[Z06] 2001-2004 z06
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
From: Weddington, North Carolina
2001-2004 z06
Recently started looking for a nice low mileage,under 30k miles Z06. Something I have noticed is that many of them have had 3-5 owners already which makes me a little nervous. I realize they are 10-13 years old, but are there certain problems that I am missing?
Thanks
Jim
Thanks
Jim
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,243
Likes: 5
From: Loveland CO
its a toy.. people get bored.. it shouldnt be hard to find a 1-2 owner car. I sell cars for a living.. the average person keeps a car for 3-4yrs.. so that would make it a 3-4 owner car.. now they are specialty cars so they will tipically be better cared for and low miles.. but still alot of people dont keep them longer then that.
I would find a 02+ car if I were you. 01's are less HP and have oil consumption issues. 02-03 cars have valve spring issues and 04's seem to have a gas tank leak issue.. the valve springs are easy to replace and may have been done in some cases. the 04's have the best suspension (shocks) and a few differences in how the motor is setups (wiring and fuel system ect..) that was used with the C6's and the leaky fuel tank seems to be hit or miss on the 04's... mine is perfect.
I would find a 02+ car if I were you. 01's are less HP and have oil consumption issues. 02-03 cars have valve spring issues and 04's seem to have a gas tank leak issue.. the valve springs are easy to replace and may have been done in some cases. the 04's have the best suspension (shocks) and a few differences in how the motor is setups (wiring and fuel system ect..) that was used with the C6's and the leaky fuel tank seems to be hit or miss on the 04's... mine is perfect.
Last edited by RedZMonte; Dec 19, 2013 at 01:24 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,279
Likes: 18
From: Oklahoma
Don't buy the crapt comments people make about avoiding the 2001s. I nearly did and was only looking for a 2002-04 until I found the 2001 I ended up buying in Feb. I only wanted a MY C5Z and this was the best for the buck I found. Mine had reciepts showing where a dealership had fixed the oil consumption fluttering issue. The 20hp at the flywheel can't be noticed in the SOTP feel and is only about one tenth in the quarter mile. Plus I think there is some extra value in owning a low mile first ever Z06. Buy the 2004 OEM shocks like I did and you have basically the same car. I sold my highly modded 1997 SVT Cobra to buy this car and it is much faster. Pulls hard in 3rd where my Cobra layed down.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
From: Monroe NC
Don't buy the crapt comments people make about avoiding the 2001s. I nearly did and was only looking for a 2002-04 until I found the 2001 I ended up buying in Feb. I only wanted a MY C5Z and this was the best for the buck I found. Mine had reciepts showing where a dealership had fixed the oil consumption fluttering issue. The 20hp at the flywheel can't be noticed in the SOTP feel and is only about one tenth in the quarter mile. Plus I think there is some extra value in owning a low mile first ever Z06. Buy the 2004 OEM shocks like I did and you have basically the same car. I sold my highly modded 1997 SVT Cobra to buy this car and it is much faster. Pulls hard in 3rd where my Cobra layed down.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,434
Likes: 18
From: Bartlett IL
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'11
I'm the 3rd owner on mine and I purchased mine 7 years ago. I wouldnt worry about it... like already said.. its a toy and most people move on to the next one after a few years.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 295
Likes: 1
Just picked up an 03 z06 myself and it had 70k miles but a single owner vehicle. The original owner lived on a gravel road so the only flaw on the car was so "wear" on the back side of all four corners in the wheel wells. I didn't care about that because I planned to install L5 fenders (being done right now) so I'm repainting any imperfections on an otherwise perfect car. Stay patient and wait for the right one. You WILL find it!!
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
From: Weddington, North Carolina
Well found a 2002 with low miles locally. She is now sitting in our garage. I will post some pics when it stops raining around here. Thank you all for your guidance.
Jim
Jim
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,168
Likes: 21
From: Sunniest city on Earth
It still doesn't make any difference for value unless you have an original, plastic-wrapped Speedway White 2001 Z06 or 2004 Z16, and it'll be another 30+ years before anybody cares enough to pay extra for that.
For a car you intend to drive and enjoy, get the one that is the most car for the money. 2001s are the cheapest and 2004s are the best when stock; find your preference and buy it. Mine is a late 2003, and come the end of January, it won't have the original cam, heads, manifolds (intake and exhaust), intake, seats, shocks, sways, lights, master cylinder, wheels, etc... when you plan to have this many mods, it makes little difference what year you start with (the fuel system from 2001 to mid-2003 is easier to mod, late-2003+ is different) as long as the rings in the 2001 LS6 shortblock have been dealt with.
For a car you intend to drive and enjoy, get the one that is the most car for the money. 2001s are the cheapest and 2004s are the best when stock; find your preference and buy it. Mine is a late 2003, and come the end of January, it won't have the original cam, heads, manifolds (intake and exhaust), intake, seats, shocks, sways, lights, master cylinder, wheels, etc... when you plan to have this many mods, it makes little difference what year you start with (the fuel system from 2001 to mid-2003 is easier to mod, late-2003+ is different) as long as the rings in the 2001 LS6 shortblock have been dealt with.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 3,716
Likes: 13
From: Staten Island NY
If you walk away from an 01 due to "less hp" you're a dumb ***.
Oil consumption is another myth that's blown out of proportion on this site just like the valve springs on the 02's. Without question there have been cars that have oil burning issues...but not enough to warrant a significant concern. The reality is that if you track your car, or drive your car like a race car, ANY LS motor is gonna burn some oil. LS1, 2, 3, 6, etc. It's the nature of the beast.
Last edited by TGO; Dec 22, 2013 at 12:56 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,855
Likes: 78
From: Sammamish WA
WA Events Coordinator
Actually the '02+ got higher lift cams (and the same '01 springs till late '03, hence the spring failures) and '04 got the C6 fuel system among other things.
Got my '04Z 2+ years ago, with 17K. I'm the 3rd owner, it was dead stock with $1k worth of clear bra. Been having fun modding it and driving it...almost 40k now. Been bullet proof....
Got my '04Z 2+ years ago, with 17K. I'm the 3rd owner, it was dead stock with $1k worth of clear bra. Been having fun modding it and driving it...almost 40k now. Been bullet proof....
Team Owner
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 33,498
Likes: 19
From: Sarasota Fl. U.S.A.
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
Actually the '02+ got higher lift cams (and the same '01 springs till late '03, hence the spring failures) and '04 got the C6 fuel system among other things.
Got my '04Z 2+ years ago, with 17K. I'm the 3rd owner, it was dead stock with $1k worth of clear bra. Been having fun modding it and driving it...almost 40k now. Been bullet proof....
Got my '04Z 2+ years ago, with 17K. I'm the 3rd owner, it was dead stock with $1k worth of clear bra. Been having fun modding it and driving it...almost 40k now. Been bullet proof....
Frist I have heard of this, always heard a bad batch of springs! I have an early 03 and just last week had them changed out.. Don't have it home yet, waiting on the headers to be installed..
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,124
Likes: 105
From: Pensacola FL
Meh. My 2004 Z16 had three previous owners when I bought it in late 2007. It had a different owner each year.
Didn't mean jack. Car has been pretty solid considering it is a sports car that gets all 420rwhp put to use fairly often.
If you are looking for Honda Accord reliability, buy a Honda Accord...
Didn't mean jack. Car has been pretty solid considering it is a sports car that gets all 420rwhp put to use fairly often.
If you are looking for Honda Accord reliability, buy a Honda Accord...
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,980
Likes: 10
From: Crook County
Lol, A very low amount of 01 Z06's had oil consumption problems in the very first early production run of the car. If the production date was in the summer of 2000 then more then likely it may burn a little oil, Easy fix though. It didn't cause any performance issues, You would just have to check it occasionally when driving hard. It was nothing worse then what a LS2 uses. 02-03 Z06's have valve spring issues were they would break on stock cars and a few 02 Z06's had oil consumption problems as well do to a faulty PCV system... 2004 Z06's had some leaky diff issues here and there... I wouldn't worry about any of it because the amount of cars that had issues was hardly none.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,463
Likes: 0
From: Everett Washington
a good deal on a 2001 z is like a good deal on a 1st gen corvette. theyre all different but as long as you get get what you pay for and you have a smile on your face everytime you sit in it, isnt that all that matters?