gusser

Hello Corvette faithful.

New to the forum but lurked for years, lusting over C6 and C7's.
Had a C5 but sold due to job loss in 2008 during the banking crash we're all paying for.
Really missed that car but never had the opportunity to buy another.

I am now retired.
My interest in C7's surfaced a few months ago when my daughter (owns a 2020 C8 vert. in the lime green/yellow color, the first in the area) mentioned there was a nice 2019 GS in my fav color (blue) at a dealership of which she is good friends with the owner.
I wasn't really thinking about buying as I just retired and that kind of purchase at today's prices would mean a healthy chunk out of my 401k, which has taken a beating of late. But a withdrawal will not affect our standard of living, so why not?

I inquired about a test drive but was told the car sold. I asked if I could have a chance to at least sit in it to see if the fit is good since I am 6'2". It was. So sad the car was sold.

Two days later the Sales manager emails me to say the sale fell through and invited me for a test drive. Unfortunately, it was raining with the occasional downpour so a quick high-speed highway run was not done to check for vibration, but otherwise, the car drove like a dream. I was hooked.

The car hasn't sold and it is close to going to auction so we (my daughter and me) came up with a number to offer and she was to present it to the dealership owner upon his return tomorrow.

In the interim, I wanted to take the car on another test drive to check for vibrations at highway speeds one last time.
We scheduled for yesterday. A call would confirm what time.

Well, the Sales Manager had one of his guys take the car out to be sure there wasn't any vibration before I called to set up the test drive. Lo and behold, there is now a vibration. He was having it checked and would call me back.

A few hours later, he called me to confirm there is a vibration issue that needs to be addressed. It will have to wait until Monday as his mechanics are off for the weekend.
He knows how I feel about the OEM wheels after all my research here on CF and we will not buy the car unless the vibration issue is resolved to our satisfaction. I will not accept one or more "straightened" wheels if bent, nor will I accept a repair if the wheels are cracked. This is, after a CPO vehicle.

At this point I'm not sure if we should pursue purchasing the car... I was considering offering about $3400 less and just purchase a set of flow-formed (or whatever it's called) aftermarket wheels from one of the CF vendors, having the dealership mount and balance the new wheels and OEM tires (about 10k miles of tread left as the original owner drove the car gently). Not sure if they would go for that. I may be hoping for too much and not sure what to expect so I can prepare for any counteroffers. Perhaps those CF members who are dealer-savvy can clue me in as to what to expect.

I, like many, am really drawn to the wide body of the GS/ZO6. Another car of the same model with the wider OEM wheels is just another bent/cracked wheel scenario waiting to happen. Perhaps I should pursue a Stingray with Z51 and magnetic ride control options?

So I call out to the CF membership and hope for some insight as to what may happen next so I can prepare accordingly.
Thanks to all in advance for your input.
I attached a pic of the car below in case anyone is interested.
gusser

v.vet's Z06

I like my Grand Sport so much, I purchased a set of Forgeline wheels last year without looking back. I had 19,000 miles on the original chrome wheels, you can see in the avatar and had just completed a Route 66 trip of 7000 miles. I could not detect a vibration before I replaced them but for peace of mind, I made the move. This past year I have driven 3000+ miles and love the VX1R wheels and Michelin AS4 tires. You might do well in offering them the sum you propose so you can buy aftermarket wheels. The Grand Sport is such an awesome Corvette, you will never be disappointed in your decision. I moved from a 2008 Z06 to the 2019 GS.

gusser

Thank you for the advice v.vet. Appreciated. It is a gorgeous car and I'm quite sure it will provide many many miles of smiles before age has my family taking the keys away.
I do hope we can work out a deal that will allow me to purchase aftermarket wheels and take the OEM wheels out of the equation.
Having the wheels fail after purchasing the car even if new replacements were provided would really sour me on what should have been an exciting and enjoyable experience.

I attached an interior pic. Not everyone's cup of tea as is the body color, but I find it refreshing and engaging. Before I even started the engine and left the parking lot, I was ready to buy as the seating fit like a glove, but I maintained restraint until some numbers could be developed with my daughter.
I am curious about what will be offered after the powers that be (including my daughter... she's quite the negotiator) have their pow-wow.

I will keep our progress posted as it may help someone in a similar situation in the future.
Any other input is certainly welcomed.

Vetteman Jack

You have what I would call a legit concern, especially if the vibration is determined to be from a set of bent wheels. I would go ahead and make your offer, if everything else checks out OK - the worst that the dealer can say is no or perhaps come back with a counter offer. Good luck, the C7 is a great car and the color combo on the car you are looking at is very nice IMO.

69 L46 4 Speed

There is a bigger likelihood that the vibration is from the torque tube or the torque converter rather than wheels. I bent three of the wheels on my 19 GS three years ago. I -70 in Eastern Colorado really sucks. You don't dare drive the speed limit for fear of getting bounced off the road from the chuck holes. I had the wheels straightened and have not had an issue since. My car was built in July of 2018 so I had the transmission Triple Flush done in March of 2019 right after the new trans fluid was introduced. No shudder. I also installed the Range Device to keep the engine in V8 mode all of the time.

ICONIC7

If they're ready to send a CPO to auction then I wouldn't see why they would not accept your offer, or at least counter you. If the vibration is bent or cracked wheels, that's an easy fix and you're right on the money for what you would have to spend. I just bought a new set of wheels and didn't have any issues with the factory's.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Kevin A Jones

I agree with 69 L86 4 Speed, it could be the torque tube or the torque converter rather than wheels if you have the A8 auto trans.
Also, if it's a 3LT you should check the dash out thoroughly especially around vents to insure the dash hasn't started delaminating.
GS/Z06 wheels cracking, torque tube issues, A8 shudder and delaminating dash are all semi-rare C7 issues.
I had a '17 GS and loved the car and had no issues.

Toddster993

As an owner of the bent wheel club, I would factor needing replacement wheels as a cost of ownership regardless of the condition of the existing wheels if they are stock.

gusser

Thanks for your input Vetterman Jack. I agree on the color combo. Not very common in my neck of the woods here in New England.

gusser

Thanks for your input 69 L46.
Build date on this GS is 1/2019. I expect the tranny fluid issue was resolved as during the non-highway speed test drive there were no shifting issues at all, but I will confirm when i speak with the dealer next.
We have a lot of new construction going on but it's for the better. The results are some nice, remote roads/highways are getting fresh asphalt. Long overdue.
I know for the most part where the construction areas are and can avoid them.
I will be installing a range device as well if the sale goes through. Just read about this in another forum. I have a similar device on my 2015 Honda crosstour V6.

gusser

Thanks for you input ICONIC7.
I just got a call from the sales manager.
Turns out when the car was CPO inspected, the tire tech performed the balance wrong. He had his master mechanic do a road force balance on all four wheels. There was 6oz of weight misplaced on one of the wheels, which caused the vibration.
All four wheels are concentric with no bends, no cracks. That is great news a I know I will be getting an aftermarket set and would like to retire the OEM set while still undamaged.

My negotiator daughter is makeing the dealership owner an offer. It's gotta be better than what they'd get at auction.
I'll surely keep the forum membership posted.

gusser

Thanks for your input Kevin. Appreciated.
Fortunately, it was merely a wheel weight issue that has been corrected. No torque tube or converter issues.
It's a 2LT so no worries on the dash delamination issues.
Glad to hear you enjoyed your '17 GS. I am hopeful I will be joining the ranks soon if we can agree on an out the door price.

gusser

I agree toddster. I have read enough to know the factory wheels will fail eventually.
I am doing my due diligence in researching worthy options.
thanks for your input. Appreciated.

gusser

The dealership wouldn't let it go for what we offered so as much as I loved the car, we will wait for a better deal.

Thanks again for everyone's input.
When I finally find my dream C7, I'll post some pics

Bill Dearborn

Here is something to think about. Although the wheels are a concern the incidence of bent or cracked wheels isn't that high considering the number of wide-body cars that were built from the 2015 model year through the 2019 model year.

I have owned my 2015 Z06 for 7 years and 21K miles and the wheels are fine. I don't worry about them and they have been run at high speeds (120+) over the rumble strips in the corners at VIR. The vast majority of C7 wide body owners haven't had any issues with their wheels. If you are a waxer and don't pound rumble strips on a track at high speed then your chance of having a wheel problem is reduced.

Bill

jaiyenyen

I really like the Elkhart lake blue and it does go very well with the grey interior. My interior is black but I would have taken the grey as well. Get the best deal you can and enjoy your new car.

gusser

You make a good point Bill. After this disappointment, I was considering limiting my search to C7 Stingrays with the Z51 option to get away from the wider wheels of the gran sport. Perhaps I should rethink my strategy....
Thanks for your input.

jaiyenyen

What was the dealer asking for the car? Prices are still high for C7's but may be coming down a little. You may save some cash if you wait but for how long and how much will you save while trying to find another car that you will like. Life is short.

MY04CE

Given that the GS was a '19' and the vibration was fixed, plus you liked the color combination, I would suggest you think twice about letting it go. If your offer and the dealer's price were at least close ($2,000 or so), I would see if yo can come to an agreement. Remember, a bird in the hand is worth more than a bird in the bush, or something like that. Good luck.

By the way, I love my 19 GS.

gusser

Agreed. It is a great combo. I'm really bummed about the missed opportunity, but my daughter and I discussed what went wrong with the process and we've concluded the dealer was a bit too greedy, regardless of her friendship with the owner. Disappointing as we and thought we would get a better deal due to her friendship with him, but that was not the case, so we had to walk away.
Perhaps it may still be on the lot when there's snow on the ground and they'll agree to our offer, but there was talk that the owner would send it to FL since there isn't winter there if it doesn't sell here in southern New England. Hmmm... doesn't sound very "friendly" to me. The moral of the story is dealers are dealers and they want to make money. What were we thinking??

She recommended I open my thought process to buying from a remote dealer with reasonable pricing, even if it means shipping the car here.
Case in point: Her new C8 was purchased from a dealer in Ohio and shipped to her home with major savings over the asking price of the local dealer.. Paperwork was not a problem, nor was financing (she had $40k for the downpayment). It was a bit dirty from the trip but it cleaned up nicely (I gave her some detailing tips). She loves the car and is very happy with that dealer.

I'm a gray beard and am old school.... have always wanted to see the car in person and test drive before spending my hard earned $, but perhaps I need to rethink my car-buying strategy..... Maybe even Carvana, although from what I've read, that route may not be as good of a choice as it was a year ago.

Perhaps a winter sale on a nice low-mileage 2019 somewhere else in the country may be what's in store for me...
We shall see.

Thanks for your input jaiyenyen.