SoulIntake

Hi all. I'm new here. Currently I own a 2002 E46 M3 vert with a few mods on it and I'm looking to sell it soon for something different. I've also owned an 04 Mustang GT before it. My 2 favorite choices right now seem to be a C5Z or an '06 evo IX MR. I really like them both, and would love to own either one of them. I live in the northwest where the roads aren't paved too well, it rains a ton, and there's lots of fun and narrow windy roads to get into. I'm looking for a low mileage (thinking 20K-ish) car around the $25/26Kish range. It looks like the vette is about 2 grand more than the evo at similar mileage. I really like the styling of both cars in different ways. I know stock on paper, the vette seems to outperform the evo. But it is 2 grand more, and I could always put the 2 grand towards the evo in aftermarket parts.. which I do plan on modding either cars.. so the evo seems to have the advantage off the bat. I'm also interested in basic costs of maintenance on both cars (tires, brakes, clutch wearing out, oil, valve adjustments...etc), costs of aftermarket parts... all of this factoring in to my final decision. Also, it will be my daily driver as well. My work is only a few minutes away from my home, so I don't have a lot of miles that I have to throw down on it day to day. I'm really looking forward to hearing opinions on this. Either way- I'm excited to own either car... and I'm not trying to start a flame war with anyone here as well. I am a car fanatic and am not biased towards anything in particular. Thanks in advance guys!

Texan1Z06

Go drive a C5Z, if that does not make you want to own one--get the other car and quick.

Some of your other questions on maintenance costs can be found by searching. Good luck.

itzza427

Well it IS a Corvette Forum,,,think it is obvious what you are going to hear!! You didn't fill out your profile,,so we have no way of knowing what region your are from,,,which could be a BIG factor on the practicality of a vet as a DD. With reasonable weather,,a vet is hard to beat!!If you get a manual transmission,,and are not jumping on it all the time you CAN get econo car mileage,,,BUT when you DO want some fun,,the vette is a LOT more fun than anything else you can afford!! With today's prices,,Your price range should be able to find a nice low mile C5!! Again depending on your location,,,you might have to take a little trip for a great deal!!

SoulIntake

Sorry about that, I live in the Northwest in the USA. It does rain often, and the roads aren't paved that great in all places. I am a single guy. There are a lot of fun windy roads that aren't populated here though. I am also interested in finding out which car for maintenance between 25K-75K miles is going to be more expensive as well.

Mudvayne387

Buy the Z and start by adding Intake,Headers, and Exhaust. The power,handling, and noise is second to none. In about three days you will forget what an EVO is.

Whats an EVO again ?

tbiker99

I will say that I am biased, and I am an American V8 guy. I don't hate the others, they just aren't for me.

So here are the primary questions?
v8 vs Inline 4?
2 doors vs 4?
rear wheel drive vs front?
two seats vs 4?

It comes down to what you want, but I am not a four door family sedan guy, I don't care how fast it is, it just isn't me. But if you want a fast, front wheel drive car that hauls friends, then maybe it is for you. I've also learned that I enjoy low RPM torque more then High rpm hp. Tire roasting is kind of fun (Disclaimer: assuming your in a place that it is legal to do so)

SoulIntake

I do have a rear wheel drive 2 door (E46 M3). I also owned a mustang GT that was modded before. The Evo IX (and prior) all came as AWD, not FWD btw.

Quickshift_C5

I had to make the same choice before I bought my first Vette (99 FRC). I was looking at new and used EVO's, trying to come to a decision. It was a tough one too. The EVO is an outstanding car. The steering response and grip was way better than the Vette I had at the time, and also better than the z06 I have now. The interior quality puts the Vette to shame (as does pretty much everything else out there).

One thing I didn't like about the EVO was the boost lag. Until nearly 4k rpm, it felt like it had less power than our 02 Cavalier...it was pretty bad. I really like the low end grunt of a big V8, not to mention the sound. I was having a hard time making up my mind, but my wife ended up making the choice for me. She absolutely hates EVO's/STi's. She complained repeatedly until I just decided to get the Vette!

In the end, I don't think it was a bad choice. I've been relatively happy with the cars. Some things to keep in mind though. Don't listen to everyone say these cars aren't high maintenance. The build quality just plain sucks. It seems every year of the Vettes has their own issues from valve springs to fuel tanks to burning through oil. Then there are the numerous electrical issues, rocking seats, steering column lock problems, etc...

The comforting thought here is that the problems "normally" don't seem to cost a lot to fix. It's just a handful of small irritating problems. You'll have the guys on here who will say they've never done anything to their cars, they're in heaven, and everyone else is full of crap. You'll have that, but a lot of people do have problems. Just a heads up. I've had issues with BOTH of my cars and both of them didn't have just one problem either...and I bought both of them at only 28,000mi. I'm not sure I would buy another Vette myself.

Anyway, that's my take on it. You can't really go wrong with either choice. The Corvettes have a great motor and great suspension. I prefer a big V8 and was willing to make some sacrifices to get it. The EVO is an outstanding car, as well as the STi if you haven't looked at those yet. If I had the choice to make again...I might consider an STi. But I sure do love my V8's!

BillY2KFRC

I had an 05 EVO for a little while when I was Vette-less and looking for something to fill the void. Just not the same. The EVO is phenomenal at everything, the braking and handling especially. And the Recaro seats are just perfect. But it just is sorta cold, doesn't bring out any passion when you drive it like the Z06. Also, you need to drive the EVO at 9/10 to have any fun or get it out of shape, the Vette you can slide around, make noise, etc, without really pushing it too hard on the street. I averaged about 20mpg in both cars, so the EVO doesn't really save you any mileage with it's 4cyl. Also, the EVO has a tiny gas tank that gets very annoying since it doesn't get 30+mpg like most cars with small tanks.

Now that I have a nice Z06, I would consider an EVO for a daily driver, but never as something to replace my Vette.

Good luck

0Quik Z06

Well, having owned an Evo, I would say go with the Z. I loved my Evo, but as far as mods it was almost just as expensive as modding the Vette (I was going to one of the more expensive Evo tuning shops - WORKS) I put quite a bit into my Evo, tune, with higher boost setting, full exhaust, cams, upgraded tranny. clutch, flywheel etc. From a dig, yeah I could take the Z, but at the 1/4 mile mark the Z was coming hard. AWD is nice in the rain, but I wouldnt buy the car just for that. In the end I sold it because it was too "boy racer" I just didn't feel right in it anymore. I sold it for an 03 Cobra (since we already had our Z06) Lol, also the more room you have in your car, the more friends want rides. It's up to you, but you'll probably get hassled by the cops more in the Evo, at least it was like that around here. My supercharged FRC got less attention from the cops than my Evo did.

RSchleder

I'm guessing if you went to 10 different forums, you'd get 10 different recommendations. Only you can decide which car you really want, not us ( or anyone else for that mater).

Ikester

Get the vette, youll get more chicks

Vetteman Jack

I'm going to say get the Vette, but you need to get out there and test drive some examples of each to see which one really lights your fire. Maintenance on the Vette will be very reasonable - oil changes are about it on a regular basis. Cost to mod can get expensive (Vette tax), but starting with a Z you already have a lot of power on tap.

itzza427

One big factor,,when you are having a little fun,,,do you prefer power over steer,,,or power under steer??? I'm a little older,,and defiantly old school. When I hit the gas to "adjust" the steering attitude,,I feel MUCH more confident when the rear wheels step out a bit,,,over the front end washing out!! JMO,,but something to consider since you are more accustomed to rear wheel drive!! Contrary to MANY here on the forum,,,these cars DO NOT melt in the rain,,the wipers DO work fine,,and when you take it easy,,they will do as good or better on fuel mileage!! Just some more "points to ponder"!! I AM biased,,but I really think you would enjoy the vet more than a hopped up econo-box!!

JohnnyT

I bought my '02 Z just a month ago for $22,500. It had 28k miles and is pristine so they can certainly be found for cheaper - especially if you're willing to travel.

Where do you live? Location would play a big factor in this decision if you're planning on only having one vehicle.

They are 2 VERY different vehicles, and ultimately the decision is yours on what criteria you want out of the vehicle. Two of my friends have slightly modded EVO VIII's with IX turbo's. One's on E85 pushing 29psi making 410awhp/430awtq. We did a 40 roll and I was ever so slightly edging him but it was a very close race - and I'm completely stock down to the air filter. Both cars potentials are really as deep as your wallet can go. They will both run 10s on 450whp. I believe the Covette's stock block capabilities are slightly higher than the EVO's.

I'm trying to be as unbiased as possible, but man it's tough! Oh, and if it helps I'm 24 so I went through the turbo 4 stage with my last car and let me tell you this is a whole different world! The ladies love the 'Vette, and I have a higher sense of pride driving this over an import.

mph1972

Biased responses huh? Some of the posts here are dead on also.

I am on my third corvette and currently have a 2003 ZO6, I bought March 7th for $22,500 with 37K on it. I am in Hawaii and this is a great deal for what I got. It was stock, with the exception of a short throw shifter and a K&N filter.

I did look at STi's and drove a couple and just felt they were too small for my frame. I am just a tad over 6'0 and weigh about 225lbs. As it was mentioned above, the lag to hit the sweet spot was ridiculous. I also felt like it had nothing until about 4K. My Z...well, it is always there when I drop into a lower gear and punch it.

I hand out from time to time with all sorts of car lovers, modified COBRAs, sick EVOs and STis and I find it funny that they all seem to want to race me, because I have the Z. I would say that my car holds it's own, but these guys are running insane amounts of boost and HP and I just smile and tell them I don't race.

Modifying these cars can costs a few dollars, but so can any other car. I would say that straight out of the box, you can't really find a better deal right now then on a ZO6. Honestly, I think it is going to cost you more than $2K to equal the performance power of a stock Z. I had a relatively stock COUPE and my buddy has about $2-3K in his EVO MR (CAI, exhaust-headers all the way back, BOV, a performance tune) and he couldn't beat my coupe that had a LS6 intake and a CAI.

In your driving conditions, I would probably say that an AWD car would be a better fit for year around driving.

What year is your M3? Why not keep it? They are very nice rides too.

The little gremlins that seem to plague these cars? It's true, they have their issues and I don't mind dealing with them. If you check out vettes, don't hesitate to check the differential seals for leaks; or what appears to be leaks. This is a costly fix.

I have heard that the driveline in the EVO is a weak link? Is that true? If so, that can be pricey.

Truth be told...as you modify any car, it is going to require upgrading the supporting cast and that costs money. If you do not upgrade, it will break. That goes for all cars. I would say the EVO would be cheaper to fix.

Wish you the best. Remember this, I think the EVO is a faze. The CORVETTE is a way of life. At least for me. I just LOVE the CORVETTE, from the first flight in 1953 to the latest badaz$ on the street in the package of the ZR1.

Micah

Chicago1

Tuff choice you can't go wrong but boost is very addicting and the
4g63 LOVES it. I love my ls1 but when my 4G63 starts going and the scm6152 starts spooling it makes a vette look like a geo metro. Both cars are great platforms. You won't be dissapointed at all in whatever you choose.

SaberD

Looks: people say "wow look at that corvette!". they dont say "wow look at that evo..." no contest. corvette wins. honestly i think the evo is uglier than a terd.

Reliability: any turbo engine will be less reliable and will not run as long as a naturally aspirated engine due to the added stress from higher pressures and huge thermal gradients. This is enough for me to say the vette will be more reliable, as the engine is the most important reliablility factor in a vehicle. The ls engine should last at least 300K miles if maintained properly.

Handling: we can look at several categories here:
lower center of gravity: corvette
stiffer suspension: corvette
better chassis rigidity: corvette
lighter weight: corvette
even weight distribution: corvette
launch traction: evo
wet traction: evo
dirt traction: evo
suspension travel: evo
so basically if you plan on doing rally cross, the evo is better. for anything else, the corvette is better. i would not worry too much about traction on bumpy roads and in the rain because chances are you are not doing any high performance driving in these conditions, and you probably wont notice too much difference with normal driving.


Power: come on.. do we really need to go here? how many 1000hp+ vettes are on corvette forum?-a lot. how many 1000+hp evos are there in the world?-maybe two?? so as far as potential for power, that is a no brainer. corvette.

Cost of maintenance:
Labor costs are going to probably be a little higher on the vette just because of the vette tax. yes it is stupid. You will however probably spend about 1/3 of the cost in parts. domestic parts are so much cheaper than import parts it is rediculous. a lot of parts on the vette are used on other gm vehicles which makes the price less. also the fact that it doesnt need to be shipped over seas. as far as aftermarket parts go i could not tell you, as i have not looked into them for the evo.

Gas Mileage:
corvette wins both city and highway. 16/22 for the evo (ouch)

interior: if you are buying a car for performance, then why the hell do you care about the interior. A lot of people say the vette interior sucks, but it gets the job done for me, and is not an important factor. the evo probably has a nicer interior, but that will not help you win races.

Moral of the story: The corvette is a purpose built race car right from the factory. The evo is an economy family sedan with some suspension mods and a turbo. $2000 put into an evo will not even put you close to a corvette. There are also some things about the evo that just simply cannot be changed and will be impossible to make as good as a corvette without drastic modification of the entire vehicle.

If you want to make an evo as fast as a vette on a road course this is what you will need to do:

Increase the boost of the turbo and add an aftermarket intercooler. headers, intake, exhaust. new set of wider wheels and wider tires. all new brake kit. set of coilovers. fully strip the interior and remove all seats but the drivers seat to reduce the weight. weld in a roll cage to increase the rigidity. lower the suspension as much as possible to lower the cg, and get a custom allignment. still note it will never has as low of a cg as a vette. Move as many things to the tunk of the car as possible like the battery to better the weight distribution. this will still never be as good as a vette from the fatory either.

So after about $12,000 put into your evo and destroying any hopes of making it a daily driver, it will be able to keep up with a stock z06 on a road course.... or you could just save $10,000 and buy a corvette. i do no think it is a difficult decision. right now there is no other car with a better bang for the buck than a c5 vette as far as performance goes. i did this analysis on so many different cars before i bought the vette and i do not regret my decision. if you feel like throwing your money away, then buy the evo. I base my opinion on scientific fact, not just because corvettes are awesome.

PS. do not be afraid of buying a high mileage vette as long as it is unmolested. chances are its going to outlast a brand new evo. if you do this, you may even get a hold of a vette for less than an evo. Also be aware that for just a few grand, you can make a c5 non z06 faster than a z06. so you may want to look into buying a modded base c5 or FRC.

Mr.TT

I could not get over the fact that the Evo is a $15k car with $20k in go fast parts. When you're not beating up on it, it is a plasticy econobox with great seats.

This is coming from a C5 owner, which itself doesn't have the best interior. But it is not at the econobox level.

The fact that you're coming from an E46 M3 should be an even bigger step for you.

My first fast car was a AWD DSM so I know all about that style of fun. They are just as fun as Corvettes, just a completely different vibe. With the Evo it's all about bombing into a turn, mashing the gas midpoint and hanging on. With the Vette it is as opposite as it can be, finesse through the turn, saving the pedal mashing for straights.

But at the end of the day, I was looking for an upgrade and my two choices were the E46 M3 and the C5 that I ended up buying.

But yes, test drive it and decide! Keep in mind that the Evo won't feel fast until you're doing things that you shouldn't be doing on a test drive. A Vette is easy to goose at low rpms and say "yes this is a fast car" without scaring the salesman/owner on a testdrive.

Jesse Asis

Sorry, get the C5 Corvette, there is nothing like it out there that can deliver power, performance, economy and image. Plus it is American made, and you can't say that much about anything else in the country anymore.... We are selling our country out.