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Corvette C6
#1614607
17/01/2018 16:58
17/01/2018 16:58
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,821 Bath
Fishy_Dave
OP
I need some sleep
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OP
I need some sleep
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,821
Bath
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Hi All, It's been ages since I posted here. Over the last year I've maintained the trio of BMW (Z4M, E30 race car and E46 325ti) and enjoyed near total reliability. The E30 did a full season of races, with just a fuel pump malady to spoil a certain class win mid season. With a house purchase coming up (finally, at the age of 40!) the fleet needed to be reviewed. The race car and trailer sold last week and the Z4M will go in the spring (the best all round car I've owned to date). The reason for this thread comes as a result of a memorable road trip my wife and I took around California just over a year ago, the highlight being a trackday at Laguna Seca. As well as driving a Z4M I was also cheeky enough to ask for a passenger ride in a Corvette C6. Whilst I can't pretend they are the finest car in the world it was an impressive ride that made a great noise. Even whilst on that holiday I started looking for cars for sale! They are expensive in the UK (starting from £23k) and almost always automatic Whilst browsing the web in bed at midnight, before Christmas I found a one owner, high mileage C6 for just $9995 (£7500ish). I got in there quick but was just beaten into second refusal. As luck would have it the first gentleman tried to haggle and then said the flights (from the next state) were expensive so I got a text at 03:45 and after a phone call to the owner in California had bought it by 4am, resulting in no sleep for the rest of the night! Since then their has been a lot of work arranging the necessary insurance, flights, accommodation, ESTA, shipping, parts for UK conversion etc. etc. The seller owns three Corvette including a new C7, he has been offered thousands of dollars more since I paid the deposit but he has been honourable and continued with our existing agreement. We fly out to LA on Sunday, detour around the currently closed 101 (rock and mudslide) on Monday, collect the car and then over the next 9 days drive just under 2500 miles via California, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Texas to include Monument Valley, Route 66, horse riding at a ranch and a trackday at Circuit Of The Americas. I drop the car at the port at Houston then fly to Nashville, pick up a hire car, drive to the Corvette factory and museum at Bowling Green, fly on to New York and then home. I should get the car back after its Atlantic journey at the end of February, exciting! Excluding the cost of the holiday/road trip the car will probably cost me just under £13,000 which I consider to be pretty good for 400bhp as standard and a rumbling 6 litre V8 soundtrack. I just hope I've not bought a pup! regards, Dave
Last edited by Fishy_Dave; 18/01/2018 09:23. Reason: Missed out Utah!
Corvette C6 (manual of course)
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Re: Corvette C6
[Re: Fishy_Dave]
#1614614
17/01/2018 19:23
17/01/2018 19:23
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,783 In the coupe.
magooagain
Club Member 259
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Club Member 259
Forum is my life
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,783
In the coupe.
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OH that's brilliant Dave. I really like them,I also really like the z4m.
Enjoy what seems a fantastic holiday also. Good luck.
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Re: Corvette C6
[Re: Fishy_Dave]
#1614649
18/01/2018 09:20
18/01/2018 09:20
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Lucifer
Unregistered
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Lucifer
Unregistered
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And to think my wife said I was nuts for travelling to Reading to buy a car Coolest car purchase story by a distance though, good luck and enjoy the trip!
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Re: Corvette C6
[Re: Fishy_Dave]
#1614650
18/01/2018 09:25
18/01/2018 09:25
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,821 Bath
Fishy_Dave
OP
I need some sleep
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OP
I need some sleep
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,821
Bath
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Thanks guys, we're excited but a bit nervous too. Some of the days are going to be long and the last two days/three flights have to be on time or else I'm stranded!
Corvette C6 (manual of course)
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Re: Corvette C6
[Re: Fishy_Dave]
#1614710
19/01/2018 13:00
19/01/2018 13:00
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,179 Sheffield
X19_pilot
Enjoying the ride
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Enjoying the ride
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,179
Sheffield
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Congrats on your purchase Dave, not sure which is more exciting, the car or the trip! My folks went to the factory last year and really enjoyed it. There are a couple of decent Corvette specialists in the UK, but you couldn't live further away from them as they all seem to be on the east or south east side of the country! Tom Falconer at Claremont Corvette has just retired, but the business is still going, they restored a '63 split screen for a friend of mine and did a great job. I was camping next to a guy with a C1 at Silverstone Classic a couple of years ago and he rated Corvette Kingdom highly too.
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Re: Corvette C6
[Re: Fishy_Dave]
#1614715
19/01/2018 13:56
19/01/2018 13:56
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suba
Unregistered
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suba
Unregistered
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F*cking Awesome Dave - soooooo jealous of both the trip and the purchase.
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Re: Corvette C6
[Re: X19_pilot]
#1614729
19/01/2018 15:16
19/01/2018 15:16
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,391 Essex
Trappy
Forum is my life
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Forum is my life
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,391
Essex
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Congrats on your purchase Dave, not sure which is more exciting, the car or the trip! My folks went to the factory last year and really enjoyed it. There are a couple of decent Corvette specialists in the UK, but you couldn't live further away from them as they all seem to be on the east or south east side of the country! Tom Falconer at Claremont Corvette has just retired, but the business is still going, they restored a '63 split screen for a friend of mine and did a great job. I was camping next to a guy with a C1 at Silverstone Classic a couple of years ago and he rated Corvette Kingdom highly too. Walkinshaw Performance isn't too far away from Dave. Sure, they're a VXR8 specialist but the Corvette has the same engine, just with loads of plastic and 'leaves' or something on top, right?
F****** b****** thing...
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Re: Corvette C6
[Re: samsite999]
#1615751
10/02/2018 17:58
10/02/2018 17:58
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 16,603 Corridor of Uncertainty
Jim_Clennell
Forum veteran
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Forum veteran
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 16,603
Corridor of Uncertainty
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Amazing Dave, please please please do keep us updated as to this, I would be actually really interested in a good right up about the logistical side of something like this Yes, me too!
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Re: Corvette C6
[Re: Fishy_Dave]
#1616219
21/02/2018 13:21
21/02/2018 13:21
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,821 Bath
Fishy_Dave
OP
I need some sleep
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OP
I need some sleep
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,821
Bath
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Thanks for your kind words guys. The car is still at the dock, the ship is delayed and due to leave this Sunday, with a UK eta of the 19th of March. Work is getting in the way of writing up the trip and costs but I will get it done.
MM: Your road trip in the Mustang sounds great.
Brilly1UK: I don't think it's going to like the mud, salt and rain, non of which it has seen before. The underside and suspension is so clean.....for now!
Dan: I have a few short video clips but not enough to make anything decent. My wife filmed some of them, say no more!
robcal: In the year I was looking at classifieds I didn't notice any great variation from region to region, BUT there were more Corvette for sale in the dry states anyway. Craigs list seems popular there but it was a pain for me as you can't do a country wide search. It could be useful for you though if you know where your end point is going to be. I agree that it should be a cheaper way for you, but not having a social security number and fixed address does mean that some states are easier than others. There are some good threads about this online and on trip advisor iirc. I used Geico for insurance btw and used a friends address in California as a base. I paid for a 6 month policy in installments and cancelled after a month, it cost about $100 for the month iirc.
Corvette C6 (manual of course)
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Re: Corvette C6
[Re: Fishy_Dave]
#1618057
30/03/2018 21:40
30/03/2018 21:40
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,821 Bath
Fishy_Dave
OP
I need some sleep
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OP
I need some sleep
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,821
Bath
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After a long delay at Houston the Corvette is nearly here. It is due to dock at Antwerp tomorrow, then arrive in Southampton on the 7th. I will probably have to wait another week for it to be unloaded, clear customs and arrive at the depot at Milton Keynes where I can collect it, exciting! The Z4M sold last weekend which I'm a bit sad about as it's been the best all round car I've owned. Still, with the house move in the next couple of months I need both the space and money.
Corvette C6 (manual of course)
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Re: Corvette C6
[Re: Fishy_Dave]
#1623926
13/08/2018 17:26
13/08/2018 17:26
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,164 Glos
Brilly1uk
Club member 1034
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Club member 1034
Competition Level
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,164
Glos
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Superbly done Dave. Great read - keep us updated!
Fiat Coupe 20VT Alfa Romeo Spider BMW X3
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