Thought about returning in a c5

I had a 93 vette vert and a 96. Loved the 96. Sold it to get a newer one. Found a newer one buy the money was spent already on stuff like.... mortgage

Anyway, ready to jump back in. I drove a 07 vert in Florida. Great ride fantastic performance and comfort. BTW, dont like the paddle shift, it is not real or even close to ferrari like shifters. Anyway, I would get a stick.

Today I took a test drive in a 00 vert with 6 spd 29K miles. Real fast car. I have to say, it felt kind of sloppy. My 93 car had a lot of flex is it was a convertible. The 96 was much better and real fun to drive. This 00 just made me feel like I was on a ride rather then part of the car. I was .... kind of scared and did not think it would be fun to really drive. You know what I mean drive drive, not go for a lunch date with the mrs. but take some turns and really drive. Dont get me wrong, it had raw power and if not for traction control, I would have had to pay for tires. Top down was great, stereo was fine and I love heads up display. Plenty to like.

The owner pulls up in a red m3 bmw. I have never driven one. Always thought they looked great. He said I could test drive it. Both cars were around $25K. The engine in this thing was smooth as silk. Seating position was sedan like and easy to get in and out. Seats top notch. Back seat, well forget that, but is was 2x better then a 911 seating. Precise stearing and very comfortable ride. Con: Shifter was numb.

I am really leaning towards the BMW. Sure maintenance is scary but I hardly use these cars.

If you have any opinions, please let me know. BTW, I did not plan to look at the BMW. My plan for today was to pick between a early c5 corvette and a 87-89 911 carerra 2. If anyone has experience with the

911, I would really like to hear it.
Reply to
rebco10
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It comes down to : Do you want a Family Car or a Sports Car (an M3 or a Corvette) ? Lastly, had you taken that 2000 Vette thru some turns , you would have found out about its superior handling in addition to raw power. Motor Trend said the Corvette outhandles the Viper even.

I think you need to hold off on your purchase until you have given my question much more thought. Let us know what you ultimately decided on.

Dave

Reply to
Dave in Lake Villa

Tires on the 00?

7 year-old originals?
Reply to
ACAR

Hey Dave.

Please no flames. I am a Corvette fan. The M3 stats up very close to vette. Look. My point was the vette seemed so disconnected with the driver.

2001 BMW (E46) M3 Year 2001 Make BMW Model (E46) M3 Engine Location Front Drive Type Rear Wheel Production Years for Series 2001 - Price $45,500.00 Weight 3020 lbs | 1369.9 kg Introduced At 2000 Paris Motor Show

Performance

0-60 mph 4.8 seconds. 1/4 Mile 13.2-13.3 seconds. Top Speed 155 mph | 249.4 km/h Similar top speeds

Engine Engine Configuration I Cylinders 6 Aspiration/Induction Normal Displacement 3.00 L | 183.1 cu in. | 3001 cc. Valvetrain DOHC Horsepower 330.00 HP (242.9 KW) Torque 255.00 Ft-Lbs (345.8 NM) @ 4900.00 RPM HP to Weight Ratio 9.2 LB / HP (Vehicles with similar ratio) HP / Liter 110.0 BHP / Liter Vehicles with similar horsepower and weight

Transmission Information Gears 6 Transmission Manual

Dimensions Seating Capacity 4 Exterior Length 176.701 in | 4488.2 mm. Width 69.201 in | 1757.7 mm. Height 54.001 in | 1371.6 mm. Wheelbase 107.301 in | 2725.4 mm. Vehicles with similar dimensions

2000 Chevrolet Corvette C5 Year 2000 Make Chevrolet Model Corvette C5 Engine Location Front Drive Type Rear Wheel Production Years for Series 1997 - 2003 Price $38,895.00 Weight 3218 lbs | 1459.7 kg

Performance

0-60 mph 4.8 seconds. 1/4 Mile 13.3 seconds. Top Speed 172 mph | 276.7 km/h Similar top speeds

Engine Engine Configuration V Cylinders 8 Aspiration/Induction Normal Displacement 5680.00 cc | 346.6 cu in. | 5.7 L. Valvetrain OHV Horsepower 345.00 BHP (253.9 KW) @ 5600.00 RPM Torque 350.00 Ft-Lbs (474.6 NM) @ 4400.00 RPM HP to Weight Ratio 9.3 LB / HP (Vehicles with similar ratio) HP / Liter 60.5 BHP / Liter Vehicles with similar horsepower and weight

Transmission Information Gears 6 Transmission Manual

I took the vette around lots of side roads and turns. That is what bothered me. It seems to lose composure

Reply to
rebco10

Good question. Needed tires in back.

Reply to
rebco10

You compare this car to others knowing it's rear drive and needs rear tires? Even if it wasn't a Vette, it would not be a fair comparision. What an idiot.

Reply to
SS

'Please no flames. I am a Corvette fan. The M3 stats up very close to vette. Look.'

REPLY: I regret that you took it as a flame ; not my intention. I can see you like Corvettes. The Corvette is americas icon sports car while the M3 is obviously a 4 seater family car , albiet, a well made car im sure . The stats may be simular but thats not what defines a sports car . Like the other Poster eluded to : change out the 7 year old Corvette tires for some Michelin PS2's and the car takes on a totally new personality . On my 2006, i swapped out the RunFlats for a set of same size PS2's which improved handling, markedly, and made the ride quieter.

Reply to
Dave in Lake Villa

Thats cute.... calling me an idiot! The tires on the M3 were equal wear to the ride on the Vette. The 65% worn tires are not going to have that much affect on the feel of the car, the suspension travel and the rigity of the package. It will have a part.

Dont call me an idiot, you dont know me and I strongly doubt I would meet you in any of my social circles.

Reply to
rebco10

You might be surprised if we had to compare net worths but I still say you sound like an idiot expecting a sports car to handle well on a rear drive with worn rubber. But heck buy what you want. I don't really care.

Reply to
SS

Dear Sir. You use a venue where your name and location is hidden, and flame without instigation. You are not an idiot or an ass. Just imature. I beg of you to please not respond to any of my topics. I use this sight for assistance and really can not waste my valuable time. If you continue to name call, then great. At least you get you vent here instead of at home.

Reply to
rebco10

We had an lt4 and have driven the M3. Both are great. The m3 is much more refined like a precision machine. If it is quality, composure, go with BMW and of course 4 real seats. The Vette is brute force. The Vette feels like a chevy. It is plastic and rough and well that is part of the beauty.

Reply to
eztalk4u

the corvette is fast, great value, all american, iconic

the 911 is heaven, it bonds with the driver's soul like no other car can

Reply to
name

This is not accurate. Tire performance is not all about tread depth.

7 year old tires worn 65% will not perform the same as 1 year old tires worn 65%. 7 year old tires should not be on any sports car regardless of tread depth. Tires play a HUGE role in the way a car feels.

Years ago I taught my kids this lesson with a Toyota Corolla. On OEM tires the car was a poor handler, it wandered at speed and was very sensitive to cross winds and poor pavement. The ABS seemed not to work very well. Then I put a set of high performance Pirelli tires on the car. Everything changed. They couldn't believe it was the same car. They wore out those Pirellis in 20,000 miles but they learned a bit about driving.

Reply to
ACAR

You might want to test drive a Cayman. It's mid-engine layout has some advantages over the 911. (Some rumors are circulating that GM is seriously considering a mid-engined Corvette.)

You should not test drive a Ferrari.

Reply to
ACAR

Years (mid 80's) ago I purchased an new Audi 5000 for my daily driver came with Pirellis from the Factory.... WIFE liked (loved) that car so darn much she purchased an identical car (different) color for herself about a month afterward.

Long story short... Her car was delivered with Continential Tires.

Cars drove completely different, ...The following week "we" mounted a set of Pirelles on her car and she smiles for close to

200000 miles ....

Tires make a BIG difference...

Bob G.

64 72 & 98 Convertibles 76 & 79 Coupes
Reply to
Bob G.

I have a '96 and an '03. I know what you mean about the handling. The 03 feels very much like you are perched on it. The 96 feels like you are snuggled into it. The 96 GSC tires are slightly stickier than the EMT's on the 03. I think that's why the Z06's don't use the EMT's. The 96 is heavier with more body roll but slightly better pitch and yaw stability in corners and much better yaw stability when braking, especially on uneven pavement. Awhile back I read a comment from someone who raced C5's professionally. As I recall, he said that you have to just have faith that the C5 will get through the corner as you don't get much feedback. I drive both the 96 and the 03 every week and through the same turns. The best description I can give of the difference is that at

50 MPH on a typical cloverleaf loop, the 03 is busier than the 96.
Reply to
bob.kirkpatrick

ferrari is great - it captures so much emotion for the driver like no other car can...specially with its hot interior, and sexy engine sound but it's expensive, high maintenance and can be bitchy easily

i've read about the mid-engine vette in a magazine...i've seriously considered the pros/cons...and i say, corvette should stick with it's front-engine design placement

call me a traditionalist, but the only porsche i like is the 911 carerras - specially the king, the Turbo. i don't care for much for the boxster, cayman, suv, or carrera gt

Reply to
name

Change the tires.....

Reply to
ZÿRiX

If mid-engined is the way Corvette has to go in order to shed weight - then so be it. Ever increasing HP is gonna send insurance rates even higher. Corvette has to find another way to boost performance. A mid-engined platform should also allow for an AWD option. I'd certainly go for that!

Traditionalists will have the new Camaro by the time the C7 comes out.

Reply to
ACAR

a mid-engine vette won't decrease weight, nor increase 0-60 time it says so in the article....if anything, it'll just add cost for the sake of being 'exotic'

i think it was the latest isssue of Road and Track. (forgot which magazine specifically, i subscribe to many)

pure race, track cars should be rear-wheel drive.

Reply to
Lawrence Lugar

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