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Look, let me start by saying I'm not a real friggin mushy dude. Not really. But there's something about owning this car that's beneficial for my mental health and happiness and for that of the world around me. First off, it's a phenomenal world-class sports car that's easy to live with, fun to look at, more fun to be seen in and even more fun to drive. We all know that part. But it goes beyond that.
I'll be filling the car up with gas at a huge mega-station and some guy 80 feet and two pump rows away smiles, gives me the thumbs up, yells 'nice car!' - and you can tell that even though it's not HIS car, it psyches the guy to see a nice Corvette. I'll be driving down the road with the top off (like earlier today) and I see a C6 Grand Sport and we both give each other a huge wave with a big smile. I pull up to the traffic light 300 meters up the road and stop at the light and look up to the enormous UPS truck to my left and the driver is looking down smiling yelling 'hey, nice car dude!'. My point is the car not only makes its owner happy, it seems to make the Americans who encounter it out in the world happy as well. The general American love for this car is palpable and it's a beautiful thing that makes the car even more of a joy to own.
I'll be driving down the road and thinking about how this car represents all the better angels of America from innovation, great car culture, love of the open road, etc. I'm not a flag waving rah rah kinda guy but it makes me feel great and makes me proud of my country, my car, the Corvette community, and the history and legacy this car represents. The first car I ever recall was my Dad's '58 Chevy when I was a toddler and later his 1963 Biscayne before he went all VW on me in 1968 when I was 10. But I never looked at cars any different, for me GM was cool, Ford was not, and eventually imports were always better than American cars. It was like being a Yankee or a Mets fan (I'm the latter) your Dad hands it down to you. There's no particular logic to any of that of course.
I've always been a foreign car guy. I used to be in the car business, I sold Mercedes and Jaguar for nearly 10 years, wholesale and retail. I've purchased at least 30 cars (mostly new) in my 60 years. Japanese cars (Nissan, Lexus, etc.) Euro cars (BMW, Volvo, Saab), etc. Then I test drove a 2007 C6 coupe three years ago (M6, low mileage car with 20,500 miles, arrest me red) and I distinctly recall thinking 'Forget about it, I'm buying this friggin car where has it been all my life.' before I was out of 3rd gear. Loved the 2007, the 2017 amps that all up to some astonishing level. After 19 months, the honeymoon is not over, I was exuberant driving that car about 35 miles today (I don't get to drive it as much as I'd like). The Corvette has disabused me of my life long notion that foreign cars are better than American ones.
You simply don't GET all that with a Porsche, Audi, BMW, Supra, etc. Sure, you may get a wonderful sporty or sports car, but it won't perform quite the way your (probably less pricey) C7 does. It may be gratifying in other ways, some of those are great cars. But it won't give you the feel-good you get from a Corvette, at least not for me. It's kind of spoiled me for anything else, there's just something about the car that I love too much. It's just so ... BADASS. I let all the AARP cracks roll off my AARP back. I tell them the BMW, Audi etc. is nice, I love them.
But I could never drive anything that slow.
I've never had anybody successfully refute that punchline.
Take it all with a grain of salt, I'm automotively bi-polar (see Prius next to the C7 below) and I spray my tips black.
Enjoyed reading about someone having passion for the same thing that I have passion for. Very nicely written. There is just something about a corvette that other sports cars do not have.
Enjoyed reading about someone having passion for the same thing that I have passion for. Very nicely written. There is just something about a corvette that other sports cars do not have.
Benefits are obvious to those of us wise enough to have been buying new Corvettes for decades! I know the feeling. I got the Corvette bug over 40 years ago with my first new one! 👍
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09, '14-'15-'16-'17-'18
Great post. I know exactly how you feel.
Almost everywhere I go in my Little Blue Vette I get the compliments...everything from “Nice car, man” to “I’ll trade you cars!” to little kids staring and pointing to “That’s a beautiful machine you got there.” Just yesterday while parked at one of my favorite waterfront spots, the couple in the picture below was really checking it out as I sat in my chair a little ways away. Even had time to grab my phone and snap a picture of them doing so. After, I approached them and we had a nice conversation about Corvettes....turns out his neighbors have two of them. I’ve met a lot of nice people like that.
And it is definitely a joy to drive. Like you, I’ve always loved and admired Corvettes since seeing my first one as a little kid. Couldn’t afford one until my children were grown and gone so I drove Firebirds and Camaros, knowing that one day I’d have a Corvette. On my third one now,...the best car I’ve ever had.
Agree completely! I also had a few nice imports, but never had the casual discussions with others like with the Corvette. With a Vert, I also had to get used to discussions at stoplights, either with other cars or even those on the sidewalk. Had a nice lady follow me for 2 blocks just to let me know that when I turned on the turn signal the running light on the same side shut off--I thanked her (but chose not to mention this was by design).
Actually, I would have been in a Vette years earlier if any local dealer would have allowed test drives. Kind of odd--the Audi and Porsche dealers would just toss me the keys and let my wife and I take a spin, but never a Chevy dealer. Finally I just bought one. And it's great.
Agree completely! I also had a few nice imports, but never had the casual discussions with others like with the Corvette. With a Vert, I also had to get used to discussions at stoplights, either with other cars or even those on the sidewalk. Had a nice lady follow me for 2 blocks just to let me know that when I turned on the turn signal the running light on the same side shut off--I thanked her (but chose not to mention this was by design).
Actually, I would have been in a Vette years earlier if any local dealer would have allowed test drives. Kind of odd--the Audi and Porsche dealers would just toss me the keys and let my wife and I take a spin, but never a Chevy dealer. Finally I just bought one. And it's great.
My dealer here in New Hampton, NY (Orange County) was very good about letting me test drive the car. I don't get that at all.
I had a fun trip with the Vette last weekend with a few moments like that. I picked up my Dad and we took a cruise up to his hometown which is a small town in the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina, not too far off the Blue Ridge Parkway. The GS was like a rock star as I drove through the little towns. We stopped at a local place for lunch that we like, and I parked around the back. Noticed the back door to the place was open when we went in. As we left, someone hollered at me "That is one awesome car!" and when I looked back, several of the cook staff and a couple waitresses were lined up outside the door to see the car fire up and leave! As I started to drive off, one of them came up and motioned for me to stop...she wanted to see the blue interior up close. Fun times showing it off.
Also snapped a few cool pics. We drove up the house my Dad grew up in. It was for sale with no one around, and the previous owner had paved a driveway down to the house. The house was built shortly after the Civil War in this little cove. Couldn't pass up the photo op...neat contrast between the old and new:
Look, let me start by saying I'm not a real friggin mushy dude. Not really. But there's something about owning this car that's beneficial for my mental health and happiness and for that of the world around me. First off, it's a phenomenal world-class sports car that's easy to live with, fun to look at, more fun to be seen in and even more fun to drive. We all know that part. But it goes beyond that.
I'll be filling the car up with gas at a huge mega-station and some guy 80 feet and two pump rows away smiles, gives me the thumbs up, yells 'nice car!' - and you can tell that even though it's not HIS car, it psyches the guy to see a nice Corvette. I'll be driving down the road with the top off (like earlier today) and I see a C6 Grand Sport and we both give each other a huge wave with a big smile. I pull up to the traffic light 300 meters up the road and stop at the light and look up to the enormous UPS truck to my left and the driver is looking down smiling yelling 'hey, nice car dude!'. My point is the car not only makes its owner happy, it seems to make the Americans who encounter it out in the world happy as well. The general American love for this car is palpable and it's a beautiful thing that makes the car even more of a joy to own.
I'll be driving down the road and thinking about how this car represents all the better angels of America from innovation, great car culture, love of the open road, etc. I'm not a flag waving rah rah kinda guy but it makes me feel great and makes me proud of my country, my car, the Corvette community, and the history and legacy this car represents. The first car I ever recall was my Dad's '58 Chevy when I was a toddler and later his 1963 Biscayne before he went all VW on me in 1968 when I was 10. But I never looked at cars any different, for me GM was cool, Ford was not, and eventually imports were always better than American cars. It was like being a Yankee or a Mets fan (I'm the latter) your Dad hands it down to you. There's no particular logic to any of that of course.
I've always been a foreign car guy. I used to be in the car business, I sold Mercedes and Jaguar for nearly 10 years, wholesale and retail. I've purchased at least 30 cars (mostly new) in my 60 years. Japanese cars (Nissan, Lexus, etc.) Euro cars (BMW, Volvo, Saab), etc. Then I test drove a 2007 C6 coupe three years ago (M6, low mileage car with 20,500 miles, arrest me red) and I distinctly recall thinking 'Forget about it, I'm buying this friggin car where has it been all my life.' before I was out of 3rd gear. Loved the 2007, the 2017 amps that all up to some astonishing level. After 19 months, the honeymoon is not over, I was exuberant driving that car about 35 miles today (I don't get to drive it as much as I'd like). The Corvette has disabused me of my life long notion that foreign cars are better than American ones.
You simply don't GET all that with a Porsche, Audi, BMW, Supra, etc. Sure, you may get a wonderful sporty or sports car, but it won't perform quite the way your (probably less pricey) C7 does. It may be gratifying in other ways, some of those are great cars. But it won't give you the feel-good you get from a Corvette, at least not for me. It's kind of spoiled me for anything else, there's just something about the car that I love too much. It's just so ... BADASS. I let all the AARP cracks roll off my AARP back. I tell them the BMW, Audi etc. is nice, I love them.
But I could never drive anything that slow.
I've never had anybody successfully refute that punchline.
Take it all with a grain of salt, I'm automotively bi-polar (see Prius next to the C7 below) and I spray my tips black.
08-30-2018, 09:06 PM
The amazing feel-good benefits of C7 ownership
