Got a good ride yesterday in a new Z. Temp around 50 ... traction conditions were excellent. Interstate hwy with number of on/off ramps to test accelleration and braking.

My impressions c/w my turbo'ed C5.

The Z's new interior is great ... like it much better than my C5's.

The Z's exhaust note is way too civil. Even when the pedal is floored and the exhaust opens up ... it sounds like a ***** cat. No real sportscar sound. IMO ... the old C5Z Titanium exhaust sounded much better. Clearly any racer will not be happy with the stock exhaust. Will need at minimum a Corsa exhaust system ... or better yet, headers.

The new Z is very streetable. People called it a racecar, barely legal for the street. Not the case. A lady could drive this cat ...and never complain. No comparison regarding how civil it is (c/w a Viper for example).

Performance was somewhat disappointing. Yes, it will rock you back in your seat ... but, the TQ wasn't what I expected. My old 69 GTO with 400 cubes had every bit (if not more) TQ. It certainly doesn't seem to match my turbo's TQ. And, c/w a Viper ... it doesn't match a Viper's thrust factor.

Once we get into warmer weather during April ... we plan to run the Z against my Turbo C5 at the track. Can't wait to see outcome. Hopefully, with some warmer days in March, we will get in some 50-150 roll-ons against the newest Z.

Overall ... nice car, needs aftermarket aids, needs another 50 ft/lbs of TQ, needs those 19 inch rears replaced with 18's ... to effectively increase perceived TQ & accelleration.

Which is more fun to drive .... Seriously now (no bias here), the Turbo is 2-3 X's more fun to streetaround in. I can drive my turbo for hours w/o losing the RUSH. The Turbo's sound is lightyears ahead of a stock Z. I was use to the Z's TQ in 10 minutes ... and thinking of ways to increase it. After 1 minute, I had already decided the Z's exhaust needed aftermarket help.

Now ... would I trade my '03 C5 straight up for the new Z? Yes ... but, not if I had to leave it stock. Performance and sound ... trumps 'looks' for me. What the car really needs is a header/cam job ... or forging/reduced compression pistons/and a BLOWER !

 

good write up. very interesting too. how much power is your C5 making? what kit are you running? after reading that, i cant wait to get my twin turbo ws6 on the road. id love to see vids of your car racing the new Z. do you have any 1/4 numbers from your car?

 

Its the STS Kit. I'd guess its in the 450-475 RWHP range @ 6 lbs. On an LS6 engine its good for 50 more HP ... at 6 lbs. Contact (001 2001 Z06) @ Synergy ...for more accurate #'s.

Mine has yet to get dyno'ed. Dragstrips open in April or May up here in the cold Midwest. However, many of members here already have the kit ... and some down in the South or in Calif. may have already been to the track for 1/4 times.

 

This is very intresting. You're saying your coupe with STS feels stronger on the low end than the new Z? I drove an '02 Z with STS, and didn't feel the TQ till I was in 3500-3800 RPM. From there it picked up.

I'm glad you had a chance to drive the new Z and give us a comparison.

I had been thinking of trading my Z for a new one, but they only offered me $30K and $75 for the new one. That means giving up my 19,000 miles Z and paying another $45,000. I'm putting an ECS package with RPS clutch on and it'll be around $10,000 and I can smoke any new Z. Not to mention, All the money I spent in sound system, exhaust, headers, lights and so many other things.

I'm keeping the Z...

 

I had been thinking of trading my Z for a new one, but they only offered me $30K and $75 for the new one. That means giving up my 19,000 miles Z and paying another $45,000. I'm putting an ECS package with RPS clutch on and it'll be around $10,000 and I can smoke any new Z. Not to mention, All the money I spent in sound system, exhaust, headers, lights and so many other things.

I'm keeping the Z...[/QUOTE]

That is why i did exactly what your are planning on my 02 Z.


Also, great write up on the new Z and I look foward to going for a similar ride or test driving one in the future!! In a couple of years maybe i'll pickup a nice used 07 or 08 Z for around $45K when things settle down and the glut of used C6 Zs start to hit the market, etc. and make that my everyday driver and keep my blown EB C5 Z06 as my BLOWN HOTROD!!

 

Hey Jim, have you been to Marko's place recently? How is he doing with his TT project. Wat too quiet...

 

HAHAHAHA! This is exactly what I posted back in the fall, and all the Z06 ego maniacs had a big ****! How could the fastest car ever feel slow????????? It can. It can.

You're so right about the torque and the exhaust note. C5 Z has a WAY better sounding exhaust note bone stock - no comparison. The biggest problem with the torque is that it is so flat it gets boring - I was waiting for the boost to hit, or the secondaries to open!

 

Some folks don't have a grip yet on real vette muscle. I posted a thread about my ride in the Z over @ the Z06 section yesterday.

Those guys had a ****fit with it. Wanted to lynch me for saying the newest Z had some issues the aftermarket could/would fix.

I told them they needed to get Blown

 

I think we both have the same problem, Dont care how big a motor is, or how fast a car is, it just doesnt feel fast unless it is FI. Im on my third turbo car. and im 19. I will probably never have another NA car, or at least i wont keep it NA for long

 

Me 2 (or 3 or 4 )

For a hotrodding platform, the C5Z is excellent! It's super cost effective, tons of parts, huge KB. Just can't see buying another new car with a big depreciation hit, that I would want to start tinkering with - even the wifey said "You should take all the money for a new one, and just spend it on the current ride".

Especially when I'm only so-so on the new styling, and I've got money tied up in wheels, interior, hood, rear-end, harnessbar, etc., etc.

I mean, I understand _starting_ with a new Z would be (maybe?) that much better, but I know I want MORE than the new Z offers

 

I was seriously thinking about buying a new Z..if I could find one. The wife gave me the go ahead.

But then it clicked...wtf...I would have to start all over again and I already have a car that I never get tired of driving. I would only be buying a new C6 Z06 so that I could go over to the C6 section and tell all those TOADs how slow it was and that I needed to rip it apart immediately and start doing some real modding.

That whole section reminds me of way back when, when C5 owners were talking about their Exhaust Plates as a mod.

I will hold out for a GM FI SS Vette..that will be sweet having a factory SC Vette. That means the motor should come with better pistons and maybe even some optional tuning capability for FI.

Right now GM Cobalt's have a 2 bar map for the SC setup...in use...which by the way can be used for SD tunes on the C5.

So its nice to hear a report back from the real world. I remember when I had my H&C coupe and some new Z06 owner was telling me how fast his car was, I drove it and it felt like a dog.

 

In the worst way! One dick in particular took big offense that I said the Z was slow compared to what I'm used to, and frankly, it is quite boring. I want serious acceleration in my ride - gotta have that rollercoaster light-gut feeling, or it isn't worth my time!

 

Like Dirty Harry once said "A guys got to know his limitations".

Some dicks on the Forum have no idea where to draw the lines. They've never come close to testing the edge of the envelope.

 

Give us the thread so we can have a chuckle?

 

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...8&forum_id=100

 

Got to love the personal attacks.....
Benerex & DDSLT, you just don't forget you're our beeaatches to kick around over here.


Synergy got 505/500 on 5 PSI with a stock Z06 with stock manifolds with mufflers. The car still needs more tuning and will going to 7 PSI or so. Torque if recollect was 400 at 2,500 rpm's. Hence the kick in the tail. I see 575/575-600/600 at 7 PSI.