GM Please Fix The Corvette
04-23-2010, 12:57 PM
#21
Safety Car
Another thought...
my old man had a 2003 C5 with the base 350 hp LS1 that he bought for fun. He pulled of an acceleration run and I was really underwhelmed. maybe it wasbecause we were in vegas at 2200 ft altitude, but I had just had a ride in an E39 BMW M5 a couple of weeks before and was not impressed by the c5 at all. I even couldn't be nice about it and told him that a bmw 5 series would blow his vette away. Not long after that (a couple of model years), he got a C6 Z06- now that was an impressive ride. The C5 squeaked inside with only 10k miles on it.
I'm glad people punish GM with diminishing market share which has forced them to really improve the product. The C6 is much nicer, even if the blogger isn't satisfied.
my old man had a 2003 C5 with the base 350 hp LS1 that he bought for fun. He pulled of an acceleration run and I was really underwhelmed. maybe it wasbecause we were in vegas at 2200 ft altitude, but I had just had a ride in an E39 BMW M5 a couple of weeks before and was not impressed by the c5 at all. I even couldn't be nice about it and told him that a bmw 5 series would blow his vette away. Not long after that (a couple of model years), he got a C6 Z06- now that was an impressive ride. The C5 squeaked inside with only 10k miles on it.
I'm glad people punish GM with diminishing market share which has forced them to really improve the product. The C6 is much nicer, even if the blogger isn't satisfied.
04-23-2010, 12:59 PM
#22
Le Mans Master
I tired to register to respond to the blog, but there mysteriously was an error. Oh well, wasn't worth the effort anyway.
04-23-2010, 01:18 PM
#23
Le Mans Master
I watched a show the other day where they a Shelby Cobra 427 for $1.1 mil ..I bet the interior in that thing could rival the uros 
I could care less if the interior is pretty.
I could care less if the interior is pretty.
04-23-2010, 01:25 PM
#25
Melting Slicks
Since the beginning Corvettes have always been expensive. To compare the G35 ( A rebadged Z car ) with a Corvette is like Nissan (Datsun) did some 30 years ago when the younger crowd was buying 260 and 280 and 300 Z cars almost as expensive as a C3. So where are those Zs now. Gone. No one really cared. Sure they had female voices telling you to put your seat belt on, and they were suppose to be Nissan (Datsun) reliable. But what they did not tell you was that they would rust to bits in a few years and have no real resale value. Those C3s so many were turning away from to buy Japan will now bring at least $10,000. Why is that? Because people still dream about owning a Corvette. Most red blooded American kids do. BMWs are good cars I am sure. Over priced like Porsche and the rest of the German stuff. Remember the 944s and the 928s? Where are they? Seen any lately in someone garage just being saved because the owner knows its something special. That its some kids dream ride that they always dreamed of when they were in High School. I have been around since the C1s were first on the road and as a kid my whole life I always dreamed of owning one. So I bought a C4 because price was out of the ball park for me. But that same unexplainable feeling is in every Corvette. Yep they are loud, ride ruff, have issues with reliablety. But no Nissan (GT4 Include in its Zcar glorfied body), Porsche, BMW has that mysery feel the Corvette has.They never had it and they never will.
04-23-2010, 01:30 PM
#26
Le Mans Master
Since the beginning Corvettes have always been expensive. To compare the G35 ( A rebadged Z car ) with a Corvette is like Nissan (Datsun) did some 30 years ago when the younger crowd was buying 260 and 280 and 300 Z cars almost as expensive as a C3. So where are those Zs now. Gone. No one really cared. Sure they had female voices telling you to put your seat belt on, and they were suppose to be Nissan (Datsun) reliable. But what they did not tell you was that they would rust to bits in a few years and have no real resale value. Those C3s so many were turning away from to buy Japan will now bring at least $10,000. Why is that? Because people still dream about owning a Corvette. Most red blooded American kids do. BMWs are good cars I am sure. Over priced like Porsche and the rest of the German stuff. Remember the 944s and the 928s? Where are they? Seen any lately in someone garage just being saved because the owner knows its something special. That its some kids dream ride that they always dreamed of when they were in High School. I have been around since the C1s were first on the road and as a kid my whole life I always dreamed of owning one. So I bought a C4 because price was out of the ball park for me. But that same unexplainable feeling is in every Corvette. Yep they are loud, ride ruff, have issues with reliablety. But no Nissan (GT4 Include in its Zcar glorfied body), Porsche, BMW has that mysery feel the Corvette has.They never had it and they never will.
04-23-2010, 01:39 PM
#27
Le Mans Master
The average age of a new Vette owner is 54 meaning I'm too old to buy a new one (but too young for a Buick) and all of the youngster's with C4's have to wait awhile. That gives them a fair chance to learn and appreciate all of the engineering that didn't make it into these cars prepping them for C6 ownership (see below).
Consumer's Report gave the C6 it's worst reliability rating, but because a non running car isn't unsafe, they didn't give it the "you're an idiot if you buy this" rating they gave the Lexus SUV.
Most of the 20 something college grads I knew were making 5 to 6 times more than I did at my first job. Out here, they were buying Beemers and condos they couldn't afford. They're now living back at home and used/repopped Beemers are deeply discounted. People my age were buying Lexus, Infiniti or Mercedes and using Valet at the racetrack. They were also buying homes they couldn't afford. There is hope upon hope that their children get re-employed so that they have some means of getting back into the trailer park.
I retired at 50 but plan to go back to work at 62 having fully enjoyed and blown my pension on everything but the Vette and I have no intention of letting a new (or used anything) suck what it can out of me (I thought that ended with a boat, but then I bought a Vette).
If there's a market out there for a Vette, I don't know what it is and I don't think GM knows either, but they need to figure it out or the car dies.
Consumer's Report gave the C6 it's worst reliability rating, but because a non running car isn't unsafe, they didn't give it the "you're an idiot if you buy this" rating they gave the Lexus SUV.
Most of the 20 something college grads I knew were making 5 to 6 times more than I did at my first job. Out here, they were buying Beemers and condos they couldn't afford. They're now living back at home and used/repopped Beemers are deeply discounted. People my age were buying Lexus, Infiniti or Mercedes and using Valet at the racetrack. They were also buying homes they couldn't afford. There is hope upon hope that their children get re-employed so that they have some means of getting back into the trailer park.
I retired at 50 but plan to go back to work at 62 having fully enjoyed and blown my pension on everything but the Vette and I have no intention of letting a new (or used anything) suck what it can out of me (I thought that ended with a boat, but then I bought a Vette).
If there's a market out there for a Vette, I don't know what it is and I don't think GM knows either, but they need to figure it out or the car dies.
04-23-2010, 01:41 PM
#28
Race Director
Another thought...
my old man had a 2003 C5 with the base 350 hp LS1 that he bought for fun. He pulled of an acceleration run and I was really underwhelmed. maybe it wasbecause we were in vegas at 2200 ft altitude, but I had just had a ride in an E39 BMW M5 a couple of weeks before and was not impressed by the c5 at all. I even couldn't be nice about it and told him that a bmw 5 series would blow his vette away. Not long after that (a couple of model years), he got a C6 Z06- now that was an impressive ride. The C5 squeaked inside with only 10k miles on it.
I'm glad people punish GM with diminishing market share which has forced them to really improve the product. The C6 is much nicer, even if the blogger isn't satisfied.
my old man had a 2003 C5 with the base 350 hp LS1 that he bought for fun. He pulled of an acceleration run and I was really underwhelmed. maybe it wasbecause we were in vegas at 2200 ft altitude, but I had just had a ride in an E39 BMW M5 a couple of weeks before and was not impressed by the c5 at all. I even couldn't be nice about it and told him that a bmw 5 series would blow his vette away. Not long after that (a couple of model years), he got a C6 Z06- now that was an impressive ride. The C5 squeaked inside with only 10k miles on it.
I'm glad people punish GM with diminishing market share which has forced them to really improve the product. The C6 is much nicer, even if the blogger isn't satisfied.
04-23-2010, 01:59 PM
#29
Safety Car
point being that he could have bought the C5 Z06, but he didn't feel that corvette was worth $50k...which kind of proves the original point of this subject. Perhaps the BMW was worth $80k, but the Vette wasn't worth what they were asking.
It has been awhile since I wasn't impressed by an expensive car, and the C5 was kind of dull (at least the one he had).
04-23-2010, 02:01 PM
#30
Safety Car
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St. Jude Donor '10
Another thought...
my old man had a 2003 C5 with the base 350 hp LS1 that he bought for fun. He pulled of an acceleration run and I was really underwhelmed. maybe it wasbecause we were in vegas at 2200 ft altitude, but I had just had a ride in an E39 BMW M5 a couple of weeks before and was not impressed by the c5 at all. I even couldn't be nice about it and told him that a bmw 5 series would blow his vette away. .
my old man had a 2003 C5 with the base 350 hp LS1 that he bought for fun. He pulled of an acceleration run and I was really underwhelmed. maybe it wasbecause we were in vegas at 2200 ft altitude, but I had just had a ride in an E39 BMW M5 a couple of weeks before and was not impressed by the c5 at all. I even couldn't be nice about it and told him that a bmw 5 series would blow his vette away. .
But, to be fair and accurate- both cars are high 4's in the 0-60 and both have similar 1/4 mile times (13.2 ish) (C5 6 spd).
I'd consider that a major let down if I plunked $70000 on a 400 hp E39 M5 to find a $40k 350 LS1 does just as well.
Compare that M5 to a C5Z and you'll be staring at 4 ovals.
Compare any other E39 (5 series, non M5 as you stated) to the Base LS1 6 spd and you'll still be staring at 4 ovals.
04-23-2010, 02:26 PM
#31
Team Owner
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St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
Since the beginning Corvettes have always been expensive. To compare the G35 ( A rebadged Z car ) with a Corvette is like Nissan (Datsun) did some 30 years ago when the younger crowd was buying 260 and 280 and 300 Z cars almost as expensive as a C3. So where are those Zs now. Gone. No one really cared. Sure they had female voices telling you to put your seat belt on, and they were suppose to be Nissan (Datsun) reliable. But what they did not tell you was that they would rust to bits in a few years and have no real resale value. Those C3s so many were turning away from to buy Japan will now bring at least $10,000. Why is that? Because people still dream about owning a Corvette. Most red blooded American kids do. BMWs are good cars I am sure. Over priced like Porsche and the rest of the German stuff. Remember the 944s and the 928s? Where are they? Seen any lately in someone garage just being saved because the owner knows its something special. That its some kids dream ride that they always dreamed of when they were in High School. I have been around since the C1s were first on the road and as a kid my whole life I always dreamed of owning one. So I bought a C4 because price was out of the ball park for me. But that same unexplainable feeling is in every Corvette. Yep they are loud, ride ruff, have issues with reliablety. But no Nissan (GT4 Include in its Zcar glorfied body), Porsche, BMW has that mysery feel the Corvette has.They never had it and they never will.
^ he gets it and understands.
04-23-2010, 03:16 PM
#36
Cruising
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My perspective from being mostly a german/import car performance guy. This is my first Vette. Honestly in my part of the country the first thing people ask me when I tell them I just got a Vette is " are you going red neck on us". I think these cars are only worth what people are willing to pay and not many are falling over them selves to buy one. I will agree that the Corvette of the 60's did not have the forgein compition it has now. To me its really not until the C5 is when they woke up a little at GM.
Vetts dont have as much glorey to the kids these days. Its about flash, MPG, price, & brand rec & location in the US. I would not go as far to say that a G35 is junk. They are great cars for what they sell for & are not a competing $ car to the Vette. Keep in mind the G37 makes 333 HP out of a V6. All the german cars ive had are built like tanks. Never a rattle but can be maint happy, the Vette leaves me dissapointed in the quality area but has alot of performance for cheap money.
The C6's are great & at $55k new not much out performs it. Times are changing though & the newer generation has grown up with alot of options. Is much of the public under 50 going to buy C6's?
1991 - C4 - 6SP - 383
Full Roller/TPIS Intake Man/58mm BBK/Hooker Comps/30lb Inj/TF 23 Heads/Griffin Rad/Oil Cooler/Mystery Cam
2000 -Audi S4 - 6SP - Daily
Vetts dont have as much glorey to the kids these days. Its about flash, MPG, price, & brand rec & location in the US. I would not go as far to say that a G35 is junk. They are great cars for what they sell for & are not a competing $ car to the Vette. Keep in mind the G37 makes 333 HP out of a V6. All the german cars ive had are built like tanks. Never a rattle but can be maint happy, the Vette leaves me dissapointed in the quality area but has alot of performance for cheap money.
The C6's are great & at $55k new not much out performs it. Times are changing though & the newer generation has grown up with alot of options. Is much of the public under 50 going to buy C6's?
1991 - C4 - 6SP - 383
Full Roller/TPIS Intake Man/58mm BBK/Hooker Comps/30lb Inj/TF 23 Heads/Griffin Rad/Oil Cooler/Mystery Cam
2000 -Audi S4 - 6SP - Daily
Last edited by Red Dragon On DL; 04-23-2010 at 03:19 PM.
04-23-2010, 03:29 PM
#37
Melting Slicks
This guy has been around bashing corvettes forever. When I bought my new corvette in 64' there were people just like him ragging on about how much better the cobra, e-jag, 356 porsche, avanti, even the sunbeam tiger, were than the vette... faster, more refined, on and on better than the vette. Basically if you bought a vette you had no class. Well I have been classless and clueless all of my life and I'm too obtuse to worry much about it.
04-23-2010, 04:03 PM
#39
Burning Brakes
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I have been fortunate in life to own 2 new Corvettes. My 1978 L82' sticker price was $11,078.00 and that's what I paid. My 1979 L82 4 speed car was $14,735.00 and that was sticker price. I was 26 when I bought the 78.
That was a lot of money for a car back then and to own one was a statement that you were doing pretty well. You had to have good credit back then to be able to get a loan for that much money. Cars loans were only 36 months.
So I guess I come down in the camp of "I don't really want the Corvette to be that easy to buy".
That was a lot of money for a car back then and to own one was a statement that you were doing pretty well. You had to have good credit back then to be able to get a loan for that much money. Cars loans were only 36 months.
So I guess I come down in the camp of "I don't really want the Corvette to be that easy to buy".
