RON NARDONE

Would you say the corvette has become a rich mans car, iwonder how many c-5 owners who bought thier cars new make 60.000 a year or less,the c-6 prices have really gone up i dont think thiers any of them who bought new making less then 60k a year ....what do you all think?????

POACHR

what about someone making 59k yearly? There are a lot more factors than just income. i.e. credit score, priorities, single/married, down payment, etc.

cclive

It depends on where one lives as to what is rich. In Newport Beach, someone who makes $300,000 can't really afford a decent tract house.

John_Syb

I wouldn't say that i am rich but I am comfortable. My car had an MSRP of almost 70K and retails for more than some houses I lived in during college. So I feel it is a bit of a status symbol but I don't think it is a "rich" man's car. It isn't a poor man's car by any means either.

There are many cars out there that cost as much or more. I suppose it would also depend on your presonal situation

The base coupe is probably a bargain for what you get.

6spdC6

Retired from my construction union with a pension in 2001 and I drive a new purchased 07 Z06.

Was a pipefitter for 35 years with no college, on my 6 Vette now!

Doubt many would consider me rich!

dads toy

I do make a fair living but do not consider myself rich. I bought my base 2007 for 31k. So to me its a bargain car. cheaper than what I paid for other cars I have bought. It is my toy and I could use a 4 seater sport car but I wanted a vette.

dads toy

bought it used.

maxp

it is not a 'rich' mans car, it's a chevy

John_Syb

Bingo! There it is.

peter pan

No, many cars now out there that are not premium brands that cost over 40k loaded up and our 09 3lt was under 48k, and I can only wish I was rich

LTC Z06

It ain't a poor mans car.

RACN1320

Certainly not rich here but if a car is your priority then you can pick one up even if you don't make a fortune

meadowz06

A corvette is NOT a rich mans car. A Lambo or Ferrari is a rich mans car.

beden1

I think the question is valid. In reading these threads over the years, it would appear that many who bought Corvettes during the past 5-6 years, did so by getting home improvement loans on their houses. With this source of borrowing now unavailable to most during this economic mess, I think this has been the primary result of the current poor Corvette sales.

Looking at it now, I'm sure many people who did borrow, possibly/probably beyond their financial means, are no doubt sorry they did so today.

With incomes flatlined, and with the ever increasing job losses, it's going to be a long time before this recovers.

AHW219

If you define "rich man" as someone making $60K then yes. But in all reality someone making $60K is not a rich man. As a matter of fact you wouldn't be able to buy a house with that income even in this down maket in Southern Cal. Tripple that and you'll be in comfortable range but still far from rich. To me rich is someone who can buy a Ferrari or Lambo without batting an eye. Each of us have our own view of where "rich" starts.

I look at vette as an icon sports car that average Joe can still get their hands on and drive. Maintenance cost is also very low compared to exotics that has similar performance. I've owned my vette for a bit over 2 years and the more time passes the more I appreciate this car for what it is. It's a GREAT CAR for the price, I don't mind the interior, the seats, and other "imperfections" that many complain here. Well done Chevy!

Gannet

In 1967 the median (half made more, half made less) earnings, for US males, was $5,974. That would would have more than covered a brand new loaded 427 Vette. In 2006 the median earnings for males were $34,296, which would pay for about half of a brand new loaded 427 Vette.

Over the same period the Consumer Price Index went from 33.4 to 201.6, or in other words on average things cost roughly 6 times as much. Looked at that way, wages increased at roughly the same rate as the CPI, but the relative price of a Vette doubled. To me, that takes it from being a working man's car (if he saves) to a middle-class car (if he saves). Does that make it a "rich man's car"? Depends on how you define "rich", but for sure the average new Vette buyer is by necessity a lot older, richer (and probably fatter) than he was in 1967.

References:
ftp://ftp.bls.gov/pub/special.requests/cpi/cpiai.txt
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/...ns/007276.html

TexasC6

the vette is for everyone, even a college kid...
just depends on the year and shape.

1986 - $4k
2005 - $30k
ZR1 - $100k plus

lh4x4

No! Not a rich man's car. I bought three and a Viper while on SS. How? No grandkids.

LOUSVETTE

People probably consider you rich but I think the OP's point was you really have to either be making good money or have good credit and and go deep into debt to buy a new C6.

I would assume since you had a good pipefitters union job all those years you were making more then 60K a year ( not that 60K is anywhere near being rich)

6spdC6

Correct on WHEN I was making money, but my pension while good is not near what I made working! No I did not go deep in dept to buy any Vette I owned. Nice thing about having no morgage. No morgage is something I recommend if you can do it for anyone thinking of retiring!

I planned my retirement for a long time and was able to do it at 55 and be comfortable!