Do Corvettes have an image problem with 'civilians'?
 

Admittedly, when I think corvette, the driver I envision is in his 50s, has a beer belly and a Tommy Bahama shirt. Yes, gold chains might enter the picture.

I think there might be a hint of truth to my stereotype, but is this something the general public notices, or is it strictly a thing auto enthusiasts would think of? Is my stereotype totally wrong?

I've seen plenty of the guys I described in Porsches as well.....

Sometimes I think the general public views all of us sports car guys as pr!cks, and doesn't care about the particulars.

How long did it take you to come to this?

It's funny, no one said anything when I had 2 MB's. Or several high-performance motorcycles.

But I end up with a 911SC and eventually a 944 as well, and the jokes and prodding were endless... yes, they were both Guards Red.

I think you hit the nail on the head with the last sentence. I believe that the GP considers just about any guy who drives a small sports car (Porsche, Corvette, Ferrari, Lotus, etc) to likely be a self-centered prick. My experience has been that the reality is far different. There are exceptions, of course.

The thought took .41 seconds, the typing about half a glass of merlot (and for the record, I'm a sipper not a gulper).

I guess its no loss when I drive like a prick. I don't think this generation has too much of an issue with car enthusiasts since there have been many movies about us. Its usually an issue where the guy is in another type of car and we think they are douches or something from my experiences.

You forgot strong cologne, along with the female age diff 3/1.
I have however seen many a modern 911 with 60+ age guys with cup holders and tragic rock playing on the CD!

In my experience your stereotype is mostly wrong. The italian big gold chain segement is only a small % of those who buy Corvettes.

They had to buy something when the IROC Z28 was discontinued....

Gawd, I love it! I DID actually have to put the White Zin down to type my response.....

Wait! Is that part of the stereotype???? Oh Man,,,, we're f-'d.

Could be some truth in this...outside of the Porsche world, my Mustang Bullitt gets more friendly comments from people I don't know than the 911S ever did. So, yes, the general public must have a "perception" about the owners of certain cars...but then, each member of the "general public" is his own individual, so perceptions vary.

Perhaps the Mustang looks more friendly, not as agressive?

Mustangs are more common Paul. Even the Bullit isn't perceived to be exotic and therefore expensive which makes you a rich prick that people are jealous of. Its all about perception. I try to disprove the Porsche Prick thing as much as possible

Anyone who cares at all what total strangers think of them is a loser in my book.

Two Zingers for you !

1st. I work in the bicycle industry. I'm a Sarelsrep for a few companies. I was helping a 35-40 year old lady with her choice on her new bike ( not my job, the store was busy so I went to help her) As I was leaving she came out to the parking lot to thank me. As I was getting to my che'vette she drops "Is THAT your car? You're too nice of a man to drive that!"

2nd. I was out seeing a customer a few months after breaking my back as well as my right ankle in two spots. It was kinda hard getting in and out of my car, so I had to park a bit to the side of the space to get in and out of the car. So, I'm sitting down in the store, I have a cast on my right leg up to my knee and a chest brace from my hips to my sternum.

The shop owners wife who had never seen me walks in and says " Some short pricked corvette driver parked like an @##hole near the back door!" "That was me"I said, "would you like me to move it?" as I stood up to fetch my crutches!

Good ones Jim. My wife has pulled a couple of somewhat similar fau paux at my shop. She's learning the art of keeping quiet until the place is empty.
Jim

the newer vettes are pretty darned good looking in my book so when i see one i'm interested in checking it out, not judging the owner.

To be honest, that quite an astute description of a typical Corvette Club guy.

My Dad had a C5 Vert, red with red leather interior and white roof. It was a really nice clean car. He joined the Corvette club and started getting involved with the socializing. He invited me to Vette shows that were near my house and I went to a couple wondering what to expect, trying to put my deep down disdain for these cars aside and have an open mind.

It was just as you described, mostly mid 50's men with pot bellies all anal over how clean their cars were. Some went as far as to armor all the tire treads on their cars in an effort to win the car show.

Not my scene and I never went to another of his functions.

I was very good friends with the owner of a prominent Autocross driving school. I have sponsored a few private driving schools, 1 for MINI Coopers, and a few for RX7's, I have never had any incident at any of my events, nothing, no accidents no epic failures, considering RX7's reputation you would think the later would be prevalent.

The owner of the autocross school was telling me that a very large Corvette aftermarket company decided to do the same thing int heir parking lot. A Vette only event. There were 2 blown engines, 1 totaled car and 2 wrecked cars by the end of the day. It was decided to never do that again.

My neighbor a couple of blocks away sold his C6 to buy a 2007 Porsche Carrera. He promptly joined the PCA. I had stopped by his house a few times to talk cars, I had my 911 at the time and he used to tell me he wished he had the guts to buy an older one but needs a new one for dependability. IT is his only source of transportation, he daily drives his.

I asked him when I would see him at a PCA event and he told me he had been to a few already. I was surprised to hear that, I had not seen him at any. Upon further prodding it became apparent why, I only attended Autocrosses and he was only attending dinners and non-driving events. I gave him some crap telling him to get out and drive that car. He told me everyone at the dinners said the same thing, most of them Autocross and do DE's with their cars. He said it was a stark contrast to the Corvette crowd that mostly discussed waxing and detailing techniques. He said everyone at the dinners were talking about their track and AX adventures. Sadly, he still has not taken his car to a actual driving event, I have even invited him a few times.


The publics perception is probably pretty much spot on. From my encounters with the Vette crowd I have found all my preconceived stereotypes to be right on. Of course there are exceptions, just like my neighbor that will not track his Porsche there are Vette guys that use their cars as intended... but that is another conundrum... too many times I see Vettes at track days and AX's and the owners are in way over their heads, a hazard to everyone around them.

One of the first things I teach a new Autocrosser when we are working out on the course together is to never turn your back on a Corvette. Watch it at all times even when you think it is too far away from you to hit you.... it isn't.

Around here, a Corvette was the choice of the shop rat that worked enough OT to afford one. Back when times were good, you could see many in a GM shop lot.

I think Denis' statement reads pretty true. I bought my 911 for me, not because I give a shat about what others think.

I have not had a bad experience with a Corvette owner. I like most all cars and enjoy talking cars with pretty much anyone.

I know several Corvette owners. None of them fit that description at all. Without a doubt the biggest jerk ever at our autocross was a Corvette driver. We told him in no uncertain terms to leave and never come back. We usually have a couple of newer vettes show up at our autocrosses. They are fast.

We never ever see a Corvette from the 60s, 70s, or 80s. Very few vettes from the 90s. At our last autocross a Honda driver mentioned one of the guys in a 78 911 SC had a nice sounding car but he was not real fast. I pointed out that the driver is 70, and his 911 is 31 years old. I asked him to look around and count the other cars from the 70s. We have one other regular show up in his 1967 911 that he bought new. My 1985 Carrera was older than the Honda driver.

It depends on the area. I think the stereotype above is more of an "east coast Corvette owner".

Around here we have a HUGE Corvette Club (Bloomington Gold) that puts on a HUGE Corvette show. When it's warm out, it's pretty much impossible not to drive down any stretch of road and not see a Corvette. Heck, in addition to the Chevy dealership, we have an independent used car dealer in town that specializes in classic Corvettes. I personally know several people who own more than one Corvette--mostly one classic and one new one. The Corvette crowd around here is definitely a wine and cheese crowd. They don't go on drives--they meet places and polish their cars.

Image problem? Not around here.

To quote Jeremy Clarkson: "It's the BMW's that are driven by c***s."

I like the new Vettes with the exception of the interior which still looks like a Monte Carlo. On the other hand my wife calls them Penis Mobiles. :D

If money were no object I would own a '67 coupe with a small block.

Go to any car show and you will think the same about hot rod owners as you think others think about Corvette drivers. Go to a concours where most of the cars are 6 and 7 figure cars and you will find mostly pricks with the keys.

And, most of those hot rodders and concours wienies may not care what you think about them. But, they do care what you think about their cars, of they wouldn't be there. That in itself is form of gaining admiration, don't you think?

It isn't any different for Corvettes, Harleys, Porsches, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, etc
Some clubs, chapters, groups, show their enthusiasm in different ways.
For every one that races/autocrosses, there is one that only does fun runs, and another that only does show+shines and dinners.
When I first joined the Mercedes Club in 1990, it was all super-old guys polishing their cars and deciding which scenic drive to take to which lazy lunch at a high-end restaraunt.
Now there are drag strip days to see whose modded E55 can break into the 11's

Had a group of Vette guys show up to one of our Autocrosses. They pulled in the paddock lined up perfectly popped their hoods and posed for pics. I greeted them handed a course map pointed to registration etc. Hooked them up with my right hand man to make sure they were taken care of.
Course was chalked and near ready to go when they complained of things being tight and slow. I jumped in my lifted F-150 that towes the club trailer blazed through the course not touching a cone. "any questions" ? They all drove like granny, till we put an instructor in with them. They still attend events every once in awhile Like when there are no car shows in town. gave one of them a ride in my 914, he nearly filled his pants.

i get both proud and embarassed when someone complements my car so i don't begrudge anyone else enjoying showing off theirs. but darn if i'm gonna upholster my trunk and put cutesy little teddy bears in it and attendance plaques from other 'shows'. i really just can't comprehend that.

i bet a lot of the wax and show guys would be huge fans of ax if they would just try it a few times. they'd see that polishing and waxing nice cars is just a display of money or priorities. but turning a great time at an ax (or track event...but this is a much bigger committment) is something you can't buy and, as such, is worthy of much greater pride.

And then there are those who have "been there done that" with all of it...shows, autocross, rallys, track days...all of it.

These days, I'm satisfied to just have a fun driver without the clubs thing.

I guess my message here is it's all good. However one wishes to enjoy whatever car...

One should renew stereotypes every once in a while by attending a marque car show, e.g. Corvettes in this topic.

Compare with Porsche, Ferrari, Austin Healey, MB and Honda Civic car gatherings too.

If you observe yourself being a negative stereotype (e.g. excessive animal skin, gold accessories, branded merchandise, attitude, etc., perform some self-assessment.

Sherwood

That's true about the gold chains.

However, a very high percentage of Corvette owners have moustaches.

We went to a car show recently, and my 10 year old son noticed that.

Now whenever we pass a Corvette (for some reason Corvettes tend to be going 5-10 mph slower than every one in the fast lane), he checks and points out all the hairy lipped Corvette drivers.

I can't do a really beefy 'stache, so I feel I could never be accepted into the higher eschelons of Corvette ownership.

Are blonde trophy wives more doable?

S

Call me weird but I don't have anything against middle-aged guys with pot bellies and gold chains. I'm into personal freedom.