World Class Performance At Affordable Pricing

I received my new 2005 C6 Corvette coupe on 10/27/04....ordered sight unseen. I have never been a "Corvette guy" even though I have always loved driving sports cars. I've owned a BMW Z3 and Z4, Miatas, even a Datsun 2000 over the years, but only one Corvette. That car, a 1977 that I bought used, was a heavy, sloppy, and slow rattle trap. I never owned another Corvette after that.

What first drew me to this car was its styling. Almost Ferrari like in its front end, the C6 has a sharp and meaningful look that I never saw in previous versions. While older Corvettes looked okay to me, this car looks just plain gorgeous. Buying a car based on looks...and a few car magazine reviews...can be a recipe for disaster, so I awaited delivery with more than a little anxiety. Would the new C6 be as good as claimed, or just another over-hyped GM product? I'm happy to say that GM really got this one right. The C6 has restored my faith in GM. Yes, GM CAN make a world class car.

My Corvette is equipped with the 1SB option package, which includes the HUD (Heads UP Display), power telescoping steering wheel, heated seats, power lumbar and side bolsters on the leather seats, memory seats, 6 CD player, upgraded Bose stereo system, and an auto dimming rear view mirror with compass. Other amenities such as CD, basic power seats, auto climate control, and tilt wheel are standard even if you don't opt for the option package. OnStar, XM satellite radio, and NAV can also be added as stand-alone options.

I also opted for the Z51 suspension package which adds more aggressive rubber, bigger brakes, transmission cooler, lower gearing, and stiffer shocks and anti-sway bars. At $1495 it's a tremendous bargain. In keeping with my personal vision of a high performance car, I also went with the 6 speed manual transmission. A four speed automatic is a no cost option.

Driving this car is an experience no one who loves cars should miss. It is a blast! Now I know that's a subjective opinion and not very analytical....but it's a blast! I really enjoyed all my open top roadsters, but none of them can compare to the sheer thrill of being behind the wheel of this car. On paper, a 400hp small block V8 with 400 foot pounds of torque sounds interesting. When you're the one stepping on the gas, however, it's simply thrilling. Acceleration is breathtaking and will push you back in your seat every time you floor it. (The factory claims 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds, 12.7 second 1/4 mile, and 186 mph top speed). With traction control off, and if you're not prudent, the tires will simply spin silently and toss the rear end out. As far as brute force is concerned, this car is a beast. Let me quickly add that when driven in a more subdued manner, this car feels like a tight sport sedan. It can be easily driven in stop and go traffic, and can loaf along all day at less than 2,000 rpm while maintaining legal highway speeds. Perhaps "docile beast" would be a more accurate description.

Surprisingly, with the Z51 package, the C6 handles very much like a good sports car should when pushed through the turns. The HUD can provide a "G" lateral force meter that will show you just how much you're pushing the car through those turns. Ride quality is impressive for a sport setup...very compliant over rough roads, yet firm enough to stay flat through the corners. The steering is quick and well weighted with it's variable assist. It does not provide the fine feedback of a Porsche, but is perfectly suited to the car and quite precise. On center tracking is superb and tramlining on crowned roads is kept to a minimum. The clutch has a very positive spring and engages high. It's easy to stall out until you learn where the "sweet spot" is. The 6 speed transmission is very good. It started out feeling a bit heavy and notchy, but has smoothed out considerably during the first 1,000 miles of use.

The seats on the C6 are exceptional. They offer superb lateral and lumbar support, as well as decent thigh support. The heat control for the seats is very intense and can fry your bottom if left on too long. The only thing I would really like to see on this car is the addition of a power seatback mechanism. The seats have to be reclined with a manual lever which can be very awkward to use, especially when in motion.

Analog instrumentaton is excellent. All gauges are clear and well laid out. The HUD is more than a gimmick and I find I use it to check my speed all the time. It can be adjusted for brightness, position, and display content. Ergonomics are generally good with some minor oversights. The controls that set/scroll the instrument readouts on the dashboard are hidden by the steering wheel. Also, the frequency control for the radio is directly below the volume control and identical in size and shape. I have often inadvertently changed the radio station while trying to change the volume.

The interior of the car is fairly quiet with an almost total lack of wind noise. Road and tire noise can be heard through the exposed hatch/storage area, but it's never very intrusive. I have heard no rattles at all, even over rough roads. I'm 6'3" and have ample leg room and head room. The passenger's side is more restricted due to an intrusion of the lower dashboard into the floor well. Interior materials are of good quality and well put together. The console is covered in a silver colored plastic which is not quite up to the standards of the rest of the car.

The Bose audio system features a 6 CD changer and 7 equalization settings. (The changer is not available with the NAV system). My car came through with a distorted left front speaker which has not yet been replaced. Aside from that, the overall sound quality would have to be considered no better than good to very good. A pleasant sound, but far from an audiophile setup.

External fit and finish is, in my opinion, excellent. The panel seams are very uniform, although not as tight as those seen on metal panels. Wider gaps are needed for the plastic panels used on the C6, but they're done very well. The paint on my metallic silver car is excellent. There is some slight orange peel that can be seen if you look close enough, but it's better than most other new cars I've looked at. When in the car, you will see some distortion through the rear window. This is considered normal for the car.

The coupe version that I own is actually a targa. The center section of the roof comes off easily and can be stowed conveniently in the hatch area. This provides a very "open top" feel to the car while maintaining the solidity of a sedan. The top weighs about 18 pounds and it took me just over a minute to remove it and stow it. There is significant wind buffeting with the top off at speeds over 50 mph, but it's well within the limits of other roadsters I've driven.

Fuel economy is not bad considering what's under the hood. I've been getting 18-21 mpg in local driving, and as much as 27 mpg on the open road. That's not bad!

The keyless ignition and entry/exit are unique features that may take some getting used to. The car detects the presence of your remote fob and will start when you simply push the start button. To shut the car off, you just push the off button. The manual transmission MUST be left in reverse, and the hand brake engaged, for the car to shut down properly. You can program the way the car deals with locking and unlocking. I have mine set to unlock automatically when I'm within three feet of the car, but I choose to lock the car by manually pressing "lock" on the fob. You can have the car automatically lock whenever you're more than three feet away if you like. (There are manual overides in case the battery goes dead).

In summation: the C6 is a beautiful, frighteningly fast, superb handling, comfortable, and well constructed, world class sports car available for less than $50,000. I can't predict long term reliability at this point, but this is one incredible car for the money.

Ten Month Follow-Up:

I've now had the car for 10 months. My distorted speaker was finally replaced, but I opted to upgrade four of the speakers with some Eclipse units. The new speakers provide much better mid and high frequency response than the stock ones.

After about 1,000 miles, the brakes on my Z51 package started screeching whenever I stopped at low speeds. GM has a TSB out for this, which I had my dealer do, and the new pads have been quiet. Some owners have complained of dead battery problems, but I've had no such problems with mine. It has started perfectly, even in severe cold and when left for up to two weeks without being started. Bad fuel sender units have also been reported but, as with the battery, I have not seen this problem. I did find the stock exhaust system was a bit too tame for my taste, so new Corsa Sports have been installed.

The car is as tight as new, the shifter has improved with use, and it has been extremely reliable. I think GM has hit a home run with this car. I still love to look at it and driving it is as thrilling as when I first got it. A strong thumbs up!

November 14th 2005 update: I went out to start the car this morning and it was completely dead. So, the battery failures that have been reported for the 2005 C6 cars with manual transmissions finally caught up with me. The car was shut down properly and was still in reverse when I got into it through the emergency hatch access. Very disappointing, but my enthusiasm for this car is still high.

May 5th, 2008: I sold the car and ordered a 2009 Corvette convertible. Most issues with the car were minor and resolved within the first two years of ownership. A computer "reflash" was finally issued as a TSB for the battery drain issue that was a 2005 problem. The Z51 suspension, while fantastic in so many ways, was having a hard time dealing with our deteriorating road conditions, so my next car will have the F55 magnetic suspension. All in all, the C6 is an incredible vehicle . Now, I'm hooked.