new corvette

[aja8888]

Living in the Woodlands, you probably already know to checkout Corvettes of Houston (a.k.a. Corvette World)... They typicality have some top notched low mileage C5's. You can probably pick up a really nice one for 18 to 22k, depending on mileage and equipment. I actually bought one of my early (C4) Vettes from them and was happy with the deal. They had it detailed out on the showroom floor just "like new".

Yes, I close my eyes every time I go by the store. I'm afraid if I start looking now, I will be an owner very soon. I poke around the Corvette Forum on occasion to check the pulses of owners to see what's out there also. I really want to wait for the Fall for two reasons;

One is my 2014 VW Passat is being bought back by VW (Dieselgate) in October and the $29 K they will be writing me a check for will be the funding for a Vette (although I won't spend that much on one);

And two, the Fall is a good time to buy as a lot of "garage queens" are heading back to their winter resting place and I may find an anxious to sell owner.

 

[Big_Hitter]

I picked up an 88 Firebird GTA 5.7 liter in 1998 just for fun. Haven't regretted it. Had to spend a few bucks on it now and then. Still have it.

I love my '95 firehawk

 

[Ronstar]

My leather side bolster wore out in a few years, although my car was lowered from its stock height. Had indy car gas adjustable shocks front and back. Front seat needed to be replaced with a racing bucket for better support and lower weight.

Here is a little video some might enjoy; being able to drive the ring is a bucket list item, although it will probably never happen:

I'll need to replace my seat soon - but not with a racing bucket.

Thanks for posting the video!

 

[swakyaby]

Purchased a new corvette coupe way back in 1999. That year, DH and I were standing in a parking lot when a car drove past, and my head turned so fast to look at it go by, I almost gave myself a neck injury.

Me: Whoa! What a beautiful car! What car was that?
DH: Oh, you don't know? That's the new C5 corvette.
Me: I really want to get a closer look. Do you think the salesman will laugh at me if I ask if there is one with an automatic transmission?
DH: These days, automatic transmission is standard. Manual transmission is an option.
Me: I want to test drive one tomorrow!

It was a really fun, powerful, thrilling ride. I enjoyed my ownership of it for the 4 years I owned it, until DH convinced me to sell it, a decision I often regretted. I also enjoyed all the high tech features, including the heads-up display. I noticed that on the freeways, cars in front would move out of the way, seemingly out of respect? Lots of thumbs up by other motorists. There are quite a lot of corvette enthusiasts out there I realized.

There were several recalls on this model which were fixed under warrantee. Then there was a really serious defect I found 1 1/2 years into ownership--I had several episodes of uncontrolled acceleration (not unlike the Toyota debacle years later) when I first started the car in the morning. It was like the gas pedal was floored! Fortunately, the car was in park, so it didn't accelerate anywhere. The dealership service manager found that a computer chip module responsible for acceleration had a "glitch" that would occasionally malfunction that caused this event. They very quietly replaced the defective computer part, and life was good again. But it was at this point, DH wanted me to sell the car.

I did sell it private party to a very happy gentleman and bought a new Lexus hardtop convertible sport coupe. Handled like a slug compared to the vette, but it certainly is cute.

I should add that the vette was so low to the ground, I had to get used to driving over speed bumps very carefully. Also steep driveways required special maneuvering to enter due to the long front end. But I think today's corvettes don't have such a long front end as the C5s did, so it's probably not so much an issue anymore.

 

[Danmar]

Never understood the fascination with cars. If I could hire someone to drive me around for the rest of my life I would. The lesser the amount of time I have to drive the better.

To each their own obviously, but I love driving. Not on interstates but a sporty car on a curvy road sure puts a smile on my face.

 

[Danmar]

It may be more responsible to pay cash, but I financed mine. Didn't want to write that a big check for a car. So I put $25k down, and paid off the balance in a couple of months. For some reason, it felt better writing a few smaller checks than one big one.

OK. I think you obviously could afford to pay cash and, in my opinion met the test of "responsibility". Buying a Vette on credit if you only spend a couple thousand a month on the rest of your life seems a little out of balance to me?

 

[frayne]

I love the looks of Vettes and getting down behind the wheel. The problem is getting back out.

 

[Walt34]

I love the looks of Vettes and getting down behind the wheel. The problem is getting back out.

I'm starting to have that problem with a Honda Accord! Those also sit lower to the ground than many other cars.

 

[HawkeyeNFO]

Living in Germany now, blessed with this thing called an Autobahn. I used to think I would eventually come back to the US with a Porsche, as I could maybe get a solid military deal while stationed here. However, my latest trip home to the US killed that idea, because the roads are crap compared to Europe, and the slow American speed limits negate most of the fun of driving a high performance car.

Btw, my car is an exotic here in Germany: Honda Odyssey van. And yes, it's plenty fast on the Autobahn! At a fraction of the price too.

 

[splitwdw]

anyone ever buy a new corvette? good or bad decision?
with everything i own being paid off, and my monthly living expense less than $1500, i have a couple grand extra coming in every month. i buy what i want and do what i want, i'm just not a high maint type.
i really love my miata, and my motorcycle but i've always considered a vette as a non practical 'look at me' luxury.

as time goes on, i feel like i need to spend some money and i've got that vette itch again. anyone been there, done that?

Yes, I've bought several new corvettes. "good or bad decision? " You're kidding right? You must not be a car person.
If you're on the East coast some of the best deals are at Kerbeck, Corvette by Kerbeck | Corvettes for Sale | #1 Largest Corvette Dealer! Kerbeck will pick you up at the Atlantic City airport if you fly in. This is where we buy all the new corvettes we've owned. Corvettes at Carlisle, Corvettes at Carlisle - America's Largest Fun-Filled Corvette Show, All Generations C6-C1, Swap Meet, Vendors, Parts, Accessories, For Sale is coming up the end of this month and you can get some deals there. Also if there's a corvette club in your area the people with newer corvettes sell or trade them in every few years so that's another source. Do watch out for the "race" clubs. You don't want 1 that someone has beat on the track.
You feel like you need to spend some money? The last new I bought was a 2014 and was around $70,000 before dealer discount and trade-in.

 

[RE2Boys]

you can get a nice c4 for well under 10K, and a nice c5 for not much more than that

DW nixed the vette cause she didn't want me to be another old, bald, fat dude driving around in a vette sticking out like a turd in a punch bowl

so she let me get a 95 firehawk vert - roomier and just as fast

Some folks will admire the fact that you appreciate a Vettte.....others will snicker as you may resemble the above remark.

I had my sporty car fling in my 20s, fond memories of driving European roads with a manual tranny and good handling tires.

Now......it'd be all for show, trying to be who I ain't. Give me a practical minivan any day, must have trailer hitch.

 

[JPatrick]

I ain't buying a new Vette until they make those tail lights round again..

Meanwhile, no one mentioned the Jeep Wrangler...Not a performance vehicle for certain, but it is affordable, versatile, and fun to tool around in.
The Wrangler community is every bit as active as the corvette folks.

 

[travelover]

..........Meanwhile, no one mentioned the Jeep Wrangler........

Yea, I wonder why? Could it be because the thread is entitled "new corvette"?

 

[JPatrick]

Yea, I wonder why? Could it be because the thread is entitled "new corvette"?

Goodness, is my post the only one you noticed that mentions a "non corvette" vehicle?

 

[eytonxav]

Grand Sport for 2017, gorgeous:
2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Photos and Info – News – Car and Driver

 

[travelover]

Goodness, is my post the only one you noticed that mentions a "non corvette" vehicle?

Yes.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[Texas Proud]

I picked up an 88 Firebird GTA 5.7 liter in 1998 just for fun. Haven't regretted it. Had to spend a few bucks on it now and then. Still have it.

I had an 87 Formula 350... spending a few bucks is an understatement... it seemed to break down all the time and was not cheap to have fixed... glad I got rid of it... still, it was a fun car to drive...

Bought a 04 Acura TL with a 6 cylinder that was almost as quick and had a much higher top end... loved it even more than the Firebird.... would still have it if I had not totaled it...

 

[JPatrick]

Yea, I wonder why? Could it be because the thread is entitled "new corvette"?

Goodness, is my post the only one you noticed that mentions a "non corvette" vehicle?

Yes.


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Well if you are interested in accuracy, you might want to read the entire thread.
*Fully 21 posts mention other vehicles with no mention of "new corvettes."
*Many posts mention something other than a vehicle. In fact, posts that mention "new" corvettes at all are a rarity.
*Look closely, my post (the only one you chose to single out) is actually one of the few that even mentions New Corvettes.

*

 

[Ronstar]

Grand Sport for 2017, gorgeous:
2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Photos and Info – News – Car and Driver

I agree, but I can't get into the black wheels yet.



Here's the new vette I was looking at next to my clunker. (bad cell phone pic). That dark gray is very sharp. The C7 styling is much better than the C5 IMO.

 

[Texas Proud]

BTW, as far as clubs....

When were were driving thru Colorado a month or so ago we saw a Corvette club that was driving the opposite direction...

At first, about 25 drove by... I mentioned to DW that they must be out for a weekend meet or something...

Then about another 25 went by... then 20ish more... and I think another 10 to 15....

I was really surprised how many we saw go by in a 5 minute time frame...

 

[golfnut]

I had an 87 Formula 350... spending a few bucks is an understatement... it seemed to break down all the time and was not cheap to have fixed... glad I got rid of it... still, it was a fun car to drive...

Bought a 04 Acura TL with a 6 cylinder that was almost as quick and had a much higher top end... loved it even more than the Firebird.... would still have it if I had not totaled it...

Still have my 04 TL with manual trans. Love it!

 

[travelover]

Well if you are interested in accuracy, you might want to read the entire thread.

*Fully 21 posts mention other vehicles with no mention of "new corvettes."

*Many posts mention something other than a vehicle. In fact, posts that mention "new" corvettes at all are a rarity.

*Look closely, my post (the only one you chose to single out) is actually one of the few that even mentions New Corvettes.



*

Lots of mentions of high performance and sports cars, didn't see the topic of off road wannabees come up.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[eytonxav]

Here's the new vette I was looking at next to my clunker. (bad cell phone pic). That dark gray is very sharp. The C7 styling is much better than the C5 IMO.

I really like it in dark gray, C7 is absolutely stunning vs C5. I heard a rumor that there might be a mid-engine Vette coming in a few more years, but suspect that would drive the price quite a bit higher when and if that happens.

So are you going to trade yours in, and get some loyalty cash and 15-20% off?

 

[birdie]

Bought a new one in 1999 after 1st of 3 kids finished college. DW asked me what I was going to do with "my" extra money as we only had 2 left in college. You see we had 3 in college at same time ! Anyway I bought a one way ticket to Philly, was driven to Atlantic City from what may be the largest Vette dealer in county, and drove it home! Buy it if you can...life is short.


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[Car-Guy]

Meanwhile, no one mentioned the Jeep Wrangler...Not a performance vehicle for certain, but it is affordable, versatile, and fun to tool around in.

Well if you want both, Jeep does currently make an AWD 475hp high performance vehicle which has been discussed in other related threads on this board. It's about equal to a stock C5 in straight-line performance and even close to a C6 in the 1/4. (I've had all 3 of them) It has been reported that in 2017 they (Jeep) will be coming out with an even higher performance vehicle (a.k.a. Trackhawk) with the 707hp supercharged hellcat engine. I'll need one of those to go pick up groceries so I can get home before the cold beer gets warm.