I am considering buying a new C-6 (namely, Z06) but I have not been able to pull the trigger due to concerns with quality. I currently own a 2004 C-5 and have owned 1998 and 2002 models. Each one had quality issues ranging from endless electrical system problems, parts of the car actually falling off (side mirrors) to fading interiors. My 1998 went to the servicing dealer no less than 26 times for such silly and frustrating things. My 2004 is starting to suddenly have problems - a fading dash, electrical system misreads, weatherstripping cracking, rocking seats and so forth....it is as if GM programmed the car to have problems at the same time...BTW the car only has 22K miles on it and is garaged.

I have driven a C-6 several times but must say that although the quality has improved, it still lacks the vault-quality feel of a Porsche 911 or MB CLS 500. The reviews I read on the forum are scattered with quality concerns. Also, when I bring my car in for servicing, I have a feeling that the techs view it as another GM product such as a Colbalt....

With a Z06 price in used 911 S and CLS 500 territory, quality is a major concern for me. I would rather spend a bit more for something which will last and keep me out of the GM service department.

Any thoughts?

 

"With a Z06 price in used 911 S and CLS 500 territory, quality is a major concern for me. I would rather spend a bit more for something which will last and keep me out of the GM service department."


Sounds like you are answering your own question.

 

Although I have never owned one, I understand that Rolls Royce makes a pretty nice car. Sounds more like what you might enjoy.

 

There are going to be problems with any car. No manufacturer is bullet proof on this. For example, Honda, just recalled 166,000 automobiles, and Toyota recalled more vehicles last year than it manufactured. I personally didn't have ANY problems on my C5 and with 4,000 miles on my '07 haven't had any problems there either.


Josh

 

There are going to be problems with any car. No manufacturer is bullet proof on this. For example, Honda just recalled 166,000 automobiles, and Toyota recalled more vehicles last year than it manufactured. I personally didn't have ANY problems on my C5 and with 4,000 miles on my '07 haven't had any problems there either.


Josh

 

Frankly, it sounds to me like you've all ready answered your own question and are either looking for us to validate it, or talk you out of it. That is your decision to make, not ours. I'm very happy with my C6 (read zero problems). If you weren't it won't be on my shoulders. I've had zero problems. I had only one warranty issue with my 1997 C5. I think you'll be happier with the used Porsche.

 

You have problems with all the cars you have I own a Rolls-royce silver seraph Last of Line Bought new, after one year they had to change my four chromed wheels, arial and one of the batteries and had a bit of wind noise through the driver door which they never put it right as they said that is a very big job. I live in Malta were one never see any snow and the car stays in a controlled garage.

 

You would be buying GM design, parts, reliablilty, quality control and service. The same that went into the Aztek. There are those who are perfectly happy with this arrangement.

There are others who obviously are not.

If you spend any time on any enthusiast forum, you will find such a divergence of opinions. It does not matter whether its a MB, BMW or Porsche. There are those who love their car, could not find a fault, and think anyone who complains or criticizes the car is a complete idiot. The opposite group thinks they were idiots for buying their respective piece of crap.

Take what you read on these forums with a grain of salt. Spend some time on each forum to get a feel for the complaints about each marque. Don't assume that because there are those here with quality issues, that these don't exist with other high priced sports cars.

 

Any make of car can have problems....actually the most recalled cars last year were many of the cars considered 'most reliable.' I didn't buy a C6 with any thought about reliability (although my C6 is). I saw the C6 and it was love at first sight! Reading about it only confirmed my lust. My C6 posesses a 'thrill factor' I just haven't found with other cars.

"...With a Z06 price in used 911 S and CLS 500 territory, quality is a major concern for me. I would rather spend a bit more for something which will last and keep me out of the GM service department..."

So what's the question? If you have to be 'talked-into' a C6, you should buy a used 911S or a CLS 500.

 

Thanks for the quick feedback. I am not looking for validation, only opinions from those who have gone through a similar decision making process. I would not have owned 3 C-5s over the past decade (each purchased new) if I did not enjoy the car. I understand that each car has associated issues -- my ownership spectrum has been pretty wide.

 

Your way to negative about the C6. Get the foreign jobs, you will be more happy. This has predetermine what you think just because there are a few that have negatives. It is now a much closer quality issue than prior years. I have had zero issues with mine.

 

Truthfully, there have been a couple of issues with C6 quality, but nothing out of the ordinary. DBS has been an issue for a couple of years now, and the roof recall was also in there as well. Other than that, the C6 has been average or above average for reliability. Mercedes and Porsche have recalled many, many cars as well. Perhaps their name cache keeps them from being flogged as much as Chevy, but that doesn't mean that the fine folks in Deutchland don't screw up now and again. The complaints and gripes you see on this website come from people who care quite passionately about their cars, and we all like to share our experiences to help others when something happens. That doesn't mean that every C6 is problematic; it means that the population inhabiting this forum are the top 1% of people involved in their cars. Naturally, we are more observant, more passionate, more nit-picky than the other 99%. Just my $.02.

Happy Vette-ing, All!

 

. If the plan is to buy the perfect car with no problems, then the answer is to not buy a car because that animal doesn't exist.

 

I'm almost glad now that I traded in my 05 Honda Accord for my new 07 (trouble-free so far) C6 since it apparently was affected in that recall. Although the news made it out to be something a lot more serious than it really is (faulty fuel pump relay). But still, 166k+ cars affected.

 

I have an '05 C6 Z51 6 spd Coupe, '07 C6 base Coupe auto, and '07 Z06.

The quality of these cars is outstanding and I have never had a problem with any of them. I change the oil regularly with Mobile ! and put premium gas into them and drive them. The '05 had the oil changed in the rear end at about 24,000 to address the limited slip making noise and that is it. Period. End of Story.

I wish other cars had this same level of quality.

 

I can see the C-6 passion coming through here. I do not mean to come across as a C-6 heretic on a C-6 forum!

I am not evaluating this as a "U.S. vs. Foreign" sourcing matter either. I am just looking for feedback from folks who also considered general quality issues as part of their own decision making process.

A few 911 owners contacted me (via another channel) and have expressed concerns related to their own vehicles.

I suppose that I will need to spend more time behind the wheel of a C-6!

 

My 2006 C6 has so far proven to be the finest and most reliable new car I've ever owned.... well, at least with over 15 months and over 12k miles on the odo. I was also concerned about reliability and quality prior to my purchase, but it appears I made the right choice. My car has never been back to the dealer.

And quite honestly, the C6 is SO excellent overall that it would still be worth having to deal with a reliability issue along the way. A trip to the dealer even once a year is a small price to pay to own such a fine and powerful car... yes, it's truly worth it.

That's why sometimes when I read of someone here at the forum b*tching and moaning because they had to go bring their C6 back to the dealer to have their ashtray door fixed or some other ridiculously minor thing, then they go on to bash GM and bash American quality , all I can think of is.... well, you don't want to know what I think.

Those people should not even be allowed to purchase a Corvette in the first place. People who are bothered by silly stuff like that obviously have no appreciation for the car itself, its design, its quality, its absolute hands-on performance capabilities... because if you ARE able to absorb and appreciate those things, you will only be HAPPY about the purchase of a C6.

As for the feel of a Porsche or MB compared to the feel of a C6... the C6 indeed has its OWN feel, one to indeed be appreciated. A different flavor, but still excellent. The C6 is rich with American musclecar vibe and heritage... it's a true "hotrod" in the full sense of the word. No European vehicle can duplicate this.

So, it's probably best that you first decide what flavor is your favorite and how much raw relentless power and extreme thrill you wish to obtain, that may help with your decision. I personally will take the American hotrod from hell over a European any day, but that's just me. There is NOTHING like the intense throttle response / torque / sound of a huge naturally aspirated pushrod V8.

And I've heard of many Porsche and MB owners having lots of reliability problems, so... I would say the C6 is no more of a reliability risk than any other hi-end performance car out there.

Best of luck with your decision. All I can tell you with 100% certainty is that my C6 purchase was the best automotive related decision I have ever made. I love this car to death, every single aspect of it. If it got stolen tomorrow, I'd buy another brand new identical car immediately without a second thought.

 

a CLS550, a porche and a C6. I have been a C5 owner for over 8 years and I agree with you there are alot of small annoying issues that shouldn't be happening to this car. However, the other 2 cars you mention have a myriad of issues that are considerably more expensive to fix and maintain than the chvrolet. My wife was pushing me into the CLS550 for a while but I've talked to so many owners of that car that are pulling their hair out and are so frustrated with MB quality they promise they wil never buy another one again. When you buy a MB you expect quality, not a car in the shop. When you buy a corvette you kind of go in knowing there are small issues you will have to deal with. Looked at the consumer reports, its funny to see that the reliability of the vette is not the highest, but the customer satisfaction is. Thats not the case for the other 2 cars .

I like you have owned cars from high end dealerships where they treat you like royalty. They have fancy service booths, offer you starbucks, and cater to you with extreme customer service that chevy lacks in comparison. But the bottomline is, you are paying for it. If you buy a Z06, you're getting your moneys worth and then some, if you buy the other two choices you're paying part of that price in the car so you're actually getting less. Good luck either way, I know you'll make the right choice

 

I love my C6, just went over 6,500 miles. Had one small annoyance that was fixed along with the first oil change. In the interest of full disclosure, it was differential noise, now a fading memory. I agree with other owners who state that the quality is very good, and the other elements are hard to find anywhere else. I just finished a short road trip and got 29 mpg at a steady 74 mph.

As for other brands: I had a 1999 C5 that I was getting bored with after five years. I found a very nice 2000 Porsche 911 Carrera: clean, low miles, good price. Not cheap, but a good price. It was a nice looking car. I was open to a change of flavor and sure thought I would enjoy it. But after just a few weeks of driving it I realized I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as expected. I stayed with it as long as I could, but got this C6 and have been COMPLETELY satisfied.

I know that everyone has their own preferences, Corvettes are not for everyone, and this is just my own opinion (standard corvetteforum.com disclaimer). But I agree with others who say that you need to figure out what you're interested in. If it's a Corvette, I think you'll be happy with a C6.

 

I'm going on 2 years with my C6 and no problems. Every car is going to have issues and every once in a while someone on the assembly line is going to have a bad day and let a stinker roll off the line. Both fortunately and unfortunately I guess that's why we have lemon laws because sh-- happens. For my 42 grand there's no other car that brings a smile to my face and the face of others like the Corvette. Quite simply either you want one of these in your garage or you don't. It's either in your blood or it isn't. Either way, I wouldn't try to talk myself into one. Your gut will give you the answer you seek gwass-hoppa.