Hello all. I'm soon in the market for a 2008-2009 C6 base and I'm looking for some good information. Manual or automatic It really doesn't matter, but as a purchaser what should i be concerned about the car mostly besides a clean car fax & dealer service documents? I know corvettes are stiff and handle like they're on rails, but are there any annoying factory squeaks and creaks while driving the car?

 

Good luck in your quest. This should be fun for you! As for squeaks and rattles - depends on how the car was driven by previous owner. Take it out and drive it over a rough section of road. Drive slowly and LISTEN CAREFULLY. A loud exhaust may mask noises that you would want to hear. Actually, if the car has headers and and an open exhaust I might wonder what the car was used for...
Look at the interior. Are the seats worn to the point that the dye is fading on the bolsters? High G-force corners are fun, but an indicator of hard use. Look at the wear on the tires. Is it even across the tread? If not, why? Squeaky dash and irregular fit and finish in the interior is a trademark of the Corvette. But broken plastic or cracked plastic is not acceptable. C6 coupes have had issues with the way the roof fits since they came out. Not a major problem but it can be annoying. there are several ways to correct he problem, depending on your preference.
Finally, I am far less concerned about the number of miles on a Corvette than the way those miles were put on. A low-milage 'vette that saw a lot of severe use (street racing or track time) is not one I would like to own. A higher milage 'vette that saw commuter, highway use would be a better buy in my opinion. Dealers seldom know or want to tell you if a car was used hard. Go to your local corvette club and see if anyone there is selling a car. Odds are you will get a much nicer car, even if you do pay a few dollars more for it.
Anyway, these are just some of my thoughts. In the end you have to do what feels right to you.
Best wishes.
Glen

 

Hi.

I bought my '08 new back in March 08. 23,000 miles of absolute pleasure.

The first rule for me if I was buying a C6: It must be an unmodified 2008 and up.

As 'olefam' stated, it is how the car was driven that is most important. Look at the wear on the tires. This usually tells the story. The original goodyears on mine have many miles left on them, and this is because I am easy on my baby. You should also be aware that goodyears are NOT goodrubber. They are noisey and ride lousy.

I'd also have a look for dings on the rockers, nose, and windshield. Look at the headlight lenses.

Pull the engine dispstick and have a peek at the color and level of the oil. Look at the cooolant level and color.

Check to see if the harmonic balancer is wobbling. This is a common problem on the LS3.

I recommend getting it on a lift, and see what the underside looks like. Look at the oil pan - they tend to seep oil on the LS3. Look for oil pan gasket and crank seal leaks as well. A lot of labor to repair the harmonic balancer and to change the oil pan. Look for shock leaks - these can be very costly.

If you make some very low speed hard turns (in a parking lot), you may hear some axle noise. This is ususally not a big deal, and could be fixed by changing out the axle fluid with the new GM stuff they started using in January 2008.

Some piston slap is normal on a stone cold LS3 engine. I have some of that.

Look at the seat bolsters. There have been a lot of complaints about excessive wear. Not a big deal - the seat skins can be changed.

Take it for a good hour long ride. Drive around town, then do some highway and back road twisties driving. Not as a test for the performance, but to listen and feel. If it feels right, than it most probably is right. You will be in awe by the way it rides and handles.

Roof squeaks on the coupe are an easy fix. I was so embarrassed and upset when mine started squeaking, but I was able to make the repair years ago at a cost of about 50 cents.

Personally I like the MSRC suspension (F55), although I have had a leaky shock, and they are not cheap. I also like the rev matching A6 - I use the paddles almost all the time. As I am getting older, I prefer automatics, especially around town. NPP exhaust is another neat option. Make sure you have a HUD - such a neat option. This was standard with the 3LT & 4LT.

The battery could be a problem - all bets are off after 5 years. Mine is still going strong, perhaps because I often use a C-TEK battery tender. I would use a battery tender on any new car that "sits" a lot.

If I bought a used C6 I would change the engine oil, tranny fluid, coolant, thermostat, and the axle fluid. (2 rear zerks for F55 need to be greased.) Check the axle nuts. I would also check the FOB CR2032 battery. Lotsa pain if the FOB fails and you are locked out. Under 3.0 volts - replace! Check the air filter and the cabin filter.

IMHO, a good owner keeps detailed records of repairs and maintenance. You should be privy to them.

I have been on this forum since September 2007. When I ordered my C6 on March 16, 2008, at 3:47pm, I knew exactly what options were right for me as a result of the hundreds of posts that I had read. Not a single regret since. My point being this is a great forum.

The C6 is an awesome car, and you won't regret your choice if you buy wisely.

Hope this helps,

M...

 

Nope! no squeaks or rattles of any kind. Ever.Rides like a Caddy too. And never needs anything fixed and if it does it's done for free as long as you own the car. That's my experience anyway.

 

I'm also an aspiring C6 owner, so I'll be watching this thread closely...

 

I bought my 2008 with 6,000 miles on it. Bang for the buck.. Buy the foam bolster kit for the bottom seat foam. Its a vette so mods are endless after that

 

Both olefam, and Mike Green9, make lots of solid viable points with which I certainly concur.

It's worth repeating that the mileage is not nearly as critical as how those miles were accrued.

I would much prefer to purchase a 'vette, with 40,000 miles, which was a well maintained daily driver, than one with 2,000 miles that was reached 1/4 mile at a time.

 

Thank you everyone for all the good information. I'm going to find a clean decent mileage C6 with records of repairs made. As far as the mileage I don't mind one up to 60,000 max as long as its been taken care of. With if i come across one lowered on stock bolts? Would this ruin the ride of the car compared to the stock ride height? Did most 2008-2009 models come with the NPP exhaust? I really would like that as a option.

 

LOTS of good advice here.... I've been on here since 2002....although I took a 7yr break before coming back into Vette world....I bought my latest ( a 12 GS ) after starting the search on auto trader.com....found a few candidates at dealers and then did carfax reports, then narrowed it down to a couple that were CPO with GM warranty backing....of course going back to 08 or 09 you won't find that kind of warranty backing...so you have to do your own homework and the above post is great for giving you a clue as to SOME issues that may be important to you! Have fun.....

 

You should also scan over the info in this thread too, it will help educate you about the various year and model info too:

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ok-inside.html

 

Go with your gut. You can find low mileage cars out there that have been babied their entire life, and low mileage cars which have been driven hard. In 2013 I bought a 2006 base C6, with 8k miles and was very pleased with it until an ******* in 2014 ran a stop sign and totaled it. I looked at an 07 with 22k miles to replace it, but the car looked like it was a hard 22k miles, and I passed on it. I went with a 12 GS with 8k miles. I don't race, so I wouldn't even consider a car that has been raced. The condition of the interior will tell a lot about the person who previously owned it. Don't be in a rush, and if you hear the voices telling you it may not be the right one, be sure to listen.

 

Hi again.

I love the look of a lowered C6, but I personally would not lower. There are a few dips in the various roads that I frequently travel, where I have smacked the front air dam. Ouch that hurts. Other times I bottom coming out of some driveways (taking these at 45 degrees helps). Just not worth the hassle imho.

Here is a neat trick I learnt about known places where I bottom out - as I'm approaching the dip, I select F55 Sport mode - no more problem.

If you do look at a lowered one, be sure to closely examine the front air dam. Also, try to ensure that the job was done professionally, as opposed to just a quick turn of the 4 adjusters.

NPP was an option - $1100 in Canada. I had to have it, but I would imagine the $$$$ would deter many.

Snow is almost gone here - I'm looking forward to unwrapping the C6 and going for spin.

Keep looking. There is one out there with your name on it.

M....