When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
New guy here, and also someone who was recently in the market for buying a long time bucket list car. I've had an infatuation with C5 Corvettes since they were introduced new but never felt like spending the cash on one. Then in the early 2000s they released the Z oh 6 and everyone in the gear head world was losing their minds.
Fast forward till now, I'm another 18 years older. I've owned a lot of cars in that time. Several over 500hp and even did some recurring drag racing in a bracket points series for a couple years. When it was time to look for one of these cars it's obviously getting harder to find one that has been molested and abused or has 150+k miles on it. First thing I noticed is that many of if not all the used Z06s in the area were well used. I did find one for 23k with 27k miles on it but here again I had to ask myself, do I realy want to spend that much money? I could do a lot of fun things with a regular C5 for that extra 10 grand.
I just had to ask myself, are you buying this car for the image? or are you buying this car to just have fun and be a cool car to drive and enjoy? Or maybe a little bit of both? Am I really gonna use the extra suspension features of the Z06 to their potential? Lets face it, by today's standards the C5 Z06 engine is nothing special or to write home about IMO. It's stupid easy to make far more power with any LS engine over a stock C5 Z06 engine. I'll never track day this car, and I highly doubt it will ever see the drag strip. I don't do the car show thing, or the parking lot hang out thing. I don't do the club thing. Not ******* those events, it's just not what I do.
So where was I left? I really felt no reason what so ever for myself to get all caught up in the Z06 craze. Doesn't mean I don't like those cars either or respect them for what they are.
On a comparative note, my wife has a 2015 Ecoboost Mustang premium. Very expensive car for what is. The amount of crap thrown about by others about how come you didn't buy this that or the other thing is ridiculous. She's had 2 Cobras and another GT. You are always going to run into others that snub their nose at you in all facets of life.
Final point, if someone is going to look down upon another because they have a lesser version of a car, well I guess I don't need to associate with them. I'll end with the statement of, I've been power reading this forum for the last couple weeks and I can say I really haven't noticed a Z06 bias to trash talking non Z06 owners on this board. Great place it appears to be to me.
I didn't like verts and could care less about the targa tops. The Fixed Roof Coupe ( Hardtop) fit me perfect! Love the roof line style!
Same here! The FRC roof gives the car an almost exotic appearance. It is the only C5 body style that has ever really appealed to me. I owned a '94 Supra Turbo from 2001-2010. When I was out driving around, only 2 other cars really made me turn my head. The C5 Z06 and the Dodge Viper GTS. When I was car-shopping to replace the Supra, I drove a few of both cars. I preferred the Z06 over the Viper, so I bought my first '03 Z06 in 2011. I sold it in 2014, but no other car would replace it but another C5 Z06. And, now I have my second '03 Z06, which isn't going anywhere. I love it!
I always thought the FRC roof looked like a fighter jet canopy, so I made this picture to verify my theory...
It's stupid easy to make far more power with any LS engine over a stock C5 Z06 engine.
Well, that is kind of a moot point. Comparing a modified engine to a stock one? Many of us modify our Z06s, anyway. Let's face it. The LS engines are virtually identical. The Z06 just has the advantage of being equipped with the better heads/cam/intake from the start. By the time someone pays for parts and labor to replace those items, they could have just purchased the Z06 to begin with. That is, of course, assuming they purchased the car based on performance potential or something. 99% of the time, someone chooses a coupe or convertible over a Z06 strictly because of appearance. Maybe they like targa tops. Maybe they like a a certain paint color. Maybe they like tan interiors. Hell, maybe they want an automatic transmission. Different strokes... I suppose if I was building a dedicated drag race car, I would consider picking up a cheap high-mileage automatic coupe to build. Just to save purchase money and to get the auto trans.
I'll never track day this car, and I highly doubt it will ever see the drag strip. I don't do the car show thing, or the parking lot hang out thing. I don't do the club thing. Not ******* those events, it's just not what I do.
Sheesh, not much left to do. Maybe trade it for a minivan? I kid, I kid...
Personally, I bought my car because it is a performance car. And I like doing performance-oriented things. Autocross, drag strip, and probably 1/2 mile events next year after the upcoming big build. For me, if I was planning on just cruising around and not doing anything with my car, I would have bought a comfy Cadillac or something instead of a sports or muscle car. I already own one peppy daily driver. I don't need two. LOL
At the end of the day, they are all Corvettes. Buy what makes you happy!
To counter and clarify. Dig all your points. I guess where I'm coming from, I'm a car guy that modifies cars. I guess my thoughts are, to me the Z06 is great for a car guy that is NOT going to really do anything to it and they want a great performance car out of the box. Then there are those few that just have to have one because of the badge on the fender.
For me, once you start modifying a Z then you are kind of taking away from it's heritage but for those that do so be it. If you truly want to build a car from the ground up to do what ever you want with it I say save your 10 grand or so and spend it wisely modifying a regular C5. This again goes if you are not hung up on having the badge on the fender.
Also, I've always lusted for the FRC and I absolutely love your photochop of the F16. I really do love the styling of the Z but honestly I don't really care about the rest.
My posts were just kind of my thoughts on a generalization of the OPs OP. So don't take me too seriously lol.
"Z oh six" rolls off the tongue a lot easier than "Z zero six" as well.
so does 'axes me" in-lieu-of "ask me" ignorance is bliss to the ignorant, try thinking outside the box and educating people especially the ones that have not been fooled yet by the laziness if others
Same here! The FRC roof gives the car an almost exotic appearance. It is the only C5 body style that has ever really appealed to me. I owned a '94 Supra Turbo from 2001-2010. When I was out driving around, only 2 other cars really made me turn my head. The C5 Z06 and the Dodge Viper GTS. When I was car-shopping to replace the Supra, I drove a few of both cars. I preferred the Z06 over the Viper, so I bought my first '03 Z06 in 2011. I sold it in 2014, but no other car would replace it but another C5 Z06. And, now I have my second '03 Z06, which isn't going anywhere. I love it!
I always thought the FRC roof looked like a fighter jet canopy, so I made this picture to verify my theory...
After owning seven previous Corvettes I knew exactly what I wanted. Living in the south it had to be a light color with light interior so I didn't cook. It had to be an M6 and a vert. Since I had no plans to track or autocross I had no need for 50 extra horsepower, odd size tires and a "fugly" roof. The whole FRC and Z06 thing was all about marketing and production numbers clearly indicate the level of success achieved. I still get a kick out of watching Corvettes try to compete with Miatas at autocross and am always glad I'm a spectator rather than embarrassed participant.
I guess my thoughts are, to me the Z06 is great for a car guy that is NOT going to really do anything to it and they want a great performance car out of the box. Then there are those few that just have to have one because of the badge on the fender.
Actually, the third (and possibly most popular) type of owners understand that the FRC/Z06 is the lightest and tightest Corvette, which is why they are extremely popular in racing. Yes, they are a great performance car out of the box, but not everyone thinks 405hp is much, especially by today's standards. No reason to leave them unmodified, really. They aren't rare or very valuable. More power, better brakes, and better suspension just makes a great car even better. My car has all those things modified, and the car is just soooooo much more fun to drive.
If you truly want to build a car from the ground up to do what ever you want with it I say save your 10 grand or so and spend it wisely modifying a regular C5.
I am not sure where your "10 grand" figure comes from. Can you explain? When I purchased both of my '03 Z06s, other '03 coupes and convertibles in similar condition with similar mileage were all within $1000-2000 of each other. Just curious.
This again goes if you are not hung up on having the badge on the fender.
Hell, I ditched mine... Which group am I in now? LOL
I still get a kick out of watching Corvettes try to compete with Miatas at autocross and am always glad I'm a spectator rather than embarrassed participant.
This guy is surely a big hit at parties. And, yeah, probably better you aren't an embarrassed autocross participant. Stock convertibles do poorly...
I am not sure where your "10 grand" figure comes from. Can you explain? When I purchased both of my '03 Z06s, other '03 coupes and convertibles in similar condition with similar mileage were all within $1000-2000 of each other. Just curious.
Hell, I ditched mine... Which group am I in now? LOL
Even I have to admit I don't know why I pulled that number out of my ***. I would say an extreme spread in my area would be closer to 7k. Any cars around here that I can recall looking at recently that were within a couple grand of each other all had over 100+k miles on them. Comparing only the few low mileage examples I had to go by like I said were much more apart. That is where I was going with using the money saved to do other things with.
I could be wrong on this but I'd say you're the exception and not the norm when it comes to debadging that particular badge off the fender.
Here's a good analogy: it's like the difference between a 911 and a 911 GT3. Both are awesome cars, just one has significantly way more performance just as with the base C5 compared to the C5 Z06 (power, suspension, chassis stiffness, gearing, and lighter weight).
Last edited by ArmchairArchitect; 08-09-2018 at 02:41 PM.
I still get a kick out of watching Corvettes try to compete with Miatas at autocross and am always glad I'm a spectator rather than embarrassed participant.
Autocross is like the mini-golf of car racing. Put those cars on a proper track/road course and see which car gets embarrassed.
Even I have to admit I don't know why I pulled that number out of my ***. I would say an extreme spread in my area would be closer to 7k.
Damn. That is weird. I bought my current car in late 2017, and all I was looking at were '03-'04 examples. Apart from a few choice reeeeeeally low-mile Z06s and convertibles in the $25K-up range, everything I was looking at was around the same price. Anything that was really cheap had 80K+ miles on it.
I could be wrong on this but I'd say you're the exception and not the norm when it comes to debadging that particular badge off the fender.
I didn't want anything red on my blue car. It just didn't make sense to leave them on. LOL
On a serious note, I know a LOT of C5Z owners. None come to mind who bought their cars because of the fender badge. They either bought them because they love the sexy roofline, or they wanted the lightest and strongest model to race with. In fact, most of us used both reasons for buying!
08-09-2018, 11:18 AM
Let's face it. The LS engines are virtually identical. The Z06 just has the advantage of being equipped with the better heads/cam/intake from the start. By the time someone pays for parts and labor to replace those items, they could have just purchased the Z06 to begin with. That is, of course, assuming they purchased the car based on performance potential or something. 99% of the time, someone chooses a coupe or convertible over a Z06 strictly because of appearance. Maybe they like targa tops. Maybe they like a a certain paint color. Maybe they like tan interiors. Hell, maybe they want an automatic transmission. Different strokes... I suppose if I was building a dedicated drag race car, I would consider picking up a cheap high-mileage automatic coupe to build. Just to save purchase money and to get the auto trans.
I really do love the styling of the Z but honestly I don't really care about the rest. 
Which group am I in now? LOL
And, yeah, probably better you aren't an embarrassed autocross participant. Stock convertibles do poorly...
