At what age and why did you buy a Corvette?

[Dale124]

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.

 

[ddgermann]

Corvette is the only car in its North American class that has been and remains a true sports car. I have had mustangs as well but they have never had the attractiveness or handling characteristics as a Corvette in any generation. However now this is changing on both fronts. Ford has remained dedicated to its mustang faithful and have delivered some really potent and attractive cars recently. For Dodge the Viper is a great car but doesn’t have the legacy following the Corvette or Mustang have.

So growing up it was wow look at that Corvette for me. The Corvette has always been a milestone in “cool looking and fast car” for me. As I was driving around in Mustangs, Camaros, Trans Ams and even a 280Z Turbo; I always knew I would one day have a Corvette. When I could afford to walk in and pay cash was the day my dream came true. 3 Corvettes later... I’m as thrilled owning and especially driving this car as I hoped and knew I would be. Not a status thing as pickups are more expensive than some corvettes these days; just the feel of driving this fantastic car and the knowledge the dream came true. A great feeling indeed.

 

[BDK]

I have always been a car guy.. When I was younger I bought a 70 Challenger RT 383 magnum brand new.. I have had a 69 Chevelle, a 74 MGB, A 73 MGB, a Sky Redline and could not afford a Corvette. A buddy of mine bought a corvette and until then I had never even ridden in one. He let me drive it and I was bitten by the bug..And bought my first Corvette that year. The rest is history..

 

[Black 03 Z06]

Bought my C5 off the dealers floor without ever driving one. The only other Corvette I had driven was a 70's something big block with a four speed.

My first car was an Austin Healey 3000 with a small block chev so hot rod sports cars were always an interest to me. Really like the look of the C5 and the C5Z, it was a toss up between a blue convertible and the back Z. Horsepower won out.

Enjoy your car Dale. Glad your issue got sorted out.

 

[CorvetteRon]

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.

My brother was the sales manager for a GM dealer and was always trying to get me to switch from my European sports cars.
I said the only car I would consider was a 'Vette, and I didn't care about all the options, and not an automatic.
He found a base 4 speed with few options and sold it to me at his cost.
I still have it, 45 years later!

 

[LE BARON]

Corvette is the only car in its North American class that has been and remains a true sports car. I have had mustangs as well but they have never had the attractiveness or handling characteristics as a Corvette in any generation. However now this is changing on both fronts. Ford has remained dedicated to its mustang faithful and have delivered some really potent and attractive cars recently. For Dodge the Viper is a great car but doesn’t have the legacy following the Corvette or Mustang have.

So growing up it was wow look at that Corvette for me. The Corvette has always been a milestone in “cool looking and fast car” for me. As I was driving around in Mustangs, Camaros, Trans Ams and even a 280Z Turbo; I always knew I would one day have a Corvette. When I could afford to walk in and pay cash was the day my dream came true. 3 Corvettes later... I’m as thrilled owning and especially driving this car as I hoped and knew I would be. Not a status thing as pickups are more expensive than some corvettes these days; just the feel of driving this fantastic car and the knowledge the dream came true. A great feeling indeed.

Well spoken Derek!

 

[LE BARON]

Pretty similar to Derek except I never had anything other than family cars. Nothing appealed to me other than a Corvette.
I can't get over how fortunate I am to be not only driving one but also meeting fellow Corvette drivers like Derek (MITM). One thing in common is that we all seem to love our cars irrespective of its age and take good care of them. A few of my neighbours have asked why I clean the Corvette so often - usually after each drive if there are sufficient blood and guts (bugs) on the front end. My only response is - Have you ever seen a dirty Corvette?
So enjoy the car, enjoy the ride and to top it all off enjoy the great bunch of fellow Corvette drivers you will meet.

 

[MikeysZ06]

For the chicks Dale. No other reason really.

Nah. Like everyone else,my passion started pretty young. I was a 15 year old hanging out with some buddies near a 7/11 store when a blue 76 coupe pulled in. When the guy got out I simply said “ Nice car man”.

He replied with a thank you and went into the store. Upon him coming out,I was looking inside at his T roof setup and curious how they came off. He asked me if I wanted to go for a short drive around the block type thing. It didn’t take me much to jump at that chance.

I told my friends I’d be right back and since then,I knew it was the car that someday I’d hope to own and drive. I still have a weak spot for 76s,to this day.

Mine sits ready for a drive west later today.

 

[JCWP]

WOW! Same story for me. Growing up there were two cars I loved: the corvette and the mustang - in particular the 428 cobra - i worked with a guy that had one! Fast forward to move to Vancouver B.C. - bought a 79 T top corvette - GF/wife got pregnant - moved to the burbs - sold vette to a police officer that pulled me over to tell me he really liked my car. Many years later a 96 collectors edition vert, the 2003 C5 vert which I traded in for my current C7. I between (96 & 03)I bought my Mustang - Shelby GT 500 vert which I kept for 6 years. Next, I hope, the C8 which will be my last vette unless I can buy one in heaven or hell - LOL.

 

[AxeZ06]

I was, maybe 10 yrs old. My bedroom window faced the next dr neighbours driveway / garage. He was a motorhead, so was his uncle. He had a C2, uncle had a '66 Avanti. They raced the C2. I spent countless hours, just staring at that C2, the Avanti was cool, but I craved that Vet.
Grew up wanting any Corvette, but sport bikes got in the way.
Fast forward to last May.
Dr gave me a 50/50 of surviving, so, I did what would any crazy person would do.... I bought my Corvette.
Happy to say, my health is great, and so is the car.

 

[JCWP]

Nice story AxeZ06: enjoy the ride. I guess you will soon be putting her to bed for 7 months eh? When you decided to buy you sure went all out - good on you!!! We only go around once.

 

[LE BARON]

I was, maybe 10 yrs old. My bedroom window faced the next dr neighbours driveway / garage. He was a motorhead, so was his uncle. He had a C2, uncle had a '66 Avanti. They raced the C2. I spent countless hours, just staring at that C2, the Avanti was cool, but I craved that Vet.
Grew up wanting any Corvette, but sport bikes got in the way.
Fast forward to last May.
Dr gave me a 50/50 of surviving, so, I did what would any crazy person would do.... I bought my Corvette.
Happy to say, my health is great, and so is the car.

Maybe the Corvette saved your life! You are enjoying it.

 

[frankmp]

Hi all. I was wondering what made you choose to buy a Corvette? .....l.any replies would be appreciated.
Dale.

Wife keeps asking each time I bought one if it makes me feel 18 again. I replied .....

 

[Dale124]

I was, maybe 10 yrs old. My bedroom window faced the next dr neighbours driveway / garage. He was a motorhead, so was his uncle. He had a C2, uncle had a '66 Avanti. They raced the C2. I spent countless hours, just staring at that C2, the Avanti was cool, but I craved that Vet.
Grew up wanting any Corvette, but sport bikes got in the way.
Fast forward to last May.
Dr gave me a 50/50 of surviving, so, I did what would any crazy person would do.... I bought my Corvette.
Happy to say, my health is great, and so is the car.

Wow! That is quite the story. I’m glad all is good now.

 

[tyho]

Looks, performance, affordability, ease of maintenance, able to mod and just enjoyment. I was looking at a 2-3 year old Porsche 911 turbo prior to buying my C7. My mechanic said if anything breaks, get ready to spend some serious money. After ingesting the potential of spending thousands more, the toss up between the vette and the Porsche went to the domestic cars favour. No regrets.

 

[rammer]

Have always loved cars and bikes . In 75 I owned a 74 corvette loved it . Also owned a formula 400 Firebird , a Mach 1 Mustang ( not all at the same time ) but loved the vette the most . Went practical when I got married and had kids . But filled my need for speed on two wheels . Retired this year and sold my bike as most riding was to work . As soon as I sold it I started looking at vetts and fell in love with an 05 . Love the car

 

[YFCvii]

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

 

[Cobravenomous]

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

 

[Cobravenomous]

I have always been a car guy.. When I was younger I bought a 70 Challenger RT 383 magnum brand new.. I have had a 69 Chevelle, a 74 MGB, A 73 MGB, a Sky Redline and could not afford a Corvette. A buddy of mine bought a corvette and until then I had never even ridden in one. He let me drive it and I was bitten by the bug..And bought my first Corvette that year. The rest is history..

Did you mean "Red Skyline?"

 

[Dale124]

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

Wow! Now THATS a story. Lots to digest there.
Thanks.