With 2023 being the fourth model year for the C8 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, the first production mid-engined ‘Vette feels as fresh as ever. And one of the benefits of its age is that we can discuss reliability.
The Corvette turns 70 this year. And the new proportions, as well as the midship-induced driving dynamics mean it can now run with the big boys. Of course, the interior of the C8 is also in a different league compared to its predecessors (especially from the mid-tier 2LT up), which is something you need when you’re challenging Ferraris and Porsches for a fraction of the cost.
The C8 Z06, with its flat-plane crank naturally aspirated V8 has been in production for under a year, while the C8 E-Ray hybrid won’t reach customers until 2024. So, for this story, we’ll be focusing on the “standard” C8 Corvette Stingray, with the details coming from a rental company that has offered customers the flagship Chevy since the initial 2020 model year.
The company in question is run by YouTuber Rob Ferretti (aka superspeedersRob). And the three C8 Stingrays it has rented out to date have racked out a combined mileage of 80,000 to date.
Essentially, each of the sports car is kept in the fleet for 25,000 to 30,000 miles. Keep in mind that rental miles involve significantly more wear and tear compared to how a typical owner would drive the vehicle.
And, according to the rental specialist, the C8 Corvette has been perfectly reliable, demanding “virtually zero maintenance” outside standard operations like oil changes.
For the record, Rob is one of the OG YouTubers, having entered the scene in 2007, two years after the platform was launched. And while his straightforward videos are not for everybody, the vlogger has given us no reason to believe the C8 reliability assessment above is less than objective. Of course, the mid-engined Chevy Corvette has not been without its issues.
Interestingly, other YouTubers have taken an… ahem… different approach in assessing the C8 Corvette, such as jumping the sports car off-road with impressively limited damage.
Recalls and various reliability problems for the C8 Chevrolet Corvette
If we check the reliability track of the C8, we’ll notice that, even for its first model year, which naturally sees more issues than the following ones, it received a 4/5 reliability score from Consumer Reports.
For the 2023 Corvette, CR got a recommended rating, albeit with a predicted reliability score of 3/5. This is a step up from the 2/5 score CR gave the C8 for the 2022 model year, even though the potential trouble areas for the 2023 model involve the paint and trim, body hardware, and in-car electronics.
As far as the NHTSA shows, powertrain and electrical system problems are the most common reported by C8 owners. And, despite that initial model year praise from CR, the greatest number of mid-engined Corvette recalls are linked to the 2020MY.
Some of the most notable issues, at least safety-wise, include the frunk opening while the vehicle is in motion and the missing ball bearings in the dual-clutch transmission (22 units recalled).
To date, GM has assembled over 70,000 units of the C8 Corvette Stingray and Coupe and Convertible form, with the data not including the 2023 production numbers (the current model year is set to end in September).
In a market where new and used vehicle prices have been on an aggressive upward trend for a few years now, the base price of the 2023 C8 Chevrolet Corvette sits at $60,996โadmittedly, the dealer markup issues are infinitely smaller than in the case of the Z06, whose $110,000 MSRP has occasionally been taken past the $300,000 border by ridiculous dealer offers.
The C8 Corvette holds its value well. In fact, if you’re looking for a used example in 2023, you should expect to pay at least $75,000 for one.