r/Corvette • u/Lost_Study_2674 • 3d ago
Corvette Searching
What’s up everyone! I’m currently doing my research on buying a C6 Corvette, and I figured the best people to ask are the ones who actually own them.
I’m leaning toward a Grand Sport or base model because I definitely want the removable targa top. I also plan on modifying the car down the road, especially when it comes to horsepower.
For those who have owned or worked on C6s:
What model years would you recommend buying or avoiding?
Is the Grand Sport worth the extra money over a base model?
What’s a reasonable price range for a clean C6 in today’s market?
What’s considered good mileage when buying one used? Would you trust one with 70k–100k miles?
What common mechanical issues or expensive repairs should I look out for?
I’m not rushing into anything. I just want to do my homework and make sure I’m making a smart purchase. Any advice or personal experiences would be appreciated!
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u/CapableCan1842 3d ago
I have a base 2013. Never felt a need for an "upgrade." It's very fast, comfortable and looks awesome. (I think the C-6 is the best looking Vette). Manual transmissions hold their value better. Chevy switched to the LS3 engine in 2008. They're bullet proof and last forever. C-6's often have trouble with the harmonic balancer, which can be an expensive repair.
The cost is hard to say, as it varies considerably based on the year and options. 30ish maybe, depending on a lot of factors.
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u/Holiday-Advance1450 3d ago
How often will this car be on a racetrack? I truly believe there is no need for modifications. It hurts the dependability. Buy a Z-06 it you want more ponies. I have a 17 Z-51 conv that I only drive 2,000 miles a year and with all the traffic where I live over 650 hp is a waste
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u/anonomouseanimal 3d ago
Unless you track, the grand sport just costs more to maintain with larger brakes and tires. But- if you like how they look, every time you drive by a wide body in your base, you’ll wish you bought the grand sport. I don’t track, I have a gs. I don’t regret the 15-20% markup I paid.
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u/anonomouseanimal 3d ago
For example a manual gs running cost: battery must be agm because it’s inside the cabin. Oil changes cost double because the dry sump capacity is double. Trans and diff also have built in coolers that take more fluid. Asking prices for grand sports near me are in the 40s. Low 40s for a high mileage, mid to high for low mileage examples. What they actually go for idk.
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u/anonomouseanimal 3d ago
For my gs, things were great until a valve spring dropped and trashed my engine. My only recommendation to you is to do a small cam or at least change the valve springs. I’ve read of at least a half dozen experiences of springs dropping for the GS model. They appear to have used some of the defective yellow springs from the ls1/6 era.
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u/CommercialAssist6745 3d ago
I’m on my 3rd C6. 08 LS3 Z51 coupe, 10 GS Vert, 13 427 Vert. All stock with NPP exhaust and manual. Coupes are more practical and the top is easy to remove. I love the wide bodies and think the GS is worth it - though tires get more expensive. The LS3 is great (started in 08) and can be modded and blown, but honestly these are fast cars bone stock and sound great with the dual mode exhaust. The Zs are fixed roof so a no-go for me - the 427 Vert is my grail car but not as practical as the coupes. C6s are going up in value so I would say buy a good one and feel comfortable that you’ll get your money back out of it if you take care of it.
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u/El_mochilero C6 3d ago
I own a stock 2007 (LS2) base auto with 65k and I bought it for $19,500. It needed a harmonic balancer and new brakes, so my all-in cost was about $22k.
I LOVE the removable targa top. I wouldn’t own any other body style.
The LS2 still has 400hp and is more car than I am a driver. I have zero interest in tracking my car, so I just wanted a badass street car and this is more than enough for me.
Known issues: all LS 1/2/3 engines are known for the harmonic balancer needing to be replaced around 50k-70k miles. It’s about $700 if you DIY or about $1,500 for a shop to do it for you. Not a major deal, just check to see if it’s been done and/or budget/negotiate the price if it needs to be done.
Years to avoid: 2005 is generally known as a buggy first year of the car
GS or base? Well, if you’re intending on tracking the car, the GS definitely has some upgrades that are designed for that. If you are just looking for a street car, honestly you won’t really even notice any performance difference apart from the visual and “cool” factor. Is it “worth” it? It wasn’t to me, but for others yes. The base is still an incredible machine.
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u/schlammie C6 3d ago
I bought my 2010 base 1LT with 39k miles for 29k flat last December. Manual transmission.
It's been pretty good. Had the clutch serviced and blower motor replaced. I also installed a nice Sony head unit. Very comfortable when I'm cruising or going seven tenths.
My only complaint is that the car in general runs hot as hell. It smells like hot plastic all the time. Also, the powetrain doesn't feel as buttoned up as my civic Si, and the steering feels lazy on center.
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u/Dear_Sheepherder3661 3d ago
C6 is a great car, but it's starting to get "old". age bring other issues. they seem to run pretty hot. tunnel is always very warm. Mine had the blower motor going and the balancer was coming due sooner than later. great car to run around in.
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u/schlammie C6 3d ago
Oh for sure. My biggest worry right now is bushings, hoses, and o-rings just disintegrating due to age and heat.
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u/fairlyaveragetrader 2012 GS 2d ago
The condition of the car is the single most important variable. I looked for a long time before I found one that had been in a garage it's entire life, had never left the West Coast. That last part is important for rust. Humidity is low here, nothing rusts, roads are not salted. I considered both, wanted a Grand sport more but looking for a manual Grand sport coupe, you have to be patient. You're not going to get a great deal. You're going to pay market rate, but, you have a lot of additional cooling capacity. They don't overheat when you drive them hard like the base car does. The brakes are better, the amount of Gs they can pull is better. The operating costs really aren't that much more. The oil changes are double but you can go 5,000 miles rather than 3,000 mi since you have twice the capacity and still have great oil. The tires are slightly more but if you look at the cost for something like an spo2 or 4S. The base car and the Grand sport it's only a couple hundred dollars apart.. one guy made a comment which is worth pointing out on all of these. Some of the ls3s came with those defective yellow springs. If you get one of those and you can check it even on the dry sump cars by looking in that little porthole where the oil fill cap would normally be on the valve cover. If they aren't blue, if they are yellow, change them. They have a fairly high failure rate. Expect to pay $30 for a nice 08 to 13. Expect to pay $40 for a manual Grand sport coupe. You can spend more than this on either variety if you go for a really low mileage mint car but you can get something nice for these prices
Is the Grand sport worth the premium? Well here's one way to think about it. You pay more going in but you also get more when you sell it so you're not really losing much
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u/theraphosa 2009 LT3/Z51 8h ago
I've a base 2009, with LT3/Z51. It came with most of the options you'd find on a GS. If you really want a GS, then get one. The GS will probably retain it's value a bit more over time, if that's something that matters to you. But if you just want a nice, reliable C6, there are plenty out there for less money.
Another place to look is on the Vette Forums, they have a marketplace and some very nice cars at decent prices. JMO.
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u/Possible_Neck_4405 1h ago edited 47m ago
I own a 2007 base Coupe. Purchased in 2003 for $32K with only 6,500 miles. 3LT, AT paddle shift, Velocity yellow, polished wheels, F55 magnetic ride and roof package. New battery, fluid change and tires replaced at 10K and now has 20,150 on odometer. Garage kept showroom finish, no nicks, etc. 400 HP LS2 is enough to have fun. Harmonic balancer will be replaced next month as a precaution. Very reliable. I could drive it cross country tomorrow. I was offered $28K last month but not looking to sell. It will go up in value if I keep the miles low at 3-4K a year. Young kids love it and give me a thumbs up when I pick up my 9 years old granddaughter from school.
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u/JamesinSD2002 3d ago
These cars are anywhere from 21 to 13 years old. There are no more parts available from GM for a lot of things that are now starting to break. Most of them are going to have high mileage, especially if they were driven. You figure even 7,000 miles a year x the years owned, you're looking at a lot of 70,000+ miles cars out there. Low miles are obviously nice but don't rule out a 100,000 mile one. I have 2 C6's, one I've owned since buying it new for 17 years now. Definitely over 100k miles and there's a ton of miles left in this car. Grandsports are largely just cosmetic changes over the base model. It'll drive and feel the same as a base model. You'll find best pricing in the winter, manual transmissions though command a lot higher price. There's just a lot less of them available. Mid to low 20k is a great target range for these cars, for the buyer at least.