Bandit 00C5

Hey Fellas,
Getting ready to go into the market for a C6 ZR1. My question for those with one is how often do you find yourselves driving the other Vette? I have a C5 with 220k miles on it that has been a fantastic car. My gut tells me the ZR1 will be so damn much fun I won’t want to drive the C5. I could keep the C5 and keep the miles down on the ZR1 but temptation to drive it could be too much.

I also have a 69 427 Convertible and a 84 Z28 left to me when my father passed last year. Those two cars have a lot of sentimental value and will be restored.

Did you guys find yourselves letting the other toys sit when the ZR1 came home?

Thanks for the replys!

JimsCorvettes

Well, My other Corvette is a 1996. 43k miles. Don't drive it much (400 miles last year) But I have a Jeep I drive while both Corvettes sit. If I had just the 2, I would drive the C4 much more. I have it on a 4-post lift so its out of the way. Thought about selling it 2 years ago but was not going to let it go at those a bargain price.... Have owned it for 21 years now...

rob62

I struggle finding time to get my 01Z out. Went to drive the 10 ZR1 and the battery was dead because I hadn't started it in 2 months of colder temps ,replaced. Now I'm cleaning up the Harleys. Getting to old for this.

TXGS507

I would love to own a C6ZR1.... Like you I rarely drive my 08C6Z... Maybe 4K per year... I also have a 96Z28 1LE w 28K miles... Its a fun car, but I spend more time walking past it than driving it. All that being said... I'd love to walk past a C6ZR1 in my garage everyday. I say get it!!

VetteVinnie

I am caretaker for my mother-in-law's C5, and it doesn't get driven at all since I picked up my C6 ZR1. But that's not for lack of desire. The registration is currently out and has been for over a year because the E-Brake needs to be torn out and fixed. This is the second time it has happened where that internal spring gets bent where it doesn't engage. Plus, it has the "sticky airbag syndrome" that I need to rectify and at least one TPMS sensor that is dead.

Other than that, it still drives beautifully when I move it from garage to garage and around the neighborhood on occasion to keep the fluids flowing.

ZF Six

It depends on what you use either car for. I haven't had two at the same time, but I previously had a C5Z and now have a C6 ZR1 and I could see myself driving both at different times. The C5 would see more abuse and I would only drive the ZR1 on nicer days and to car shows because it's a more valuable car. That's my 2 cents.

captain vette

i dont own a ZR1 but if i had one there is no way i will drive anything else.

MTPZ06

Not a ZR1, but I have a C6Z and came from a C5Z. I had my C5Z for years, and never had any plans of selling. I absolutely loved that car.

Then I picked up my C6Z...my C5Z sat for months. Pretty much lost all interest in driving it. I enjoyed looking at it sitting side-by-side with my C6Z; but when a buddy threw my a good offer on my C5Z...off it went. I was sad to see it go, but again...I never drove it after I got my C6Z.

WA 2 FST

Yep... same story here. I bought an '02Z brand new, 17yrs ago. Shortly thereafter I had a Lingenfelter Stage 2 twin turbo set up done, and lots of other mods (mini-tubbed rear, custom interior, etc). It was never my daily driver, but I love/loved that car. After buying the C6 ZR1 in Nov of 17, I really hardly ever drove my C5Z. The C5Z is faster (makes a little more power and is lighter), but the ZR1 is just "all that." Also, the cars are similar enough (unlike the '69 big-block Vette listed by the OP), that it just wasn't a significant difference in driving experience.

So I did the unthinkable, and 4 months ago I sold my C5Z to my son... he was with me at age 7 when I bought it, and has been around hot-rods for his entire life, so I'm glad he got it and it is staying in the family for now.

I think if you had a C2 or C3... you would drive both vehicles. They are significantly different cars and would offer a different experience.

Bandit 00C5

Thanks for responses guys. I will prob end up keeping it for awhile and see how it gets used. Problem is with the miles it is not really worth a whole lot. I will have to find a good balancing act for all of them and drive as necessary.

Too-Fast

A little different wrinkle...I own a 2011 HCCAI Z07 so its got all the ZR1 goodies and 650 crank HP, so similar to a ZR1 in power, and a 2004 6 speed 'vert. I still drive the 'vert because I love open air driving, which I cannot do with the Z07, I actually end up driving them about the same miles each year.

passagemaker43

I guess I have a little different slant on this, I have a 2010 ZR1 and 3 C6Z's (actually one is a 427 vert). Call it a late life crisis. I find each car offers a unique driving experience that tends to dictate when and how often it gets driven. The ZR1 is stock and has gobs of low end torque that challenge the factory rubber to get the full amount of power to the ground completely until 3rd gear. Yet it can be driven without sacrifice for normal errands should you choose to do so. Choice of which gear to use when driven mildly is highly optional. It offers a great baseline to my other three C6's and is the best Grand Tourer of the bunch except for a lack of overdive in top gear. One of the Z's is stock except for CAI, tune and B & B mufflers which add almost 10% more power according to several dyno runs. It is a great car to drive, plenty of horsepower, and that 7000 RPM redline feels like you can rev forever compared to the ZR1 but the gears are definitely not optional. 6th gear is an overdrive leaving only 5 gears to cover the same spread as the ZR1's 6. Add the 500 extra RPM's and the cammier feel of the engine and the trans ratio's are more important and somehow more satisfying as a result.
My other C6Z is a track setup car with most of the running gear being either ZR1 or beyond along with coil overs, lack of suspension and steering rubber bushings, methanol injection, Katech mods, etc putting out equal horsepower to the ZR1 along with a Pat G custom cam designed specifically for my car and its track use to maximize mid range grunt out of the corners. I have been driving it on the street with the race seats replaced by stock and oversize street rims and tires. It is an absolute hoot to drive but it isn't klnd to you in the process as I am sure you can imagine. The dual disc clutch along with the lightweight aluminum flywheel and the high lift cam not liking any RPM much below 1,500 makes starting from a dead stop interesting. But it is all these things and the feel they give you when driving it that is addicting. It is by far my favorite car to drive despite a noise factor near the upper end of what can be tolerated on the street. It magnify's the raw feeling, at least in my opinion, of the C6Z over the ZR1 to extreme levels. Did I mention that it has been lightened 150 plus pounds from stock giving it a 300 plus pound edge over the ZR1? If I could only have one Vette, this is the car I choose.
Finally the 427 vert has the same wonderful 7000 RPM motor and competent suspension with only a 150 lb penalty for the steel frame and convertible body. It is awesome driving with the top down and my wife will actually ride with me vs the other two Z's (she likes the ZR1 also but only if I can restrain my right foot). I think time will show the C6Z to be be a very unique car that offers a very low original weight, high horsepower 7000 RPM motor, high level of modification capability at an awesome price point that newer cars just can't duplicate. The ZR1 is much rarer, more expensive and sophisticated but despite starting out faster lacks the boy racer feel.
Just my opinion but keep in mind I get to revisit these differences on a daily basis if I choose.
Good luck with whatever C6 you pick.
Keith

texcs

'07z and '10zr1
Very different cars. I've long said, and still maintain, that the LS7 is my favorite engine ever.
The ZR1 is dramatically quicker but not nearly as "smooth" or "balanced" of a platform IMO.
I do a ton of WRL racing (not in these cars, slower / lower powered cars but still very quick), Champcar/Chump/24hoursLemons and HPDE, I have hundreds of hours on track in competitive environment w 50-60+ other cars (various classes) on a track wheel-to-wheel racing. I haven't tracked either of these except in a few HPDE days, but just to give you some context to my comments.

If I had to choose one to keep as my "forever" Corvette, I would pick the Z06. Simply because it is easier to get the power down, seems more planted/forgiving, especially coming out of corners in the "right gear", the ZR1 wants to get squirmy, Z06 will just plant and go.

For daily-driver (I've driven both for DD duties), again nod goes to the Z06.

Main reasons I prefer the Z06:
- NA engine has a better "linear feel" to me if I'm honest, although at noticeable power delta to the LS9, I feel like I can get more power to the ground easier w the LS7, especially in corners and in 2nd/3rd gears.
- Z06 doesn't want to rip your face off every time you goose it in second or third gear. The ZR1 is like riding a wild bucking bronco, compared to the buttery-smooth even-keeled horse of the Z06. Albeit the Z06 is slower by any metric.
- Z06 has better range (fuel economy, although I don't care about the nominal MPG or gas cost; combined w smallish tank, range is kind of painful if you are dropping the hammer much)
- ZR1 chews up batteries for lunch. Way worse than the Z06 for some reason. 2-3 weeks the ZR1 won't turn over. Never had that issue w Z06 even after sitting 2-3x as long. Battery tender is absolute necessity w ZR1 unless you drive it weekly.

To me it's a balance thing. For outright acceleration of course my ZR1 mops the floor with my Z06. Despite having / had various other fast cars (730rwhp CTS-V etc.), I find I prefer the NA smooth power delivery over the sometimes "peaky" feel of the supercharged/turbo engines. Again, my personal opinion, please keep your flames to yourself.

Which one gets more comments/stares/compliments? Definitely the ZR1. Pretty rare bird to see driving around. I've only seen a few others on the roads here in past 10 years.

These are my 5th and 6th Corvettes over the past 20 years, driven all of them to almost 100k before I sold them. Love Corvettes, you really can't go wrong with either one.

reasonable suspicion

I’ve been considering picking up a c6zr1 for a month or so now myself, and I can’t seem to decide what to do. I have a Katech hci c6z06 that I love and told myself I would never sell especially at the values of them. But I own other cars that I drive and don’t think I would drive both vettes. My reason for considering adding or trading to the zr1 is mostly what the other poster above said about his, that it’s the best grand tourer and is much more tame and livable on a day to day basis. I’ve been taking more trips with my z lately....just got back from tail of the dragon ....and finding I’m tiring of the trade offs that come with a hci car. So I don’t know what I want to do! Great thread.

chassed

ZR1>all

Innovate

Sameee lol. I want a ZR1 with Kong goodies but I have too much time and money in my Z06 to even want to sell or trade. I would have to have $40k to even consider selling my Z. I may add a ZR1 one day, too bad IO is super expensive lol.

reasonable suspicion

I agree with the 40k point.....so that probably means I’ll be keeping it lol. I however want a bone stock zr1, wouldn’t even want a catback on it. I agree the IO is awesome, but I’ll only consider a white or cyber grey car. I’m going to wait for the c8, hopefully more c6zr1 will come into the market. This winter perhaps, but I find I’ve been looking daily on the various sites.

waiting for the c8 also gives me that option if the car blows me away. One things for sure a c7 will never be in my garage, and I wish I liked them because they are a great deal.

Innovate

Haha true. I would like one stock or with a clutch/Kong mods. Realistically a JSB/Blade Silver/White/CG car would be perfect. People still are asking an arm and a leg for them though. The C8 definitely is a maybe as well, especially with the DCT. The C6ZR is still a monster with bolt-on's though. Sort of a hard decision, I will keep mine through this year and see pricing this winter before I do more to my car.

71HO454

I was planning on keeping my Z06 after my ZR1 purchase and then I looked at myself in the mirror and said, "Who are you kidding, that Z06 is going to gather dust" so I sold it and have zero regrets. The ZR1 is by far a superior automobile. IMHO..