the new C6 corvette sucks.

[lemming]

i'm horribly disappointed.

first, let me admit that i am unsure of how much separation there is between a base c5 and the z06 "package" ==>probably significant.

but the c6 with the Z51 package sucks out loud. i can only hope that the handling package that comes with the c6 z06 is okay.

i am unsure now of how "good" the 997 S package is if it can be edged out by the c6 z51 in any comparison. what i drove flat out sucked and the 997 base or 997 S should handily be able to outdo the c6 z51 in competent hands.

[zach]

Originally Posted by lemming

i'm horribly disappointed.

first, let me admit that i am unsure of how much separation there is between a base c5 and the z06 "package" ==>probably significant.

but the c6 with the Z51 package sucks out loud. i can only hope that the handling package that comes with the c6 z06 is okay.

i am unsure now of how "good" the 997 S package is if it can be edged out by the c6 z51 in any comparison. what i drove flat out sucked and the 997 base or 997 S should handily be able to outdo the c6 z51 in competent hands.

First of all, I can't believe you used the phrase "sucks out loud". That is my phrase.

Secondly, after seeing a 997 S on the road the other day, I'm sold. I want one.

[Jason C]

Originally Posted by lemming

what i drove flat out sucked

Please provide further details.

[lemming]

Originally Posted by Captain Morgan

Please provide further details.

well. let's see.

PRO's:
the seats are superior and hold you in place.

the clutch takeup is light.

the shifter throw is improved.

CON's:
the engine/throttle response is lousy.

the brakes feel mushy and the brake pedal feel is terrible.

body roll is unacceptable.

understeer rules the day until it breaks loose and then something about the way the rear suspension is tuned or the rear diff. or the springs suck because putting the power down unwinding from an apex the car is so much looser than the c5 z06.

steering is more buick than sports car.

they've made it insanely quiet so it sounds more like a lexus than a pushrod v8, even at WOT.

while i was at the school, there were two computer failures and many tire problems.

this is another thing that i think sucks out loud: the runflat tires on the c6 z51 suck compared to the tires that are OEM on the c5 z06.

________________

i hope that i didn't miss anything. these things all played out in laptimes where the differential (same driver/different car/same track) ranged from 1.5 seconds to 3 seconds per lap.

[FC]

I was a C6 cheerleader from the beginning (purely because it looked a lot better/compact, and because of its bang/buck ratio), but after the reviews I got the feeling that it is not a tremendous driver's experience.

The Porsches (997 and 987) are both being reviewed as having an incredible driving experience. For some reason I am getting turned off the 911(S). They are clearly Porsche's cash cows. I already get into enough trouble with my 330i, so (not that I get to make that choice, but...) I rather own a Boxster S. Sublime handling, decent power, a drop top (or coupe in a Cayman), amazing brakes, all for low to mid 50K. And a base Boxster can be had for C6 money.

Add the "image" and the fact that my wife doesn't care for it, and the C6 is out of the game. Conversely, my wife is already yearning to do another ED trip and loves the Boxster.

The base 987 was soo much fun to drive, I can only imagine a Boxster S or any Cayman variant would be trully amazing. They all have sufficient low end torque for me, so that is what I am dreaming of next.

[lemming]

i just don't understand how the 997 S is not convincingly better, regardless of price.

[FC]

Originally Posted by stuka

PAG charges for the "priviledge" of DE. For the Turbo, it's 10K for the priviledge, plus the refundable 17% VAT on the price of the car that you have to front.

If your wife cars about the image, does she know that Boxster with tippy magic tronic slushie is the quintessential housewife's car here?

Oh, and that warning about no R tires because our ill designed cheap engine will be starved of oil during cornering?

ED on a Boxster is ~1K and from what I hear, often waived by the dealer.

The car would be for me, not my wife. And it will have a 6-speed. And not many housewifes have Boxsters here. Actually, not many Boxsters here in general.

This has been beaten to death, but while I agree dry sumps are better, you cannot possibly think that all wet-sump engines suck. And I do know about the RMS issue. That is what the warranty is for.

I can see the point as valid when there are people paying close to 100K for a wet sump 997S vs getting a GT3 if they plan on tracking the car, but at the $50K-level wet sumps are all you are going to get. And as far as oil starvation on wet sump engines go, I'd think that the P-engines would fare better than most other wet-sump engines, all else being equal.

[lemming]

Originally Posted by stuka

You know if I was the one who posted that the C6 sucks out loud, the defenders of Great Detroit will just dismiss it as my "unfounded bias" against the pillar of American economy and industry.

With regards to the 997, it should be dismissed because it's nothing more than a more expensive version of Boxster taht PAG tries to pass off to the public as car that has something to do with their cup car that has a real motor in it.

Let's hope that the new M3 won't weight five gazzilion tons that effectively kills whatever speed advantage that its V8 has.

i do not doubt that the c6 z51 is a helluva car in a straightline because the shifter is better and the engine has more torque lower in the power band plus a lighter clutch. so i'm not surprised that some have gotten it in the 4.2-4.4 second range with high 12's for the 1/4 mile. but if that's all that i cared about, then i'd be more than happy with a solid axle rear car like the buick grand national or something.

it was an incredibly sloppy car on the track and they're going to have to revise the way that they tune their z51 package because that car was a big time joke. now i'm curious as to how the select-a-ride magneto-suspension works compared to the z51.

i'm disappointed in the lack of a true dry sump design in the higher-end porsche cars; not surprised about the wet sump or semi-dry sump designs in the entry level and mid-level cars. it jacks up their profit margins in a big way. i think if they try enough engineering with enough different baffles and auxillary pumps, they make be able to make the semi-dry design work all right. BMW has figured it out so maybe Porsche will, also.

i already know the viper sucks, the c6 z51 sucks, so if the new z06 sucks, then i'm headed back to deutsche-land for a sports car, i suppose. i've already decided to keep the c5 no matter what.

[John V]

Originally Posted by lemming

i'm horribly disappointed.

first, let me admit that i am unsure of how much separation there is between a base c5 and the z06 "package" ==>probably significant.

but the c6 with the Z51 package sucks out loud. i can only hope that the handling package that comes with the c6 z06 is okay.

i am unsure now of how "good" the 997 S package is if it can be edged out by the c6 z51 in any comparison. what i drove flat out sucked and the 997 base or 997 S should handily be able to outdo the c6 z51 in competent hands.

I'm bummed to read this - because I love the exterior and interior of the C6 so much. After seeing one in person, I'm not sure I could still own a C5 Z06. The interior was that much nicer.

The C6 Z51 we saw in Atlanta (ASP) was running 18" wheels front and rear with Hoosiers. Not a whole lot of body roll on this one, and it had been lowered slightly using the factory adjustment. It put down power very well with the R-comps. I think the stock run-flats are a big detriment.

Bummer that the driving experience is less involving. When sales cool down a bit I'll have to find a dealer willing to give a test drive.

JV

[Alan]

Originally Posted by mbr129

I was a C6 cheerleader from the beginning (purely because it looked a lot better/compact, and because of its bang/buck ratio), but after the reviews I got the feeling that it is not a tremendous driver's experience.

The Porsches (997 and 987) are both being reviewed as having an incredible driving experience. For some reason I am getting turned off the 911(S). They are clearly Porsche's cash cows. I already get into enough trouble with my 330i, so (not that I get to make that choice, but...) I rather own a Boxster S. Sublime handling, decent power, a drop top (or coupe in a Cayman), amazing brakes, all for low to mid 50K. And a base Boxster can be had for C6 money.

Add the "image" and the fact that my wife doesn't care for it, and the C6 is out of the game. Conversely, my wife is already yearning to do another ED trip and loves the Boxster.

The base 987 was soo much fun to drive, I can only imagine a Boxster S or any Cayman variant would be trully amazing. They all have sufficient low end torque for me, so that is what I am dreaming of next.

You should really drive the Corvette before making the decision. You might be very surprised by how great it is. The biggest problem with cars like the Corvette and Boxster is no backseat for your children.

One other car you should consider would be the Mercedes SLK though I don't know if you are the type of person to want the stodgy image of a MB