C7 as a daily driver?
#1
C7 as a daily driver?
Hello all! Mk7 GTI owner here.. keep your pitchforks down for a second
I love my car but a Vette has always been the dream car. I'm in a financial situation where they're affordable for me (they're pretty affordable in general used), and everytime I dump money into GTI mods, I wonder if it would have been better spent towards a C7 https://nox.tips/https://xender.vip/ .
Any experience/advice on owning one as a daily would be greatly appreciated!
I love my car but a Vette has always been the dream car. I'm in a financial situation where they're affordable for me (they're pretty affordable in general used), and everytime I dump money into GTI mods, I wonder if it would have been better spent towards a C7 https://nox.tips/https://xender.vip/ .
Any experience/advice on owning one as a daily would be greatly appreciated!
Last edited by nadia1; 05-03-2023 at 07:34 AM.
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#6
Le Mans Master
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CorvetteMike2024 (05-02-2023)
#8
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I’ve been daily driving my ‘19 Z since I bought it new. Loads of fun to drive everyday. Have not have had a single issue with it. Probably the toughest thing I have encountered is finding tires that are reasonably priced. In the height of covid I was actually out a car for almost a week as there were no tires to buy. Not sure if that’s still the case.
#9
Burning Brakes
No matter how much money you dump into your GTI, it's still going to always be a Golf-derived, FWD car.
Adding mods won't help the resale value. It might actually lower it, since a lot of people want stock vehicles.
My C7 convertible has been my only car and daily driver since July 2015....now have over 39k miles.
I drove it cross-country from California to Tennessee with no issues. It's been bullet-proof reliable and maintenance costs have been low.
Oddly enough, I test-drove a 2015 Mark 7 GTI before deciding on the Stingray.
It was ok. I drove both the manual and dual-clutch auto. I pushed them both VERY HARD on the test-drive, and the salesperson squealed "WOW, that was fun. No one ever drives like that!" My reaction was less enthusiastic.
Manual shifter had a cool golfball ****, but the shift action didn't feel as good as my previous MX-5 and S2000.
It felt like an econo hatchback, which it's based on. The interior was rather dull, other than the cool plaid fabric. The whole experience (similar to many Porsche products) felt too clinical and lacked excitement/passion. And the styling didn't really catch anyone's eye, including my own. It just didn't have the "WOW" factor of the Corvette.
The Corvette has a split mode- put the exhaust in STEALTH and it's an ultra-quiet cruiser. Put the exhaust in TRACK and it's totally different beast.
The ride quality and comfort are quite good for a sports car. The trunk is shockingly big with the top up and partition lowered for the convertible.
Even after all these years of ownership, it still feels like a major fun event just running simple errands. And I still get compliments every time I park it anywhere at shops, etc.
You might want to at least test-drive a C7 to see if it's a match for your needs. I ordered mine the same day of my test-drive.... I HAD to have one- it was that good!
Adding mods won't help the resale value. It might actually lower it, since a lot of people want stock vehicles.
My C7 convertible has been my only car and daily driver since July 2015....now have over 39k miles.
I drove it cross-country from California to Tennessee with no issues. It's been bullet-proof reliable and maintenance costs have been low.
Oddly enough, I test-drove a 2015 Mark 7 GTI before deciding on the Stingray.
It was ok. I drove both the manual and dual-clutch auto. I pushed them both VERY HARD on the test-drive, and the salesperson squealed "WOW, that was fun. No one ever drives like that!" My reaction was less enthusiastic.
Manual shifter had a cool golfball ****, but the shift action didn't feel as good as my previous MX-5 and S2000.
It felt like an econo hatchback, which it's based on. The interior was rather dull, other than the cool plaid fabric. The whole experience (similar to many Porsche products) felt too clinical and lacked excitement/passion. And the styling didn't really catch anyone's eye, including my own. It just didn't have the "WOW" factor of the Corvette.
The Corvette has a split mode- put the exhaust in STEALTH and it's an ultra-quiet cruiser. Put the exhaust in TRACK and it's totally different beast.
The ride quality and comfort are quite good for a sports car. The trunk is shockingly big with the top up and partition lowered for the convertible.
Even after all these years of ownership, it still feels like a major fun event just running simple errands. And I still get compliments every time I park it anywhere at shops, etc.
You might want to at least test-drive a C7 to see if it's a match for your needs. I ordered mine the same day of my test-drive.... I HAD to have one- it was that good!
#10
Melting Slicks
My current C7 and previous C6 has always been my daily drivers. Cold, rain, light snow, always driven and used. From Miami FL to now in the North GA suburbs and into the GA, TN, and KY mountains. Always a great car and experience!!! YMMV...
#11
My 17 GS is a daily driver... well, it was until the china flu, now I do all my engineering from home. Nonetheless, inside 2 years I rolled up 37k miles... loved every one of them. I'm at 42k now, boosted with LTHs and absolutely love driving it every chance I get. I can hang a pretty picture in the garage if I want something to stare at... my GS is for driving pleasure.
#12
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I’ve daily’d every vette I’ve owned (this is number 7). They clean up nice and are GREAT daily drivers!
#13
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Works just fine as a DD.
#14
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No reason the C7 wouldn’t be fine as a daily driver unless you live in an area that sees a lot of snow/ice in the winter. Then it would be best to have a car that can handle those conditions. The C7 with A/S tires can handle some snow/ but there is a limit since it sits so close to the ground.
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#16
Instructor
GTIs are awesome (previous MK1 and Mk4 337)
My C7 (manual) has been a daily driver since I bought it new in '15, and now, 60k+ miles later, it has been the most reliable car I have ever had. I put it away a few months a year when it snows and roads are heavily salted.
Oil changes every 5k miles, + all other fluid changes on time, tires, air and cabin filters, thermostat and a belt tensioner are all that were needed since new.
Lovely car. Gets thumbs up on a daily basis, drives as nice as day 1 with no rattles or squeaks and brings me a smile every time I drive it.
My C7 (manual) has been a daily driver since I bought it new in '15, and now, 60k+ miles later, it has been the most reliable car I have ever had. I put it away a few months a year when it snows and roads are heavily salted.
Oil changes every 5k miles, + all other fluid changes on time, tires, air and cabin filters, thermostat and a belt tensioner are all that were needed since new.
Lovely car. Gets thumbs up on a daily basis, drives as nice as day 1 with no rattles or squeaks and brings me a smile every time I drive it.
#17
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Sure you could daily drive this car but to me a DD would take away some of the fun of pulling the car out of the garage and taking a drive on the weekend
#18
Instructor
Hello! Change immediatly your Golf and enjoy the Corvette C7!
C7 daily car... it could be without problems if the gas woldn't cost 2 Euro / Liter!!! ...I use Vette only with "V8 mode" (i've got 7MT)
About comfort and normal use I found C7 very comfortable (above all in "Tour" set-up) and also perfect for the city (I live in Milan, Italy). The only problem (here) is a parking... I spent many time for right parking than journey I'm Italian and I know very well the Volkswagen GolF GTI, here it's a normal car... you cannot compare a Golf with Vette
C7 daily car... it could be without problems if the gas woldn't cost 2 Euro / Liter!!! ...I use Vette only with "V8 mode" (i've got 7MT)
About comfort and normal use I found C7 very comfortable (above all in "Tour" set-up) and also perfect for the city (I live in Milan, Italy). The only problem (here) is a parking... I spent many time for right parking than journey I'm Italian and I know very well the Volkswagen GolF GTI, here it's a normal car... you cannot compare a Golf with Vette
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c5arlen (05-04-2023)
#19
Pro
The C7 is a great daily. I have two cars, but I try to drive the Corvette to work as much as possible. It's a 2015 with a manual and it's easy enough to drive through daily traffic. 68k miles later and I still love driving it. The manual definitely makes it more fun.
#20
Hello all! Mk7 GTI owner here.. keep your pitchforks down for a second
I love my car but a Vette has always been the dream car. I'm in a financial situation where they're affordable for me (they're pretty affordable in general used), and everytime I dump money into GTI mods, I wonder if it would have been better spent towards a C7 https://nox.tips/https://xender.vip/ .
Any experience/advice on owning one as a daily would be greatly appreciated!
I love my car but a Vette has always been the dream car. I'm in a financial situation where they're affordable for me (they're pretty affordable in general used), and everytime I dump money into GTI mods, I wonder if it would have been better spent towards a C7 https://nox.tips/https://xender.vip/ .
Any experience/advice on owning one as a daily would be greatly appreciated!
Before posting you've probably already thought through the following:
1. Weather (i.e. snow, ice)
2. Passengers (spouse/children/dogs)
3. Cargo capacity. It has a lot of space in the back but it isn't deep, so you can't stand up grocery bags.
4. Traffic (really more of an M7 vs A6/A8 discussion)
Some things aren't obvious, mainly the low clearance which makes some driveways difficult.
The doors are long so parking in tight spots can be annoying to get in/out of the vehicle.
You sit low in traffic so you have both a poor vantage point and it's either to hide in the blindspots of taller vehicles.
Even the softest model (Stingray) suspension is brutal when it comes to potholes and poor road quality.
Consumable costs (tires, brakes, oil, etc) vary by model. Stingray < Z51 < Z06 < ZR1
Many of the those things can be mitigated by adjusting your driving style, how you park, tire selection, etc.
It gets excellent fuel economy, servicing isn't overly expensive (except the clutch!) and it's probably one of the most durable and reliable vehicles in it's class.
And you'll need to get used to age-related jokes, like "if you don't have a hard time getting in and out of a Corvette, you're not old enough to own one" etc.
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LOLLO_ITALY (05-09-2023)