Z51/base Corvette difference
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 97,155
Likes: 1,471
From: Calgary, AB. There's a reason why white was the only color offered on every year Corvette. Proud Canadian German Jamaican!
St. Jude Donor '09, '12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 4,101
Likes: 719
From: Northeast MA & Mad Beach FL
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 97,155
Likes: 1,471
From: Calgary, AB. There's a reason why white was the only color offered on every year Corvette. Proud Canadian German Jamaican!
St. Jude Donor '09, '12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
Instructor
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 218
Likes: 68
Consider re-framing the way you are thinking about this. Instead of which of the two options you would prefer at a given price-point, consider comparing apples to apples and then adding on the cost of the options that you really want.
You might compare the price of a used 2014 base car to the 2016 base car. You'll find a HUGE difference in price. It will probably lead you to conclude that the used 2014 is the way to go. Now pick out the options that you really want to have. Add those options onto your base 2014 car and see what price you are looking at. Now compare the cost of your up-optioned 2014 to the cost of your base 2016. There will still likely be a HUGE difference in the price.
For the sake of argument you can use one of the online used car pricing websites to give you a rough idea of what any given option might cost you on a used car.
If you use this approach you'll get a much more well-equipped vehicle for much less money. There are many used Vettes out there to choose from, and many of them are very low-mileage vehicles that are almost indistinguishable from a brand-new car.
I personally asked myself the exact same question that you are asking us. I concluded that a 2014 Z51 - 3LT - MRC - NPP vehicle was MUCH MORE desirable than a "stripped-down" base 2016. The added bonus? It cost much less too. Plus if for some reason you need to get rid of it quickly you won't take the huge depreciation hit that you'll experience with the 2016.
You might compare the price of a used 2014 base car to the 2016 base car. You'll find a HUGE difference in price. It will probably lead you to conclude that the used 2014 is the way to go. Now pick out the options that you really want to have. Add those options onto your base 2014 car and see what price you are looking at. Now compare the cost of your up-optioned 2014 to the cost of your base 2016. There will still likely be a HUGE difference in the price.
For the sake of argument you can use one of the online used car pricing websites to give you a rough idea of what any given option might cost you on a used car.
If you use this approach you'll get a much more well-equipped vehicle for much less money. There are many used Vettes out there to choose from, and many of them are very low-mileage vehicles that are almost indistinguishable from a brand-new car.
I personally asked myself the exact same question that you are asking us. I concluded that a 2014 Z51 - 3LT - MRC - NPP vehicle was MUCH MORE desirable than a "stripped-down" base 2016. The added bonus? It cost much less too. Plus if for some reason you need to get rid of it quickly you won't take the huge depreciation hit that you'll experience with the 2016.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,146
Likes: 1,940
From: Hagerstown MD
St. Jude Donor '15-'16,'18
Thank you!
This notion that a base C7 is some kind of 1980's era Cadillac from a ride/handling perspective is not only uneducated, but just plain silly. A base C7 is a CORVETTE. I will promise you that it is BETTER and MORE CAPABLE than 99% of the drivers that buy any one of the C7 variants. If one is tracking their C7, then they should absolutely get Z51, beyond that, IMO, the vast majority of Z51's bought are done for bragging rights (childish) or some inflated opinion of one's driving skills and ability to take a Corvette to it's very high limits on the street. If someone is outdriving the brakes on a base C7 on the street, then that person needs to go to jail.
Jimmy
This notion that a base C7 is some kind of 1980's era Cadillac from a ride/handling perspective is not only uneducated, but just plain silly. A base C7 is a CORVETTE. I will promise you that it is BETTER and MORE CAPABLE than 99% of the drivers that buy any one of the C7 variants. If one is tracking their C7, then they should absolutely get Z51, beyond that, IMO, the vast majority of Z51's bought are done for bragging rights (childish) or some inflated opinion of one's driving skills and ability to take a Corvette to it's very high limits on the street. If someone is outdriving the brakes on a base C7 on the street, then that person needs to go to jail.
Jimmy
100%!!
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Drifting
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 183
From: Maple Ontario
I have the Z51 with mag ride and to be honest, i drive in Tour 98% of the time and it's just right for street use. Occasionally if i'm feeling young, i'll put it in Sport but Sport setting becomes tiresome very quickly when your not going fast.
I bet that Tour in MRC in a Z51 is still more controlled than non-Z51 . So i wouldn't get Z51 without MRC.
I bet that Tour in MRC in a Z51 is still more controlled than non-Z51 . So i wouldn't get Z51 without MRC.