Daily Driver Predicament
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 501
Likes: 64
From: Columbia MD
Daily Driver Predicament
Trying to decide if I should purchase a new daily driver before my Stingray. My current daily driver has nearly 160,000 miles on it and is seven years old. It has gotten regular oil changes and I've had no real major problems with it. I also don't have any issues with driving it, it serves its purpose. It's a little Mitsubishi four cylinder. It gets me to and from work and keeps my Vette in the garage until the weekend.
I just don't know how much longer the car will last though. I have had no problems with the car but I don't want it to croak on me either, as it is getting up there in miles. Complicating matters is the Stingray. I was planning on buying a Stingray next year but if I buy a new daily driver the Ray will have to be put on hold for a little bit.
Would you buy a new daily driver? Or are these little Japanese cars good for 200k or more? Trying to get as many opinions as possible. The car is paid off in full too.
I just don't know how much longer the car will last though. I have had no problems with the car but I don't want it to croak on me either, as it is getting up there in miles. Complicating matters is the Stingray. I was planning on buying a Stingray next year but if I buy a new daily driver the Ray will have to be put on hold for a little bit.
Would you buy a new daily driver? Or are these little Japanese cars good for 200k or more? Trying to get as many opinions as possible. The car is paid off in full too.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 16,066
Likes: 4,148
From: Bergen county NJ
Buy the corvette now...160k miles is nothing...
Worst case scenario you can always find a new beater or fix the beater you own.
I daily drive my corvettes and believe it or not the corvette was designed as a daily driver.
I smile everyday
Worst case scenario you can always find a new beater or fix the beater you own.
I daily drive my corvettes and believe it or not the corvette was designed as a daily driver.
I smile everyday
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,139
Likes: 482
From: H-Town Texas
Racer
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 490
Likes: 7
From: Slinger WI
Keep it, it is only half used up. A properly maintained car should be good for 250 to 300k without too much problem. As long as you don't mind driving it there is nothing wrong with having a beater around.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
From: Twentynine Palms CA
It's a Corvette - not garage art! If you want something to look at in the garage, get a poster, of Corvettes of course! Drive the real one. You only get one go around, so enjoy it to the max. Don't forget to wave!
Racer
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 292
Likes: 4
Trying to decide if I should purchase a new daily driver before my Stingray. My current daily driver has nearly 160,000 miles on it and is seven years old. It has gotten regular oil changes and I've had no real major problems with it. I also don't have any issues with driving it, it serves its purpose. It's a little Mitsubishi four cylinder. It gets me to and from work and keeps my Vette in the garage until the weekend.
I just don't know how much longer the car will last though. I have had no problems with the car but I don't want it to croak on me either, as it is getting up there in miles. Complicating matters is the Stingray. I was planning on buying a Stingray next year but if I buy a new daily driver the Ray will have to be put on hold for a little bit.
Would you buy a new daily driver? Or are these little Japanese cars good for 200k or more? Trying to get as many opinions as possible. The car is paid off in full too.
I just don't know how much longer the car will last though. I have had no problems with the car but I don't want it to croak on me either, as it is getting up there in miles. Complicating matters is the Stingray. I was planning on buying a Stingray next year but if I buy a new daily driver the Ray will have to be put on hold for a little bit.
Would you buy a new daily driver? Or are these little Japanese cars good for 200k or more? Trying to get as many opinions as possible. The car is paid off in full too.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
the question is, can you afford both? what I mean is, if the existing car starts having issues in the $1500+ range a couple times in a row, can you still have the Stingray sitting in the garage? and, let's face it: by no means could you blame the little bugger for springing problems suddenly at 160K miles on it.
Scraping the splitter.
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,111
Likes: 1,029
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15
I am going to go against what appears to be the popular opinion and suggest replacing your DD before buying a C7.
1. It appears that your DD is your bread and butter car and you need something reliable.
2. If buying a car for DD duties is going to impact your finances to the point that you are going to delay buying a C7, maybe the money you can save down the road after the hype dies down and dealers are more willing to negotiate will be substantial to you. If you can save ~$3-5k off MSRP on a C7, is it worth waiting? I mean no offense by this comment.
S.
1. It appears that your DD is your bread and butter car and you need something reliable.
2. If buying a car for DD duties is going to impact your finances to the point that you are going to delay buying a C7, maybe the money you can save down the road after the hype dies down and dealers are more willing to negotiate will be substantial to you. If you can save ~$3-5k off MSRP on a C7, is it worth waiting? I mean no offense by this comment.
S.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 10,084
Likes: 3,055
From: CA
Have a mechanic go over the Mitsubishi to gauge its condition. Have him do things like a compression check. You could also have an oil analysis done on the engine. A well maintained and adult driven car can go 200,000 miles or more. Also you can extend the life of your Mitsubishi by driving the Vette to work some days.
If you are worried about the Vette weathering while outside at work, do what I do, cover it. In fact, I double cover mine (two car cover layers for extra protection). My 13 year old C5 literally looks like brand new inside and out. I've even impressed myself.
Michael
If you are worried about the Vette weathering while outside at work, do what I do, cover it. In fact, I double cover mine (two car cover layers for extra protection). My 13 year old C5 literally looks like brand new inside and out. I've even impressed myself.
Michael
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 16,066
Likes: 4,148
From: Bergen county NJ
I'm over 50 years old... And I decided this half of the century I would do my best to enjoy life.
Buy the new stingray if your digging it.. Use it and don't worry about that 160k mile Mitsubishi...it sounds fine....worst case scenario you can always lease a Chevy cruise for no money down 140 bucks a month. ( just get one of those gm credit cards to build up a thousand bonus points towards a new cruise or Malibu anytime over the next 7 years..
My vettes in the shop this weekend and they gave me a nice Malibu loaner car. It's nice and its been a stiff in the marketplace. Subsidized lease deals are everywhere.
Just enjoy the stingray and if the does break...you'll deal with either fixing it or replacing when and if the time comes.....(if the stingray is what you want now)
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,190
Likes: 71
From: St. Jacob Illinois
Not as bad as you would think actually, especially if you scratch the time I almost died in a head on collision with a snow plow doing 60mph.
Active Handling makes the car drivable in almost anything if you know how to drive a car in the first place. Drove the car home about 75 miles or so after an ice storm. I drove very slow where the ice was, and the active handling was kicking in non stop, but it kept me between the lines. The nose of the car may have been rotating 10* left to right constantly, but it worked.
Almost died with the snowplow incident in a blizzard, we got 12-18" of snow in an hour or two it seemed. Almost made it home until I decided 6 miles away not to drive the car up and down a bunch of hills, and had someone come get me. Couldn't open the door the next day because the snow was halfway up
Put 40k+ on my 02 Z06 in 2 years, they are daily driveable in just abou tanything if you HAVE to. I would recommend having some sort of a backup if the weather gets really bad around your area.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,190
Likes: 71
From: St. Jacob Illinois
For my situation, I'm a week away from getting a job after graduating, as long as I pass my licensure test Wednesday....I have a 01 Z71 and I'll need something that gets better MPG quick. While I might buy a beater to hold me over...
I'm seriously wanting a Cruze Eco for a daily as they get WAY more mpg than they are rated and are a great daily. New one coming out in a year so I don't know if I should get the current one I like, wait till '15, or wait until the 2nd year of them
BUT...the Stingray will also get pretty decent mpg I'm expecting,and if I get a Cruze I'd have to wait until that was paid off to get a C7, as opposed to just saving for a year or two.... (or maybe getting another C5z or possibly a ls3)
decisions decisions....
I'm seriously wanting a Cruze Eco for a daily as they get WAY more mpg than they are rated and are a great daily. New one coming out in a year so I don't know if I should get the current one I like, wait till '15, or wait until the 2nd year of them
BUT...the Stingray will also get pretty decent mpg I'm expecting,and if I get a Cruze I'd have to wait until that was paid off to get a C7, as opposed to just saving for a year or two.... (or maybe getting another C5z or possibly a ls3)
decisions decisions....
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 26,714
Likes: 344
From: Houston, TX
Sometimes it simply makes no sense for any number of reasons to drive a Corvette to work. In my case, I needed a nice four door car for business, so when I had my Corvettes it had to be a garage queen. If your commutes are short and you don't really put a lot of miles on your DD, I would look into a nice used car. For around $20,000 you can find a fairly new (or even new if you want something really basic) car that is not as likely to need any major repairs any time soon.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,659
Likes: 8
Not a fan of garage queens either. My 1988 coupe has 150k miles on it, and its done 160mph and carried 2x4's home from Home Depot (not at the same time!) - and a lot in between.
Drive your Corvette and you will appreciate it so much more than it sitting in the garage and slowly dying from lack of use.
Drive your Corvette and you will appreciate it so much more than it sitting in the garage and slowly dying from lack of use.