Totally wrong..
Corvette Reliability Way Below Average?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,046
Likes: 13
From: Central Florida
From my plant tour I can't agree with your statement. I didn't see one machine making the car. Everything was being done by people. Machines may help in that they hold the heavy items so they can be manually placed by a person. The windshield is a perfect example in that a person manipulates a machine that is holding the windshield. But the person is the one positioning the windshield and finalizes the placement.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 5,411
Likes: 2
From: N Carolina 08 Z51 Coupe
CR doesn't understand sports cars.. period. They ding them for not having enough cup holders and glovebox space.. for their "harsh" ride and abrupt handling... etc.
When you need to know which toaster to get.. then CR can help. When it comes to cars... if it's not a Honda or Toyota.. then it's going to get a sub-par rating..
Things like the column lock problem, rocking seat.. are counted as major electrical problems. CR tries to account for too much data and they don't categorize it correctly.
When you need to know which toaster to get.. then CR can help. When it comes to cars... if it's not a Honda or Toyota.. then it's going to get a sub-par rating..
Things like the column lock problem, rocking seat.. are counted as major electrical problems. CR tries to account for too much data and they don't categorize it correctly.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
From: bluffton sc
Posted similar thread before.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1805134
All in all, a corvette is no better quality than any other GM vehicle, it just handles like a go-kart and has 430hp and six gears.. And it looks cool too.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1805134
All in all, a corvette is no better quality than any other GM vehicle, it just handles like a go-kart and has 430hp and six gears.. And it looks cool too.
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
The word reliability is a relative term. It is based on what you are accustomed to. I have owned Acura, Bimmer, Infiniti cars and I have not owned a domestic brand for over 20 years. I am ordering a 2008 Corvette. I ordered a 2003 MB E500 back in 2002. It is the most troublesome car I have ever owned! It had electronic problem one after another. Heck, during delivery at the dealership, a check engine light lit up! Turn out to be fuel sending unit was faulty. The salesman was totally embarrassed to say the least. Then the engine mounts were replaced, SBC brake recall twice. Radio command module replaced The list goes on and on. I have a file almost an inch thick. On top of that the dealer, Millenium, was totally incompetent in servicing and the service manager, who could care less about your satisfaction, was an idiot. Two wheels developed a tiny corrosion and became much bigger. Talked to the service manager twice about replacing wheels and showed him the MB forum that other dealers were replacing wheels for their customers. He laughed it off that the MB forum cannot be trusted. I guessed that he can be trusted more!
I am sure Corvette has its share of problems. The issue is whether you are satisfied with your dealer's service. If you got what I received from my MB dealer, you will be pissed. I would never buy another MB regardless of any quality improvement because of the treatment from the dealer, Milleniim. Although I have read about the Corvette reliability issue, I don't think it will top the 2003 E500.
I am sure Corvette has its share of problems. The issue is whether you are satisfied with your dealer's service. If you got what I received from my MB dealer, you will be pissed. I would never buy another MB regardless of any quality improvement because of the treatment from the dealer, Milleniim. Although I have read about the Corvette reliability issue, I don't think it will top the 2003 E500.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 5,894
Likes: 1
From: Farmingdale NY
St. Jude Donor '06
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,311
Likes: 1
From: Los Angeles CA
I agree with Shopdogs post albeit at this very moment Im not a "reliability" poster child:
05 with 24K miles:
1. Fuel Send Unit failure
2. AH/TC light - fixed the first time with ziplock on steering after 5 visits to 2 different incompetent dealerships
3. Missing bolt on rear bumper (when new)
4. Auto volume never worked (thank God its a useless feature)
And the mother of all issues:
5. Intermittent "computers cant communicate" issue which translates to ALL computers going nuts -- engine/tranny/climate control/sensors/ instruments/fuel system/brakes YOU NAME it going nuts and beeping ALL at the same time while yer doing 60 in the fwy....2 weeks at the dealer so far and no progress at all....
So I dont care what CR has to say - at this very moment it is hard for me to defend "reliability and quality" on my car... I really wish GM would make it easier for me to defend the car but as my luck would have it its a poster child for 1st year production run
05 with 24K miles:
1. Fuel Send Unit failure
2. AH/TC light - fixed the first time with ziplock on steering after 5 visits to 2 different incompetent dealerships
3. Missing bolt on rear bumper (when new)
4. Auto volume never worked (thank God its a useless feature)
And the mother of all issues:
5. Intermittent "computers cant communicate" issue which translates to ALL computers going nuts -- engine/tranny/climate control/sensors/ instruments/fuel system/brakes YOU NAME it going nuts and beeping ALL at the same time while yer doing 60 in the fwy....2 weeks at the dealer so far and no progress at all....
So I dont care what CR has to say - at this very moment it is hard for me to defend "reliability and quality" on my car... I really wish GM would make it easier for me to defend the car but as my luck would have it its a poster child for 1st year production run
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
Reliability is a long term description. One year ownership does not really provide valid statistics for long term reliability. The reason CR is hard on domestic cars is due to the readers' feedback, not CR's own opinion. Domestic cars, in general, have not been reliable although both GM and Ford are really improving. Reliability is not only a factual issue but it is more of a image issue. It would a take more than a decade to change that image and buying habits. How long did it take Honda and Toyota to establish that reliability image, 15, 20 years plus? Import car buyers will not take a chance on switching to the Big 3 when they are happy with their cars. It is a monumental task for the Big 3 to get the import car buyers to switch. The issue is whether the Big 3 can wait or survive that long. This is really sad but the Big 3 really did it to themselves.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,605
Likes: 2
From: Latrobe PA
I agree with Shopdogs post albeit at this very moment Im not a "reliability" poster child:
05 with 24K miles:
1. Fuel Send Unit failure
2. AH/TC light - fixed the first time with ziplock on steering after 5 visits to 2 different incompetent dealerships
3. Missing bolt on rear bumper (when new)
4. Auto volume never worked (thank God its a useless feature)
And the mother of all issues:
5. Intermittent "computers cant communicate" issue which translates to ALL computers going nuts -- engine/tranny/climate control/sensors/ instruments/fuel system/brakes YOU NAME it going nuts and beeping ALL at the same time while yer doing 60 in the fwy....2 weeks at the dealer so far and no progress at all....
So I dont care what CR has to say - at this very moment it is hard for me to defend "reliability and quality" on my car... I really wish GM would make it easier for me to defend the car but as my luck would have it its a poster child for 1st year production run
05 with 24K miles:
1. Fuel Send Unit failure
2. AH/TC light - fixed the first time with ziplock on steering after 5 visits to 2 different incompetent dealerships
3. Missing bolt on rear bumper (when new)
4. Auto volume never worked (thank God its a useless feature)
And the mother of all issues:
5. Intermittent "computers cant communicate" issue which translates to ALL computers going nuts -- engine/tranny/climate control/sensors/ instruments/fuel system/brakes YOU NAME it going nuts and beeping ALL at the same time while yer doing 60 in the fwy....2 weeks at the dealer so far and no progress at all....
So I dont care what CR has to say - at this very moment it is hard for me to defend "reliability and quality" on my car... I really wish GM would make it easier for me to defend the car but as my luck would have it its a poster child for 1st year production run
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,119
Likes: 272
From: SC
I did not buy my vette for reliability, it's a toy! and for a 50K "true" sports car, it's a good buy. Is it as dependable as a Honda, toyota, Nissan, or other "transportation" imports? NO! But it's not made for just to and from trips every day in all weather, seasons. It's a 2 seater sports car, made for fun. I'm happy with it, but if anyone thinks its made as well as my wifes Lexus, sorry don't compair apples with oranges!
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 41,331
Likes: 616
From: FL
CI-7-8-9-10 Veteran
Cruise-In IX AutoX Winner
St. Jude Donor '05 thru '11,'19,'22,'25
St. Jude/CI Name Tag Designer
Got mine in January, '05. I've had about 18 problems, several major.
Regardless, it's a blast to drive.
Regardless, it's a blast to drive.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,324
Likes: 0
From: MN
Let's see...for my 2006 A6 so far:
1. 3 DBS attacks, flatbed tows, and new batteries
2. Roof recall foam done, cracked roof, and a new roof installed
3. Rear axle fluid changed
4. Ash tray door now won't stay shut - waiting on parts
5. A console rattle that is hard to pin down
That's it. Frankly, while these issue have been agravating, they aren't anything different than the issues I had with every other new car I owned. My Porsches were repair queens (and 5x as expensive to maintain as well). My Jeep has been recalled and had several other repairs done on it. My wife's Kia was recalled. The list goes on and on.
EVERY car has issues, 99% of which are not disabling or render the car undrivable. They are annoyances. Nothing more. That's not to say that annoyances are to be tolerated. They shouldn't be, and that's why there are warranties. But, they are to be expected.
1. 3 DBS attacks, flatbed tows, and new batteries
2. Roof recall foam done, cracked roof, and a new roof installed
3. Rear axle fluid changed
4. Ash tray door now won't stay shut - waiting on parts
5. A console rattle that is hard to pin down
That's it. Frankly, while these issue have been agravating, they aren't anything different than the issues I had with every other new car I owned. My Porsches were repair queens (and 5x as expensive to maintain as well). My Jeep has been recalled and had several other repairs done on it. My wife's Kia was recalled. The list goes on and on.
EVERY car has issues, 99% of which are not disabling or render the car undrivable. They are annoyances. Nothing more. That's not to say that annoyances are to be tolerated. They shouldn't be, and that's why there are warranties. But, they are to be expected.
Pro
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 688
Likes: 0
From: Bowie Maryland
IMO Consumer Reports is not a reliable source for vehicles. I would go with JD Power if you doing some research. Also, I only follow Consumer Reports for electronics. You should not base your entire decision from Consumer Reports if they gave the vette low rattings. You should look at the reliability and cost of porsche, mercedes, bmw, and high end sports car. Do see a Lambo or Ferrari use as a daily driver?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,488
Likes: 0
If you read this forum regularly, you'll note that there are a number of chronic problems with the Corvette. Most of them aren't disabling, but a few are. Those mainly center around the keyless ignition system and rapid battery discharge issues. 2005s had the most problems. Roofs delaminated and blew off, harmonic dampers unscrewed, column lock problems, shift to reverse problems, so-called DBS, etc. The 2006 got rid of the column lock and the requirement to shift into reverse at shutdown. That got rid of a lot of problems. Chevy put a bandaid washer on the harmonic damper which reduced the incidence of balancers unscrewing (actually keying the damper, as was done in 80,000,000 previous generation small blocks, would have fixed the problem completely, but they didn't do that). Halfway through the 2006 model year, Chevy changed the top material and seems to have solved the top delamination problem. A couple of software updates seem to have gotten rid of most of the DBS complaints. 2007 and 2008 cars seem better with these problems already remedied. But other problems are showing up, such as the recent spate of loose axle nuts, rocking seats are making an appearance as the older C6s gather more miles, etc.
The normal Corvette problems of squeaks, rattles, positraction clutch chatter, etc are still with us of course. The C6 also has a hydraulic clutch issue. The design with a totally enclosed slave causes the fluid to run very hot and deteriorate. That's a design fault which plagues all manual C6s.
Of course we have to remember that forums disproportionately talk about problems. Owners of cars which have no problems aren't nearly as vocal as the owners of cars who do have problems. So that can give a false impression that all Corvettes have serious issues. Some do, many don't.
Consumer Reports suffers a similar problem in that they depend on surveys of their membership to determine auto reliability. Those who have problems are a lot more motivated to return surveys than those who have no problems. So the absolute problem numbers are suspect. Still, the same holds for other car makes they survey, so the relative rankings should be mostly valid. But because the number of Consumer Reports members who own Corvettes is relatively small compared to the number who own Camrys, for example, they may not be a statistically valid representation of Corvette reliability rankings.
The normal Corvette problems of squeaks, rattles, positraction clutch chatter, etc are still with us of course. The C6 also has a hydraulic clutch issue. The design with a totally enclosed slave causes the fluid to run very hot and deteriorate. That's a design fault which plagues all manual C6s.
Of course we have to remember that forums disproportionately talk about problems. Owners of cars which have no problems aren't nearly as vocal as the owners of cars who do have problems. So that can give a false impression that all Corvettes have serious issues. Some do, many don't.
Consumer Reports suffers a similar problem in that they depend on surveys of their membership to determine auto reliability. Those who have problems are a lot more motivated to return surveys than those who have no problems. So the absolute problem numbers are suspect. Still, the same holds for other car makes they survey, so the relative rankings should be mostly valid. But because the number of Consumer Reports members who own Corvettes is relatively small compared to the number who own Camrys, for example, they may not be a statistically valid representation of Corvette reliability rankings.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 6,412
Likes: 1,295
From: Bluffton, SC
Gee, another CR issue about reliability, another low rating for the C6, and another round of CR bashing and C6 defense. Exactly what are we defending the C6 from? From a report, based on user responses that, when compiled, simply states that more problems were reported for the C6 than some other cars?
CR's reliability ratings merely tell its readers which areas of a particular car model are likely to be more troublesome than the average. It doesn't mean you will actually experience those problems, only that you may. I personally never expected my C6 to be as reliable as the typical Honda or Toyota, but I didn't buy my C6 for its stellar reliability or its fuel economy.
My 2005 has had its share of issues, all addressed competently by a really good local dealership. I didn't go nuts over this, just accepted the reality of it and had all the problems dealt with. Now, nearing three years of ownership, the early bugs all seem to have been worked out and I haven't seen my dealer's service department for almost a year.
Still, I read CR's auto issue and have no problems with their methodology or the conclusions they reach. The C6 is less relaible then many of the best and, conversely, better than many of the worst. In spite of all the barbs thrown at CR as being somehow biased or anti-American, this same "rag" also reports that the C6 has the highest owner satisfaction rating ever reported ... something like 93% if I remember correctly.
I enjoy reading CR and appreciate what they do for consumers. Their reporting is an important resource for buying any product; be it cars, electronics, or appliances. Their take on the C6 is as good as anything ... they love the car, appreciate its handling and power, but are not impressed by the problems being reported by owners.
This board reflects CR's findings well ... many here have had trouble free ownership, others have had some minor and/or nagging issues, others have had some really big problems.
People buy Corvettes for the car, not for their CR ratings. I can't see blaming CR for simply reporting the results of reliability surveys. They don't make this stuff up, and we shouldn't be shooting the messenger.
CR's reliability ratings merely tell its readers which areas of a particular car model are likely to be more troublesome than the average. It doesn't mean you will actually experience those problems, only that you may. I personally never expected my C6 to be as reliable as the typical Honda or Toyota, but I didn't buy my C6 for its stellar reliability or its fuel economy.
My 2005 has had its share of issues, all addressed competently by a really good local dealership. I didn't go nuts over this, just accepted the reality of it and had all the problems dealt with. Now, nearing three years of ownership, the early bugs all seem to have been worked out and I haven't seen my dealer's service department for almost a year.
Still, I read CR's auto issue and have no problems with their methodology or the conclusions they reach. The C6 is less relaible then many of the best and, conversely, better than many of the worst. In spite of all the barbs thrown at CR as being somehow biased or anti-American, this same "rag" also reports that the C6 has the highest owner satisfaction rating ever reported ... something like 93% if I remember correctly.
I enjoy reading CR and appreciate what they do for consumers. Their reporting is an important resource for buying any product; be it cars, electronics, or appliances. Their take on the C6 is as good as anything ... they love the car, appreciate its handling and power, but are not impressed by the problems being reported by owners.
This board reflects CR's findings well ... many here have had trouble free ownership, others have had some minor and/or nagging issues, others have had some really big problems.
People buy Corvettes for the car, not for their CR ratings. I can't see blaming CR for simply reporting the results of reliability surveys. They don't make this stuff up, and we shouldn't be shooting the messenger.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 500
Likes: 0
From: Venice Florida
I have not had a serious issue with the 03 or 06 coming up on 200,000 between the 2. the 03 was stock but the 06 is is pretty well modded
(437 rhp).
In reading all the griping about them I cant help but wonder why the gripers seem to keep buying them. As far as I'm concerned for the money and performance nothing else comes close.
(437 rhp).
In reading all the griping about them I cant help but wonder why the gripers seem to keep buying them. As far as I'm concerned for the money and performance nothing else comes close.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 216
Likes: 0
From: Annapolis, MD
I've owned Vette for 14 months now and I've got a little over 15,000 miles on it. I've had zero problems. None! It's been a very reliable/dependable car. This is also my first Corvette.
Before buying the Vette, I owned a 2005 Lotus Elise that I purchase new. Now that car had problems. It was in the shop 11 times within the first 6 months I owned it. Everything was covered under warranty but it was still very frustrating. Needless to say my stress levels went way down when I got the Vette.
Before buying the Vette, I owned a 2005 Lotus Elise that I purchase new. Now that car had problems. It was in the shop 11 times within the first 6 months I owned it. Everything was covered under warranty but it was still very frustrating. Needless to say my stress levels went way down when I got the Vette.
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: Bakersfield California
#2 in Customer Satisfaction
Corvette has been #2 in Consumers Report satisfaction survey for some time, among all cars sold in the US. (Prius is #1) Clearly this is what Corvette owners are interested in, not reliability. I have participated in CR surveys for many years. They are the most comprehensive and independent of any Ive done including JD Powers, who manufacturers must pay to get included. Incidentally, CR excludes many models for which they have insufficient data. They also target the various areas of problems year by year. You can see the improvement from 05 to 06 for example. The 07 will appear in the next annual April auto issue which comes out in March.
Before I bought my 07, I estimated a problem frequency of one per 7 months based on CR data, compared with predicting one per 5 years for my previous Lexus LS, for which I actually had one qualifying problem over nearly 10 years (hood struts). Incidentally, I had to add extra LS differential additive after exactly 7 monts in the Corvette. I expect more serious problems so Ive ordered the extended warranty from Dennis. I think the Corvette is worth the trouble
Before I bought my 07, I estimated a problem frequency of one per 7 months based on CR data, compared with predicting one per 5 years for my previous Lexus LS, for which I actually had one qualifying problem over nearly 10 years (hood struts). Incidentally, I had to add extra LS differential additive after exactly 7 monts in the Corvette. I expect more serious problems so Ive ordered the extended warranty from Dennis. I think the Corvette is worth the trouble