hype7

first time posting - been a lurker for a while

question here for the american members. i've just moved stateside, and always held the corvette in pretty high regard.

however, since i've been here, i've noticed a fair few comments etc from the locals about the car. quite a bit of it has been less than flattering - and it seems that porsche drivers do it more than most others given i've owned a 993 (back in oz), i'd love to better understand this.

so, i guess the question is: what do you guys think of the vette? what about the brand? and the drivers of the vette?

not looking to start a flame war etc, but would love to get some honest impressions!

thx



-- james

Jim Michaels

I think I understand your confusion. I don't think a lot of Americans share the same view of the Corvette that many Europeans do, and I'm not sure why. To me, the newer Corvettes (C5 on) achieve a very high appearance and performance level that only expensive European cars can match. But here they get less respect; not no respect at all, just less. I remember when the interior bits looked and felt a lot cheaper than they do on the newest models, so maybe we just can't get over the fact that they are Chevrolets.

My wife has a theory about Corvette owners called "small man syndrome", but I think the stereotype is far over-drawn. All kinds of people drive Corvettes, as well as Porsches. Maybe some of us just resent Corvette drivers beating us at autocross and on track.

Alex.M

Corvette is the best performance car you can buy "for the money". I has a lot of "value" to it. "value" also implies that there have been sacrifices made in order to bring that value to mass market.

ricster

I think the car is "too big" in mass for a true sports car. It doesn't have that "you being one with the car" as you drive down the road. I also think the interior is a $hit.

VintageRacer

I just sold a C5 Z06 that I owned for over six years. It was quick (3150 lbs. w/ 405 hp). I had absolutely no problems with it. I had to replace the brakes and tires. I changed the oil. That's it.

It really never worried me what anyone else thought about the car. I actually get more grief from people that make fun of my two early Porsches. "The engine is in the rear?"

kcl

I think the c6's and on are a good bang for the buck. It's tough to argue with the performance you get for these cars.

Meister Fahrer

I generally like and respect Corvettes, but it is a different crowd somehow.

We're all car guys, but Porsche folks tend to appreciate doing more with less, i.e. a 3.4L flat 6 keeping up with a giant 7.0L V8.

sturm

A good friend of mine traded in his '04 Vette for a used Boxster S because he wanted a car he could "drive". He said that he could literally drive everywhere in 2nd gear with the Vette. He wnated a sportscar experience of going through the gears, heel-toe braking, smaller and more nimble so went for the Boxster. The torque was fun though...

May depend on where you live. I live on the coast so lots of curvey roads.

'93rsa 3.8

VintageRacer

What Porsche has a 3.4L engine on a race track? I know the turbo was a 3.3L and the C2 was a 3.6L.

I am not sure where you race, but I have never seen a C6Z06 7.0L (427 ci) Corvette race in the same class as a 3.6/3.8L Porsche? I have not even seen a 5.7L Corvette (350 ci) Corvette race in the same class as a 3.6/3.8L Porsche?

What did you do to punch out your 3.6L RSA to 3.8L?

VGM911

Although the Corvette is a good value for the money, I can't past the fact that it's a Chevy.

racer

More likely a generalization (porsche's reputation was built as a giant killer) and the fact that the poster drives a '99 C2, which has a 3.4 l motor.

I like the C5/C6 vettes a bit. The Z06 is tecnically sophisticated as well. Some of the bias is not doubt the "pushrod" thing. Rather simplistic (and "old" tech). I like how GM also makes a "S" equivalent by taking the Z06 goodies (brakes, suspension, then DRY sumps the base motor) and sticks it all together for a lot less than a Z06. Not sure if that means the Z06 is in trouble or not (sales wise) but someone willing to make a dry sump motor still impresses me.

Interiors are a downer for me. Moreso with the C4 and C5 but heck.. when you buy a $50-75 -100K car, seeing the same radio or switches or steering wheel that comes in a $12K "cavalier" is a big let down. Also the "feel" of the materials is lacking.

That said, like others, they are a great "value"

EastBay

try corvetteforum.com


Lots better forum and much more technical information available as many more vette guys actually wrench on their own cars.

Completely different cars, as both of my vettes got better gas mileage and were much faster than the 996 I have now. And of course the best thing about a vette is you can't get a door ding.

One interesting thing is there is no Chevrolet badge anywhere on the Corvettes.

BTW, the C5/C6 is a copy of the 924/944 drivetrain.

RF5BPilot

Probably the biggest rants come from the people who have the least confidence in their own choices.

Interesting parallel: Mac's comprise a relatively small percentage of the computer market. Yet, Mac owners are some of the the loudest in extolling the virtures of their more expensive, more exclusive, better made computers. Of course, they are more expensive to fix, have fewer aftermarket options available for them, have fewer shops than can or will work on them... Hm-m-m.

Maybe this pattern is broader than any single product or personal quality. It probably leads back to the issues of tribes and tribal membership.

Buy the car you like. If you buy a car for the acceptance and adoration of others, the yellow pages are full of therapists who would be thrilled to be paid to help you with that.

kosmo

After months of kicking the tires on a new Z06 I've decided to look into a Box S or C2s.
The Z06 is a monster, prob more than I can handle but its not just about speed for me at least. The P-cars just felt better, from the shifting action of the stick, to the nautral balance of its steering. I felt like the Vette was a notch behind. Also the interior, even w/ its upgraded interior, is not becoming of a 70k car. As far as the image thing, I dont care. As other members have mentioned here Vettes draw a wide audience just like Porsche. Vettes are good cars and have narrowed "the gap" w/Porsche and others. If the next gen Vette can address some of it shortcomings, I will be a buyer.

otofmyway6

I have a Corvette C5 and a Porsche 944. Both sweet cars. All corvettes are very different from all porsches i've ever driven but they all have 4 wheels and a motor. both bring good times!