2009 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe LT3

Pros

Great fuel economy, great power, great handling and incredible appearance.

Cons

Poor interior and audio system

Purchased As Used

I have had my Corvette for a couple of months now and I love it. The style and power offered by the Corvette for the purchase price is incredible. The interior really needs to be improved though. The interior components are cheap and there are too many rattles and creaks. The biggest surprise is the car?s fuel economy we are getting 22 mpg city and 31 mpg highway....read morehide

Pros

Power, handling, comfort, reliability, visibility, cargo capacity, gas mileage

Cons

Bose stereo is weak, windows are auto-down but not auto-up

Purchased As New

This is without a doubt the best car I have ever owned. Around town it is as smooth and docile as a Cadillac, absorbing every bump and dip with the aplomb of a luxury car. I have the F55 suspension, which has state-of-the-art shocks that are designed to give the car a kind of "floaty" sensation, while at the same time making sure you have a feel for the road beneath you. The cabin is spacious, I am 6'3" and there is plenty of room for me, I can even change clothes in the car. While the car is small, the cargo area is huge. Fit and finish are wonderful, it's not covered with acres of leather but do you really want that in a supercar that you can drive every day, because basically that's what this car is. The gauges are clear and bright, the HVAC and radio controls are simple and easy to use, the seat controls are intuitive, even the wipers perform flawlessly in the worst rainstorm. Every detail of this car has been so thoughtfully engineered and constructed for today's demanding driver that it completely blows out of the water your memories of the cramped, unreliable corvettes of the 80s. Chevrolet knew what they were doing when they took the Corvette and turned it into a rocket-powered luxury sports car. It deserves all the accolades it has received.

Driving this car is amazing, just touch the accelerator with your big toe and you're off and running, the car just begs for more. The steering is light and perfect, while giving great road feedback. The wheels are enormous and make the car appear like a go-cart. The styling is eye-catching, the car is filled with razor-sharp edges that soften into parabola-like curves, a theme that repeats on the interior as well. The HID headlights give outstanding visibility at night.

About the handling: the frame rails are made of a single piece of metal, that is bent into the required shape using powerful jets of water...as a result, there is absolutely no body flex at all, the car rides rock-solid on the worst roads or the most curvy mountain run. The engine bay is simple and beautiful.

Dollar for dollar, you simply won't find this combination of luxury and power in any other car. I have had this car for six months and everything about it is about 99% perfect. What do I dislike about it? Well the Bose stereo is a little weak, I am disappointed that here it is 2009 and Chevrolet still can't put a decent-sounding stereo in the Corvette. Our company car is a 2000 Mazda minivan and the stereo sounds better in that car! Also, the power windows are auto-down but not auto-up, hello? And there is some road noise when you drive on the highway but this isn't a Lexus, it's a sports car. These are minor complaints though and I am very very happy with this car, it's still far and away the best car I have ever owned in my life....read morehide

Pros

Performance; Looks

Cons

Fit & Finish Relative to Other Similarly Performing (more expensive) Cars

Purchased As New

There is simply no better-performing car at the $50,000 price point. Transmission is a bit notchier than most Japanese supercars, and the interior is several grades inferior to a Porsche/Audi/BMW. But it performs better than all but the Z06 and the $100K-plus level sports cars from the Germans and Japanese, the driving position is all sports car, the accleration and handling is tough to match, and no other drivers mistake the power you're packing....read morehide

Pros

Too numerous too mention...

Cons

None that I can think of...

I am 5'8", 220 lbs. and am quite comfortable while driving...the manual 6 speed gets decent and even rather good gas mileage; but it is a Corvette, not a Prius ...the Z-51 suspension and Goodyear run flats give a firm, solid ride...but then I much prefer a stiffer ride with a much better feel of the road than a plush one that feels like the car wallows...it handles like a dream...I am very satisfied with the build quality...I have the LT3 package with the heads-up display...the HUD should be made a standard feature on all cars - no need to take your eyes off the road to check speed, etc...the optional NPP exhaust has a very satisfying tone and looks good - it also adds 6 bhp to the base 430...I am looking into getting a cold air intake system to add a few more but just as it sits right now I must make absolutely sure the road ahead is wide open if I punch it (I will never forget the first time I used the Floral Ave. - 99 onramp in Selma - it was truly worth the price of admission)...I feel lucky to be able to own my Corvette...as one car magazine put it - driving a Corvette is fuel for the soul......read morehide

Pros

Too numerous to list...

Cons

Can't think of one....

I waited 45 years to get my 'Vette and it was worth every second of the wait...it is an '09 coupe...manual...Z-51 with optional exhaust...if you are thinking about getting one stop thinking and do it...