Will you purchase your C8 without test drive?

[TNRunner]

For those who have order positions for the first year C8 will you be purchasing the car without ever driving one? Seems a little risky.

[Bikerjulio]

Since most of the initial sales will be to customer order, like mine, then yes I'll be buying before driving.

[TtiME]

Well I’m on the list waiting for the first model after the base (hopefully the Z06) so I won’t get to drive that first but maybe get a chance to drive someone’s stingray. I’ll at least ask a fellow owner for a ride.

[fyreline]

I would not buy a first-year car of such a major redesign in any case . . . but no, I would never buy a car I have not driven.

[SheepDog]

For those who have order positions for the first year C8 will you be purchasing the car without ever driving one? Seems a little risky.

Will the The Major vendors not have one example at the dealership for customers to "rest drive" and later to be sold at a discount? Seems reasonable and fair. How does it work in real world ? Ask Michael Furman on this one..

How much driving does it take to compute out the risk. Probably a bunch of people will beat me to the punch and scream so loudly in joy on the internet that I will be ready to buy sight unseen

[Fasttoys]

This is a great topic. Knowing the Corvette ME is so drastically different than the previous generations, you will have many not familiar with mid-engine cars and could hesitate and sit on the sidelines till they sit in or drive one. This is not like the C5 to C6 to the new C7 this is a very interesting topic and I am not sure what challenges this will cause. I know we can say many cars don't get test driven and people buy them because of the hype

I know many of my European car crowd that has not owned or driven a modern corvette won't take the plunge without a proper test-drive in a brand that they never owned before. For me its all about the seating position, that is key and if I don't feel comfortable I will not buy a car regardless of its performance. I hope to sit in the ME before I buy it and then I can make an assessment based on car reviews, I don't need to dive it.

[Fireeagle]

I would not even consider the purchase unless I do a test drive.

[John]

I had not even sat in a Corvette for 35 years when our new C5 arrived by transporter (across country); never got a “passenger ride” in a C6 (let alone when we got our C6 Z06 at NCM Museum Delivery — and drove it home 2,500 miles); however, did get a ride from a fellow forum member here who received literally the very first 2014 customer Stingray, but hard to wait over a year until I drove my C7 Z06 (nothing in between); and I will again not have driven a C8, thought probably sat in one, when I drive it for the first time.

We shall create a thread when the C8’s start to be received, “MECF member willing to give a C8 ride to a fellow member,” and if someone wishes to then let a fellow member drive their C8 that would a separate/further choice.

So when our own C8 arrives in the Pacific Northwest, since it will be winter (****), but anyone out here, weather approved, “want a ride” in mine (something that would need to work conveniently for both of us)?

Again, we will create a “C8 ride share thread” when first deliveries start.

[John]

Will the The Major vendors not have one example at the dealership for customers to "rest drive" and later to be sold at a discount? Seems reasonable and fair. How does it work in real world ? Ask Michael Furman on this one.

Mike’s now at Spring Mountain with his group of customers in the “Corvette Drivers” school, but I might be a able to answer/guess at a small part of your good question.

When the first ones arrives (such as mine for I am near the top of his list, BTW today is1,500th day since I placed a deposit on our mid engine), I will not be wanting anyone driving our new car prior to our getting it. So at the beginning when every single C8 delivered is a long ago customer pre-ordered new Corvette, I highly doubt that even the big three will have a car for prospective customers.

That will change at some point, and that hypothetically could be as follows:

Customer # X, who has been waiting for her/his ME for 2 1/2 years, learns the day before it arrives that a family tragedy has occurred, or the day the car arrives that customer can not get financing, gets cold feet, their business has just burned to the ground, or similar “unexpecteds,” and tells the dealer “I am backing out,” perhaps that C8 could then become available for a dealer test rides program. I am guessing here, and when Mike gets back, I will ask him to post how Criswell would handle this.

[Ripper]

If you don’t like it and the pre orders are fullup, available inventory will be hard to come by. Meaning the hype will still be in full swing and you could easily unload it. There will be some that don’t want to wait or didn’t get on the preorder list... a private sale is basically a shortcut for them. Heck, you may not take a loss if the demand is there.

[Ripper]

Im confident it will be a winner though!

[bobbytinvab]

With all the cars I've had, I never bought one without a test drive. I may not have driven one at the dealership, but have had friends that have let me drive their similar model. I'm not usually one to buy a car based on hype, or have to be the 1st on the block to have the latest toy ... so after all that drivel ... probably no.

[jsmatt]

You know, as I thought about it, I purchased my C6 427 Convertible without a test drive. Plenty of reviews were available and I picked up serial # 159 in early 2012.
With that said, for what I'm looking for in the ME, I think there will be time for a test drive or two.
I'm waiting for a performance version, like a ZR-1 level package. That should give me plenty of time to look at several cars, and take a few test drives of the ME.

[MikeC8]

I’m 6’5” and when I ordered the C7 in June 2013 there were no cars to drive. Mine came in late September of 2013. Before I signed the paperwork I drove it and the rest is history. So yes I would take delivery but only after I drove it. That’s always been the case new or used.
If I didn’t buy one of the first corvettes to hit the streets there were plenty of others that would have purchased her The dealer had no reason for concern. Plus there were no ADM’s either .

[John]

MikeC8, I understand that when one is 6’5”, at least sitting in it is a smart idea. I am told that “if you can fit fine in a C7, you can fit in a C8.” Hope even you find it very comfortably inside, and a joy to drive.