A Philadelphia man drove seven hours to North Carolina to buy a car. He drove seven hours back without one.

Seven hours is a long way to drive for something that one should have ensured everything worked before making the trip. But that’s neither here nor there.

Enthusiasts routinely travel great distances, even overseas, to find the right car.

In a TikTok with over 309,300 views as of this writing, the Philadelphia Corvette enthusiast shares his latest heartbreak when trying to buy a C6 Corvette in North Carolina.

So I Drove Seven Hours To Buy A C6 Corvette

For an unnamed TikTok creator who calls his car the Peacemaker (@2021c8corvette) and documents his life as a Corvette enthusiast, a promising C6 Grand Sport fell apart over six words: the Magnetic Selective Ride Control didn’t work.

“Well, I thought I was going to be buying this C6 Grand Sport, 2013, midnight blue. Beautiful car — it’s in pretty good shape,” he said.

However, there was one issue that was an absolute dealbreaker for him.

“Problem is the Magnetic Selective Ride doesn’t work. So I guess I’m driving 7 hours back to Pennsylvania. Disappointing. Long ride too,” he shares.

But what makes this unusual is that the Magnetic Selective Ride Control is a make-or-break feature on a Grand Sport. It’s a feature that, had he known it did not work, he wouldn’t have made the trip.

Perhaps the seller/owner isn’t a car person, so they didn’t know what they did (or didn’t) have.

So What Is Magnetic Selective Ride Control?

Magnetic Selective Ride Control (or known commercially as MagneRide) is an adaptive suspension technology that adjusts shock absorbers in real time to match road conditions. It was invented by Delphi Automotive, which was part of General Motors at the time, in 1995.

The system uses magnetorheological fluid (iron particles suspended in synthetic oil) that changes viscosity instantly when exposed to a magnetic field. It allows the suspension to adjust up to 1,000 times per second. It comes with monotube dampers, sensors, and a sophisticated ECU (electronic control unit).

The system debuted in the Cadillac Seville STS (2002.5). It showed up in a 2003 C5 Corvette, then in a C7 Stingray with the Z51 Performance package.

When it fails, replacement shocks cost thousands of dollars and are increasingly hard to source for aging C6 models. The Chinese company BeijingWest Industries bought the IP but has halted production of the C6 shocks. So, a non-functioning MRC system isn’t just a broken feature; it might be a nonstarter.

The 2013 Corvette C6 (2005-2013) Grand Sport was a performance-focused model with a 6.2L LS3 V8 and a Drive Mode Selector that provided a softer touring or firmer, sportier ride. It was also the last C6 model before Chevy went to a Gen V small-block V-8 for their C7 (2014-2019).

The Commenters Poured One Out

Of course, the comment section had thoughts and well-wishes. 

One even said, “My condolences, good sir.”

“Wow, yeah that sucks, but they should have fixed that before you got there,” one commenter said.

Let’s briefly consider this.

Per some Corvette Facebook groups, fixing a broken MagneRide system would cost between $1,500 (aftermarket shocks, like Bilstein brand) and $2,000 (new GM shocks), before labor. One person wrote that he was quoted $5,500 by a Chevy dealer to replace all four shocks with labor. That number would likely be cheaper with a non-dealership shop.

Some didn’t understand his necessity. “The selective magnetic drive is just a dealer upgrade not needed for the car,” one person said. Another wrote: “They have limited lifespans (the magnetic ride) and GM doesn’t offer repairs for them, so doesn’t matter at the end of the day, also it’s hardly noticeable if you’re not tracking it.”

But one person has jokes, which made the enthusiast laugh: “Hope you and your family are able to move on from this.”

MotorBiscuit reached out to Peacemaker (@2021c8corvette) for more information.

@2021c8corvette So I drove 7 hrs to buy a C6 Corvette Grandsport in North Carolina only to get there and find out that the Selective Magnetic Ride didn’t work!!! #automotive #carsoftiktok #corvette #disappointment #c6corvette ♬ original sound – 2021c8corvette