How much does it cost to maintain a C6? Tires / Services / Etc.
07-08-2016, 06:33 PM
#21
Le Mans Master
So I'd like to own a C6 in the upcoming months (most likely base, not a Z06) and I'm curious about the maintenance costs. Can some of you C6 owners chime in with estimates costs of replacing tires / services / etc?
My main reason is that when used car shopping, the mileages vary greatly. It's hard to compare a $35k car with 30000 miles to a $30k car with 60000 miles unless I have some understanding of the maintenance costs. My goal is to get something under 50000 miles as well.
Any help? Thanks in advance!
My main reason is that when used car shopping, the mileages vary greatly. It's hard to compare a $35k car with 30000 miles to a $30k car with 60000 miles unless I have some understanding of the maintenance costs. My goal is to get something under 50000 miles as well.
Any help? Thanks in advance!
I do all service myself on my own time, so I'm not factoring in the cost of my labor.
Michelin Super Sport run-flats cost about $1400/set, plus another ~125 to mount and balance. I get about 30K miles/set. That works out to five cents per mile for tires.
You can get cheaper tires and longer-wearing tires, so that expense will vary a couple cents in both directions.
OEM Z51 brakes and rotors will cost a little over $500 in parts. I get about 70K miles out of them.
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06orangeZ51 (07-08-2016)
08-23-2019, 10:33 PM
#22
just watched some interesting vids, upkeep due to hard to get to will be $$$$ on the mid engine. C-6 2006 was noted as best buy under 25G, simple like i like it, a flip top with a manual shift would work for me!!
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919cw313 (02-03-2020)
08-23-2019, 11:24 PM
#23
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After buying my 06 about 4years ago while it was still stock with just boltons, the only costly things outside maintenance were a water pump that went bad which can happen on any car and the harmonic balancer went bad. All in all local Chevy dealer replaced the HB with a powerbond unit I purchased from Hinson as well as a water pump ordered from rockauto.
Of course once I went down the rabbit hole of modding, other things started to break but that is par for the course.
While stock though, it seemed fairly reliable, and I was able to get over 20k miles on Michelin Pilot SuperSport tires.
Of course once I went down the rabbit hole of modding, other things started to break but that is par for the course.
While stock though, it seemed fairly reliable, and I was able to get over 20k miles on Michelin Pilot SuperSport tires.
08-23-2019, 11:41 PM
#24
Absolutely, a Corvette will cost you more to maintain than the average car..Anyone who says different is not telling you the truth.
If you have a wet sump; 6 qts is 6 qts. if you have a dry sump 10 qts is a lot more and a lot more often. Tires are more expensive RF or nonRF. They may or may not last as long as a regular car (Michelins last a long time, in my experience). Brake jobs are more expensive as well. Insurance is more due to only two doors.
Should I go on?
If you have a wet sump; 6 qts is 6 qts. if you have a dry sump 10 qts is a lot more and a lot more often. Tires are more expensive RF or nonRF. They may or may not last as long as a regular car (Michelins last a long time, in my experience). Brake jobs are more expensive as well. Insurance is more due to only two doors.
Should I go on?
08-24-2019, 12:35 AM
#25
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Absolutely, a Corvette will cost you more to maintain than the average car..Anyone who says different is not telling you the truth.
If you have a wet sump; 6 qts is 6 qts. if you have a dry sump 10 qts is a lot more and a lot more often. Tires are more expensive RF or nonRF. They may or may not last as long as a regular car (Michelins last a long time, in my experience). Brake jobs are more expensive as well. Insurance is more due to only two doors.
Should I go on?
If you have a wet sump; 6 qts is 6 qts. if you have a dry sump 10 qts is a lot more and a lot more often. Tires are more expensive RF or nonRF. They may or may not last as long as a regular car (Michelins last a long time, in my experience). Brake jobs are more expensive as well. Insurance is more due to only two doors.
Should I go on?
I'd argue the insurance as my 06 was cheaper than a 2011 Honda Civic as well as my current 2017 VW GTI... Also was cheaper than the wife's 13 GMC Terrain and her Chrysler Sebring convertible. From TN Farm Bureau to Eerie to Allstate and now NCM it has been consistently one of the cheapest cars I've insured with some of the highest coverage options I could get. Part of why vette insurance is so cheap is the typical demographic, as my agent explained.
08-24-2019, 12:39 AM
#26
Burning Brakes
So I'd like to own a C6 in the upcoming months (most likely base, not a Z06) and I'm curious about the maintenance costs. Can some of you C6 owners chime in with estimates costs of replacing tires / services / etc?
My main reason is that when used car shopping, the mileages vary greatly. It's hard to compare a $35k car with 30000 miles to a $30k car with 60000 miles unless I have some understanding of the maintenance costs. My goal is to get something under 50000 miles as well.
Any help? Thanks in advance!
My main reason is that when used car shopping, the mileages vary greatly. It's hard to compare a $35k car with 30000 miles to a $30k car with 60000 miles unless I have some understanding of the maintenance costs. My goal is to get something under 50000 miles as well.
Any help? Thanks in advance!
https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/invent...ting=245028239
Just a quick search on Cargurus and that was the 1st of many options within 100 miles of me. 34k miles and only 25k roughly.
As far as maintenance as others have said, tires are kind of a big thing. I have cup2 tires on my c7z wheels but I doubt they last very long.
Absolutely, a Corvette will cost you more to maintain than the average car..Anyone who says different is not telling you the truth.
If you have a wet sump; 6 qts is 6 qts. if you have a dry sump 10 qts is a lot more and a lot more often. Tires are more expensive RF or nonRF. They may or may not last as long as a regular car (Michelins last a long time, in my experience). Brake jobs are more expensive as well. Insurance is more due to only two doors.
Should I go on?
If you have a wet sump; 6 qts is 6 qts. if you have a dry sump 10 qts is a lot more and a lot more often. Tires are more expensive RF or nonRF. They may or may not last as long as a regular car (Michelins last a long time, in my experience). Brake jobs are more expensive as well. Insurance is more due to only two doors.
Should I go on?
I think for me the biggest thing is its not a car I would really want to drive every day. I have no cats on mine and it does emit a gas smell into the cabin that you will smell like the rest of the day haha. Plus its a fairly bumpy ride. I'm sure the base is better than the z, but overall I don't think I'd want to drive it every day. Thats really the only thing you should consider. The maintenance isn't that bad at all. I mean I'm sure its more than a 95 Kia...........but compared to any other modern car its not bad.
08-24-2019, 12:53 AM
#27
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weezon (02-03-2020)
08-24-2019, 12:54 AM
#28
I don't think mantanience items are so much a "Corvette" tax, as they are really more expensive to do than the average car. Bigger volume, size, RF (if you use them).
Insurance is such a tricky thing, old farts with a good record driving a Lambo are likely paying less than a young stud regardless of the car the young stud is drivng, But if you look at the driver, This car will be more expensive to insure than the same year Subaru. or sum such. So many other things (which I am not privy to) come into play on the insurance game. Location, some cars are more likely to be stolen. Insurance questions can only be answered by your agent/carrier. I sure as hell don't want to go down that rabbit hole.
But anyway, a Corvette of any generation will be more expensive to maintain than the average car, regardless.
Insurance is such a tricky thing, old farts with a good record driving a Lambo are likely paying less than a young stud regardless of the car the young stud is drivng, But if you look at the driver, This car will be more expensive to insure than the same year Subaru. or sum such. So many other things (which I am not privy to) come into play on the insurance game. Location, some cars are more likely to be stolen. Insurance questions can only be answered by your agent/carrier. I sure as hell don't want to go down that rabbit hole.
But anyway, a Corvette of any generation will be more expensive to maintain than the average car, regardless.
08-24-2019, 01:00 AM
#29
Burning Brakes
08-24-2019, 01:32 AM
#30
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I don't think mantanience items are so much a "Corvette" tax, as they are really more expensive to do than the average car. Bigger volume, size, RF (if you use them).
Insurance is such a tricky thing, old farts with a good record driving a Lambo are likely paying less than a young stud regardless of the car the young stud is drivng, But if you look at the driver, This car will be more expensive to insure than the same year Subaru. or sum such. So many other things (which I am not privy to) come into play on the insurance game. Location, some cars are more likely to be stolen. Insurance questions can only be answered by your agent/carrier. I sure as hell don't want to go down that rabbit hole.
But anyway, a Corvette of any generation will be more expensive to maintain than the average car, regardless.
Insurance is such a tricky thing, old farts with a good record driving a Lambo are likely paying less than a young stud regardless of the car the young stud is drivng, But if you look at the driver, This car will be more expensive to insure than the same year Subaru. or sum such. So many other things (which I am not privy to) come into play on the insurance game. Location, some cars are more likely to be stolen. Insurance questions can only be answered by your agent/carrier. I sure as hell don't want to go down that rabbit hole.
But anyway, a Corvette of any generation will be more expensive to maintain than the average car, regardless.
Insurance varies so greatly on so many factors, so technically both you and I are wrong, however, it is also based upon volume similar to your simplified analogy of the corvette tax. Typical ownership brings down average cost of ins for a vette. At 27, the vette for me was $88/mo vs the $152/mo for the same year model GTO. My 11' Civic was $92/mo... lol With Eerie it was $62/mo for the 06 Vette. But yes, it varies greatly.
Oh sweet baby jesus, just realized the 2016 posting...... -.-
Last edited by sobe88; 08-24-2019 at 01:35 AM.
08-24-2019, 09:22 PM
#31
Lets put it this way,
Sway bar end link last about 35k before they start to make noise and need to be replace. So $125 for new links, and dealer labor your not going to do it yourself.
Brake fluid, flushed every two years, and again if your going to do it yourself and have a tool to cycle the ABS pump, $20 in fluid. If your going to have the dealer do this, expect to pay around $200.
Radiator fluid should happen every 5 years, and should replace the thermostat as the same time. Yourself doing the work, about $40, while your looking at around $200 for dealer to do the work instead.
Tires, lets face it, the base model will do near 200mph, so you don't run the tires on the car for more than 5 year. So cheaper tires may work every 5 years, but your still into tires every 5 year, even if you don't wear them out in that amount of time.
Oil changes are done yearly, and your looking at oil filter and 5 quarts of Mobil one during the change. Do it yourself, and you spend about $25 if you find the deal on both. Take it in to have someone else to the oil changes every year, and your looking around $70.
Battery will not last longer than 4 years, even with a tender on the car. So add in the cost of a new battery every 4 years as well a tender.
Now lets get into the electrical system, and with the age of the C6's, will be an ongoing battle unless you pull all the connector/end point to clear and grease them to prevent corrosion. Also, modules on the car are not cheap, and if you can't repair them yourself, replacement modules are going to be about $1K per pop if the dealer is installing them.
Bottom line, the C6 is a high performance sports car, and although will not run you as much in maintenance as say a 911, it never going to be the cheap price of a Honda to maintain. It has high performance parts on it that will wear out faster than say Honda Acord parts, and here is where you start to see the cost of maintenance of the Vet. Realistic on a Used C6, count on about 3K every year of needed maintenance on the average if dealer is going to do the work. This cost can be greatly reduced if you are the one wrenching on the car, but most don't know or want to wrench on their own vet instead. Hence may be less one year, but if you have to replace a clutch or fuel level sending in a tank, these are going to be "E ticket" type repairs starting at over $1K each.
Also, count in the cost of insurance, and then fact that your going to burn more fuel as well (average MPH for a vet is around 16 between highway and city driving).
And fact is, the used C6's your going to find, the seller is selling the car since they can't afford the maintenance cost on the cars. So out the gate, your going to be heavy taxed just fixing the items they the did not on the upkeep of the car to start with. The higher the mileage on the car, expect more need to be fixed from the start as well
Sway bar end link last about 35k before they start to make noise and need to be replace. So $125 for new links, and dealer labor your not going to do it yourself.
Brake fluid, flushed every two years, and again if your going to do it yourself and have a tool to cycle the ABS pump, $20 in fluid. If your going to have the dealer do this, expect to pay around $200.
Radiator fluid should happen every 5 years, and should replace the thermostat as the same time. Yourself doing the work, about $40, while your looking at around $200 for dealer to do the work instead.
Tires, lets face it, the base model will do near 200mph, so you don't run the tires on the car for more than 5 year. So cheaper tires may work every 5 years, but your still into tires every 5 year, even if you don't wear them out in that amount of time.
Oil changes are done yearly, and your looking at oil filter and 5 quarts of Mobil one during the change. Do it yourself, and you spend about $25 if you find the deal on both. Take it in to have someone else to the oil changes every year, and your looking around $70.
Battery will not last longer than 4 years, even with a tender on the car. So add in the cost of a new battery every 4 years as well a tender.
Now lets get into the electrical system, and with the age of the C6's, will be an ongoing battle unless you pull all the connector/end point to clear and grease them to prevent corrosion. Also, modules on the car are not cheap, and if you can't repair them yourself, replacement modules are going to be about $1K per pop if the dealer is installing them.
Bottom line, the C6 is a high performance sports car, and although will not run you as much in maintenance as say a 911, it never going to be the cheap price of a Honda to maintain. It has high performance parts on it that will wear out faster than say Honda Acord parts, and here is where you start to see the cost of maintenance of the Vet. Realistic on a Used C6, count on about 3K every year of needed maintenance on the average if dealer is going to do the work. This cost can be greatly reduced if you are the one wrenching on the car, but most don't know or want to wrench on their own vet instead. Hence may be less one year, but if you have to replace a clutch or fuel level sending in a tank, these are going to be "E ticket" type repairs starting at over $1K each.
Also, count in the cost of insurance, and then fact that your going to burn more fuel as well (average MPH for a vet is around 16 between highway and city driving).
And fact is, the used C6's your going to find, the seller is selling the car since they can't afford the maintenance cost on the cars. So out the gate, your going to be heavy taxed just fixing the items they the did not on the upkeep of the car to start with. The higher the mileage on the car, expect more need to be fixed from the start as well
Last edited by Dano523; 08-24-2019 at 09:25 PM.
08-25-2019, 11:11 AM
#32
had a 64 327-300hp coupe + being older + simple upkeep was like most other cars, but the newer they are with many techie things needed or not upkeep gets costly. i am a serious DIY guy + enjoy the savings as well as the doing. i would love a 64 to 67 convert but likely too $$$ for me + my 2001 audi TT 225Q roadster will have to do for now with 300 tq + hp + AWD its a fun ride, but the thought of a nice early simple basic C-6 is an interesting thought as searching shows a few in the 25 thou range in my area + a very nice 15 thou mile 05 at stoudts in reading pa for 27,900 if anyome is interested!
08-25-2019, 02:25 PM
#33
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^ now my head hurts + 27,900 is too much. thanks.
08-25-2019, 02:51 PM
#34
Burning Brakes
Insurance is gonna vary depending on age, state and some even set your rates depending on your credit history, I'm 47 live in Indiana and my '11 GS Vert is $326 every six months full coverage, I store it during the winter months which is 5 to 6 months and it is $62 for the 6 month period.
08-25-2019, 09:29 PM
#35
pricing depends a LOT on said car. my 38 thou car fax miles on my TT was 16, 999 get it now as others were interested, one look + drive + i bought it!!! nothing but pleased as i had a bought new 2001 jetta 1.8T i put 200 thou on + i knew my way around the platform, 2001 TT is a very glorified golf + was a top spec ride, everything but navi which i could care less about + my first convert, loving fresh air on my bikes as well. on the insurance post that looks to be a great rate for sure. my TT is basically a summer fun car, but anytime ready with all season but winter tyres + AWD. t threw a set of SNOW tyres on my decent 56 belair when my DD jetta got deered!! i enjoyed my 64 vette coupe but without air or a drop top being all black it was an oven in the summer + touching the chrome trim on the hump housing the 4 speed was NOT enjoyable, non the less a fun car i could easily work on.
08-25-2019, 11:53 PM
#36
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02-03-2020, 10:58 AM
#38
Hey man I've had an '05 C6 for a few months now and I'll give you my take, especially previously owning an Audi S4
Everything I've heard about maintenance with the car in terms of the power train is that the Engine is very solid. I'd say that these cars are probably the least expensive in terms of maintenance in terms of the performance you get out of it. I think this has to do with the simplicity/reliability of good old american engineering.
I had problem after problem with my S4. Incredible car, but was a nightmare in terms of maintaining it. It would need specific parts that were much much more expensive than the same type of part for a different car. For instance, replacing my catalytic converters was a $3000 job. A buddy of mine with a honda got his cat replaced for $350 including labor (the s4 has two cats, both expensive +more labor)
Now my corvette hasn't been a saintin terms of maintenance either; I've had a really tough winter in terms of my battery. I've had to replace it already and it's just given me much trouble.
Other than that, the car is rock solid. The common parts for replacement are priced about the same as any other car (brakes, rotors, fluids, etc), not including the high performance parts. The only common thing you'll notice an obvious price spike in is the tires. They run roughly $300-$500 a piece, which is definitely more expensive than a regular car.
Everything I've heard about maintenance with the car in terms of the power train is that the Engine is very solid. I'd say that these cars are probably the least expensive in terms of maintenance in terms of the performance you get out of it. I think this has to do with the simplicity/reliability of good old american engineering.
I had problem after problem with my S4. Incredible car, but was a nightmare in terms of maintaining it. It would need specific parts that were much much more expensive than the same type of part for a different car. For instance, replacing my catalytic converters was a $3000 job. A buddy of mine with a honda got his cat replaced for $350 including labor (the s4 has two cats, both expensive +more labor)
Now my corvette hasn't been a saintin terms of maintenance either; I've had a really tough winter in terms of my battery. I've had to replace it already and it's just given me much trouble.
Other than that, the car is rock solid. The common parts for replacement are priced about the same as any other car (brakes, rotors, fluids, etc), not including the high performance parts. The only common thing you'll notice an obvious price spike in is the tires. They run roughly $300-$500 a piece, which is definitely more expensive than a regular car.
02-03-2020, 07:17 PM
#39
a simple naturally aspirated larger engine with just RWD is much less complicated + of course cheaper to upkeep! my single turbo 1.8T 2001 audi TT with AWD is just a glorified golf but looks better to me + being a roadster is a fun car that did cost much as i bought preowned. it was already15 YO but only 38 thou on the clock + like new with more options than i would opt for, prolly 50 thou or so new but 18 thou gently used, i guess i got lucky!! i would like another vette thou + it would have to be a roadster with a manual tranny in good condition at a fair price, say 20 thou.