At what age and why did you buy a Corvette?

Gummiente said:

I'm not sure at what age I became a fan of the Corvette, but apparently I used to give my Dad near heart attacks when I was about 8yrs old any time I saw one while we were out in the family car. "OOOHHH, LOOK!!!" from out of the blue in the back seat would startle my Dad every time. There was just something about the shape of them that set me off (we're talking the C3 era here) with my personal favourites being the '74-'82 models. When I was about 11yrs old and we were living in Sask at the time I remember sending off a letter to a Sask based Corvette Club asking if I could be an honourary member and damned if I didn't get a letter back with a membership card, decal and a warm welcome! Still remember how excited I was the day that letter arrived.

I promised myself that one day I would get me a Corvette, but then life stepped in and there was always an excuse not to pull the trigger... pregnant wife, kids needing clothes, house needing repairs, etc. But I had also bought my first motorcycle at 19 and for the next 39yrs they always had priority for any extra cash lying around after all the bills were paid (and sometimes when the bills were not paid). I still admired the Corvette, but could never justify/afford the cost of adding one to my stable.

Earlier this year that all changed when I received a settlement from Veteran's Affairs for a work related disease and suddenly I had a bit of money to spare. A brief but intense search was launched for a C3, which was abandoned after realising there weren't many around my area that didn't require a lot of work to get up to par and I so started looking at the C5/C6 era. Just wasn't interested in the C4's at all, mostly because of the wonky space age dash and the "doorstop wedge" styling. Don't mean to insult anyone who has one, I'm just sayin'. Anyway, in late Sep this year I found a nice (or so it seemed at first) '97 coupe about 1.5hrs away and after viewing it decided to buy it. It wasn't until a few days after taking possession that I found out the many issues it had. Several weeks and about $3k later it is almost where I want it to be, just needs to have the paintwork buffed (so many scratches!), the RFA module replaced (TPMS and keyfob issues) and the cause of the 1-2 bangshift sorted out.

I've put a little over 2000km on her so far and every time I take her for a spin I can't help but smile. It is everything I'd hoped it would be and now I really wish I had been able to get one when I was younger.

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happy said:

Never owned a vette and can’t recall ever driving one. Longed after old style NSX ever since they came out. Chased a few and watched the values march up.
In February, having chased another one, got to thinking about the C8 vs a 15 to 25 year old NXX
Appealing stying, better performance, better handling, better braking, nearly the same $ as for a good NSX, and a warranty. What’s not to like?
Order went in early March for Z51 LT2.
Delivered early September.
I raced open wheel for 18 years. Sold the race car 3 years ago. Had an itch to scratch and the C8 does it.
Only got out for one track session. Easier to push the C8 than my open wheel car ( and easier to get in and out) Very pleased with my choice.
Happy at a young 66.

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JR410 said:

Put the deposit for 50th birthday gift. I was going to get a new Porsche Cayman S..... but when the C8 dropped, it was a no brainer. I have always had modest ”sports cars” older 911’s, BMW Z4 3.0, old Lotus Europa & replica super 7, early Miata. But years ago I drove a Nissan 200sx race car with an LT1 swap, and I was hooked on the V8....... I wish the C8 had three pedals, but it’s an amazing car, and even my non-Z51 handles much better than I expected. I always thought I would get a Ferrari at one point, no need, the C8 is SO much better than any Ferrari or exotic I could afford, and it can be repaired without the sale of an internal organ.....

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happy said:

Never owned a vette and can’t recall ever driving one. Longed after old style NSX ever since they came out. Chased a few and watched the values march up.
In February, having chased another one, got to thinking about the C8 vs a 15 to 25 year old NXX
Appealing stying, better performance, better handling, better braking, nearly the same $ as for a good NSX, and a warranty. What’s not to like?
Order went in early March for Z51 LT2.
Delivered early September.
I raced open wheel for 18 years. Sold the race car 3 years ago. Had an itch to scratch and the C8 does it.
Only got out for one track session. Easier to push the C8 than my open wheel car ( and easier to get in and out) Very pleased with my choice.
Happy at a young 66.

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happy said:

Gorgeous NSX. Stock?

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Dale124 said:

Hi all. I was wondering what made you choose to buy a Corvette? There are lots of sports cars out there, so, why the ‘Vette? Had you tried other sports cars first?
Personally, I had loved and wanted one since I was a kid, and it finally happened, very recently.
I would always say that if I won the lottery, I would have a new ‘Vette the next day. Lamborghini, Ferrari, Mclaren, etc, are nice, but I would still gravitate to the Corvette. I just LOVE them.
There is a movie called “I am Legend”, where Will Smith is the only person left in a city full of zombie like creatures. He ended up driving a new Mustang. I would always think that if that was me, I would be heading down to the Chevy dealership and pick me out a new ‘Vette.
Sorry for the rant, but any replies would be appreciated.
Dale.

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SN3 said:

I don’t know specifically WHY I bought my Corvette
as I have not really been the same person ever since
now I hang out with a bunch of new friends that are really really weird
… scary part is that I blend right in

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Dale124 said:

Hi all. I was wondering what made you choose to buy a Corvette? There are lots of sports cars out there, so, why the ‘Vette? Had you tried other sports cars first?
Personally, I had loved and wanted one since I was a kid, and it finally happened, very recently.
I would always say that if I won the lottery, I would have a new ‘Vette the next day. Lamborghini, Ferrari, Mclaren, etc, are nice, but I would still gravitate to the Corvette. I just LOVE them.
There is a movie called “I am Legend”, where Will Smith is the only person left in a city full of zombie like creatures. He ended up driving a new Mustang. I would always think that if that was me, I would be heading down to the Chevy dealership and pick me out a new ‘Vette.
Sorry for the rant, but any replies would be appreciated.
Dale.

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Cobravenomous said:

Did you mean "Red Skyline?"

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Cobravenomous said:

Great question and everyone's story is either humorous and/or interesting.

I would like to answer your question since no one has yet regarding the car choice for the Will Smith movie "I Am Legend". The movie was produced/made in 2007. The C-6 Corvette in 2007 had a 6.0 litre engine producing 400 horse power. That same year the Shelby GT500 however had a potent 5.4 litre engine putting out a smashing 500 horse power. My recollection is that those were big numbers back then and to have that menacing "Cobra Snake" emblem on your front quarters and grill was ever so intimidating to any challengers ha ha.

I also agree with Derek being that Dodge Vipers aren't seen in the same way the American public views the Mustang and the Corvette. The Dodge Viper also didn't produce a 2007 model and simply extended the 2006 model production having a 8.3 litre displacement producing 510 horsepower. So not surprisingly the Shelby GT500 (Mustang) was selected for the movie!

So why did I buy a Corvette? I have been a car guy ever since my first car ride in the family car ha ha. When I was just a teenager each September I would get on my bicycle with my best buddy and we would cruise the dealership lots for the new arrivals. You see back in the sixtys the dealerships would always hide the new model years inventory at the back of their lots, whether that was to continue to retail last years inventory or simply to better prepare for the big event showcasing the new models, I don't know.

I was still a teenager walking home from the corner store and the kid who lived up the streets' older brother was backing out of their driveway. He was driving a dark blue almost black 1964 C-2 with "Sidewinder" pipes. When he completed backing up, now he was directly across from me, some 20' away. I remember he looked across the passenger seat at me (I was on his right), smiled at me, and then he let it rip. All I remember was that it was a standard transmission, he shifted from first to second but with all the tire smoke, and screaming of the engine the car looked as if it was standing still. I also recall seeing two strips of rubber, then none, then two more strips when second gear kicked in. Well that was the beginning of, "I gotta get me a Corvette!"

My first car which I purchased in 1974 off my mechanic friend with whom I worked was a 1970 Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack! Oh how I loved that car! It was totalled in 1979, while parked in front of my house by a drunk driver.

Jump ahead twenty years, married now with two children, those being a twelve year old daughter and nine year old son. After nagging my wife for years about buying a sports car she finally caved in and said go buy it. Oh how I wanted a new Corvette, however my dilemma was the wife said any sports car you want as long as it has a back seat for the kids. Well I purchased a brand new 98 SVT Cobra Convertible. It wasn't a Corvette however it was still a fun car, that at the time I thought had good get up and go!

Oh I forgot, back in 1969, along with four or five other Boy Scouts on a weekend venture to Detroit to catch a baseball game, I was billeted by someone who had connections at one of the local GM Dealerships. The morning before the game we were treated to all go view new cars at the dealership. I remember in the showroom there was this magnet of a car, calling out my name. There in the front showroom was this "Gold" 69 C-3. I recall asking the salesman if I could sit in it, and surprisingly he let me. That feeling of, "I need a Corvette" struck again!

Jump ahead twenty more years, its 2018 now. I had been literally hammering my wife for about six months now requesting her permission to let me go buy my dream car (Corvette). So much time passed that the 2018 Waltkins Glen Grey was no longer available. You see I was building my car on GM's website almost daily. Configure it this way, then that way! Well so much time passed that now you could no longer order a 2018 Corvette and the Watkins Glen colour was not available in the 2019 model year. So I started building a Long Beach Red Metallic Tintcoat, ha ha! I was considering retirement and it was October now. I went to my wife and said look, I'm retiring at the end of the year however if you let me buy my Corvette I'll stay on and work another year to pay off the car so that I'm not dipping into the nest egg. This was October 03rd, she had enough of my nagging and she finally said, "go buy it", but she didn't mean it, she was just fed up with me. Well October 04th I was at the dealership and ordered my new Corvette, ha ha. Car arrived late April just like they said!

No regrets, and the wife likes it too..........just took her a while ha ha.

Cobra

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davidbilton said:

The "why" is because I am almost 81 years old, and I had never owned a Corvette.

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Gummiente said:

I'm not sure at what age I became a fan of the Corvette, but apparently I used to give my Dad near heart attacks when I was about 8yrs old any time I saw one while we were out in the family car. "OOOHHH, LOOK!!!" from out of the blue in the back seat would startle my Dad every time. There was just something about the shape of them that set me off (we're talking the C3 era here) with my personal favourites being the '74-'82 models. When I was about 11yrs old and we were living in Sask at the time I remember sending off a letter to a Sask based Corvette Club asking if I could be an honourary member and damned if I didn't get a letter back with a membership card, decal and a warm welcome! Still remember how excited I was the day that letter arrived.

I promised myself that one day I would get me a Corvette, but then life stepped in and there was always an excuse not to pull the trigger... pregnant wife, kids needing clothes, house needing repairs, etc. But I had also bought my first motorcycle at 19 and for the next 39yrs they always had priority for any extra cash lying around after all the bills were paid (and sometimes when the bills were not paid). I still admired the Corvette, but could never justify/afford the cost of adding one to my stable.

Earlier this year that all changed when I received a settlement from Veteran's Affairs for a work related disease and suddenly I had a bit of money to spare. A brief but intense search was launched for a C3, which was abandoned after realising there weren't many around my area that didn't require a lot of work to get up to par and I so started looking at the C5/C6 era. Just wasn't interested in the C4's at all, mostly because of the wonky space age dash and the "doorstop wedge" styling. Don't mean to insult anyone who has one, I'm just sayin'. Anyway, in late Sep this year I found a nice (or so it seemed at first) '97 coupe about 1.5hrs away and after viewing it decided to buy it. It wasn't until a few days after taking possession that I found out the many issues it had. Several weeks and about $3k later it is almost where I want it to be, just needs to have the paintwork buffed (so many scratches!), the RFA module replaced (TPMS and keyfob issues) and the cause of the 1-2 bangshift sorted out.

I've put a little over 2000km on her so far and every time I take her for a spin I can't help but smile. It is everything I'd hoped it would be and now I really wish I had been able to get one when I was younger.

View attachment 45000

Click to expand...