off cars like the Boxster, Cayman S, and Carrera. I think these would be much closer comparisons to the vette in that they similarly are cars that take weight as well as power into the equation and all handle like sports cars should. But, the carrera and the cayman are both significantly more expensive than a vette (the cayman base price looks attractive, but the as tested price in most magazines is $70k+), and the boxster is much less powerful.

Bottom line, if you are looking for a pretty, comfortable, topless "luxury cruiser", then by all means give the SC or SL a close look. Both are pretty good cars for what they are, but neither is a true sports car and will not offer sports car handling.

 

 

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!

 

There are very few cars in the world that drive as well as or better than a Vette in terms of torque, acceleration, and cornering, and all of them are 1.5x to 5x the price. Vette owners are so loyal because its a blast to drive, every single time you get behind the wheel. I've always said I would buy a Ferrarri if I could afford one, but after driving a C5 Vette everyday for 6 years with very little trouble (was in the shop 2 or 3 times in six years, twice for the well-documented column lock problem), I may just stick to Vettes even if I win the lottery.

 

I had a Lexus and an Acura TL. Bought my wife a vette to replace her Lexus. I was so imprseed with it I sold the TL and bought another vette for myself. Like everyone here has said, If you go test drive it take your check book. You won't be disapointed. As far as the interior goes, I think it's just fine. Much better than what I have seen in years past. I'm totally happy with it.

 

Don't consider it just buy it you won't be sorry.

 

Buy a used c6 vert