Replies

I would avoid the C4 corvette and move on to a good C5.

Don't got the money. C4 is far more affordable.

I agree.

Are you seriously going to tell me that I don't need a 1.6 L, 115 hp car because it's too powerful? You're not seriously suggesting that, right? You know you can't even buy a car that isn't capable of at least 100 mph. Even a damned Kia will do that. Perhaps you'd prefer it if my commuter car was a bicycle. I don't think it could exceed the speed limit...and I reckon it would take 5 hours to get to work since I live 34.7 miles from my office.

There is a oxymoron somewhere in there. Wrapped up in the terms teenager, Corvette and responsible.

I was responsible enough at the age for that sort of thing. Of course, I'm strange in other ways too...

Are you seriously going to tell me that I don't need a 1.6 L, 115 hp car because it's too powerful? You're not seriously suggesting that, right? You know you can't even buy a car that isn't capable of at least 100 mph. Even a damned Kia will do that. Perhaps you'd prefer it if my commuter car was a bicycle. I don't think it could exceed the speed limit...and I reckon it would take 5 hours to get to work since I live 34.7 miles from my office.

My C5 Corvette is capable of speeds exceeding 185MPH but is limited by the manufacturer to 165. Supposedly that is because the commercially available tires are not certified above that speed. Chevrolet limits the speed. They do it by reducing the fuel as the cars computer senses you are approaching the maximum speed allowed. The manufacturer could just as easily set the maximum speed to 100 MPH. Why don't they? The current determinate is the liability realized by the tire vendor. If the car is driven at 185 and the tires fail and the driver dies, the tire manufacturer gets sued. If the driver loses control at 165 and everyone says "stupid guy" and go on with life. I have had numerous discussions why the tire vendor can be at fault and not the car manufacturer. Ford was successfully sued because the Ford Explorer had a tendency to roll over when a tire goes flat at speeds above 75 MPH. The driver breaks the law, kills himself and maybe his family, and Ford gets sued? The car was not designed to be driven above the speed limit. Why then is the car not limited to a safe speed?