I've only had one bad experience with a Corvette driver. I was a codriver (passenger) for a few touring laps at Road America during Saturday ALMS practice a year and a half ago. My friend Tim (member on this BBS) was driving his WRX. During the safety talk, they were very clear that there was to be no passing in the corners. What defines a corner? The brake markers...

IIRC, he was lining up for a 90º right hand turn while going down hill. He was downshifting/braking, lining up on the left side of the track. As we start to turn in, a Corvette comes charging down the hill at full speed on the right-center of the track, right in front of us as we are turning! We managed not to hit the Corvette, but I was pissed.

I grew up with American muscle cars. I always dreamed of owning a Vette, and finally did. And will probably never again.

I owned a late C4, meaning it had the 300hp LT1 and the ZF transmission. It was fast, and it was fun. More raw acceleration than my SC, and I love the V8 roar.

But the build quality sucked. I quickly, within a couple of months, found that I hated driving the thing because of all the squeaks and rattles. Every time the car found a bump or hole, the hood would shake, the targa top would rattle, the plastic dash would vibrate and rattle.... It was just annoyingly crappy.

It rode better than my 911, but I can't compare the ride quality since the vette was a street car and my 911 is a track car.

IF I ever own another vette, I'll buy it as a Sunday "polish and pose" car. Probably a C3 or C2.

OR buy a C4 or C5 to gut and make a track dog.

But there's no way I would consider any vette as a daily driver again.

I've honestly never had much intrinsic respect for American cars, especially American Muscle cars. I remember an AX years ago where a couple of Vette's and Camaro's showed up to compete with the Porsche crowd. It was tragic, really -- they just looked like they were lumbering around the course. I know they do real well at high speed chunks of track, and I've heard great stuff about the newer ones, but ... watching them in action was disappointing. Even the 911's looked a little awkward compared to a couple of incredibly nimble 914's.

I've only known a couple of Vette guys personally, and they were both decent people. Niether of them was particularly redneck, 80's, or mullett-prone, and I couldn't imagine either of them in gold chains. One was actually the guy who talked me into my first Porsche, oddly enough.

If someone gave me a Corvette, I wouldn't kick it out of the driveway ... immediately. I'd drive it for a bit to say, "Yes, I gave it a fair chance." I suspect I'd enjoy it a lot less than the 911 that I could get for the money that I could sell it for, though. Chances are I'd turn it around in a month or so and go hunting for the car I actually want.

Just my $.02.

Dan

Very well said. At least we didn't get the "plastic pig" comments that I used to see on rennlist. It's so predictable. "My 82 sc is so superior." Huh? On what planet? The last Corvette I was in was shortly after the C5s came out. Fit & finish was good, ride quality was good, performance was very good. By comparison, until recently, 911 interiors are very reminiscent of VW beetles. I drive a 928, which many of the 6 cyl crowd refer to as a German Camaro. It was however Dr. Porsche's favorite car & they are constantly trying to change the rules to keep Mark Anderson from embarassing cup cars.

I respect the 911 for what's been accomplished with it, especially with the engine behind the rear axle. But I'm not a fan of 6 cyls. I think V8 engines have established superiority world wide, in every form of racing. On Top Gear, the only Porsche faster than a Z06 was a GT3. Not bad for only $100K more. Quit hating. Currently, Corvettes, especially Z06s are very serious cars.

[QUOTE=cashflyer;3784918]But the build quality sucked. I quickly, within a couple of months, found that I hated driving the thing because of all the squeaks and rattles. Every time the car found a bump or hole, the hood would shake, the targa top would rattle, the plastic dash would vibrate and rattle.... It was just annoyingly crappy./QUOTE]

True (I wouldn't touch an earlier model, however great some of the styling was - love the Coke bottle sharks looks), but that totally changed with the C5 redesign which is well engineered and quite sophisticated. After 85k miles mine had zero squeaks, rattles or shakes - pretty impressive.

I was also impressed with the paint quality. Mine never had a coat of wax, clay barred it once at about 40k miles and looked as good when I sold it as when I bought it.

The interior was crappy, cheap leather/vinyl seats.

Performance wise, still the "biggest bang for the buck" as they say.

I didn't relate well to the Corvette owners I met - seemed decent enough blokes but mostly 1/4 mile oriented.

I would own it and drive it. I'd take it to the Friday night drags, the track.

Very, VERY true. But "my 82 SC is so superior" - when it comes to daily raucus fun blasting around at semi-sane speeds on city streets and the local tight twisties where I live. :cool:

The old saw about driving a slow car fast being more fun than driving a fast car slow really applies in my enviroment - now, if I ever move to Wyoming, Colorado.....:).

I really like the Z06 and would own that car. I have two friends that recently bought Vettes. One got a Z06 and the other bought a yellow c6 z51/6 speed car to match his yellow 1970 LT-1. He was really close to picking up a 930, but decided on a new vette after test drving both.

THe one with the Z06 has done several things to it and tracks it pretty regularly. It runs pretty good for a car you can drive everyday.