Trading A Corvette For An EV? Now That’s A Renegade: Members’ Rides

Welcome back to Members’ Rides on this fine day! Last week, I drooled over beachbumberry’s home away from home bus conversion, and you all really seemed to get a kick out of the front door he added – which was probably my favorite part too. It’s just such an unexpected improvement that adds so much to the look of it.

This week we meet FactoryHack. He had the privilege of working for Chrysler, FCA, and whatever other names it’s had over his thirty-year career. As one might expect, FactoryHack owns one of the greatest hits from Jeep during that time, but it might not be the one you’re thinking of! And in the realm of very much not-a-Jeep, his stable includes (or did until recently) what is almost inarguably the most famous and influential sports car to ever come from the US of A. No matter that it’s in another driver’s hands now, we’re still going to look at it!

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How did you get into cars?

I’ve been weirdly obsessed with cars almost from birth. I’m told I used to carry around toy cars instead of a Teddy bear like a normal kid. I do remember crawling under real cars when I was three or four just to see what they looked like underneath. I also learned the hard way that exhaust parts are very hot. It didn’t slow me down, though.

I was also fortunate to have a lot of family members who were car guys. I could still name every car my grandpa owned for 4 decades. (There were a lot of them). I started reading Car and Driver, Motor Trend, and Road and Track in third grade. My car-guy uncles let me have all their old issues, and I studied them until the pages wore out.

As a teen, I was totally caught up in the tail end of the muscle car era. By the time all those cool old cars were available to us, they were 10-year-old, rusted-out hulks. I did manage to buy a ratty 340 Duster with a bad engine and rebuilt it in high school. It blew a hole out the side of the oil pan while I was racing some idiot a few weeks later. That ended my wrenching for a while.

Then, I got a job at Chrysler as the Iacocca era was winding down. I had about 100 company cars over my 30 years there. The first was an ’86 Daytona Shelby Z with a 5-speed. I was fortunate to drive every interesting car they made over most of four decades. As a car guy, it was ideal in many respects.

FactoryHack’s Garage

• 2003 Jeep Liberty Renegade
• 2022 Chevy Bolt
• 2011 Corvette Grand Sport Convertible (sold to buy a Tesla)
• 2023 Tesla Model 3 Performance (might soon be sold to buy another Corvette)

What led you to the KJ Renegade?

Actually, it was me talking my then-girlfriend (now wife) into stepping up to something more substantial when her VW Cabrio lease was up. At the time, she worked in a hospital ER and had to be on site for night shifts, regardless of weather or unplowed roads. I knew it would be perfect for her before she did. A locking transfer case does wonders for successfully getting through a foot of fresh unplowed snow.

Did you expect to be holding onto it long term?

She fell in love with it after the first winter. That hasn’t changed as it’s kind of like an old, reliable friend, even after almost 23 years. “Rennie” is part of the family as far as she’s concerned. No plans to part ways unless something very expensive breaks. It currently has around 175k miles, which is pretty low for something that old.

Have you had any issues with it over the years?

Nope. Aside from a radiator, nothing but brakes, tires, fluid changes, etc. One minor annoyance is a partially clogged heater core that only got a little better after back-flushing it twice. I’m not ambitious enough to replace it, so on really cold days it’s a bit nippy. Also, one other quirk is it goes through blower motors pretty much every year. (I can change one out in under 10 minutes after plenty of practice.)

What do you love about it?

KJ’s get a lot of grief for not being nearly as good as the legendary XJ. I’ve owned an XJ as well, so I think I have a clear perspective on both. The KJ is WAY underrated. When we launched KJ back in ’02, I was involved in our dealer training ride and drives. Aside from it being “cute”, the KJ is one very heavy-duty rig. They’re pretty idiot proof maintenance-wise, and have decent torque.

Driving a KJ is really unique in that the sight lines are fabulous, which is why they were so popular. I still really enjoy driving it as it handles really well on city streets and is easy to park. Plus, it’s an absolute beast in snow.

Does it have much life left in it after 23 years?

Seems like the answer is yes. The damn thing just keeps running so its earned some fresh maintenance like brakes and tires. It’s not really worth much, but has such utility and sentimental value, I’m all in on keeping it going. The rust part seems to be more cosmetic than anything. It also makes it theft-proof and door-ding friendly.

How did the Bolt come into the picture?

This car was actually supposed to replace the KJ. I was thinking something a bit more practical was in order considering the age of the KJ.

How did you pick this?

Oddly enough, because the Bolt has some similar characteristics to the KJ: Great sight lines, easy to park, great for urban traffic, and virtually zero maintenance or hassle. Not paying for gas is an obvious plus, too. The value proposition for the Bolt was unbeatable! After rebates, discounts, etc., we paid $29k. Subtract the $7,500 EV tax credit, and we were down to $21,500 for a very competent urban commuter. GM really did a great job on Bolt. Too bad it was an evolutionary dead end due to the new Ultium EV platform that spawned Equinox, Blazer, etc.

What made you take the plunge into EVs?

Well, I’m always one for trying something new, and an EV just made sense to try. Having driven a Bolt and a Tesla, the most accurate thing I can say is “They feel like the future.” It’s hard not to love instant torque and virtually zero maintenance.

Anything you miss about ICE cars?

For sure. I miss that NASCAR soundtrack from the dual-mode exhaust on the C6. There’s also that elemental mechanical engagement of rowing a good manual transmission. Of course, range anxiety is a real thing, although in practical terms with our driving pattern, it’s never been an issue. Still, I think having one ICE car in the stable is a good idea.

What’s your favorite thing about the Bolt?

It’s a phenomenal value. As a no-hassle urban commuter, nothing else touches it at the price point. One key thing for us is that GM designed it with excellent sight lines. It might look a bit like a fish bowl, but it makes it such a pleasant place to drive. One of my biggest complaints with modern vehicle design is that manufacturers seem to have lost the plot on greenhouse size and belt line position relative to the driver. Seems like Subaru, Tesla, Range Rover, some BMWs are about the only ones left who prioritize driver sight lines.

Anything you don’t like?

I’d like a little more starch in the spring rates, although that’s more about me being used to more high-performance rides. For the intended audience, the ride and handling compromise is excellent. You can easily see how much institutional knowledge GM put into the Bolt. It’s a hack of a good car, humble as it is.

How did you end up with the C6 GS?

I had previously owned a base C6 and a couple AP2 S2000 cars and got to thinking, “Wouldn’t it be nice to find something that felt like an S2000, except with torque?”. As it turns out, the C6 GS indeed felt a lot like a wide S2000 with three times the torque. I found this particular one-owner ’11 C6 GS with only 6,000 miles at a dealership back in 2018. An older guy bought it new and had some back issues that prevented him from getting in and out of it easily. He had even put on a fresh set of Michelin A/S 3+, which would be perfect for stretching out the driving season.

Were you looking for a Grand Sport specifically?

I definitely zeroed in on the GS. For me, the sweet spot in the C6 lineup has always been the GS, especially when equipped with the Tremec-6060 which I was a fan of after driving a few Vipers with the 6060. The other thing was I wanted a soft top for cruising and wasn’t planning on doing any track time. I looked at a few 427 models, but the price premium didn’t seem to be worth it. The LS3 has more than enough snap for me as is.

What was the best thing about it?

The C6 GS always feels special. A summer evening with the top down is a sensory pleasure on so many levels. There’s such a fun combo of full-on NASCAR soundtrack when banging gears at full throttle, or soft rumble when just cruising at low RPMs. GM nailed the exhaust sound on these things. Plus, a 60 mph pull in 3rd gear will press you back in the seat like few other cars. Keep in mind the C6 only weighs a bit over 3,300 lbs and has 436 HP with the LS3. The power-to-weight ratio is just about perfect.

The other surprising thing is in spite of a very buttoned-up, quick steering, flat cornering, and high lateral grip suspension, the ride comfort is impressive. GM’s Magnetic Ride Control is simply amazing. You shouldn’t buy any Corvette without Magnetic Ride Control. It’s that good.

I would also add, all the widebody C6 models (GS, Z06, ZR1) just look great compared to the regular models. I’m also in agreement with many Corvette enthusiasts that the C6 was the peak of recent Corvette styling. We could all agree that the C7 and C8 are objectively better cars, but they definitely don’t look as good.

The other win for the C6 is the low cowl and great forward visibility relative to C7 and C8. Visibility out the back is lousy, of course, but ultimately kind of unimportant. (A back-up camera would be nice, although there are some decent aftermarket solutions.)

Any desire for another Corvette someday?

Yep. A C8 is probably in my immediate future, assuming I like driving it. I’ll probably miss rowing my own gears, but time marches on, and a dual-clutch trans is SO much better than any manual from a performance standpoint. I wouldn’t mind a nice C2 in my garage either, but I only have so much room and discretionary fun car money.

Would the C8 be additional or replace something in the garage?

I haven’t decided yet. If anything, the Tesla could be a candidate to go just because a 4th car gets me into a garage space issue. I could even be one of those weirdos who would drive a C8 in the winter. If Ralph Giles can drive a Hellcat Challenger year-round, I suppose I could drive a C8. What could possibly go wrong?

How did the Tesla come into the picture?

It had a lot to do with me getting bored. I was driving a C6 Corvette Grand Sport, and after 5 years, I just got the itch to make a move. Carvana gave me an offer of only $530 less than I paid for the C6 after five years of ownership. Essentially, it was an offer I couldn’t refuse. After selling the Vette, I wanted to see what the hype was all about.

The Bolt came a few months before the Tesla. In fact, the likability of the Bolt was actually what steered me towards trying a Tesla. I liked the attributes of an EV, but wanted more performance, so the Tesla became a dark horse option for me.

Why did you fall in love with the Tesla Model 3 Performance?

Good question. Car ownership is more like casually dating than true love to me. I think of it kinda like having that fun crazy girlfriend or boyfriend that’s lots of fun, but not necessarily marriage material. Especially with a Tesla! I casually shopped a Kia EV6 GT, but the Tesla 3P seemed like the best value when I really started digging into it.

How bad does range suffer in those oh so mild Minnesota winters?

On the very coldest days, meaning -20 or more, we probably lose 40%. My strategy is to precondition and also crank up the charge limit to 90% on the Bolt, and 80% on the 3P. It’s never really been an issue, as there is plenty of reserve for our driving. The Tesla seems to be less affected than the Bolt. I suppose having a very efficient heat pump helps a lot.

The other issue with range is tires. I put a set of Michelin CrossClimate 2s on the Bolt and lost about 10% range all year long. Certainly worth it though, as those are remarkably good tires relative to the factory EV rubber. On the Tesla, I bought a wheel and tire package with Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3s in the OEM 20-inch size. They’re fabulous winter tires that you really can’t tell from the summer Pirelli in normal driving. No efficiency drop either.

Do you ever miss the Vette?

Once in a while I really do miss the sound and fury of that good old LS3+Tremec combo. The Tesla is definitely faster than the C6 up to about 80 mph or so. But it kinda feels like cheating a bit.

What’s the best thing about the Tesla?

Instant torque, hilarious acceleration at any legal speed, very quick steering, flat cornering, and rearward visibility via having such a low belt line, and a big greenhouse. The front seats are extremely comfortable as well. The central screen was a pretty easy adaptation for me. Everything is very intuitive for the most part.

Honestly, the 3P is absolutely unique for an EV on a couple of fronts. First, it isn’t heavy relative to similar ICE cars. 4,060 lbs is pretty much right in line with any other AWD high-performance sports sedan. That’s also what helps it handle like it does. These goofy cars really like to change direction compared to almost anything else in the EV realm. Quick steering, double wishbone suspension, very low center of gravity, and hilarious power make them exceptionally fun to drive in any circumstance.

Anything I don’t like?

The flinty ride gets a bit old after a while. I understand the newest generation is much better in that regard. I would argue my C6 rode better with the awesome GM magnetic ride control. Also, the cabin is pretty noisy on some road surfaces. It feels like a regular performance sedan with about 150 pounds less sound deadening than you’d expect.

Thanks FactoryHack!

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