Thinking of stepping up to a C7...... questions
 

i tore a tendo off my finger bone so sorry ahead of this for the bad typing....

I am thinking stepping into a C7 but know nothing about them. I had a C5 vert back 8 years ago that i had supercharged with 630hp and all the bells and whistles to go along with it.... it was done right.

i sold it to buy a boat for my family and now have recently sold the boat and my two boys 10&12 years old want me to get a vette again. i love power and know that i can still get that in a c5 but not sure if i should but a c5 or c6 or c7????? my budget is 30-45K and that budget was supposed to stay 35 and under but the c7 intrigues my but i know i would need to get a more of a base model. where as i could get a loaded c6 gs and the same with a c5 with a super charger.

here are my must haves:

conv
manual trans
colors in this order
1) yellow
2) black
3) grey
4) red

please help me choose my path.... i am not in a hurry to buy but want to buy the best i can because i will keep it for a long time.

i could buy one that is for sale now on the forum that is real nice

2014 c7 z51 7mt mag ride 2lt pkg for 45K but would need to make a rash decision today as it is getting traded in


thanks for you help!!!!

tom

Don't make a rash decision on a 45k purchase - you can get a new one for close to that price. Check out some of the forum dealers to see prices.

Here's my advice, don't settle. Don't buy something just to buy it. I never owned a Corvette, I was 32. I found a 2014 Z51 with 27K miles and bought it. I enjoyed it for 4 months but deep down I always wanted a Grand Sport. Long story short, I sold the Z51 after 4 months of ownership, took a $5K loss on the deal, and ended up buying a brand new 2017 Collector Edition Grand Sport. Sticker was almost $84K and got it for $68K. Moral of the story is, I should have just waited a few more months and bought the car I really wanted. Settling cost me a couple grand. Obviously don't spend beyond your limits but once the 2019 model year is over and the C8 comes out, going to be some awesome deals on higher trim level and models.

With your budget constraints, you might consider a C6 427 Convertible, as it meets your "must haves". Later on, if you want more than 505 horsepower, install an E-Force or a Heartbeat for 657+ horsepower.

:iagree: The 427, C6 is a heck of a nice car.

If interior quality is of any importance to you, then I'd recommend checking out a C7 in person if you haven't already. If interior matters, just a couple minutes in a C7 will likely sway you over a C5/C6.

The C7 is a whole different animal than prior Vettes in that respect. :thumbs:

Reason why I got ouf of a C6 427, I wanted a updated interior.

I'm not really knowledgeable on the C6, however heard several places the 427 had lower end issues, no?

Why? By some measures it's more trouble-free than later year C7s. :shrug:


This. I liked my C6, but after I sat in a C7 at the dealer when my C6 was there for an oil change, the decision was easy. The C6 is antiquated and uncomfortable compared to the C7. No way I could go backwards.

Nothing wrong with the bottom ends, but there have been some head problems with bad machining from their supplier. Difficult to get an accurate read on just how widespread the problem is. Many of us have been proactive and either replaced our heads with aftermarket heads or have had the GM heads rebuilt by outside shops. Some, have done nothing and have driven their LS7's for over 100,000 miles without a problem.

GM said they corrected the problem with the supplier, but with so few 2013's built, no one outside of GM really knows if it is still a problem.

Most of us that have been proactive, also had porting done to the heads to improve intake/exhaust flow while they were off the car. My heads now flow 12% better on the intake and 9% better on the exhaust.

My C6 sure feels larger inside than the C7. As for ride quality, I drive my c6 Z06 on long road trips all over he USA and have been on many different types of roads. I'm old (76) and My C6 is comfortable for driving 9 hour days of 500+ miles per day. A good friend that has a 2016 Grand Sport says it rides rougher than the 2010 Grand Sport that he had.

I stepped up from a LPE Supercharged C5 (465RWHP/480RWTq) to a base model C7. Sure the C7 has a little less grunt in the lower end, but my only ambitions for it are a set of long-tube headers and a tune.

It is amazing how capable even the base model C7 is when compared to a fully built C5

Still love these, but a low miles 427 is hard to find for much less than $45-$50k. At that, surely he can find a used C7 that will offer way more in the daily drivability department.

My C6 was a coupe and my C7 is a vert, so interior room is apples to oranges. I can say that my C7 is FAR more comfortable on long trips than the C6 was.

this is a great point. so you would recommend waiting a 2 years though? thats when you think i will be able to get into a c7 conv high trim package at a decent price? which styles and what price range would you guess? on what trim packages?

this is what i am afraid of....lol if i drive a c7 i will not be able to look back:thumbs:

great advice :thumbs:

interesting.... sounds like i need to test drive cars