a zo6 is like driving a street legal race car , imo the hard top by far makes one bold statement MEANESS power ,looks,and at a great value all some piece of precision machinery and REAL FUN TO DRIVE puts a smile on my face each time i drive her
I don't think to many people are gonna sleep on a Z06.
[Z06] Why C5Z06?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,123
Likes: 0
From: Issaquah WA
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10
Pro
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 693
Likes: 92
From: Savannah GA
I have been a car nut since I was a kid back in the sixties. I like muscle cars and have owned several Camaros. I liked the earlier Corvettes but was not so impressed with the C3s from 1973 thru 1982. I was only a little more impressed with the C4 though for it's time it was an outstanding performance car. When the C5 ZO6 came out I was happy with my 98 SS Camaro and was thinking I might keep it till my kids take my keys away. Last year I finally decided to treat myself to a Corvette and was all set to buy a new C6. Based on what the magazine guys had been saying about the C6 being "new and improved" over the C5 I thought that was the way to go and was talking to a dealer about finding me an M6 Z51 C6 in the right color. I saw a C5 ZO6 advertised in the local paper and decided to have a look at it. As soon as I drove it I knew it was the better car for me. I bought it a couple days later and have been grinning like an idiot every since. The C6s are nice cars but perhaps too nice to the point of not being as much fun to drive as this car.
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 88
Likes: 3
From: Bellingham Washington
I have to admit I've never, ever had so much fun driving a car in my life. Every time I get in my heart races a bit and I get a s**t *** grin on my face. If you own one, you know what it's like to put the hammer down!! 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 3,405
Likes: 3
From: Gboro/H-point/Reidsville NC
Heel & Toe
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento Ca
I bought one because I have always loved the look of the C5z, it is very affordable now days, still has good performance numbers even though mines 5 years old. I just love the c5z.
The c6z is a better car but the c5 fits me more.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,430
Likes: 1
From: Somewherebetweenhereandthere
Is this enough?
HAHA I just love the look!! Mine is perfect for me. I wanted a Vette, white, under $30k, 6 speed, and lots of power!!!
Some would say 415 RWHP is not alot of power but I needed something to start with!!!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 880
Likes: 0
From: Bath PA
1. B/C I wanna go fast!
2. Seriously, my wife was totally POed that I didn't buy a convertible. I tried to explain the concept of torsional rigidity and she just wasn't getting it. "It's the racing version" seemed to do the trick.
I am in sales BTW.
3. World class sports car. Not just for the money, but period, end of story.
4. I grin whenever I drive it, but the biggest grin comes at the track while I'm waxing the bumper of a 100K+ Porsche who can't figure out why he is having to point me buy in my 7-year old "cheaply made" American car. I try not to grin when they ask me how much I paid for the car, but I just cant help it!
2. Seriously, my wife was totally POed that I didn't buy a convertible. I tried to explain the concept of torsional rigidity and she just wasn't getting it. "It's the racing version" seemed to do the trick.
I am in sales BTW.3. World class sports car. Not just for the money, but period, end of story.
4. I grin whenever I drive it, but the biggest grin comes at the track while I'm waxing the bumper of a 100K+ Porsche who can't figure out why he is having to point me buy in my 7-year old "cheaply made" American car. I try not to grin when they ask me how much I paid for the car, but I just cant help it!
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,876
Likes: 0
From: Edmond OK
The C5 Z06 was simply the fastest, most bad-*** car I could afford. That includes a C6. The FRC profile, handling, power...yada yada yada. The car has a raw, visceral feel with just a dash of refinement.
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 52
Likes: 1
From: Carson CA
...because it was there!
...because I feel enjoyment each time I drive it. I don't like to bash other cars, so I will just say it doesn't feel numb, and has a more raw, viseral feel that a lot of other sports cars are lacking these days.
...because I feel enjoyment each time I drive it. I don't like to bash other cars, so I will just say it doesn't feel numb, and has a more raw, viseral feel that a lot of other sports cars are lacking these days.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 171
Likes: 1
From: Fairfax VA
I'm going to assume you were being sarcastic as I intended to convey "sleeper" as in "performance sleeper". For example instead of 405hp as you might see on the badge but really have 805hp under the hood w/o the accompaniment of visual aesthetics....wolf in sheeps clothing.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 20,030
Likes: 289
From: Wylie TX --> Less is More, except under the hood !
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,125
Likes: 2
From: Park City to SoCal - according to the map it's all down hill. No bad days in Indian Wells, California
You guys are gonna die when you hear this one. My wife has been a Vette FREAK from childhood. Family friends had them and ahe bought her first one in her 20s. She's had I think 6 or 7 over the years. Did some drag racing in her later 20's in a Malibu. She IS a real motorhead. I was a hard core Brit driver w/ E-type Jags being my passion. When I met her she was driving a c-4 coupe that was a huge POS (in my opinion and not her favorite of her Vettes) which she traded in on an '02 vert. We started dating and she would always want me to drive. Partly because she likes to be treated like a lady and partly because she has a rare eye problem that makes it hard for her to drive at night. I would tease her about that Vette being much better than her C-4 but it still wasn't a Sports Car because it has an automatic transmission and a Sports Car just has to have a stick shift..... Our first Anniversary was coming up and my wife was out doing some shopping with her daughter. She calls me on the cell phone and tells me she is taking a "test drive" in a silver '03 Z-o6 just for grins. I didn't think much of it because the real reason she drives the auto is that she had her left kneecap sliced off in an accident and the surgery to repair it left that leg a bit weak.
She gets home about an hour later and drops a set of Vette keys on the table in front of me and says,"Baby, You drive the silver one and I'll drive the red one." Quicksilver Z-o6 w/ less than 20k on the dial. Perfect condition.....Am I the luckiest dude on the planet or not?
She is the only woman I have ever been around who is happier going WFO than putting around town lugging the bearings out of an engine. Total adrenalie junkie.
I don't have any time in a C-6 but I do like the seating position a little better since I am a long legged 6'03". I like the looks of both but the C-5 kind of reminds me of the first raceing E-types w/ the add on hard top. I still like the old XK engine.
She gets home about an hour later and drops a set of Vette keys on the table in front of me and says,"Baby, You drive the silver one and I'll drive the red one." Quicksilver Z-o6 w/ less than 20k on the dial. Perfect condition.....Am I the luckiest dude on the planet or not?
She is the only woman I have ever been around who is happier going WFO than putting around town lugging the bearings out of an engine. Total adrenalie junkie.
I don't have any time in a C-6 but I do like the seating position a little better since I am a long legged 6'03". I like the looks of both but the C-5 kind of reminds me of the first raceing E-types w/ the add on hard top. I still like the old XK engine.
They're just about the meanest thing on the road down here. All the C6 guys try not to stare, but I see them lookig my way. I agree that it's not a cookie cutter car.