sandcracker21

I have been in love with vettes my whole life and finally about to have enough to 'hopefully' pick up a C7..

That being said, I am looking at an Arctic White coupe with the red interior and black wheels.

It will be 1LT for pricing considerations lol. Question is, is the Z51 package REALLY worth it? Being an additional 5k it is close to pricing me out of range.

Anything I should look out for? Anything I need or must avoid? I'm still looking for one in my area but am aiming to buy early June at this rate.

John Ulrich

Unless you're going to the track.....stick with the softer ride.

Fear The Fork

I have a 1LT am very happy with it! I drive it on a daily basis and won't be tracking it. I also kept the price within my affordability, so I went with the base and splurged a bit on the color(Laguna Blue) and performance exhaust. If you can, get the NPP! Makes a big difference!

sandcracker21

I wont be taking it to the track, but I am a VERY spirited driver

That being said, I still have my older CTS for 'everyday' driving if I want to be comfortable

JDM111er

If your going to resell the vette at some point, you'll get your money back with the Z51 package. I've seen where reviews state the Z51 package is one of the best values in cars.

Fear The Fork

Yep! NPP is the performance exhaust option. Love it! I set the car to Touring mode leaving the house, since I go to work at 6 am and don't want to disturb my neighbors! But once I'm on the highway, I turn to Sport mode and set the Rev Match on as well! So much fun to drive this car!!

docprego

I just placed a deposit on a '16 Stingray and have been wrestling with similar decisions.

Z51: For me, not worth it. My car will NEVER see the track. For you maybe depending on your usage.

Performance exhaust: MANDATORY. it sounds glorious, is selectable via the cars driving modes and really a heck of a good deal for what would essentially be an aftermarket upgrade if your car wasn't equipped with it. Don't even think about passing on this one.

1LT vs 2LT: This one was the hardest for me. I want some of its amenities but it placed the car slightly out of my desired price range. Most of the options cannot be added after the fact. One that can however is the Homelink garage door visors. The only other upgrades it had that I will miss are cooled (and heated) seats, upgraded audio system with subwoofer, and a bit more red in my case on the interior surfaces.

No matter which way you go the car comes very well equipped. Best of luck!

aj98

I would spend the additional 4k on the 2LT + NPP before the z51.

I started shopping for a 1LT for price considerations, preferred the seats and radio in the 2LT.

Ended up buying a 2LT with extras off the floor. I would have bought the cargo covers anyway. Didn't care about the red calipers, suede inserts, or HUD (never had a HUD equipped car before), but have come greatly appreciate all 3.

Point is, you may find some options you are ambivalent about now, but after experiencing them, you may be glad you have them.

Museum delivery is pricey (compared to when I did it the 1st time), but (subjectively) worth it for the experience.

iclick

You'll get a lot of opinions on this, so be prepared to do a lot of reading. Also, there are other threads on the topic of yay-or-nay on the Z51, including this recent one.

I just bought my C7 two months ago and decided to go with the ZF1 option (Z51 Appearance Package), which includes the Z51 wheels, tires, and rear spoiler. The money I saved went toward other options, as most of the features included on the Z51 option were not necessary and even counterproductive for my purposes (no track).

I would bite the bullet and opt for the NPP exhaust. It wasn't on my list originally but I changed my mind in the nick of time, and now that I have it I wouldn't want otherwise.

Holy C7

Your going to get a ton of opinions on this, but to each his own. I just ordered a 1LT non Z51 from one of the big forum dealers and couldnt be more excited. With the Stingray, you get a ton in the standard 1LT package. I didnt care about the bass box and HUD, etc. to justify going with a 2LT and I have no desire to go to the track so I didnt bother going for a Z51. Plus, I got a great deal on a non Z51 order.

Definitely get the NPP exhaust!

Good luck with your decision. BTW: There might still be time for you to place an order for a 2015, which could save you money and you can get the exact car you want, unless the one you found fits your bill.

iclick

I doubt seriously if you'll get all your money back at trade-in time. You're correct that reviews favor the Z51 package as a bargain, but if you don't need many of the features and can get others separately (e.g., ZF1 and NPP), why not split it up? Some of the Z51 features just don't offer a meaningful advantage and even impose some small drawbacks for most owners who drive their cars only on the street.

Fear The Fork

Here's what I did with my order:

1LT
MT
Laguna Blue
Carbon flash badges
Black painted wheels
Z51 spoiler, color match
NPP

MSRP - $59K, supplier discount, $54K. That was within my price limit (still have a kid in college)!

Woodson

Have you considered used?

Bigrightwinger

While everyone has an opinion on what something is worth to them, what really matters is what it is worth to you. A wise man once advised me that when making a purchase, buy the absolute best you can afford, without making any compromises on quality vs price, and you will only cry once.

There is nothing worse than having a 60,000 dollar sports car in your driveway and wishing it had just one more option. If you want it and can afford it, then get it. If it is not important to you, save your money. Simple.

JerryU

Seeing your comments, if I were you, I'd opt for the 2LT before the Z51. The HUD alone is worth the price IMO. Next I'd add NPP and if you like the looks for the Z51 (wheels and spoiler) just get the ZF1 option, much cheaper, no headaches with a dry sump, extra coolers and bigger brakes etc that it doesn't sound like you'll use. Also save some money and get the M7, with rev match you’ll love it (assuming you don’t have to drive in a lot of bumper to bumper traffic.)
Now that is not my preference since the priority order for myself would be a Z51, 2LT, NPP, but I’m an old Hot Rodder! In fact I got the Z51, 3LT, Carbon Fiber Roof, NPP (an option in 2014) and Black Wheels but not the mag shocks (for other reasons than money!) Have also added about $5000 of “stuff!” In fact if you get the Z51, plan on spending another $325 (if you do the work yourself) for CarboTech 1521 pads, since cleaning the wheels of brake dust gets old quick!

Sharkbite 6870

I picked up my Z51 2LT from Ciocca Chevy in Quakerstown PA (90 minute drive from home) 3 weeks ago. It listed for $66,500 I paid $58,100, under dealer cost with no haggling at all. The car is a beast I love it, I had 3 C4 corvettes in the 90's before I got married and this blows them away. It has the PDR, if I had to do it again the only thing I might have added is the mag ride, but honestly I think it rides great especially on the highway compared to my C4's. My wife thinks it rides a little hard, oh well she can drive herself in her Denali. Then I can drive the way I like. And I will be tracking the car and taking it to the dragstrip, not on a regular basis but definitely a few times to start out. I'm a car guy, my father was a mechanic and part owner of a Chevy dealer back in the 90's, and I think the Z51 package is an absolute steal for the additional options it gives you, the performance stuff alone not including the wheels and spoiler!

jrainlay

If you're not going to track the car, and money is an issue, then for me the decision comes down to 1) the condition of local roads and 2) your tolerance for road bumps. If the roads are generally smooth (as they are here in AZ), and you don't mind the occasional jolt, I would get the Z51 package as this will provide great value in features and optimal performance. However, even in Tour mode, the Z51 ride can be a tad bit harsh on uneven surfaces. So, if the local roads are rough -- like they were when I lived up north -- and you don't like being bounced around, you may want to forego the Z51 package in favor of the ZF1 appearance package and NPP exhaust option.

Edward Weaver

ratman6161

Well, is the Z51 package something I need for my usage? No, probably not. I'll admit that I just wanted it. Buying a Corvette is never really a logical decision so just get the best you can within what you are able to spend.

On the resale issue, a it may partially depend on how long you plan to keep it. I tend to keep my toys for a long time and I kept my C5 for 14 years. Selling over the next few years, the various option packages may bring different prices. I was looking at used C7's and I know that looking at '14's on blue book the Z51's had retained a higher percentage of their value (comparing KBB retail vs original MSRP). On the other hand by the time a car is 14 years old like my C5 was, its kind of getting to where a C5 is a C5 and unless its a z06 the option packages don't matter much on KBB value. May matter to an individual buyer but not much on the actual price.

So for me, planning to keep the car for a long time (this could really be my last one) I'm not really concerned about what the resale value may be in the far flung future. I just got what I wanted.

More on getting what I wanted. My car is a Z51 3LT plus more options like the mag suspension, chrome wheels, performance exhaust and a number of other little things that would have put such a car way above my price range if I was buying new. But by going with a used 2014 I was able to get my car for a bit less than the same dealer was selling a 2015 1LT (non-z51) for. So going used got me the car I really wanted.

JerryU

I agree, when I bought mine, delivered in October 2013, the Z51 model was only $2800 extra! Couldn’t believe that cost with: bigger wheels and rear spoiler, added rear roll bar, 46 vs 35 mm shocks (non mag shocks) trans and differential cooler, bigger brakes, slotted rotors and the new eLSD, which is a very sophisticated computer managed traction control. Had a Z51 ’08 and ’93 with HD suspension (with mag shocks) and an ’87 with HD suspension so the Z51 was an absolute must have for me.
However it was so cheap and some folks who liked the bigger wheels and added spoiler opted for it. Unlike yourself, they had no idea the dry sump took a very special procedure to check the oil level, the tires are more track designed and from forum comments (and my experience) have more of a cold performance “chatter issue.” Both no problem for me. Also the brake dust is very heavy, I even changed my pads to Carbotech 1521’s, great product, solved the problem.
My suggestion for a ZF1 for those who like the looks is it avoids what I consider minor issues with a dry sump, brake dust, etc but some consider major! Sounds like you’ll take full advantage of the Z51 extra’s, best of luck!