2001 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe from North America - Comments

Nothing has gone wrong with this car (it was my salesman demo), but I have heard scattered reports of reliability issues with this year of Corvettes.

This car does feel a little shaky and uneasy when I drive it hard, but maybe this is how Corvettes are.

No doubt about it, it's very fast. 335 horses really kicks it from the start, even with the automatic.

11-36 MPG? I've got both. I guess it's when I cruise on the way to work on a downhill at 500 rpms it gets stellar mileage, but normally I get around 19.

This car is seriously uncomfortable, but at the same time, very fun to drive. It has been the most user friendly sports car that I've driven.

It looks great! The finish on the roof is already beginning to peel off, so I'm wondering about the build quality.

The power seats are maddening, especially when you adjust it to you liking, and then start the car. It goes into memory mode and slides you all they way back to where you started.

I got a flat tire on this car, but I didn't realize that it didn't have a jack, so I stop on the side of the road like an idiot and search the car for 20 minutes. Note: Corvettes don't have spare tires or jacks.

The engine was, of course, the best part. I'll listen to that all day over the stereo. Work of art GM, nice going.

So, I liked my experience with the Corvette. It's the best of the bunch, and for a used price of around 27K $ as of now, you can't beat it.

It's an automatic?

*slaps review writer*

Although it sounds funny, I remember reading a magazine review of this car that said the automatic was actually preferable to the clunky manual.

For me, a sports car is a sports car if you shift yourself. Of course, those days are nearly over with the advent of DSG, Steptronic, and the rest, and automakers will simply refuse to make both types. Sad.

I'd personally prefer the automatic 'Vette, versus the manual. The 6 spd 01' Corvette Coupe I drove was kind of irritating because of that weird "Skip 2nd" feature on it.

A sports car needs a clutch. There is no other feeling better than havin a RWD car in a powerslide while slipping the clutch to keep the rear end out there while drifting around the corner.

AutoWeek just did a review of the new Porsche Turbo and under any condition the automatic (Tiptronic) was faster than the manual.

The days of shift yourself cars are ending unfortunately.

I know its coming to an end, its unfortunate though. But it seems people have no need for manuals anymore. But hey, at least I can get them cheap, drive'em into the ground and have loads of fun doing it.

Good luck with those... tiptronic buttons and paddles...

I drive my sons Viper 6 speed if it was an automatic it wouldn't be the same car!

36 mpg highway in an automatic 'Vette? Uh... I don't think so.

I (writer of the review) never said 36 MPG highway. I get around 24 on the highway. What I meant was that there is a long (4 miles) steep hill on my way to work, so I put it in neutral and roll down the whole way. Then I take a 45 MPH road back home. Anything over 45 MPH and the gas mileage plummets. With that combination, I was able to hit 37.2 MPG at best. That is because this car was in neutral most of the time. If you did that with a Civic, you'd probably be nailing 70-80 MPG. But no way does this car get 36 MPG with regular driving. Expect 19-22 if your nice, and 9-15 if you're not.

Manual boxes will never die out. Any proper sports car, and driver will want a clutch. Try to heel and toe and auto and it's hardly the same! A proper driver needs full control, not laziness. Production is dictated by the market. If most people don't want a manual it will become uneconomical to produce one, even as an option. Auto's are becoming more popular on sports cars because you want them to be...

I don't think its good for the tranny to be in neutral while going 60+ mph, you'll end up burning up a bearing or frying the gears.

Same with a manual if you hold the clutch in down a hill, the throwout bearing will crap out.

How would putting a transmission in neutral fry the gears and the bearings? Doesn't it spin at the same speed whether engaged to the engine or not? I don't see how neutral would destroy the transmission.

No a tranny does not spin at the same speed. In manuals the synchros take care of the speeds because without them you'd have to match rpms and speed perfectly to shift or double clutch.

I'm not sure about autos, but maybe the torque converter or something may be stressed.