I want to shop for a Corvette - share your wisdom

Wish we gave out awards for most un-PriusChat like post of the year on a website that's clearly dedicated to discussing high MPG low emission vehicles.

 

I like sporty cars. If I had jay leno's cash I might even have a stable.

But I like the small, intimate rigs more than the larger, although I do LOVE big, powerful pickups that can shoot off the line.

Stuck with a boring Outback, but it is extremely safe.

Ah, well, back to work...
kris

 

Buy what you want @jmann. I own a GEN III and a ZR1.

 

I have a C5 with the 6-speed manual. Love the car. You'll never have to rebuild the engine just avoid the early c6s around model years 2005 2006 because I they some valve spring failures. I think it was the LS3 motor that was the problem. I could be wrong it could be the LS6 but in any case it was the first two years of the C6 engine in either the base or the ZO6. Little research will help you on that one. The Corvette forum has the spreadsheet with the data of exactly which VIN numbers had the problems. The solution is to replace the springs before they break so if you buy one of these in the springs were already replaced and they can show you the receipt then thank them and don't be afraid of the car.

There were so many of these cars sold and there's such an aftermarket following and there's so much knowledge from people with education.
We were invited to the awards ceremony in bowling Green two years back. One of their engineers was inducted into the Hall of Fame. He was the chief engineer on c3 c4 C5 C6 c7 and c8 models if I remember correctly. He was in tears I think I was too. I'm quite impressed by how many engineers are in Corvettes. Real intellectual group.

If you want the removable top then you're going to get the base model because the Z06 is a fixed roof coupe and you can't pull the roof off. I prefer the base model myself. You're crazy if you don't buy the manual six-speed trimec transmission. I got a C5 with the magnesium rims from Italy that were made as an upgrade option for Corvette. Real magnesium is hard to come by. This was the era when people talked about mag wheels. Nobody even knows what mag wheels really mean. It means magnesium.

Go to the Corvette forums. The information there is high quality. You'll be astonished how organized they are.

There's an engineer in Minnesota that goes by the YouTube name toys 4 life. He started with a Pontiac fiero and then added on a C5 he put a supercharger in it and now he has a c6. Wealth of knowledge coming from him as well as others.

I use the Prius as a daily driver. The Corvette is something I stomp on. When my clutch finally wore out after 200,000 miles I put a lightweight clutch with a twin disc Kevlar clutch pack and a different ratio master cylinder and a remote bleeder. Shirt or throw on the pedal is much needed. Up to you but I couldn't imagine having a 4l60e shush-box transmission.

I upgraded the C6 ZO6 AC Delco shocks. I could have done Bilstein b6's just as easily. Lots of fun upgrades for this car.

I put a colder thermostat and used HP tuners to turn the fans on at 175 178 low and high. I get more horsepower this way and it's quite noticeable. Couldn't imagine drive around with the stock settings of 214 224. Feel like I'm baking all the wiring under the hood and killing an engine. My oil pressure is much better now too. Welcome to the upgrade madness

 

The C6 has a lot going for it, and they had a looooong run so it is still possible to find that one-owner, low mileage, garage kept model that EVERYBODY wants.
You're going to have to pay about $35,000-$45,000 for one.

Otherwise?
Get what your budget and desires dictate.
Are you single?
Is this going to be a daily driver?
Are you ever going to trailer it?
You already said that you're not going to track it - so that's a start.
Corvette clubs and forums would be my first source of first-hand REAL OWNER information - just like it is for Priuses.

The reason I asked about whether or not you're single is obvious.
I have two friends in Corvette clubs.
One of these has a spouse who wanted a pool that he unsuccessfully resisted until she pointed out how much he'd spent over a couple of years on a flood-salvaged C6 that was an inexpensive-up-front 'project car.'
It really doesn't matter whether you spend the money up-front for a pristine, one owner garage kept model or you try to polish a turd - you're GOING to be turning loose of a significant amount of cash.

You have an idea, now, for how much you want to spend.

Double it.

Rebuilding an engine isn't maintenance - it's a repair.
The C6 is a little bit easier to work on than the C7s from what I've been told.

 

Subaru does make a couple of sports cars

 

2 neighbors across the street take their 'vettes out maybe 500 miles a year for one and zero for the other.
'vettes always seemed too big and heavy for me. I went shopping for one in the '60s and again in the '00s and each time I got 2 blocks from he dealers and turned around.

Owned 5 sportscars and all had small engines 1.3L to 3.2L. (Alfa, Alfa, Porsche, Porsche, Porsche) All light and tossable around a corner. All daily drivers even up to the ski resorts. Now I'm probably too old for them besides the one I'd want is over $100k. and I prefer to invest the $ instead.

 

Corvettes are actually fairly efficient for a 6.2 liter 400BHP car - and they meet all US emissions standards.