I am a avid Corvette fan\owner and I am having a hard time switching 3 cars out of two garages. I have 2 small children and would love to have a fast car
that would be a nice substitute for the Corvette without having 3 cars. I love the C32's and was wanting some owner feedback on the cars. Having 4 doors and a car that flies would be the best of both worlds. But I am very used to driving a 2 seat car-a Corvette.
Opinions?

 

The C32 should work very well for you. IMO, the C32 is a better than the Vette in just about every way. With the possible exception of the "flash factor," the C32 is simply a superior vehicle. Actually, even if you place a high premium on having a flashy car, the C32 is probably superior (there are so many Vettes on the road that I don't think that they really catch anyone's eye anymore, at least not in So. Cal.). Performance-wise, the C32 will walk most Vettes on the road, all while carrying a couple of passengers.

For those of us who like to go fast, but are burdened with PIKS (performance inhibiting kids/spouse), the C32 is a great compromise. Or, if you have the bux, the E55 and S55 are even better.

 

Unfortuneately I don't have the money for a new E55 or C55. I am looking at
02-03 C32's with 20K miles or less. I got spoiled when I drove a friends new E55. I have yet to drive a C32. But I know it is a great vehicle. I have done alot of research on the car.
Thanks,
SR

 

Was the Vett a stick? If so, look at a new Audi S4. Lack of a manual trany is a big drawback.

 

My Corvette is a 2000 FRC(hardtop), all of which are 6 speeds. And it weighs around 3170 from the factory. Very light and handles very well. Mine is stock,
except a Corsa exhaust. I love the car, but I really need a fast 4 door.

 

hi bhamvett-

the c32 can be a very fast 4-door. firstoff, however, coming from a sports car like the vette, it may be a bit sedate. the automatic transmission is obviously not as sporty, but works pretty well for what it is. other small annoyances that detract from the sportiness is the gauge cluster (the tach is pathetic), the lack of real definitive deviation from non-amg w203 c-classes, and the fact that amg and mercedes keep screwing over their customers by introducing non-amg benzes which look very similar to the amg ones, and amg keeps introducing new models.

that said, the c32 is good for what it is. it is quite comfortable, and at the current time, is a very good value buy, if you do not mind the fact that the c55 amg is out. the c32 is very understated, yet can be quite fast. stock, it will run in a straightline neck and neck with a base c5. simple modifications for about $3500 can propel you into the 12's, and i don't think many 4-door luxury sedans of comparable price can do that. while being supercharged, the c32 offers a pretty good aftermarket for straightline. you can hit, and many have done more than, 400hp and 400trq at the crank with simple modifications, about $3500-4000 (including installation cost). there are street driven c32's with about $7000 in modifications (including installation cost), running near 450hp and comparable, in some cases, more torque. improving around 100 crank hp and over 100 crank torque in this case, for a car which already can run low-to-mid 13's at 104-107 trap in the quarter, will make the car quite fast.

the audi s4 is inherantly more sporty, offers a more exhilerating ride than the c32, can be manual, and handles more viscerally. to me, the s4 is in between the c32 and m3. however, there are 3 things which detracts from the s4. they are very very understated, and do not deviate from the normal a4. the new b7 chassis just came out for the audi a4-series, and they will be out of price range compared to the c32 now. the s4 is also not as modable as the c32 in terms of straightline, and the s4 stock is consistently beaten by the c32 by a sizable margin in the mid-range and top-end.

getting a c32 means you don't mind being understated and you don't rank tracking and handling as a big priority. if you need a car that is 4-door, very practical, comfortable for its class, and can be very fast in the straightline, the c32 is a great car. especially for the price they are going for now, as they are a mid-13 second car from the factory. good luck wiht your search.

 

Thanks Kompressorkev,
That was a very comprehensive reply. Told me some things that I really wanted to know. I don't drive the Corvette because I like to stand out from the crowd, I like it because it is fast and handles good. I am looking into some C32's as we speak.

 

no problem. the c32 stock for stock should be about equal in speed to your c5 vette. you can mod the c32 as well, so it can be a very fast 4-door. as far as handling, i opted for the H&R coilovers. they provide nice range of height adjustability, and improve handling and overall feel a bit. a good value for a relatively inexpensive setup. you can search for posts on that, there is a lot of info. also, there are swaybars, by H&R, evosport, or brabus, but the amg already has upgraded swaybars. carlsson also makes the C-RS coilovers, which are revalved Bilstein PSS9's i think, which make the car handle on a different level i have heard. as far as making it faster, the default modifications are Pulley/ECU combination, sl55 intake splitter and sometimtes sl55 airboxes, and maybe headers if you have the cash. common tuners are evosport, renntech, and kleemann. good luck with your search.

 

I've actually read peoples times on this site who have pulled off under 13 second 1/4 STOCK on STOCK tires... It's pretty much the driver, humidity, road conditions, etc. I can easily picture a stock C32 pulling on an older model C5. As far as being auto there's still a "sporty" AMG speedshift which is supposedly 35% faster than regular gearshifts..?? Can anyone verify this?

 

wow good to know, i was not aware that people pulled such great times. amg does claim that the amg "speedshift" is 35% faster...on daily driving, upshifts are unusually fast compared to other automatics. for example, my family's 530i shifts much slower and lazier.

 

As currently owning both a Auto C5 and C32, I think I can give you my impressions.

I can absoluty recommend a C32 as your C5 replacement. My major impressions of the C32:

1. Engine - the 3.2 supercharged motor is sweet but not as linear as the 5.7 in the vette. Both are very close in output.
2. Transmission - The 5 speed in the C32 is a aboslute blast compared to my C5 A4. You can change gears manually and it holds the gear until redline before it will shift. Best auto tranny I have had by a long way!
3. Handling - It will handle alot like the C5 but with different driving positions. I perfer the lower sitting position for corning (C5) to the C32 but I think the C32 would be as fast or faster through the corners. You would not be disappointed in the corning of the C32.

Overall, I love my modded C5 more because its a convertible and runs 11's in the 1/4 but I also love my C32 for spirited driving. A Stock C32 will beat a Stock C5 (A4 or M6) most of the time. I know this because I race both cars. The C32 is more fun than any sport sedan I drove, S4 (both the turbo and 8), E55 amg(too big and heavy, although I did like the smoking tires), M3 (Handled great but boring power, no torque at all), GTO (What a pig). The C32 is a blast!

I say go for both but if you have to choose 1 take the C32 - You cant beat the back seat for the kids or you can get rid of your kids and keep the C5.

 

Thanks for the great C5 comparison. I am trying to get the best deal I can on a low mileage 02 C32. My C5 is great and the 6 speed is nice, but I think I will get a C32. I drove a new 05 GTO and the LS2 motor was great, but as you said, the car felt heavy. The interior was very impressive, but the exterior is just a little too bland for a 2 door car.
Thanks again,
bhamvett