Great looking car! I had just gotten my personalized plates ( C AL US) the month before so the replacement has to be an exciting car to drive.

 

I definitely understand. Any great xk will give you a nice driving experience, but if you're getting something else, you want to retain that feeling. I forgot how low C5s are when I sat in one.

 

I love Corvettes and consider these the best bang-for-the-buck muscle car, although I am not one of those fanatical Corvette nuts--I just appreciate the car for what it is. I bought a red (of course) C4 in 1995 as my mid-life-crisis vehicle (much to the chagrin of my wife). It is just one of those vehicles that you should own at least once in your lifetime. In my opinion the C4 was the last of the "bad boy" Vettes that were sort of affordable with a small stretch. Each generation since then has gotten better but pricier which is why these days most drivers I see (at least in the LA area) are typically in the rich old-fart category.

Doug

 

I've got my eye on 2 C4 Corvettes, one red and one green. I love that body style as well. When you sit in that car, really feel a part of it like a race car. Sure it's not the fastest or whatever, but I don't care about anything like that. I just love that old school retro look with the pop-up lights and the digital dash. And I'm 24. I just appreciate a good car.

 

You would have loved my 95. This is how it looked when I sold in 2010:

 

That's hot! I love the glass roof on these

 

If you are looking for a used Corvette, Corvetteforum.com is a great source of information. There were certain gremlins common to the C4 run but the last ones (1994 through 1996) had most of the bugs ironed out. When you sit in one of these you definitely feel like you are in a cockpit. None of the following years had a feel like the C4.

Doug

 

I love my '95 XJS' but I also have a '95 C4. It is nice being able to compare the two cars. The Jaguar is a true GT and even though it is not as fast or as light and responsive as my vette, it is my favorite driving car.

My vette is a 6 speed and really feels like a sports car. When you sit in the vette you feel like the car is wrapped around you. I originally thought I would get a C5 to add to the stable but after checking out the '95 C4 I just found that it fit me better and gave back more of a sports car feeling than the C5.

Now If I was looking for more of a daily driver I think I would go with a C5 or C6. The C5 and 6 are easier to get in and out of and just easier to live with on a daily basis.

IMO vettes in general are one of the best bang for the buck sports cars on the market. The Jaguar XJS and XK8 are one of the best bang for the buck GT's on the market so it really just comes down to what fits you best.

My best advice if you are looking for one of these great cars is buy the very best you can afford. Spend a little more on the front side for a well loved and maintained example and your ownership experience will most likely be a positive one. Do your research and take your time finding the right fit and then get out and drive it like there is no tomorrow-LOL!

 

I got my C5 Corvette 2 days ago. 1999 convertible automatic with 61500 miles! Pewter gray black interior. A tad harder getting in and out but otherwise OK. I'll post from time to time on my comparison driving experience.

 

Congrats man, hope you enjoy it. I drove a 2002 yesterday and it was very tempting

 

I totally understand people wanting to abandon the brand after some negative experience. I think the positives out weigh the bad. To own and live with a Jaguar you just need to like it a lot vs most exotics (you need to bleed Rossa Corsa to live with a Ferrari).

Hang in there and go with what your heart says, whatever that may be.

 

For myself, it would be an easy choice. Jaguar has such a pedigree and rich history. I have to say when it comes to owning such a auto as the Jag compared to a piece of Detroit iron, I would take the Jag anytime. When driving down the road and if I notice a Vette, it's usually out of the corner of my eye and just another car, nothing special. We all have different tastes, and if takes a Vette to get your engine running by all means thats the car for you. Best of luck with it and continue posts on the comparison.

 

Just different strokes. I had the pleasure of owning both my old C4 and the "new" XKR for about 2 years since it was tough trying to sell the Corvette during the crappy economy. I enjoyed alternating driving each one--when I was in the Corvette I liked that one better and when in the XKR I enjoyed that one. The Corvette was definitely more sporty while the XKR was definitely more classy.

The nice thing about the Corvette was the ease and affordability of getting it serviced and tweaked--lots of aftermarket performance upgrades available. I also believe the Corvette has a decent "pedigree" compared with anything American and has an iconic stature. Maybe not like a Jaguar or Porsche but still is in a class by itself (for the money).

Doug