18th Feb 2012, 02:23

I chose the semi auto, because the manual gearbox on the one I drove felt like it was built sometime in the 1800s (kind of like the suspension). Changing from first into second, felt like I was pulling gear levers on a Victorian steam engine.

18th Feb 2012, 13:25

I had my C3 shifter rebuilt and moved a notch as a short throw 4 speed shifter. I had a 406 400 hp motor put in for 8k. The racing clutch in it was hard on the leg, however on my C5 the 6 speed shifts as smooth a silk. I am sure the new Vettes are likewise. The C5 and up are very reliable and fun.

20th Feb 2012, 09:12

I guess you should have tried a few other cars. If I ever come across a manual that is that bad in any car, I would immediately leave the dealer and look elsewhere.

I definitely wouldn't be settling for an automatic in a sports car. Even the Mustang 6 speed is smooth as silk, and very easy to drive, and it is around 1/2 the price of a Vette.

I suspect you bought your Vette for more than the driving experience though, am I right? To me the drive comes before all else. I could care less about status symbols, chick magnets, show cars, and all the other "pure waste of cash" type of cars out there, just to make me feel more complete in some strange way.

The only view I care about is from the driver's seat. A car in its purest form with a manual tranny is the only way to go. An automatic is a nice cruiser car for long trips on the highway. I have a nice SUV for that, though that is better on gas and cheaper to insure.

20th Feb 2012, 14:34

I find I get better MPG with the Vette than even a SUV.

We have an Edge, yes a Ford, that gets 21 MPG max. The Vettes can cruise and get 30 MPG on the expressway. I easily do 17 MPG with city driving. I have had large SUVs that got 10-12 MPG.

A lot of earlier Vette owners I know are putting in Tremec trans for mileage on trips.

I enjoy car shows as it helps Veterans, Children's Hospitals, Adopt a Family shows, and many other charity shows.

I drove my first Vette solo, and enjoy being in a club far more.

In the April Issue of Vette magazine, you can see some write ups on group trips made. Plus I like tech nights. I have met a lot of really nice people in our club.

I like manual trans in cars. It's interesting how things change. A manual trans costs more than an automatic. Convertibles cost more than coupes. Long ago, a Vette convertible was the same or even less.

I was at a meeting yesterday, and met a 98 Vette owner with 189000 miles. Water pump at 14000 miles, belts, tensioners, tires, brakes. That speaks volumes on how great the C5 and up are. Try that with a Ferrari. Dodge Vipers are also reliable, but that's another story.

22nd Feb 2012, 08:31

If I owned a Vette, in no way would my mileage be better than my SUV that gets close to 30 MPG. Sorry, but I just can't conceive idling down the interstate at 55 mph, just to get close to 30 MPG. In mixed driving with a Vette, I would get around 17 MPG at best. I haven't owned any sports car with concerns for getting high mileage out of it. They are meant to be driven, not coasted on the highway.

24th Feb 2012, 09:24

I have done long distance driving, and you could bump up to 65 MPH or so, and still the base Vettes are barely idling.

My son drove his Viper RT/10 from Atlantic City to Jax Florida, and was in the 20s as well. That's pretty incredible with 10 cylinders.

I rented a new Crown Vic in Florida a while back, drove from Jax Florida to Orlando at 70 mph (speed limit in Fla), and my digital read was over 30 MPG in overdrive. So if you do drive a lot interstates, the new cars are pretty incredible on fuel.

If it's a local show or a cruise night, who cares about fuel, as you may use 1/2 tank a month.

The new crossovers are pretty nice, and I don't miss my older ones.

24th Feb 2012, 13:00

There is no comparison between a RAV-4 and a Vette.

24th Feb 2012, 15:44

You can't really go by the digital readout for an accurate mileage number. The only real way to calculate mileage is by filling it up, running the car, filling it up again, and dividing miles by gallons used. I have a feeling many of these posters claiming 30 MPG in V8 cars would be rudely awakened if they figured their mileage manually.

25th Feb 2012, 10:14

No one said there was a comparison between a RAV 4 and a Corvette. The fact is if you want to idle along in a Vette to get 30 MPG, instead of driving it how it is meant to be driven, you might as well get a higher mileage vehicle with some kind of a useful body style, like a small SUV.

I am not going to drive my Vette like an old lady so I can get super high gas mileage with it. There is no purpose in owning one if you aren't getting some kind of driving fulfillment out of it. There are much cheaper alternatives if gas mileage is your main concern.

I also don't believe anyone has truly gotten 30 MPG in a Corvette. Looking at your computer display is a very inaccurate gauge of mileage. I'd have to drive it as gingerly as possible and do the math manually by dividing miles by gallons used before I'd believe it. Why would Chevy not be listing that 30 MPG figure right on the sticker if that was an attainable number in the real world?

26th Feb 2012, 09:04

Most of my Vette friends own a large SUV, no RAVs. You have a 2 seater, so the bigger one is logical.

I am in a large Corvette club, and many on a long run can easily achieve 30 MPG. If you mix driving, my digital read gets 17 MPG city with highway. I believe that readout, and doubt with factory wheels and tires that it's inaccurate. I also doubt when I bought a new Corvette, that its digital readouts are inaccurate. In fact many of the gauges are duplicates when you do you scans. I know many LS1 owners that are exactly like mine, and we all get the same MPG figures. The overdrives in modern cars are amazing, plus the aerodynamics and wind drag are minimal on a Vette, and we also own a Viper.

I know I could care less about fuel costs owning a Vette. It's just amazing how little fuel it takes vs my earlier Vettes. Unless you have a Z06, Grand Sport or get on it, you can get great mileage.

Again, I know the fuel costs is a stupid comment, as you should not blink on fuel costs. My only gripe is tire replacement costs, and any part you buy from catalogs, where you end up paying double because the word Corvette is on on it. Some Viper parts are even worse. New hood 19k.

Again, who cares, you have the choice if you want it. I change the intake and exhaust first on mine.

I cannot believe how many Corvettes all show 30 MPG on long interstate commutes, just driving at or 10 over the limit. If you are filling and doing math with gallons, I thought you could care less about fuel?