One year later - Corvette vs. Miata

Haven't posted here in a long time, been changing ISP trying to find
broadbank in the sticks but ended up with broadband lite via satellite.
Anyway, about a year ago I sold the 92 Miata and bought an 2005 C6
Corvette and though I'd update anyone who cares on my experience so
far.

First, really miss the Miata and should have listened to those that
said don't sell it. The Corvette is an experience; fast, tons of
torque, grabs attention everywhere (takes 15 minutes to fill with gas
by time I answer the lookers questions). The downside is that it's
built by GM and thus has build quality on a par with a 1980's Hyundai.
Electronic gremlins, delaminating targa tops, fuel sending units that
crap out, pressure sensors wired backwards allowing the A/C compressor
to blow out. That's bad enough but GM's response to these things is
either denial, denial, denial or "we're working on a fix, we'll get
back to you". Don't know how a company selling 50K cars can treat
their customers like that but perhaps that's why they are on the brink
of bankruptcy. Still, when the car is running properly, it is a blast
to drive BUT it will never be a Miata. The handling and responsiveness
is no where near the MX-5, it just makes up for it with brute force,
monster tires and electronic nannies. I know it's never claimed to be
a lightweight roadster but it's a difficult car to run at the track,
you know you've been through a day when you're done. Everything is
expensive for the car (tires at $400 each!) and I'm just used to dirt
cheap Miata parts and accessories.

Bottom line, the Miata is a much better daily driver and more
confidence inspiring in normal driving. I'll keep the Corvette since
the bottom fell out of pricing with the gas price issues but am looking
for another Miata (95 M or 2000 Merlot). Should have bought a MSM when
the local dealer was trying to dump them at 19,500 at the end of the
model year. Now I know why the average Corvette owner only puts a few
thousand miles a year on their cars.

Glad to see a lot of the old gang still on this group and suspect I'll
be back to posting again as soon as I acquire a nice 93-97NA.

Interesting post. Corevettes do surprisingly well in both amateur
and prof. racing, but I suppose it took them years to get to that
point. You certainly have apples and oranges in cars. I reckon
the best part of a Corevette is value for the performance. For
my tastes, I prefer finesse, agility and performance obtained
thru engineering and hi-tech rather than brute force. Diff. strokes
for diff. folks as they say.

"tom4416" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Haven't posted here in a long time, been changing ISP trying to find
> broadbank in the sticks but ended up with broadband lite via satellite.
> Anyway, about a year ago I sold the 92 Miata and bought an 2005 C6
> Corvette and though I'd update anyone who cares on my experience so
> far.
>
> First, really miss the Miata and should have listened to those that
> said don't sell it. The Corvette is an experience; fast, tons of
> torque, grabs attention ...

tom4416 wrote:
> Haven't posted here in a long time, been changing ISP trying to find
> broadbank in the sticks but ended up with broadband lite via satellite.
> Anyway, about a year ago I sold the 92 Miata and bought an 2005 C6
> Corvette and though I'd update anyone who cares on my experience so
> far.
>
> First, really miss the Miata and should have listened to those that
> said don't sell it. The Corvette is an experience; fast, tons of
> torque, grabs attention everywhere (takes 15 minutes to fill with gas
> by time I answer the lookers questions). The downside is that it's
> built by GM and thus has build quality on a par with a 1980's Hyundai.
> Electronic gremlins, delaminating targa tops, fuel sending units that
> crap out, pressure sensors wired backwards allowing the A/C compressor
> to blow out. That's bad enough but GM's response to these things is
> either denial, denial, denial or "we're working on a fix, we'll get
> back to you". Don't know how a company selling 50K cars can treat
> their customers like that but perhaps that's why they are on the brink
> of bankruptcy. Still, when the car is running properly, it is a blast
> to drive BUT it will never be a Miata. The handling and responsiveness
> is no where near the MX-5, it just makes up for it with brute force,
> monster tires and electronic nannies. I know it's never claimed to be
> a lightweight roadster but it's a difficult car to run at the track,
> you know you've been through a day when you're done. Everything is
> expensive for the car (tires at $400 each!) and I'm just used to dirt
> cheap Miata parts and accessories.
>
> Bottom line, the Miata is a much better daily driver and more
> confidence inspiring in normal driving. I'll keep the Corvette since
> the bottom fell out of pricing with the gas price issues but am looking
> for another Miata (95 M or 2000 Merlot). Should have bought a MSM when
> the local dealer was trying to dump them at 19,500 at the end of the
> model year. Now I know why the average Corvette owner only puts a few
> thousand miles a year on their cars.
>
> Glad to see a lot of the old gang still on this group and suspect I'll
> be back to posting again as soon as I acquire a nice 93-97NA.
>

I keep reading about how GM and other American car makers are improving
and getting up to the Japanese standards, but this has not been my
experience, and it appears to be the same for you.

This is why I will never buy another American-made vehicle in my life. I
will not live long enough for the American companies to win back my
confidence on reliability issues, which the Japanese have proven to me
to be FAR superior at over and over again for the entire time I have
been driving cars.

I guess I will write the Vette off as the one American car that I would
have considered buying. It's performance is outrageous, but if it is
still American made ****, as your post indicates to me, then I don't
want one, even if I could afford it.

Good luck on the miata search!

Pat

Interesting review of two different cars. As the previous owner of two
'67 Vettes...way back when...I have always kind of longed for a new
Vette. When my friends have kidded me about selling those classics and
driving a Miata, I have never been able to get them to understand that
the Miata is so much more of a "driver" than those classic Vettes ever
were. They have never understood. Yep, there is something about a
Vette that I will always admire, but if your review of the new Vettes is
accurate, I think admiring from a distance is all I will be doing.
Although, I have been reading about the Camaros that should be out
within a year or two. Now a nice SS with a slightly detuned Vette
engine might be very nice. Although if the flagship can't cut it, what
are the chances that little brother can?

I remember reading your post about getting that new Vette and I have
been hoping you would post a follow up. Thanks

tom4416 wrote:
> Haven't posted here in a long time, been changing ISP trying to find
> broadbank in the sticks but ended up with broadband lite via satellite.
> Anyway, about a year ago I sold the 92 Miata and bought an 2005 C6
> Corvette and though I'd update anyone who cares on my experience so
> far.
>
> First, really miss the Miata and should have listened to those that
> said don't sell it. The Corvette is an experience; fast, tons of
> torque, grabs attention everywhere (takes 15 minutes to fill with gas
> by time I answer the lookers questions). The downside is that it's
> built by GM and thus has build quality on a par with a 1980's Hyundai.
> Electronic gremlins, delaminating targa tops, fuel sending units that
> crap out, pressure sensors wired backwards allowing the A/C compressor
> to blow out. That's bad enough but GM's response to these things is
> either denial, denial, denial or "we're working on a fix, we'll get
> back to you". Don't know how a company selling 50K cars can treat
> their customers like that but perhaps that's why they are on the brink
> of bankruptcy. Still, when the car is running properly, it is a blast
> to drive BUT it will never be a Miata. The handling and responsiveness
> is no where near the MX-5, it just makes up for it with brute force,
> monster tires and electronic nannies. I know it's never claimed to be
> a lightweight roadster but it's a difficult car to run at the track,
> you know you've been through a day when you're done. Everything is
> expensive for the car (tires at $400 each!) and I'm just used to dirt
> cheap Miata parts and accessories.
>
> Bottom line, the Miata is a much better daily driver and more
> confidence inspiring in normal driving. I'll keep the Corvette since
> the bottom fell out of pricing with the gas price issues but am looking
> for another Miata (95 M or 2000 Merlot). Should have bought a MSM when
> the local dealer was trying to dump them at 19,500 at the end of the
> model year. Now I know why the average Corvette owner only puts a few
> thousand miles a year on their cars.
>
> Glad to see a lot of the old gang still on this group and suspect I'll
> be back to posting again as soon as I acquire a nice 93-97NA.
>


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Tom,

Good lord, has it been a year? Good to hear from you again and note you have
come to your senses. I hope the new house is working out better than the new
Corvette.
--
Ken Lyons '97 Brilliant Black/'90 Classic Red
Inside the Beltway
[Remove the first two digits to reply]

pws > wrote:

>This is why I will never buy another American-made vehicle in my life.

Never say never. When I sold my '87 Iroc in '91 I said the same thing. About
three weeks ago I bought a '98 Corvette to go along with my '06 Miata. I needed
something to replace the raw power that I used to feel on my motorcycle, and the
Corvette provided that for a reasonable price.

--
Craig Wagner, craig(dot)wagner(at)gmail(dot)com
Portland, OR

"Don't ban high-performance vehicles, ban low-performance drivers!"

"tom4416" > wrote:

>Haven't posted here in a long time, been changing ISP trying to find
>broadbank in the sticks but ended up with broadband lite via satellite.
> Anyway, about a year ago I sold the 92 Miata and bought an 2005 C6
>Corvette and though I'd update anyone who cares on my experience so
>far.

I bought a '98 Vette to go with my '06 Miata. I got rid of (aka totaled) my
motorcycle this past summer and I just wanted something that had that kind of
acceleration thrill. The Corvette was reasonably priced.

Tires are a little pricey. One thing to consider though, instead of buying the
run-flats, just get a tire repair kit and a 12-volt compressor. That'll save you
a few $$$.

I know what you mean about build quality issues and dealer treatment. It doesn't
matter if you drive a Corvette, the dealerships still treat you the same as the
guy who bought a Chevy Citation.

The Corvette is definitely more work to drive. With all that rubber on the road
it is a heavier steering car. The Miata seems much more willing to go in the
direction you point it, kind of like an anxious puppy, "uh-huh, you wanna go
that way? Okay, let's go that way... now you wanna go the other way, okay..."
The Corvette is more along the lines of "well, okay, if you insist..." Not
saying it doesn't track well, but it just feels less anxious to make the corner.

--
Craig Wagner, craig(dot)wagner(at)gmail(dot)com
Portland, OR

"Don't ban high-performance vehicles, ban low-performance drivers!"

Craig Wagner wrote:

>
> Never say never. When I sold my '87 Iroc in '91 I said the same thing. About
> three weeks ago I bought a '98 Corvette to go along with my '06 Miata. I needed
> something to replace the raw power that I used to feel on my motorcycle, and the
> Corvette provided that for a reasonable price.
>

I think it is safe to say here as far as my future buying of American cars.

My miata weighs just over 2100 pounds and is roughly twice as powerful
as it came from the factory. That is all the power to weight ratio that
I will ever need and then some for a street car.

The turbo decreases the miata's reliability and simplicity somewhat, but
it is a tradeoff that I can live with. The rest of the car remains
essentially the same, extremely reliable and easy to work on.

From Tom's original post:
"Electronic gremlins, delaminating targa tops, fuel sending units that
crap out, pressure sensors wired backwards allowing the A/C compressor
to blow out."

This is the exact opposite of the two miatas that I have had. Over six
years now, and neither car has ever stranded me or had to go to the shop
for anything other than bodywork and tires.

I'll take that kind of reliability over American-made garbage anyday.

Pat

I'm pretty sure I'm one the folks that said, "Go for it!"

Sorry it didn't work out and it's shame the dealer experience hasn't
improved any.

Off topic, but a week ago, my wife traded in her Olds minivan for a new
Pontiac. She called the Olds dealer today to inquire about canceling the
extended warranty and about how much of a refund could she expect. "That
company went bankrupt, you're SOL."

Thanks for selling us that warranty... And don't expect us back any day
soon.

Typical dealer nonsense!


"tom4416" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Haven't posted here in a long time, been changing ISP trying to find
> broadbank in the sticks but ended up with broadband lite via satellite.
> Anyway, about a year ago I sold the 92 Miata and bought an 2005 C6
> Corvette and though I'd update anyone who cares on my experience so
> far.
>
> First, really miss the Miata and should have listened to those that
> said don't sell it. The Corvette is an experience; fast, tons of
> torque, grabs attention everywhere (takes 15 minutes to fill with gas
> by time I answer the lookers questions). The downside is that it's
> built by GM and thus has build quality on a par with a 1980's Hyundai.
> Electronic gremlins, delaminating targa tops, fuel sending units that
> crap out, pressure sensors wired backwards allowing the A/C compressor
> to blow out. That's bad enough but GM's response to these things is
> either denial, denial, denial or "we're working on a fix, we'll get
> back to you". Don't know how a company selling 50K cars can treat
> their customers like that but perhaps that's why they are on the brink
> of bankruptcy. Still, when the car is running properly, it is a blast
> to drive BUT it will never be a Miata. The handling and responsiveness
> is no where near the MX-5, it just makes up for it with brute force,
> monster tires and electronic nannies. I know it's never claimed to be
> a lightweight roadster but it's a difficult car to run at the track,
> you know you've been through a day when you're done. Everything is
> expensive for the car (tires at $400 each!) and I'm just used to dirt
> cheap Miata parts and accessories.
>
> Bottom line, the Miata is a much better daily driver and more
> confidence inspiring in normal driving. I'll keep the Corvette since
> the bottom fell out of pricing with the gas price issues but am looking
> for another Miata (95 M or 2000 Merlot). Should have bought a MSM when
> the local dealer was trying to dump them at 19,500 at the end of the
> model year. Now I know why the average Corvette owner only puts a few
> thousand miles a year on their cars.
>
> Glad to see a lot of the old gang still on this group and suspect I'll
> be back to posting again as soon as I acquire a nice 93-97NA.
>

In article >,
"The Millers" > wrote:

> Off topic, but a week ago, my wife traded in her Olds minivan for a new
> Pontiac. She called the Olds dealer today to inquire about canceling the
> extended warranty and about how much of a refund could she expect. "That
> company went bankrupt, you're SOL."

Yeah, that's part of their business plan, also known as "take the money
and run." They're probably back in business, under a different name,
selling "warranties" at the same dealership. They may even be owned by
the dealership. Never buy insurance from a company you don't recognize.

Hope you didn't get stung on the Pontiac, too?

--
Lanny Chambers
'94C, St. Louis
http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html