A Marsh

Agree

trading tiger

This is the correct answer. You want the bose sound system? Just pull out the stock speakers and replace/add some quality speakers. You want nav? Pull out your smart phone, garmin, tom tom, or get a map. You want a warm butt? Put more clothes on or turn up the heat. You want a GS/Z06 style body? That's another story.

Point is, there are very feasible, inexpensive ways to replace or even upgrade what those optional "creature comforts" offer. Changing the look of a base coupe to a GS/Z06 is feasible, but it's EXPENSIVE. So much so, you're better off just buying the GS to begin with, even if it is the 1LT.

FrankTank

I'd go with the 1LT GS hands down.. I prefer the looks, bigger tires, brakes ..I've never liked the looks of the C6 non-GS, sorry JMO.

GS all the way.

CorvetteGerard

call me crazy but I wanted my first vette to be a 1lt Grand Sport..just bare to the bones....I used to have an 07 bmw 750 so I definitely miss the heated/cooled seats, telescoping steering wheel and more...but can honestly say I haven't missed any of it one bit. I'm happy with my stock radio and on-star nav.

HyperX

GS hands down. Trust me, you will be looking at wide body kits if you get the coupe.

TLS_Addict

And some wouldnt buy an LS2......no matter how cheap it was.

Just busing your *****.

bucwheat

Go with the GS you won't regret it.

CorvetteGerard

this thread is turning into the sport mode vs. non-sport bmw 750's type of convo I used to see over at bimmerfest.com....we all have nice cars..corvettes...I don't think there's anything wrong with the 1lt...especially in this type of car..the nav unit you get is about 7 years old software wise..that's what killed it for me...I don't think I saw any 2 or 3lt's without the nav when I bought my car that day.

BLU JET 07

I would take a 3 LT vs 1 LT anyday. Sure you may not need or want all the bells and whistles at this exact moment, but HUD, F55, Heated seats etc... are nice to have on long trips and at trade in time. It all depends on what comforts you want and what you are willing to spend......

Always Red Dave

I would take the 3LT coupe any day over the STRIPPY 1LT GS...................

96GS#007

Not only that, but if the OP decides to add the performance items, those get rather pricey as well....transmission, sway bars, springs, shocks, coolers, etc. depending on how far one wants to take it.

I bought a 2LT GS. The only things I wanted in the 3LT package were the garage door opener and heated seats. I added HomeLink to my visor myself and a local, well regarded, auto upholstery shop will add seat heaters for $700 if I drop the seats off.

Corvette ED

Remember someday you will want to sell or trade. 3LT is the way to go.

ButchN

Wow, all these 1Lt haters.

What 'creature' comforts does one really need?

I have a 1LT coupe & guess what, no nav & no bluetooth is cool, (And one can get a way better aftermkt deck for substantially less than the factory system) I have my smartphone, also, no heated seats, no HUD which I never used in the cars I owned previous with HU & heated seats.
I never used the telescoping steering wheel in my 82, & memory seats, hmm, since only I drive my car no need for 2 different settings.

And the Bose, my pals with Bose GS's sound just like my non bose system.

I saved allot not buying a vehicle with options I do not need & if use, would be rarely ever.

And in the end, I still have a great looking car.

Don-Vette

I love my 1LT,I don't need Bluetooth,I have a Jawbone. I hate cars with HUD. I prefer the solid leather seat over the perforated. And saved about $2500 off the price of my GS. My car does have the things that are important to me...Black,A6,Chrome wheels and NPP!!!

RJRSW

I have bought and sold around 25 vettes and have found over and over that the loaded ones sell way faster and you get considerably more money for them when they sell. I personally only buy converts and they have to have close to every option available before I will even look at them.

It is even far worse if it is a convert and it is nearly impossible to get any decent offer on a base option convert and even worse yet if it has a manual trans. I have followed no option manual trans converts that have been offered and advertised for months and some for more than a year.

The initial cost savings to buy a stripped base option car are just not worth sacrificing the niceties in the long run and so many end up spending money on upgrading the sound system, adding HUD and on and on in the end anyway.

Grand Sport Torch

I am at the other end of the spectrum. I bought my GS because I fell in love with the 4Lt interior. I probably would not have ordered it that way due to the cost. I love everthing else about the car but the view I see most often is behind the wheel, and I do use the heated seats and Nav even though it is antiquated. Bottom line is buy what you like that best fits your budget, that's why they have different trim levels! You really can't go wrong with either one.

Cyberwar

I was in the exact same situation earlier last year. Which one to choose?!

I finally decided on the 1LT GS. I just loved the look of the widebody plus I planned on getting the car on the track so the added performance parts were a benefit.

Once I totaled up all the individual pieces that came in each of the LT packages that I wanted on the car, I realized that I could purchase and install the exact ones that I wanted on it myself for 60% less than what the dealer wanted for the packaged upgrades.

Plus, how fun was it to do all the mods on the car myself!? Awesome because I love working on my cars!

To each his own, that's why they made different models. Good luck with your decision!

laconiajack

Side-by-side, 99% of people couldn't tell the difference between the two. The 3LT is loaded with an inferior (Bose) sound system compared to the standard system, and the factory NAV system is inferior to any aftermarket Garmin. On the other hand the G/S is the slowest Corvettte, although it does excel at parking lot competition like auto-crossing, and can't be fitted with all-season run flat tires, so it is really only suitable for dry, warm weather use since it comes with summer performance tires that typically wear out in less than 12,000 miles, and are expensive to replace. My advise, keep looking!

CMCvette

I was in exactly the same position a couple of months ago! I succumbed to the wide body style (which I still admire every day!) and added lumbar padding, hence missing only the HUD (which I didn't find compelling in my C5) and nav (which I don't use in any cars anyway), And find the base stereo just fine. For same price of both cars, I find the GS features even at 1LT level totally compelling and love it. No regrets, but then the GS was gray with gray wheels, which sealed the deal over chromes on the standard body. Take lots of pictures of both at all angles, pore over them, and see which consistently excites you the most. You can't go wrong either way, though, which is the great news!

gguillie

I have a 2011 1LT Coupe that I drive 60+ miles per day back and forth to work. Great car, but the lack of an OEM Bluetooth (I have a Blue Ant) and a garage door opener (I installed a Homelink opener) has been cause for regret since Day 1. My next Corvette (2015 Vert) will be better equipped or not at all.