srskypuppy

Hi folks,
I've lusted after Corvettes ever since watching "Route 66" as a child. Now I'm finally able to afford one and am in the market for a used C7.
I'd love to hear your opinions on what "must have" features to look for, and possible things to avoid or watch out for. Any advice will be appreciated!
BTW, I'm in California if that makes a difference.
Thanks!
Steve

juanvaldez

What do you want to do with it? Can you drive a stick? Do you weigh 300 lbs? Are you interested in performance? Do you have hemorrhoids?

Kent1999

What Juan said, plus:

Do you intend to track it? If so, how often?

How aggressively will you drive it?

Will it be your daily driver/commuter, or just a sunny-day-only weekend toy?

Will you use it for long trips?

Convertible or coupe?

Do you like loud exhausts?

mschuyler

You know, of course, that you will get answers all over the map. A much better way for you to approach this is to do a little studying. Go to the corvette site and study the options to find out what they do for you. Read the threads on this forum that are interesting to you. Figure out what you want to do with the car. What are YOUR expectations? Then decide for yourself what model and options would work best for your situation. Other people cannot do this work for you. It will be YOUR car, so YOU decide.

chefcg1

2lt or 3lt for heads up display, mag ride. Everything else can be added later if wanted.

juanvaldez

Coupe/convertible
stick/auto
Magride/nonmagride
3 levels of trim
base/Z51/GS/Z6

Not many changes over the run biggest addition of front cameras and 8 speed auto

ExRedRacer

Hey neighbor....I'm from that area...San Francisco/San Bruno way back in the 50's and 60's.

Anyway...if you prefer an automatic (A8), a lot of guys here will tell you to avoid the '15 and early '16 models due to some torque converter issues. I have a '16 built in January 2016 and the A8 has been flawless so far after almost 2 years and over 13k miles. If you prefer a manual, it becomes a moot point.

As others have stated, you need to figure out what you want to do with the car. The responses you get will be based on whether you desire to take it to the track on a regular basis or whether you intend to simply get it to cruise around and stay away from racing it.

Once that is determined, we can get more specific about what to look for.

Kevin A Jones

Put the time and effort into the leg work and it will pay off in getting a C7 that will satisfy you long term.

srskypuppy

Ah ha, hadn't thought of stating my desires for the car, thanks!

I plan on doing a little mountain driving on curvy roads where I use to ride motorcycles, occaisionally taking a trip down the coast. Maybe doing a track day once in a blue moon (used to do that on sport bikes). I do want a stick shift, weigh 172 pounds, no hemorrhoids ;-) but I do have a bad disk in my back that doesn't like bumps much. Would that last one be a deal breaker?

srskypuppy

Thanks guys, I've opened quite a can of worms but you are steering me in the right direction, that is to narrow down how I intend to use the car, then explore which options will cover those needs.
I'll do that and follow up a little down the road, thanks again!

GuyQ

I had a severely herniated disc in my back last year (couldn't walk for 2 days the pain was so bad). I still get twinges of pain from time to time, can't run / jog, but have no problems in my Z06 - although I haven't done any rides more than 1 hour so not sure how I'd hold up on a longer trip. With mag ride and setting the suspension as soft as possible, I think it would be fine.

juanvaldez

About 2/3rd are auto. Z51 comes with bigger brakes, wheels, tires, sway bars, e-dif, better cooling. Magride makes the suspension much softer on soft settings.

Steve Garrett

Steve, it sounds like you want to do performance mods AND aesthetic mods. I might have a few ideas for you. If you have more questions, send me a PM-I'm happy to help you out.

Maxpowers

You should consider MSRC to smooth out the ride given your back.

Patman

I find that the base model has a very nice ride already though, I'm not sure if MSRC actually makes it even softer than that?

3AD2the31

IMO a Z51 meets your needs as you want the performance. Get a '16 or newer model year, preferably a '17. I have the '16 and at 16k had the TC replaced along with the differential so a manual may have the same problems with the differential.

ExRedRacer

What was the build date on your ‘16?

juanvaldez

I would look for a 1LZ Z06 steel brakes, 7M. They all come w heads up, magride

roadbike56

OP, since you are buying used, it's pretty clear dollars are important. The Z06 or GS are really nice cars, but are going to be pricey.
IMHO, the Z51 with mag ride would meet all your requirements. Alternately, you could go for a base car as the ride is pretty smooth on that model. You could add stabilizers to the base to help with tracking and curvy roads. There should be plenty of both of these with stick shifts available.
IMHO, a Z51 without mag ride, is not for you.
If you buy a base, be sure to find out if it has the NPP dual mode exhaust option as that is not standard on the base. That's an option almost everyone wants.

jimmbbo

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!
As posted, it all depends on your intended use...

• If you plan regular track events, a "Z-Vette" (Z51, Z06, Z07 or Grand Sport) should be the starting point, but they come at a hefty pricetag.
• For regular GT cruising/touring, the Stingray is a good choice as the Z-Vette's potential is only unleashed safely on the track, and fewer things to break means simpler, less costly maintenance.
• Manual or Auto - personal preference... I think the M7 is a GREAT transmission and the ARM makes it even better. I LOVE it and would never choose an auto. Besides, it saves $1800 on a new car and serves as an anti theft device since many car thieves can't drive a stick shift.
• After loving my Mustang's Sync system, the MyLink Navigation system is a major disappointment, and with GM allowing Google Maps and Waze to run thru Apple Play would make GM Navigation a coin toss for me today.
• I think the 2LT package gives the most value for the dollar, and the HUD and forward view cameras are must haves for me. The other stuff is great, but could do without most of them