Corvette conundrum
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 277
Likes: 2
From: Dayton Ohio
Corvette conundrum
I've had my 427 for about 7 1/2 months now and I'm trying to figure out why there are so many really low mileage Corvettes out there that we hear about all the time on CF. It seems like every time someone posts about there new purchase of an older C6, they bought a car that was driven perhaps 2000 miles or so a year. Mine has over 4000 miles now and is not my daily driver by any means. We see posts all the time about how much everyone loves their Vette, yet it would appear very few drive them very much. I want to drive mine about every chance I get and look for reasons to drive it, so I'm pretty sure mine is not going to be one of those super low milers. I didn't buy mine as an investment, I bought it because I loved the car. I don't expect to put tons of miles on either but I do plan on enjoying mine. The conundrum is how can Vette owners love their car so much and drive them so little?
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,993
Likes: 9
From: Gig Harbor WA
Bought my 2012 Grand Sport in February, in Madison, WI, with 19k on the clock.
I could have had it shipped home to Seattle, but elected to fly out and DRIVE it home, via I-40 and Las Vegas, then over to California and back up to Seattle...3440 miles in 5 days!!
Three weeks ago my wife and I headed to Moab, Utah, then across to Bryce and Zion, then over through Las Vegas to Death Valley, up to Lake Tahoe, through northern CA, and back to Seattle...3410 miles in 9 days!!
I have owned my car about 4 months and have logged over 7000 miles!!
We are headed into the Canadian Rockies in August for a 2500 mile road trip from Seattle, to Whistler, up to Jasper, Lake Louise, Banff, Glacier NP, Sandpoint, ID, and back through North Cascades NP!!
I bought it to DRIVE it, not to park it in the garage and wax it once a week (sorry, it ain't an "investment")!!!
No conundrum here!!!
I could have had it shipped home to Seattle, but elected to fly out and DRIVE it home, via I-40 and Las Vegas, then over to California and back up to Seattle...3440 miles in 5 days!!
Three weeks ago my wife and I headed to Moab, Utah, then across to Bryce and Zion, then over through Las Vegas to Death Valley, up to Lake Tahoe, through northern CA, and back to Seattle...3410 miles in 9 days!!
I have owned my car about 4 months and have logged over 7000 miles!!
We are headed into the Canadian Rockies in August for a 2500 mile road trip from Seattle, to Whistler, up to Jasper, Lake Louise, Banff, Glacier NP, Sandpoint, ID, and back through North Cascades NP!!
I bought it to DRIVE it, not to park it in the garage and wax it once a week (sorry, it ain't an "investment")!!!
No conundrum here!!!
Last edited by MakoShark72; Jun 23, 2013 at 01:06 AM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 277
Likes: 2
From: Dayton Ohio
Wait! I think it's coming to me now. The reason all these people are buying low mileage Vettes is because the original owner never drove the car enough to enjoy it, so they sell them. We don't see many high mileage purchases because the ones that are driving and putting miles on their cars want to keep them to drive and enjoy. Could this be the answer?
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,257
Likes: 7
From: Bluffton,SC
Is this your first Corvette? It sounds like it might be.
I can give you my opinion after 36 years of continuous ownership and 17 Corvettes.The "newness" will wear off and the reality is that these cars are not very practical for a family.I have four children of which 3 are already grown and out of the house.
I love these cars,but many can't use them as much as we might like due to family and work obligations.I take clients out during the day so a Corvette does not allow that and anywhere we go as a family the Corvette is out too.
I suspect that many others are in similar situations.Unless you are single or an empty nester,family life just does not allow for a high mileage Corvette.
I still love the car and tried switching over the years to cars that had a back seat,Shelby Mustang and Challenger SRT8.I am just glad I did not sell the Corvette during those trials,because I ended up selling both of them after less than one year of ownership each.
My point being do not confuse lack of mileage to lack of love of the car.
I can give you my opinion after 36 years of continuous ownership and 17 Corvettes.The "newness" will wear off and the reality is that these cars are not very practical for a family.I have four children of which 3 are already grown and out of the house.
I love these cars,but many can't use them as much as we might like due to family and work obligations.I take clients out during the day so a Corvette does not allow that and anywhere we go as a family the Corvette is out too.
I suspect that many others are in similar situations.Unless you are single or an empty nester,family life just does not allow for a high mileage Corvette.
I still love the car and tried switching over the years to cars that had a back seat,Shelby Mustang and Challenger SRT8.I am just glad I did not sell the Corvette during those trials,because I ended up selling both of them after less than one year of ownership each.
My point being do not confuse lack of mileage to lack of love of the car.
Last edited by sjohnson2615; Jun 23, 2013 at 07:18 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,223
Likes: 14
From: Lower Macungie Township ; Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
I have my 2012 GS for 20 months and just turned 5000 on it during a trip to Maine. Mine is not normally driven in the rain and it is stored from Dec.1 till April 15 due to snow, salt, and cinders on the roads. You know you can't let them get wet or snowed on. 
But then; I also have a 2008 equinox that just turned 7000 miles
But then; I also have a 2008 equinox that just turned 7000 miles
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Drifting
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,428
Likes: 113
From: Brick NJ
I drive my truck to work everyday and take the Vette out when it's nice , I have a low mileage Vette and I don't care about putting on miles it, but i'm not putting miles on it just to drive it to work, no matter what anyone says if you want the car to stay mint you can't use it as a daily driver sooner or later the miles takes it's toll an any vehichle in one way or another, for myself this car is special and I enjoy it looking like new when I take it out for a ride.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,587
Likes: 5
From: central NJ
and some of us have kids that are too young to take in the vette so they can't drive it as much as they would like causing their hair to prematurely grey/bald due to the stress of having to look at their beauty every time they go in the garage to get some beer from the fridge and can't take her out so they spend an extra 10 minutes in the garage sitting in the car pretending to speed around town like a 10 year old pretending to be a race car driver while their wife is screaming dinner's ready where's the f-ing beer??? (breath) 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 7,361
Likes: 4,800
From: West Burbs of Chicago IL
In '05 I traded my C5 in for my first of many C6's, with less than 3,000 miles on the C5. I swore never again. Mine is a DD during the Summer and I've taken my '08 on long trips back East. Now i have a '12 GS. Drive it like you stole and don't worry about what it will be worth when you sell it down the road.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,634
Likes: 1,185
From: Lake Worth Beach, Florida
I have a company car and use that during the week. I am allowed to drive the company car for personal use and the fuel is supplied for free, but I park the company car on the weekends and drive the Corvette. I just turned 50K on my 08 vert and after I retire fully I will drive the heck out of the vert.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 474
Likes: 1
From: Raleigh North Carolina
I drive my truck to work everyday and take the Vette out when it's nice , I have a low mileage Vette and I don't care about putting on miles it, but i'm not putting miles on it just to drive it to work, no matter what anyone says if you want the car to stay mint you can't use it as a daily driver sooner or later the miles takes it's toll an any vehichle in one way or another, for myself this car is special and I enjoy it looking like new when I take it out for a ride.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 6,956
Likes: 4,811
From: Camden SC
Is this your first Corvette? It sounds like it might be.
I can give you my opinion after 36 years of continuous ownership and 17 Corvettes.The "newness" will wear off and the reality is that these cars are not very practical for a family.I have four children of which 3 are already grown and out of the house.
I love these cars,but many can't use them as much as we might like due to family and work obligations.I take clients out during the day so a Corvette does not allow that and anywhere we go as a family the Corvette is out too.
I suspect that many others are in similar situations.Unless you are single or an empty nester,family life just does not allow for a high mileage Corvette.
I still love the car and tried switching over the years to cars that had a back seat,Shelby Mustang and Challenger SRT8.I am just glad I did not sell the Corvette during those trials,because I ended up selling both of them after less than one year of ownership each.
My point being do not confuse lack of mileage to lack of love of the car.
I can give you my opinion after 36 years of continuous ownership and 17 Corvettes.The "newness" will wear off and the reality is that these cars are not very practical for a family.I have four children of which 3 are already grown and out of the house.
I love these cars,but many can't use them as much as we might like due to family and work obligations.I take clients out during the day so a Corvette does not allow that and anywhere we go as a family the Corvette is out too.
I suspect that many others are in similar situations.Unless you are single or an empty nester,family life just does not allow for a high mileage Corvette.
I still love the car and tried switching over the years to cars that had a back seat,Shelby Mustang and Challenger SRT8.I am just glad I did not sell the Corvette during those trials,because I ended up selling both of them after less than one year of ownership each.
My point being do not confuse lack of mileage to lack of love of the car.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 2,476
Likes: 45
From: One of the Edema Ruh
Everyone has different reasons they drive or don't drive theirs. I drive mine a few times per week if it's nice out. I just don't end up putting a lot of miles on it because we live close to all the things we like to do.