do i buy an 08 mod c6
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Scottsdale Arizona
do i buy an 08 mod c6
Hey all,
My first time here. Previous 2000 c5 owner (loved it of course) bone stock. Now I am looking at a 2008 c6 that is modified by MTI out of Houston (or what was MTI out of Houston as they are now gone).
I am not going to race this car but I do drive moderately, aggressively. Not a heavy red-liner. Can someone give me some advise, input, thoughts etc....maybe some peace-of-mind....or not...I like the car...seems to be done right but I don't really know. Thanks in advance.
Specs on the mods:
Z06 widebody rear quarters and Z06 wheels and tires, Bilstein shocks and Borla swaybars (this is better than Z51!), Ram Corvette street dual clutch with flywheel, Callaway C6 Cold Air Induction with K&N Filter, MTI Thresher 550 package which includes: MTI Stage IIE L92 Hand Ported Cylinder Heads, Assembled with Double Valve Springs, Titanium Retainers and Hardened Spring Seats, GM Head Gaskets, ARP Head Bolts, MTI Thresher LS3 Camshaft, MTI Hardened Chromemoly Pushrods, MTI Ported LS3 Intake Manifold, Borla LG Pro Longtube headers with Catted X-pipe, B&B Bullet Exhaust, NGK TR55 Spark Plugs, Hypertech 160* Thermostat, MTI Custom PCM Dyno Tuning. It also has: Kenwood touch screen stereo/navigation (powered by garmin and better than stock nav), JBL speaker system and subwoofer
My first time here. Previous 2000 c5 owner (loved it of course) bone stock. Now I am looking at a 2008 c6 that is modified by MTI out of Houston (or what was MTI out of Houston as they are now gone).
I am not going to race this car but I do drive moderately, aggressively. Not a heavy red-liner. Can someone give me some advise, input, thoughts etc....maybe some peace-of-mind....or not...I like the car...seems to be done right but I don't really know. Thanks in advance.
Specs on the mods:
Z06 widebody rear quarters and Z06 wheels and tires, Bilstein shocks and Borla swaybars (this is better than Z51!), Ram Corvette street dual clutch with flywheel, Callaway C6 Cold Air Induction with K&N Filter, MTI Thresher 550 package which includes: MTI Stage IIE L92 Hand Ported Cylinder Heads, Assembled with Double Valve Springs, Titanium Retainers and Hardened Spring Seats, GM Head Gaskets, ARP Head Bolts, MTI Thresher LS3 Camshaft, MTI Hardened Chromemoly Pushrods, MTI Ported LS3 Intake Manifold, Borla LG Pro Longtube headers with Catted X-pipe, B&B Bullet Exhaust, NGK TR55 Spark Plugs, Hypertech 160* Thermostat, MTI Custom PCM Dyno Tuning. It also has: Kenwood touch screen stereo/navigation (powered by garmin and better than stock nav), JBL speaker system and subwoofer
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,508
Likes: 71
From: round rock tx
Why not run it by Englandgreen or some other local Houston shop. Have them look it over and run it on the dyno to make sure it's in tip top shape? Could be a great deal but I see many custom mods in there.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 16,557
Likes: 2,108
From: Peoria/Phoenix AZ
C6 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
With that much power and your previous stock C5 experience, any agressive street driving is likely to get you trouble. Probably with the law first and financially with repairs later. If you have no intention of racing (legally) then those mods are over the top. Even lightly modded LS3's are more than enough for fun on the street.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 786
Likes: 1
From: Houston Texas
Of course im always on the other side of the fence on this forum when it comes to modding. I know i dont buy a performance car to leave stock as a lot of these corvette owners do. I will tell you that living in Houston, i know that MTI did great work and everything i saw come outta that shop was top notch. if the car doesnt seem to be beaten too bad and the price is right, jump on it. Modded cars arent a bank breaker like some make them out to be if they are taken care of and maintained.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,508
Likes: 71
From: round rock tx
Of course im always on the other side of the fence on this forum when it comes to modding. I know i dont buy a performance car to leave stock as a lot of these corvette owners do. I will tell you that living in Houston, i know that MTI did great work and everything i saw come outta that shop was top notch. if the car doesnt seem to be beaten too bad and the price is right, jump on it. Modded cars arent a bank breaker like some make them out to be if they are taken care of and maintained.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Scottsdale Arizona
Hey guys,
Thanks for all of the great input. I don't think that performance-wise I am going to be in trouble. a stock Z06 is at 500 horse. I just have to be cool.
Maintenance-wise though, what is expected of a car this modded out? More or less. I hear different stories. Again, its not a track car.
Thanks guys!
Thanks for all of the great input. I don't think that performance-wise I am going to be in trouble. a stock Z06 is at 500 horse. I just have to be cool.
Maintenance-wise though, what is expected of a car this modded out? More or less. I hear different stories. Again, its not a track car.
Thanks guys!
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,711
Likes: 3
From: Middle of No where AK
You need to get an estimated amount of mileage on the cam package due to valve spring life. They need to be changed out every 15-25k on a cammed car and if they are coming up youlll want to know that. Like said before I would take it by the shop run it on the dyno with the scanner hooked up and see what she runs like.
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Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,537
Likes: 1,404
From: Bethesda MD
If it drives good, have it checked by a performance shop and make sure the compression is still good, etc.
CF Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,313
Likes: 25
From: Tucson Arizona
I have some natural reservations about buying used, highly modified cars but I've seen a few that were 'good buys.' I suggest you contact Darrel at BDM Motorsports in Tempe. They're Corvette guys and do excellent work. They could give you an honest evaluation of the car.
Having a 2008 with virtually no warranty might be a consideration (especialy if you don't race the car) but that's your decision. Good luck!
Having a 2008 with virtually no warranty might be a consideration (especialy if you don't race the car) but that's your decision. Good luck!
Instructor
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: Orange Park Florida
Another thing to consider is that when somebody chooses to have a really good shop (as in expensive) do their mods they tend to protect their investment. I would be willing to bet that the car has been well maintained. Are you buying it from the original owner? If so does he/she have the service history?
Agin, find a good local shop and have her checked out.
Sounds like a nice car, good luck!
Agin, find a good local shop and have her checked out.
Sounds like a nice car, good luck!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,508
Likes: 71
From: round rock tx
And you know this how? Why don't you ask EG, LG, 21st century muscle cars et al how many cammed/heads cars if theirs have blown? You obviously have no clue what you are talking about.
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,557
Likes: 1,275
From: EV is like bad sex with no moaning
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 27,420
Likes: 64
From: San Clemente CA
Last edited by VET4LES; Oct 13, 2009 at 06:36 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,508
Likes: 71
From: round rock tx
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 16,557
Likes: 2,108
From: Peoria/Phoenix AZ
C6 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
As an extreme example, I remember at one time it required taking 5 motors to the track to run in a 16 car field. One for qualifying and one for each round. If you went home with a good motor, you obviously weren't in the finals. At the other end of the spectrum, the stockers went all season with only spark plug and oil changes.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Scottsdale Arizona
Hey all,
thanks again for the input on this. I had the car checked out by a good shop. It was put through the paces for 3.5 hours and dyno'd. I ultimately purchased the car after many discussions with performance shops, the owner, the people at MTI who knew the car and good folks like yourselves. It should be sweet so thank you again.
I have updated my profile with my new 'vette!
azcentral
thanks again for the input on this. I had the car checked out by a good shop. It was put through the paces for 3.5 hours and dyno'd. I ultimately purchased the car after many discussions with performance shops, the owner, the people at MTI who knew the car and good folks like yourselves. It should be sweet so thank you again.
I have updated my profile with my new 'vette!
azcentral
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 470
Likes: 0
Why buy that car? My motto is go find the old man who kept his vette in the garage and scrubbed it with a toothbrush daily and changed the oil after every 1000 miles and doesnt have one single mod done to it.
Let's all be honest, people like us who are modding these cars are driving the hell out of them, the way they were meant to be driven, sure we also take great care of them, but why not buy from one of the 70% of Corvette owners who have never had the pedal to the floor?
Seems like common sense to me.
Let's all be honest, people like us who are modding these cars are driving the hell out of them, the way they were meant to be driven, sure we also take great care of them, but why not buy from one of the 70% of Corvette owners who have never had the pedal to the floor?
Seems like common sense to me.