I'm not only talking about spending 3-4k on the top end rebuild as soon as you get the car, if you do get it.

I'm talking about other wear and tear parts. It's 10 years old now, with over 80k miles.

What about brakes? Tranny fluid? Diff? How do you know those were properly changed if changed at all?

What about the clutch? 500hp at 80k miles on a stock clutch is pushing it. Like i said the car was probably beaten. And other hoses, wiring, the radiator, the electronics early model C6's gotten. The list goes on and on.

I know it's hard to turn down the Z. It's a beast. It really is. But sometimes in life you have to look at priorities, your budget, and what's the best purchase for you. Actually no not sometimes, all the time lol.

IMHO, if i was in your shoes, i'd get the LS3. Or save a bit more and get the GS. Because like i said, best of both worlds.

I know i sound biased because i bought a GS. Best decision i ever made. I was in your shoes. Hence my username. BUt i did my research and actually spent a bit MORE to get the GS. 6spd coupe in red. My favorite color.



Best of all, i bought it with 6k miles. 6000. I just hit 10k today actually lol


edit: not sure why the picture came out like that.

 

There's no buyer remorse here for not getting the Z. I actually got my GS w/6 miles on the clock. I wish I snapped a photo of it when I first got it. I know ...I'm pretty sure it wasn't beaten on w/in the first 6 miles.

 

The head fix is more like $2k......you could buy a bad *** set of aftermarket heads and cam for $5k

 

That is Perfect! Black or Red are my faves.

 

Thanks, 2010 4lt M6..found her with 1500 miles. I just go out in the garage to stare at her The extra plastic makes her flow nice!

Hinson Headers w/ catless x pipe, Halltech intake, Vitesse throttle contoller, and Diablo Trinity. New Michelin Super sports. Cant imagine her any faster...Don't want to, scary right now! Good luck!

 

Both are great cars. My old 08' Coupe (below) had a lot done with it. LS3 is a fantastic engine, mine ended up N/A 531/486 rwp, did some body mods - and had a coupe that ate any stock Z for breakfast. That being said, I'm in the process of buying a Z and will build that up. Lots of options, can't go wrong with any Vette IMO.

 

Update here on my 2013 GS w/the Dry Sump LS3. (I posted the shot with 318 miles on the odometer) It's running great & I just went over 30k miles on it. I can't stop driving this thing. It's been across the country & back. I also went up in Canada to Niagara Falls. What a car!

 

Dave, I was in your same EXACT position 2 months ago. I wanted the Z06. It was a 2006 with 38,000 miles on it. I was set to sign my name and drive home. At the last minute I bailed. The owner could not give me a confident answer if the heads had been worked on for the magical valve drop issues. It spooked me and later that night talked with some buddies about the LS3. They all raved about it. So next day purchased the Grand Sport.

 

Lets be brutal, the GS is just a base model lamb in a Z06 wolves clothing suit (just wide fenders with a Z51 option package).

Engine, brakes, suspension, and even the lighter/stiffer aluminum frame of the Z06 (compared to the GS's base model steel frame), all make a difference between the two models.

The LS-3 is a good motor, but could have been better instead. Hence it's a upgrade from the LS2 block to be stronger, with a touch more displacement, but GM dropped the ball by dropping the compression on it to make is more lower Octane friendly to run cheap gas through the motor instead.

So what the GS is, is just a base car with wide fenders, and a z51 option instead. So if want a daily cruiser, then the GS fits the bill since you can even remove the roof from it, but come round course event, the Z06 is going to stop the GS into the ground.

Yes, you can throw mods at a GS to get it close to the a Z06 in some ways, but come resale time, all the mods done to the GS will not pay back in the end, when compared to selling a stock Z06 instead.

Hell, used car, and having to drop $2k into the LS-7 dropped valve problem to make sure it;s solved, that is a drop in the bucke, since new super sport tires to replace the aged tires on the car will run you close to $2k anyways in either the GS or Z06.

Bluntly, before you buy a vet, make sure you are buying the model you want to begin will. Hence compromising from the start, will end up being more expensive in the long run isntead.

Also, you are buying a Vet, not a Honda civic that will be trouble free for 100K, so up kept on the sports car will be a lot more expensive as well (so much, that if you maxed your available money on the payments to buy it, your not going to have the needed money to maintain it instead).


Truth is, more vets are sold to just get ride of them, then are sold to upgrade into a new model instead. Because of this, be very, very leery on buying a used vet with higher mileage, since you may just be buying someone Else's problem that did not have the money too fix the problem in the first place instead.

 

ho really??!!! GS is just widebody base C6!!! You Sir are a genuis! Now lets get facts straight, GS (dry sump) have the Z06 suspension or ZR1 suspension(magnetic), its either Z06 or ZR1 rear end, depending on the trim. Hand built dry sump LS3 forged crank, Z06 brakes, PTM launch control. In facts its easier to say what it doesnt have, aluminium frame and front carbon fender, and LS7 obviously! I had Z06 ZR1 and GS and GS is hands down my favorite because its the only one with removable top.

 

best of both worlds is right on!

 

The LS7's is a beast. LS3's are great motors, but no matter what body kit you put around the LS3 it still isn't a ZO6.
If funds are not too much of an issue, go with a nice Z. You'll never be satisfied with the LS3 if you're already questioning it against the LS7. If your budget is only for an LS3, you'll be more than happy. My budget a few years ago was for an LS2, I am more than happy with it, but the time now has come where I need more power so headers, FAST and tune are in it's future. All C6's kick a$$, but the Z IMO is where it's at.

 

I went with a grand sport over a z06 simply for the fact I wanted to build my car and it was a better bang for the buck. I got a 2013 with 6000 miles for the same price as a z06 that was almost 6-8 years older. Big deal the z06 has an ls7 the ls3 makes outrageous power if you know what you're doing.

 

2008 Z...bought mine brand new...all stock drivetrain/valvetrain. Many track days, road trips, 50-150mph pulls, few 1/4 mile drags, and no problems........must be a design flaw.

 

Buy the LS3. If you want Z06 power, drop a supercharger of your choice onto the LS3 and outrun the Z06. If head work costs $2k on the Z06 you are at least 1/3 of the way to a supercharger. You will go in at a much lower cost point on an LS3 Vette so you will be money ahead, even if you decide to supercharge.

 

Grand Sport and don't look back.

 

LS3 supercharged at 750WHP is still more reliable than a stock LS7! When i first bought this GS, It had a vararam cai, LS7 manifolds and xpipe and a tune. made 448 whp, just a lil more than a Stock LS7, and still 10 times more reliable. The bottom line is, Regardless of which one makes more power or which have the most bragging rights, it comes down to this, Bragging about having Z06 or rolling down the streets with top off! For me , it was an easy question!

 

When I pass GS in track days or on the street...the last thing I think about is how much more reliable his car COULD be.....

It comes down to wanting the real deal...or a base vette with a bodykit.

 

This. It's entirely possible to make just about any car faster than a Z06. I've seen Honda Civics that will hand a Z06 it's rear end. But at the end of the day, it's still just a Civic. I've seen Miatas in the hands of seasoned road racers pass many cars far more capable than the Z06, but at the end of the day it's still just a Miata. Not unlike at the end of the day a GS is just an LS3 Corvette (despite the best efforts of some folks here).

Buy the car that meets your needs, not what makes the people on this forum happy. If you want a wide body car with a removable top, then the GS is the way to go. If you want a no-compromise version, get a Z06 or ZR1. If you want the economical version and don't care about the wide body, get a base. If you want an economical version that has enhanced handling, get a Z51. And so on...

Each of the models and option packages have upsides and downsides and the possibilities are endless, but only *you* can determine what is the right car for you.

 

No don't tell your story...Its false...we want the OP to get the GS way too many Zs on the road now........