Hey everyone, I've been on this forum for many years. My last Corvette was an 09 ZR1........don't get me started on why I sold it, I regret it to this day. Anyhow, I'm a car nut and have owned 5 cars in the last eight years (all toys, I have a different commuter car). My current toy is a 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE. Beast of a car, but I've been eyeing the C7s for years. I finally have the opportunity to purchase a 2017 3LT Grand Sport Callaway SC627 with 15k miles that just popped up at a local dealer. I'm test driving it tomorrow since the dealer is doing the inspection/oil change/detail on it today. I've seen it up close and it's literally a perfect condition car, with not a blemish to be seen anywhere. The ONLY downside for me is that it's an A8 and I'm a pretty die hard manual guy. The only reason I'm seriously considering it (I have a refundable deposit on it), is that it's a Callaway and I think it's a great deal ($73k). I literally cannot find another Grand Sport Callaway for sale anywhere in the country. This one happens to be in my neighborhood. If anyone has any input into #1, is $73k in fact a good deal on a 3LT Grand Sport Callaway in perfect condition and #2, is the A8 worth it (I've read a bunch of reviews, watched a bunch of videos, etc.).......obviously I'll know when I drive it if I really like it.......

Also, does anyone know if Callaway adjusts anything else on the car besides the increased HP? Do they adjust A8 shift points? I'm in CA so the car can't technically be "tuned" and it's at a dealer so not sure what else Callaway does to the car? I tried to find details but there's really nothing.

Anyhow, if I do in fact get the car I'll post it. Giving up the ZLE might be too much, we'll see when I drive the Grand Sport tomorrow.

 

Sounds very exciting for you. Since I've seen regular 3LT Grand Sports in the close to $73,000 neighborhood I would say that is a very good and current deal. Can't use my input on the A8 other than I LOVE it (though I don't like sticks at all) .Your Camaro is a hell of a performing track car but I believe you'll enjoy the looks and especially the interior of that GS way more than your Camaro. Best of luck and post pictures as I'm sure you're going to be getting a new car tomorrow. ha ha

 

For a Calllaway GS, I would say that is a fair price. Should be quite the performer. Hope it all works out for you.

 

I traded in an 18 Camaro SS for my C7. Never looked back. I like the smaller size and the look of the Corvette better The visibility is so much better in the corvette. . I actually like the A8 trans. Good luck!

 

Do yourself a favor..... you'll thank me.

Buy an M7 2014 - 2019 ZO6.

A supercharged 650 hp ZO6 can't be wrong. 👍

 

At $73K you can't go wrong with a Callaway and they are authorized by GM so any mods they do are the same as stock as far as California goes. The SC627 is down a few HP to a Z06 but that is so small it won't be noticeable. The torque is down some as well but the biggest benefit is it comes in 800 rpm later which should make the car drive a hell of a lot easier.

I don't know whether Callaway adjusts the shifting of the A8 to make it shift harder but I do know the stock A8 will shift hard and fast if you tell the ECM you are serious by putting your foot to the floor. If the throttle isn't Wide Open you aren't serious so the trans will loaf along. As an Instructor I spent 40 minutes riding around Watkins Glen in a well driven GS A8 and I can tell you that transmission can hammer the gears. In automatic mode it is very intuitive and shifts when it should shift. A lot of times automatic transmissions (even when shifted manually will choose the wrong place to shift, either too early or too late very few times at the right point) and the A8 in the pure stock GS I was riding in was nailing the downshift and upshift shift points at every corner.

By the way my car is a Z06 and I know how fast it is compared to a GS or a Z51 as I have been on track with them and been able to compare how my car does against them.

Bill

 

Your basically getting a Z06 that is badged as a GS. Callaway's have a great reputation.
Go for it. Most of the Z06's are selling for more than $73k with more miles!

Callaway's website has a link to a used 2014 SC627, Z51 Coupe, 1800 miles for $71k FSBO.

 

I would say if you are a die hard manual guy you may regret your purchase at some time in the future.

 

It’s always limiting when we make preferences absolutes. Manual transmissions are a preference. I preferred by V6 Toyota as a DD but am driving a V4 Honda because I inherited the Honda and traded up for my C7. I compromised in one area (my commute is not as fast) and moved from C5 to C7 in another. I don’t like not having passing power in my DD but I love what my Stingray can do. Is the trade-off worth it? That is the only question.

 

If this was a manual I would have purchased it without test driving it, it's in that good of shape...........this is my ONLY concern. However, I get a new toy every 12-18 months so we'll see how I feel when I drive it. Maybe a change to a different transmission for a year will be fun, just to change things up? As I'm sitting here typing this my gut is telling me that I am probably not going to pull the trigger, that my ZLE is just too much fun, but we'll see. Appreciate everyone's inputs, I'll be back on this afternoon after I test drive it and make the call to buy or not.

 

Hell has frozen over. Joe had a valuable post and I agree with him.

 

Put it in track mode and hammer it to appreciate the A8. Never gets old

 

So just got back from test drive. The car was absolutely immaculate inside and out. The previous owner took amazing care of it. It was FAST for sure........but I just couldn't pull the trigger. I started out in normal drive mode just to get a feel for it, ran great, just like you'd expect any auto to drive. I clicked into manual mode and played with it in several settings, Tour, Sport and Track. Overall I thought it was fun, I definitely like not having to take my hands off the wheel, but there was just something about the power delivery and the oh so slight delays in shifts that I just couldn't get past. Drove it for about 20 minutes, in the city and on the highway. I got on it multiple times. Bottom line is at this stage I'm just too much in love with driving manuals.

One thing I will say is just how impressed I am with the Grand Sport as a car. Wow, not only is it absolutely gorgeous, but it's also very nice on the inside, much nicer than I expected. Granted I'm in a Camaro, which doesn't have the nicest interior, though mine is pretty sweet, but the C7 just felt to be a level above. This was a 3LT with red seats and red accents throughout. Just beautiful. It did pretty much solidify in my mind that I really, really want a C7 Grand Sport or Z06 now......so my ZLE is going up for sale.......

 

I hope you find your Corvette soon

 

You got the message much quicker than I did, as it took me two years to realize I had made a mistake choosing the A8. More accurately, it took two years to act on what I knew much earlier on. What didn't help my attitude was that mine had every malady known to exist for that genre--shuddering, delayed engagement, etc--which plagued my ownership from Day 1. I can say that I had no issue with its performance, which was crisp and accurate in almost every situation.

OTOH even without the problems, as a diehard manual owner for most of my adult life I missed the "bonding experience" of manual shifting, and the A8's manual mode was not a viable substitute. So, realizing I had made a mistake I traded it for my current GS M7 two years later, and that restored the missing ingredient, which was the third petal on the floor.

 

 

I too had a 2018 ZLE, loved that car, kept it for 2.5 years. I had a Lingenfelter C6 at one time and really loved that car too and got to thinking about getting back into a Corvette. So, I decided to put the ZLE up for sale, when I got an offer for more than I paid for it, there was no turning back. I began my search for a C7 Z06, took me three months to find what I wanted. I too prefer driving a manual, but the Z was an auto, however it had everything else I wanted, 3LZ and a complete stage 3 aero package, I got used to the 8 speed auto right away, it's just so easy to drive, plus made it easier to back into my driveway. I've had it now for about a year and really haven't missed the manual at all. Good Luck!

 

Look for a 2017+ Z06 M7. Don't compromise for anything else. Get the newest year you can afford.

 

For those that have the A8, I only spent 20 minutes with it. Does it shift faster in manual mode if it's in track mode and you put the pedal to the metal? That was my biggest concern. I actually enjoyed keeping my hands on the wheel and using the paddles, but the delay was annoying. I had it in regular Drive and it was fine, I was just cruising around so I like how smooth it was. Then I kicked it into Manual mode and swapped between Sport and Track and since I was on public roads I didn't really rip into it. I did give it decent throttle and let the revs climb to see if it shifted quicker. It kinda felt a bit quicker, but maybe that was just me hoping it shifted quicker?

 

Fair price for that car in this market