that is where i was at, power and handeling is easy to add to the C5 in which ever form you chose but body changes are a lot harder.

 

Yeah, ummmmm, sorry but the Black Book doesn't lie. Like I said the convertible is worth more.

 

yeah, and we all know how true to the market those book values are....

 

As opposed to what I think my car is worth over yours?

Let the market decide. It's been documented that convertibles are more desirable then their hard top counterparts, where do you think the term "when the top goes down the price goes up" comes from?

 

....who cares! Just buy a vette you will be happy with!

 

Resale value means nothing to a guy like me that is keeping it. Time will tell though on book values. I honestly think that the Z06 will hold and exceed more value in the long term of all the C5 generation (if your interested in that sort of stuff).

Z06's will become more rare in the future compared to the Coupe Vert.

Production of the Z06's account for 11.4% of all C5's made.

C5 Coupe/Vert Production:
1997 - 9752
1998 - 31084
1999 - 33270
2000 - 33682
2001 - 29854
2002 - 27470
2003 - 26834
2004 - 28381
Total - 220327

Z06:
2001 - 5773
2002 - 8297
2003 - 8635
2004 - 5683
Total - 28388

Keep in mind that I'm thinking long term here... Maybe Barrett Jackson in 2030 or later time frame...

Toque

 

You really can't compare any Corvette to the Sky/Solstice platform. It's like apples/walnuts. The DI turbo is a nice little motor, and there's a dealer installed "kit" that boosts your HP about 90 add'l, and is about $400-700 out the door, depending on level of dealer greed. But even with substantial modding, the dynamic duo can never achieve the level of performance of a Corvette. This includes all forms of racing, and I include street. The S/S are very fun to drive, and you get the benefits of convertible cruising, if you're that sort of "look at me" type. Contrary to previous posts, I believe the Corvette is pretty reasonable to modify, cost-wise, considering the level of power you'd be adding. This will offend some, but I put the S/S duo in the same stable as a Miata, or Z4 BMW/Benz SLC; a chick car. If you care to factor in practicality, the Corvette, in either form, has a huge advantage in comfort/room, and especially storage space. The Corvette can even equal the fuel economy, if driven conservatively. If you're the sort to drive around with the top down, a little funny hat on your head, and one of those silly handlebar moustaches, like that guy on TV; get the Sky; it's better looking.

 

Keep in mind that I'm not arguing here, this is just a discussion.


You have to compare convertible numbers during the same run as the Z06, not the entire production run of the C5. Also the vert didn't come out until 1998. And if you want to talk about rare, my '03 Speedway white with a white top, less than 18 were produced. You will absolutely not find a more rare 2003 C5, probably C5 period.

 

I am not going to say who cares,,,but the rest I agree with! My coupe is aproaching, if not past, a stock C5 Z06 in many areas of measurement,,,plus the top comes off. I know and am happy with the fact that there will always be a faster, better looking, better handling etc. Vette out there. I will sleep like a baby tonight with the one I have parked in the VetteCave!


As far as the other cars mentioned here by the OP,,,,NONE of them are a CORVETTE!

 

Guys, my question is not about the resale value. I'm much more concerned about how much money it will take to get the base model C5 to have an equal level of performance with the C5 Z06. I'm getting mixed answers from both the base C5 owners and Z06 owners, so I'm not sure what to say.

 

Don't take this personal man.I'm not trying to be a jerk. Don't let pride jump in here.

A Z06 cost more when it was new and if you look at used sale postings you will see that the asking price is more for a Z than A Vert, In most cases, I can tell you that I have bought two Z06's in the last year and as A whole Z's cost more.

 

i am under 25 and i don't even pay $1000 per year for insurance on my z let alone $1000 less than something else.

insurance for my winter car 02 cavalier $764 per year, 02 z06 $716 per year. same full coverage on both cars.

 

I will say it this way, you can put extra money into the C5 Coupe to make it as fast or handle as good as a Z06, but if your trying to make it as good as a Z06...why not buy a Z06?

 

Because I'm impatient.

I also figured that if I'm going to modify the Z06 anyways, I might as well get a base model C5 and modify that instead.

 

No man I don't take it personal.

It's impossible to gauge what a used car is worth because everybody is going to ask and pay something different. Maybe a woman doesn't care about power but wants a convertible, maybe a guy doesn't want a convertible but wants the power.

I guess what we have to do and I don't know if this will hold true to C5's is look at older Corvettes, do roadsters pull in more than a coupe with the next engine size up (everything else being the same, color, transmission, options, etc).

 

It will take a head and a cam package to get to Z06 power levels. That's about $3500 installed. It will take an additional $1000 to upgrade the suspension. The idea however is, if you were to mod the Z06, the parts you would upgrade would most likely be the ones the Z06 already had improved upon.

If you buy a coupe, you will most likely not go with an LS6 head/cam but something aftermarket. Many people who track their Zs swap out the stiffer springs, shocks, and swaybars for coilovers and adjustable swaybars.


In the end, if you are planning on upgrading a coupe to Z spec, you might as well buy the Z if you can afford it. If you want a car that outperforms a stock Z, it will take the same ammount of money(minus the parts you can sell off the Z) to bring a Z06 to that level as it would with a coupe.

After motor and suspension, the differences between the 2 cars begin to become a lot less significant, especially if you buy a 02 or later coupe which shares the Z06 block and if I'm not mistaken the PCV system.

 

90% of the cars in the world are only worth what some one is willing to pay for them...with that said..in the few months i was looking for a c5 the z06 cars were selling for more..then the coupe or the vert.as for the op...your options for a car are over the place,not to metion in complete different levels of cars..for what you pay for a base corvette and what will take to make it handle/perform as a z06 you would be better off buying z06 to start of with...but each to his own...get what makes you happy..not what someone else says cause in the end you are the one footing the bill

 

This is true if you keep the Z06 stock(not including minor bolt ons).
Isn't every Z06 with upgraded heads, cams, and coilovers a lot closer to a Coupe with those mods than stock vs stock?

 

Absolutely... just discussion of course. I was just posting some general numbers. In the overall grand scheme the Z06 a 1 in 10 kinda car in the C5 world.

Toque

 

If your so concerned with HP, then why even consider the other? 3k is nothing compared to the mod bug. A quality exhaust system alone will set you back at least 1.5K

I think it will depend on looks if HP is not your concern, but if it is then I think you have already made a decision by second guessing.

Then again it's a Vette, and you will be happy regardless

my .02