C8 Corvette Service Costs Way Up Compared To C7 Corvette
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The average cost to service a C8 Corvette Stingray over a 12-month period is much more expensive than with a C7 Corvette Stingray, according to a new study conducted by WePredict.
The Michigan-based predicted analytics company recently published the findings from its annual TrueCost study, which measures the average amount of money spent by owners and manufacturers of vehicles from model years 2017-2020 after 12 months on the road.
C7 Corvette Stingray
According to WePredict, the average amount of money spent by 2020 Corvette Stingray owners on service visits over a 12-month period was $967. This was up from $359 in the 2019 model year Chevy Corvette, which was the final model year for the C7-generation model. The average amount spent on service visits among owners of 2018 and 2017 model year Corvette models was $350 and $296, respectively.
The findings from this study suggest the cost to service a C8 Corvette Stingray over a 12-month period is more than double that of a C7 Corvette Stingray. This will be unsurprising to many Corvette enthusiasts, seeing as the vehicle switched to a more advanced mid-engine platform for 2020 that makes servicing a bit more labor-intensive. The C8 Corvette Stingray also features more advanced components, including a 6.2L LT2 V8 engine with a dry-sump oiling system and an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, which may also drive up service costs. It’s hard to say exactly what’s driving this uptick in servicing costs without seeing a pricing breakdown from WePredict, though.
Seeing as the C8 Corvette Stingray also sells for a much higher average transaction price than the C7 Corvette Stingray, these higher service costs are unlikely to impact sales. Many buyers of the mid-engine sportscar likely anticipated higher service costs, and with performance that rivals many European exotic supercars, we get the feeling they are more than happy to shell out a little extra money for an oil change or a brake job.
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I’m not surprised, but I’m sure that’s a lot less then some other mid engine’s
More importantly, why would anybody ever want a C8 with a mere 495 HP? Until the 2023 Z06 comes out, the C7 Z06 or ZR1 rule the road.
Guess you haven’t driven a C8 Z51 yet. And are definitely sounding like a bit of a horse power size queen. 😀
Says, “Ray’s Dad”, lol! Bring your Z51 to the track and learn what my tail lights look like.
Sorry I don’t encourage childish behavior. Must be the playground monitor’s bathroom break time. 😀
That’s silly…the Stingray is sold out for years to come. Not everyone wants a track car on their way to work…
The WePredict ‘Deepview technology’ as described on their website includes the amounts paid by both consumers AND manufacturers for the time period under consideration. The C8 has had notable transmission failures, a very expensive part that is not easy to remove. Chevy is investigating the problem but the cost is completely paid by Chevy; it is not paid by the consumer. This one item alone could account for a large portion of the cost differential.
Helpful to explain what the first year maintenance schedule is, but I’ll do the leg work
Oil change (7.5qt) – $60 for full synthetic/ 20 minutes
DCT clutch filter – $150/ 45 minutes (requires removing one of the aluminum underbody tray, about 20 bolts)
Really that is it for parts cost, you do need a lift or some way to squeeze under the car.
Thing about the access panel you have to remove is there is a hole cut out to access the oil filter so it doesn’t need to be removed for an oil change, you could very easily and nicely cut a similar hole to access the 4 bolts holding the clutch filter house cap on and save yourself removing 20 bolts and the entire tray.
Both of those services you mention are free if done in the first year.
Beware: I was 12 DAYS LATE on the 12 month 7500 mile service and little gm refused to pony up the cost– too bad. Was quoted $400 for the service by the Dealership. (2020 C8)
It’s not GM’s fault if you can’t be responsible for YOUR OWN ACTIONS
Owner malfunction is not covered by warranty. Pony up and stop whining.
That’s the trouble with today’s mentality. It’s never my fault, it’s always’ someone else’s. Personal responsibility is a thing of the past. At least the ambulance chasing/personal injury lawyers are employed
to you 3 guys accusing me of whining etc.– get a life.
I was merely passing on info to owners (are you guys owners?)
and did not suggest it was anyone else’s fault.
Dude, you’re the one bashing GM when the fault lies with none other than the person you see when looking in the mirror
This is the problem with Corvettes mainly purchased by cranky old guys..
Hey. Easy there. I’m 74 years old, have a ’21 Z51, to this day still do all my own work, and I don’t think I’m cranky. But that’s just my opinion.
No major service like Ferrari requires or need to fly in a mechanic for your Bugatti to break it in half for a clutch replacement at low miles.
The Corvette has had to go to some more involved systems to take advantage of the mid engine. But we will learn how to do much of these things and it will be no big deal. I have owned a mid engine for almost 40 years and working on it really is not that bad.
MY old Bonneville was worse with having to remove the engine mount to replace the blower belt.
Obviously no research done before publishing this article. A simple glance at the owners manual on maintenance would show nothing needed in the first 12 months 12,000 miles except oil change which the first one is free and tire pressure checks but and bolt checks fluid level checks
Poor article
i am very confused, the car is under full warranty even oil changes why would you spend any money at the service dept?
The oil changes are more expensive, and the DCT transmission needs annual filter servicing.
Some may be charging more than book rate. A lot more. They may not be supposed to, but, certainly Corvette dealers are easy targets for upcharging.
Additionally many dealers will charge for extras and inspections.
This is where being in a competitive market with multiple Chevrolet dealerships within driving distance can help.
Let’s see the first oil & filter change are free as well as the filter for the DCT. Unless you drive the C8 enough in a 12 month period that the oil % gauge goes to two oil changes in that period. After that the C8 service CAN be done by the owner.
Christopher I am not patronizing you or trying to aggravate you but trying to find a new $60k C-8 now-a-days is like trying to find Big Foot or Tinkerbell. It ain’t going to happen. I’m not stupid, we live in a capitalistic society, but I hope that all the dealers that are gouging their customers for all brands of cars not just the Corvette have to use their extra gouge charges to buy medicine for themselves.
The issue is: you do not FIND a C8 nowadays. You ORDER one. They are simply not building stripped down base models because so many buyers want them loaded. Meaning a bigger profit margin for GM and dealers. And people are plunking down deposits a year in advance to custom order what THEY want.
I like your comments @Matt Loves Porsche , and I have seen 3 in person 1lt no frills basic C8 and I like it and it can be done, but these were ordered by the buyer that way. But imagine avoiding all the mark ups and getting a basic 1lt for $60k. I think of passing on my 2LT Z51 to someone else and getting back to basics.
The point is, Matt, that at some point, C8 prices will normalize back to $60k levels.
This price hike by dealers is temporary due to demand outstripping supply. Supply that was constrained by a labor strike and a pandemic.
It does not make the C8 more difficult to service, more costly, or more challenging. C8 was designed from the GM parts bin to be easy to repair. It required a couple minor changes to service bays, that are now a sunk cost – and will be sustained by all future Corvettes.
The Service Department is where most dealerships make money to cover the overhead for their dealerships. Was just quoted $700.00 for an automatic transmission flush in my 2016 C7 Corvette. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ever think about NOT taking your car to the dealer for service?
The numbers don’t reflect what was done, most C8 owners I know have had the service department install add ons too after delivery. I bet those cost are in there as well. It’s well worth the cost and I drive two miles to my dealer and don’t have to send the C8 by truck or rail to get serviced.
I don’t think WePredict took into account the inflation we are experiencing. The cost of parts, oil, gas, dealership overhead, labor costs is through the roof across every industry including automotive. My friend took his Mercedes to multiple dealerships to get brake pads. At least a 30-day wait for parts and they told him to expect a price increase on parts and labor. Crazy times…. Let’s go Brandon!
Trumpster!!!
Trump is always on John’s mind, Trump is always on John’s mind. Creepy!
Seems odd, given that the first required maintenance is “free,” and any repairs would be under warranty. Unless a lot of C8 owners have put so many miles on their car they’ve needed two services, I don’t know where these expenses are going. Something’s fishy.
Picked up my 2021 C8 at the Natl. Corvette Museum in Bowling Green Ky on 7-2-21. Put 4,750 miles on it in the first 17 days, road tripping cross country back home to So. CA. So it was due for its first service immediately. No probs. Have the extended warranty and service plans, so that stabilizes the costs via pre-pay. (And GM under priced those plans when initially sold last year when I ordered mine. 😀)
Beating a dead horse…I have a 2020 C8, 1 year old this past July. So far $0.00 spent on service. Car is fantastic and my 5th Corvette.
Dealers aren’t selling as many cars nowadays due to limited inventory, so there’s good chance that their “dealer markups” have spread to their service departments.
But you know… what I’m more interested in is whether the dealer really knows the car. Personal experience with my ’21 Z51 is that they don’t – and that is frustrating when they tell you how much experience they have with the C8. They couldn’t even put the correct amount of oil in after a routine oil change. I had to pump out just about a quart.
For now, I’d prioritize service quality over cost.
You have to think some of these C8’s are being raced or just pushed to there limit’s! With that said the car’s are going to need a couple of services! There are what approximately 60 thousand C8’s out there, most people service there cars at the dealership! However, after that you find a good service mechanic who knows the C8. Dealership fee’s are ridiculous, we all know this so I think cost will come down in time! Let’s face it, it’s a new product you just dropped 85,000 or more on the car it’s going to cost until you find a less expensive way!
As I reread the article it is NOT focused on the FIRST 12 months. It is on a 12 month period. When looking at the costs for a C7, they are a bit higher than I have experienced with my C6 over the years. But that could be the result of where an owner lives. Also some GM service is mileage based and some is time based.
The article says “after 12 months on the road,” so yes, it’s the first 12 months.
Thanks Bob. I took a look back at my service records for the first 12,000 miles of road use for my 2006 C6, 6 speed, Z51. Starts 10/12/2005 and ends 04/10/2007 with 13,787 miles. The time window included winter storage for 2005-2006 and 2006-2007. Total cost was $154.87. For 13.5 months on the road (21,379 miles), total cost was $258.20. Guess I did better than C7 or C8. Perhaps due to my location. All service work done locally by Chevrolet dealer.
I own a 2021 and performed an oil change last weekend. $10 per quart and only available online 7.5 quarts, easy to get oil filter for little money, in my garage and super easy to access filter and drain plug. I have the transmission filter ready to go, extra tranny oil, $30 per quart, available online. Easy to do in my residential garage with a couple floor jacks.
I considered letting the dealer change my oil for free, but a previous visit resulted in a broken shield underneath when they placed the lift incorrectly and shattered the belly pan, and then they chipped the paint in 2 places and had to repaint a quarter panel . This a high-volume corvette seller, supposedly with experience, I am thinking service departments are not equipped to meet my expectations.
I bought new brake pads to reduce dust, total cost $150 and a couple hours time to install. No big deal.
Purchased a shop manual for $40 online and am very confident that all routine service can be done at home. It is a Chevy.
But to the point of the article, I would expect and not mind paying more to service a mid engine corvette. The car is simply awesome. And a great value. But oil at $10 a quart and a transmission filter at $130 do take a little more, but not that often, oil changes are based on the oil life monitoring, but expect 7000 miles between changes, not so bad.
I do hope the dealer service network can get up to speed with customer expectations of timely service, and good care for our new cars. That is what is lacking. The stories about dealer service department mishaps are a concern.
sounds like you couldn’t really afford this car. Get rid of it before the warranty is up. LOL
Nothing wrong with doing your own work unless YOUR LAZY !!!
FYI- It is “you’re”, not “your”. And it is insulting to name-call and berate someone who simply does not work on their own car.
Which, incidentally, is about 99.9% of the population nowadays.
Careful or Santa brings you a lump of coal. 🤪
DID NOT KNOW IT WAS A SPELLING TEST !!!
Yes it does cost a little more, after the free first oil change. But no where near a Porsche or Ferrari, Mercedes, BMW. A great value, and if you want the car to perform, take care of it.
This is BS. I have had mine for 13 months and haven’t spent a nickle. The first service is free.
That’s why I bought the extended service warranty plan for my 2021 C8. Paying up front for all service. I seem to recall that it was not substantially higher than the plan that GM sold for 2019 C7s. So that allowed me to lock in cheaper service costs via pre-paying.
As for the guy that was late on his service and got charged. Everyone went after you for not taking responsibility because they are business and BRAND IDIOTS. Yes you blew it but great brands cover their customers. The dealership should have done the service gratis for any customer spending that amount. VERY STUPID BUSINESS MOVE!!!
So is there a penalty then for getting the service done a little before the deadline?
You can’t fix stoopid
There is not. I had mine performed around 5,000 miles. In fact, the dealer recommended it then as I had the car in for something else.
Wow, Corvette owners are a bunch of whiners. They spend $80-90,000 on a car and complain about spending a little maintenance money? My Porsche uses 8 quarts of synthetic oil, no DCT filter and the dealer charges over $300 bucks. Deal with it, or go buy a. Chevrolet Spark.
Frankly it’s supposed to be a $60,000 car. The point of Corvette always has been it’s a car that anyone that works hard, puts their mind to it, someday can afford and love.
Dealers should be scorned for hiking maintenance during the supply price hikes in sales price. Hopefully it subsides as supply meets demand.
Where did you find one for 60K, you have the illusive one and only 60K Corvette,, did you get the whole car? You must have found an honest dealer.
A few SRP orders did get honored before pandemic (and pre-strike) at around SRP price. Obviously normal waivers for delivery and fees probably stuck on.
The price will go back down. Eventually. They aren’t going to raise SRP, and some customers (like me) are patient.
Also E-Ray and Z06 will reduce demand for base models.
Big F’n surprise, what did you expect. Wait until warranties run out, now all the newbies will be trading them, couldn’t afford Ferrari so you tried this, welcome to sports car world, lol.
What’s the difference between a Porsche and a porcupine?
Sheesh. There sure seems to be one bunch of angry, ? jealous, internet car-boy trolls on this simple and informative “service cost increase” thread today.
How about not wasting interested people’s time by commenting and trashing people and cars on any topic thread concerning any vehicle WHICH YOU DO NOT PERSONALLY OWN?
Now THERE’s a nice idea. Oh, and be kinder.
Thank you.
Oh my gosh! Are you trying to completely kill social media?
Not kill social media, just civilize it. One post at a time. Too many people exploit their social media anonymity to ambush others for sport. That’s not being an honest, responsible, respectful adult. But rather a spoiled 1st grade brat or 3rd grade bully who has not yet learned how to politely interact with others.
I totally agree! Unfortunately so many people act just like those you describe that sometimes it seems like it should be called antisocial media. My comment was actually meant as a dig at the malcontents who, sad to say, are way to prevalent on social media.
You were the one critizing the guy using “your” on a comments section of a car website, perhaps you need to behave the way you preach.
Correcting is not criticizing. Feel free to look up the definition. I do behave grammatically correct. And politely, thank you very much. Miss Manners is a friend and fan. But I am puzzled why that seems to irritate you to the point of trying to start an internet troll war.
Now back to our original topic of increased service costs for C8s.
MUST BE A EDUCATED IDIOT