2004 Corvette Production Totals 34,064

[dooscoop32]

NEVER ! We're going to Panama City Beach in a few weeks, and a friend that's following us down is trying REALLLY hard to get me to take the 'Vette. . .No way. . . The Pontiac will be just fine. . .although the separation anxiety will really suck!

You're kidding, right? We just drove our 2004 convertible to Myrtle Beach recently on vacation. And it was one of the best vacations I've ever had. We drove all the way down with the top down. I told my wife that driving there was as much fun as being there. We had excellent weather while there and cruised every night up and down Ocean Boulevard with all of the teenagers. What a blast. Everywhere we went, the Corvette got lots of admiring looks. I saw many an SUV driver gazing at it with those "gee, I wish I had one of those" looks. One night we started at the South end of Ocean Boulevard and cruised to the North end. It took almost a full hour. Even though it was a little tough to do with a 6-speed, it was fun. We ran the A/C the whole time as it was hot outside but the water temp never got over 199 degrees.
We got to park it in an enclosed parking deck at the motel every night and every afternoon after coming in from the ocean, I would go to the garage and wipe if off with Zaino Gloss Enhancer, clean the windows, get the brake dust off the wheels and put protectant on the tires. And I got a lot of compliments from people in the garage on the Corvette as they went by.
All of this helped to make a good vacation great. It is so wonderful to drive down the street with the ocean right beside you. I can't imagine going on vacation without the Corvette.
And when we got back, I gave it a thorough cleaning inside and out and now we are good to go again!
The point is; Your friend is right!! Drive your Corvette to Panama City Beach. It won't kill it and after it's over you'll have no regrets because you didn't. :cool

P.S. There were lots of C5s in Myrtle Beach that week. I waved at every one of them. If you were there the last week of July and someone in a White C5 convertible with Torch Red interior waved at you, it was probably me. Thanks for the wave back because all of them did.
CORVETTE PEOPLE ARE THE GREATEST!!!!!

 

[primeratec5]

I can tell you my reason---drove a six-speed in this trafic down here and changed my mind to an auto---it is as fast but not as much fun but easier on the nerves

 

[doylede]

I can only speak of the dealer stock situation in the area where I live. It may be different in yours. But around here, dealers never order Z06s for stock. I can only assume it's because they don't sell as well. I know the dealership where I bought our '04 hasn't had a Z06 for stock since 2001. They always order loaded coupes and convertibles. Earlier this year, they ordered a triple black convertible with no options and the 1SA package. They had that car for months before they finally dealer-transferred it to Terry Labonte Chevrolet in Greensboro, NC. Our salesman told me that would be the last one of those they would ever get. As far as the automatic vs. 6-speed situation, I believe most dealers feel that they can possibly persuade a buyer who wants a six-speed to settle for an automatic but not the other way around.:cool
I also feel that the weather in any particular area may affect the sales of certain body styles. We have convertible weather around here up till December and January many times. As a result, convertibes are the most popular choice for Corvette buyers here. Coupes are second. Z06s are a distant third.:cool

It's funny how areas differ. In the small town on the mainland there is only one Chevy dealer, but he has stocked one Z06 every year since 2001. He always sells it. I almost bought the 2003 edition (see previous post).

Although it's considerably warmer here than in NC, Coupes outsell Verts. Go figure.

 

[Ed02]

For my wife and I one reason to get the automatic was so she could drive it. I replaced my 2000 manual Camero with the Vette. When I bought the Camero the thinking was we could use it on trips instead of the Expedition (which has a gas pump permantly attached to it if you know what I mean) we soon found out that she had trouble with the manual because after an operation on both knees some years ago, she couldn't handle the clutch. So the truck went on most of the trips. Since I work from home, after almost 3 years the Camero only had 12K miles on it. This time we opted for an automatic and have taken it to Fl. twice, New Hampshire, Atlanta, and Myrtle Beach a few times. Now she gets to drive and we save a ton of gas.

 

[sweet04]

. . .Afraid not. I'm still in the "overly protective phase" (I hope it wears off soon). I won't have the benefit of having a garage for her for an entire week if I take her, leaving her exposed to the elements, idiots and whatever else comes along. I'm not sure the daily driver decision is such a good idea anymore either. On the way home from work last Friday, I got hit with a teeeeeny tiny rock (passenger side windshield), which of course sounded like a SONIC BOOM, and not I have a teeeeny time ding. It wouldn't be noticable to anyone else, but I know it's there.

I'd LOOOVE to drive down Front Beach Road and show her off, but. . .

Sounds like ya'll had an awesome time!

You're kidding, right?

 

[dooscoop32]

. . .Afraid not. I'm still in the "overly protective phase" (I hope it wears off soon). I won't have the benefit of having a garage for her for an entire week if I take her, leaving her exposed to the elements, idiots and whatever else comes along.

I'd LOOOVE to drive down Front Beach Road and show her off, but. . .

Sounds like ya'll had an awesome time!

You're kidding, right?

I didn't know your car would be outside at night. Our motel having an enclosed garage was reassuring for us in our decision to take the Corvette. I will admit I don't think I would want to take it if it had to sit out.

CORVETTE

 

[sweet04]

If I took her, I'd sleep in her. In addition to that, the 'love-bugs' are AWFUL between Dothan. AL & PCB. It took days to clean them off the car last year. Yuck!
Thanks for you opinion!

I didn't know your car would be outside at night. Our motel having an enclosed garage was reassuring for us in our decision to take the Corvette. I will admit I don't think I would want to take it if it had to sit out.

CORVETTE

 

[dooscoop32]

I think you all hit upon logical and reasonable explanations for the popularity of the autoshifter. I remember ordering and waiting for my new '72 LT-1 back in '71-'72. It took 11 weeks to build and deliver. It had the close ratio 4 speed. I just knew that ALL Corvette owners would opt for the "four-on-the-floor" as we all so commonly referred to it back then. Imagine my surprise when the dealer told me that the auto trans outsold the stick many times over. In fact, there were 14,543 autos made to just 1,638 close ratio 4 speeds for '72. Guess it's been this way for a while and I suppose the argument that the auto sells to a wider variety of folks looking to purchase from the dealers lot makes a lot of sense. I recall thinking that an automatic on the Vette, back then, made as much sense as a 4 speed in a Caddy. But just look at the Caddies and Lincolns today with 5 and 6 speed stirrers onboard. Ahh, the wonderful world of cars!

I haven't checked my Corvette Black Book on this situation but if they made 14,543 automatics in 1972, that means they made 12,461 4-speeds because production that year totaled 27,004 cars. Subtracting the 1638 figure from that for the CR 4-speed means they made 10,820 wide-ratio 4-speeds that year. But still, the percentage difference of autos vs. sticks isn't that great for that year. That would be 53.9% autos and 46.1% 4-speeds! CORVETTE!!!

 

[Z_OH_6]

I haven't checked my Corvette Black Book on this situation but if they made 14,543 automatics in 1972, that means they made 12,461 4-speeds because production that year totaled 27,004 cars. Subtracting the 1638 figure from that for the CR 4-speed means they made 10,820 wide-ratio 4-speeds that year. But still, the percentage difference of autos vs. sticks isn't that great for that year. That would be 53.9% autos and 46.1% 4-speeds! CORVETTE!!!

dooscoop32, you're math is right. I took this info from the Idaho Corvette Page: http://www.idavette.net/facts/72.htm
I was just surprised that there weren't 27000 4-speeds and 4 automatics!! :L LOL!!

 

[Rob]

http://corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/c3/1972/72prod.html

http://corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/c3/1972/72id.html

 

[Z_OH_6]

http://corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/c3/1972/72prod.html

http://corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/c3/1972/72id.html

Thanks Rob!! Proving CAC is all the resource we need! I was wondering what was down that hallway with all the doors! HA! THANKS!

 

[Rob]

Thanks Rob!! Proving CAC is all the resource we need! I was wondering what was down that hallway with all the doors! HA! THANKS!

Tech Center >> Model Center >> 1972