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I've been on the forum for a few years now, and have been thinking of upgrading our C5. there are so many nice Vette's out there it's hard to choose! or know what to do... in the price range I'm looking at, its a toss up between a C6 GS or maybe if i can afford it a 2014 C7 Z51. most of the newer C7's are out of my price range, any reason why not to buy a 2014 other than its the first year model run of the C7? and what do you folks that own C7's think of the comparison of the C6 GS vs the C7 Z51?
My '14 has performed quite well. Do not be afraid of a Z51 C7 go for a 2LT or higher trim package. You do NOT get a front camera (it can be done, as I have the front camera). You do NOT get PDR ( I have a Blackview mounted up where the PDR views the road) so you can get it all with a little aftermarket products.
Elmer
Last edited by eboggs_jkvl; Oct 24, 2020 at 09:04 AM.
The 2014 C7 is an exceptional sportscar and perhaps one of the most trouble-free of the C7 run.
The 2014 C7 is the exception to the "rule" about being leery of first year production of a new model. One minor issue (infotainment screen blacked out--know issue) replaced under warranty...other than that trouble free....My z51 3LT has no dash separation issues, leaky wheels and other maladies that many later year owners complain of. If you can swing it I would definitely jump on a 14 z51.
I've been on the forum for a few years now, and have been thinking of upgrading our C5. there are so many nice Vette's out there it's hard to choose! or know what to do... in the price range I'm looking at, its a toss up between a C6 GS or maybe if i can afford it a 2014 C7 Z51. most of the newer C7's are out of my price range, any reason why not to buy a 2014 other than its the first year model run of the C7? and what do you folks that own C7's think of the comparison of the C6 GS vs the C7 Z51?
thank you, red03vette
I sold my 98 C5 last summer after 15 years of enjoying it...and bought a C7 M7. You won't regret it...the C5 was great (I upgraded at the time from an enjoyable but very primitive C3)...but the C7 is light years ahead in every way.
I have a 2014 C7 and it seems to be solid and so far trouble free, it is a joy to drive and very comfortable to me. I have had a C4, C5 and C6 and this one seems to be the easiest to get in and out of and most comfortable of any I've had. I really like the selectable modes that allow you to change "setups" from Weather, ECO, Touring, Sport and Track modes. I usually leave mine in Touring mode but have switched to all of them just to try. I think that the 2014 prices are coming around to be more affordable, as I traded my C6 on this one and got a really decent deal in my opinion. Good Luck!
Here was a photo from the day I traded in my C6 GS for a 2014 C7. So I’ve owned both, I can tell you the C7 is far superior in every aspect. I owned that C7 Z51 Premier Edition for about 2.5 years and it never gave me a single issue.
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
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As others have said, the 2014 has been a relatively trouble free first model year car. The difference between earlier generations and the C7 is pretty substantial and if you can swing it financially, give the C7 a serious look.
Two years ago I was in your shoes trying to decide between a C6 GS or C7. Went with the C7 and never looked back. Take a good look at the two and I think you will come up with the same answer sir.
I went from a 1999 C5 to a 2014 C7 Z51. C7 is better in every way except vision, the stereo and cargo space. Their is a mirror setup tutorial on here somewhere that helped me with blind spots. I've posted before on the stereo - huge disappointment. FM sounds like AM. Zero experience with the C6...
I like my 2014 C7 Z51 Stingray 7MT 3LT Convertible w/MRC and PPP exhaust. It's my 1st Corvette.
Have test driven C5's and C6's in the past but never pulled the trigger. Something negative always bothered me about those models. The C7 is better by far and I knew I had to buy it after I test drove it, which is the case with all 6 of the vehicles that I currently own.
Haven't driven any later model C7's, so I can't make that comparison but from what I can tell from what I've read (unless its a Z06) you probably won't notice much of a difference except in the price.
I ordered a '14 in April of 2014 and received it the last week of that May. It was a coupe with a manual transmission and the Z51 package. It was my daily driver for four years. I put 41,000 miles on it. I did not have any problems with it. Only changed the fluids. I sold it to a lady in my hometown two and a half years ago. She has not had any problems with it.
The 2014 C7 is the exception to the "rule" about being leery of first year production of a new model.
the main issues that come up are infotainment screen glitches, warpped Z51 rotors, radiator fan relay, 3LT dash.
Mine only suffered from the rotor problem, but since I track the car the OEM rotors were never going to survive very long anyway. I thought I had the infotainment problem but it was just a lose wire. I also had my reverse sensor fail and a few minor cosmetic things. If your looking at an automatic the '14 has the A6 which is more reliable then the later A8. The '14 doesn't have the front camera or the power pull down latch for the hatch - sure wish I had those. If getting the Z51 read up on the oil change procedure as the dry sump confuses people, even dealers. A 2LT with mag-ride and the NPP exhaust and M7 is the setup I recommend.
The C7 is my first Corvette so I can't compare it to other years other then to say I never considered getting one before because the interior was always such cheap GM garbage.
Note due to lack of C8s the price on C7s has gone up, mine car is worth about the same as I paid 2 years ago ($40-45k) which is pretty remarkable.
red03Vette, You're taking me back to 2016 when I went through the exact same decision, trading in a 2004 C5 for a wide-body C6 or a 2014 C7, preferably a Z51. The move to a C6 from a C5, especially a wide-body is an upgrade, but the move to a C7 is like a completely new design, not just an upgrade. For me, the biggest changes are the rev match for the manual transmission and the outstanding traction control. As much as I loved and miss my C5, I never completely trusted it in a hard turn. Once it broke loose, it was a handful and hard, almost impossible to predict. The C7 tracks much better than the C5. The few times I've been able to break the tires loose on C7, it's recovered quickly, entirely predictable. A simple feathering of the throttle, sort of like dirt tracking it, and it fully recovers. I've pushed this car as hard as I'm willing to go, but it can take a lot more than I'm willing to dish out.
In your situation, I would only go for the C7. If possible, I'd try for a Z51. My Z51 has mag ride and that's a nice option. Good luck.
I’ve had a C3, 2 C4s, a C5, a C6 ZO6 and now a C7 Grand Sport. As most would suspect, each generation is better than the prior. Between each generation, the C7 is more significant then between the other generations. I really loved my C6 ZO6, but the C7 is light years ahead. If I were you, I would look for the lowest mileage C7 you can afford, but definitely look for one with the particular options you want. Some have mentioned that you can add aftermarket items, but OEM is the way to go.
thanks everyone for all the replies! so far it looks like the C7 is the way to go, either the 2014 or i guess any C7 Z51 that fits in my budget, appreciate all the suggestions! (i had a feeling i came to the right place)
I recently got a 14 Stingray with 4300 miles. It is an amazing car throughout. It has developed the infotainment screen flicker but I have a replacement on the way. Not that big of a deal to replace. My only other Vette was a C4 so not really a fair comparison since they’re light years apart. I let a buddy of mine drive it, former C6 owner, he was impressed especially with how much nicer the interior is. Go test drive one and see how you like it!
2014 C7's
Zero experience with the C6...
the main issues that come up are infotainment screen glitches, warpped Z51 rotors, radiator fan relay, 3LT dash.
