If you can afford the Porsche 911, would you still buy the Corvette
 

Just checked this video yesterday, 3 guys was talk about this.



I will choose Corvette in anytime, even maybe Porsche has better built, but I still like Corvette's performance and aggressive look. I always feel pride when I drive my C7, even I drive next to the porsche on highway.

Porsche purchase? Maybe when I get the next $84K...:yesnod:

You should know better to ask a question like that here. By the way what did you say the other Brand was called??

Before I bought my C7, I was consider the Porsche Base 911 or Cayman, I visited the Porsche dealer for test drive and make a offer, and I believe that I'm not the only one who do that here...

I would still get the corvette. The looks grabs a lot of attention....if thats sorta your thing, performance is amazing also. Only pros I see by spending a lot of money and barely getting anything, is better build quality, and "bragging" rights, but even driving a C7 could justify that too

Honestly, when I had my C6 Grand Sport... I lusted after a 911 Turbo. The base car does nothing for me and is cheesy frankly. The 911-4S is what got me wanting a Vette and give up my 600+RWHP Coyote Mustang.

The Grand Sport was a lot of bang for your buck.... Now that I have a C7, my lust for a 911 is gone. I'd buy a Z06 before a 911 all day. Better looking car (subjective) and faaar more power and still pocket 80k compared to a Turbo. For that I'll buy a bad ass GT500 as a daily driver or hell even a BMW Gran Coupe 6. lol.

Short answer, not anymore. GM closed the gap big time w/ the C7. The C8 will only be closer!

The 911 is a very complete package, and probably superior to the Stingray in quite a few ways. On the track, it's probably more satisfying to drive, if perhaps not as fast.

But the reality is that few of these cars will ever be tracked. And the current 911, like all late model Porsche's is just ugly. It's gone from classic, to tired, to being about as interesting to look at as a refrigerator. The front-end, in particular, is just fugly.

And lifetime maintenance costs on the Porsche are likely to be 3 or 4 times as high. Maybe even more.

If that includes maintenance and insurance too, then nope.

:iagree:

First of all, 911 Base is out of the question no matter what.

If I could afford a 911S, it would be in the picture alongside a couple other $100k - $120k cars I'd be considering along with the C7 Z06.

Could not begin to answer which I'd pick without having driven all of them.

Wouldn't even consider the Porche! :rofl: :cheers:

:iagree: I REALLY wanted a 911 at one time.... no more. :thumbs::flag:

I've never liked the looks or the sound of any version of the 911 ever produced

I want a GT3RS.

I've considered a 911 TT a couple of times. I just haven't been able to warm up to the styling of the car (although each passing iteration seems to get slowly better in that regard - or I'm just getting used to it).

The 911 just doesn't flip my skirt, style-wise, so it gets too close to violating that old maxim: "Never marry an ugly woman, or buy an ugly sports car". 911 isn't ugly per se - not like a GT-R is to me - but it just doesn't ring enough bells for me.

I have in the past owned three 911 Porsches including a Turbo. I have chosen the Corvette as I prefer the looks and feel it is way better for the money.
On the other hand if the Porsche Turbo was priced along the lines of the Z06 that would be a difficult decision.
When I owned my 911 Turbo it was a hell of a lot cheaper than the 2015 model which I believe is around 140k.

I drove a decently optioned 911 Carerra 4 for a test drive a few months after buying my C7. I wanted to see what all the 911 hype was and see if I'd consider it for a future vehicle after my C7.

That drive made me appreciate my Corvette so much more... The interior is slightly better in the Porsche, seats and materials being nicer, but I liked the layout, gaugues, and infotainment better on the C7. The driving experience is so much more viceral in the Corvette though, that exhaust and power is just phenomanal and made the 911 seem incredibly boring and tame. Granted, this was not driving on a track or canyon road, but I was bored and uninterested in the 911.

After the drive, the salesman asked if I could take him for a spin in my C7 as it was the first one they had seen. Took him for a ride, and he couldn't believe how good and nice it was. He said he would also rather have the Corvette. Completely ignoring price, I would take the C7 over the 911 (non-turbo) every day of the week. Funny thing is, I went next door to the Jaguar dealership to check out an F-Type, and the exact same thing happened with the salesman haha. Took him for a short ride as well and changed his perspective on Corvettes!

Also, as far as looks go, 911's are boring. People look and think, hey nice Porsche. But no one will ever be interested enough to come talk to you about it. I get in conversations with people everywhere I go with them drooling over my Corvette. :)

I would NEVER pay money for a car with the engine hanging out behind the rear axle. Even though Porsche quietly moved the engine a few inches towards the middle during the last few years, it is still a rear engined car.

In the words of Bob Akin, famous ex-Porsche racer, regarding the 911:

"You can't make a race-horse out of a pig but, you can make an awful fast pig".

Yes, while any rear engined car is a PIG, it is simply that Porsche over the decades has largely tamed its piggish tendencies to spin out in corners uner various conditions when a mid or front engined car would be controllable.

Ever wonder why no other manufacturer makes rear engine cars anymore? They do have a couple of advantages; acceleration traction and braking traction but, on the whole the negatives far outweigh the positives.

My neighbor has one, and honestly it sounds awful and that big wing on the back looks hideous! :ack:

Post this on the Porsche forums and the answer is going to be different. The audience is going to influence the answer.

IMO (and it's only an opinion), I would have neither. I can think of plenty of other cars I would rather have for $84k.

I currently own a 2015 C& Stingray 1LT and a 2014 Porsche Cayman 981.

While the 2014 981 is not a 911, keep in mind the Porsche product and the Corvette are different cars in my opinion. My 2014 Porsche Cayman 981 cost me $66,000. It is a very nice sports car. Great overall quality, ride, performance, & style.

I paid $56,010 for my C7 and added about $1600.00 in aftermarket options like the front splitter, side skirts, Z06 Rear Quarter Vents, OEM GM splash guards, tint, etc.

For the money the Corvete C7 (which is my 1st ever) is a great value.
You have lots of power, great style, perfomance, and it is American and relatively low cost to maintain vs the Porsche.

With the C7 I get 4 free oil changes. The oil change on my Porsche is $199.00, just because it is a Porsche. My nearest Chevy dealer is 8 miles away, my nearest Porsche dealer is 250 miles away.

When any independent shop that works on a Porsche hears the word Porsche any service item or part goes up in price.

I love the Porsche, has great handling, better than the Corvette and I suspect the shorter wheel base has allot to due with it. My 2014 Cayman has only 3500 miles on the car after 18 months of ownership, no reported problems.

I like driving the C7 more. It turns heads more that the Porsche. The 2014 Cayman even through it went through a new design for 2014 still looks like a Porsche. Many people think the C7 is an Italian styled sports car.

The Porsche has a bit more to the status appeal because of the name.

I could make allot more comparisons. I also own a Jaguar XKR Portfolio Edition and that car is also completely different than the C7 and 981.

For the money, I don't think you can find a better value than the C7. Of course the price is solely dependent on what options you want on the C7 and, are you buying the Stingray, Z51, or Z06?

I have the Stingray, and am so well pleased. So, I suggest to take a hard look at the C7. It is truely a great driving machine.

I have no disappointments with the Jaguar XKR, C7 or the Porsche 981. I am fortunate to be able to own all three. But when I have that urge for the sports car ride, that puts a smile on my face, I grab the C7 key fob, before entering the garage.

In order for me to buy a Porsche I would have to be a whole lot more well off than I am. In fact, I would have to be so stinking rich that I could walk in and buy a GT3 without even asking the price. Of course if I was that rich, I would probably have both. Since I'm not now nor ever will be that rich, my C7 Z51 is the most car I will ever own. And...I don't feel as though I'm really missing anything. :)

My company President has a 2014 Carrera 4S Cabriolet... The sticker was much closer to $160k. As I said in my earlier post, I really, really wanted a 911. The C7 just comes too damn close!

TBH, the C7 looks a hell of a lot sexier than the dated looking 911.

Absolutely! I'd much rather have Performance + Beauty than just Performance!

Yes to Cayman GT4.

They don't sound sexy, but they look sexy to me. The wing is functional, this isn't a Civic. :rofl::willy:

I have driven a 911 for the last decade. I recently sold a 2007 C4S to buy my 2015 Z06. I was considering a GT3, but the Z06 has great performance and I held onto another $50K.

I really got tired of paying the Porsche tax on everything, too.

I had a Porsche Carrera; it was a great car, but something was missing in terms of excitement factor. When it came time for a new sports car, I considered the Porsche again, and even drove the Carrera S. The PDK transmission was great, although I really wanted a manual. I still had problems rationalizing the cost - they are built like tanks, well engineered, and do everything well, but cost a lot. I have always like Corvettes, but never owned one, and took the leap of faith and ordered a C7 just after they were unveiled. no regrets at all. Great looking, a blast to drive, and I think will be very reliable. I chose wisely.

Now I have a close friend with a Porsche Turbo S - that's something that I would definitely own. But , they are hugely expensive. Maybe I'll get one of those someday - to park in the garage next to my beloved C7.

If I had infinite money, there is a laundry list of cars that I'd rather have than my C7. However, a Porsche 911 is not one of them.

For the price, it's simply too ugly for me. I understand beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but for close to 200K for a decked out 911 Turbo, it looks too much like a Volkswagon Beetle as far as I'm concerned.

Most of us are car guys so we instantly recognize a Porsche when we see it. But sometimes I wonder....

If you put a C7 and a Porsche 911 right next to each other, and asked a thousand people who are completely ignorant of cars to guess the price, I wonder what the consensus would be. To me, the C7 looks way more like a supercar than a Porsche 911 does.

Now a 918 on the other hand.....I'd drive my C7 off a cliff to get into that :D.

You know....I've always like the looks and I've gotten many rides in my friends, but I've never gotten used to the motor sound.

I was looking at either a used (3 yr old) 911 turbo or a new Cayman. I was afraid of getting a used Porsche because I didn't want to inherit someone else's problems, although these cars tend to be well looked after. The new Cayman came in at $90,000 CAN. Plus, the reviews on the C7 were very positive, performance was comparable and parts are readily available, as are the mods. The C7 is new and the Porsche has a dated look, although cosmetically the cars are refreshed. C7 won.:thumbs:

I was in the market for a 991 911S. All of that changed when I pulled up behind a C7 at a red light. The sinister rear end combined with ultra wide stance was incredible. You can argue that the front end looks like a Ferrari and vice versa but the rear is so different from anything else on the road. The 911S and the GTR were forgotten instantly. Also, the noise from the V8 made everything else sound like a vacuum cleaner, to me.

What would you rather drive for under 100?

I'm a Porsche guy, and PCA instructor and racer and I can tell you that these are incredible cars... beautifully built and engineered, capable of being driven full-out on the track all day long, and driven home, and the dealers treat you like a 4-star hotel... anybody who buys one will love it!

That said, I cross-shopped an "all go, and no show" Cayman S, equipped with all the performance options, PDK, PASM, Exhaust, and no frivolous "appearance" options, it still tipped the scales over $75K... a comparable Carrara S would easily run over $110K.

I ordered a Z51 MSRC A8 with 1LT... comparable in equipment to the Cayman S... sticker about $60K-ish with discounts.

Styling and "status" are subjective, and none of these cars make sense... they are self-indulgent toys, pure and simple. I can "afford" a Porsche, but IMHO, the C7 offers a price/performance package that's awful hard to turn down.

I looked at the Cayman when I was comparing vehicles, for about 5 minutes literally. It's a nice car but it just didn't have that exotic presence that the Stingray has. Theres something about the C7's bulging fenders and wide stance that just works perfectly for me. The Cayman really didn't have any of that wow factor. Even if the Cayman were less expensive I'd choose the Stingray 7 days a week.

Here's another HUGE factor for me, at essentially the same base price the Cayman brings 275 hp while the C7 brings 460. Thats an enormous difference. Even the GT4 only has 385 hp and starts at 85 grand.

It was an easy choice.

I'm a Porsche guy, and PCA instructor and racer and I can tell you that these are incredible cars... beautifully built and engineered, capable of being driven full-out on the track all day long, and driven home, and the dealers treat you like a 4-star hotel... anybody who buys one will love it!

That said, I cross-shopped an "all go, and no show" Cayman S, equipped with all the performance options, PDK, PASM, Exhaust, and no frivolous "appearance" options, it still tipped the scales over $75K... a comparable Carrara S would easily run over $110K.

I ordered a Z51 MSRC A8 with 1LT... comparable in equipment to the Cayman S... sticker about $60K-ish with discounts.

Styling and "status" are subjective, and none of these cars make sense... they are self-indulgent toys, pure and simple. I can "afford" a Porsche, but IMHO, the C7 offers a price/performance package that's awful hard to turn down.

Well said, we have very same thought…oh yeah, I also considered the Jaguar F-Type before I bought my Corvette.

I did the same but went with the 911 Turbo. Added exhaust and software. 630 HP. Do my own service. Price wont drop already took the hit.

I can..... I did....:D

Lots of interesting and insightful comments. I especially like the thoughts by those who currently own both, or who have owned one or more Porsches.

I've been blessed (or stupid enough :D) to be able to afford many different types of cars. Lots of different muscle cars, CTS-Vs, Lotus, Maserati, Ferrari, etc. Previous series Corvettes came close to getting my interest - nearly pulled the trigger on a new C6 but one pulled into the F/M dealer when I was trying to decide on a Maserati or C6 and that did it and we got the Maserati. But when the C7 came out I was awestruck - I guess it's a personal thing, but the styling just hit me. The C7 interiors are very good, the performance and pricing super, and we bought a '15 Z51.

I know the Porsches are truly great cars. Again, styling is a personal thing. No offense to Porsche owners, but the styling has never appealed to me. Again, a personal thing. I'm sure many Porsche owners would say the same thing about C7s or previous series Vettes. To me, over the past several years, Porsche should have been able to save a ton of $ on camouflage as they come out and test new models prior to launch dates - they don't need any camo because they've looked pretty much the same to me for many years.

Another interesting thing: I'm in S CA on business right now. Last two days have driven from LAX to Costa Mesa, then to Malibu, then back to LAX. Saw 1 C7. Saw uncountable Porsches. :cheers:

I just traded in my 2012 911 for a 2015 Stingray. I couldn't be happier for many reasons including more value for the money and more dealership availability. I have no sellers remorse.

Same here in SoCal, I only saw one C7 during these 3 months, but maybe 100+ Porsches...

the short answer is yes, the long answer is hell yes.:thumbs:

I believe I'm in a credible position to state the following - I'm on my 6th Corvette (c6 Z06), my dad has a 11' Grand Sport and a Porsche 911 (997 Carrera) I've driven 991, 997 and 996 Porsche's plenty of times.

If you are fortunate enough to afford both DO IT. IMO two of the best sports cars on the road and on sale today.

911s tend to be better all around, not to say they don't have some major weak points and personally they don't pull at my heart strings as much as Corvettes do but I see why 911s are lusted after whether its for status, looks, or simply the way they go about driving down the road.

THE most wonderful thing about both the Corvette and 911 is the line up of different models and packages available.

Front engine with a big V8 and RWD > anything else

imo of course

Corvette all day even if the prices were vice-versa!! IMO, C7 is better looking interior & exterior and while both cars are fun to drive, I would take the Corvette!!

Yup! I'd buy 2 Vettes instead, a coupe and a convertible. :-).

I can afford a 911.

I'd take a C7 over one any day.

Now if I could afford a 911 Turbo AWD things would be different :)

But those who say the Corvette interior is better than the Porsche have not spent time in one. The design may not float your boat but the material quality and feel is excellent and much nicer than the Corvette.

One thing I will say about Porsche 911 drivers around here is they do drive them year round and they are a more complete car for the most part for all 4 seasons especially in AWD.

I could easily afford a 911 (or many other cars/models) but chose to buy a C7.

I've had both and much prefer the Corvette. The V8 sound and torque best fits every day driving plus people feel you are more approachable to talk in the Vette. The Porsche may have higher limits but I always had to insanely exceed speed limit to feel I was controlling the car and not just along for the ride. Every get away from a light, every upshift and every downshift in the Vette just sounds and feels good to me no matter the speed.

Yes I can and yes I would. That simple.

Beachcomer, who lives near me, just sold his supercharged C7
 

Beachcomer, who lives near me, just sold his supercharged C7 and bought this...........

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...5b31a018e1.jpg

I dove P-cars for several years before they were truly popular. Loved them, but will not likely ever own another - it's not that I don't like them for I do. It's just that I have different priorities these days...

Today I split the DD duties between a C7 and an old Ferrari - when I walk out of the house in the morning I ask myself, "Are you gonna drive the fun car, or are you going to drive the fun car?" ... switching my gaze from one car to the other.

:party:

Corvette all day long. Only Porsche I ever liked was the 928, the 911 just never did anything for me. I always looked at a 911 and thought meh?

T2

I've always lusted after the 911 Turbo ever since seeing my uncles red one when he used to visit for the holidays. Beyond that, I recently drove a friends Cayman S and was completely underwhelmed. So I guess a nicely optioned Corvette is in my DNA until I can cough up 180k on a 911 Turbo.

I could afford a Porsche. I had to talk myself into liking the looks of the Porsche. I would see one and say, "That's a cute little car."


Well, I didn't want cute, I didn't want little. But when my wife and I saw the Stingray, that's all it took. The sexiness of the Corvette totally outdoes the Porsche to me.


The better pricing and the less expensive maintenance of the Corvette is only icing on the cake.

Silly Question :smash: Corvette unless you want to spend $190,000

Why would you. IMO they are ugly, sound funny too!

While I love Porsche I love styling and performance even more therefore my vote goes to the C7 that being said however I would take a 911T or GT3 over a Z06 and with that being said, if there was a car out there that brand new costs the same or lower than the C7 that was faster and looked better (IMO) then I would go with it.

:iagree: X 2.

Interior is much better in the Porsche. The fit and materials are unrivaled to the C7. I will agree that the C7 is the best bang for the buck and has a much improved interior. I have owned Porsche since I was 18 years old. I also had my first Corvette at 16 years old. I love them both for very different reasons. They both have pros and cons.While looks are a personal prederence, I can understand why some may not like Porsche looks and while others love it. I have three Porsches currently and two corvettes. I do not have a C7 currently but hopefully mine is on the truck and in transit.

:iagree: w/ F22g

For me, I can afford a 911 but I did the 81k decision... a Z06 w/ PDR. :thumbs:

But.... I'm a Porsche fan (I do have a new Macan S) and still have an itch for a 991 GT3 or a TTS. Heck the new GT3 RS would be the top choice for under 200k but that's an unobtanium. Although I'd rather just keep the Z06 and eventually add the new Cayman GT4 except I can't find an allocation! :toetap:

As for Porsche's build quality? Definitely IMO still a solid 10 yards ahead of the C7... it narrowed the gap though in fairness to GM. But the C7's tech features are a bit better IMO.... and the versatile (Gen3) MagRide is certainly better then Porsche's PASM. Whether a Z51 w/ Mag or a Z06, I think it's a good wise choice over a 991 Carrera or Carrera S yet in the end, you can't go wrong with either really. A good dilemma to have. :D

I'm a Porsche nut. Wife drives a Cayenne S. Her fun car is a 911. My race car is a Porsche Boxster S (modified within an inch of its life).

For driving around every day, though, I'll take my C7 over a 911S any and every day. The C7 is strikingly beautiful, the sound really is wonderful, the interior design and infotainment flexibility are superior to Porsche, and I absolutely love being able to tinker with modifications without paying crazy P-car prices. The C7 drives beautifully around town or on the highway.

I can afford another 911, but the C7 is just more fun!

For some reason, I have never had the desire to own a Porsche. I would definitely take the C7.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...62a2fb2952.jpg


:)

:iagree: I know some think a 911 has a "classic style" and when they tried to get into the "modern world" with the 928, Porsche lovers rejected the change. But every time I see a 911 I am reminded of what my Pop said about my first car, a '41 Ford Opera Coupe, "Looks like an Upside-Down Wheelbarrow!" He could care less about that Olds engine I managed to stuff into it! Maybe he was right!

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...5ae9d2e4b0.jpg


Pop said my 1st Car Looked Like and Upside-Down Wheelbarrow! Maybe He was Right!

My neighbor and good friend has both a 2015 Ferrari F12 and a 2014 911 Turbo - I have ridden in and driven both several times. I have also been in and driven several other 911's. I don't really care for the 911, so for me, even though I can afford a 911, the C7 was a better choice.
On the other hand, that F12 is really sweet, but there is no way I can justify spending $340k on a weekend car.

If you can afford the Porsche 911, would you still buy the Corvette
 

Better built my . . . I leased a Porsche in late 2013 (a 2014 model) because of some advice that said not to buy the first year of the C7. I have had that thing in the shop every other month. From electrical problems to dead intake fans. In November I ordered a 15 Corvette. Now the Porsche is a lawn ornament until next month when the POS gets to go back to momma. I definitely would not EVER recommend a Porsche.

Only Porsche I would consider (excluding the Panamera) is a 993 Turbo.

C7 with a power targa would sell!

So I am the original owner of my 84 911 targa. It is a wonderful car, a classic these days, air cooled, simple by today's standards and has been mechanically trouble free. And values are now escalating.
But when it came time to add another car to the stable, the 15 C7, Z51 was a slam dunk. It's all about price, value and style.
I'm fortunate to own both a classic 911 and a state of the art C7. I
enjoy them differently and for what they are.

To name a few:
Viper
Aston Martin GT
Jaguar F-Type (any model, but the R most specifically)
Porsche Cayman S
Mercedes C63 AMG
BMW M5
Audi RS5
Alfa 4C

If you expand that list to include used cars then the list gets bigger. I'd be happy to list some of those if you cared :cheers:

I guess it depends on the area, as I spent 4 days in the Miami area this February and I easily saw 50+ C7s during that time but I don't recall more than maybe one or two Porsches. I think I would fit in much better in Miami :)

C7 is heavy enough as it is :ack:

After owning my Vette I can say NO I would get the Porsche.

I'm happy with my Vette but there are just small fit and finish type of things that really annoy me, typical GM stuff, that I know would not exist with the Porsche.

Creaky roof (have to constantly adjust and fiddle with it to stay quiet), cheap clear coat that scratches easy, the padding on the doors and arm rest is cheap and indents do not come out, some of the interior trim pieces on my doors are already loose in less than 2500 miles.

Right now I'd rate my happiness with the Vette at 8/10. If it were not for these small issues I'd be at a 10/10.

That's really what sets them apart... the fit & finish and build quality of current Porsches are still yards ahead of the C7, IMO. I see it everyday when/if I compare my 67K Porsche to my 81K C7. The C7 has improved greatly over the previous gens but it has not surpassed yet the Porsche in terms of these aspects. As for power and performance, the C7 is surely ahead the 911 overall... although the special edition Porsches (GT3 and Turbo variants) are either on par or arguably maybe even a step ahead of the C7.

To me the Porsche 911 is a super car and has been described as the "quintesential sports car", with super handling, power, and a quality build. However, I find it too boring to look at, the C7 has more of a "soul" for lack of a better words. One sees a 911 and it is just another nice car, one sees a C7 and their head turns.

Pcar to C7 back to Pcar
 

Here’s a bit of a different perspective from a lot of those shared here. :hide:
I don’t post this here to offend or stir the pot, but just to offer a viewpoint that might assist those cross shopping the C7 and p-cars.
I ended up owning a 2015 Corvette C7 for about 3 weeks. I contemplated that car for quite some time. Even though I was absolutely in love with my cayman 981 when I first got it, once it became the new normal, my propensity to change cars much too frequently set in :crazy2:and I was on the hunt.
I had a brief test drive back of the c7 in November 2013, and while the car was impressive in some respects, I certainly wasn't left with the sense that I had to have one and make the change from my 981. But as time went on and the luster of my 981 dulled, my affliction to get something new and shiny grew worse and so in January of this year I ordered a 2015 C7 specced as follows:
Lt1 with Zf1 package (z51 wheels, tires, spoiler)
artic white on black, 7 speed, performance exhaust, carbon flash painted mirrors and rear spoiler.

I picked the C7 up early June, about 3 weeks after I sold the CS. I enjoyed the first drive home, the novelty of the v8 sound and power brought me back to my youth and my days of 5.0 mustangs. But soon the differences between the CS and the C7 began to creep into my consciousness and I was beginning to realize that I wasn't enjoying the C7 as much as I enjoyed the CS. Here’s a detailed comparison from my perspective:

I put about 300 km on it in 3 weeks. I completely respected the break in period and so never floored it and never took it over 4000 rpm.

exterior aesthetics: Obviously very subjective, but I found the looks of the car in artic white with black wheels appealing enough to look back at the car when walking away. The car certainly gets loads of attention. Much more so than the cayman, and I had the 981 when it first came out. People take pictures of the C7 and slow down or catch up to get a better look. People are also much friendlier to you in the C7, people talk to you and engage you much more so than the cayman.

interior: I don't focus much on a car's interior, but there is no question in my mind that I preferred the cayman's interior look and feel and ergonomics

ride: the C7 with base suspension is actually very impressive in its suppleness and composure over bumps, definitely superior to my CS with 20 inch wheels and the stock suspension

body control and movement: the base C7's body control is not as composed as the cayman's. Its nose dives much more noticeably. But I suspect the Z51 would be quite different in this regard.

size: the C7 is noticeably bigger than the cayman in feel, even though parked side by side it doesn't look all that much bigger (aside from the large rear). I found the width of the car and its large back took away from my enjoyment of the car. I probably would have got more used to it, but somehow that big hood in front of me took away from my feeling of being connected to the road.

engine sound: The v8 sounds good with the performance exhaust. But it doesn't sound as good to me as the howl of a flat six. I found myself thinking, really this v8 doesn't sound much different than the v8 in a truck, which is enjoyable in its own right, but not as enjoyable to my ears as a flat six.

engine performance and power: the C7 really shines in this area. There is torque and power at any rpm level. You can pass at will. It's like the car is on a slingshot. It felt noticeably faster than the CS WHEN I REALLY LAYED INTO IT. As I said I never floored the car, but I did go 1/2 throttle and it moved really well with that throttle input. But at lesser throttle inputs, it actually didn't feel that much quicker than my CS. Apparently due to all the torque, GM has mapped the throttle (even in track mode), in such a way that it's not truly progressive, i.e. 25% of throttle input does not equate to 25% of engine power. This is noticeable and takes away from the engine's enjoyment. But when you lay into it, the car really does move, and that is a lot of fun.

handling/steering: in anything but sport or track mode, the steering feel and sense is pretty bad, but in track mode it is decent, and not something that is glaringly different from the cayman. The handling of the base c7 could not compare to my cayman, but I knew that going in. The base car feels more floaty, less planted. The z51 would I think offer a much better handling experience.

shift/clutch action: pretty decent actually, maybe not quite as fun as the caymans, but enjoyable and well done.

throttle response: the C7 definitely pales in comparison to the cayman in this area. I swear I could sense some lag, almost akin to a turbo (but not as evident obviously) when I hit the pedal on the C7, almost like the car's torque management system is deciding if its safe to release all that torque. The throttle was not nearly as crisp and precise as the caymans.

visibility: overall not too bad in the C7, definitely more of that sitting in a bathtub feeling than the cayman but not so bad that I would say it felt enclosed or annoying, you can't check your driver's side blind spot with a shoulder check, but I eventually got used to using the side mirror to do so.

fit and finish: I am not a great judge of things like body alignment etc, but I didn't notice anything glaring, aside from a horrible chemical smell inside the car that still existed after 3 weeks (not new car smell, but a toxic smell) and I did notice that the doors would often not close properly and had to be reshut.


Overall in the end all the little differences in the C7 added up to a noticeably less enjoyable experience than my Cayman S. When I first got my cayman, I could not get enough of the car. I literally had a grin on my face driving it and I had to talk myself out of driving it all the time. I started going for joy rides with no particular destination, which I hadn't done since I was a teenager.

None of that happened with the C7. There is no doubt it is still a very fun car to drive. But I have to say that in comparison to my cayman it still feels a little less refined, precise and buttoned down. It has a coarseness and gruffness to it. In the fine details, you feel this and you feel less connected to the car and the road. It just did not bring as much as driving joy and for me that's what a car is all about. So I’ve ordered another cayman S.

Hope this helps those considering the C7, YMMV. As you can tell from this thread, there are a lot of "euro car drivers" who seem to have a different experience with the C7 and say it doesn't offer less refinement, precision and quality than the European marques and they are quite impressed with it. For me it hasn't quite reached the levels of the Europeans and I could feel it in the finer details and subtleties, and that made it less enjoyable. For those considering the C7, if you are able to rent the car or take it for a LONG test drive do so. I didn’t notice a lot of what later didn’t work for me in the C7 in my short test drive.

I'm really just not a Porsche person at all. I don't like the looks of the 911, I hate the sound and I don't want to be one of those "Porsche elite". Something about the corvette really strikes the hearts of regular Americans, it's the true dream car of so many regular people. Many hard working blue and white collar Americans seem to be good with the fact that you have achieved a Corvette. I think the Porsche gives off different vibrations which I prefer not to get into. I could have easily bought a 911, I didn't.

I CAN afford a Porsche and still went with a Vette. It's just a better looking/sounding car and now with the improved interior, they can't hold that over our heads anymore. I'm just not a fan of the 911's looks.

Now, I'd also rather get a loaded Cayman GTS or GT4 over a 911, but still would choose the Vette. That GT4 tugged on my heart strings more than any 911 ever did before it and might consider it for the next round of purchases (if they ever make one again). I think I would have a harder time switching over from a Cayman than a 911. I like the looks of a Cayman much more than 911s. I'm also not a fan of the exhaust notes of Flat-6s. It's not that I'm a diehard V8 guy, either. I rather like the Inline-6 in my BMW, but I love my Corvette. That said, they really should have put a luxury package with some damn additional sound deadener in the C7.

C'mon guys. You're like 98% there!

Thats interesting, the only car that can hang with the c7 on that list is the viper. On a track non of those car can compete with the c7. You were cross shopping a 4 door family sedan like a m5 or a c63 with a stingray? you would have a base jaguar f type with 333 hp over a stingray? Dont think any Aston cost under a 100 but regardless a c7 blows most them out of the water, when it comes to performance not interior obviously. Dont take it the wrong its all personal preference but non of those cars can compete with the c7 performance wise and thats not even taking into account the looks...i mean even though its an amg its still looks like a c-class, same with 5 series. You would really give up your stingray for a c63?? or an rs5 which with an the old 4.2l engine thats slower, handles, looks, brakes worse than a c7. I dont believe it.

The Viper would blow out the base Stingray. The 4C is a better track car, but IMO the Stingray is the more livable day to day car (I think most people would agree that the Stingray is more luxurious). The C63 I would get would be the coupe because the sedan doesn't look quite right to me (and the M3 is another car I left out). I would take the base F-Type over a C7 without a second thought. The Aston Martin GT costs under $100k (barely), otherwise I wouldn't have included it on the list, and again, I'm assuming you're talking about the base C7, as plenty of Astons are faster than that. The C7 is a better track car than most of them yes, but overall, the Aston is the car I prefer 100 times out of 100.

I have no idea why you keep saying none of the cars I listed can compete with the C7. You must be talking about the Z06 (in that case, the Viper is the only one on par with it that I listed). That being said, performance isn't the end all be all.

The C7 is one of the ugliest cars I have seen, so yes, I would buy every single car on that list and then plenty of others before I got a C7 (which is why I did). It's also uncomfortable inside. The base car is a great car, but I hate the looks and comfort of it.

If all you care about is performance (and that appears to be the case), then the C7 is a good pick (although there are still better ones out there). Things like comfort, styling, fit and finish, driving feel, and a multitude of other things come into the equation when I look at buying a car. I would pick an F-type R, but even the base F-Type is a much more appealing car. It's beautiful when compared to almost anything, and much more so when compared to a C7. The interior and fit and fish are much better, it sounds better, and it's much more comfortable. So it doesn't perform as well, that's one minor drawback. It's not exactly slow.

Why did you ask what I would rather have and then try to refute my list when I gave it to you? I know you like your car, but you don't need to try and convince everyone else how great it is in order to justify your purchase to yourself. If you ask a question as to what I would get instead, then accept the answer, don't try to convince me that my opinion is wrong by telling me how great the C7 is by comparison. On the flip side, I could ask you why you would pick an uncomfortable, ugly, and slow car such as the C7. And by comparison to the Viper, the base Stingray is slow.

Hell, I'd take every car on that list over a C7 Z06 as well.

911 Definitely No. 911 S, probably.

Porsche 356 Speedster? No doubt, YES, I'd take that over a C7 any day.

Obviously something is right with the Porsche. Every head to head or three-way comparison between rivals, Porsche seems to win. Even when it's not the fastest on paper.

I've never driven one, but have come to admire their looks as I get older.

I have gone to the Porsche site and configured a few models (Cayman, Caymen S, 911) and am always amazed at how little my money buys

Being a C7 owner and knowing what I have, I cannot come close to getting the performance per $ with a Porsche not even considering the extras that I have in the C7 for the money I've spent.

I suppose I could get a fairly stripped down base model Cayman or 911 for $10-$20K more than a C7 just to see how great the Porsche actually is.

Since I have never pushed the limits of my C7, dropping down to a mid-high 12 second car is not going to be noticeable to me. I wonder can the Porsche actually drive and handle that much better????

I'm looking ahead to my next purchase once the bumper to bumper warranty goes out on the C7. So far the only car that tickles my fancy is the Alpha Romero 4C as a competitively priced fun car (but there is a huge sacrifice in room, comfort, entertainment systems and (more importantly) availability of servicing dealers (100 miles is closest).

The new (proposed) Supra looks good and should be priced about where the C7 is. Would love an i8 but it's 1/3 past $100K.

Dollar for dollar you cannot beat a Corvette. Waiting to see what the C8 will look like. Another potential.

Just bought a MINI Cooper S for my wife and I have to say, that car is a "hoot" to drive. While not exceptionally fast, it's peppy and handles like a go kart. $30K for a lot of fun.

Alex I know looks are subjective but seriously did you bump your head :lol: The C7 to me is one of the best looking cars I have ever seen. I was done with vettes and sold my C6 but the debut of the C7 drew me back in. This is my 5th vette and I get WAY more compliments and attention with this Stingray than any of my others cars. I also go to cars and coffee with my three other friends. One is a 997 turbo and the other a C6 Z06 and a new BMW M4 and all these cars seem invisible next to the Stingray. I get way more questions and comments than any of them. Next season when I do the ECS kit and meth ill be able to play with the big boys also.



https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...078c0bb767.jpg



https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...b4b1514e33.jpg

I've never asked someone if they hit their head because they liked the C7. That's the attitude that really grinds on me. I'll give you a pass cause we get along, but I can't stand the attitude "you find it ugly so there must be something wrong with you, or you must be trolling". Lots of people like the looks, and I find that completely reasonable, I just happen to disagree.

Actually you're right but you know I was just ribbing you. First thing I said was looks are subjective and I truly mean that. For instance people love the Aston Martins and I swear to me they could not look more boring and undesirable. I know you love those. Everyones different and these forums bring the worst out in people. Yes we do get along :cheers:

The problem is that you and I are in the minority. I get slammed for saying that I hate the car. I must be trolling, or jealous and too poor to afford one because my preferences are different than someone else's. The constant needing to feel superior, telling everyone that their C7 is better than anything else, saying all other cars are trash, and the putting down of any conflicting opinion on this forum is driving me completely insane.

Case in point: I say that I would probably rather have neither when given $84k to spend (I don't say one negative word about either car). I get asked what I would rather have and I present a list (again, no negative comments). Then I get told that I'm wrong, all those are slower (which is a lie), they're all uglier, they don't perform as well, the C7 is just better, blah blah blah blah. I don't say anything negative about the C7 and yet people love to tell me that I can't prefer anything else or I'm crazy or trolling and that I'm picking the inferior car (which is subjective in the first place).

All that being said, none of it is directed towards you.

I feel ya buddy but it's the internet lol who cares what anyone says at the end of the day. Hey now that trackhawk, now that's got me interested!!!! :rock:

Even if I could afford a Ferrari I'd rather be driving a TR C7Z in Italy and throughout all of Europe. :D (and I admire Ferrari)
When we were in Monte Carlo I saw a bunch of guys all over some of their sports cars. The Z would have been pic candy for them.

You're not trolling, my a$$ you're not. You hate the C7 but yet you hang out in C7 Gen putting it down every chance you get.....yeah, you're not trolling. :rolleyes:

Before I reply to to your comment, just curious as to what car you own?

nothing turns heads like a vette

Cry me a river. Read how this got started. Someone asked which would you buy and I said neither (without a single negative word towards either car). Then I was asked what I would rather have and I gave a list with zero comment on any of them. Only until I was told I was crazy did I defend my decisions. You are the biggest baby that needs everyone to look at you in awe because you own a Chevy product. You are so insecure and jealous of people who can afford nice things that you had to finance a car for seven years just so you can try and look like a big-shot. You are so insecure that you have to project your insecurities onto everyone else by saying you own a superior car and constantly putting things down by comparison. It's sad that you base your self worth and the worth of others on the car that you own.

I don't say one negative word about the C7 unless I am asked directly, or people propose false information (such as it being faster than a Viper, and even then, it isn't a bad thing to be slower than a Viper. It's not bashing a car to say that something else is faster, nor does it take away from the C7 in any way).


That makes absolutely zero impact on my statement and how you interpret it. And before you tell me "well since you don't own a C7, so you couldn't say" I have driven them for weeks at a time. It's a fantastic driving car. It's poised, fast, and responsive, but I still find it uncomfortable and ugly, and that's all just an opinion. That doesn't make it a bad car, it's just not to my tastes. Expressing opinions is considered trolling around here by many (see Monk's idiotic comments above).

So before I answer that question, let me ask you this: Why does it matter?

I, for one, had to warm up to the looks of the C7, particularly from the rear. I can say positively that if looks were not at least partly subjective, my wife would never have married me. :cheers:

Owning a 911 S, a Boxster S, and now the C7, the looks do not appeal to the same senses for me. The 911 is classically beautiful, a voluptuous female form. The C7 is all aggressive angles and angry creases; it looks like it could decide at any moment to just kick your ass. I love them all.

:rofl::rofl:

Agreed, it's all in the eye of the beholder, and I won't ever mock someone because they have a different taste in beauty than I do.

911? No. How about this one?

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...ed262337b6.jpg

if I was able to purchase a cayman GTS or better yet a cayman GT4, i'd sell the vette in a minute. Honestly cars are such a personal decision when you get into this level of "transportation" that its hard to answer these type of questions. But for me, yes, id buy a P car over the vette, I just can't seem to find a dealer that will sell me one :O

"...so a Brit, an American, and a German walk into a bar..."

:D:D:D

Despite this topic's resemblance to someone throwing a firebomb into a crowded theater and simultaneously yelling "IsIs Is attacking", I really appreciated this discussion, especially the contributions of Sarge, baege and Crabbers. Turns out, I'm on the cusp of this decision as well. I've been off/on flirting with the idea of a Corvette v. Cayman S. Even though these don't seem to be in the same church, much less the same pew, this is how my decision train pulled into the station.

I'm a current owner of a lightly-used '03 Boxster S. It's a great car, but hasn't grown with me so well over the 13 years I've had it. Mostly because its a convertible (dark gray with black interior) that is virtually useless in the Summer because it gets so blasted HOT due to the color combination. Even with the top up on a moderate day, windows open, it STILL can grill burgers on the front seats. So I surrender. It's back to a hard top in a light color.

Making the decision even trickier is that I have a history with my local Chevy dealer. Latest purchase was a '14 Silverado that has been flawless. Plus the dealer is very easy to get along with. Score one for Corvette. But they have very little allocation because they don't sell a lot of Corvettes.

On the other hand, I have a pretty good dealer experience with the Porsche, which has required 0 repair over its life. Routine maintenance. That's it. Build quality is exemplary. Even though it's a stripper "S", it's still attractive and comfortable inside.

I sort of know what I'm getting in a Cayman, but haven't had an opportunity to as much as sit in a Corvette. That doesn't help the case for the Corvette, to be sure. No dealers within reasonable distance even have a demo of any kind in stock.

Anyway, I just wanted to thank all the contributors to this thread for their insights.