Hey guys, I've been watching the C7 market for the majority of the year, watching prices and availability. And I've got a few prospective buys, but they're hours away. I don't know anyone with a c7 to test drive, I've never driven one to even know if I'd like it. As a c3 owner, i kind of get the jist of sitting low so i get that angle. It's hard for me to decide to drive 2-5 hours just to look at one, or if a dealer would even let me drive it without really being interested in theirs. So thought I'd ask for some input.

2 of the vettes I'm looking at hard tops, and 2 are convertibles. I want to pick one up as kind of a short range vacation vehicle for the wife and I. How is the cabin for road noise in a convertible? Does it get loud in the rain? Is there any trunk space left with a convertible? I'm leaning toward a hard top but if none of those are issues well then I might try convertible.

I look at the used prices for c6 vs c7 and I wonder ges do I really want to spend 10 or 20 thousand more to sneak into a 2014. Is the c7 worth it vs doing a c6? Would you rather sit in a c6 for say 500 miles or a c7? I'd like to have say a '14 to sit next to my 76, but if there's not a huge jump in experience maybe it's not worth the huge jump in cost.

1LT trim, is it decent? I find it actually hard to find a 1LT most are 3LT, some 2s. One 1LT I found has 18k miles on it, but has sear covers...and I kind of said hmmm, what's up with that...

I know they're probably pretty dumb questions but without being able to reach out and touch one hopefully this helps me decide if I want to make a trip to look at one. Thanks in advance!

 

Not dumb questions at all ! You'll find a tremendous difference from the C3...I went from a C3 to a C5, and then more recently to a C7. The C5 was light years ahead of the C3 in every way...the C7 then more of an evolution to me. Can't comment on the C6 as I skipped that generation.

Others will prefer the extra features of the 2LT and 3LT...I bought a base 1LT M7 coupe, and am super happy with it in every respect.

Good luck!

 

This year sold my '71 for a 2016 base Stingray. All the content I need. Only option is high-performance exhaust. Not too loud, enjoyable. Check out higher trim pachages if you want. Very happy with mine.

 

They might if you don't say "I want to drive it to get a feel of a car I might buy 6 states away.". Just act cool and be curious.

Do you drive with the roof off a lot? If you are someone that will only drive with the roof off unless you get caught in the rain then you need the convertible. I drive with the roof on and windows up no matter the weather so AC is a deal breaker for me. Convertible is worthless since my top will never be off and has never been off. I don't think convertible has been as quiet as a solid roof.

I would go 16 or higher since I am not seeing much difference after 16 that is significant. You will have Android Auto without having to mess with installing a new head unit.

I would personally not want a 1LT since I would regret not having the gizmos that the 2LT has. 3LT is a little more luxurious with the leather dash BUT some have had delamination issues. It also has a couple of gizmos if that trips your trigger.

 

I'm also a C3 guy. I still own my first Corvette, a 1976 C3 that is under construction. And my latest Corvette is the 2014 Z51. I really like this car. I'm not a convertible guy. The coupe is fairly quiet and it is much quieter than my earlier C5 Z06. There is a lot of storage room under the hatch. You can travel easily in the C7.

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The C7 is more than any C3 guy could ever dream for and much, much more than he can imagine.

All the 2014 production rolled out as narrow body Stingrays. In 2014 there were basically two choices, the basic Stingray or the Stingray with the Z51 option. The basic or the Z51 Stingray could be equipped with any of the 1,2,3LT interior packages.

The Z51 option in 2014 was priced at $2,850. It included so many upgrades to the engine, the suspension, the transmission, the differential and so on. I think GM lost a lot of money on this package. But the reality is, the base Corvette is a wonderful street car. The Z51 was simply produced to meet the track goals set out by the engineers.

The 2014 is the least expensive to get into, obviously by age and by the standard body configuration. There were no 'Bad' model years to avoid in the C7 generation.

C6 vs C7 The C7 was a complete frame up redesign. The C7 frame is aluminum, the C6 is steel. The C5 and C6 torque tubes are aluminum, the C7 torque tube is made of steel. The C7 interior is much improved over the C6; a lot less plastic. The C7 boasts a near perfect 50/50 weight distribution.

Much more to say but other guys will chime in.

 

One thing less the C7 does NOT have compared to the C4 I got rid off for it. The parts guy saying "Uh, Oh! Obsolete.".

 

I think you will find a lot of good input here that will help you along with your choices. I have a c3 convertible and have owned c1, c2, c4 and a c5 Corvettes. I never owned a c6 but went to a 2018 c7 LT3 M7 GS convertible. The C3 and C7 to my eyes share the fender lines but are different in so many ways. The C3 has the looks but is raw and vintage primitive. That’s what i like about it most. The C7 is such a nice driving car in comparison that the refinement and performance are surprisingly good. I would leave the top preference to you, but if you are going to get a 2 seater, I like the vert. It is quiet and draws a crowd when the top starts opening or closing. I find the c3 easier to get in and out of then my c7, but once you are in it is very adjustable and comfortable. My c5 was a z06 and it felt a little faster, but i think it’s because the c7 puts the power down in such an advanced way that it seems more tame. I plan on keeping my GS for a long long time. A 7 speed manual and a vert - they quit making them.

 

Maybe you could rent one for a day through Turo? I've had a bunch of vettes over the years as well, and the c7 was a huge jump over the c6. Z51 was important all along, but after reading about how much the E-diff improved handling, I had to have it. I ended up with a 3lt z51, but do worry about the dash delaminating now. I think you end up getting most of your money back on loaded cars so I tend to lean towards those. I'm 6'1" and 210, and I'd say my c6's were slightly more comfortable on long trips, and I still can't quite get the right seat/steering wheel positioning in the c7. It drives me nuts that the wheel obscures the top part of the tach when it feels right!

 

Wow! Very helpful so far! The only thing that drew me more to a c6 is I'm not much of a gadget guy, I like my vehicles with just gauges, ***** and buttons. But I think sharkster said it right, the fender/body lines between the c3 and c7 compliment each other nicely. I knew if I settled on c6 I would be ok with it, but it wouldn't be what I really wanted. Then I'd be buying a c7 someday anyway.

 

OP: Where are you located? I’d be willing to let you test drive mine. I’m in the Central Valley California. I test drove a C6 but it was not comfortable so I looked at a C5 and fell in love. A wonderful , sexy and well balanced machine and enjoyed it for 3 years. I was on the fence for the C7 but once I got used to the look of the hard lines then test drove one, I was sold. Light years ahead of the C5. Didn’t want the insane power of the Z06, so I ended up buying a 2019 M7 2LT hard top. It’s the same wide body and chassis with all the race goodies as the Z06 but with the LT1 engine from the stingray. Superior vehicle. Well balanced and plenty of usable power!

Whatever you decide to do, I’m sure you will have years of fun!

 

I don't drive with the tops off much because it's a pain to deal with them, I have the luggage rack but it's still a pain. I think if I had a convertible I'd use it a lot.

 

I'm in the middle of no-where Iowa, mostly truck and tractor county lol.

 

If Android Auto or Apple Car play is a desired option for your road trips, know that the early C7 did not include it. As for your question about road noise, it has been my experience that a convertible is noisier than its hardtop counterpart regardless of the make and model car.

The 2LT trim is popular. It includes many nice features such as seat warmers and seat ventilators, front curb/parking cameras, heads up display, memory package to store seat and steering wheel positions, and more.

Good luck with your search

 

I'm going to go in reverse of the OP, as my first was a C7; someday I will own a '71 convertible. That's my birth year.

 

Do you even drive with the windows down?

 

I've owned a late C3 (1981), C6, C7, and C8. Its been mostly covered that the C6 or C7 are both night and day different from the C3, outside the low seating position. The C6 was a great car, but I would re-iterate how much nicer the C7 interior is from a quality/materials perspective. While I get how you might look at the C6 and see fewer gadgets, you also mention livability of the interior for a long trip, and in my opinion, the C7 wins this one hands down between the two.

 

I bought a new 2013 Grand sport convertible and drove it some but after I sold it went to C7 convertible and there is a huge difference. In my option when I think of the c7 it's all about style and performance with very good mpg

 

I have owned C3s, C4s, C5s and now a C7. The difference between the previous cars and the one I have now is like night and day. I liked every Corvette I have had (10 in all), but the C7 just puts it all together in a beautiful package. I never had a C6 but did drive one for about 1500 miles back in 2007 and while it was OK, it was not as comfortable as the C7 and the quality, especially the interior, was a huge improvement. The 2014, as an introductory year model for the new generation, was really very reliable. It does come with the A6 transmission verses the A8 in newer models, but it performs well and has not had the problems associated with the A8.

As far as pricing, all the used car prices are incredibly high right now - but I am not sure there would be a $10-20K difference between a C6 and 2014 C7 unless the range of model years is considerable.

My car has the 2LT package on it - which I consider the sweet spot in terms of options on the car. But if you can live without items like the HUD, heated/ventilated seats and upgraded stereo, the 1LT could save you some money.

I would agree that if you can find a used C7 on a dealer lot, go in and see about a test drive. You don't have to say whether you will buy the car right then, just tell them you are considering a C7.

I have absolutely no regrets with my C7. Depending on where you live, coming into winter months is usually when prices tend to moderate a bit, so check around. But as I said, prices are high so there may not be that much of a difference in pricing.

 

Pretty much most of the time, unless its to cold out.

 

Yes, livability is the the #1 goal for sure, depending on the comfort, I'd even like to take it on week long trips.