N-4Speed

I have always been a fan of Corvette. I had a C5 and C7 Z06. The C7 was major improvement over previous generations. In terms of technology, it was one of the best! I wish our GT had some of the features like PDR, dual front camera, HUD, etc. One of my biggest gripe on C7 was the gearbox, or should I say slushbox. Rumor has it GM will use TREMEC 7-Speed DCT this time.

GM will unveil the car on 7-18-19. I am #2 on a waiting list with a local dealer for a while and was wondering if there are others here that maybe getting one or considering one.

JSwan724

NOT YET.....I want to see what they have done to correct the frame torque issue that under load, twisted the car so bad that doors and windows wouldn’t close. NOT GOOD!!

FYI: Over the years I have owned and worked on lots of Corvettes. I think there are too many of them in the road these days kinda like Porsches ...everybody has one.

thebishman

As a former C7 Z06 owner I can tell you that I will never buy the first year of the C8 as I suspect the change to the ME architecture is going to cause a host of reliability issues. As Jerry mentioned there have apparently been issues with frame flexing with the highest power engine, (1,000hp TT V8?), and that might be causing the delay in releasing the car.

One last thing: I purchased/ordered my C7 Z06 based on GMs pronouncements that it was going to be the most track capable Corvette ever, and what happened? The A8 version suffered from severe engine overheating issues on a road course, such that you have to short shift the car at 5,000-5,500 rpm in order to not have it go into limp mode after a couple of hot laps. Even to this day, the 2019 A8 versions will still overheat. The 2017 and up M7 versions will however tolerate most HPDE run sessions without overheating. My point: if I were to buy a C8 it will only be years into the production run when I know that all major issues have been addressed.

Bish

AMG 17GT

Will this car be another bucket of plastic? And more numbers ?

Orcbolg

That's my main complaint after spending a week in one. The interior felt like that of a jazzed up ecobox.

Katie22

Went from Corvettes to Benz. I have no reason to want to go back. While the Vet is a great car, it is very easy to find CHEAP crap components from the bottom of the line cars within the Vet.

j4kethedog

Absolutely not. I loved my c7 z06 -- it was very good for going fast in -- but I am glad to no longer be a Corvette owner. It's like that ex girlfriend you thought you really loved and then when you met gt s/911 tt/viper you realized she was pretty mediocre. They are marvelous track machines, but everything else about them is the antithesis of the enjoyment of owning a high end sports car. I recently read an article where the author thought the c8 should be introduced as a more expensive and exclusive model, produced in limited numbers (not make 50,000 of them) and not be called a Corvette. That might at least alleviate some of the problem. It's still a Chevy though, and will have misaligned body panels, inconsistent paint work, cheap components, service personnel that damage the car, and owners that will find some way to kill the market value of the model by filing a class action lawsuit against GM because the car isn't capable of space flight and atmospheric re entry without having to upgrade with a $1,000 heat shield. I do plan to keep buying their trucks though. Can't beat em.

descartesfool

Not ever buying a Corvette again. I got burned with a first model year C7 Z51 that did nothing but overheat on track, and it was a manual. Really did not enjoy the message on the dash while driving down the straights " Engine overheating - idle engine" and the manual transmission temp gauge pinned to the max, and the AFM muffler valve electronic actuators that failed every single day I took it to the track require 3 dealer visits to fix per track day. Most incapable track car I have ever owned. My GT-S never even comes close to overheating any part of the drive-train on track, well except for brakes of course that could use some help.

kumizi

Doubt it.

Owned 5 Z06s. Then owned a GT3. It was such a stark difference from having to mod/fix all the stuff that was wrong with the car to a car being completely sorted out as sold.

If it looks as good as the early renderings, gets glowing reviews, and a 600+hp model comes out, they might tempt me again.

Jim Brady

I still haven't recovered from my last visit to a Chevy showroom 4 years ago. "Can we go for a test drive"? Sir these are basically race cars for the street and very expensive. Most buyers purchase them first then drive them!!! How about if you have an FIA competition drivers license? What's that he says? It's a license that allows you to drive a race car and I added "on the street" .
Let me check with my sales manager. I'm looking at the Z06 on the floor which they have 5 on the lot. 10 minutes go by he comes back with a credit application and says great news! My manager says you need to fill this out then we can see if you qualify and then we can go for a test drive.
I tell him I'm paying cash, But we still need to know who were selling the car too. You won't be selling to anyone with this sales tactic.
And this is why I won't be looking at a corvette.

Katie22

Jim I had the same experience with test driving a z06. I pull up to the dealer in a VET I owned that I brought from the dealer I am at and ask to test drive a USED z06. I got the same answers you got. I go test drive a gt and i dont get that crap............

emericr

I have had 2 vettes as well and concur to never buy a first year as well. That goes for all brands but specifically on such a model where the chasis and everythign around it is new. As others said, the service is horrible. I was approached by a high level exec and told him that the car should be sold in Cadillac dealers.
It does not really appealing and if they are going to be in the mid150s optioned out, I would rather buy a slightly used 570S.

AMG 17GT

Same lame experience here a long time ago Jim.

It wasn’t until the “love it or return it “ program in 14 that I just brought a 427 convertible home for 60 days and decided to return the car. The engine would heat soak at any temp over 85 degrees. Returned it.

JSwan724

I agree. If they leave this car at the Chevy dealers we’ll be reading about a ton of employee joy rides, unauthorized road tests and wrecks.

Your $150k price point will definitely thin out buyer demand.

Regards

palub

I had the 2019 ZR1, great car and build quality has been improved. The latest leaked pics of the mid engine look damn ugly to me. Also spoke to someone that saw it in person already who confirmed that it was not the best looking car.

If they release the close to 1000hp version, maybe.

Jim Brady

This is the problem when manufactures build a "halo" car and sells it through their volume low end economy model lineup. The Nissan GT-R and Nismo comes to mind as well as the first generation Ford GT. The second gen NFGT will suffer a much worse fate given the client base ante up $500k+. OK I didn't get selected and it's sour grapes on the NFGT.
But even if the 1000 hp Vet is going to be a screaming deal it brings in a whole new client base at &150k plus which will be more circumspect.

cnterline

Wow, went to Benz to test drive a GTS no questions asked lol

N-4Speed

So, just wondering what you guys think of C8 after the unveil. IMHO, the interior now looks as good as exotic Italians or Germans. 0-60 is also very impressive at less than 3 seconds and obviously starting price of $60K is mind boggling.

I've placed an order for one with Z51 & 3LT package and hoping to get it in January. I'll report back with my comparison of C8 VS my other cars.

TN_AMG_GTC

I came from a 15' C7 Z06 to the GTC, I have two friends who will be buying the C8 Stingray so I will drive one once they get their cars. Both of these guys buying the C8 have multiple exotics and they have both been fans of Corvette for years. Personally I really liked my C7 Z06, other than the targa top roof popping noise that was fixed under a TSB, I had no issues with the car in 15k miles I put on it. I did run into the engine overheating while doing an HPDE event at VIR last year, but it was expected in 98deg weather with a track temp of over 135deg. I did not overheat the year before in 90deg weather. I drove the car at 8/10 to 9/10 on the track with no changes but CUP2 rubber and track day brake pads. It is a very impressive car. So far I have just reached the break-in of my AMG and finally was able to push the car on a familiar mountain road this past weekend, Very impressed with the GTC, extremely easy to go very very fast in this car. I am very happy with my decision to go to the AMG, but I am not going to rule out going back to a C8 perhaps when they release a Z06 or ZR1/Zora version.

palub

I have my name down on the zr1 and z06 once they are available. I think all manufacturers will have a hard time competing with the future of the c8 in performance for the dollar.
Exciting but crazy times, these cars are all becoming ridiculously fast.

Orcbolg

I'm sure that some might think I'm a snob for my opinion on the subject, but I'd really have to see how it looks in person, both inside and out, before I could even consider the possibility. I'm REALLY disappointed in the final look, and had much higher hopes for the exterior (it looks like an over stylized exotic/supercar knock off from a video game, to me), while I think the interior is a MAJOR upgrade in terms of look (but we will have to see if it's standard corvette fit and finish, or if they have stepped it up).


Considering the price point, assuming claims match reality, I think they will continue the vette trend of being enormous bargains for the performance.... But at the end of the day, again, it's just a vette, meaning there will be swarms of them all over in no time, and I enjoy having something to gawk at in the garage that is more uncommon than 40k sold per year.

JSwan724

I agree and just wait til they start popping out like cookies from the oven. They’ll be everywhere.

Dealer Premiums will be in force too.

I am afraid all that pop together plastic will warp and make the thing look cheap.

Besides the brag on 0-60 times being under 3 seconds for the base model is marketing hype. The ZR-1 maybe.

Hands On Touchy Freely before buying is mandatory.

absent

Get on of those and cruise it on Rodeo drive, I can assure you, you will be the only Vette among the sea of Ferraris, Lambos and Mclarens......

Orcbolg

Yeah, even though the C7 was a major step up from the C6 for interior quality, it still felt very cheap inside, and after test driving one for a week, I knew I'd never consider a C7, even though I loved the exterior.








Lmao! You have a great point, thankfully I don't live there, or have that kind of problem.




Around here, you can;t run to the grocery store without seeing 2 or 3+ vettes, so they just don't have the same appeal to me. I end up seeing them often enough that they blend into the Mustang/Challenger/Camaro crowds.

thebishman

Jerry,

At close to 500 hp; ME design and a DCT with a first gear ratio that extends to 60 mph per reports, the Z51 optioned car may quite easily make it there in sub-3 seconds.

The 700-750? hp Z06 version in a year(ish) and the ZR1 version in 3-4? years with close to 1,000hp? will be beasts.

Bish