Yeah I got that already. Actually lots of people are giving me grief about the hillbilly thing but I'm not buying because of image.

Most people around here drive foreign cars but they're not real sportscars. At under 100K there are only a handful of real sportscars - Panoz, Viper, Vette, Porsche. Everything else is really just a sports sedan. I had a 72 1/2 240Z when I was younger and I just can't shake the fever - but I tend to drive cars and the demographic stereotype is really drivers over 50 who keep them Garaged most of the time. Porsche stereotype is yuppies who drive the heck out of their cars. Just want to make sure it can stand up to the abuse.

 

It's not the 19070/80s anymore. Anyone giving you grief about image and the car are already lost in time anyway. And even with that said, I love the ammenities of the car and performance, so who cares what others think.

If you look at the demographic polls that have been done (over and over again) on this site, you will notice a lot more younger buyers of the Vette today. That is because the car is quite appealling to a wider demographic today.

As for the Vert having any problems, no leaks here. and the car is pretty quiet compared to the Coupe too when the top is up and I drive the Autobahn.

 

I've had 2 Porsches and 3 Corvettes over the years, and they are both fine sports cars. I can't say either is practical, but if you also have a truck, you have practical covered. My C6 makes my heart go flitter/flutter so I am probably not able to give you an unbiased answer except to say that my best buddy has a beautiful Boxster that I also like a lot, but I LOVE my Corvette. My personal favorite is the polished alloys,black/black coupe with the top off. Not a redneck car around here anyway. My other buddy has a BMW M3 convert that is modded and seriously fast. I still chose the Corvette with no regrets.
If the interior pieces bother you, check out the huge selection of carbon fiber and leather alternatives available in the after market. I like the stock look and don't quite get the overly harsh critics. Press the traction control twice to go into comp. mode, floor it somewhere with a lot of room for error, and you will forget all about the center console. If not, see your doctor, you are dead.

 

I'm 36, and I love my vette. No mid-life crisis here!

 

I'm apparently missing something here! How do you compare a Corvette to a Cayman? For those of us that have loved these cars for many years, they are far more than just transportation.....to me they are a way of life and the couple times in the past 35 years when I've had to be without one (once during a couple years when I had 2 kids in college) were very miserable times for me. I don't care how anyone perceives the "why" I drive one and I'll use a phrase again from the world of Harley......"if I have to explain it, you wouldn't understand"!! Sorry and no disrepect intended....but you probably should get the Cayman!

 

Input= wife stfu

 

Let me take a stab at this. I'm fortunate enough to have both a 2005 Z51 corvette coupe with 6 spd manual and a 2006 Porsche Cayman S with the tip transmission. Both are great cars and each different. The Fit and finish on the Cayman is typical Porsche, top notch. The Corvette while not quite at that level is very nice. The Cayman is more nimble and quicker through the turns (mid-engine) but there is nothing like the torque of a V8. The corvette actually gets slightly better highway milage and does not require 91 octane. You can do more shade tree mechanics on the corvette and the dealer service is less also. I can carry one small golf carry bag in the Cayman and other luggage but I can put a large golf staff bag in the vette and still have luggage room. Bottom line as I said at the beginning each gets you someplace fast and differently and both are fun to drive. I throughly enjoy them both and if I had to make a decision, well I don't right now. I will say this is my fifth Porsche in 45 years of driving and my first vette. Even being on the second top and second battery on the vette I am still hooked and throughly enjoy it every time I get behind the wheel of either.

 

To address your convertible question. Mine never leaks, is (in my opinion and others) quieter than the coupe, and is rock solid. I don't use it as a daily driver, but would not hesitate to do so. The top is a German make, I believe, not a "rag top."

 

HA!!! Well, I have a good tan...Cayman S is a great car. 911 is an icon. Bang for the buck, if you care--can't beat the Vette. Love mine. A 911 was my second choice, and a Cayman was also on the list. Service, dealership choices (three Chevy and one Porsche dealer in COS) cost of maint. items, insurance all practical considerations favoring Vette. Plus, new Vette vs used 911, and Cayman S is out of your price range, real world pricing, or just barely in. Vette gives you change from your $50K bill. All great cars. I'm happy I made my choice.

 

The Cayman's engine is not accessible. Forget about working on it. The 911 is not for the amateur mechanic, either. The Vette engine is wide open, easy to work on and bullet proof.

 

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the carpet. Just more nitpicking bs from people who should have bought a Lexus, not a Vette.

 

In 1990, I bought a 1980 Porsche 911 Turbo. It was a grey market car that had been brought over from Europe by the owner. The car had an aftermarket Ruf turbo with adjustable boost. The turbo was shot when I looked at the car but the owner went halfsies with me on a new turbo setup ($7K at that time). I bought the car for about $23K, which included the cost of turbo. The cosmetics of the car were perfect. After buying the car, that's when the fun began. Talk about nickel and dime-ing me. Everything on that car cost pentuple what a normal car would. The oil changes alone cost about $200.00 because of the air cooled engine. Hopefully the newer Porsches aren't as bad but certainly something to keep in mind when buying something a little more "exotic".

 

Total by the dealer. Verts may be rare sitting on the lot, but somewhere between a ~1/3->~1/2 of vettes produced are verts. (I'll have to look at exact production #'s and update this.)

The C6 was designed from the get-go to be both a vert and coupe. So the frame is designed to not have a roof. Any additional flex would be minimal, and wouldn't be noticed unless you are on the track.

The only rain problem you have to worry about is lack traction.

You might want to check this thread however for common problems with vettes: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=927981

Most common problems these days:
Bad switch/sensor in power vert roof.
Roof delamination. (Fixed in all 2007+)
Service Traction Control System (Wiring harness in steering wheel too short. It's an easy fix.)
Bad wheel alignment out of factory
Dead Battery Syndrom for cars that sit > 2 Weeks.
A-Pillar Delaminating
A6 Transmission issues starting to show up. (Shift issues)
The increased gas bill from all the new driving you'll be doing

Minus the roof delamination and A6 issues, all of these are easy repairs.

Despite all the problems listed above, a vette is considerably cheaper than most other sports cars in terms of maintenance. However there are a LOT of computers on a vette. Most issues outside standard maintenance can not be handled by a shade tree mechanic.

I'm finding out the corvette family is a brotherhood of addicts...errr enthusiast. Check for you local corvette club. There will be plenty of people there who aren't rednecks.

 

My father and I bought our Vette for 1 reason:

It's been a dream of ours since I was 8yrs. old.


My point? You can always find a nicer, better quality this/that. You can always find a faster car. You can always buy a car that is "popular" at the time.

My advice? Find a sports car that you are passionate about. Buy the one that gives you the warm fuzzies. $50K + is a lot of money to ANYBODY. Better make sure you are passionate about it.

 

I faced the exact same decision. I seriously considered the Cayman before I bought my C6. I was driving an '05.5 Audi S4 and had been driving german cars for about 8 years until now. I just couldn't justify spending another 15K to 20K for a comparably equipped Cayman vs. the C6. Yeah, the Cayman is a fun car to drive, great through the twisties but the vette is no slouch. And, while the performance numbers are close, the vette just "feels" more powerful.

As for build quality/fit and finish, I am actually impressed by the vette. Having been in Audis for the past number of years, I was prepared to be disappointed in that regard. But very pleased and impressed actually. The quality of interior materials would be the only "downgrade" if you will, from the Audi. Features/options, are on par but the interior materials are not as good on the C6. Then again, comparing interior quality on an Audi is just about as good as it gets.

Is all that extra $$ worth nicer interior materials and the Porshce cache ... I'm not sure about that.

As for the redneck stuff ... I live in Fairfield County CT where there are plenty BMW/Mercedes/Audi/Porsche, and I've only received compliments on my C6 ... and plenty of stares (good ones I hope !)

 

Based on my surfing on porsche boards, the 911s seem to have few major problems. The Cayman on the other hand is still questionable. If you will get the manual, check out this thread at Cayman club first.

 

i think'n the vette forum guys are going to suggest the..... VETTE!

 

I started to repond to the "midlife crisis/redneck" concern, but decided that what I wrote was far too verbose and probably pointless. If what others think is impotant to you, and there is not anything wrong with that being a major factor in a $50K plus purchase, get the used Porche. Great cars, I've had three of them. Part of the fun of a high performance car is enjoying it with your spouse/significant other. If she thinks Corvette means redneck and that bothers her, you would be foolish to get one. BTW, I find the interior of my '05 Corvette convertible to be comparable to my previous vehicle, a BMW M3; the Corvette does not leak (we get about 60 inches of rain annually); the performance, including steering/braking/handling, is just as intoxicating as you have heard, and perhaps most important, my wife loves the car. Good luck with your decision. Will

 

You ask such a question on the Corvette Forum, and you expect the answer to be something besides 'you should get the Corvette'?

 

I'm a believer in Japanese quality myself and not a big fan of GM/Ford/DC quality. However, after renting a C6 for a week one year ago, I have been hooked ever since. I just purchased my second C6 on Friday. The fit & finish in the vette is not quite up to the quality of my Lexus, but it is surprisingly good. The car is very tight. Also, my first C6 was a vert and the top will not leak in the rain.

As far as the Porsche, they are nice, but you will pay a lot more money for one. I looked at 911's prior to buying a vette (I also looked at the M3, XKR, CLK55 AMG, etc.). I find the 911's a little plain looking and pretty expensive for what you get. My business partner is a car nut and bought a yellow 2002 C4 CAB a year ago. He is already bored with it and he just put it on the market. I have driven it and ridden around in it. It is very nice, but I like the C6 better.

Good luck with your decision. Take your time and test drive them all. Go with what you want and not what others are telling you to get. I am a firm believer in keeping in line with what the wife likes, but her reasons have to be more than unfounded impressions. Everyone knows rednecks drive pickup trucks!

Edit: One more thing. The C6 is a great daily driver. The seats are comfortable, the ride is nice (even with the Z51 package), and the fuel economy is great.