Thanks to CarMax, I now know the base C6 is pretty good

"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
08/06/2014 at 22:37 • Filed to: None

I went and drove this '08 Corvette at CarMax today. I actually rather liked it. It was mostly base, with the clear targa top (which I really like) and a Magnaflow exhaust, which sounded very nice.

Compared to the C5 Z51 convertible I drove a while back, the interior is at least pretty decent. The sun visors on the C5 were way too big and in my face—they're still too big on the C6 but not as bad. The clear targa top is great, and driving with the top off is sufficiently airy feeling, although the view out the back isn't the greatest. The non-convertible car with the best view out the back shall remain the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Overall, the Corvette targa feels less claustrophobic than the convertible because there's no bulkhead right behind you.

This car had the base suspension and it had some kinda not particularly aggressive Firestone Firehawk tires on it which combined for decent handling but the steering effort was a bit too light. The ride was downright cushy for a sports car. I'd probably go for a Z51.

Power was more than enough. Whereas a C5 with 350 hp feels reasonably quick, the C6 LS3 feels properly fast. Shifting is better than the C5 as well. Better defined gates, and a shorter, smoother action in general. Pedals were well placed but my size 12 dress shoes would occasionally catch underneath the dash. I could heel-toe fine. Clutch was just about perfect.

Overall, I liked the car a lot. This one had a color I like and the clear targa panel which, having tried it, is a must for me. If it were a Z51...well maybe I'd have pulled the trigger. But I have !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

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Alternatively, I could wait around for a while to let Grand Sports fall into my price range. I think that with the clear targa panel would be my top choice of Corvette.

DISCUSSION (13)

JR1 > Textured Soy Protein
08/06/2014 at 22:45

You might be waiting a year or two but the GS cars are pure sex on wheels

Kailand09 > Textured Soy Protein
08/06/2014 at 23:00

Nice review! I definitely have a massive soft spot for the C6 GS. Damn those gills do me in, just perfect look for the car. I like the GS gills better than that on the ZR1 or Z06.

Textured Soy Protein > Kailand09
08/06/2014 at 23:23

I just like the GS because it's the best version of the C6 you can get with the targa top. I really feel the targa, with the transparent roof panel, is the way to go with a Corvette. Because I don't like claustrophobic feeling cars. Anything that gives the feeling of more airiness is good by me.

On the C7, the Z06 is now also a targa, but I'm not sure about whether it'll be available with the transparent roof. But the base C7 has a bunch of roof panel options so it's conceivable the Z06 would offer the clear roof as well. If not I'm sure it'd be easy enough to buy a transparent roof panel from a regular C7 and use it.

Not that I'll have to worry about roof panels for a C7 Z06 anytime soon, at least not on my budget.

Jayhawk Jake > Textured Soy Protein
08/07/2014 at 00:00

I really need to drive the C5...

How's the wind noise with the roof off?

Textured Soy Protein > Jayhawk Jake
08/07/2014 at 00:12

Wind noise wasn't bad at all, and not really much wind buffeting in the cabin with the top off and windows down. You could easily drive it all day.

The Magnaflow exhaust on this car was just about the perfect amount of noise.

The big difference between the C5 and C6 is refinement. The C5 is still fun, but the C6 is a lot nicer overall.

Jayhawk Jake > Textured Soy Protein
08/07/2014 at 00:21

Good to know.

Sounds about right for the C5 vs C6. I would really rather have a C6 but the C5 is just that much more affordable now. Here's hoping C6 values drop in the next 2 years...

Kailand09 > Textured Soy Protein
08/07/2014 at 06:18

Lol yeah, that thing will be expensive.

Good points, actually help me focus what I may look for in the future with a corvette- make sure it's a targa. It's similar to my car, I love the moon roof and every time I get in I prefer it open or at least have the headliner back to see through it.

quarterlifecrisis > Textured Soy Protein
08/07/2014 at 10:59

My DD is a base C6, with the only upgrade I've done being Z51 rotors. The glass roof is nice...but the car turns into a damn greenhouse any day that it gets above 80 out. I love my car, it's just when I'm with friends that have GS's or Z's, it just looks....narrow.

quarterlifecrisis > Textured Soy Protein
08/07/2014 at 11:01

Not that I advocate this sort of thing...but I've cruised at very (read that as STUPID) high rates of speed with the roof off and windows down, and maintained a normal conversation inside the car.

Same goes for touring sessions at a track with a passenger. Not that I was conversing that much at the time, but still.

I really need to find the scratch for an exhaust though.

Textured Soy Protein > quarterlifecrisis
08/07/2014 at 11:11

I read your "need to find the scratch for an exhaust" comment and figured something like the Magnaflow on the car I drove couldn't be that expensive. So I looked it up.

I'm pretty sure it was the Street Series exhaust. Which, um, costs $1531.95 for the axle-back , or— gulp — $2015.75 for the cat-back . Yeesh. Don't know which one the this car had.

Sure did sound nice though.

quarterlifecrisis > Textured Soy Protein
08/07/2014 at 11:15

Yeah, Vette tax is grand. I had Kooks long tubes and an off-road Y pipe on my TBSS, which still was LS2 powered. Dear god were those headers expensive.

I'm hoping one of these days I'll have a mini little pile of money sitting around when someone local is selling a slightly used one on a forum or something. A guy I know has an Akrapovic exhaust on his Z. gulp http://www.lingenfelter.com/mm5/merchant.m…

Textured Soy Protein > quarterlifecrisis
08/07/2014 at 11:31

I didn't think about the glass top making a greenhouse effect, but that makes sense. It looks like there are assorted shades available for the top, either stick-on liners with a dot pattern to block some of the light, or clip-in headliners to completely block the glass. The dot pattern one looks like a good option for those who still want some light to come through the top.

I also agree that the widebody C6 is a big improvement in the looks department.

quarterlifecrisis > Textured Soy Protein
08/07/2014 at 11:40

Yeah, there are options to fix that...I've just never pulled the trigger on one, for whatever reason.