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Coupes & Convertibles Chevrolet Corvette Corvettes and all things about them
1908 messages, Last post on Dec 02, 2009 at 5:37 PM
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Replying to: ruking1 (Jul 16, 2007 5:25 am)
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Replying to: ruking1 (Jul 16, 2007 5:25 am) http://www.forbesautos.com/advice/toptens/best-resale-value-2007.html?partner=yahoo Roughly comparable to a Lexus. Many find this surprising. As many also find the highway cruising \ trip fuel economy ( I average close to 30 MPG at 70 – 80 MPH with passenger & luggage ), the insurance rates and many other aspects. My dealer is the largest volume Corvette dealer in the SouthEast – and #4 in the country, last numbers I’ve seen. My sales person does the ordering for stock. Close to 100% are ordered with the Z51 package. Though roughly 42% are built with this option, they know from years of experience what they can most easily sell to THEIR typical customers. They do typically end up with a few Non-Z51s on the lot. A couple are ordered primarily for comparison test drives - and some are purchased from other dealers. Thus, before ordering, I was able to test drive a Z51 and an FE1 back to back. The availability of the 6L80 automatic w/paddle shift was a primary determining factor in my purchase timing. For me, this was a critical ‘step up’ from the previous 4-speed automatic with very limited manual control. YMMV. - Ray
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Replying to: rayainsw (Jul 18, 2007 5:17 am) as Z51 orders. Out on the left coast we don't really have a super high volume Corvette dealer and the low volume guys are pretty clueless except about walk-in impulse buyers. So lots of dealer orders for stock are auto's when that was standard and not extra cost and those were the ones left on the lots when the year ended. I've now picked up two Vettes by ordering off the internet and both as I and the wife wanted them as to options and colors. Don't think I would waste time on local dealers except to see new colors if I decide to get a new one in the future. Randy |
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Replying to: starrow68 (Jul 18, 2007 7:35 am) So for example, by the time one goes to the dealer and sees 75% of the new crop of Vettes with automatics and wants say a 6 speed and upcoming 6 speed auto paddle shifter, most probably one has missed the model year. So if you bypass the 6 speed manual because all they had WAS automatics, the system really thinks most like autos.
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Replying to: starrow68 (Jul 18, 2007 7:35 am) RE: Volume Dealer in CA. Boardwalk, in Redwood City is a relatively high volume Corvette dealer – in the top 10, nationally, as I recall. They currently have 27 2007 coupes according to their web site. RE: ‘ordering off the internet’. How did that work for you, exactly? Although my initial contact with this salesperson and this dealership was via email, I physically went to the dealer 3 times. And bought my 2007 from them. 1 – I wanted to drive a new Corvette. Or 2. ( See above. ) Since I had not driven any C6, I needed to check several items regarding both the car’s dynamic behavior and how I fit. 2 – Once we had agreed on the price, I went to finalize the order & sign it. 3 – I picked up the car. When I felt close to making the decision to buy my 2007 Corvette, I scheduled a visit to this dealer and spoke only with this salesperson – to test drive Corvettes. About a 45 minute drive from where I live. This was in early July 2006. Once I had driven the 2 C6s ( both were 2006 automatics – 2007s were not yet at dealers, but had no significant changes ) that I wanted to evaluate, I told the salesperson that I wanted the best price on an ordered 2007. The price was about what I had expected ( $2K off MSRP ) and I said: “When you meet the discount I want, I’ll buy.” Response: “OK. Great, I will keep you posted.” I was kept up to date via weekly emails, as discounts grew over time – but with no further real interaction until the email arrived with a discount that met “my number”. This was late in September 2006. I called and set an appointment the next day to order my 2007. It was delivered in early November. So my test drives were – 4 months prior to actually closing the sale. I suppose you could describe it as 2.5 months of ( very one-sided ) price ‘negotiation’ and 1.5 months for the schedule \ build \ delivery process. More important, before scheduling my Corvette test drives, I had test driven a number of other “contenders” prior to the C6 test drives – including the BMW 335i coupe, for example. I knew my timeline. I was up front with each salesperson I spoke to. If I had less stringent requirements on exactly the optional equipment I wanted ( and didn’t want ) and more flexibility on color, I would probably have bought a C6 from the selection on the dealer’s lot. They usually have 25 or so new Coupes in their inventory. The Internet is great. Research is great – and essential, for me. But a thorough test drive ( or 2 ) is necessary before I’ll spend close to $50,000. YMMV. - Ray Happy Corvette Driver |
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Replying to: motorhead1 (Jul 18, 2007 3:44 am) |
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Replying to: ruking1 (Jul 18, 2007 7:48 am) By contrast: For example, the STS could not be ordered with the highest level performance handling package ( was RPO: QAF – now designated PCZ and essentially includes the former QAF components + more ) except on the highest PEG level on the V8. ( That was a 1SG ‘Preferred Equipment Group’ and was an $8,000+ package – and included a number of rather ‘pricey’ luxury \ convenience items that are of very limited interest, thus limited value – to me. GM \ Caddy Marketing triumphs over actual customer preferences. Another item of particular interest to me: The Head-Up display was also ( during much of MY 2005, 06 & 07 ) available for order only bundled with the ( K59 ) Adaptive Cruise Control ( at over $2,000 additional ) and only on the 1SG as well. Since my Corvette has a HUD – and no adaptive cruise control, this is clearly marketing driven. Again. This is one primary reason that today I drive a Corvette and not an STS. I do like the RWD STS. And I do understand that certain combinations of optional equipment may conflict – or legitimately one may require another. But. The ordering limitations & associated pricing were 2 big reasons why I have not purchased one. Had I been able to ‘cherry-pick’ only & exactly the options I wanted & was willing to pay for, I’d likely have purchased an STS V8 back when GM was running their “Employee Pricing For Everyone” promotion. For 2008, GM \ Caddy appears to have addressed several of my concerns in these regards. I plan to test drive & price a 2008 STS. - Ray Really, really curious about your ordering experience . . .
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Replying to: rayainsw (Jul 18, 2007 9:37 am)  Also at the time, most dealers charged MSRP/plus. So because in our minds, I had wanted the so called hard top, the salesman and dealership worked on giving me close to the 2000 hard top prices for the 2001 so called "hard top" which we now know as the 2001 Z06. Another was there was no order code for NO sound system! There was the other anomoly; the factory called the salesman to extend to me (since I had expressed it) the option to paint my ordered Speedway White, hard top now "Z06" (I had wanted hardtop and they decided to radically soup up the hard top version), the metallic Nassau Blue! They stated 2 GM execs had wanted metallic Nassau Blue and they would be willing to accomodate my "non standard" color choice. Naturally I thought he was playing a practical joke, but nonetheless gave me half a day to decide. So I understand through the Corvette community there are documented 2 (nonstandard color choice) 2001 Corvettes painted Nassau Blue from the factory!  I kept the Speedway White choice. I probably should have gotten another one painted Nassau Blue, but oh well.
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Replying to: rayainsw (Jul 18, 2007 8:20 am) post but don't seem to be competitive with other 'National' dealers. I ordered my first Vette from a dealer in San Leandro and the salesman took my $1k down and then since I had put in a 60 day, confirm build or refund, he called to admit that the sales manager was using all their allocation to fill the show room. I wasn't getting a slot. That's when I found Ken F. at Fichtner Chevy in Laurel, MT. One email set the discount, another set the order details and returned the build slot in his allocation list. This was summer of 2001 and I got an August build 2002 in Electron Blue. As I remember I then called just to make sure the phone number worked and sent off my $1k check. I got notified of a build date in early Sept., arrived at the dealer in mid month and flew up late in the month to pick up the car. Saved an extra grand over what I'd been promised by the local dealer, but not delivered, and about 2k over what was avail. if I took what was sitting on lots, wrong colors and options I didn't want. The trip got me a couple days in Yellowstone with the wife which was one reason she ordered one a couple years later. Same drill except she got the last of the '04s at $12k off or $39k out the door with $2k more in options than my '02 and sticker about $2k higher due to price increases. I'm very happy with Fichtner! Randy
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I track my C5, quite alot actually, it's been to about 100 track days in 4 1/2 years of it's 6 year life. It isn't an inexpensive car to track but with a little thought and just learning the ropes about driving on race tracks it can be done reasonably. I used to think the $200/$300 entry fees were a big deal until I learned how quickly I would use up tires, brake pads and rotors. That's not to mention the work to bleed brake fluid and the mods to keep it cool when you start to pick up speed. I have several grand into the mods. From some folks I've talked to the electronics in the C6 seem to be a little more finiky than the C5, don't know for sure. Then with 18/19 wheels the tires are less available and lots more expensive than the 17/18 sets I run on the C5. I'm guessing the rotors and pads would be about equal. I think if I were to replace my current coupe I would love to find a C5 Z06 with a telescoping steering wheel, they didn't come in the Z, even as an option, that had been a show car for some non performance owner. It's amazing how many Corvettes sit in garages and just go to shows on weekends. I even know a guy who had never washed his C5 in 6 years, it had never been washed, or out in wet weather. Amazing! Randy |
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