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Ok, I've narrowed my search down to two cars, and am driving myself nuts trying to decide which car, what do you guys think?
1st car - a 2000 coupe, auto, with 49k on the clock, one owner that is in such good condition you can eat off of it, bone stock except for exhaust, does have HUD and upgraded axle. This one is from a private owner and they are asking $15,500.
2nd car - a 2001 Z06, bolt action, with 37k on the odom, is in good shape, but not as "no-pick" as the 2000, it has a couple small blemishes but nothing major. It is coming from a dealer, and they are asking $19,500.
I like the fact of buying directly from the owner, but feel like the Z may be more bang for the buck. Thoughts?
Considering that the Z06 is one year newer, has 12,000 less miles, and is a well, ... Z06 ... I'd say that one. Anything minor you can fix but in the long run you'll be happy you have a Z06. If you can swing the extra 4K I'd go with it and remember you can haggle with a dealer as well since they're trying to move an 11-year old sports car.
The Z06 would be my pick. Nothing against the '00 coupe, but the Z06 although not the 405 hp version that came out in '02 it is still rated at 385. It has the lower mileage and I bet you can get the dealer to come down some.
Both are priced well and actually maybe a little low. Also the mayor revisions done to the C5 came in 2001.
Considering that the Z06 is one year newer, has 12,000 less miles, and is a well, ... Z06 ... I'd say that one. Anything minor you can fix but in the long run you'll be happy you have a Z06. If you can swing the extra 4K I'd go with it and remember you can haggle with a dealer as well since they're trying to move an 11-year old sports car.
Just out of curiousity what color are they?
The coupe is dark blue (don't know the chevy name for it) with tan guts, and the Z is black on black.
If you like rowing through the gears and don't plan on wind blowing through your hair, buy the Z. Offer them $15,500 and see where you end up. Dealerships usually have plenty of mark-up on used cars to negotiate with. Use the fact that it isn't the 405HP Z to your advantage during negotiation.
The Z06 would be my pick. Nothing against the '00 coupe, but the Z06 although not the 405 hp version that came out in '02 it is still rated at 385. It has the lower mileage and I bet you can get the dealer to come down some.
Both are priced well and actually maybe a little low. Also the mayor revisions done to the C5 came in 2001.
I agree except for the fact that dont be put off because its a 2001 Z. Theres a car length difference at the end of the 1320 in the performance of the 2001 vs. 2002-04 models. Dont get hung up on that nonsense. And if you dont get the ZO6, youll be kicking yourself over it. Minor stuff, well, you'll be into the DIY mode sooner or latr anyway, so why not get the Z?And black/black too? Enough said!!
Hmmm thats a tough choice since it is a drivers car if you want a stick get the Z if you want Auto go for the coupe. You have more mod money with the coupe since it is cheaper initially.
Personally, I would want a coupe with a stick shift and my lil ole C5 coupe can hold its own when it comes to performance
Ok, I've narrowed my search down to two cars, and am driving myself nuts trying to decide which car, what do you guys think?
I like the fact of buying directly from the owner, but feel like the Z may be more bang for the buck. Thoughts?
Why did you narrow to such different vehicles? I cannot imaging too many folks not having a clear preference when comparing:
o Targa vs. Enclosed
o Auto vs. Manual
o Taut "racer" feel vs. more relaxed sports car
I think the most important thing is to drive them both again, better understand your likes and dislikes (because you will have to live with your decision for a while), then look at a few more which closely meet your real preferences so you can choose from a larger pool. I agree with you that the "value" in the Z looks a bit better, which is particularly interesting in that it carries a dealer margin to boot. Now the '01 is less desirable than the later 405HP models, perhaps that is in the equation...
Oh and I am a huge proponent of buying from an individual -- usually you get better service records, can do the Larry David eye stare, and avoid the dealer mark-up (assuming you don't need the real, but pricy, value a GOOD dealership can bring). But, for me, buying the car I want would trump that if there were literally only 2 choices left in the world.
Last edited by Rapid Fred; May 31, 2012 at 02:15 PM.
Why did you narrow to such different vehicles? I cannot imaging too many folks not having a clear preference when comparing:
o Targa vs. Enclosed
o Auto vs. Manual
o Taut "racer" feel vs. more relaxed sports car
I think the most important thing is to drive them both again, better understand your likes and dislikes (because you will have to live with your decision for a while), then look at a few more which closely meet your real preferences so you can choose from a larger pool. I agree with you that the "value" in the Z looks a bit better, which is particularly interesting in that it carries a dealer margin to boot. Now the '01 is less desirable than the later 405HP models, perhaps that is in the equation...
Oh and I am a huge proponent of buying from an individual -- usually you get better service records, can do the Larry David eye stare, and avoid the dealer mark-up (assuming you don't need the real, but pricy, value a GOOD dealership can bring). But, for me, buying the car I want would trump that if there were literally only 2 choices left in the world.
Well, to be quite frank, neither are what I prefer. If I'm "preferring" it would be a C6Z with bolt action, red or black with black guts. Unfotunately, the stick I'm currently swinging isn't that big yet, so I'm looking for my first Vette to tide me over for awhile. With that being said, I know I am going to be selling it later down the road and am trying to come up with what I feel is the better bang for the buck. The Z more closely aligns with what I want long term, but is a bit more than what I initially wanted to spend for a short term fix. I started out with a mindset of buying a 12-14k cash car, and if I go the Z I'll end up financing a little of it. And as someone mentioned a few responses ago, I'm also battling the "want " of the extra from the Z with the knowledge of the background of the coupe, as the folks selling it kept great records and just had it ran through Corvettes of Houston where it passed with flying colors.
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If you are only wanting it for a short ownership time, go for the coupe. You might be able to get the price down even more and the coupe has plenty of power - plus has the open air option. Later on, when you can afford more, go for the C6 Z06.
it's 2001+ which means you won't be screwed when the ebcm dies. it's quicker and isn't priced far off market value. if you could get them down 1k it would be a great deal