[Efthreeoh]

Fiberglass, Carbon Fiber, and SMC (sheet molding compound) all fall under the general material that is known as "thermoset fiber reinforced plastic". SMC, developed in the 1970s, is nothing high tech and is just an inexpensive layup technique for making high-rate industrial fiber-reinforced plastic parts.

[NickyC]

I think the C6 Z06 is perhaps the best (sports) car you can get for the money right now? Was looking around last week and saw some nice examples with under 30k miles for mid $30k. That's an incredible bargain.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by NickyC

I think the C6 Z06 is perhaps the best (sports) car you can get for the money right now? Was looking around last week and saw some nice examples with under 30k miles for mid $30k. That's an incredible bargain.

The current Corvette C7 and Z06 are incredible bargains when you consider what you get for the money. People still have biases against them but I think the C7 turned a corner with quality. It’s not perfect, but it definitely looks better than a Tesla inside lol.

[Housekeeping]

I have both and both are special. Corvette Z06 is faster, more nimble, more fun. Corvette has had zero problems over 3 years, can’t say that for M5. Too different to compare. Love both. If I had to have one it would be the M

[boss2k]

Originally Posted by The HACK

Eh. You "get by." This is a standard, new-ish Southern California planned urban development garage, and it's TIGHT despite the Z4 M Coupe being a rather SMALL car. The gap you see between the two cars is with the Z4 M Coupe parked with the driver door able to open to it's first detent without touching the wall, and the Corvette parked as far against the side of the garage, same deal, with the driver door opening to the first detent and about 2 inches to spare to the wall.

Folding both passenger mirrors will get me another 4 inches of clearance between the two cars. The Corvette is exceedingly WIDE. By far the widest car in the fleet, that's for sure. When I park the i3 in the garage to charge (in case of range emergency) you pretty much have to crab walk between the two cars.

There's a brief thought of asking my wife to store her shoes somewhere else besides the cabinet in the garage, but I figured she's none too pleased with the Corvette purchase already and probably NOT smart to bring up moving her shoes somewhere else. THAT would have ended with me sleeping in the dog house for sure.

Whats the width of the corvette with mirrors open , around 74 inches as i read ?

[Red Bread]

74 for non Z06/GS/ZR1, 78 for those. But that's just body width. Looks like mirror width is 85 inches.

[WreckerX5d]

I have a modded C5 and it's a pretty fun car when you want it to be and also very easy to drive. Having late 90s technology in it has its downsides but overall it's pretty good for how much they cost. The newer ones should be much better.

[Sephiroth]

I moved the other direction. Corvettes look great on paper for many reasons, and the motors are undeniably terrific. The problem is the package as a whole is underwhelming vs. the M3 for a daily driver. My experience was with the C6 GS, but I have no desire to see if the C7 is any different.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

I moved the other direction. Corvettes look great on paper for many reasons, and the motors are undeniably terrific. The problem is the package as a whole is underwhelming vs. the M3 for a daily driver. My experience was with the C6 GS, but I have no desire to see if the C7 is any different.

C7 is the first Corvette I felt had both decent engineering and interior.

[R N M]

Shopping currently to replace my Subaru BRZ.

Requirements are manual and preferably a NA V8.

Currently narrowed it down to Shelby GT350 or Corvette Grand Sport. Thoughts on which is better overall.

Ideally would love to get E92 M3 in manual but those are very hard to find with low miles, CompPack, and color combinations that i would like.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by R N M

Shopping currently to replace my Subaru BRZ.

Requirements are manual and preferably a NA V8.

Currently narrowed it down to Shelby GT350 or Corvette Grand Sport. Thoughts on which is better overall.

Ideally would love to get E92 M3 in manual but those are very hard to find with low miles, CompPack, and color combinations that i would like.

I would add ZL1 to your list.

I think the GT350 is another Mustang, despite being a previous Mustang owner. A Corvette is a Corvette. I prefer something lighter even if it has somewhat less power.

[R N M]

I dont like Camaros.

Having driven GT350 and Mustang GT - i can tell you it’s definitely not another Mustang.

[RM7]

Originally Posted by R N M

Shopping currently to replace my Subaru BRZ.

Requirements are manual and preferably a NA V8.

Currently narrowed it down to Shelby GT350 or Corvette Grand Sport. Thoughts on which is better overall.

Ideally would love to get E92 M3 in manual but those are very hard to find with low miles, CompPack, and color combinations that i would like.

I bought the Camaro 2SS 1LE because I figure it's probably one of the last great manual cars and the handling is absolutely out of this world. If they didn't offer a 2SS trim, I probably wouldn't have gotten one. With this, it's basically a NA ZL1.

Everything I hear on the Camaro boards from those with a grand-sport is that it's just too hardcore for DD. No matter what board you go to, there'll always be someone telling you the most hardcore car is a great DD and that it does great in the snow. The grand sport is an amazing handling car, it flat out handles better on a track and makes up time against the supercharged versions, but I never even considered it, while I was thinking things like C7 with Z51 stingray, BMW M2, ZL1 and a few others. If you are buying it to track, then great choice.

I'd say the Grand Sport is more like the GT350R, based on the reports of those driving it, never crossed my radar because I wasn't looking to go that far. The GT350 is closer to a Z51, ZL1 (non-1LE),SS 1LE in terms of ride and drive-ability.

GT350 is yesterday's news at this point, it was good, but the Mustang Power Pack 2 has now matched it. The regular GT350 is a hair slower than the Camaro 1LE, the GT350R is a hair faster. The Power Pack 2 now matches the 1LE. And as cool as "that engine" is, check the reliability reports on the voodoo before committing. I do admit I really like the styling of the GT350 and in general, the current mustang is the first I've ever liked.

[baege]

Originally Posted by boss2k

Anyone?

I went from a 2014 Cayman S to a 2015 C7 to a 2016 Cayman S to a 2018 m240i.

I only had the C7 3 days before I decided to sell it.

I didn't like:
size (huge hood and width led to a feeling of disconnect)
throttle response (laggy due to torque management system)
visibility (like sitting in a bathtub)
overall just felt less precise and integrated
the constant jangle from the OEM gold chains

truth is as a road car, I even prefer the m240i over the c7 (despite me being a turbo hater and a manual lover)

the domestics still feel "sloppy" for lack of a better word to me compared to german cars...

back in the day I chose a 350Z over the C5 for the same reason and for me the distinction still applies

Lots of people don't feel this way, but some of us do

[1MOREMOD]

I can agree with the hood part of the c7, on track placement was difficult because no idea where front tires were.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by baege

I went from a 2014 Cayman S to a 2015 C7 to a 2016 Cayman S to a 2018 m240i.

I only had the C7 3 days before I decided to sell it.

I didn't like:
size (huge hood and width led to a feeling of disconnect)
throttle response (laggy due to torque management system)
visibility (like sitting in a bathtub)
overall just felt less precise and integrated
the constant jangle from the OEM gold chains

truth is as a road car, I even prefer the m240i over the c7 (despite me being a turbo hater and a manual lover)

the domestics still feel "sloppy" for lack of a better word to me compared to german cars...

back in the day I chose a 350Z over the C5 for the same reason and for me the distinction still applies

Lots of people don't feel this way, but some of us do

Seating position in the C7 is key. They teach you proper seat adjustment at Ron Fellows. Once I learned that, I could see the hood and no longer really need the cameras when parking. I know you’ve had several post on C7 negativity and I will agree it’s not for everyone. Also owning a 718, I can say there are similarities and differences. You just have to drive a few and see what’s for you. I don’t wear gold chains.

[baege]

Originally Posted by MGM135is

Seating position in the C7 is key. They teach you proper seat adjustment at Ron Fellows. Once I learned that, I could see the hood and no longer really need the cameras when parking. I know you’ve had several post on C7 negativity and I will agree it’s not for everyone. Also owning a 718, I can say there are similarities and differences. You just have to drive a few and see what’s for you. I don’t wear gold chains.

I don't mean to come off of a C7 hater. I know many people love the C7 and I wish I had

I was just kidding about the gold chains, no offense intended.

I agree about test drives, but take long ones and at least 2 different times, a 10 minute test drive didn't reveal what didn't work on the C7 for me.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by baege

I don't mean to come off of a C7 hater. I know many people love the C7 and I wish I had

I was just kidding about the gold chains, no offense intended.

I agree about test drives, but take long ones and at least 2 different times, a 10 minute test drive didn't reveal what didn't work on the C7 for me.

I can’t agree enough. I typically visit several dealerships driving variety of different optioned versions of a car I want. It actually was driving an F Type that reminded me of the C7 I drove like half a dozen times and a few weeks later I got my Stingray.

[The HACK]

Originally Posted by baege

throttle response (laggy due to torque management system)

The throttle response isn't due to the torque management system. The throttle response is due to GM deciding that for the LTx engines to build an OFFSET throttle body with an eccentric bore, so the first 30º of throttle travel does basically NOTHING. When I first saw it I was like WTF but it all make sense in how GM chooses to keep EPA ratings relatively reasonable for the size of the engine.



You can see clearly the stepped lip on the inner part of the throttle body in the direction of opening.

[overlook637]

2008 C6 ls3, to a Jeep Wrangler, to the M4.

Vette was lower so the perception of handling was different. Also a pain to crawl in and out of everyday. Comfortable once in the car. Fuel mpg was pretty good. Rock solid engine and transmission. Never ever worried about crank hub slip or leaking intercooler...

[baege]

Originally Posted by The HACK

The throttle response isn't due to the torque management system. The throttle response is due to GM deciding that for the LTx engines to build an OFFSET throttle body with an eccentric bore, so the first 30º of throttle travel does basically NOTHING. When I first saw it I was like WTF but it all make sense in how GM chooses to keep EPA ratings relatively reasonable for the size of the engine.



You can see clearly the stepped lip on the inner part of the throttle body in the direction of opening.

interesting, many report that throttle controllers fix the laggy response so they must convert that first 30% to the first 50%...I always wanted to drive a c7 with one of those to see if it really worked..

(I think we might be turning this into a corvette forum )

[RM7]

Originally Posted by baege

interesting, many report that throttle controllers fix the laggy response so they must convert that first 30% to the first 50%...I always wanted to drive a c7 with one of those to see if it really worked..

(I think we might be turning this into a corvette forum )

The software in the SS 1LE LS3 has the engine more linear in track mode, so you don't spin tires and break traction, in sport and other modes it does more with less throttle push. IME, it's programming.