So long, GS4
09-20-04 | 09:56 AM
#1
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Joined: Mar 2001
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So long, GS4
After 5+ years of happy ownership, I began to get the itch to buy something new.
I have been monitoring the new C6 release & finally went to see one. Unfortunately, all the delaers in the Bay Area are charging mark-ups and not allowing test-drives.
On a leap of faith, I found a new, fully-loaded C6 in Santa Barbara for under MSRP. This weekend, my wife & I flew down to pick it up & had a mini-vacation.
The drive back up to the Bay Area with the top off was very fun.
The car has incredible driving characteristics (I have the 6-speed with the Z51 package).
The GS4 has been a great car & in some ways am sad to see her go. I'm sure though the C6 will be lots of fun though.
I have been monitoring the new C6 release & finally went to see one. Unfortunately, all the delaers in the Bay Area are charging mark-ups and not allowing test-drives.
On a leap of faith, I found a new, fully-loaded C6 in Santa Barbara for under MSRP. This weekend, my wife & I flew down to pick it up & had a mini-vacation.
The drive back up to the Bay Area with the top off was very fun.
The car has incredible driving characteristics (I have the 6-speed with the Z51 package).
The GS4 has been a great car & in some ways am sad to see her go. I'm sure though the C6 will be lots of fun though.
09-22-04 | 03:20 PM
#7
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Driver
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 107
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My review of the C6 and some pics:
First-off, let me start by stating that I have never owned a Vette. My last 4 cars consisted of a new Mercedes, a Toyota, a Honda, and a Lexus. I currently own a '99 GS400 (with a lot of performance mods), and a stock '02 CR-V.
Given my past mediocre experience with Chevy products, I was reluctant to jump back into the GM fray. The practical thing to do would have been to keep the GS400 (it only has 60k miles), but I began to pine for something new, with a bit more 'zing'.
After reading everything I could about the C6, I eagerly went to check on out as soon as they arrived locally, and was visually impressed with the car. Not so for the dealers in nor-cal, all of which were price-gouging, and extremely arrogant.
I was about to shelf the idea when I stumbled across a loaded PR 6-speed at a dealer in Santa Barbara. After securing a price below MSRP, I was on a plane the next day to pick up the C6.
After getting picked-up at the beautiful (small) airport in Santa Barbara, we headed to the dealership & my PR was parked in front. The pictures the dealer had sent me the previous day made me a bit nervous about the color (it was overcast & the car had wrap still on it while parked in the dim light behind the service area).
However, under the mid-afternoon sun, the car looked absolutely gorgeous, and several people were milling around. The color changes dramatically in differing light conditions but always manages (at least to me) to look gorgeous.
I have yet to go over the exterior in detail, but overall fit & finish is good. The wavy hatch glass is a disappointment though & the optical quality should be better.
Interior fit & finish is also pretty good. I noticed this morning that one cover was loose on the passenger side near the center which I popped back into place and also the dashboard inner wasn't snapped in properly. Gauges are beautiful as is the NAV. HVAC controls are cheap looking, and the stereo overall lacks power and fidelity. Seats are supportive and comfortable, though a power adjustment for recline instead of a manual lever would have been nice. Floor mats are cheap looking.
I originally thought the HUD would be nothing more than a 'gee-gaw' gadget, but it turns out to be a very useful tool; I love it. The XM radio is also cool. Haven't bothered with OnStar.
Wind noise is largely negligible, and road noise, while nowhere near as quiet as the Lexus, is manageable; there is some booming from the rear if the road is choppy.
Top: Love it. No creaks or rattles. Really transforms the car when it is off. Does eat quite a bit of storage space though when stowed.
Z51: love it. Steering is spot on and very sensitive. Damping rates are very well controlled and less harsh than I would have thought. The car corners very flat. The brakes seem good, but not great. Could be they are not yet fully bedded yet. Overall very confidence inspiring.
Transmission: The 6-speed fits perfectly in the palm and the throws are just right. The clutch is easy to modulate, though I have detected some surging on engagement. Aside from he occasional 'clunk' from the rear-end when going from reverse to 1st or vice-versa (which is a bit disconcerting) the drive train is very good.
Engine: To me the C6 has two personalities; one docile when employing part or light throttle and low-rpms, which has the net effect of fooling me into thinking the car is not that fast. Then I remember to step on the throttle and as the revs rise any thoughts of power deficiencies quickly fade and are replaced with an ear-to-ear grin. Power delivery is a bit crude when compared to the Lexus, but it is very powerful, and manageable. God only knows what this motor would be like with a 32-valve DOHC, dual VVTI, and adaptive intake/exhaust technology. I am also wondering if the V8 has any counter balancers as there is a noticeable lump-lump-lump vibration when idling.
Exhaust: Perfect for me. Tooling along it is quiet; mash the throttle or raise the RPMs above 3k and heads will be turning on the street as the exhaust note snarls.
Wheels: I really like the appearance of the asymmetric sizes. The polished aluminum look is marginal. The EMTs perform very well and I'm sure contribute to the compliant ride quality.
Ego-stroking factor: Fairly high. Lots of people checking it out while parked or driving, taking pictures and staring. This will of course wear off as the car becomes more prevalent, but I have not yet seen another C6 on the road. It's a fun side-effect.
Overall, I am very pleased with both the purchase experience, and the car overall. I hope the myriad of electronic components hold-up over time, as does the general build. It would be sad to see the C6 plagued by recall campaigns.
A few pics along the drive back from Santa Barbara to the Bay Area:
First-off, let me start by stating that I have never owned a Vette. My last 4 cars consisted of a new Mercedes, a Toyota, a Honda, and a Lexus. I currently own a '99 GS400 (with a lot of performance mods), and a stock '02 CR-V.
Given my past mediocre experience with Chevy products, I was reluctant to jump back into the GM fray. The practical thing to do would have been to keep the GS400 (it only has 60k miles), but I began to pine for something new, with a bit more 'zing'.
After reading everything I could about the C6, I eagerly went to check on out as soon as they arrived locally, and was visually impressed with the car. Not so for the dealers in nor-cal, all of which were price-gouging, and extremely arrogant.
I was about to shelf the idea when I stumbled across a loaded PR 6-speed at a dealer in Santa Barbara. After securing a price below MSRP, I was on a plane the next day to pick up the C6.
After getting picked-up at the beautiful (small) airport in Santa Barbara, we headed to the dealership & my PR was parked in front. The pictures the dealer had sent me the previous day made me a bit nervous about the color (it was overcast & the car had wrap still on it while parked in the dim light behind the service area).
However, under the mid-afternoon sun, the car looked absolutely gorgeous, and several people were milling around. The color changes dramatically in differing light conditions but always manages (at least to me) to look gorgeous.
I have yet to go over the exterior in detail, but overall fit & finish is good. The wavy hatch glass is a disappointment though & the optical quality should be better.
Interior fit & finish is also pretty good. I noticed this morning that one cover was loose on the passenger side near the center which I popped back into place and also the dashboard inner wasn't snapped in properly. Gauges are beautiful as is the NAV. HVAC controls are cheap looking, and the stereo overall lacks power and fidelity. Seats are supportive and comfortable, though a power adjustment for recline instead of a manual lever would have been nice. Floor mats are cheap looking.
I originally thought the HUD would be nothing more than a 'gee-gaw' gadget, but it turns out to be a very useful tool; I love it. The XM radio is also cool. Haven't bothered with OnStar.
Wind noise is largely negligible, and road noise, while nowhere near as quiet as the Lexus, is manageable; there is some booming from the rear if the road is choppy.
Top: Love it. No creaks or rattles. Really transforms the car when it is off. Does eat quite a bit of storage space though when stowed.
Z51: love it. Steering is spot on and very sensitive. Damping rates are very well controlled and less harsh than I would have thought. The car corners very flat. The brakes seem good, but not great. Could be they are not yet fully bedded yet. Overall very confidence inspiring.
Transmission: The 6-speed fits perfectly in the palm and the throws are just right. The clutch is easy to modulate, though I have detected some surging on engagement. Aside from he occasional 'clunk' from the rear-end when going from reverse to 1st or vice-versa (which is a bit disconcerting) the drive train is very good.
Engine: To me the C6 has two personalities; one docile when employing part or light throttle and low-rpms, which has the net effect of fooling me into thinking the car is not that fast. Then I remember to step on the throttle and as the revs rise any thoughts of power deficiencies quickly fade and are replaced with an ear-to-ear grin. Power delivery is a bit crude when compared to the Lexus, but it is very powerful, and manageable. God only knows what this motor would be like with a 32-valve DOHC, dual VVTI, and adaptive intake/exhaust technology. I am also wondering if the V8 has any counter balancers as there is a noticeable lump-lump-lump vibration when idling.
Exhaust: Perfect for me. Tooling along it is quiet; mash the throttle or raise the RPMs above 3k and heads will be turning on the street as the exhaust note snarls.
Wheels: I really like the appearance of the asymmetric sizes. The polished aluminum look is marginal. The EMTs perform very well and I'm sure contribute to the compliant ride quality.
Ego-stroking factor: Fairly high. Lots of people checking it out while parked or driving, taking pictures and staring. This will of course wear off as the car becomes more prevalent, but I have not yet seen another C6 on the road. It's a fun side-effect.
Overall, I am very pleased with both the purchase experience, and the car overall. I hope the myriad of electronic components hold-up over time, as does the general build. It would be sad to see the C6 plagued by recall campaigns.
A few pics along the drive back from Santa Barbara to the Bay Area:
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09-23-04 | 07:56 AM
#14
Thread Starter
Driver
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
Originally posted by LsportGS4
Now you need to lower it on some 18x11" CCW wheels
Borla exhaust sounds soo mean on an LS1...
Now you need to lower it on some 18x11" CCW wheels
Borla exhaust sounds soo mean on an LS1...
The wheels are different sizes on the C6: 18" front, 19" rear.
Thanks for all your positive comments; I was worried I might get blasted for switching to Chevy.
Last edited by advsystems; 09-23-04 at 07:57 AM.
