old motorhead

Just bought a 2013 base M6 1LT coupe with 47K on the clock. Paid $23K and change for it. Next set of tires will be 305's in the back and 265's in the front. Narrow body with wide tires. Those tires actually lower it just a tad. I think it will look just fine. Had a loaded 2013 GS a little while back. This one seems to ride smoother, will handle almost as good when I get the Z51 sways and Z06 shocks on it, and it gets better fuel eco. The base radio is actually quite a bit better then GM's "premium" sound system too. Had both, liked them both. This one will come in under what a similar GS would cost even after I add heads and mild cam.

VetteofSD

I've daily driven my 06 for years. Now at 150,000+ very reliable miles. It's been very easy as a daily. Hell I took it camping to the Sequoias two weeks ago! I did a full wide body conversion on mine a few years ago. The wide body or GS is definitely worth it for the look, but you won't be disappointed whatsoever in the regular car. If you can, get one that is at least a 3LT! If you're like me and like to add/change things on your car, the 3LT is the lowest tier that has all of the extra factory wiring in it. So (in my case) if you wanted to stick with GM and add the factory NAV or the 2012+ Steering Wheels, the extra plugs are there and taped to the side. So less wire-tapping and more plug and play

The difference between the base and GS is the wide body setup, the bigger/Z06 brakes, and firmer suspension. To save money, you could buy the base and put all of these parts on it, which is what I did I enjoy big projects though! Just remember it's no where near as big of savings if you're paying for everything to be installed rather than working on it yourself. Even so, if you have the money it's definitely worth it to just buy the GS from the start. Knowing what I know now, while I loved converting my car and still love it, I would probably just buy the GS if I were to buy a C6 again. Either way you'll be very happy

joec

stop being cheap and go with the GS... Happy my 65 is looking good... :-)

montman

That's funny, I have always thought that too, but figured I was the only one

HOXXOH

As a DD, the obvious choice is the base, since performance trumps appearance. You're not buying a new car with a warranty and won't be keeping it forever, so the biggest concern is the current condition it's in. Financially, you should consider the cost of the expected miles you intend to drive vs the current mileage and the residual value difference of the purchase price.
Let's assume you intend to drive 12K miles annually for 5 years and a base at 100K miles is $20K, while the same year and similar condition and maintained GS has 40K miles for $35K. Both cars will likely require the same maintenance costs with the base needing a bit more and the GS being more expensive. The cost of insurance and fuel are not enough to bother comparing, even though the base would be a little less. What we are left with is the residual value difference. Since we can't see the future, we can only guess based on the current value of a base with 100K miles and one with 160K and compare to a GS with 40K vs one with 100K. That'd give you a rough picture of the cost/mile. A quick check on KBB indicates a GS loses $8K for the 60K miles and the base loses less than $4K for the same miles. Criteria was 2010, coupe, black, standard equipment, very good condition, and private party value for both cars in the Phoenix area.

rcameron

Love it! :-)

rcameron

Great thoughts/info...thanks!

Frankie15

I'd go with a GS on appearance alone. I had a base model before my current Z06 and the wide body (and nicer front bumper) makes such a difference with these cars.

You don't want to get a base and feel regret when you see a wide body car. I've been there. Nothing against base models either. It was a great car. It just doesn't look as good as the wide body C6 cars IMO.

The GS will have a stiffer ride (especially if the base model doesn't have the Z51 package), but I prefer that honestly. It will also be a bit more expensive to maintain due to the tires and larger oil capacity. To me, the wide body look would be the most important. It all comes down to what you value the most.

Best of luck with your decision! Both are great cars and you are sure to enjoy either one.

Jstan2014

I’ve owned/driven both. (2005 Base Coupe And 2012 Grand Sport.) I didn’t/don’t daily drive either one. So, I guess I’m really no help here. But, IMHO, and based upon some of the comments already made, I’d choose the Base model over the GS for a daily driver. Both are great cars all around. Good luck!

JesC6Z

S.C. vette

danzio56

Honestly, if the difference in aesthetics alone don't dictate to you which model you must have than you should choose the less expensive and less costly to maintain. Especially as a DD. When I realized I was at a point in my life that could finally own a Corvette, I knew it HAD to be a wide body. In my mind the difference between the two is significant. To others maybe not so much.

gsflyer2011

Spend 2 K and put xpel film on the whole front up to doors and the windshield like i did. Or the whole car for twice that. The good thing about vettes, they are not sheet metal and they do not ding. Paint scrapes are easy to fix. And they don't sag either and look great for many years. Just don't hit anything.

saplumr

gsflyer2011

If you commuted 70 miles a day on i95 with dump trucks and fod on the roads you would get it. Instead of pock marked and chipped front end, it will be good looking for many years. On my previous dd film saved me from $700 paint job ( because of fod) it was sacrificial and got it replaced for $200 and there was no damage to paint underneath. To each is own?

saplumr

dr_gallup

The PO put film on mine. While I'm sure it has saved some rock chips, there are a lot of small dark specs in the film that don't wash off. Even a clay bar does not take them off. Also, the seams collect grime. I tried a tooth brush, that was not effective. Clay bar does clean the seems but not 100%. So the film is not without drawbacks.