Covette vs. Porsche

KNS · 11-02-2004, 06:47 AM

I had always thought of the Corvette as a big, overweight, plastic dinosaur. Checking out the specs in the new Automobile magazine, I notice that the 997 is longer in length, taller and (gulp) heavier than the Corvette! Chevy is certainly moving in the right direction.

RickM · RickM's Garage

No question that the new Vette is force to reckoned with. Especially for it's very reasonable cost. The New Z06 will be an A$$ kicker.

techweenie · techweenie's Garage

I heard yesterday that the new Car and Driver rated the new Corvedtte over the 997.

Oh, the humanity...

osidak · 11-02-2004, 07:25 AM

But hey the Cayenne is allowing Porsche to stay afloat and it looks like some of it's technology is trickling down to the 997 after all.

Dantilla · 11-02-2004, 07:26 AM

I got a ride in a C-6 Corvette the other day. With the traction control off. Quite a nice car, and an absolute performance bargain.

I don't buy anything new, but I sure won't rule out buying a used one down the road.

CJFusco · CJFusco's Garage

maybe Car and Driver should drive a Carrera S? The Stig's CS numbers are close to his lap in a GT3

Tyson Schmidt · 11-02-2004, 07:30 PM

I read the article. Not sure how fair it is to compare a standard Carrera to a Z51 Vette.

I think a Carrera S to a Z06 would be a better comparo.

But of course their excuse is always the price tag, where a Porsche will always lose it's ass. The more expensive base Porsche is up against the less expensive hot-rodded version of the cheap American and Japanese car.

CJFusco · CJFusco's Garage

but if build quality were to offset price, it would be fair game again

trust me. i've driven corvettes (GF's father has a C5)

campbellcj · 11-02-2004, 08:16 PM

YUP, how many 10-20-30-40 year old Vettes do you see driving around every day?

I see just about every imaginable marque, model and vintage around here (Calabasas/Malibu/SaMo) and on average I see - 0 - Vettes more than a few years old.

On the other hand I see vintage Porsches, MB's, Jags, VW's and so forth driving around every day, oftentimes commuting to/from work. Kinda makes ya go...hmmmmmmm...

Zeke · 11-02-2004, 08:55 PM

Corvette had considered a mid engine car. I wonder what's the hold up. Possibly the Viper and Mustang front engine success keeps the marketing guys from signing off on a mid engine.

I go way back with Corvettes, but I haven't been interested in owning one since my early 20's. I just like to sit on the sidelines and see what the car companies can come up with. The GT 40, or whatever it is, is a nice step in the right direction, but it's a retro car.

I want to see a small displacement, turbo mid engine Corvette under 3000 lbs. I could actually want to drive that.

GM is constipated.

Leader · 11-03-2004, 05:46 AM

A new Corvette is one thing. A three-year-old Corvette with 50,000 miles on it is quite another. My C-4 was noisy as a stage coach in its "middle years," unlike my now-teenaged 911. There's still a huge difference in the way Porsche and GM actually BUILD their cars.

erics944 · 11-03-2004, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by campbellcj
YUP, how many 10-20-30-40 year old Vettes do you see driving around every day?

I see just about every imaginable marque, model and vintage around here (Calabasas/Malibu/SaMo) and on average I see - 0 - Vettes more than a few years old.

On the other hand I see vintage Porsches, MB's, Jags, VW's and so forth driving around every day, oftentimes commuting to/from work. Kinda makes ya go...hmmmmmmm...

That is specific to your region. I am from Western New York and we see very few vintage Porsches, MB's, Jags commuting on a daily basis. I see way more corvettes. I agree the german build quality is way better. I own an '86 944 myself, but for every region like yours ther is one like mine.

Dantilla · 11-03-2004, 07:10 AM

Hey- For a while my daily driver was a '69 Corvette. I even framed houses using that car for a little while. A little short on tool storage, but I did it!

I'm impressed with the underside of the C-6. Flat as Kansas. Obviously some time in the wind tunnel was spent looking at the dirty side. While no Chevy has the build quality of a Porsche, it is the same company that screwed together my pick-up. I sold my last truck to a friend with well over 200,000 miles, and it is still running strong. I hope my current truck lasts as long. I wouldn't be to worried about Corvette parts falling off by the side of the road. We all spend time maintaining our Porsches, don't we?

CJFusco · CJFusco's Garage

It has been said by every non-American car magazine for years now (Top Gear, EVO, Car):

America builds the best trucks in the world... why can't they build a decent car?

Overpaid Slacker · 11-03-2004, 01:33 PM

I agree with eric --
They say 1/2 the 911s made came to the US and half of them went to CA... well 1/2 the vettes ever made must've gone to Long Island. I see far more of them around here than 911s.

I grew up in Syracuse and Vettes were not at all uncommon (the plastic body helps upstate, too!) whereas 911s were rare. I still remember vividly the first day I saw a 930 -- a real turbo, not just a body kit -- in person. Whoof, did that leave an impression. Vettes ... eh?

JP

Tyson Schmidt · 11-03-2004, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CJFusco
It has been said by every non-American car magazine for years now (Top Gear, EVO, Car):

America builds the best trucks in the world... why can't they build a decent car?

Because their cars are trucks. Just lower and more aerodynamic.

jfw834 · jfw834's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by techweenie
I heard yesterday that the new Car and Driver rated the new Corvedtte over the 997.

Oh, the humanity...

Just read this article, The vette only one by like 1 or 2 points in the final tally. They admited that it was very close, basically with the 911 outperforming the vette in every handling category and going through every turn faster, and the vette with more top end speed (60+mph)

And they rated isues like comfort and value where the vette scored much better...(obviously....the 911 is a much more expensive car!)

I don't have any passion for a corvette or any modern american car and probably never will. Although an early stingray would be an amazing car to own, still just not my cup of tea. I am liking the 997 more and more each day.....one of these days i will go test drive one (if they let me) to see for myself.

bluebullet · 11-15-2004, 07:04 PM

i took a customers old mid 90s corvette for a test drive after putting some wheels on it (ugly they were) and the car drove like a bag. Cant see out of the car, and it just has the odd feeling like im not connected to the car at all.

I drove my grandparents automatic 98 Lumina the other day. Nice and quiet and I almost fell asleep. Far cry from the 944 that leaves me with a smile everytime I get out of the car. It communicates to you, unlike the corvette where every turn I felt like I was going to spin out and crash it.