thill444

First off, I 100% love my C7. To the point that it might be my favorite car I have ever owned (FD RX-7 is either #1 or #2). And I have owned a lot of cars. This was my first American car and first V8. I love the interior and exterior of the C7, the way it handles, the intoxicating sound of the V8. The versatility of being able to remove the roof on a nice day. A car that I can take to the track and drive to work.

So this is not about GM or my C7 letting me down. So why sell?

We have three young kids (7-12 range) and my wife drives a Honda Odyssey and we have a third car (2015 Honda Fit). When I first purchased the Vette the kids schedule allowed me to drive the car 5 days a week to work when I wanted and then of course on the weekends.

Fast forward and my youngest daugter got accepted into an elite dance team that requires her to attend practice 5 days a week. And it is not close to home. The trickle down affects are that our older two are very active as well and we are constantly running them to events.

The challenge now is that I am lucky to be able to drive the car 2 days a week to work because I am literally running from work to various places to shuttle kids. That means the Corvette sits in the garage and I am stuck driving a Honda Fit 80% of the time.

I didn't buy the Corvette to be a garage queen (I have only logged 2K miles since August).

I typically just have one kid with me, so I don't need a sedan/family hualer but I need a backseat until the kids are big enough for the front.

So I am seriously contemplating trading the car in for either a 2018 Ford Mustang (GT with magride and performance pack and loaded tech+leather, etc) or a Camaro SS (either 2SS or 1SS 1LE). I am not a Mopar guy (have driven the Hellcat and Charger several times) and I like the Chevy SS, but honestly don't love the looks.


I know a Mustang or Camaro is not the same as driving a Corvette, but at least I would be able to drive the car 5 days a week to work and also still have fun on the weekends.

I am intoxicated with V8's now and don't see myself going back to turbo 4's (like Golf R, WRX/STI, Focus RS, etc). I checked out a new 2018 Mustang GT (did not drive it yet) but it seems like it would work fine with my small kids (I am 5' 10").

Thoughts? Other cars I should consider? Budget is about $45K. I am also surprising the wife and selling the Fit for a Jeep Wrangler JL (2018 all new model). She has wanated one her whole life and sacrificed her career to stay home with kids. But I am not a truck/Jeep guy so even though I will drive it I much prefer a sportscar.

red62vette

I have a similar situation with my kids. I solved it with two cars, like you. I have a Macan and the Vette. I considered many cars to solve the problem. The Mustang and Camaro rear seats are useless even for kids. The only one that has good rear seats is an M3/4. I say keep the Vette and sell the Fit. The Jeep you mentioned is cool or you can get a used M3/4 or a Macan, maybe a 4-cyl.

JerryU

If I lived in New England would definitely get a Jeep! From what you said your wife deserves it, giving up her career! When I lived in NE Ohio years ago had a 260Z that stayed in the garage in the long winter! Had a V8 CJ5, that I installed headers etc and the first All Terraine radial tires that just became available in the mid 1970’s. Great for going to the airport and off-roading in the Summer!

When we moved to CT I loved going into NYC on the weekend with the Jeep and driving over all those steel plates and holes in the pavement! That was my off-roading!

Much more fun driving a vehicle with the proper tires designed for the winter.

Pleanty of time to own and still drive a Vette aggressively when you are 75 like me! IF THEY ARE STILL AVAILABLE!

PS: Paul Newman won a SCCA race at 82!

thill444

I did take a kid with me (12 year old son) when I checked out the Mustang and because there is nobody in the front passenger seat he fit fine.

Need to do the same in my Camaro. My kids are all short and skinny and my wife is 5'4".

Did the used BMW thing before and swore never again (car was a huge nightmare). I might consider a new M2 though.

I would love a Macan, but I can't afford to keep the Vette and buy a Macan as the taxes alone would be killer where I live.

I need to drive the Mustang, Camaro, and M2 I think. The M2 is a little more than I want to spend but not by much.

Skid Row Joe

PM your post to wife's email. Let us know what she sez.

dvilin

I would hang on to the Vette and recognize the fact it is not going to get driven as much as I would like. But it sounds like you do not wish to go that route. So with your budget I would get a Camaro SS. Good luck.

saleen556

Pick up a lease return 16 M3. The 4 doors are great for kids and the performance is close to a C7 on the street. Just got rid of mine when I got my Z06. If I didn't need a truck I'd have kept it.

Supersonic 427

If I was in your situation, I would go with the Camaro SS. It has the same exact LT1 engine as your Vette, you can get mag ride the dual mode exhaust, heads up display with the 2SS or 1LE. It would be the closest car to your Vette with back seats. The Camaro with it's new platform in '16 is no longer just a straight line muscle car....it is much closer to a sports car.

Supersonic 427

bearphoto

I have never taken the tops off either of my 2017 vettes.

davepl

I've never put my top up, except for storage.

Snowwolfe

Both the Camaro and Mustang have useless back seats. Do some research on the SS sedan then find one and buy it quick. I am enjoying my SS more than any Corvette I ever owned.
Mag ride, LS3, dual mode exhaust, loaded with safety features, bought my 2017 with sunroof and spare new for just under $40k. M6 or auto, heads up display. Plus a full sized rear seat.

Martman C7

Think I'd have to agree here. I owned a 2015 Mustang GT before the Vette. The Mustang has much better visibility than the Camaro but the Camaro has the same V8 that the Vette has. I can tell you from experience with kids, the constant moving of the seat to let the kids in and out becomes a huge PITA as time goes by. I bought a 2004 GTO thinking the back seat would be great for kids, and man did it suck out loud.

The Chevy SS will still give you the great sounding V8, plenty of HP, and most importantly, back doors for easy in/out for the kids.

Just my humble .02.

OnPoint

Shame about the kids as they sound like great kids. You'll probably miss them.





Ok . . . all kidding aside, you can drive the vette less for a couple years, or interrupt vette ownership experience with something with a back seat. If I had to do the latter, I'd just dump the kids. Bah, just kidding. Seriously, if I had to step away from a great sports car like the vette, I'd probably go the route of an ATS-V. A Camaro or Mustang would simply just be a daily reminder I didn't have a vette anymore. At least with an ATS-V, I'd get a strong runner, much better useability than a Camaro or Mustang, and it wouldn't "feel" so much like a poor substitute - as it's simply an entirely different animal altogether, if that makes sense.

thill444

That may still be what happens. I need to drive a few cars and decide if I can give up the C7. But.. It sucks leaving it sitting in the garage on a beautiful day and driving something much less exciting instead.

roadbike56

My only advice, stay away from the BMW. You've become spoiled with Japanese and American reliability. Beamers just don't have that and you'll be disappointed again. Otherwise, you've got a hard decision to make. I would never give up the Vette, but that's just me. You need to go with what works for you.

saleen556

Guess we've been lucky as we are on our 4th BMW without any major issue. Had a fuel level sensor go bad in my 13 328 but that's it. Looking at upgrading to an 18 X5M next.

red62vette

If you like a Macan look at a used 4-cylinder. $40’s.

Skid Row Joe

Bada**!

thill444

I agree, it would be closer to the Vette. I know the Camaro is a better performance/drivers car to the Mustang, but, I have some serious hangups on the Camaro exterior and interior vs the Mustang. I much prefer the exterior of the 2018 Mustang and the interior is more liveable.

Mustang now has magride and active exhaust and their new digital dash is really cool. They also bumped up power to 460hp/420tq. Ford does offer performance bumps (tunes, packages, etc) that could probably push that to 500/480 range and I would be able to keep the warranty.

But if the Camaro is that much more engaging to drive I think I could look past my hangups on styling.

I fully intend on driving them back to back. Crazy enough I am seeing much better discounts on the new Mustangs than I am Camaros. And very few 1LE's that are not loaded up and being sold for almost $50K.