If you drive it around town, it won't matter. Either engines have more than enough power to get you into trouble with a flick of 500 RPMs.

And the LS2 does slightly better on gas due to it's smaller bore. (6.0L vs. 6.2L)

 

Not sure of what you're doing, but if shopping around for a used Vette, think I'd really base my decision more on price. An LS3 is a little more updated with a bit more displacement and better flowing heads. Truth is you'll be hard pressed to tell the difference, as they're both very good.

 

Any 08'-11' is way better than a LS2 equipped car...and I have one.

 

You say there is not much difference, but then you go on to say that your car has a CAI and a tune In other words, the difference over a stock 06 might be more of a difference stock to stock.

 

If I had a choice I would go LS3. Why? Because it has newer technology; things tend to improve over time. Don't think its worth selling my LS2 though.

 

Rule of law. Buy the newest one you can.

The LS3 is plenty worth it, but you also get forged wheels with the Gumbys, NPP option, a TR6060 trans, which is a significant improvement over the T56, and the steering rack is better, along with interior options not available on the 05-06 models.

I have an 06.

 

If you plan on modding either it really doesn't matter

If you want to keep them stock the LS3 is the better buy.

 

I'm still looking for a C6 but after test driving an 07 and an 09 I decided pretty easily that the LS3 was the way to go for me. The LS3 simply felt more powerful. However the decision to go LS3 went beyond just the motor. As mentioned, the interior just looks nicer in the 08+ cars, especially with the 4LT package and the improved A6 programming and steering plus the NPP exhaust make in a no brainer for this guy.

Now if only I could find one!

 

Exactly

 

and we have the other crowd too that says you can't "feel" that much difference between an LS7 and LS3, and there is about 60-70 RWHP difference between those too again same guys will go out and spend thousands on headers, tune CAI though to pick up 40HP

These threads always make me laugh.

There is enough difference IMO between the LS2 and LS3 IMO to warrant the cost if you can do it.

 

Some engines develop more power than others of the same model (LS2 or LS3) caused by manufacturing tolerances and other factors. A strong LS2 and a weak LS3 will perform virtually identical and a weak LS2 versus a strong LS3 will be definitely be noticeable. This is probably the reason some feel the difference and others don't, when test driving different vehicles/engines.

 

HP isnt free. Its something you got to pay for. Some of you guys act like the difference between the LS3-LS3-LS7-LS9 is just something you check off on the list. The price difference between an LS2 and LS3 vette is very different. And for someone who doesnt see a real need for more than 400hp.. then the LS2 is a perfectly fine decision. I'm sure all of us would like to have the most powerful option possible, but it really comes down to: 1) Do you require the extra HP for your needs? 2) How much extra you are willing to pay for that extra HP. You can accomplish that in two ways. You can pay for it straight from GM.. or you can accomplish it through aftermarket 3rd party modifications.

The real factor is budget though, and the real decision is as you pointed out "Is the extra power worth the extra cost?". If every C6 model year & engine option cost exactly the same. We would all have ZR1's & Z06's. Noone would even bother with a LS2 or LS3.

 

I'm responding more to those who like to tell others they *wasted* money for buying a higher HP car from the factory.

What I am talking about is people that say they can't justify the cost difference for only say.. 30 HP difference, or, you can't really tell a difference in the 30HP between the two motors... those SAME people will go out and spend thousands of dollars to mod their car and pick up that same amount of power... so why do that? If 30 or 40HP didn't matter then why go out and spend the money in the first place on the mods?

If someone can't afford an LS3 C6, but can afford an older C6 with an LS2..and decides to spend some money on mods to get extra HP that way..hey man that's great.. but two weeks earlier those same people are saying the 30 HP isn't really noticiable, or doesn't make a difference If that were true then why did you spend 1500 bucks on headers and 500 bucks on a tune to bump your LS2 up 30 HP.

 

My cousin had the ls3 I have the ls2. I drove my cousins car for about 5 hours straight after picking it up used from the dealer. Power wise I really didn't notice much of a difference while driving it. I did notice the smoother mn6 gear box and trans. His 08 felt alot smoother while shifting than my 06. If I was in the market for another c6 and could afford the extra couple of bucks I would go for the ls3 not so much because of the power difference but just because it newer. If you get an ls2 finding 30 hp is very very easy.

 

The top five reasons I bought my new Corvette in order of importance:
LS3
Light in weight
Tremec TR6060
Design
Coefficient of drag

 

I definitely agree with that. If you buy a LS2, only to purposely turn around a dump headers, exhaust, CAI, tune into it to make 35 more HP. Then you should have bought an LS3 to begin with. Not only would you have gotten the extra 35hp.. but a longer warranty, better transmission, better steering, CF center console, updated key fobs.

I think the bigger "truth" is that people purchase what car they can comfortably afford at the time. As you start knocking down the payments.. or accumulate a few throw-away $$$. You start thinking about modding to keep your purchasing looking & feeling new. Before you know it.. those mods have given you a few extra HP and now you naturally start comparing your LS2 to an LS3 because they are now equal in power.

When I bought my LS2.. my original plan was to keep it perfectly stock until it was paid off. Then if I wanted "more" I'd trade it in on a Z06 or GS. While thats still my ultimate plan, I have to admit I just added the Corsa Extreme system. That mod had absolutely nothing to do with a gain in power, as I said earlier.. 400hp is more than enough power to accomplish anything I plan to do with my C6. The mod was for sound only. But now that I think about it.. my LS2 should now make a slight bit more than 400hp as a *side effect* of looking for better sound from the engine.

If I was truly an HP nut. And looking for the best bang for buck HP purchase in the C6 world. I'd skip the whole LS3/LS7/LS9 bunch and pick up an '06 or '07 LS2.. and supercharge the hell out outta it. For just over $30k you'd have a C6 that looks just like a 2012 standard body.. and could be pushing 600hp pretty easy.

 

Its maybe 2-3 posters, not a 'crowd' and they are likely old geezers who brag about gas mileage and complain about the suspension.

There are a decent number who feel the 70rwhp isnt worth the $ difference, but thats another argument.

 

I used to own an LS2. Now I own an LS3. To me, the biggest difference is in the shifting, the transmission, and the NPP exhaust on the LS3.

 

We traded our 2006 LS2 A6 for a 2009 LS3 A6, mostly because the '06 had a serious accident and I never felt quite right with it after that. The improvement in power, steering, and A6 downshifts; were worth every penny.

But we have many friends in our club with LS2's, LS1's, and even various C4's. They all seem to have just as much fun as we do.
They are all great cars.

 

And that, my friend, is what it's all about.

A few tenth's down the track is great, and I love that as much as the next person. But at the end of the day, the question to be answered is did you have fun?