danuk

I am thinking bout trading my s2000 in for something that will go faster on trackdays and maybe do some auto-x. I'm leaning strongly towards C5 Z06 rather than C6. C6 z06 is too expensive. I want to keep the car as stock as possible.

Ideally I'd like to get a vette then buy a cheap fixer upper s2000 for auto-x so mainly for track and long highway drives.

tmak26b

Personal preference, you are going to get arguments from both sides. I am happy with my C6 choice, but some people will think it is too soft and not hardcore enough. It's like picking between Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz in this movie on Showtime now.

rhneff

Given this statement I would tend to lean toward the C5 Z06, for two reasons. First, it's lighter. Second, it has wider stock wheel and tire sizes . Both will help the car turn better. Also, track tires should be less expensive in the C5 sizes.

Mojave

This is reason enough in my book.

C5 Z06 is stiffer, slightly lighter, and makes just as much power. C5 Z06 is the obvious choice IMO.

Rob Burgoon

C5Z06 Everything they said, and better tire options. From a C6 owner.

spazegun2213

better tires options? come on guys, "cheap" repo wheels are $150 each (if that) and 17's are super easy to find. So I would not say the c6 is any harder to find tires for.

However, you cannot deny that there is a 10K price difference between a c5z and a c6. Based on that alone i would buy the c5z.

OCCOMSRAZOR

Bang for your buck: Get a C5Z.

You won't be disappointed.

02impactblue

c5z06. This coming from another ex c6 coupe owner. I would switch just to get away from the tire pressure sensor issues every time you swap wheels.

Rob Burgoon

Does the C5Z06 have better fender flares and hub location also?

RichieRichZ06

C5 Z06 hands down. We just sold a track car C5Z and a '07 C6 to get a C6Z06. The C5Z06 spanked the C6 in every aspect of performance and price. It is a very track worthy car right out of the box.

errance

Every time I throw my $45K C6 into a turn, I wish I was driving a $25K C5Z06. Wrecks happen, so why not risk less?

Performance-wise, the 2 cars are too close to matter.

Same brake calipers and pad choices for the fronts, where it matters.

Way more stock size wheel/tire options for the C5.

Cooling-wise, I have never had a fluid temp issue with my C6 Z51 whereas a buddy was having issues with his trans fluid temp on his C5Z last time I went out. He skipped a couple downshift points and problem went away.

For me, the one major benefit of the C6 is the warranty and reliability (assuming you stay 99% stock like me). If the engine blows, GM will give me a new one. New cars are inherently more reliable. And 2007+ C6 have very few electronic gremlins. The C5Z may have some left. not sure.

But I gotta conclude by saying that when I get more $$$, I may trade the C6 in for a hard-top vert (SLK or 3-series). Use that gutless luxury car as my daily driver and get a semi-dedicated C5Z for the track.

wmk32

If you're buying just for the track might as well get a C5Z based on price point and risk of loss. Most of the other complaints such as tires are really no big deal. Several people run c5z wheels on their C6 so that eliminates that problem, and for about $130 you can get a tire pressure tool that solves the swapping of track and street wheels. Given the market of used C6's right now i doubt you're going to find really too much difference between that and the C5z, so its all personal preference.

PushinTheLimit

I chose the C5Z as my track car. The C6 was still just a little out of my price range as I wanted to keep my track stuff on a pretty tight budget the first couple of years into it.

It was a personal preference for me as I liked the styling of a C5Z over the C6 body style. Since mostly I'm just doing autoXing, I can't really speak much from the DE side... but in our local autoX region, there's a good battle between a C5Z and a C6. They are both very very close in performance. They both seem to do very well. It may be about the same price once your into the sport... it was just the initial purchase that easily swayed me to a C5Z.

sperkins

My C5Z makes for a great track car with only a set of sticky tires. BUT...if I knew then what I know now, I would have bought a FRC for much less money and modified it to be a track car. Just this week on this forum I saw a gorgeous '99 FRC with 80k miles sell for exactly half of what I bought my '03Z for last year.

danuk

thanks everyone I was leaning towards the Z06 even though I like the look of the C6 but i made my mind up now

is there anything i should look for when buying a c5 Z06?

Bimota Guy

Yes. Buy my 2003 street-legal Z06. 4-pt rollbar, big DeWitts radiator w/oil cooler, GM trans cooler, brake cooling ducts, braided brake lines, Koni singles, Pfadt Pfatty sways, aluminum flywheel, and LS7 clutch. Spare CCW wheels in stock sizes and a race seat with harness are also available.

B-ras

though many others here speak with more experience than do I.

But, are you sure about the part in bold? There was a recent thread in OT from a guy who brought his C6 in for a specific issue, and the tech said (paraphrasing) "Well, it looks like you experienced this problem (code set) shifting 3-4 at 108mph, and your terminal speed on that run was 148, is that correct?"

Scared me, from a Big Brother perspective. I'm not sure how a warranty claim would pan out if they had such data.

Bimota Guy

My response would be: Correct. Is there some problem? After all, you guys built the car to go 175, right?

DREGSZ

As an Experienced Race Driver and instructor, I can promise you that it will be a very long time before you can wring every bit of performance out of either car, so there is no need to worry about outgrowing either as a track car.

I still haven't outgrown C4s, and you can pick them up w low miles for well under $10K and have a 400+ RWHP monster on your hands with little more then heads/cam/injectors, ($2K) C5 brake swap, ($500), a set of shocks (or Rebuild and a new FX3 prom), and a camber bar.

kowalski340

I intend to build my C4 track car for a bit under 15k and that INCLUDES the purchase price of the car!