Speeed-Racer

Smart man...like a good woman, the search is half the fun

CanyonRunninZ06

It took me almost 2 months but I found a 03 Z06 with 12k miles on it for $23k. I found the car on Craigslist for $28k and watched the price drop almost weekly. I had a carfax ran, had the dealer pull up all the info on repairs, and RPM in Santa Clarita throw it up on a rack and inspect before I bought. It checked out clean as a whistle.

I almost settled for a Red 02Z with 68k miles for $21k, so glad I held out.

C4RACER

I can vouch for this car - I saw it and it is in perfect condition - looks new.

I decided to go the C6 route myself. I owned a 04 Z06, so I know the car well. I found a black 07 6MT / Z51 / 3LT with just over 40K miles and I paid $30K for it. 6MT / Z51 cars represent maybe 5% of the cars listed for sale here in CA, could be even less. I figured for $5K more than a cherry C5-Z06 with a bit lower miles the newer platform was worth it. So far I have only become more and more impressed with the car.

The suppleness of the ride and NVH / chassis stiffness is much improved in the C6 - feels much more like a German sports car than one made by GM. More refinement in general - nicer seats, better HVAC system, radio, quieter cabin, etc. And the surprise to me was how much I enjoy pulling the top and driving around which gives a very authentic convertible experience.

The performance is pretty close to identical. The Z06 feels a bit faster because you can hear the engine more and it transmits more road noise. The Z06 is certainly more raw. But refined doesn't mean insulated from the driving experience - the steering is very precise and nicely weighted and I would say less numb than the C5 steering. The one thing I really like about the C6 refinement in the chassis tuning is the car is much better composed over rough / broken pavement and much less likely to jump sideways / step out when cornering hard over bumps or rough pavement.

That said - both cars are excellent. I think if you might want to use the car as a DD the C6 is going to be better. If it will be a weekend toy you could choose either and not go wrong. Get the Z51 if you have any intention of tracking it. I think a Z51 may be slightly more track capable than the Z06 only because it has a trans cooler and the brakes are improved - otherwise very similar cars. You really can't go wrong either way, IMHO.

C4RACER

OK - I have owned both and the performance is pretty much identical - hard to see how you could feel a difference in the seat of the pants, although the LS2 does have a very different power curve from the LS6 so it has a different "Feel" to it - but end result is the same.

Both cars run 1/4 in the 12.4-12.6 range at 114-117mph depending on driver, track, weather, etc. I am comparing a 6MT / Z51 LS2 C6 to a 02-04 Z06 here.

Here is an interesting comparison I found between the LS6 and LS2:

While the new LS2's power output is very similar to the Z06's LS6 on paper (400 hp at 6,000 rpm and 400 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm vs. 405 hp at 6,000 rpm and 400 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm), the LS2's delivery feels entirely different. A Z06 feels less powerful at lower rpm but screams and lunges towards its redline under full throttle. It's a heady sensation. The C6's LS2 has more low-end thrust; even at light low-rpm throttle tip-in, a C6 surges forward. Response is immediate at any rpm and any degree of throttle application.

mammoth713

did you own the dealership???

lol

if i could find one that cheap i'd sell my z28 immediately