Hey guys,

I am on a waitlist for both Ciocca and Criswell. While I wait, I was wondering if there are any dealerships that allow for test drives. I know that Ciocca has some Corvettes in-stock (used), but I wasn't sure if they were allowing test drives. Any info is helpful. Thank you.

 

I hope no one let's my new Stingray be test driven............... .

 

Just like in early 2020 for me the first time I drove a C8 it was off the showroom floor. If you're on a wait-list best bet is to find some one who will let you tag along your going to have plenty of time.

 

CarMax, Turo, or any of the track driving places.

 

Ya, thats what I was worried about. I am sure I will love the car. But I guess if I don't like it, I can always sell it. Even if I sell it for what I paid, I'm fine with breaking even. But the odds are, I will enjoy it.

Guess I'll have to "trust" it, like when buying a motorcycle. You sit on it and then shell out $15k and hope you enjoy it .

 

When I took delivery of my C8, it was the first time I sat in the driver's seat of a C8 and I love the car.

Like Kracka said, CarMax or something similar may work for you.

 

Thanks. Maybe I'll do one of the track places, so I can see what it can do. Good suggestion.

 

Are you near Ciocca? NJMP is down here in south Jersey and they have an event in early May coming up where you can drive super cars along with other performance cars. C8 is one of the cars.

 

Xtreme Xperience has events at race courses around the U.S. but C8 slots have been filling quickly. As of now there is only one C8 slot left for the June 4th event at the Kansas City Speedway - cost is $329: https://www.thextremexperience.com/

That there is still one C8 slot left may be a sign that demand is decreasing. When I tried signing up for past Xtreme Xperience events to drive a C8, the slots were filled before I could get one. I might have signed up for the June 4th event if my delivery was further into the future. I should be doing my own C8 "test drive" home from the courtesy delivery dealership in two or three months if constraints don't delay it.

 

I don't think you will need to worry about liking how the car drives. If you have driven any Corvette in your lifetime...the C8 drives better than that.

 

Maybe try a post asking members and include your location. I've had a few members kindly offer to show their car and offer a test drive. Timing hasn't worked out for various reasons but was a nice surprise. I've just accepted that I won't do a test drive until delivery.

At least right now Carmax has 0 C8s within 500 miles of Washington DC and the Turo rentals near me are $300+ for a day which just isn't worth it to me.

 

Only way a test drive makes sense to me! You can't expect to "test drive" a car near it's limits, which is required to learn something! Best read some good descriptions from pro's in Car & Driver, Road & Track etc. Most on the web and a number of video's.

Driving around town is like any other Corvette I have owned (this is my 6th!) My 1st C8 drive was from the Courtesy Delivery dealer home (bought mine thru Kerbeck.) Until you push it in a turn near 1 "g" or brake hard etc you're not going to learn much. Now if you go to Spring Mountain etc you will learn something useful!

Never drove even my 1st Vette, a 1988, as all 6 have been ordered "made just for me in BG to my specs!"

SIDEBAR
Funny I can still recall driving a friends 1967 435 hp 427 Vette! Probably the last Vette before my 1988! Have driven many other high performance cars, however. I remember his because we had worked together in an R&D Lab back East and he transferred to sales in CA. We were going to dinner and when on an entrance ramp to a freeway he said get on it! I recall shifting to 2nd and almost changing lanes. Same with 2nd to 3rd. Yep back-in-the-day we had skinny tires. Just checked and his Vette with it's side pipes made lot's of noise but had skinny 7.57 inch section width tires (~200 metric!) No traction and flexible chassis so was expecting the torque steer!

The C8 is MUCH quicker 0 to 60 (specs show his only achieved that in 5.3 seconds.) And that was probably slipping the clutch! Lots of trauma as it was when shifting! The C8 does it easily in 3 seconds and although a lot of fun NO TRAUMA, anyone can do it!

 

Where do you live?
If close, you can drive mine.

 

I was in the dealership recently and a guy asked to test drive a new C8.

The salesperson replied "It's a Corvette, you know what you're getting."

True. Very true.

 

^^^
Was the same for my early 2014 C7. Picked mine up in September 2013 when GM was ONLY filling orders for customer cars. Recall the sales manger was upset he could not buy a car for inventory so was limiting sales fof new C7s.

It was two days after my car arrived at the out-of-state dealer until I was able to get there to pick it up (one of the few taking hold-a-spot deposits at MSRP, even Kerbeck was not when I ordered mine in February 2013 right after the launch.) Wife drove me and when we walked into the dealership with probably 10 cars in the huge showroom there was only 1 C7. Mine! 1st time I had been there as the transaction was all by phone. There was a salesman discussing the car with a potential customer. Wife and I were just looking. The customer asked to sit in the car. The salesman said, can't it's a customer car and don't even have the keys to open the door!

Visited with the sales manger who mentioned his frustration of not being able to get a car for inventory! Was pleased no one was allowed to sit in my car! They slid what looked like a large glass window sideways, drove my car out and I drove it home!

 

I was on the fence (mostly about the lack of a manual trans) and test drove a C8 Coupe at CarMax. 30 minute test drive later, and I knew 3 three things:
1. I wanted one,
2. I needed the head room of a HTC,
3. I only needed 2 minutes to determine 1&2, so that gave me 28 minutes to just enjoy the ride!

 

Have a track near my house, you get four drive ‘‘em like you stole it laps for $150.

 

I'm in Texas. Looks like you are in IN. Thank you for the offer, but alittle out of the way. Also, I dont feel comfortable driving anyone elses cars (only my own, family or dealer). I would ride in the passenger seat though .

 

This will be my first Corvette.

 

This is interesting. I am not near Jersey, but can certainly fly over. Do you have a link?