Any chevy converts driving the gt350?

[J_Maher_AMG]

My C7 was a POS and not at all the build quality I would expected. Some how its always said the newest iteration is soo much better than before but its still behind the pack of the industry. I had numerous interior and exterior issues until the engine popped and it gave up the ghost. I was never very confident on its handling since the computer and tires was responsible for its qualities rather than the geometry and car itself. I know because I turned everything off and the car always bit rather than bark in protest. C7 is being revamped next year marking only the second time in corvette production a model went 4yrs the C2 was a 4yr production run back in 1963. The car is flawed and why there is a quick jump to the C8 blame the GM bankruptcy and need for cash infusion why the car looks better than it really is. This can quickly become a stingray thread but I guarantee you I will have a response experienced in the 1st person why its no good just accept my personal opinion on the matter other's may feel differently and that's okay to each their own.

This is my first Ford product me being a chevy guy in fact I also bought a Hellcat which is a Dodge product both to replace my C7. I paid 81k for the vette and 126 for both GT350 and Hellcat talking car by itself without incidentals like tax etc. However I find each on their own although much cheaper as being a better car than the vette. I was planning on 120k on a car and couldn't find anything better than a GT350 and Hellcat and why I made a double purchase rather than a single one. I would say only the Porsche 911 falls in line for under 120k but thats what I traded for the stingray and wanted something different. A 911 Porsche is an excellent car but boring again too many computers taking the experience out of driving. Thats why the cayman is the drivers car being mid engine and offered in GT4 and GTS trim.

Here's my thread on the stingray forum. The thread count is over 700 on complaints in the problems and issue section and I wasn't the only guy with a motor popping.

http://www.stingrayforums.com/forum/stingray-owners-logbook/12929-engine-failure-report-thread-2.html

Sounds like you had a rough go of it man, sorry to hear. You have to understand as well though, that there are 6-8 times the number of Vettes sold per year than the 350 so far, so of course there are going to be more problems listed on the web.

The C7 will probably coexist for a few years alongside the C8. The Zora will debut as a C8, but the ZR1 is apparently coming as a C7 model in 2018. The C8 Zora is coming earlier simply due to demand a need to compete. The 150-200K market range is getting very competitive with the McLaren 570, Huracan 580, 911 Turbo, R8 V10, etc. And with Ford unveiling an upmarket supercar in the GT, I think it is just time that the mid-engine Vette come to be. For any who don't know, the original concept for the Corvette was destined to be mid-engined... it just took over 60 years for it to materialize

I certainly respect your opinions regarding which are the better cars for you, as I'm sure many of the things I love about my 350 you love about yours. But some of your points regarding the performance of the Vette are simply false. Not having a good chassis or platform for performance? With all due respect to the capability and prowess of the 350, the Vette has a far superior chassis/platform than any Mustang ever will, simply due to its initial starting point of design for a 2 seater sports car rather than a 2+2 sports coupe. It has an ideal weight distribution, is far lighter, and is stiffer in comparison. In the words of professional testers, they deem the PTM to be some of the best, if not the best, electronic driving aids available in any car. The 350 might be a more accessible car to drive at the limit, hence more skill being required to drive the Vette at it's limit, but that is not a fault of the car but of the driver.

There is a reason that the Vette and other similarly sized supercars have such small footprints in the front; it is because the chassis is so well engineered that they don't need massive front tires to increase turn-in capability. The 350 and similarly the Z28 has incredible grip and performance largely in part to monstrous sized tires that make up for chassis deficiencies; other cars that have better starting points don't need that benefit to perform at, near, or above the same level.

Agreed the Cayman is incredible; if there were a Porsche dealership in my province, I might have very well been driving a GT4 or Boxster Spyder instead, who knows. Love the GT3 as well, but would like a 997 to get a stick shift

Sponsored

 

[J_Maher_AMG]

Justin relax. Your entitled to your opinion. So am I. It's ok.

And I'm perfectly fine with that, but I will be honest in saying it does bother me a little when someone insinuates that I bought the wrong car, implying that I am in some way unsatisfied with my decision. Never in my life has a car brought me so much joy and satisfaction, and I would purchase the car again tomorrow if I didn't have it today. Honestly after I bought and experienced the car, I completely understood the hype and the reason they are going for such high $ figures here in Canada. It is absolutely worth every penny!

 

[J_Maher_AMG]

Its all relative I am of the opposite opinion and here state side the GT350 is cheaper than a 3LT Z51 with all the options. Mine with everything they could put on it less a battery charger came in at 76,620 sticker while my GT350 was 61K. Due to my experience I prefer the GT350 but its all personal.

Now quality wise thats a moot point since all american cars have loose standards and that putting it lightly included my Hellcat which was built in Ontario Canada so its all subjective. As far as count for count I've had more issues on my C7 than both my cars put together.

But again all subjective you can say 1 in 10 are bad and the guy with the bad car will come back and say 100% are bad just depends on the straw you draw..

You could also argue japanese are better but honda and toyota are built in the states by US workers so who the hell knows what these mfg. are doing and what they are not doing.

I remember an episode of Top Gear where Hammond was being ridiculed for showing up in a viper all they kept saying is look at those body gaps there as big as the nile.

Personally think the 3LT isn't worth it unless you are going for the brown leather interior. The extra red you get on the dash, or if you go with black, just isn't worth the extra ~4K or more for that option, and the navigation is not a necessity IMO.

Best value is in the 2LT IMO if you are going for red or black interior!

Surprisingly, my R and my father's Vette feel as solid and as well built as the Japanese and German cars I have owned. Both are actually dead silent on the interior with no squeaks or rattles to be heard, when even my Mercedes let out a rattle now and then. I think the materials in my Mercedes was slightly higher quality than my R, but the build quality seemed to be on par with one another. The subaru was basically a baby rattler on wheels :lol:

 

[Lexluther]

I've been racing cars since I was 18 and I'm 40 now. I raced ITB and ITC the moved over to super bikes 250cc than 600 class I came in 18th in AMA I crashed out low side at Infineon raceway and had a dramatic brain injury and damaged my vestibular so I was in bed for 6months. I race hard there is no doubt about it and push every machine to its limits. I moved over to get my pilots license before I found the limits my balls would out think my brains when I touched on aerobatics and few normal flights when dummies trying to kill me in the air. $150 per hr wet was no incentive either. AMA was 400k a year for 4 bikes and 2 riders and sponsors were a bitch to get to be a factory B team and not everyone can get a free ride as a factory A team rider so again life's tough breaks.

I drove the C7 to its limits and just felt there wasn't enough give or warning at the limit and when it gave it broke and recovery required loads of skill which made me drive more timid. I never put a scratch on that car but there was some pucker moments I have yet to experience in the GT350.

For the aids I felt with everything completely off it was difficult to manage the power without overloading the tires the e-lsd really does a good job. On the street the computer would cut power too soon car had a lots of front push around uneven apexes and on cold days a mild 3-4shift kicked the rear out and the computer wouldn't let me put power down to plant the rear when it straighten out so it swung the other way. Not just once ... There is a reason tires only last 3500-5000miles and thats what told me based on the tire UTQG the tires are over worked and chassis not sorted. Pilot super sports do mask a lot of bad behavior being so sticky and why new vetts get the sticker ZP version and the regular super sports are no longer OE from the factory they probably got the feedback as miles were put on..

There are countless videos of the C7 surprising drivers and agreed it takes skill but I just felt the algorithms weren't spot on the driving aids and could be improved. Running naked no aids just turned it into a muscle car not a track car. I also drive a Hellcat so I certainly know a loose car with too much power but I can predict the Hellcat and I know its limits where I felt the C7 curve was to sharp on the drop-off. Agreed its all subjective to the driver.

The design is spot on no doubts and I 100% agree however the execution other than meeting numbers are not on target. I got a voucher for the Ron Fellows Vette school and they had overheating issues on all their cars which they said was design related to not enough heat extraction due to the stylist over riding engineering. Not saying Chevy is complete crap just that the C7 came out at a tough financial time for Chevy and I feel there were some compromises. I myself experience over heating issues mildly aggressive driving. When the electric steering went manual due to engine temps around a corner that was not cool and a lesser driving would have put it against the wall.

There are also some design safety issues that have caused some law suits. Neck compressions because of the back slope of the roof and driving position that in a roll over people die and the separation of the hydroformed frame from the cast front member at the weld in a T bone so the cars lacked crumple zones and legs get injured. I can go on but the issue is the C7 just needs to be forgotten and a z06 c6 in my opinion although dated I feel is more sorted. There has been vast improvements and the ZL1 camaro give great hopes in the direction the performance division is going. I'm not knocking vette's just that the C7 should have had a little more development before it went out again just my opinion. They invested in a whole new paint building at bowling green so that gives hopes. Also my car blew because there was an issue that when the crank bores were cnc'd not all the metal shards were cleaned out. When engine's ran the semi-dry sump's return would enter back through the engine around the #6 rod area on the block so the the weep oiling hole on the #6 rod bearing would get blocked and starve out and pop the engine. Z06 included and why the famous case of the guy going 3 miles off the dealer lot in a zo6 and blew the motor which ended up being a class action as other owners popped. 6th gen camaro's make 5hp more with the same engine due to better cooling that should say something. The factory brochure says 5hp less but dyno's don't lie.

I'm not knocking your opinion I just care enough to attempt to relay my personal experience in my feeble attempt to so save you some grief. Sounds like you love the vette so look at a C6 Z06 or wait for the C8.

There are some other nuances the '15 had that wire flapper deal vettes have to release air from the trunk when shutting the lid that never worked so owner cracked deck lids pushing too hard on the center. Your supposed to push on the bows on either side of the glass per the manual. '16 had an electric latch and also the front parking aid so you won't curb your bumper. They still have the radiator core support low that drags on steep driveways like the older ones so get some skid protection. There is also a lot of oil blow back so an oil separator is a must as it build in the air filter housing until full enough to drip out on your garage floor to freak you out Chevy says its normal and doesn't do harm..

 

[Shift]

I've been racing cars since I was 18 and I'm 40 now. I raced ITB and ITC the moved over to super bikes 250cc than 600 class I came in 18th in AMA I crashed out low side at Infineon raceway and had a dramatic brain injury and damaged my vestibular so I was in bed for 6months. I race hard there is no doubt about it and push every machine to its limits. I moved over to get my pilots license before I found the limits my balls would out think my brains when I touched on aerobatics and few normal flights when dummies trying to kill me in the air. $150 per hr wet was no incentive either. AMA was 400k a year for 4 bikes and 2 riders and sponsors were a bitch to get to be a factory B team and not everyone can get a free ride as a factory A team rider so again life's tough breaks.

I drove the C7 to its limits and just felt there wasn't enough give or warning at the limit and when it gave it broke and recovery required loads of skill which made me drive more timid. I never put a scratch on that car but there was some pucker moments I have yet to experience in the GT350.

For the aids I felt with everything completely off it was difficult to manage the power without overloading the tires the e-lsd really does a good job. On the street the computer would cut power too soon car had a lots of front push around uneven apexes and on cold days a mild 3-4shift kicked the rear out and the computer wouldn't let me put power down to plant the rear when it straighten out so it swung the other way. Not just once ... There is a reason tires only last 3500-5000miles and thats what told me based on the tire UTQG the tires are over worked and chassis not sorted. Pilot super sports do mask a lot of bad behavior being so sticky and why new vetts get the sticker ZP version and the regular super sports are no longer OE from the factory they probably got the feedback as miles were put on..

There are countless videos of the C7 surprising drivers and agreed it takes skill but I just felt the algorithms weren't spot on the driving aids and could be improved. Running naked no aids just turned it into a muscle car not a track car. I also drive a Hellcat so I certainly know a loose car with too much power but I can predict the Hellcat and I know its limits where I felt the C7 curve was to sharp on the drop-off. Agreed its all subjective to the driver.

The design is spot on no doubts and I 100% agree however the execution other than meeting numbers are not on target. I got a voucher for the Ron Fellows Vette school and they had overheating issues on all their cars which they said was design related to not enough heat extraction due to the stylist over riding engineering. Not saying Chevy is complete crap just that the C7 came out at a tough financial time for Chevy and I feel there were some compromises. I myself experience over heating issues mildly aggressive driving. When the electric steering went manual due to engine temps around a corner that was not cool and a lesser driving would have put it against the wall.

There are also some design safety issues that have caused some law suits. Neck compressions because of the back slope of the roof and driving position that in a roll over people die and the separation of the hydroformed frame from the cast front member at the weld in a T bone so the cars lacked crumple zones and legs get injured. I can go on but the issue is the C7 just needs to be forgotten and a z06 c6 in my opinion although dated I feel is more sorted. There has been vast improvements and the ZL1 camaro give great hopes in the direction the performance division is going. I'm not knocking vette's just that the C7 should have had a little more development before it went out again just my opinion. They invested in a whole new paint building at bowling green so that gives hopes. Also my car blew because there was an issue that when the crank bores were cnc'd not all the metal shards were cleaned out. When engine's ran the semi-dry sump's return would enter back through the engine around the #6 rod area on the block so the the weep oiling hole on the #6 rod bearing would get blocked and starve out and pop the engine. Z06 included and why the famous case of the guy going 3 miles off the dealer lot in a zo6 and blew the motor which ended up being a class action as other owners popped. 6th gen camaro's make 5hp more with the same engine due to better cooling that should say something. The factory brochure says 5hp less but dyno's don't lie.

I'm not knocking your opinion I just care enough to attempt to relay my personal experience in my feeble attempt to so save you some grief. Sounds like you love the vette so look at a C6 Z06 or wait for the C8.

There are some other nuances the '15 had that wire flapper deal vettes have to release air from the trunk when shutting the lid that never worked so owner cracked deck lids pushing too hard on the center. Your supposed to push on the bows on either side of the glass per the manual. '16 had an electric latch and also the front parking aid so you won't curb your bumper. They still have the radiator core support low that drags on steep driveways like the older ones so get some skid protection. There is also a lot of oil blow back so an oil separator is a must as it build in the air filter housing until full enough to drip out on your garage floor to freak you out Chevy says its normal and doesn't do harm..

That was one hell of a read, wow. Thanks for the info and your insight.

 

[Lexluther]

Personally think the 3LT isn't worth it unless you are going for the brown leather interior. The extra red you get on the dash, or if you go with black, just isn't worth the extra ~4K or more for that option, and the navigation is not a necessity IMO.

Best value is in the 2LT IMO if you are going for red or black interior!

Surprisingly, my R and my father's Vette feel as solid and as well built as the Japanese and German cars I have owned. Both are actually dead silent on the interior with no squeaks or rattles to be heard, when even my Mercedes let out a rattle now and then. I think the materials in my Mercedes was slightly higher quality than my R, but the build quality seemed to be on par with one another. The subaru was basically a baby rattler on wheels :lol:

There was that center dash squeak at first and than ppl figured out it was the speaker grill same on the pass door. Those were very common on the 15's

Mine was the classic vette color white with red interior and why the 3LT was a must. The z06 they take away some red on the door panels and and lower dash and more of a reason to get a 2LT.

The price isn't a concern as mentioned sticker was 76,620 but after a year book value was 59k so buy a low mileage 1yr old second hand car. That helps also ensure you don't get a bad car as the gremlins would have showed up in the first year and service records would tell all. Lots are overfilling since they added a 3rd shift at bowling green late 15 which went into 16. That's a union shop so chevy couldn't just stop so there are some deals to be had on new on the lots since there is over supply ADM's went away and dealer are doing truecar, costco and supplier pricing you can get at or near invoice. Supplier pricing back when I got mine was -7,500 off but dealers wouldn't honor it since they were getting 10K ADM but they are discounting now.

 

[Lexluther]

That was one hell of a read, wow. Thanks for the info and your insight.

But wait there's more as the TV infomercials say. There was a design issue on the serpentine belt tensioner over multiple suppliers so if you see one with service records of 3 or more replacements don't freak out it was the norm.

Also due to avoiding gas guzzler tax it has cylinder deactivation do yourself a favor get a tune and turn that crap off. They used the same tried and trued design as previous gens with a flex plate at the back of the engine then tubular driveshaft inside a stiffening tubular shaft to the rear diff which also houses a flex plate for balance. In 4 cyl gas saving mode there was un-anticapted consequence of the vibration being different than 8cyl mode which would unseat or vibrate the bearings in the driveshaft to failure causing not only noise but bent flex plates so thats all normal on service records. The bearings are the same as the C5 just that they had an updated part number due to the supplier not the design. Bowling green only makes Vette so replacement parts get bid out after the production run ends since the supply chain and place of storage changes. So thats not un-common on service records or a cause to bat an eye.

 

[J_Maher_AMG]

I've been racing cars since I was 18 and I'm 40 now. I raced ITB and ITC the moved over to super bikes 250cc than 600 class I came in 18th in AMA I crashed out low side at Infineon raceway and had a dramatic brain injury and damaged my vestibular so I was in bed for 6months. I race hard there is no doubt about it and push every machine to its limits. I moved over to get my pilots license before I found the limits my balls would out think my brains when I touched on aerobatics and few normal flights when dummies trying to kill me in the air. $150 per hr wet was no incentive either. AMA was 400k a year for 4 bikes and 2 riders and sponsors were a bitch to get to be a factory B team and not everyone can get a free ride as a factory A team rider so again life's tough breaks.

I drove the C7 to its limits and just felt there wasn't enough give or warning at the limit and when it gave it broke and recovery required loads of skill which made me drive more timid. I never put a scratch on that car but there was some pucker moments I have yet to experience in the GT350.

For the aids I felt with everything completely off it was difficult to manage the power without overloading the tires the e-lsd really does a good job. On the street the computer would cut power too soon car had a lots of front push around uneven apexes and on cold days a mild 3-4shift kicked the rear out and the computer wouldn't let me put power down to plant the rear when it straighten out so it swung the other way. Not just once ... There is a reason tires only last 3500-5000miles and thats what told me based on the tire UTQG the tires are over worked and chassis not sorted. Pilot super sports do mask a lot of bad behavior being so sticky and why new vetts get the sticker ZP version and the regular super sports are no longer OE from the factory they probably got the feedback as miles were put on..

There are countless videos of the C7 surprising drivers and agreed it takes skill but I just felt the algorithms weren't spot on the driving aids and could be improved. Running naked no aids just turned it into a muscle car not a track car. I also drive a Hellcat so I certainly know a loose car with too much power but I can predict the Hellcat and I know its limits where I felt the C7 curve was to sharp on the drop-off. Agreed its all subjective to the driver.

The design is spot on no doubts and I 100% agree however the execution other than meeting numbers are not on target. I got a voucher for the Ron Fellows Vette school and they had overheating issues on all their cars which they said was design related to not enough heat extraction due to the stylist over riding engineering. Not saying Chevy is complete crap just that the C7 came out at a tough financial time for Chevy and I feel there were some compromises. I myself experience over heating issues mildly aggressive driving. When the electric steering went manual due to engine temps around a corner that was not cool and a lesser driving would have put it against the wall.

There are also some design safety issues that have caused some law suits. Neck compressions because of the back slope of the roof and driving position that in a roll over people die and the separation of the hydroformed frame from the cast front member at the weld in a T bone so the cars lacked crumple zones and legs get injured. I can go on but the issue is the C7 just needs to be forgotten and a z06 c6 in my opinion although dated I feel is more sorted. There has been vast improvements and the ZL1 camaro give great hopes in the direction the performance division is going. I'm not knocking vette's just that the C7 should have had a little more development before it went out again just my opinion. They invested in a whole new paint building at bowling green so that gives hopes. Also my car blew because there was an issue that when the crank bores were cnc'd not all the metal shards were cleaned out. When engine's ran the semi-dry sump's return would enter back through the engine around the #6 rod area on the block so the the weep oiling hole on the #6 rod bearing would get blocked and starve out and pop the engine. Z06 included and why the famous case of the guy going 3 miles off the dealer lot in a zo6 and blew the motor which ended up being a class action as other owners popped. 6th gen camaro's make 5hp more with the same engine due to better cooling that should say something. The factory brochure says 5hp less but dyno's don't lie.

I'm not knocking your opinion I just care enough to attempt to relay my personal experience in my feeble attempt to so save you some grief. Sounds like you love the vette so look at a C6 Z06 or wait for the C8.

There are some other nuances the '15 had that wire flapper deal vettes have to release air from the trunk when shutting the lid that never worked so owner cracked deck lids pushing too hard on the center. Your supposed to push on the bows on either side of the glass per the manual. '16 had an electric latch and also the front parking aid so you won't curb your bumper. They still have the radiator core support low that drags on steep driveways like the older ones so get some skid protection. There is also a lot of oil blow back so an oil separator is a must as it build in the air filter housing until full enough to drip out on your garage floor to freak you out Chevy says its normal and doesn't do harm..

The detailed response is much appreciated, especially your personal knowledge and experiences! No doubt many cars are made with certain compromises built in, and in reality it was their first attempt at the "LT" series of motors, so some issues are to be expected. Heck, we are seeing quite a number of different issues pop up with our Voodoos, but is expected with a new engine IMO. Not to mention coolers and hoses and other issues that some members have unfortunately faced. At the end of the day I love the 350, and it is why I bought an R. I do love the Vette for its overall balance and combination of having a more upscale interior, exotic looks along with great performance, but the R gave me the "fizz" as James May would state. I'm a car nut at heart, and there aren't really any brands or vehicles that I dislike honestly, so I appreciate any cars that I like the looks/style of that also perform.

There were some early cooling issues with the 2014's, as the black flap under the front bumper was blocking airflow. They removed the entire center section of that for 15' and onward, and haven't had any issues with the NA motors since in regards to cooling. The Z06 on the other hand has been plagued with cooling issues it seems, which is a shame really. And just in response to the tires point; the 350 comes with significantly more rubber than the Stingray, the R even more so with the Cup 2's, so therefore could your point regarding tires hiding bad traits not go both ways? I feel your opinion regarding the Z06 may come from the fact that it had significantly more tire (285/325) and therefore should be able to handle its power a lot better?

No worries about the cylinder deactivation; my father leaves it in Sport or Track 100% of the time haha he has no intention or interest in saving fuel :lol:

Appreciate the insight in regards to the air/oil separator though. I have both sides done on my R, but never really looked into it for the Vette. Will definitely inform him, or maybe make it a birthday gift or something this coming summer :cheers:

 

[Superdog]

I love the color scheme on the GT350, my dealer has one in blue, it's a great looking car. Any owners here with a C6 or C7 that can give some comparisons? I am having a hard time deciding between a z51 or a gt350. I spend some time at the track, but mainly use it for distance trips in the summer. I have owned two s550 5.0's but no experience with the 5.2.

I sold a 15 5.0 for a 16 Z51. Then I sold the Z51 for a 17 350.

Worlds of difference. The Z51 is a great car. Fast, sexy, clean lines. Super nice.

The 350 is MUCH easier to drive. Far more comfortable. More of a passionate visceral experience. And overall a lot warmer and more fun.

 

[tomcatv8]

I'm not really a convert as I have had multiple makes in the past, 6 Chevys and now, 6 Fords.
However, this GT350 is the most enjoyable car I have ever owned (& I have owned many). I do not foresee getting rid of this car any time soon. This is an easy 10+ year car. And in 10 years I should be retired, so the plan is to just keep it and let it pass on down through the family.

Here is a partial list of some of the domestic fun cars from the past.
1968 Pontiac Tempest
1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS
1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1
1969 Pontiac Firebird 400
1971 Pontiac LeMans GT - 350 H.O
1972 Pontiac Ventura
1973 Chevrolet Corvette L-82
1973 Pontiac GTO
1973 Pontiac Trans Am 455
1974 AMC Javelin AMX
1976 Pontiac Formula Firebird 400
1983 Mercury Capri RS
1986 Ford Mustang GT Conv.
1989 Ford Mustang GT
1993 Pontiac Trans Am
2004 Pontiac GTO
2006 Pontiac GTO
2013 Ford Focus ST
2017 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350

 

[Voodooo]

And I'm perfectly fine with that, but I will be honest in saying it does bother me a little when someone insinuates that I bought the wrong car, implying that I am in some way unsatisfied with my decision. Never in my life has a car brought me so much joy and satisfaction, and I would purchase the car again tomorrow if I didn't have it today. Honestly after I bought and experienced the car, I completely understood the hype and the reason they are going for such high $ figures here in Canada. It is absolutely worth every penny!

I'm sorry I ruffled your feathers. I didn't mean to upset you.

 

[Mike02z]

But wait there's more as the TV infomercials say. There was a design issue on the serpentine belt tensioner over multiple suppliers so if you see one with service records of 3 or more replacements don't freak out it was the norm.

Also due to avoiding gas guzzler tax it has cylinder deactivation do yourself a favor get a tune and turn that crap off. They used the same tried and trued design as previous gens with a flex plate at the back of the engine then tubular driveshaft inside a stiffening tubular shaft to the rear diff which also houses a flex plate for balance. In 4 cyl gas saving mode there was un-anticapted consequence of the vibration being different than 8cyl mode which would unseat or vibrate the bearings in the driveshaft to failure causing not only noise but bent flex plates so thats all normal on service records. The bearings are the same as the C5 just that they had an updated part number due to the supplier not the design. Bowling green only makes Vette so replacement parts get bid out after the production run ends since the supply chain and place of storage changes. So thats not un-common on service records or a cause to bat an eye.

If you have a manual C7, DOD does not intercede when in "Sport" or "Track" mode. If you have an automatic C7, shame on you, number 1 , but DOD is not as easy to defeat. The whole concept of cylinder deactivation has never seemed like something good for the engine. If it were different cylinders that shut down each time it went into V4 mode, it might be more palatable. But the C7 always deactivates the same cylinders. I think that will cause more problems down the line. I'm also not a big fan of direct injection. Yes it's more fuel efficient and provides more power but it also allows a lot of carbon build up on the valves since fuel is no longer washing the back of the valves. Ideally a combination of port and direct injection is the way to go in my view. I saw a head removal on a C7 with 21K miles and the valves and intake track were packed with carbon. This is not new, diesel engines have had to deal with this for a long time.

My C7 was not in any way lacking in HP if you see my signature. If anything, it had too much power for the street. The temptation was just too much for me and one good stab on an on-ramp and you could be doing 150+ in seconds. It was also not very sure-footed. Even before the mods it would break loose with no warning even with all the nannies on. After the mods you needed to be extremely careful.

I look at the C7 as a ballerina while the GT350 is more of a street fighter. The C7 was a nice sports car but not a muscle car. I see the GT350 as more of a muscle car but that's just my opinion.

All that said, the C7 was fun but I grew board after 18 months. It must have been the car as I kept my C6 for 7 years. That car was only mildly modified. I sold my C7 in May and picked up a 16 GT until I could find the right GT350. I think the GT350 will be with me a long time. It just fits my personality better than a C7.

 

[cattivo]

I had a 91 Beretta GT and a 97 S10. I now have a GT350, does that count.

Hmm! Uh...NO!

 

[Seceda91]

If you have a manual C7, DOD does not intercede when in "Sport" or "Track" mode. If you have an automatic C7, shame on you, number 1 , but DOD is not as easy to defeat. The whole concept of cylinder deactivation has never seemed like something good for the engine. If it were different cylinders that shut down each time it went into V4 mode, it might be more palatable. But the C7 always deactivates the same cylinders. I think that will cause more problems down the line. I'm also not a big fan of direct injection. Yes it's more fuel efficient and provides more power but it also allows a lot of carbon build up on the valves since fuel is no longer washing the back of the valves. Ideally a combination of port and direct injection is the way to go in my view. I saw a head removal on a C7 with 21K miles and the valves and intake track were packed with carbon. This is not new, diesel engines have had to deal with this for a long time.

My C7 was not in any way lacking in HP if you see my signature. If anything, it had too much power for the street. The temptation was just too much for me and one good stab on an on-ramp and you could be doing 150+ in seconds. It was also not very sure-footed. Even before the mods it would break loose with no warning even with all the nannies on. After the mods you needed to be extremely careful.

I look at the C7 as a ballerina while the GT350 is more of a street fighter. The C7 was a nice sports car but not a muscle car. I see the GT350 as more of a muscle car but that's just my opinion.

All that said, the C7 was fun but I grew board after 18 months. It must have been the car as I kept my C6 for 7 years. That car was only mildly modified. I sold my C7 in May and picked up a 16 GT until I could find the right GT350. I think the GT350 will be with me a long time. It just fits my personality better than a C7.

Bored after 18 months? I know it def wasn't the power since you're making more power than a C7 Z06..

I can only imagine how crazy, dangerous and fun that C7 was especially with a manual. What were the negatives/bordness? Old crowd, too much attention?

I'm just curious since the C7 is a badass car.. Even a base Stingray should be a blast. As far as the C7 and GT350, both are insane badass cars and the only difference to me is one is a sport car and the other reeks American muscle! Can't go wrong with either.

 

[Mike02z]

Bored after 18 months? I know it def wasn't the power since you're making more power than a C7 Z06..

I can only imagine how crazy, dangerous and fun that C7 was especially with a manual. What were the negatives/bordness? Old crowd, too much attention?

I'm just curious since the C7 is a badass car.. Even a base Stingray should be a blast. As far as the C7 and GT350, both are insane badass cars and the only difference to me is one is a sport car and the other reeks American muscle! Can't go wrong with either.

Speed was a negative as I'm still a stupid kid at heart and feel that I must use all the horsepower I have. I know that was not the cars fault but my issue. The Methanol injection was a PITA. There was a problem with my Metanol controller that my Corvette shop could not find. The pump would at times stay on after the car was shut off making it nearly impossible to start and run for the first few minutes this was wildly intermittent but a real PITA.

I didn't identify with the majority of Corvette owners in my area. Many are simply not of my generation. They used to do a lit of shows and Sunday morning breakfasts and that is not me. I'm almost 50 but most guys in the Corvette club were 65+. Nice people, just not people I enjoy hanging out with.

The car also attracted a lot of unwanted attention. I'm a private person and every time I'd stop for gas people would walk up and just start conversations. Then the issue was many people think Corvette people are di*ks or are jealous and you get a deep scratch so I didn't like leaving it unattended.

As I get older my C7 was a PITA to get in and out of and hard to see out of. It was also costing me a fortune with the payment then all the mods. I got board of just looking at it as I was paranoid to leave it anywhere.

I also got a really good price for it and it was the right offer at the right time. Funny part is it is back up for sale on eBay. The odd part is it's selling for less than I got for it. Look for a 2015 Black Corvette and its on the first page. It wound up crossing the country and is in LA. Someone added an ugly ass boost gauge but the rest looks like the way I sold it.

Sponsored