wbrands

There actually are two devices available. Diablo makes one but the more common one found on the forum here is made by Range Technology and costs $190 shipped with current $10 discount available. I have one that I use and like the way the car drives/performs with it operating. However, when it is off, I do not notice any hesitation when changing form V4-V8-V4 and have to monitor the instrument panel to tell what mode it is in and when it changes to know. The Corvette A8 will operate in V4 in all driving modes unless you put the stick in manual unlike the M7 car that only operates in V4 in Eco mode.

That being said, I have experienced the torque converter shudder that is well documented here on the forum that is universally acknowledged to be related to V4 operation (do a search for TC shudder). At about 24,000 miles on my 2016, the dealer did the transmission oil drain/flush/fill with the new spec oil and it has not recurred after an additional 2,000 miles (almost all of which using the Range).

Bowtie Jim

Do these gadgets void warranty?

NOMOREWORK

I was in the exact same position as you and the advice I got was go with the newest car you can afford. I bought a 16 Stingray and couldn't be happier!

wbrands

According to the manufacturer - no. They do not write anything to the ECM, so supposedly not traceable at the dealer. Most here recommend disconnecting them before taking the car in for service. YMMV.

bearphoto

19 without question. You want the C7 series.

Dave80C3

Get a C7 if you can swing it. Huge improvement over the C6

EvanZR1

So to set my experience for this answer, I've had:
Currently own:
2015 C7 Z51 3LT M7 w/Mag Ride (stock, daily driver)
1991 ZR-1 (restored with built 391 LT5)
Previous Vettes:
2013 C6 Grand Sport 4LT M6 w/ Mag Ride (Owned for 4 years, with 1 year stock, 1 year with just Vortech blower, 2 years modded blower and other mods making ~800HP)
2003 C5 Z51 M6 Convertible
1991 ZR-1
2001 C5 Z06
1992 C4 M6

Now to my opinion on your question, the answer is it really depends on your goals and use fo the car. First off, let's talk buying outright versus financing. There's nothing wrong with financing (my 15 has a loan on it), but there's definitely a LOT of benefit to owning a car outright. It's really nice to not have that monthly payment to worry about and that's more money you can use towards mods. Plus you can sell the car much easier if you ever decide you want to do something different. Honestly though, if you're truly only going to finance $15K of it, this is almost a wash as you'll have plenty of equity in the C7.

Next question, are you going to use it as a daily driver or a fun/weekend car? Either can handle daily driver duty, but in general I'd come down on the side of the C7 for daily driver use. The C7 A8 will have remote start, which will be great for cold/hot days; the infotainment system is a step up in the C7 (although you can replace the one in the C6 with aftermarket to get the same/better functionality); and the narrow body C7 has narrower tires which will cost less to replace, are better for driving in rain, and (many here will cringe) you can drive it through a car wash (seriously guys, it's just a car). When I recently bought my 15, I was considering a 13 427 vert, and the only reason I ended up going with the C7 was I'm using it as a daily driver.

As to the feel of the car, yes the C6 feels more roomy (as does the C5), while the C7 has more of a cockpit feel (more like the C4). There's no right/wrong answer here, but in general I feel that the C6 has more of a "Grand Touring" feel. I've driven my C6 across the country and gotten out and felt perfectly fine. The C6 seats aren't as good as the C7 for holding you in (although the later 12/13 seats are better, especially with Alcantara inserts), but they are probably the most comfortable cruising seats out of any car I've ever driven. Back to the stereo, the C6 unit in later years (12/13) was actually pretty decent for sound quality, and with the addition of a plug in BT streaming device worked fine for my needs for 4 years (BT phone calls is already built in). I knew several people that upgraded head units and got even better sound and all the features you'd want (BT streaming, Apple Carplay/Android Auto, Nav, etc). The A6 in the C6 is a good transmission, but not to the level of the C7's A8, and getting the A6 in the C6 GS also means you get a wet sump engine, but then the base C7 is wet sump as well. Benefit to the C6 GS is the wide body, wider wheels/tires and Z06 brakes, but this really depends on your use of the car. If you're not going to track it, these really aren't a huge benefit (although they do look good). Personal preference, I find the C7 to look good in narrow or wide body, while the C6 definitely looks better in wide body.

For the C5, I'd really only consider one if it's going to be a fun/weekend car, but if that's the use case, then I'd definitely think about it. A C5 Z06 is still a great looking car, and is one of my favorites of all Corvette models. An 04 Z06 would be a really fun car that is still quick stock, and can be made very fast. My biggest complaint on the C5 is that the interior looks like typical 90s GM (lots of plastic), which is not horrible but definitely not as nice as the C6/C7. The seats are just bad, and something that personally I would have to replace, the stereo system (head unit and speakers) are pretty bad as well, and the headlights are horrible. Obviously there are fixes for all three issues, but that's money you'd have to spend on top of the car.

Anyway, this probably hasn't helped much because I like all 3 generations. Hopefully my ramblings have maybe given you a few things to think about. A couple final thoughts, don't be afraid of a C6 with multiple owners, that mileage is pretty good. Check Carfax/Autocheck to make sure nothing shows there, and see if you can get a Chevy dealer to pull the service history. On any car you buy, you want to make sure it's not a chronic issue car. A buddy was just looking at a really clean C6 ZR1 but when he checked the Carfax, it had been in for service constantly (literally like every 2-3 months for it's entire life) with electrical issues.

Avanti

NEW for me... but, I paid less!

gunnerjuju

I'd buy a 3lt C6 over 1lt C7.

lostsoul

I would wait a few more months to see how much the c8 will cost. Or the c7 type S

LIStingray

A 3LT C6 is the same as a 2LT C7 - the 1Lt C7 is the same in terms of equipment as the 2LT C6 - there is no 4 LT C7, unlike the C6.
Having had 2 C6's (Base & GS) and 2 C7's (Base & GS), I would take a base C7 over a GS C6 every day of the week. The C7 is a far superior car, and a Base C7 (without Z51) will easily outperform a C6 GS; and no one would seriously ever say the C6 is the better looking of the two.

Zjoe6

Did you ask everyone before you made that stupid statement? I didn't think so.

Highway 61

I would go for the 2019 Base for $51,000 because of the 4 owners already on the 2013. Who know what that car has been through.

joemessman

When I was shopping for a Corvette I drove a couple C6s before testing out a C7. Although a C6 is a nice rig, once I got into the C7 and took for a spin I was sold. If you can swing the extra $15K you most likely won't regret your decision in my opinion. And with four owners on the C6? That would kind of turn me off unless I knew why. But that is something that would be too tough to find out. For $51K for a new Corvette? You can't beat it! Especially if you don't use all the extra amenities that come with a 2LT option package. There are plenty of good ones on the 1LT. Me? I'm probably an outlier, but I don't use those extra items that come with the 2 or 3LT. But most owners enjoy them. So do consider that.

Bowtie Jim

I did some digging in the C6.
First owner bought it June 2013 put 6100 miles on it and traded it in to original dealer July 2015. No issues normal maintenance 2nd owner bought it Sept 2015 from same dealer put 8000 miles on it sold in December 2016. Still no issues exeot windshield wiper motor replaced by dealer .3rd owner bought from CarMax Feb 2017 and put 5090 miles on it no new issues . 4th and present owner bought it private party in January 2018 and put around 9000 miles on it this past summer. He replaced tires ,battery, and changed all fluids and did a brake job. He did all this work himself he told me .He never had a problem he said and drove it from Minnesota to Texas 3 times From what I can tell it's a pretty well maintained and cared for vehicle. It's basically spotless underneath too.
So I think. I'm not as concerned about the 4 owners as some would be. It's still a crap shoot though. Seems like they all bought it and drove it for a year or so then moved on to something else. The current owner is saying he wants a new C7 and would like to sell it instead of trading it in. So now at least I have the history and I'm not really worried about being the 5rh owner.
But the C7 is calling me and I might just have to pick up the phone. I'm still torn between the two of these though.
and may sit on the fence for now

Skid Row Joe

^^^^ Fence sitting is great, but you could be driving a new C7. Start looking on cars.com and autotrader.com for a new C7. You want the lowest price in the lowest rung C7. Right? Pretty easy to search for one on the Internet. Tip: don't get fixated on a 2019, when you can get a lot more of a discount on a 2018 or 2017 still on the lot. They're basically the same thing as the 2019 with a lot of free stuff because it's discounted so heavily. at discount. I got a loaded new 2017 convertible 3LT, at nearly -20% off MSRP in November 2017. I didn't have to settle for a 1LT, that I wouldn't have bought anyway. The deals are out there.




.

ZF Six

I've owned a C4, C5, and now a C6 ZR1. Driven two C7s (base and Z06) and I love all of them.

I would say get the C7 out of your two options, but some guys here bring up a good point. It may be worth getting a C5 at first if you don't want to spend the money on the C7. The C5 Z06 is a great car, I had a 2004. They have some electrical gremlins but a well sorted car is not far behind a C6 Grand Sport. If paying cash for the car is important to you, get a clean low mileage C5 Z06 and save up for a C7 GS later down the road. There isn't a big gap between C5 and C6 like there is between C6 and C7.

Good luck!

Vetteman Jack

Skid Row Joe

There's no question, the C7 is the perfect Corvette. The proof is stunningly obvious. Not sure how any previous Corvette C-Class would be preferable. It's pretty clear by now.

dreamingat30fps

I'm not a corvette guy, the C7 is the first corvette I've owned, however I have driven the C6 and IMO the C7 is better in every way. Just the quality of the interior and comfort of the seats is enough for me to get the C7 over the C6. Actually the main reason I would not have bought a C6 is because of the horrible interior and uncomfortable seats.

Also it seems you are comparing two extremes, a loaded C6 or base C7. Maybe consider something in between like a used 3LT C7. I have a 2014 3LT and I love it, bought it used with about 20k miles on it somewhere in the middle of your price range.