Topic: 2019 Grand Sport

[Arthur Dent]

Awesome car. Love it and just a little bit jealous. 

[Firm]

Hot Damn!

[Shorlaw]

well,  the orange lights on the tach around 4000 went out the other day when I passed 800kms, and I was able to get in for the first service after work yesterday.  I chose a dealership convenient to me but that also seems to move a lot of Vettes, although I was a little concerned when he said "why are you doing service already" and later "is that one of the ones with dry sump?".  Everything seemed to go fine and they spent a full hour doing it, so I'm assuming they knew what to do once they got into it.

Now the fun can begin!  Had an eye popping, head snapping experience turning left across 4 lanes of traffic onto hwy 6 this morning, but other than the rush of speed and the roar, everything stayed nice and composed and I was at 110 in the blink of an eye.  I've never had a car with this kind of HP, so it's going to take some cautious exploring

[lebowski]

An absolute beauty!  congrats!

[Great_Big_Abyss]

well,  the orange lights on the tach around 4000 went out the other day when I passed 800kms, and I was able to get in for the first service after work yesterday.  I chose a dealership convenient to me but that also seems to move a lot of Vettes, although I was a little concerned when he said "why are you doing service already" and later "is that one of the ones with dry sump?".  Everything seemed to go fine and they spent a full hour doing it, so I'm assuming they knew what to do once they got into it.

Now the fun can begin!  Had an eye popping, head snapping experience turning left across 4 lanes of traffic onto hwy 6 this morning, but other than the rush of speed and the roar, everything stayed nice and composed and I was at 110 in the blink of an eye.  I've never had a car with this kind of HP, so it's going to take some cautious exploring

You service break in was earlier than mine. Interesting considering it's the same engine. I believe mine was 1500km. It was excruciating waiting but like your experience it is so glorious when you can start to open it up.

I'm sure you'll learn but the biggest adjustment for me with a big boy V8 (and aggressive compound tires) is that you really need to wait for the tires to warm up or you'll get no traction. Cool mornings in particular.

Are both the Grand Sport and the SS 1LE Dry Sump?  Because that could be the difference...

[Great_Big_Abyss]

well,  the orange lights on the tach around 4000 went out the other day when I passed 800kms, and I was able to get in for the first service after work yesterday.  I chose a dealership convenient to me but that also seems to move a lot of Vettes, although I was a little concerned when he said "why are you doing service already" and later "is that one of the ones with dry sump?".  Everything seemed to go fine and they spent a full hour doing it, so I'm assuming they knew what to do once they got into it.

Now the fun can begin!  Had an eye popping, head snapping experience turning left across 4 lanes of traffic onto hwy 6 this morning, but other than the rush of speed and the roar, everything stayed nice and composed and I was at 110 in the blink of an eye.  I've never had a car with this kind of HP, so it's going to take some cautious exploring

You service break in was earlier than mine. Interesting considering it's the same engine. I believe mine was 1500km. It was excruciating waiting but like your experience it is so glorious when you can start to open it up.

I'm sure you'll learn but the biggest adjustment for me with a big boy V8 (and aggressive compound tires) is that you really need to wait for the tires to warm up or you'll get no traction. Cool mornings in particular.

Are both the Grand Sport and the SS 1LE Dry Sump?  Because that could be the difference...

No. The ILE is not dry sump.

I think you need to put your man-pants on and get yourself one of the pressurized GM V8's next.... 

[Shorlaw]

well,  the orange lights on the tach around 4000 went out the other day when I passed 800kms, and I was able to get in for the first service after work yesterday.  I chose a dealership convenient to me but that also seems to move a lot of Vettes, although I was a little concerned when he said "why are you doing service already" and later "is that one of the ones with dry sump?".  Everything seemed to go fine and they spent a full hour doing it, so I'm assuming they knew what to do once they got into it.

Now the fun can begin!  Had an eye popping, head snapping experience turning left across 4 lanes of traffic onto hwy 6 this morning, but other than the rush of speed and the roar, everything stayed nice and composed and I was at 110 in the blink of an eye.  I've never had a car with this kind of HP, so it's going to take some cautious exploring

You service break in was earlier than mine. Interesting considering it's the same engine. I believe mine was 1500km. It was excruciating waiting but like your experience it is so glorious when you can start to open it up.

I'm sure you'll learn but the biggest adjustment for me with a big boy V8 (and aggressive compound tires) is that you really need to wait for the tires to warm up or you'll get no traction. Cool mornings in particular.

Are both the Grand Sport and the SS 1LE Dry Sump?  Because that could be the difference...

No. The ILE is not dry sump.

I think you need to put your man-pants on and get yourself one of the pressurized GM V8's next.... 

working on it 

Maybe I'll feel different in time, but I can't even imagine an additional 200HP!  Thanks for the tip about warm tires, I hadn't been thinking about that

[johngenx]

I drove an LS3 Miata that made 540hp to the wheels and weighed 2400lbs.  It was hella fun in small doses, but nearly impossible to drive anywhere near it's limits.  Even on Hoosiers it had zero traction.  Downshift at 100km/h and you could light up the tires, which is just nuts.

The owner has sold the car and now has a new Flyin Miata V-8 car that is still insane but much more usable thanks to the better chassis of the new car and the more extensive engineering that FM has into the newer machines.  On paper, the newer car should be slower than his old one, but no way.

While spending something like $70K on a Miata seems insane as well, his new V-8 car is basically a supercar in terms of performance.  Not everything can be boiled down to power to weight.  You've got to be able to use it.

That's the joy I think of the GS Vette.  The chassis is the equal to the engine.

[tooscoops]

beautiful car! while there might be times you regret the aero package... every time you look at it, you will enjoy it!

very cool.

[Arctic_White]

That looks simply amazing; congrats!

New C7's (base model) an now be had for $60K.
Grand Sports are at $70K, with Z06 available for $80K starting price.

There are incredible deals if you are after traditional FR layout AND looking for manual transmission.

FWIW, my Camaro 2SS 1LE cost ~$60K.  Had I known that C7s would become this cheap, I'd have definitely waited. 

Enjoy your new ride.

[BWII]

 
 
She's pretty.

[whaddaiknow]

She's pretty, naughty, and fast. Enjoy!

[Shorlaw]

Quick update - I've been daily driving to work and just hit 3600km's, mileage is showing an avg of 13.1.   Absolutely love this car, I wish I hadn't been such a cheap bugger and held off so long in making the purchase! It's pretty shocking how in an instant it goes from docile to crazy, but always so controllable.   I have some great roads around me to have some fun with, and I'm no where near the driver to get it anywhere close to it's limits.  I only have a 2 min stretch on a highway during my commute, so I don't really even know what 6th and 7th gear are for, at 135 in 5th you're only at 2500 rpm.  The aero pieces have not proven to be an issue since the first week I've had it (I'm still never attempting that set of train tracks again!) and even the speed bumps in the parking garage at work are no problem.  Although I'm pretty limber and those side skirts don't make for an easy or graceful  in/out and I frequently bump the power hatch button with my knee.  One thing I've been really happy about is that the seats fit me great, I was a little worried because although the 350Z had a Spartan interior, the seats fit me like a glove and I didn't want to lose that.

Some minor negatives: the 1-4 skip shift is SUPER irritating!  It doesn't happen often so I forget about it, but when it does it really throws me.  It's not exactly smooth shifting 1-2-3, it gets better as it warms up, but it's definitely a little notchier (not sure that's a word, but seems an accurate description!) than I would like.  Sometimes there's some quirky electrical things, but I'm sure some of them can be chalked up to user error so I just go with it and figure it gives both of us a little character.

It's so much fun on an open road to really let it go, but I've watched and I swear you can actually see the gas guage move!

[Davep]

Damn! Now you have me wondering if my pension fund can take the hit. 

[Shorlaw]

Damn! Now you have me wondering if my pension fund can take the hit. 

Ha!  That was EXACTLY the thought process that took me so long to make the jump.  I was always ok with the depreciation piece, it was the initial outlay that I couldn’t get past mentally, especially for something to sit in the garage for 6 months.  I wondered if I may have some remorse after the newness wore off, but not even for a second, instead it’s been “I was an idiot to have waited so long”

[Railton]

Boss wheels Shorlaw.
Could you share with the group the insurance hit or at least the difference between the 370 and the new wheels?
Railton

[Shorlaw]

Boss wheels Shorlaw.
Could you share with the group the insurance hit or at least the difference between the 370 and the new wheels?
Railton

It was something I stupidly didn’t check ahead of time because I got caught up in the excitement, but shockingly it only went up $30/month while on the road.  Not sure yet when it drops to fire/theft.

[Railton]

Boss wheels Shorlaw.
Could you share with the group the insurance hit or at least the difference between the 370 and the new wheels?
Railton

It was something I stupidly didn’t check ahead of time because I got caught up in the excitement, but shockingly it only went up $30/month while on the road.  Not sure yet when it drops to fire/theft.

Boss!
Railton

[Shorlaw]

It's a sad day!  Picked up a battery maintainer and car cover off Amazon so hopefully all is good until the spring.

[Shorlaw]

I noticed yesterday I just hit 7500km's, how pathetic is that in a little over 2 years!   I really didn't buy it to be a garage queen, but since Covid I'm just not driving much.  At this rate I won't even hit 10K when my warranty expires next July.  I've been getting some concerning low tire pressure warnings from Onstar and dash light, which I normally wouldn't be concerned about, but the cracked rim issues are always in the back of my mind.  I checked them all the other day and topped one up, but was concerned yesterday when the light was still on.  It went out after driving for about a half hour, so hopefully that's the end of it.  The idea of having to spend  that kind of $$$ on new wheels wouldn't sit well with me at all!