Some cars just mean more than others. Maybe it’s your childhood dream to own a Corvette or other fancy cars like Michael Jordan. If you’re a car enthusiast, purchasing a vehicle is an investment, and you likely want it to be a decision you can be proud of considering the cost that goes into owning one. Whether it’s the rev of the engine or the thrill of the ride that keeps you drooling over the possibility of owning one, you may still wonder if anyone has ever regretted buying one of these well-known and loved sports cars. 

The Chevrolet Corvette

The Corvette has been around since 1953. It may have started as a cruiser for country-club folks who had the means and the desire to ride in style, but it’s since become a solid performance car. From the C1 to the C8, the Corvette has delivered year after year.

It took a while for the Corvette to get its footing within the car enthusiast community, but due to its continued redesigns and improvements, it became a favorite among drivers. It’s also been featured in pop culture from movies to that famous Prince song, “Little Red Corvette.” 

People love it for its ability to melt the stress away as they rev the engine and the fact that it’s attention-grabbing and easily identifiable. Not only that, but it’s a reasonably accessible sports car, both men and women enjoy driving. For singles or couples without kids, it’s the dream car.

And when they do have kids, the Corvette can be passed down to the next generation. It also represents the American Dream and is such a classic, it’s a real piece of American history. 

Buying a Corvette: regret or cautionary tale?

There are downsides to owning a Corvette, though, and there are numerous threads online about why this is the case. Do these people regret buying Corvettes? Not necessarily, but they are upfront about why owning one isn’t the best idea and how a secondary car might be a smart idea.

Some of the top complaints included not being able to drive it in the snow, the need to avoid poor roads and potholes, and how uncomfortable it is for daily or long-distance driving.

It’s not an off-roader by any means, and you’ll never be able to drive carpool in it. Others hated the fact that you may have to store it in bad weather, which could mean over half the year in some places and the need for a second car.

If you’re in the city, you may want to skip out on it, as it’s not as fun in traffic as it is on a more open road. And it certainly isn’t decked out with the amenities of more creature comfort filled cars.

If you know these things going in though and really want one, you probably won’t let it stop you. Most of the people on forums listing off these downsides still bought — and still love — their Corvettes. 

The best and worst model years

Every car has its best and worst production years, and the Corvette is no exception. If you’re looking at a used Corvette because you want that classic ’75 or loved the ’90s ‘Vettes, then it’s good to know which model years faired the best.

According to CorvetteForum.com, you’ll find that the 10 worst years were the debut year (1953), 1958, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1995, and 1998. That means that anything from the more current years seems like a lock.

So which were considered the best? Not surprisingly, also the debut year. It’s the year that started it all, and although it had a lot to improve on, it also introduced the Corvette to the world. 1955, 1957, 1963, 1967, 1970, 1984, 1990, 1997, and 2009. A few other lists claim the 2002 and 2017 should be on the ‘top’ lists, too, but with almost 70 years of history, there were so many to choose from.

Why you may still want one

You shouldn’t let other people’s experiences hold you back from your dream car. Use it as a cautionary tale, sure, and be smart about when and what you buy. They certainly aren’t all bad, and there are plenty of positives about the Corvette that makes drivers fall in love with them.

They have high resale price points, not necessarily because they hold their value well, but because they are such a classic car. So if you’ve got the means and have a craving for a good old classic Corvette, by all means, get one! After all, it is America’s sportscar icon.