2007 Corvette

mkiv808

mkiv808

Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
Messages
81
Location
CT
Car(s)
Cayman S + E90
This is my 2nd Corvette. Before Vettes, I had 3 Supra TT's, and inbetween those an NSX.

The Vettes have been the best all-around car thus far. The C5 Z06 had a horrendous interior, which I was hesitant about, but after driving it you realize the interior really does not matter.

Things I like about the C6:

- Near 50/50 weight distribution
- Excellent gas mileage, I recently did a 200 mile trip with mixed driving, some highway, some bashing the throttle, and did 22MPG.
- Front-mid engined layout (behind front axle). Engine also sits very low for great center of gravity.
- Very predictable handling.
- Comfortable for long distances.
- Attention getter, gets a lot of respect and compliments.
- Pulls like crazy, lots of torque.
- Can take a corner faster than I'm brave enough to try (I've been to the track with the C5 Z06, unbelievable what these cars can do).
- Low insurance, cheap maintenance, cheap parts
- Ride is very smooth. This is one area that Top Gear is absolutely full of it.
- The community. I've met a lot of great car enthusiasts in our local area. The Vette is welcome at exotic car meets, and everyone shares a love of cars. Forget the middle aged, gold chain wearing stereotype. That's only one segment of owners. The owners I've met are young, car lovers, and take their Vette to the track.
- The wave. Instant respect from all Vette owners.

Things I don't like about the C6:

- Steering is slow at low speeds and numb. It did improve with a more aggressive alignment, but still lacking.
- Shifter could be better, but not as bad as Clarkson/Hammond would suggest. I swapped in a Callaway shifter with Royal Purple fluid and it's PERFECT now.
- Seats are flimsy and do not hold in corners.
- Yellow can be cool, but I would not buy it again. I'd get another black.

It is a great car. Don't believe what you hear on Top Gear. Clarkson just loves to bash everything American. His points are valid, but exagerrated. Even the leaf springs are not a detriment to this car. They can be a *little* skiddish on mid-corner bumps, but that's more due to the Sachs shocks. Get some Koni FSD's or Bilsteins and it's perfect.

Here's a good read on the Corvette leaf springs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corvette_leaf_springs

I am going to either get a 2008 Corvette or 2008 335i for my next car. The 335i would be a change, as I get bored with cars easily. But the Vette really is excellent. It'll be a tough decision, as they're both great in different respects. But the 335i has European Delivery. :mrgreen:

The '08 Vette is attractive not for the added power, but they (supposedly) finally got the steering right. It has been compared to BMW and Porsche.

Anyway, here are some pics from a recent Vette run I organized through some very twisty roads:

ct2.jpg


ct3.jpg


ct4.jpg


ct5.jpg


ct6.jpg


ct7.jpg


ct8.jpg


ct1.jpg
 
PS: Jeremy Clarkson should not criticize the straightness of American roads before he takes this or many other routes in rural CT. :lol:

In fact, other than highways, we really don't have any roads that don't have great twisties.
 
very nice!!! i envy you!!! haha
 
mkiv808 said:
PS: Jeremy Clarkson should not criticize the straightness of American roads before he takes this or many other routes in rural CT. :lol:

In fact, other than highways, we really don't have any roads that don't have great twisties.
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QUIET! We don't want them foreigners to find out, otherwise they'll start asking questions and may want to even come drive 'em. :D
 
I thought Jezza only criticized the Z06. On TG, he never reviewed the stock C6 vette. To be honest, I've always had a thing for C6 vettes. One more than one occasion, I even defended them. Looks bloody nice in yellow as well :)
 
For me the best American ever, it beat the Carrera on its homegrounds like Spa or the Ring in plenty of tests. I love it. There is a silver Z06 parked a few streets away.....Every time I pass by and stop to take a look :) The C6 is quite popular over here.

btw: I think that the C6 got away quite well on TopGear, other cars were much worse
 
Wizegui said:
I thought Jezza only criticized the Z06. On TG, he never reviewed the stock C6 vette. To be honest, I've always had a thing for C6 vettes. One more than one occasion, I even defended them. Looks bloody nice in yellow as well :)
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In one of Clarkson's DVD's, he said the Z06 was great...on the track, but way to hard for the road...the standard C6 was perfect for the drive home.
 
The C6 is a big improvement over the last model; which was an absolute joke, except for the engine perhaps. GM finally realised it wasn't enough just to make a car which Americans will be pleased with, but one that compares to sports coupes globally.

Yours looks pretty good with the black wheels, menacing. :thumbup:
 
mkiv808 said:
PS: Jeremy Clarkson should not criticize the straightness of American roads before he takes this or many other routes in rural CT. :lol:

In fact, other than highways, we really don't have any roads that don't have great twisties.
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That is a fact indeed, every time I visit my friends (in Litchfield) I can't help sneaking out and going for a blast through unincorporated territories, an unknown concept in the fair Commonwealth of MA. Hell, I might just move there someday.
 
Vette Boss said:
The C6 is a big improvement over the last model; which was an absolute joke, except for the engine perhaps. GM finally realised it wasn't enough just to make a car which Americans will be pleased with, but one that compares to sports coupes globally.

Yours looks pretty good with the black wheels, menacing. :thumbup:
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Gunmetal gray. My camera sucks. ;)

Although I am thinking of getting a black 08 with the same wheels power coated black. With red calipers peaking out.

The C5 was not a bad car at all. Actually, the C5 Z06 I had handled better than this car. It was a bit sharper, for sure. And a bit faster. The suspension/engine is VERY similar on the C5 and C6. The big improvements on the C6 were fit/finish, styling, and interior. Oh, and various gadgets.
 
Do post some shots of the interior. And it would be sweet seeing a video of the tacho while youre accelerating from a standstill :)
 
Leafsprings!!!















...well, someone around here had to say it :p

No, seriously, that's a sweet ride.
 
Advantages of transverse leaf springs

* Less unsprung weight. Coil springs contribute to unsprung weight; the less there is, the more quickly the wheel can respond at a given spring rate.
* Less weight. The C4 Corvette's composite front leaf weighed 1/3 as much as the pair of conventional coil springs it would replace.
* Weight is positioned lower. Coil springs and the associated chassis hard mounts raise the center of gravity of the car.
* Superior wear characteristics. The Corvette's composite leaf springs last longer than coils, though in a car as light as the Corvette, the difference is not especially significant. No composite Corvette leaf has ever been replaced due to fatigue failure, though steel leafs from 1963 to 1980 have been.
* As used on the Corvette, ride height can be adjusted by changing the length of the end links connecting the leaf to the suspension arms. This allows small changes in ride height with minimal effects on the spring rate.
* Also as used on the Corvette, the leaf spring acts as an anti-roll bar, allowing for smaller and lighter bars than if the car were equipped with coil springs.

[edit] Disadvantages of transverse leaf springs

* Packaging can be problematic; the leaf must span from one side of the car to the other. This can limit applications where the drivetrain, or another part, is in the way.
* Materials expense. Steel coils are commodity items; a single composite leaf spring costs more than two of them.
* Design complexity. Composite monoleafs allow for considerable variety in shape, thickness, and materials. They are inherently more expensive to design, particularly in performance applications.
* Cost of modification. Due to the specialized design and packaging, changing spring rates would require a custom unit. Coil springs in various sizes and rates are available very inexpensively.
* Susceptibility to damage. Engine fluids and exhaust modifications like cat-back removal might weaken or destroy composite springs over time. The spring is more susceptible to heat related damage than conventional steel springs.
* Perception. Like pushrod engines, the leaf spring has a stigma that overshadows its advantages.

:mrgreen:

Interior:

yellowc610.jpg
 
Those seats really don't look that supportive..

Nice car thought, I don't know how you can not want the yellow again. Yellow is awesome, I love it on the family Monaro! <3
 
Dsemaj said:
Those seats really don't look that supportive..

Nice car thought, I don't know how you can not want the yellow again. Yellow is awesome, I love it on the family Monaro! <3
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The seats are extremely comfortable and great for long trips, but don't have any lateral support. If I were to keep the car I would swap in some leather Corbeau sport seats.
 
I think I might pick up an Elise next. I love the Vette, and they really did improve the steering on the 2008's, but I get bored easily and would like a more raw driving experience. The Vette is a great all-around vehicle and a tremendous value. The Elise is a race car for the streets and completely raw.

I would whole heartedly recommend the Vette to anyone. It's SO easy to drive every day and makes a terrific daily driver, while being insanely fast and handling very well. Fun car, but I must move on for now. I have a feeling my next car after the Lotus will be a used newer Z06.
 
mkiv808 said:
Advantages of transverse leaf springs
*snip*
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Bah....this is an internet forum, your response was far too thought out and intelligent. Next time, please use this:


STFU, n00b! LoLZ..mah leafspring R teh hawtness

;)
 
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