Close call, but choosing new GT over the new C7 Corvette

[HalfMoon]

The C7 does have more power, and still gets better gas mileage, but the cylinder deactivation and the manual's 1-4 skip and 7th gear are gimmicky. The C7's rev-match is nice though with the manual. If I got the C7 I was leaning towards the 8 speed automatic which has gotten great reviews, but I know it wouldn't be as much fun as stick.

You made a good choice and neither were bad options. I own both and can tell you that both of your concerns here are simple.

1. The cylinder deactivation on the 7 speed cars is only activated if you drive in ECO mode. This is unlike the automatic cars where it is always active. On my car I have used the ECO mode maybe 10 times on the freeway by manually selecting it and it does work. Otherwise, I never have it on.

2. Skip Shift on the C7 is simple to defeat, but before I defeated it I never ran into it more than two or three times. The C7 is much less aggressive with 1-4 than my previous C6 and C5's.

3. Rev match is nice for those w/o a lot of heel/tow experience.

Considering everything, the GT is the better DD for me, but they're both great cars, and it is a close call.

I agree that the GT is a better DD for you, and for me. That's why I bought the car. The only things that I miss when I drive the GT is that in stock form it doesn't have the torque of the LT1 and the lighter weight of the C7. The GT moves, but feels sluggish in comparison.

The last thing is the handling. The Perf Pack on my GT rides firm and makes you think it's going to handle great, but the car will lean and start to break loose much sooner than the C7 on the same corner. Tires are also likely a factor here. There's a exit on my commute that I can hit at 55mph and pull 1.15G in the C7's G meter and not slide at all, but the GT can only hit the corner at 45 and .98G on it's meter before it will slide.

My GT was $28k less than my C7, so compromises will be made and I think they are quite acceptable. The GT is a great all-around driver. With the mods I'm doing now (springs, sway bars and exhaust) plus a tune it will be only better.

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[HalfMoon]

Around here you can't even get a test drive in a C7. You're expected to just buy it without driving it. My guess is most of the corvette people just want to be seen in the car and don't expect to drive it hard.

Some dealers suck. They think that due to the fact that in the early stages of the car's release with constraints and the allocation system they had something like a very limited run car. Most cars for the 2014 year were pre-sold retail orders. The ones that weren't were dealers that got lucky to get an allocation and wanted to try to rape someone with a markup (I saw a $50k markup in person at a local dealership last year when my dealer was taking orders with no markup).

The only reason I didn't test drive a C7 before ordering mine was that every car my salesman had was pre-sold and belonged to someone. Now that the 2015's are here and the parts are less constrained they have demo cars for test drives.

Sure, there are some people that won't drive them hard, but that's no different from here. In one thread here a few people are talking about how burnouts don't make sense and they never have ever taken their cars to redline and shift at 2500 RPM. These are the exception and not the rule.

However, most people buying a $70k car do not want 80+ miles of test drives on them, so many dealers will get one car as a demo/test driver that they don't intend to sell as new. When I pulled my C7 out of the dealer lot to go get gas it just clicked over to 2 miles. I got lucky on my GT and it only had 7 miles on it, most had 30+ and the one I test drove ended up with 75 miles when my test drive was done.

 

[HalfMoon]

Do you use your C7 as a DD?

I do when the weather is good. I prefer not to drive it in the rain because the imported people in the SF Bay Area can't seem to understand that when the roads are wet stopping distances increase.

 

[2wheels4me]

The last thing is the handling. The Perf Pack on my GT rides firm and makes you think it's going to handle great, but the car will lean and start to break loose much sooner than the C7 on the same corner. Tires are also likely a factor here. There's a exit on my commute that I can hit at 55mph and pull 1.15G in the C7's G meter and not slide at all, but the GT can only hit the corner at 45 and .98G on it's meter before it will slide.

My GT was $28k less than my C7, so compromises will be made and I think they are quite acceptable. The GT is a great all-around driver. With the mods I'm doing now (springs, sway bars and exhaust) plus a tune it will be only better.

I'm planning on the Steeda springs (1 inch lower) and rear sway; are you considering something similar? Also going to do an exhaust, of course!

 

[908ssp]

You missed one important [to me] factor. With all the trucks and SUVs around here you can't see crap out of a Corvette. I have owned a slew of two seat low slung sports cars now I wouldn't.

 

[HalfMoon]

I'm planning on the Steeda springs (1 inch lower) and rear sway; are you considering something similar? Also going to do an exhaust, of course!

The Steeda units are in my garage and I am going to try to get them on this weekend, but weekends seem to disappear quickly.

 

[Hack]

Some dealers suck. They think that due to the fact that in the early stages of the car's release with constraints and the allocation system they had something like a very limited run car. Most cars for the 2014 year were pre-sold retail orders. The ones that weren't were dealers that got lucky to get an allocation and wanted to try to rape someone with a markup (I saw a $50k markup in person at a local dealership last year when my dealer was taking orders with no markup).

The only reason I didn't test drive a C7 before ordering mine was that every car my salesman had was pre-sold and belonged to someone. Now that the 2015's are here and the parts are less constrained they have demo cars for test drives.

Sure, there are some people that won't drive them hard, but that's no different from here. In one thread here a few people are talking about how burnouts don't make sense and they never have ever taken their cars to redline and shift at 2500 RPM. These are the exception and not the rule.

However, most people buying a $70k car do not want 80+ miles of test drives on them, so many dealers will get one car as a demo/test driver that they don't intend to sell as new. When I pulled my C7 out of the dealer lot to go get gas it just clicked over to 2 miles. I got lucky on my GT and it only had 7 miles on it, most had 30+ and the one I test drove ended up with 75 miles when my test drive was done.

I think it's cool that you had the courage to buy without driving. I'm just not that brave. I've found that my experience in cars doesn't always jive with the online reviews. And you have lots of good reasons there.

However - anybody buying any new car (especially a performance car that will get beat on test drives) doesn't want a bunch of miles on it, so that argument doesn't hold water with me. I do understand that the 'vette is a lot more expensive than the entry level performance vehicles out there, so there are a lot fewer people who are willing to buy. But still lots of people who'd like to give it a drive.

 

[Spartan]

I think it's cool that you had the courage to buy without driving. I'm just not that brave. I've found that my experience in cars doesn't always jive with the online reviews. And you have lots of good reasons there.

However - anybody buying any new car (especially a performance car that will get beat on test drives) doesn't want a bunch of miles on it, so that argument doesn't hold water with me. I do understand that the 'vette is a lot more expensive than the entry level performance vehicles out there, so there are a lot fewer people who are willing to buy. But still lots of people who'd like to give it a drive.

Test drive one. Order your own to avoid the miles on it.

 

[AllMightyWez]

Love the StingRay. It was way too much car for me to drive in the city and park it on the street. Let's not mince words ... StingRay is a better track car hands down. Its much lighter than a Mustang will ever be.

The Mustang is a better DD. If you want to mod it, it has more of a ceiling to do a 1/4 or 0 to 60 faster than the Vette. Maybe with mods it will out perform on a curvy track as well.

 

[Natpag]

I ultimately considered the corvette myself as well, brethren. My decision came to a halt when I came to the realization that it doesn't have room for a baby seat. This is a hard fact when the girl I pick up from the local sports pub with it puts a move on me and gets me protection free. Not that I would have the baby most of the time, but we are talking about a government motor. I can't risk being late to court dates. Shutting down 4 cylinders sounded great, as using the 150 shot on the daily commute would mean I'd only have to rebuild half the engine. My car payment would be as much if not more than my brand new Double-wide payment with this car. That bothers me because I'm budgeting a double car port for the near future. At the end of the day I realized I may just opt for an 01 camaro instead. Because after all, corvettes have two types of drivers. Those with grey hair, and those with no hair. I don't fit the description.

 

[activeGT]

I ultimately considered the corvette myself as well, brethren. My decision came to a halt when I came to the realization that it doesn't have room for a baby seat. This is a hard fact when the girl I pick up from the local sports pub with it puts a move on me and gets me protection free. Not that I would have the baby most of the time, but we are talking about a government motor. I can't risk being late to court dates. Shutting down 4 cylinders sounded great, as using the 150 shot on the daily commute would mean I'd only have to rebuild half the engine. My car payment would be as much if not more than my brand new Double-wide payment with this car. That bothers me because I'm budgeting a double car port for the near future. At the end of the day I realized I may just opt for an 01 camaro instead. Because after all, corvettes have two types of drivers. Those with grey hair, and those with no hair. I don't fit the description.

You people from Georgia crack me up!

 

[Nac79]

I chose the the 2015 Mustang GT, because I already have a Corvette!!! I test drove both, and the C7 is a much better performance car, but for the money the GT is the best bang for buck in a new car. Now, if I was talking C7 Z51 money, I would go with C6 Zo6/zo7 package or C6 ZR1.

 

[Stingray Steve]

I have both cars. The C7 is a beast. The Mustang is tame in comparison.

 

[Brent302]

I have both cars. The C7 is a beast. The Mustang is tame in comparison.

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[Stingray Steve]

100%

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