Wrapping up the Corvette

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I had a great a fun week with the Corvette Convertible.
Who wouldn’t…

The car turned out to be much easier to drive than I thought.
It is a very comfortable every day car. And pretty quiet too. Except at idle, when the booming exhaust can be a bit too much.

The car was very well put together, always felt very solid, and was well finished inside.
It is very roomy for two, and the trunk is larger than I thought.
Again, a great every day car.

I averaged about 18mpg in mostly city driving. But could hardly reach 15mpg in strictly city. Any bit of freeway help the average a lot.
Still not bad for a 430hp car.

As a convertible, it’s actually not so great. First the soft top cost about $10 000 more than the coupe. About twice the usual difference. And it’s not fully automatic.
Plus, there is no wind blocker behind the seats. Some cars don’t really need it. But this one does. Big time.

Driving at any speed over 35mph feels like having 20 hair dryers pointed around your face.
It actually can get pretty unpleasant. I wonder if a net is available at all.
But it should come standard, especially at that price.

So I think the regular coupe might be better. You can still take the top off anyway.

I also wonder why the center armrest storage isn’t lockable. A must in a convertible.

The Corvette is hard to compare to other cars. Most of them are either much more expensive and luxurious, or cost way less. And are much less powerful.
The convertible starts at around $55 000. Mine was closer to $60 000. Quite a lot of money for something that, no matter how good it is, comes with a very cheezy image.
Most people I met warmed up to the car and actually liked it after a while. But they all had negative comments at first.

I guess this is a car you get for yourself. One of these dreams you can finally turn into reality later in life.
And that’s the very image you have to deal with when driving it…

But hey, it’s a Corvette. And there’s nothing like it.
A (very) civilized brute…

Conversation 9 comments

  1. With the gas prices they way they are going they may have to downsize the engines lol.
    4 cylinders maybe haha

  2. The Camaro might be getting the 2.0Liter turbo as an option.

    I wonder if there will still be a market large enough for big V8 cars in 5 years…

  3. The convertible starts at around $55 000. Mine was closer to $60 000. Quite a lot of money for something that, no matter how good it is, comes with a very cheezy image.
    Most people I met warmed up to the car and actually liked it after a while. But they all had negative comments at first.

    ——————————–

    I’m sorry Vince cheezy image? I usually agree with you but a little cheezy is way overboard don’t you think, the Corvette is one of the worlds great sports cars, an American Icon, cheezy I think not.
    ———
    Warmed up to and actually liked it after a while? Where Vince did you drive this car, insane alley USA? Any fool that wouldn’t fall in love with this car imediately is either (A) senile, (B) blind, (C)crazy or (D)brain dead, or all of the above. This automobile is kick ass, make no mistake about it, IT’S KICK ASS, I would trade my front row seat in Parry-Dice for one.

  4. I’m not sure about the Corvette but on my Z4 the center storage does not appear to lock (no key hole) but when you lock the car from the remote it does lock itself automatically.

  5. Vince, I’d have to agree with the poster after you. I don’t have, or can afford the convertable, but I do have a coupe, the Z51 suspension pkg and this is a supercar for the regular folks. Just about anyone can afford one and to me it’s unique and beautiful, plus it can blow the doors off just about anybody, all the while (mine) getting 28 HWY MPG! (don’t know why you got worse unless you stood on it alot. That being said, you’re right, it’s very livable, comfortable, reliable and put together well. You can’t say that about most sports cars.

  6. Don’t get me wrong. I loved the car.
    It was great week I will always remember.
    but still,” Just about anyone can afford one”.
    Where I leave,not everyone can afford a $46 000 car.

    And the 18mpg I got was an average with about 75% city driving. With a very light foot.
    To get 28mpg on the highway you would need a very light foot too.

  7. Actually, just about everyone can afford a slightly used one. Hwy milage, mostly flat road, 80 mph, cruise on= 26mpg.

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