Hello all,

First I want to say that this is a great forum and you all are very knowledgeable. Thank you for all you contribute to this forum.

I have never owned a Corvette, but I'm really liking this new one. Sometime in the next 12 month I am seriously considering buying one. It will be driven daily to and from work, groceries ect. by both my wife and I. We could purchase a new C7, or get a nice used Z06. Considering what I am going to use it for, which would you guys recommend? I am looking at white 3LT vert/Z51 package/Manual Trans with spice colored top and interior.

Thank you
Dale in San Antonio

 

The Z07 package for the C7 Z06 is performance-focused and possibly more suited for track use, although there are differences of opinion on this.

Also, there is a significant power & torque difference bewteen the LT1 engine (non-Z06s) and the LT4 engine (Z06 only)

If you're just using the car as a DD, or are considering a 'vert (or both), IMO you don't really need the Z07 option.
What you want, however, could be different...

 

Thank you. I miss wrote when I stated Z07.. I meant Z06.. Edited..

 

find some use examples of each at a dealer and drive 'em...then decide !

 

i own a z51. If you can swing it go Z06 all day.

 

If you're not going to use the power, not worth the premium for Z06. The wide body is nice, but not like in previous year models where it was more distinct and not worth the cost premium IMHO.

Get a nice coupe and enjoy!

 

Z06 aside why are looking at the 3LT package over the 2LT package?

 

Tough call, I would not spend the money on the Z51 pkg. For a DD you will never miss it or really need it. As for the Z06 you could say the same thing.
I think a 3lt Vert without the Z51 option would be my choice.
But if money was not an issue it would be the Z06, nothing like being on top of the heap.

 

I have my c7 waiting for bank to finish papers
I wanted a base c7 but
Ordered a lt2 auto z51 -why?
Daily driver auto no shifting it shifts faster better mph
Lt2 as lt3 has too much color in front of passenger and I couldn't tell different I seating
Z51 resale value when I have used it up at 150000 miles all the kids will want the race version
BUT it will be your car. get what you dream of or will be comfortable driving every day
The base c7 speaks for itself
z06 only enthusiasts And insurance company will notice difference

 

Something to consider, especially for a DD, is that the Z06 will cost more per mile to drive than a base non Z51. Things like more expensive tires that may wear out faster, more expensive oil changes(dry sump requires more oil), more frequent oil changes, more expensive brake jobs, etc…

Virtually everything on my C6 Z06 cost more to maintain than my C6 Vert.

 

This is my 4th Vette that has been my DD. All have had HD suspension i.e. Z51 where that designation was used. Mine have all been manuals, but the so have all my cars. Wife has never driven any of them although she can drive a stick and loved her Plymouth Champ and Honda Accord with standard shifts. Be sure your wife drives a standard shift to be sure she likes it, you do have to use some force with all those large gears and syncros. A 45 year old neighbor, who is in charge of nursing at a local hospital has had a number of Vettes, said she was ready to buy a C7 and it had to be a standard shift! And she's not a gearhead like me!
I have always had coupes, great for getting groceries etc, holds quite a bit and in my '93, before we had an SUV, I would take 8 foot 2X4's pushed between the seats sticking out the back using a towel and blanket to protect the dash and rear and a bungie cord to hold the hatch down!
The naturally aspirated engine has enough hp for me, I don't track the car. If ordering a Z51 might consider getting mag shocks as you can control the ride stiffness and use the sportier settings when you want to have fun. I'm happy with my Z51 without them on the good smooth roads around hear and I don't track the car. I can easily exceed 1 "g" without it and am very happy with the transient control. Your choice. I would defiantly get at least the 2LT and carefully look at what you get extra with the 3LT and see if that is what you'll use. I got the 3LT for the interior difference but now that they changed what the 3LT Kalahari looks like for 2016, I'd consider a 2 LT black interior if I were buying a new one.
Lots of options look carefully. Good luck.

 

If you can swing it Z06 over the Z51 I have had both and although the Z51 was great not even close to the Z06 tracking or not. If price is a big consideration do the Z51 you will love the car.

 

I would trade my new c7 z51 for a used z06 if I could afford to make the deal.

Buying another new one this close to the purchase of my 15 is out of the question right now.

I would pop for a good deal with my car on trade, although this time I would like to go back to a convertible, love coups but a corvette looks better with a ragtop.

 

if you are not going to the track, the stingray is more than enough power for the street. If you are going to the track, even then the stingray is an absolute beast. IMHO, having driven my father's z07 on numerous occasions, its power and performance is unreal. The power of the stingray is already more than enough for me and most likely the general populous as well. If possible, drive both and see which suits your fancy. Cant go wrong with either.

 

Even if money were no object, I would get the standard Stingray. I was seriously looking at the Z06, but knew I would not track the car and would probably NEVER utilize all of the power and performance. I opted to go with a 2LT Stingray. I did not even bother with the Z51 since I was not going to track the car. I did get the NPP exhaust and MSRC. Both of these were must haves on my list. The difference between 2LT and 3LT was not enough in my opinion to justify the additional cost.

As a daily driver, do not get the Z06. You will get much better gas mileage with the LT1 motor and the daily driving experience will be about the same. Other options on the Stingray are purely preference. Get what you want.

 

Get the Z06! You will never look back and be glad you did.

 

Unlike the C6Z06 which I owned, I like the sleek lines of the regular Stingray just fine. It's easy to add power too.

 

Just remember the C7 are holding their value.So saying that if you find A used Z06 it's not going to be cheap.

 

What are you coming from? If from a typical sedan, the 460 HP Z51 will feel very impressive. If you've been driving other high performance cars with 400 - 500 HP, and fell they're "inadequate," then look at the Z06.

The 460 HP LT1 is plenty of performance for me.

 

Ive owned both a C7 Stingray and a C7 Z06, as well as previous generations.

If you are looking for a daily driver and weekend fun car, the basic Stingray is a really fantastic choice and one that doesn't break the bank. The Z51 upgrade is inexpensive, so it may not be a big deal one way or another to you, but it may improve resale for guys who want to track or mod the car. Spend your Stingray money on the features that are important to the way you want to use the car. For non-track guys, the Z06 is basically a toy we can afford to play with. The Z06, as a daily driver, is serious overkill. Buy it if you can afford it but don't make family sacrifices for a car you will rarely (if ever) drive as it was meant to be driven. That extra $25-30K or so might be better spent elsewhere. Just my 2c.