jimxms

I loved how easy it was to work on my C6, I also love how easy it to work on my C7 and install power adders like a Procharger. However with the C8 being mid-engined, are we going to experience that same issues that exotic owners encounter when trying to undertake simple repairs, or upgrades on their engines?

Things like hoses that need the engine out to be replaced, turbo/supercharger kits that cause massive overheating issues, and every single How-To on the forum starting with the words "first remove the rear bumper".

I'm excited about the C8, but one of the big selling points for choosing a Corvette over a Euro sports car for me, was being able to maintain it myself.

Thoughts?

elegant

None of us have a clue as of yet. Some ME’s require engines to be dropped for many things, some do not, etc.

Though I do not race my Corvettes, I have things I have had to be replaced in the engine compartment, in total on my C5, C6 Z06 and my current C7 Z06, were oil filters, air filters, one alternator (done week three on warranty), and one “C” clip attaching the coil line to a spark plug (also warranty).

Let’s see what we learn at the reveal and afterwards. Maybe really good news; maybe the opposite — though I am of the suspicion that with GM relying on its dealership Techs for warranty and other repairs, that ease of maintenance is something they have well thought out and planned for.

Z51VetteFan

I have a 7/150 on my current C7, and I dont plan to do anything that requires putting a screwdriver, or a wrench to it. I spent 20 years turning wrenches on Fighters in the military, the last thing I want to ever do, again, is pick up a hand tool.

MikeG37

I have a Cayman and I've done oil changes, the accessory belt, spark plugs & wires, air filter, and the oil/air separator. None of those jobs were as easy as a front engined Corvette oil, belt, or air filter change.
But I've also done a harmonic balancer, rear seal, and a clutch swap, etc. in a C5 coupe and Z06.. Not many things in the mid-engine Porsche (or ME Corvette) would get much more involved than that.

I look forward to messing with it

JerriVette

Most involved work on the engine supposedly will require engine out.

I believe it will be a four hour job at the dealer to drop the drivetrain.

How often or specifically for what repair will require dropping the engine....none of us know.

jimxms

Thats a bit of a worry. The LT1 in my experience isn't quite as robust as its predecessors.

I may have the skip the C8 being from the UK with no dealer or repair network.

elegant

A simple oil and filter change in the ME will involved dropping the engine, removing the front fenders, the inner carpet, and the windshield. Why? Because GM completely forget about maintenance and repair issues entirely when they designed the car.

The ME is doomed before it even comes out. Moderators, please remove this whole section of the forum.

Seriously, for all who have concerns about ease of maintenance and repair with the ME, how about if we “happy first year buyers ” (FYB’s) be your beta testers — for those folks who choose to wait a year or two, while, with along with the FYB’s, we all factually learn what actually is the world of mid-engine M&R.

Nothing wrong with prudently waiting and watching and learning for all who wish.

jimxms

I detect a whiff of sarcasm.

I suppose Ferrari, Lamborghini and all the other mid engined sports car manufacturers also completely forgot maintenance and repair when they designed their cars too - and that's why they are so hard to work on and replace simple parts.

Come to think of it, they probably put even less thought into the design, given that their engines had only ever been used in mid-engine configurations.

Chevrolet on the other hand are dropping in an engine from their front-engined vehicles, so its all good.

Kenny94945

It depends.
If the rear hatch and qtrs. "clam shell" like a C4 many things will be easy.
If there is an access panel behind the seats many things may be easy.
If engineered to drop the entire engine assembly like a 355, maybe not so easy for home DIY.
Laying on top of the engine like an NSX or disassembly of body panels for access like a SLR (one of the worst for repairs) not so desirable for a home DIY.
That's my 2 cents, yet I'd still desire a ME Vette.

KnightDriveTV

Having been ballz deep in a couple Ferraris, a Lambo, an NSX and some mid-engine cars my old company used to build...the one big issue with mid-engine is getting to the commonly needed replacement parts that fail (alternator, compressor, etc) and are belt driven. This places the front of the motor right up against the firewall, which is exactly where you have very limited, not-so-easy access.

At minimum, it's all bottom accessed (lie on the ground or buy a lift), or you drop the motor out.

With MR cars (the appropriate designation for mid engine, rwd) visual inspection of components allows problems to be looked over and makes maintenance intervals more important. Run a DOHC engine and now you have timing belt/chain intervals that become critical to resale value, making the cost of ownership become more expensive as well.

There is value in the simple ohv LTx's sitting in front. You can work on them, they are more long term bulletproof, plus camming them, modding them...it's simpler/cheaper. This is why the front engine car will still have plenty of buyers waiting for the C8.

Darion

For me all it means is I'll be figuring out how to do work on the middle of the car and not the front.

Jeff V.

This guy pulled the engine and transaxle out of a Gallardo using not much more than a Harbor Freight engine hoist and some Quick Jacks.


It seems like the first step is just getting over your fear of the project. At the end of the day, it's just a car. Not a spacecraft. I doubt this ME Chevy will be any more or less difficult to work on than any other modern car.

KnightDriveTV

^ That guy has an incentive...it's a throwaway Gallardo that either goes to the scrap pile or goes to Lambo for a 45k bill. In that scenario, you go all in. I had a Testarossa with 55k miles and several dealers told me to scrap the car. The car has no maintenance since 15k miles. The cost to bring it up included an engine out, etc. Bill plus shipping would've exceeded the value of the car, at the time.

For that reason, yeah, I tore the car apart. Same with a 308 I had.

Also, had a 1998 Diablo, same deal. DMV who registered it in 2001 (edit correction) didn't realize the odometer was in km. They updated the title as 48k miles. No maintenance and the valves made noise, clutch wasn't replaced per maintenance...I had to sell the car for 68k.

Point is, it's going to be hard to say how this new MR car is perceived. It's GM, so it's still going to be mass production, parts bin to a degree, etc. With exotics, none of that is the case, everything is expensive, etc. It's not the labor that really is the problem, it's the low production parts and their cost/limited availability, etc.

In the end though, major service is one thing, it's the minor things that add up...belts, small failures, etc. Buyers of the ME car will be more picky in the used market, based upon how ownership has documented maintenance. This changes who will want to buy/own the mid engine car and who will buy it.

vetteship

"What will the C8's ME layout mean for home mechanics?"

The degree of difficulty will go up a notch or two.

rgregory

So hard to know like others said until we see it. The spark plugs in my Gallardo are easier to replace than in my Tahoe... Tahoe has 1 plug that is a pain in the *** and it is a truck. My Gallardo has 60k miles now, had it for 10 years and never had to do any rough maintenance on it. Oil change isn’t too bad.

JerriVette

Engine drop for most service would be a fair guess with four hours labor to drop for service...

I figure an extra five hundred for major work...

Home mechanics will have an issue dropping the engine.

Most service on the corvette is minimal for a hundred thousand miles...

Do a harmonic balancer on the ls3 and your looking at 8 hours..

Power brake booster is a similiar time on the ls3 maybe a few hours less..

The c8 will be under warranty and for the early adopters it makes sense to purchase the inexpensive gmepp to cover their @ss over the years..

I’d pass on doing work myself.

Suns_PSD

GM has to pay for plenty of warranty repairs and the cost is directly tied to the time and difficulty of the repair.
They are going to do everything reasonable to make its servicable.

This is one of the many advantages of a GM product.

Wow, Ferraris are totaled with 68k miles. What a pos.

elegant

Thanks Suns_PSD. That needed to be said. We have so many, “the sky is falling posts” no matter what subject the ME thread is discussing.

They are reminiscent of this forum’s thousands of doom and gloom posts just before the C5 came out, just the C6 came out, just the C7 came out, and now just before the ME is coming out.

Were any of those generations perfect? No.

Were they GREAT cars? Hell yes!

I have faith that the ME will be another great Corvette!

Racer86

The Pantera had a removable panel right behind the seats that allowed easy access to the front of the motor, Granted, you did have to remove the seats, but that is very easy compared to dropping the engine out the bottom. Also, most Ferrari’s and Lamborghini’s switched to chain cam drives, these do not need service like the older cars which had belt drive camshafts. Service on a midengined car will be easier for some jobs and harder for others. Nobody here seems to complain about changing a clutch on a C 6-7 requiring dropping the rear transaxle, and bending the motor mount a few degrees so the transaxle and torque tube will clear on the way out. All cars have service problems.
I have owned 7 midengined cars, they all had tricks of the trade to work on them. Not a big deal

jcthorne

I did all my own maintenance and updates on my Ford GT. Some things were obviously in different places, some things were a bit more difficult. Some were actually easier. Overall, if you can work on your C7, I bet you can work on the new ME about the same. You will need a manual to know how the puzzle comes apart but once past that hurdle, no big deal really.