I am contemplating buying a Corvette. I have a current deal to buy a 2005 6.0 with 44k miles, Z51, Nav, HUD. It has a small crack in the front bumper that I will have to get repaired. I am also looking at a brand new base 2011.

Have there been any other major changes between 2005 and 2011?

The obvious pros to buying brand new are that it will have zero miles, a warranty, I will know the exact history of the vehicle, and no crack in the front bumper.

Do you think it's worth the extra $15k for the new one or should I go with the 2005?

Also, are you guys paying a gas guzzle tax on the brand new ones? Not a GS or Z06. Just a base.

 

Neither....wait for the C8

 

You mean C7? I'd like to wait but the prices won't be as low and I want the car now ha! I have an '09.5 G8 GT and I hate putting mileage on it after selling my 2010 Silverado. I've had the G8 for 2 years now and it only has 10k miles on it.

There's a new 2011 at the dealer here advertised for $40,988 and I can get a GM card discount of $1k bringing it to $39,988 before I haggle. I doubt I can get a new model year for that.

 

There are others more informed than I that can better answer your question but suffice it to say there are a multitude of changes/improvements made with each model year. The most notable change post 2005 was the slightly more powerful LS3 engine. There is nothing wrong with a 2005 C6...my (modified) 2005 has been incredibly reliable and trouble free. That said I would always recommend you buy the newest model year possible.

You might look to the C6 FAQ's page...it may contain a chronology of changes over-the-years.

 

Imo, if you're looking at buying an 05' that need front end repair and it has 44K miles it had better be MUCH less than a 2011' - $15K.

Btw, these things don't guzzle gas(no tax).

 

No gas guzzler tax. You should get 25+ mpg on the highway depending on transmission and driving style.

The 2005 sounds like 3LT trim while the 2011 is a 1LT trim. 1LT is base. Nothing wrong with it as I've owned/prefer them myself. I currently have a 3LT only because the wife wanted all the extras.

Repairing a crack will be expensive, since more than likely will involve replacing the bumper cover anyway.

2005s are known to have weak differentials. If the car has been abused by current/previous owners, you could get an expensive repair bill down the road.

2011s have:

-More power/tourqe (30-36 hp/20-24 tq)
-Better tires
-Might have the dual mode exhaust (loud to quiet)
-A warranty!
-If cars are automatic tranny: 2005 has four speed while 2011 has six speed with paddle shifters.
-Many other improvements that aren't readily visible or apparent.

I'm sure others will chime in.

 

Try these links.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1563694469-post5.html

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1572068640-post2.html

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1573895954-post1.html

 

I am also considering going to a C6. As you know, these are sophisticated cars with highly technical systems that can go bad. Hence, be prudent when buying used. Get a CF Member or Corvette Technician to check out any car you consider, especially one without a warranty.

My strategy is to find a car from an enthusiast who took excellent care of his/her car vs. a dealer. When seeing Vettes at a dealership, I can't help wondering why a particular car was traded.

The exception to this is CarMax. They are worth a trip, if only to kick some tires, drive some cars, and use as a benchmark for used Corvette pricing. You pay slightly more, but your chances of acquiring a problematic car are greatly reduced. I have a couple of friends that have gone the CarMax route for C5-C6 and are very happy:

1. They know that CarMax thoroughly checks out the cars they sell.
2. They are very busy and did not want to take the enormous amount of time it can take to find the right car.

I'm not gonna tell you to avoid 05's altogether (uh-oh, Flamesuit on ), but realize that the early C6's were somewhat more problematic. The 05 AT was also an A4 vs. A6 w Paddles.

If you can, shoot for an 08 or later, with the LS3 engine and NPP exhaust option. 08 is the MCR year for C6. The MCR, or mid-cycle refresh, is the model year where the most significant improvements are made. Be aware, though, that 08 buyers paid more for their cars, as less incentives and discounts were available at the time. Consequently, a used 08-09 may not save you much over acquiring a 10-11 C6.

If you are particular about your cars, you may just want to bite the bullet and buy new now! You get to pick your color and options, plus you can take advantage of very low finance rates.

Good luck, and bring whatever you buy to Carlisle this August so I can drive it!

Rickman

 

Those are all some greats points and definitely worth considering before I decide.

The '05 is nice despite the cracked bumper and 44k miles plus I'd save $16k+ BUT the upgrades might be worth it plus there's nothing like a brand new Corvette.

 

Buy the 2011

Bert

Roll Tide!

 

Go new. No gas tax. You really should go test ride a new one. Fantastic machines!
And if you got the "standard" coupe, you would have a rare car, as most are buying the GS.

 

O5 manuals suffered from DBS (Dead Battery Syndrome) and column lock failure which, in most cases, required the car to be towed to the dealer for repair. While GM did address the DBS issue with a TSB requiring a dealer reflash of the computer, they never did address the column lock issue, whcih was a carry over form the C5 era. The '05 model year was the only one with the column lock - it was eliminated on all later model year cars. But the colum lock is a HUGE issue.

 

The 05 is a perfectly fine car but at what price?

Max book on the 05 would be 27k minus 1-2k for the bumper fix and you are at 25k.

If you can get any new 2011 for 40k even then I would that route!

 

I'm looking to get into entry C6 market in a year or so and I'm looking at 08's since that was the first year of the LS3 engine in the base vettes. I'd figure if I'm going to get a C6 used I may as well pay a little more for what I hear is a better engine. It all depends on what you want to do with the car though. Do you need the extra 30hp and how much are you willing to pay for it? Do you want a brand new warranty? etc.

 

2008 and up with NPP dual mode performance exhaust have 9% more horsepower, improved steering and shifting. 2009s added variable ratio steering, bluetooth and chrome look badges. Nothing much since then.

 

This is a difficult question. I think the main reason I would go with a 2011 is because of the warranty. Personally I would want that if I were buying a performance vehicle.
Good luck on your purchasing decision.
Brent
GM Customer Service

 

If I remember correctly, one of the car mags, and you see, I can't remember which one, wrote an article about the 2008 vette and said there were over 100 changes made besides the engine. That was enuff to push me off the ledge. Now I wait patiently to see what the C7 will bring.

 

Don't be afraid of the '05. I paid $18K for a fully loaded '05 Z51 MZ6.

 

I personally think that a "base" Corvette is a bargain. I have seen local dealers advertising base 2011 Corvettes around $39-$40K. My car is not the base model, but I could do without many of the extras. Basic car is not exactly what I consider stripped-down. However, I love my NPP exhaust that adds about $1K on a new car.

No gas guzzler tax, partially because of the skip-shift feature on manuals that helps with the government's test, however I would suggest bypassing the skip-shift once you own it. These cars are capable of great fuel mileage if you can keep your foot out of it.

 

I have a new dilemma. I have a deal set up with the guy who is driving an hour to sell me the '05 tomorrow morning and I won't know if I can get the new one until the morning.

I went to the dealership this morning to see the actual car that is advertised for $40,988. It has a list price of $51,150. They only have one and someone came last night to trade an '02 or '03 Corvette in on it. The salesman said he was shopping to get the person a price on a trade for their car. They were supposed to come today at noon and get it but I just called and as of 5pm they haven't shown up to get the car.

I told the salesman I have cash in hand ready to buy the car and he said the best he could do is call them first thing in the morning and see if they still want it then he will let me know.

He said no paperwork has been signed so technically the car hasn't been sold. Why is he giving me the runaround when I have cash!? He knows I am buying the '05 tomorrow if I cannot get the '11.