2005 Corvette or 2010 Camaro? Did I make the right choice?

[1Camaro2SS]

I had an opportunity to buy a 2005 Corvette (mint) 6 speed, Atomic Orange color, fully loaded with targa top and navigation. It had the Z51 package which was a plus. It had 10k miles on it and was mostly stored by one owner.

I ended up buying the brand new 2010 camaro instead. I do love the camaro and I've owned 2 other ones in high school but i've been wanting a corvette for the longest time I can remember.

My wife hates corvettes with a passion and influenced me to get the camaro instead and I did to make her happy. Did i make the right choice? I kinda regret not getting that vette and I think the wife would have been over it by now.
What would you have done? By the way, the vette would have cost $9K less then the camaro.

[MatchbookSS]

Originally Posted by 1Camaro2SS

I had an opportunity to buy a 2005 Corvette (mint) 6 speed, copper color, fully loaded with targa top and navigation. It had the Z51 package which was a plus. It had 10k miles on it and was mostly stored by one owner.

I ended up buying the brand new 2010 camaro instead. I do love the camaro and I've owned 2 other ones in high school but i've been wanting a corvette for the longest time I can remember.

Did i make the right choice? My wife hates corvettes with a passion and influenced me to get the camaro instead and I did to make her happy. Did i make the right choice? I really regret not getting that vette and I think the wife would have been over it by now.
What would you have done? By the way, the vette would have cost $9K less then the camaro.

What did you really want out of your car? I mean, it's all subjective and the answers are different.

If you're happy with the Camaro, don't worry too much about it.

Corvettes are great, awesome, you know...all that jazz. But they're also rattleboxes. At least my 2007 Z51 was. And they're ridiculously low. And they scrape everything. And you don't have a trunk. Or a back seat. The list goes on.

[patrickt]

I think the Camaro is the way to go you made the right choice

[1Camaro2SS]

Originally Posted by MatchbookSS

What did you really want out of your car? I mean, it's all subjective and the answers are different.

If you're happy with the Camaro, don't worry too much about it.

Corvettes are great, awesome, you know...all that jazz. But they're also rattleboxes. At least my 2007 Z51 was. And they're ridiculously low. And they scrape everything. And you don't have a trunk. Or a back seat. The list goes on.

I just love the corvette look and the wide rear tires. I also like the removable hard top. I know they are 2 different cars and like them both but my mind keeps going back to that vette. unfortunately, i can only afford one of them. Just want to get a feel for what other folks would have done.

[2010 SSRS]

you made the right choice.

[Capthowdy]

That Vette Dream goes away pretty quick after you drive it for a few....they are fast but uncomfortable as hell, stiff, rattles, ect...def not a daily driver ....

[MatchbookSS]

Originally Posted by 1Camaro2SS

I just love the corvette look and the wide rear tires. I also like the removable hard top. I know they are 2 different cars and like them both but my mind keeps going back to that vette. unfortunately, i can only afford one of them. Just want to get a feel for what other folks would have done.

Fair enough. I mean, I love the body styling and the stance of the C6. It was great. Here in California, though, plagued by trendy-ism, not only was a C6 a dime a dozen on the road, the Camaro is much the same. Lol. What did I expect? Hahaha.

Anyways, I digress...performance wise? Corvette hands down. Even the LS2...still faster than an SS, and handled head and shoulders better.

But, ultimately, if it's a DD for you, and you need practicality as well as the satisifaction of having some get up and go oomph, as it were, the Camaro would be a much better choice. If you live in a city, definitely a Camaro. Unless you've got nothing but open roads and highway and some nice twisty backroads, AND you're not DDing it, the vette wasn't the right choice, IMHO.

Still doesn't mean I don't miss it. I just don't miss all the other aspects of it enough to make me regret trading in.

Originally Posted by Capthowdy

That Vette Dream goes away pretty quick after you drive it for a few....they are fast but uncomfortable as hell, stiff, rattles, ect...def not a daily driver ....

Lol. This. It's amazing what some people will put up with for the sake of having a certain car as a DD though...

[LYCAN]

Ok...you are now talking to the right guy...I've had four Corvettes and can answer that question for you.

The Camaro and the Vette are two different cars. To me the Camaro is much more comfortable and easy to live with on a day to day basis. I lived with Vettes for years and got annoyed with them from time to time. It's not an easy car for the day to day unless you are a sadist. I'm kind of one and tolerated it. Might even do it again some day. To date the only Vette that I might ever consider buying is the ZR-1. I've already had a ZO6 that was modded to the hilt.

In reality you are not going to be hammering either the Vette or a Camaro to their maximum potentials on the street. Both have more than enough juice to get your blood pumping and give you that rush. Plus with the Camaro you can carry a spare (get one for the SS if you don't have one...please read the Wheels Section for this topic), the Camaro is indeed unique (love it or hate it), and you have a lot more day to day convenience of a trunk and back seats to carry groceries, luggage, the dog, or whatever. The Vette really isn't that friendly in those departments. Trust me...I did a lot of grocery shopping and trips to the beach in my Corvettes. I know what I'm talking about. Plus the Camaro can have snow tires added to it to make it "somewhat" manageable in bad weather....forget it with a Vette. I used to have to drive in reverse to get out of my work parking lot in my ZO6---dumb. So, the Camaro to me is much easier to live with on a day to day basis. So there really is no gain for buying a BASE Z51 Vette over the Camaro. The two aren't worlds apart in performance. Now if you came to me and said, "I have $90K to spend on a car, should I get a new ZO6 or a Camaro SS?" Then I might advise you to get the Vette, only for the pure performance factor. But a plain-jane Z51, ummm no. I say this because if you were considering a new ZO6 then your priority would probably be raw performance and not much else. But a plain Z51 is far from that league.

Yes, there is a prestige of having a Vette, and the handling is better. However, they are still very large cars to drive well on tight, twisty back roads. The Vette is a great interstate cruiser and track car, but it's too wide to really be enjoyed on rural roads. The Camaro is probably in this boat as well...so you aren't really loosing or gaining anything here. Neither is a small, nimble tossable sports car....ummmm no.

You made the right choice and can always buy a Vette. Stick with the Camaro for a year and enjoy it. You can always join the "old man" Vette Club. Ask any other questions...again I have had both. Like the poster said above, "That Vette Dream goes away pretty quick after you drive it for a few." That is ohhh so true. Good cars and worth owning one or two in your lifetime, but not necessarily better or worse that the SS.

[1BADLS3]

I think the two cars have completely different personalities.

The Camaro is like a UFC wrestler all dressed up in a suit. It's mean and rowdy, and you know it won't sit still and wear nice clothes for long. It wants to be out on the mat. It's All-American, hard working. And now with a tech-savvy flavor. Not exactly a vehicle of 'prestige' but rather of freedom and expression. Everyone's got a story about a Camaro.

The 'Vette is not so much a muscle car as it is a true sports car. The interior dimensions are tiny. Sure it's got a huge motor, but the styling is more feminine and refined. It's for getaways. Track days. Bragging about to your friends who may also be AARP eligible (Ok, that was a dig...). It's an American icon but represents a better package of world class than the Camaro does. Not everyone's got a story about a 'Vette, but it's on a lot of people's wish lists. It's the American dream mixed with some 'unobtanium.'

Either flavor tastes great. Both are good choices, and they share some of the same ingredients (LS3!). You can't go wrong with either, but my guess one or the other will fit better with your personal style.

[Silver2SSRS6spd]

I changed or should I say my wife talked me out of a new Corvette and into the Camaro the morning I bought mine and am glad we went with the Camaro. I miss the hand waves driving my Corvette around but absolutely love my Camaro. You made the right choice and you were able to purchase a new car and get a new car warranty with it.

Congrats on your purchase, now let the molding begin!

[ss=scuba steve]

Love the 'vette, but for a DD the Camaro has the fun factor. It also has the head turning factor, and it's just way more practical (decent trunk, and rear seats for anyone under 5') lol. Still more practical, and I know 'vettes are top notch classy but I would have to assume the extra weight on the Camaro is a bit safer in a bad wreck. Check out this thread and tell me if a 'vette would have survived it. I'm no expert I am strictly assuming

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125494

[LYCAN]

Originally Posted by 1BADLS3

The 'Vette is not so much a muscle car as it is a true sports car.

Good analogy, but I disagree. There are "some" Vettes that are true sports cars, and others that are just well-optioned luxury cruisers with a sporty ride. There's a wide variety of Corvettes, and they don't all drive the same. C4s where horrible, C3s even worse, and the C5 was improved greatly. There are huge differences between base models, Z51s, ZR1s (new and old), Grand Sports (new and old), ZO6s (new and old), and many of the models in-between. After owning some, the only one of mine that would qualify as a "true" sports car would be my ZO6. The others not so much.

Here's my 99, I survived after an 18 wheeler ran over me:

[MatchbookSS]

Originally Posted by LYCAN

Good analogy, but I disagree. There are "some" Vettes that are true sports cars, and others that are just well-optioned luxury cruisers with a sport ride. There's a wide variety of Corvettes, and they don't all drive the same. There are huge differences between base models, Z51s, ZR1s (new and old), Grand Sports (new and old), ZO6s (new and old), and many of the models in-between. After owning some, the only one of mine that would qualify as a "true" sports car would be my ZO6. The others not so much.

Here's my 99, I survived after an 18 wheeler ran over me:

Jesus. That's a helluva wreck. You still have your legs?

Anyways, I would politely disagree with your opinion. I mean, I've driven a C5 Z06, though never owned one. Compared to my C6 though, it's not like there was an insanely huge difference between the two of them.

I think to say that the Corvette isn't a "real" sports car, is a little off, considering that the Corvette's entire heritage comes from being a "sports/race" car. A bit different than the muscle car heritage of the Camaro.

[LYCAN]

I did break my neck.

Yes, the Vette is a sports car by most peoples' definitions. Absolutely. We used to debate this all the time in fun. I wouldn't say "true" sports car because it's not really by design a "true" sports car in the traditional sense of the term as it was used Post-WWI to cars like Porsche. The Corvette is a bit bloated nowadays for that. The Miata, MG, Lotus, etc are more "true" sports car. It's not about speed or power. The Vette to me is more of a "sporting car":-)

Anyhoo...good debate and car talk...good stuff !!!!