350zoom

Does anyone have experiance in driving a 350z then switching to a c6? I will be buying a C6 in the near future and I am curious of how well the car handles. You can't push a car to its limits in a test drive and find out what the car is truely capable of. I'm thinking I would be disappointed in the handling of the C6 unless I get the Z51 package. Will a base C6 out handle a 350z?

AFVETTE

Legitimate question. This will take someone that has driven all 3 cars on the same track under the same conditions (most likely same day) under timing to get the data you want. That's going to be tough.

I'm sure there is an answer, but who has it and how they got it will be an interesting story I'm sure.

I guess you could always use the data the car mags publish and hope for the best. I will say this, I've let my neighbor drive my Z51 (he has a 350Z) and all he talks about is the torque pulling the vette out of a corner like a "freight train".

I'll now get some and chill.

Tom

b4i4getit

Get the Z51. It should have been standard on the car. It probably will be on the C7.

talon90

I agree with Tom. This is going to be a tough one to really put an answer to. I hope that someone in your shoes that came out of a Z and into a C6 will be able to respond. I own a non-Z51 (F55) C6 coupe and I know what this car is capable of. From a handling standpoint the the only difference between the base and Z51 equipped coupe are the tires and sway's springs and such. Which could be added. The rest of the package with the transmission and coolers is a great value. If your primary interest is tracking the car you ought consider the Z51 equipped manual which is the market that the car was intended for in the first place. The F55 has the fluid filled shocks and magnetically adjustable suspension and is a fair compromise for the driver that will occasionally get it on the track for light duty.

I have a former coworker with an 03 350Z (base model, not the track package) who I've beat up a bit on the back roads but that could be more his driving style to mine or his threshold so it is tough to call. Good luck in your search. I find it hard to believe that you will ever be dissappointed in any C6. These are truely amazing automobiles.

Paul

AFVETTE

I just looked at the factory specs of the 350Z, here are some facts;

Curb weight 350Z manual from a low of 3339 to as high as 3404. The C6 weighs in at 3179.

The Z has a front/rear weight distribution is 53/47. The C6 is 51/49.

HP = 287 vs 400 for the C6

TQ = 274 vs 400 for the C6

To me a base C6 will eat this thing alive, the Z51 would be just slightly more aggressive. And the vette get's better fuel mileage. And don't forget how a small black Chevy sounds. That's hard to put a price on.

Buy the C6 and be done with with it.

Tom

johnodrake

Neighbor has a 350Z and loves it except for the understeer. He says it pushes like a "dump truck". That differs from my old 300ZXTT which was pretty neutral leaning towards understeer.

jchazr

I've got about 8000 miles logged in my dad's 350z, and I own a C6 Z51. The 350z feels more rigid going around corners and is more communicative to the driver. The steering is also a little heavier. The view out of it is a little better since you are sitting a little higher and the hood is not so long.

I personally like the way the 350z handles better than my vette. However, having said that, regardless of how the vette feels, it can still corner faster than the 350z. Not to mention the power. If you ever go back to a 350z after driving a C6, you'll probably think that there's something wrong with the 350z, because it can't be THAT slow. But it is when compared to the C6.

Hope this helps,

Joe

dupont2406

He He I was just going to say that. I had a G35 6spd Coupe and it pushed like a truck too!! Never forget being on an entrance ramp giving the car gas and it went strait!

Also one thing that drove me nuts was when the traction control was on and you shifted gears hard enough to break the tires loose the car would die. Kinda dangerous of I was pulling out in traffic.

Replacing the G35 w/ a Z51 coupe, TPW 10/23.

shopdog

The 350Z feels lighter and faster than it is. The Corvette feels bigger and heavier than it is. But the numbers show that those feelings are misleading. The Corvette is the substantially faster car. The only place where the numbers and the feelings agree is at low speed in tight maneuvers. The 350Z does have a significantly smaller turning radius.

350zoom

I know there is no way the z can come close to putting up the performace figures of a C6 but I am curious on how the handling between the 2 cars compares. I would be really impressed if the C6 can hadle like the z. I'm leaning towards the z51 package but I'm not thrilled about having to replace those supercar tires after I decide to have a little fun and light em up every now and then.

AFVETTE

I'd offer to let you test drive my C6 but your profile isn't complete so I can't tell where you live. Absent any real user data (which as I said will be hard to obtain) will some comments from one of the C6R drivers mean anything to you?

Maybe this will help make up your mine, here's a quote from Johnny O'Connell Team Corvette driver - "For the first three days I trained in a 2005 Z-51 and 2002 Z-06. Both totally rocketships around the track, with really nothing out there faster. It was fun in that we were just blowing by porsches , Ferraris, and lambourghinis like they were standing still." and he was talking about the C5 Z and C6 Z51 not the C6 Z06. Quouted from Johnny's web site. The entire newletter can be viewed at http://www.johnnyoconnell.com/ click on the 2006 News Archive link and the read his newsletter dated Added 9/23/06 from Nurburgring.

If any one should be able to speak to the C6/Z51 abilities/capabilities I'm sure he has the credentials to back up his words. I can't think of any higher praise then coming from a professional race car driver taking a stock C6 around the Nürburgring.

Tom

johnodrake

Just like my BMW - drives me nuts!

mkiv808

I test drove a 350z, now own a C5 Z06, and have test driven a C6 Z51.

There is NO comparison. I hate the way the 350Z feels. From the power, to the steering, to the rough ride, to the sound.

350zoom

Sounds good as long as Mark Martin wasn't driving the Ferrari or Porsche I know I will be happy with either car I choose. Now I gotta decide if I want a red or black C6...... 2 many decisions 2 make

mkiv808

Sell em off the car and get a longer wearing tire.

Blackssr

My nephews "Big Wheel" will out handle a 350Z. Is this a trick question?

LTC Z06

I have driven a 350z with the "sport" suspension, thought I was in a caddy. Now that Nissan HQ is in Nashville I have a friend that works there, his 350z has an entirely aftermarket/Nissan suspension that brings it up to Z51 standards, still looks like a 350z and doesn't have 400hp/400tq though.

Also, how much does that "little" car weigh?

Brannon

This link may help answer your question. You can compare cornering grip and exit speads between the two.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1515476

350zoom

[QUOTE=Blackssr]My nephews "Big Wheel" will out handle a 350Z. Is this a trick question?[/QUOTE

O RLY? How much you asking for the big wheel?

350zoom

Nice!!! I didn't see any mention if this was a base C6 or Z51.

C6 3:12.5 cornering grip .93
350Z 3:09:5 cornering grip .90