2008 M3 to 2011 Corvette Grand Sport

[adc]

Sorry for the replies in red. I cannot use the multi quote function for some reason.

No worries man.

I cannot help but wonder though - the concerns you raise about the 911 are appearance-related (wing is too big, taillights too iffy etc.) - whatever man, this is highly personal. If you ask me, the 911 looks a lot better than the Vette (any models, any year). It's not that I don't like the Vette, but I like the 911 better, design-wise.

You were also mentioning that a 911 interior is no good without full leather - that's not my point. Even the basic interior has better ergonomics than the Vette (seats, position, visibility), the controls are better (weighting, feel, response) and there's more space/utility. A win for the Porsche.

But if you buy your car for the driving pleasure it brings, and forget wheels, appearance and so on, you've got to admit the 911 has a much better feel than any Corvette. It feels more like a Sports car, to use your term.


Again, the Vette make sense to me if you're hunting a bargain in terms of performance for the dollar. Because the 911, to name just one, is simply a much better sports car than any Vette. Yes it is more expensive, but you can immediately tell where the money went within the first 5 min into a test drive.

My buying criteria were different for sure (wanted 4 doors, 4 seats, trunk, winter capability etc.) but for a weekend car, I'd still go for an Exige, 911, Cayman etc. well before any Vette, not because of any snob factor (hate the attention it attracts) but simply because those cars offer a better connection between driver and machine, and thus more driving pleasure for someone like me.



And to answer another question - of course we are comparing a Vette with an M3 (sports car with a sedan if you want) - this being an M3 forum and all. It doesn't matter whether you consider them on par or not in terms of performance, fun etc. - simply by posting about a Vette on an M3 forum you are opening the door to the comparison world.

[DaFish]

Originally Posted by shift@red

Leaf springs are quite archaic. And BTW, regular GT3 hits 1.3 gs of lateral acceleration, so yes a GT3 RS is well above 1.08 as well.

I was using 200ft skid pad in one of the latest car mags... I think R/T... that listed the Z06 above the GT3 RS in that test.

Anyway, to the OP: You have a gorgeous machine there - looks fantastic, performs fantastic and I think you made a great choice (sorry if I slammed the car at all). That rear hatch space was much more than I thought was there - when I saw it in person.

[scheherazade]

I like to take lateral G tests with a grain of salt.

They can sway wildly depending on how they are tested.

Hell, I can pull over 2 g's easy as pie... for a short moment.


-scheherazade

[DeepSeaLandry]

Originally Posted by adc

Not a huge fan of the Vettes...

Stepped into my friend's C6 and liked a lot of things about it (amenities, low seating position, shape etc.) - including steering effort & feel.

Looking at the tires on that thing I thought, man, this thing will have massive grip and really fly, I was ready to be impressed - but no, it was similar to the M. Now granted this was a regular C6 not a GS or Z06.

Thinking about how much less tire the M3 has, how much more weight and how much less power/torque, I am more impressed with the M3 overall than the Corvette. A sentiment echoed by both my C6 owning friends who drove my car.


There is no reason to flame me, it's just my opinion. If I wanted a 2 seater sports car for track adventures I'd get a S/C Exige, a Cayman S or step up to a 911.

I would totally love a C6 convertible though, with a nice exhaust.

+1

[alms211]

Originally Posted by adc

No worries man.

I cannot help but wonder though - the concerns you raise about the 911 are appearance-related (wing is too big, taillights too iffy etc.) - whatever man, this is highly personal. If you ask me, the 911 looks a lot better than the Vette (any models, any year). It's not that I don't like the Vette, but I like the 911 better, design-wise.

You were also mentioning that a 911 interior is no good without full leather - that's not my point. Even the basic interior has better ergonomics than the Vette (seats, position, visibility), the controls are better (weighting, feel, response) and there's more space/utility. A win for the Porsche.

But if you buy your car for the driving pleasure it brings, and forget wheels, appearance and so on, you've got to admit the 911 has a much better feel than any Corvette. It feels more like a Sports car, to use your term.


Again, the Vette make sense to me if you're hunting a bargain in terms of performance for the dollar. Because the 911, to name just one, is simply a much better sports car than any Vette. Yes it is more expensive, but you can immediately tell where the money went within the first 5 min into a test drive.

My buying criteria were different for sure (wanted 4 doors, 4 seats, trunk, winter capability etc.) but for a weekend car, I'd still go for an Exige, 911, Cayman etc. well before any Vette, not because of any snob factor (hate the attention it attracts) but simply because those cars offer a better connection between driver and machine, and thus more driving pleasure for someone like me.



And to answer another question - of course we are comparing a Vette with an M3 (sports car with a sedan if you want) - this being an M3 forum and all. It doesn't matter whether you consider them on par or not in terms of performance, fun etc. - simply by posting about a Vette on an M3 forum you are opening the door to the comparison world.

I've owned three Porsches and two C6 Vettes. Not trying to be an ass here but how many Vettes have you owned and/or driven extensively? I ask because the C6 is far better than any previous generation Vette. Actually, from 1968-2004 you can keep them....not a fan of those (c3, c4, c5) at all.

To ME, the Vette is more the sportscar that I like. Low end grunt for driving in town and then getting to the back roads the thing just keeps pulling with fantastic cornering/handling. The car is absolutely flat on turns, and while it doesn't have as raw/communicative feel from road to steering as the Porsche, it's still damn good. I'll take the greater brute power out of turns all day long in exchange for a bit more numb feel in the steering.

Please show me where I said the Porsche 997 interior was no good. I said it was nothing to write home about (meaning -- it's nothing that great.......and it isn't). My 997S with full leather interior rattled more than any car I have ever owned. God's honest truth. I posted about it on Rennlist and 6Speed. Both Vettes I owned were rattle and trouble free. Thats not saying that they won't be in the future or that all Porsches rattle. Hell, my former 996TT and CaymanS were brilliant trouble free and rattle free cars.

Look, people like what they like. I like Vettes....not saying that I don't like Porsches, M's, GTR, etc. But for what I am looking for at this moment, the Vette is the better choice for me. Plus, weekend trips in the Vette with golf clubs and luggage is much more doable. If you think a Porsche has more utility/space than a Vette -- you are uninformed. Go check the numbers on the cargo area in a Vette.

I actually told my Vette sales guy today about some of the discussions on these forums and just made up my mind that I am not going to argue with people on silly forums anymore. If they don't like what I like, thats fine. I'm not about to try and convince them otherwise.

For instance, Greg (shift@red) is on this thread and I know he doesn't care for Vettes and is a huge Porsche fan, I have never tried to convince him to change his opinon on Vettes on here on any of the other car forums.

[DaFish]

I was checking out some youtube videos.. the z06 just blows the heavily modded 335s and the M3s out of the water from what I can see... It really goes.... how does the GS compare to the M3 - I know faster, but is it similar?

[adc]

Originally Posted by alms211

Not trying to be an ass here but how many Vettes have you owned and/or driven extensively?

Look man, I've test driven the C6 and C5 Z06. How many do I need to drive and for how long before deciding it's not for me? It's just like with food, you take a bite and if you don't like it you don't eat the rest of it.

I was simply sharing my opinions and impressions, the short end of which was that to me a 911 is much more representative of what a sports car should be than any Vette. Sure there are some models I haven't tried that might change my mind (chiefly the Z06) but in the interim, I stand by my opinion and personal choice.

Consider that you and other people brought up Corvettes into an M3 forum. I simply don't understand how someone does that, yet is unprepared to deal with contrary opinions. I've never gone onto a Vette forum to extol the virtues (real or imagined) of my M3 - what would be the point of that, since those people have already made their choice & voted with their wallets?

[DeepSeaLandry]

^^^ Well said.

[alms211]

Originally Posted by adc

Look man, I've test driven the C6 and C5 Z06. How many do I need to drive and for how long before deciding it's not for me? It's just like with food, you take a bite and if you don't like it you don't eat the rest of it.

I was simply sharing my opinions and impressions, the short end of which was that to me a 911 is much more representative of what a sports car should be than any Vette. Sure there are some models I haven't tried that might change my mind (chiefly the Z06) but in the interim, I stand by my opinion and personal choice.

Consider that you and other people brought up Corvettes into an M3 forum. I simply don't understand how someone does that, yet is unprepared to deal with contrary opinions. I've never gone onto a Vette forum to extol the virtues (real or imagined) of my M3 - what would be the point of that, since those people have already made their choice & voted with their wallets?

It's pretty simple --- what you look for in a sportscar is different than what I look for or want. I'm not (and haven't anywhere in this thread) said otherwise. I'll say it again -- you like what you like and I like what I like.

As far as not understanding why someone is discussing a Vette on a BMW forum --- you are aware that this was posted in the "M3 vs." section are you not?

[adc]

Originally Posted by alms211

As far as not understanding why someone is discussing a Vette on a BMW forum --- you are aware that this was posted in the "M3 vs." section are you not?

Perfectly aware. Just saying that nobody should be surprised at the lack of Vette admiration on a BMW forum, is all.

I've said my piece, some people's feathers were ruffled in the process, that is definitely not my concern, I wish them well, moving on.