Considering a 2008 Corvette, How good is it?
 

Hi Guys,

Let me introduce myself a little.

I am a current G35 and camry owner staying in Sac. Owning a Corvette has been my childhood dream and i guess this is a good time to make it a reality as i am replacing my camry.

I have been hunting for a pre-owned Corvette for a long time. I found one - a 2008 Black Corvette. It has 25k miles on it, warranty till april next year and is in good condition save for some scratches and a little bit of interior wear and tear. The dealer is asking $36k + tax and fees.

I really liked the car but i would like to get your opinion about how reliable it is considering the warranty expires in a year. Also should i take extended warranty? How costly are the repairs? Should one service the corvette only at dealership or find other mechanics who are expert in it?

What is average FE i should expect if i am doing 7 miles of freeway and 9 miles of 40 mph in-city roads every day? Do you think this can be a good daily driver?

I would really appreciate if members and owners could opine and help my dream turn reality. :cheers:

I have an '08 1lt A6 with NPP and 41K miles. Drive it almost every day. 2 years in LA traffic, 2 years now in Kansas City. Driven almost every day except on ice or snow. Car has been flawless. Two other cars an '04 FX 35 and '11 Accord EL V6. Vetrte is the touring car of choice. Better highway mileage (28-31) than either of the other two. Combined mileage averages 15 -17. I am 6'2" and ,regardless of the seat harping, I sit quite well for 10-12 hour drives. The '08 has nice improvements over previous C6s.

It's super reliable and will outclass your g35 in every aspect of performance. These small block motors can go forever with proper maintenance. Issues will eventually come up but are almost always easily fixed for relatively low cost... One thing that is bound to happen is your crank shaft pulley will start to wobble. This is one thing that you will want to replace while still under warranty because that is an expensive and extensive job. Anyway I think you will be more than happy behind the wheel of a c6. I know that after 8 years of corvette ownership I've really never been disappointed.

For that price, I would try to get into a 2006 zo6....... No comparison whatsoever against the LS3 engine

Depending on trim level and miles that 36k seems kinda high. Do some more price checking.

My 08 has been great so far/:thumbs:

One of the best vehicles I've ever owned. Not a single gripe about looks, performance, comfort, controls, cargo space and even MPG. Using cruise control I average a real world 28-30mpg on the highway with speeds in between 60-75mph. My only regret is that I waited this long to buy one.

You will see some people mention the seats which do suck for "sporty" driving. But they are still capable and problem that is pretty easily resolved by using whatever seats you desire. Its not a cheap option, but it an option. If you never intend to use the car on a race track or push the performance limit, then like most Corvette owners.. the seats will never be a big issue to you.

FWIW.. you can buy a brand new one for right around $40k. Better seats, brand new car warranty.

The trim level seems base. It has leather, removable top, blueish grey rims. Didn't notice anything special.

Without doing much haggling they wrote $33k + tax and fees. I will try to bring them down to $32k-$33k out the door. Will it be good enough or should i try for $30k OTD?

Can't find any z06 in that price range in my area. I would like to get something with warranty. 2006 is a bit older and since i want to keep it for as long as possible, i am considering newer one. This one has 2-3 warranties. One is manufacturers, another is dealers. They are giving 6-months of On Star, 6-months of XM Radio.

This is nice to read. Owners like you bring more confidence in us to go ahead with this. I appreciate your view. The combined mileage has me worried though. The EPA says 15/25 so shouldn't i expect around 20 atleast?

Thanks for the reliability info. What is the approx mileage when the crank shaft pulley starts to wobble or starts causing problem? What are the symptoms?

The one that i am considering, at idle, it vibrates a little above normal. Is it ok? Not the vibration from the exhaust, but something i felt in footwell and on pedals.

Obviously, G35 stands a no chance. But g35 is a good sports sedan on its own. Its fun to throw it around corners.

The other car i am considering is a brand new 370z in similar price range. I loved both. Its just that corvette feels more special even though it is 4 years old.

I have a question. I read a lot about the image of the owner a normal corvette creates. That of an owner with middle age crises. Is it so? I am just 27. :thumbs::woohoo:

I'm really enjoying my daily driver 08 coupe. In the year I've had it, I've put about 3500 interstate miles and about 4000 in town miles on it, averaging about 21.5 MPG overall. No complaints about the mechanical or comfortable part at all.

Could happen at any time... Mine stared at 21,000 miles. Been an issue with these cars all the way back from the c5 1997 model year.

I had a 2008 (bought it new) and then traded up to a 2011 (also a daily driver). For daily driving, both were (and still are) great cars. Read the FAQ for C6's here and you will get a lot of useful info.

But, for $36k, I would go for a base 2012 for around $40k, as suggested. A base 2012 had many of the things that were upgrade options on the 2008. And, you get the longer warranty, etc.

For a daily driver and a first vette, I would not get a Z06. But everyone is different. There is a daily argument about this, so hopefully this thread will not turn into another Z06/Grand Sport/LS3/LS7/etc. argument thread.

I have owned my 08' Coupe for almost 2 years. I still get that ear to ear grin every time I hit that start button. :D

MPG varies on the amount of spirited driving, but 25-30 is not unreasonable. Last year I went on a 2500 mile trip with interstate, city, and spirited driving. I averaged over 27 mpg....and that includes several spirited bursts well into the triple....well....lets just say spirited bursts.... :hide:

I drive back and see family that lives 1000 miles away at about once a year. I have made that trip in 5 different vehicles. The Vette by far has been the most comfortable vehicle to make the trip. I hear a lot of complaints about the seats on the forum, but I just don't get it. On several occasions I have told my wife I wish all our vehicles had Vette seats in them.

Owning a Corvette had been a dream of mine since I was a kid. I am one of the folks that regrets every big purchase. The Corvette has been the exception. Not once have I regretted the purchase.

2 years ago I gave 31,500 for my 08' with 31000 miles on the clock and it had a brand new set of Michelin run flats.

Good luck finding the right car at the right price. :thumbs:

[

i've had 4 vettes in the last 10 yrs..01 z ,04z 06z, and currently an 09 c6 z51 etc.. never had a pully wobble...!!! in any of um..

i've had 4 vettes in the last 10 yrs..01 z ,04z 06z, and currently an 09 c6 z51 etc.. never had a pully wobble...!!! in any of um..

:withstupid:

Everyone is asking more because it's "the season," but in my opinion any clean 2008 with 25,000 miles is going to be $32K out the door, on a good day IMHO. Not saying it won't sell - just that *I* would keep looking: There are just too many other cars out there.

OP, check autotrader.com and find the car you want: you'll also get a better selection of asking prices (and remember that EVERYTHING is negotiable). What you save in purchase price will easily cover an airline ticket and/or hotel costs for that perfect, low-mile Corvette.

:thumbs:

That is nice to know. Thanks. Some good news after all. :rofl:

I will have a years time to see if the problem comes up.

I will make sure i read it. Thanks.

The base 2012 model (1LT) is coming to $49k plus taxes and fees. It won't fit my budget. Also, most of the new corvettes i saw on the lot had $7k in dealer mark up. I would like to keep it to $35k max.

Z06 is not affordable and can't find one in my area for the budget i have. I do hope there is no argument regarding the same.

So nice to hear you are living your dream. Wish you more miles of happiness and no regret ever. :cheers:

That is really nice price you got for the 08. I hope i get a good price too. I saw the tires, they look pretty new to me.

One question for all owners. How good/easy is it to drive it in rains?

Thanks all for the input. It really firms up my belief to get one. :thumbs:

I am very new to this forum, I only just joined. Over the last 40+ years I have owned; 1 C2, 1 C3, 3 C5s and 2 C6s. With the newer cars I am a bit mechanically challenged. The Corvette I currently is an 08,Z51. Because of my age I ordered an automatic. The first one ever. For the past two years I have had several intermittent electrical problems that the dealership service department has been unable to or unwilling to find/fix.

1. The interior lights have stayed on draining the battery requiring onstar to unlock the car if I have called them in time.

2. On occasion, adjusting the seat causes the radio mode to change.

3. As I write this, my car is in the dealership because I could not turn off the air conditioning last Friday which also had no display. (temp, radio, etc)

The dealership has told me that the car must be malfunctioning for them to find the problem. Probably not true. I have been told by others that it is the BMC. I don't know. However, for a few dollars more, I would suggest buying a new Corvette with a 3 year warranty. As this will most likely be my last new vette, I purchased am extended warranty and I:crazy: am very glad. Other than these electrical glitches, (which are no small matter) this had been a great performing car. Good mileage and a blast to drive. Be smart. Buy a new one with the warranty.

A 2008 is a nice choice.
Not a lot of major updates since then.
Black is a nice choice, too. Relatively stealthy.
It's a Corvette and for better or worse, it will attract more attention than most daily drivers.
It's actually a great car as a daily driver.
The hatch area is quite large, it gets good mpg, and for performance and looks, it's very hard to beat.
Only a few drawbacks I can think of using it as a DD:
Ground clearance, tires are not cheap, and you'll worry where you park it.
Don't worry about the "stereotype".

If you can get them closer to 30k out the door, do it.

As far as warranty?
For peace of mind, I'd do it.
But don't let them sucker you into one from them.
Contact Dennis from this forum.
You can still get a GMPP on a 2008.
On my 2006 that I bought last November, it was to late.
So I'm running naked!

Good luck!
You'll love it!

And if you do, remember to come back and post pics!

As for rain?
No more of problem than any "regular" car I've had.

The tires on my 2006 are getting down in tread, but it's been fine.
I drive mine every day in NC, no problems.

Nice thing about base vs widebody is much better choice of tires, and you can actually get all seasons.

Thanks a lot for opinions. I will keep you guys posted.

Biting the bullet probably this week.

Will for sure post pics of the ride.

Good luck. I hope you get a great one. :cheers: The C6 is an awesome ride. :thumbs: