I want a Corvette and i cant think of any alternatives.

[Benbay001]

Ive wanted a Corvette c5 Z06 for a good year or so now.

Im 26, and finish an apprenticeship in August.

I want to treat myself to a car to replace my MR2 as a weekend car once I find a full time position.

It wont be a daily as I have a Toyota iQ for daily use.

The requirements are -

Not German
At least 6 cylinders, 8 is preferable
Manual
Fairly reliable
Max £20k (less is better, but £20k is debt im comfortable with, will be bought mostly with finance)
Reasonable handling (currently have a mk3 MR2 which handles amazingly so expecting a replacement to be worse)
Not a Chimaera, as my mate has one
Finally, it needs to feel like an event to drive.

Other than the z06, ive considered:

Normal c5 corvette
Maserati 3200 (reliability scared me away quickly)
370Z

PH never ceases to amaze me with curveball ideas, so give me some

Edited by Benbay001 on Sunday 3rd February 10:49

[irocfan]

Great choice - however will you get a Z06 in your budget?

Other choices:

S197 Mustang you should be able to get a 'face-lift' 2011 model with the 5.0 lump in budget
2010 Camaro if you're lucky (quite rare over here)
Dodge Charger - 2006 one though you may be disappointed in the looks compared to the current models
2000 Pontiac TransAm WS6 (these are starting to creep up in price in the US)

[Benbay001]

irocfan said:

Great choice - however will you get a Z06 in your budget?

Other choices:

S197 Mustang you should be able to get a 'face-lift' 2011 model with the 5.0 lump in budget
2010 Camaro if you're lucky (quite rare over here)
Dodge Charger - 2006 one though you may be disappointed in the looks compared to the current models
2000 Pontiac TransAm WS6 (these are starting to creep up in price in the US)

In the time ive been looking ive seen 3 Z06s come up for sale in budget and 2 out of budget.

I struggle to love the muscle car looks unfortunately and although not a requirement, I don't really want 4 doors.

[Dinoboy]

If you want a Corvette, get one now before all kinds of life get in the way.
You'll still want one when your 55 if you don't get it out of your system.

[Benbay001]

Dinoboy said:

If you want a Corvette, get one now before all kinds of life get in the way.
You'll still want one when your 55 if you don't get it out of your system.

That's a very convincing post... :-P

[ZX10R NIN]

I've not driven the Z06 but I have driven C5's & they're not the greatest drivers car but they are an event, if you're in the UK trying to find one will be the hardest thing.

As for alternatives I'd say look for a 370Z Nismo as these are a drivers car whilst they have a bit of specialness about them.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Monaro

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

VXR8 this has a better chassis than the C5 but I'll admit it's not as good looking.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[Benbay001]

ZX10R NIN said:

I've not driven the Z06 but I have driven C5's & they're not the greatest drivers car but they are an event, if you're in the UK trying to find one will be the hardest thing.

As for alternatives I'd say look for a 370Z Nismo as these are a drivers car whilst they have a bit of specialness about them.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Monaro

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

VXR8 this has a better chassis than the C5 but I'll admit it's not as good looking.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

All valid suggestions and it took me a while to remember why I dismissed the VXR8.

I need it to be less practical than my daily drive (The iQ) otherwise it will become tempting to use it everyday and the iQ will become redundant (which I don't want, both to keep the weekend car special and to save money(I do 15000 miles pa)).

If I got a 370z it would be one of the cheapest (ie non nismo) I could find because I don't see the value in spending double my money on almost the same car.

[ZX10R NIN]

Benbay001 said:

All valid suggestions and it took me a while to remember why I dismissed the VXR8.

I need it to be less practical than my daily drive (The iQ) otherwise it will become tempting to use it everyday and the iQ will become redundant (which I don't want, both to keep the weekend car special and to save money(I do 15000 miles pa)).

If I got a 370z it would be one of the cheapest (ie non nismo) I could find because I don't see the value in spending double my money on almost the same car.

I suggest you drive a Nismo because it's a different steer to the regular 370Z, there not exactly shredding money in terms depreciation.

[V8RX7]

Being young and coming from an MR2 I suggest test driving one (if possible)

My father is a car dealer (in Classics and Americans) and we've seen plenty of people finding their dream doesn't meet the reality.

Personally I like American cars whilst acknowledging they are generally a bit crap - a 350z / 370z is a good call.

[Benbay001]

ZX10R NIN said:

I suggest you drive a Nismo because it's a different steer to the regular 370Z, there not exactly shredding money in terms depreciation.

I will at least consider it then. What are the differences between it and normal?

V8RX7 said:

Being young and coming from an MR2 I suggest test driving one (if possible)

My father is a car dealer (in Classics and Americans) and we've seen plenty of people finding their dream doesn't meet the reality.

Personally I like American cars whilst acknowledging they are generally a bit crap - a 350z / 370z is a good call.

I will of course test drive before committing. From my limited understanding though a corvette is a different proposition to a Mustang or similar?

[V8RX7]

Benbay001 said:

I will of course test drive before committing. From my limited understanding though a corvette is a different proposition to a Mustang or similar?

I meant test drive ASAP

I spent ages looking at buyers guides etc for 911s, I knew everything about them - then I drove one and hated it

It depends - IMO a Mustang is closer to a Corvette than your MR2 is, but yes a C5 onward Corvette is a more focused car.

[Superleg48]

If you really want a Corvette why do you need alternatives?

[Strudul]

Interestingly I have very similar requirements for my next car and came to the same Vette conclusion, though stretching to an LS3 C6.

After 2 years of weighing up options though, I'm still not certain.

Have a 350Z currently, but not a fan of the 370. As for the Nismo differences: cosmetics, true-dual exhaust, wider wheels, stiffer suspension, extra bracing, tad more power, different gear ratio.

Mustangs are very much a fat muscle GT compared to a Vette which is a sports car.

Other stuff I considered:
- XKR (auto, but paddles, and too heavy / wide / refined)
- Chimaera (not confident in daily-ability)
- 911 (just not a fan, and German)
- IS F (almost perfect, but want a coupe and low seating position)
- VXR8 (same as the Lexus)
- 4200GT (scary bills and heavy)
- Evo (doesn't appeal)
- Supra MKIV (can't justify the JDM tax)
- E92 M3 (German, potential bills, looks bland)

Thinking of just holding off for a couple more years and seeing what happens to Evoras.

Edited by Strudul on Sunday 3rd February 20:50

[anonymous-user]

As the previous poster said if you want a corvette get one.

But you also said you wanted left field alternatives and something you couldn't use as a daily so how about something like this??

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

have one also from Toybox and it's an awesome toy and very cheap to run too

[ZX10R NIN]

The changes were mainly to the suspension with a sharper rack which makes it a much more focused steer in a similar way that the C6 was transformed by Z06 package, the early one's are (like the ones I linked too) are a bit louder as they have less sound deadening & less baffling in the rear boxes so they're a bit more raw.

[Saleen836]

Before you even think about buying a Corvette you need to check out insurance, most if not all will ask if you have experiance driving left hand drive (and will ask for proof), if you have none the chance of getting insured is slim to none

[mike9009]

If you like the MR2 but want something a little quicker/ focussed/ 'sporty', I would look at an Elise/ VX220.

I have not driven many powerful US cars except a Mustang. My overall impression is they are great cruisers, but not great for the typical British B road blast. Don't let this put you off if you have your heart set on one - they look and sound brilliant! Just thought I would offer another perspective.....

Mike

[V8RX7]

I've remembered what I bought when I fancied a Vette... an LS2 V8 RX7 - hence the username !

There are a few around but prices have increased - at the £10k I paid it was an easy decision but at the £20k many now want it's not so clear.

I can tell you why I sold it - because it was an exercise in self restraint - first was pointless, a quick blip in 2nd and you were over the limit - blip in 3rd and you were well into a ban with 3 gears to go !

[Pericoloso]

Saleen836 said:

Before you even think about buying a Corvette you need to check out insurance, most if not all will ask if you have experiance driving left hand drive (and will ask for proof), if you have none the chance of getting insured is slim to none

I didn't get asked when I bought my LHD car but I'm considerably older than the OP and my FIAT is not really

comparable to a big old Vette.....

[MuscleSaloon]

Benbay001 said:

I will of course test drive before committing. From my limited understanding though a corvette is a different proposition to a Mustang or similar?

Stock the S197 is a bit of a dinosaur compared to the S550 - which is still a bit wobbly - but light years ahead of the earlier car. If you could find a good V8 S550 in budget it could be worth considering but it would take a special S197 for me to choose one over a Z06.