CORVETTE

[DGraber460 at aol.com]

You're not crazy. Some listers will get their elitist (one marque/country 
only) nose out of joint, but buy a car based on what _you_ want. I try to 
make judgments based on what the manufacturer is trying to accomplish, and 
their target market. Are they in fact doing what they set out to do? If so, 
good job, whether it hits my hot button or not.
Corvettes will never compare head to head with hi-tech German machinery. They 
are crude, rude, and powerful. They rattle and clunk from GM's attempts at 
attaching fiberglass to metal, but there is a lot to be said for the fun of 
throttle induced oversteer.
If you plan to driver it in the winter, I would advise against it.
If you are very image conscious, it may not appeal to you. If you buy a car 
based on the pleasure of ownership, and bang for the buck, you would probably 
enjoy it a great deal.
Parts are cheap, and modification possibilities almost endless. I find the 
American small block V8 to be very reliable, and 15-20 mpg sounds about 
right. You can vary the fuel economy greatly by the way you drive it. Lead 
foot around town will produce very low numbers. I have achieved 36 mpg 
highway with my 96 LT4 (credit the 6 speed).
Consider a big budget for insurance and tires. They seem to steal a lot of 
them.
Most Corvettes on the lift are there for the same our Audis are. 
Upgrade/improvement/modification.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not a "Vettes Rule" kinda guy. I like _all_ kinds of 
cars for a wide variety of reasons.
No flames necessary, your opinions are as valid mine.

Dennis
Too much horsepower is not quite enough.