reliability?

[atmmac]

I think that just because the car is supercharged does not mean that it was abused. These cars will built to be raced. it takes a lot to really damage the motor. Who knows how many miles the superchargers been on. The car only has 17k miles. I say you go for it.

 

[Patrick]

I think that just because the car is supercharged does not mean that it was abused.

I agree, atmmac. That's why I put a careful disclaimer on my statement: it's not a guarantee, but a strong possibility.

The only way to actually test that possibility is to see what adding a supercharger does to potential re-sale value. Anyone know?

-Patrick

 

[Ragtop_Rob]

Absolutely. No other reason to do a supercharger.

If these cars were mustangs or F bodies I would tend to agree, slap a vortech on it and beat the hell out of your used 10 grand toy - But the Vette already costs a lot right out of the gate. Also when you go to the trouble of the Magnacharger with its different hood, it has a lot of SHOW factor. Vette owners are mostly older and less likley to be really stupid with thier huge investments

My Vette is 515 rwhp, supercharged and alcohol injected with a cam - I drive my car EASIER now than I did before I installed this. not sure why but I certianly do. When I do wind it up, it is rarely to the red line (the car is ferocious - taking it up to 6 grand is just not needed - and not controllable until 3rd gear due to wheel spin) - It is far more fun around town or on the highways driving at lower r's. Sure you get the occaisional paly time with some other car (just like you did before the supercharger) but I have never had a knock down drag out gear stretching race - to be honest other cars just can't hang - there is no need.

I have fun with my car but are NOT abusive to it - This car will be as perfect in 10 years as it is now.

Ref the 19" fronts - I am running 19" front and rear with no modifications to the car at all. I lowered my car 1 1/2 inches on the stock bolts (lowering a C5 is very easy, the suspension is adjustable so no new pieces are needed)

 

[Norman Clemmer]

My Vette is 515 rwhp, supercharged and alcohol injected with a cam - I drive my car EASIER now than II have fun with my car but are NOT abusive to it - This car will be as perfect in 10 years as it is now.

I agree and think that a supercharged Vette in no more or less likely to be abused than any other Vette. Any high performance car has a chance that it could be abused and as in anything it's Buyer Aware.

If I was looking to buy the Vette that Hardnocks is considering, I would be very interested in the documentation that came along with the supercharger and among other things would look at.

Who was the installer? Are they a firm with a good reputation? What did it dino at? Was the crank pinned, etc. A Magnacharger when properly installed is very reliable...but I personally would not buy any modified car if there isn't a good paper trail.

 

[Bioscache2]

Ryan,
People can cruise comfortably and keep the car sparkling clean with a stock LS1 or LS6 engine. Are you trying to say that if you go to the time and expense of adding a supercharger, the temptation to be a little heavier on the accellerator is not there? Not sure I agree with that.

Intuitively, if you spend that kind of money and add that kind of power, I have to believe you're going to want to experience what it does to a Corvette's performance by going WOT more often than without it.

-Patrick

The temptation is there but my point is to look at aggressive driving as a percentage of the car's capability rather than actual numbers. Of course a person with a supercharger is gonna go faster because its easier to do so. But I think that if you compare stock drivers and to what limits they push their car to supercharged drivers and what limit they push their cars (realizing that 80% in a stock car and 80% in a supercharged car are very different) you will find, at best, a weak corrolation (sp?).

 

[hardnoks]

02 lpe

well guy's,i did the legwork and got the dealership to fax me the paperwork on the car.it was scary!towed in for flats,steering column lock,a few times,water leaks here and there...and the last time i saw it,there was an ugly outline of silicone on the pillar where the boost guage is!and i could see a little light in the middle where the button for traction ctrl.is.i.e.in the seem between the two pieces!and then there was something about changing or doing something to the quarter panels...and on and on!so,i passed on it.my last name is not on the building,so i have to pay for stuff that breaks!!!too bad though,it was a scorcher!on the lighter side,i just bought a cowl induction hi-rise hood from aci!!!getting headers next week,and lowered too!!!thanks for all the input!

 

[Ragtop_Rob]

GREAT catch!! THanks for the update! That ACI hood is MEAN looking!

 

[LLC5]

well guy's,i did the legwork and got the dealership to fax me the paperwork on the car.it was scary!towed in for flats,steering column lock,a few times,water leaks here and there...and the last time i saw it,there was an ugly outline of silicone on the pillar where the boost guage is!and i could see a little light in the middle where the button for traction ctrl.is.i.e.in the seem between the two pieces!and then there was something about changing or doing something to the quarter panels...and on and on!so,i passed on it.my last name is not on the building,so i have to pay for stuff that breaks!!!too bad though,it was a scorcher!on the lighter side,i just bought a cowl induction hi-rise hood from aci!!!getting headers next week,and lowered too!!!thanks for all the input!

Check out corvettemechanic.com, "broken ring lands", to see another reason why you made the correct choice.

 

[rwpeders]

There is a feature article by Hib on the magnacharger put on a 2002 convertible. Great article with all the details of the mod. Just go to the home page and look in the upper right for the link. It's a good read.

 

[Edmond]

OK, you gotta teach me how to Jap slap someone! That technique is new to me!:L:L:L

 

[hardnoks]

resale

it hurts the resale value of the car. Unless someone is specifically looking for a supercharged car,you're pretty much toast!i learned that with my 95.i kept that car immaculate,and it was supercharged,and i ended up trading it in at a huge loss as far as money into it goes.but for me the supercharger on the car,as well as the car itself was all a labor of love!!!i passed on the 02 supercharged car for a couple of reasons,but the fact that it's supercharged isn't one of them.i got the gut feeling that the car was not taken care of by it's owner just by looking closely at the car,and also the paperwork i read on it from the dealer had mountains of stuff that went wrong with the car.column lock a few times,water leaks,something about replacing fenders,etc.etc.etc.!!!it's way harder to sell a s/.c. car.oh,and under the hood of that 02,the valve covers were gone and it looked lousy with all the wires and things exposed,plus it looked volnerable to water,etc.the car itself looked mean as hell just sitting there,though!!!i did the next best thing...i bought a hi-rise hood,headers,getting it lowered,some al knoch seat covers,new glass top...and a new bb exhaust.if i do a supercharger again,it might be on a c6 when i get one!!! thanks for the feedback,people!moderators,can you please disable that thing that shoots me an email everytime someone post's here??thanks.

 

[Patrick]

moderators,can you please disable that thing that shoots me an email everytime someone post's here??thanks.

Hardnoks, that email notification is happening because you have subscribed to this thread. You can "un-subscribe" as you post a new message by scrolling down to the "Additional Options" box under your window with the text you are posting. There is a section under "Additional Options" which reads "Thread Subscription" and it has a pull down menu. The default in that pull down is "instant email notification." If you no longer want to receive email notifications, from that pull down menu, select either "no email notification" or "do no subscribe." That will stop the emails for you.


-Patrick

 

[Ragtop_Rob]

Check out corvettemechanic.com, "broken ring lands", to see another reason why you made the correct choice.

I searched corvettemechanic.com and found NOTHING about Magnachargers or Magnuson relating to trouble...

 

[Z06 Tom]

It hurt's Resale if it is not OEM!! gmjunkie!!

Don't ever do a build up on one of these cars and expect it to help resale. All things being equal, it shouldn't hurt the value too much, but it won't help. One way to look at a car like this though is that the original owner would eat the cost of the blower. If you intend to go fi anyway, this is an economical way to do it. And boy, it sure is FUN!!

 

[hardnoks]

drive it like.....

hey,that's my motto!!!

 

[TODD L GRIFFITH]

I'm keeping mine forever, so I don't care about mileage either, I'm driving mine. I will someday repaint it and rebuild the motor etc. This is probably my last new Vette. I would like to own quite a few older ones. Might as well throw a ZR1 and a Grand Sport in there while I'm at it.
Add those to the list!