well looks like riding oon a 2.5 inch drop on the really bumpy roads of cleveland has took its toll. I need to replace the control arms in the back, and since its lowered they wont cover it. They wanna charge 890 for both rear,with alignment. If you ask me that sounds upsurd!! anyone know where i can get some control arms, and either if I can install them myself, or maybe go somewhere else........(and do i need an alignment after installing them?)

 

Lower control arms are $218 each over the parts counter. You'll probably need new ball joints, new bushings, and bolts too. An alignment will definitely be necessary. The dealer price quote sounds reasonable. Driving a low rider can get expensive.

 

Ouch! How did you lower your car? Longer bolts, cut bushings? I want to lower my car on stock bolts and my understanding is you can't get more than an inch drop on stock bolts. I would check with Gene at gmpartshouse for a quote on parts.

 

Really?? they said the parts are 150 each control arm......

 

I can't say I've never had a little larceny in my heart but I matured over the years. Are you really comfortable with stealing?

It amazes me...someone modifies their car knowing full well the modification will void portions of the factory warranty. Then when the modification does cause a problem, they want to deceive the dealership and commit fraud in order to have GM pay for their mistake.

It ain't right! GM spends a fortune designing, building and providing warranty coverage on their cars. If you alter the car from GM's design specs and your actions cause a mechanical failure...GM shouldn't have to pay for it. I wish it were otherwise but I understand why they don't.

I'm sorry but you elected to slam the car...this caused the problem...man-up and take responsibility for your actions.

Sermon over.

 

and maybe driving habits contributed to the problem. If you make changes you have to respect those changes and drive accordingly. I don't know if your driving accelerated the problem I'm just making a general comment about changes in general.

 

That's wholesale cost, they must like you.

 

my car is lowered too. Although in my estimation I dont abuse it. what part about the control arm failed. the joints, is it bent??

 

Well first, I didnt lower it, I bought it lowered

Second I do understand what your saying, and as you said you matured over the years to realize that, I'm still 19 and havent gotten to that point yet

But on a more serious note, I'm fully ready to take responsiblity for my actions, but if I can have someone else pay(a big company), I will, 900 dollars of GM's is 0 from my pocket. Add up all the 'scamming' stories the dealerships have pulled, and it will add up to more then 900...... I dont treat people/companies with respect unless they treat me with respect, and honestly the dealers are not at all respectful(maybe only to your face), so why sould I be worried about them? I run my own company as well, and I am sorry that i have absoultly NO sympathy for a company that looks the other way on the horror storries that are produced from dealing with dealerships.

 

I agree with this post but have found that saying anything contrary to modding the C6 on this forum can bring some serious flak. Some people seem to think that they should be able to do just about anything to the car and still have it covered under warranty.

It's just my opinion but it sounds like whatever was done to this car damaged it seriously. That's a heck of a way to treat a C6 IMO. My opinion is that this owner needs a mustang or camaro to chop up and modify rather than ruining a C6.

You cannot take a carefully designed and engineered car like the C6 and make shade tree mods to it then think it will be OK. It doesn't work that way. If you were dealing with a crude machine like a mustang ( when compared to a C6 ) I think results would have been better but all the parts of the C6 were carefully designed to work together without major modifications.

It would also seem to me that with a C6 lowered this much you are lucky you didn't destroy more of the car. It's just a shame to see this done to new Corvettes. That's just my opinion so settle down. It's your car and I'm three times your age and remember clearly a time when most vette owners were satisfied with the car as it came from the factory.

 

Oh and my mistake, they told me it is the control arms, but after reading into the report they gaveme it is 'both rear lower control arm bushings'. So anyone know more about those?

should something like this be bought.... an dhow hard is it to install myself...

 

You are right, my car isn't a garage queen. But other then that, I treat it with uptmost respect , keep it clean and do proper maintanance.

I myself love corvettes just as much as any other corvette guy, but dont bash on other cars and think yours is a gift from god, IT IS A CAR. At the end of the day it is just a hunk of lifeless metals(and some carbon fiber/polyster ), and if something happens to it, I will be sad for a little bit,'man-up', and then just buy another one, not a problem to do with material objects.....
I modify my car(or buy it pre-modified) as self expression,of what I like. Your right, stock isnt good enough for me.

Lowering a car is acommon practise and in no way does it make a car a POS. I drive on the streets very carefully to not go over bumps, or if need be , I go at an angle and very slow over bumps. Do not assume things about how I drive or how I am because of my age and that you are three times older. I am not your 'average' 19 year old, or you wouldnt see this car parked in my driveway. Times have changed and just b\c you havent caught on to the changing,doesnt mean the new ways are wrong.


I do not expect a reply to this,and it should end here. I do not come on this forum to argue with people, or upset anyone. If we could just stick to the topic that would be great. (and wayne o, this is not directed at you or anyone else at all, I respect your opinion on 'man'ing-up', my opinion on it is just different )

 

While you're at it, set the car back to stock height so you don't have any more problems. It's only a matter of time before ANY lowered C6 experiences some serious damage, whether cracking radiator supports, tearing the rockers off, etc, etc, etc. Running stock height is scary enough. Fix that puppy right so you can enjoy the car with minimal catastrophe.

 

Thanks for the feedback. I will think about it. Im just in love with the 'lowered' look that it gives me. I'm not sure how so many people feel it is already low, myne is 2.5" lowered and I really dont have problems driving on the roads, and cleveland roads are far from perfect. I will deffinatly think about it, and look at some 'normal' height pictures.....

 

Just because it's common doesn't mean it's wise. As time goes on you'll see how many "common" and trendy things are actually really bad and even downright foolish. Trends are created to sell products, don't follow the herd.

Of course you do, ALL C6 owners must do this to avoid damage because the car is already too low from the factory. The thing to realize is that you cannot predict and often cannot avoid all real-world road perils, regardless of how good a driver you are. It's only a matter of time before you either do not see or are forced to go over a large dip in the road or some debri etc that will do serious damage to your car due to it being lowered so much.

If by "new ways" you mean "lowering"... sure, change can be good... and it can be bad. I don't think this is an issue of "new ways" verses "old ways", it's an issue of, very simply, a car with ultra low ground clearance is going to get torn up when driven on typical real-world roadways... period.

It's a very simple concept. Most real-world conditions include obstacles / road irregularities etc that require over several inches of ground clearance to clear. The lower the car, the more things you are going to hit, the more damage and/or catastrophic destruction you will experience. Is it really worth it???

Maybe to some the "cool look" IS worth the high level of risk... that's where the individual choice comes in... I respect individual choice... but my advise would be, after having driven / ridden hundreds of thousands of miles in my lifetime, that it is not wise to run in such a vulnerable manner. OregonC6 and I are ultimately just trying to help keep you from learning the hard way.

No flames from those who lower their cars... just an opinion based on a large degree of real-world driving experience... take it or leave it. I just hate seeing nice C6's get torn up.

 

Vet, I understand where you are coming from. I didn't acknowledge it in oregon c6's post because i sensed a strong tone coming from 'your 19 im 3 times as old and know 3 times as much so listen to me because your stupid.' I get that alot, so I became defensive and a little irritated by it.

I completetly agree with everything you have said and pointed out. I have advised my own friends before not to lower their cars b\c of the consequences that come from it. But in the end its whether Its worth the high risk to me(one mans garbage is anothers treasure.) Right now it is, because if anything breaks I can financially back it up( but yes I will try and get the dealership to do it first if i can.... ), If i could not do that, then absolutly I should not be driving a car that is 2.5 inches dropped to the ground with about 1.5 inches clearance from the ground(the plastic safety underlip).

iI am 19 and because of that am willing to accept more risk in things, especially if i can back it up financially. If my car breaks down , i have no work or responsiblility i have to get to on it and am not sh** out of luck.

(btw, your going to be, or already are, a good father ... I can tell jsut by the way you explained things and stay'd calm.... something alot of 'adults' dont understand with dealing with people under 20-25....)

 

No doubt a lowered car looks more "sleek" and "race-like". Again, it's just a matter of "is it worth it?" for real-world use.

Below is a pic I found recently on the forum of a car that appears to be raised slightly from stock. It's either stock or a tad higher than stock.

Now, all a matter of opinion, but I think this car looks as cool or even cooler than a lowered car. The car just looks MEAN, like an old-school hotrod or a moonshine runner. Extremely aggressive stance. Almost a "police car" look, in other words, the look of a car that is ready to chase you down and CATCH you under ANY circumstance. High performance and built for purpose, truly ready to run on real roads.

I guess it's not fair to say that a raised car looks "better" than a lowered one, but it IS fair to say that a raised car DOES have it's own unique aesthetic character and vibe that CAN be quite cool. Just another option.

And because the "raised" look means the car will be way more tolerant of road perils, I choose that look!

 

Hey, I sincerely appreciate that. Thanks.

You certainly appear quite calm and open minded yourself.