I'm not in the market for another track car, but I think the later c4 years make great track cars. Not as powerful, but cheaper tires, less digital, great steering feedback, and way cheaper in both purchase and consumables. You can buy a c4, track safety mods, and upgrade to c6z brakes for less than a base c5, let alone a z. Most people aren't fast enough to out drive a well prepped c4 anyways, and you can always add power to the LT. A stripped out c4 with longtubes, heads, and cam can easily hang with, and depending on the cam, outrun a c5. And you get to run much smaller and cheaper (and not impossible to find) tires.

If you're building a legit all out race car, I could maybe see the argument for a c5 for the stiffer frame, but at that point the regulations for the series matters more than anything.

 

I never had luck fitting into a stock c4 (6'2 and several big macs over 200#) means that I barely fit in my c6 with a helmet on (hit the roof on the autobahn jump) so I had never considered one. I did have somebody at the track a few weeks back with a bored and stroked 383 small block early c4 running on NT01's and he couldn't keep the car running / cool. It would overheat and the holley carb would cause fuel starvation during high g turns. cool car sounded good, probably killed it at the strip.

 

Interesting, I'm 6'2 and have the same room in my c4 as c6. That said I'm right around 200 pounds and have to tilt the seat forward and a little closer and get the headroom I need. Not like, a ton of it like my f150 had, but enough to not be constantly banging my head and worried about it.

My c4 with the stock engine doesn't overheat at all, but I could see making major changes like that needing to upgrade cooling too. People always skimp out on cooling and stuff like that on builds because it doesn't overheat on the street or drag strip and don't get that road racing is a whole new level of heat. They make some pretty big radiators for the c4 to really cool them though.

 

it was years ago when I last tried to sit in a c4, I would have to try again but the c6 has pretty much become a track only toy at this point in time, so unless I was going to get something that was cheap enough a lot cheaper; the c6 gets the job done.

if I get my way, the c6 is going to continue to turn into a dedicated drive it to/from the track car and next year i will get a new weekend toy. Right now I am eyeing German things.

 

The c4 was a "it's cheaper to junk this car than fox a c6" choice for me. The C6 is probably the best dedicated track car for the money out there... If your budget allows you to throw away a 20k car, haha.

 

My previous autoctross / track cars over the last 10 years have been a couple of Mazda Miata’s, a BMW Z3 M Coupe and up until February of this year a BMW 2016 M2. I drove a slightly modified 2004 Z06 at the FIRM in Starke, FL and was almost a full 2.8 seconds off my average time when I was driving the M2. I just could not fling the Z06 around a tight corner like I could in the M2, I just did not feel any confidence in the car. On the straights the exhaust note was annoying and everything in the car was shaking and rattling. I am not a petite woman, I am 5-10 in flats and for some reason I felt cramped in the car, just could not get comfortable. The biggest factor was how I felt after the experience, driving a suspension and engine tuned M2 on a track is awesome and FUN, I did not feel either after driving the Z06. I have not crossed it out just yet, going to give it another shot in another Z06 in a few weeks. At this stage I am leaning to picking up another 2016 M2. I would have kept my first M2 but she was already over the 85,000 mile mark and needed a more “easy going” owner.

 

The c6 is too expensive to throw away, it crosses the threshold for me and I opt to pick up insurance for each track day. This adds about $1k a year to my track budget but limits my exposure to $3700 (I assume my car is worth $25k and opt for 15% deductible and it's $110 to $170 per day depending on the event and location). I bought the vette before I was into track days and it was a "run what ya brung" decision.

 

the m2 has always been an interesting choice, its competitive in B-street autocross (if that's important to you) and on the track they appear to need little more than higher temp pads meaning its possible to drive to the track have fun and drive home. That being said (and please prove me wrong) the maintenance and repair costs of the BMW is German car expensive. Have you considered the new Supra? There is a guy running one in Gridlife and they are pretty underrated.

Have you considered the zl1/gt350? I am just curious to know how those big american muscle cars compare.

oh and I love the idea of a Miata but at 6'2, the reality doesn't pass the broomstick test, I sat in an ND and could fit and work the clutch but my head was above the windshield. I fit in the ToyoSciBuru GT86, FR-S, BR-z but have never driven one at speed.

 

That's fair. I picked my c4 up for about 3500, and the basic upgrades to make it last on track were just under a grand (brakes, tires, high pressure power steering line). Insurance is definitely a must have if you're not willing to junk a car.

 

Tons of fun, but slow without super grippy tires, and then you're only fast in turns. I think they'd be more fun with a tire with a hard compound that tolerated lots of heat. Something without a ton of grip, but would hold up to abuse. Then you could really push it to the edge and have a blast with one of the best chassis out there, without noticing the lackluster power until you had to give another point by.

I would probably get a Fiesta ST over them though. Basically as fast but a lot more playful and even more fun. Plus you get a hatch for storing stuff. Or if you like disposable cars, r53 mini cooper s with the supercharger are a freaking riot, and overall very tough. They do piddle on your driveway typically though... German car thing.

 

I consider myself somewhat competitive in SCCA Autocross, I do OK in local and some regionals but never made it to a national event even though I would have qualified. The first and most important MOD on any M2 that is going to be tracked is to replace the OEM pads, they tend to leave residue on the rotors and cause all types of nasty brake shudder. I went with the Carbotech XP10 racing/track set, there not “recommended” for DD because of the excessive break dust. I am not a mechanic and did not want to change pads every track day, so I just dealt with the nasty dirty wheels. For local autocross events I drove the M2 to the event. The nearest track is several hours away so any regional Autocross or track day, the M2 was towed.

One of the things that usually gets me upset when I am around car guys is the misconception of BMW reliability. Yes, when they do break down its expensive compared to its American counterpart, but the same can be said for any many other cars of similar heritage. It is the comments about BMW reliability from non-owners that I can never understand. I have owned a total of 5 BMW’s and every car I have owned has been solid, no major issues. The M2 for example, I purchased in 2017 with, I was the 2nd owner and it was a ‘Certified Pre-owned”. The dealership was DINAN (https://www.dinancars.com/) approved so I got to mod the car AND keep my warranty. I put 60,000 + miles on the M2, driving, auto crossing and tracking. The only issue that required dealership intervention was my AC condenser, did not cost me a dime to replace. The sound of a straight-six is intoxicating and I really beginning to miss it.

My profession is tied to the automobile industry so I get to test drive some nice cars, The Camaro ZL1 is a monster, in the right hands it is unbeatable and will drive circle around the GT350 and any C7/Z06 that hasn’t overheated. Similar to the C5 Z06 / M2 comparison, the ZL1 was just so much more fun to drive on the track then the GT350. The visibility issue people complain about is a non-factor, learn how to adjust and use mirrors properly and your good to go. The only car that comes close in my opinion is the BMW 2020 M2 Competition. If I had $80K to buy a new track-focused ride that would not do daily driving, the ZL1 gets the nod every time. I have yet to drive a C8 on the track, since it does not come in a manual I doubt if I ever will.

 

I've done some searches in the US for 2008 cars, but when I add Z51 to the search, I get almost no hits. Is there very few Z51 cars out there or doesnt the seller know that his/her car is a Z51?
What would you say is a fair price for a 2008 C6 Z51 with max 50-60' miles on the clock?

 

Z51 was an option vs a model, so it doesn't get much atte tion. Most sellers don't mention it.

I'd say a nice condition car like that is a 24 to 26k car.

 

I think that number is fair, I have a 47k mile m6 non-z51 3lt car (fully loaded) with a few thousand in upgrades and I would list it for 26 hope for 25 and take 24.

 

I bought an 09 Z51 3LT M6 that was stock except for the air intake in November 2019 for $25k. It had 42k on the clock and had a clean Carfax.

By the way, unless you find someone who wants the exact upgrades you do to the car, you don't make any money on them. Ask me how I know........