Others have come and gone, but the Chevrolet Corvette still stands strong after its 1953 debut. A solid performance car, it has attracted many buyers over the years because it is a "bargain" compared to Italian and German-made high-performance status symbols. It is a reminder that in this SUV-clogged world, good American-made sports cars still exist. While many American cars are known for muscle and blowing up dyno charts, the Corvette is known for its insane acceleration and poised handling that enables it to scarf down a racetrack without breaking a sweat.
The car enthusiast community has always sung its praises, while the Chevy brigade will always protect the reputation of this precious Bowtie baby. Even though Corvette ownership is unbelievably fun and an incredibly unique experience, some issues can't be ignored once you stop looking at it through rose-colored glasses. Let's dive into the 10 things Chevy Corvette owners will never tell you.
10 Top Target For Thieves
The Corvette's popularity is not only immense among enthusiasts, but also among thieves. Since dedicated parking lots with extra security are not offered everywhere; theft is a big problem for owners. In 2021, two Corvettes were stolen from the same owner in 3 months, while also a C8 Corvette was stolen off a dealer lot right in front of a salesperson.
According to Hagerty, the Corvette was the number one stolen collector vehicle in the US in 2003. Beyond that, of 90,000+ cars stolen in the US in 60 years, 61% were Corvettes (2012 National Insurance Crime Bureau report).
9 They Pay A Lot For Insurance
The cost to insure a Corvette might not seem much for high-rollers or enthusiasts who know what they are getting, but might be a bit too much for the average car owner and is something they should consider when contemplating buying a Corvette.
A Valuepenguin investigation revealed that owners spend $4,783/year on average to insure their Corvette, depending on the model's market value.
8 The Interior Is Lacking in Luxury Compared To Competitors
A car's interior is a critical element of the entire driving and riding experience. While European sports car interiors reek of pure luxury, GM cars are infamous for having wanting interiors, it's the reason you'll rarely hear owners saying their Corvette's cabin is posh and cozy.
The Corvette checks the "good-looking" box from the outside, but its interior is an awkwardly designed cabin that uses cheap leather, according to Bloomberg in its worst car interiors of 2020 article. Considering that's the C8 Corvette, you can bet older models aren't any better.
7 Uncomfortable For Daily Or Long-Distance Driving
Most high-performance car owners rarely drive them daily, but most Corvette owners do because it's cheaper than most foreign imports. But European cars are expensive because they come with creature comforts the Corvette lacks. With performance being the utmost priority for Chevy, less is spent to make it highly comfortable for daily driving or grand touring
Its cabin is tight and confined, with little room to move and stretch for tall individuals, which gets uncomfortable over long distances. Complaints on Stingrayforums reveal the raised sides of the Corvette seats also dig in the hips, causing nerve pain and numbness. Adding to that, the seat bottom is not padded well and causes back pain for many owners.
6 The Minimal Cargo Space
Of course, typical of sports cars, the storage space for the new Corvettes is not great and owners will always choose their other cars for cross-country trips or camping adventures. Though the C8 Corvette has front and rear trunks, there is only 12.6 cubic feet of usable storage space - that's only enough for two small carry-on bags for a short weekend trip.
Notably, the C8's cargo space is much less than in the C7 Corvette (15 cubic feet), which still wasn't enough for most people's needs. For context, the C6 had 22 cubic feet of usable cargo space, while the C5 had 24.8 cubic feet.
5 Rides Too Low
Corvettes have 3.7 inches to 5.3 inches of ground clearance, depending on the trim and model year. While the ride height has been near 5 inches for recent models (stock), it's only 4 inches on average. As a result, most Corvettes scrape over rough terrain, poorly maintained roads, when getting in and out of driveways, and driving into/out of parking lots.
Though its air dam is designed to scrape, Corvettes with optional aero packages that bring rigid carbon fiber dams and front splitters get expensive damage. Owners can fix their driveways to accommodate their 'Vette, but have to be constantly vigilant when driving on public roads.
4 Their Chevy Corvette Draws Too Much Attention
The Corvette has an eye-catching design with some aggressive styling. And since it mostly comes dressed in bright paints, it is likely to attract a lot of attention. Not every owner is a fan of this; the interest from others might be annoying when one wants to melt some stress away in their Corvette.
Also, while most Corvette owners are probably really nice people, they might also want to have pure frivolous fun by driving their Corvette aggressively. Because it has a loud and rowdy naturally aspirated V8 engine, this sometimes makes them seem like jerks to others.
3 A Fuel Guzzler
Fitted with a 495 hp LT2 V8 engine that displaces 6.2 liters, the Corvette's 2022 EPA ratings are 16 MPG (urban driving), 24 MPG (highway), and 19 MPG combined. Those with a heavy foot or that like to frequently test if its 2.8 seconds 0-60 mph acceleration is achievable should expect worse consumption.
Yes, it's not sold for its fuel economy, but no one likes putting gas in their car or regular visits to the pump. In these times of frequent fuel shortages and hiked gas prices, a guzzler like the Corvette is not the best daily driver to have.
2 High Maintenance Costs
Sports cars are high-maintenance toys that require more trips into the dealership than the average car, bringing added costs. The Corvette, a performance automobile, is not any different. Edmunds has annual maintenance to be as high as $2,798/year (3rd year of ownership) with added repairs of up to $908/year for a 2020 Corvette Stingray Coupe 3LT.
According to Covport, an oil change for C5/C6 Corvette is $75-$90.00, and it uses synthetic oil which costs considerably more than conventional oil. Parts replaceable like its Z-rated run-flat tires go for $300+ each, and that's for non-brand name tires. And no, you can't rotate the tires. It's an expensive car that requires deep pockets.
1 Their 'Vette Doesn't Perform Well In The Winter
While not impossible, driving the Corvette in winter is challenging; its steering, cornering, and braking ability deteriorates significantly. With no AWD and only 5 inches of ground clearance, icy or snow-packed roads become a problem. Snow tires ($1500) and its All-Weather mode help, but not much.
What about classics? Those are worse, especially the ones with carburetors. Not only do they take longer to start in low winter temperatures, they sometimes refuse to start.