2015 Corvette , On the edge

[aja8888]

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Originally Posted by Ronstar It's silver - auto(unfortunately) I wish now that I got a manual. Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

I was in the market for a very clean, low mileage 2001 -2004 convertible last year and could not find one with the options I liked, so I backed off. Maybe take up the search later this year. Auto trans is not too bad where I live with all the traffic.

[Aiming_4_55]

Here's mine. My 2014 splurge as I hit FI at age 45. If you have the means, enjoy yourself.

[WannabeRetired]

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Originally Posted by Aiming_4_55 Here's mine. My 2014 splurge as I hit FI at age 45.

Very nice!

[Car-Guy]

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Originally Posted by aja8888 I was in the market for a very clean, low mileage 2001 -2004 convertible last year and could not find one with the options I liked, so I backed off. Maybe take up the search later this year. Auto trans is not too bad where I live with all the traffic.

I'm sure (assume) you know about Corvettes of Houston/Corvette World. (Just a few miles down 45 from you)

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Car-Guy I'm sure (assume) you know about Corvettes of Houston/Corvette World. (Just a few miles down 45 from you)

Yes, I do. I looked at a few they had and just didn't click on one. I scoured the Corvette forum classified for a few months and either found over priced ones or tons of black on black. There was one in town here, a 2004 that was yellow, but had the correct options and only 24,000 miles on it. But the yellow was not for me. The guy had it on the Corvette forum classified for a good bit of time. Maybe I'll look again once I am through with a few consulting projects and oil hits $40.

[Aiming_4_55]

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Originally Posted by WannabeRetired Very nice!

Thanks. From a low res camera photo, looks better in person. It makes the long w*rk week better on the weekend.

[Ronstar]

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Originally Posted by Car-Guy Trade for a C6 or C7 with paddle shifters. Best of both worlds. Also a tip for anyone considering a Vette (new or used). I'm not sure about the C7's but the C5's and C6's came stock with Goodyear run-flats. IMO, they are terrible tires. I switched mine to Michelin run-flats and found them to be "much" better. A lot better wet traction, smoother ride, a lot quieter, better tire mileage and still Y speed rated. I think the cost was about the same or maybe even cheaper.

I have thought about upgrading at times, but I think I'll stay put for a while. I know what you mean about the tires. The original Goodyear run flats were terrible- and very noisy. I'm running Hankook non run flats now and so far they're a good tire and about 2/3 the cost of Goodyears


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

[Closet_Gamer]

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Originally Posted by pletal Happy New Year. Been saving money and socking it away. Have enough to ER but not going to happen in the next 5 years. Want to but a Corvette and can swing it, but can't break down the mental block of spending money on something I really do not need. For those who have been saving and been rather smart, is it impossible to break down and spend (splurge) on want and not need? Crazy question, maybe ?

As others have said, not crazy. Expected. It's why you're financially healthy.

Suggestion: go look at a 2 year old one. In just two short years, your new one will be the two year old one -- remembering that in its day that was the "hot, must have" new vette. If you had a choice of your money back or a 2 year old car, which would you take? My point is to wash away a bit of the emotional "new" varnish from the decision.

It might also lead you to actually buy a 2 year old one...getting you both your vette and some of your money.

Whenever I go thru a car shopping phase, I do this and and almost invariably wind up in a lightly used luxury vehicle.

PS: as others have said... Enjoy the car whichever way you go, you've earned

[DFW_M5]

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Originally Posted by splitwdw Now there's a money ride. How long did you have it? All of ours are stock though quite a few of our friends do some major mods.

It was a 98 Mallet 435 registered with the National Corvette Museum. Here is info on the conversion:
Mallett C5 435 Conversion | Mallett Cars inc.

I kept the car for 3-4 years. It was set up as a track car (road courses), although I used to drive it to work. The neighbors were glad when it was gone as it used to wake up the neighborhood at 6:00 AM

[aja8888]

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Originally Posted by DFW_M5 It was a 98 Mallet 435 registered with the National Corvette Museum. Here is info on the conversion: Mallett C5 435 Conversion | Mallett Cars inc. I kept the car for 3-4 years. It was set up as a track car (road courses), although I used to drive it to work. The neighbors were glad when it was gone as it used to wake up the neighborhood at 6:00 AM

That was some serious upgrading!

[Rick_Head]

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Originally Posted by mickeyd 40-50 years ago a Vette was my dream car but could not afford one so I settled for a lesser sports car (Austin Healy 3000). Now that I can afford to buy one or two of them, the desire is not there. Maybe I now lack a necessary amount of testosterone...

Even today, I'd take the Healy

[aja8888]

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Originally Posted by Rick_Head Even today, I'd take the Healy

A 1963 Austin Healy 3000 today in Condition 1 or 2 will cost about as much as a new Vette:

Price Guide Report

[Midpack]

My Dad had one in the late 50's/early 60's, must have been a 3000 MKI.

[Bamaman]

A friend retired young and he rebuilds XKE's and British sports cars part time.

His recently restored Healy 3000 is a $50K used car--100 point show car. He wins every show the car goes into.

Healy 3000's are very in demand sports cars. I liked the sound of them with their twin exhaust systems.

[LoneAspen]

If you can afford it without risking your financial future, I say go for it. Life's too short not to enjoy some toys along the way, so get it and enjoy it!

Here's my "mid-life crisis" toy, a 2006 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 in Speed Yellow. When I bought it in 2010, it only had a little over 11,000 miles on it, and was in such nice condition the dealer had it inside on the new car showroom floor. It didn't sit there long, as I'd been looking for months for a nice 911 in something other than silver, grey, or black, so I drove it off a few days after they'd gotten it

[splitwdw]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aja8888 I was in the market for a very clean, low mileage 2001 -2004 convertible last year and could not find one with the options I liked, so I backed off. Maybe take up the search later this year. Auto trans is not too bad where I live with all the traffic.

Check out local corvette clubs or stop in for a meeting if it's allowed. Many older members are the ones that can afford to upgrade to the newer models. Some members only use their vettes as "sunday" drivers so can have low miles. Watch out for "race" clubs. You don't want a vette that's been used on the track or autocross.

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Originally Posted by Aiming_4_55 Here's mine. My 2014 splurge as I hit FI at age 45. If you have the means, enjoy yourself.

I never liked white until the C7. For me the black accents break up all the white. Where we buy our new vettes, they said the biggest seller (2014) for them has been the Artic White. They are one of the largest corvette dealers (maybe the largest) in the US. Good luck with yours, it looks great.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick_Head Even today, I'd take the Healy

The Austin Healy 3000 was a great looking car. Jaguar XKE was another head turner. Beautiful body lines.

The Goodyear's on our C6 convertible were noisy but the Michele's on our C7 convertible are still pretty noisy. Yeah, yeah it is a convertible. It's quieter in the C7 coupe.

[Midpack]

Austin Healey FWIW.

[robbridg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pletal Happy New Year. Been saving money and socking it away. Have enough to ER but not going to happen in the next 5 years. Want to but a Corvette and can swing it, but can't break down the mental block of spending money on something I really do not need. For those who have been saving and been rather smart, is it impossible to break down and spend (splurge) on want and not need? Crazy question, maybe ?

My suggestion is to buy used. You save a bunch of $ up front and will take less of a hit when you sell. This is what I did when I bought my 05' Corvette 6 years ago. If I were to sell today I would loose very little.

Go for it! If you love driving you'll love the Corvette.

[Ronstar]

I would say buy used also - a low mileage C6 would be nice. I don't like the camaro rear end on the C7's

[LoneAspen]

+1 on the buy used. Let somebody else take the hit for the first couple years of depreciation.

That being said, I'm going to contradict myself a little. The last vehicle I got new was way back in 1992 when I leased a brand new Jeep Cherokee (the old boxy style) when I first moved to Colorado, and I do have a mental itch to get another new car all my own.

If/when my current Jeep Grand Cherokee gives up the ghost, I probably will order a brand new one. No, it doesn't make financial sense. But after going 23 years buying used cars, I do want a brand new one for my next one.

Sometimes you just gotta scratch that itch...