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I vehemently disagree. I have the Z51 package and have most every option available. ...
Also, the tire sizes are the same on both the GS and the Z51. The only difference is the speed rating. The GS is ZR rated while the Z51 is Z rated.
Otherwise, the biggest difference is the outside appearance.
Also, 4" can make a big difference when you are trying to fit two vehicles in a 2-car garage, depending on the size of the other vehicle.
My Z51, with options, was over 72.000.00.
Hmm, I paid far less for my 2LT Grand Sport with a $2995 Stage 2 aero package (from Kerbeck.)
Mirrors on all C7’s are 85 inches tip to tip. That is 7 1/2 inches wider than the Grand Sport rear fender width. If the mirrors go through the garage door frame, the fenders will follow, no problem!
Felt my Z51 tires were a bit anemic when I got it in 2013! Same width as my C6 Z51 with 25 more hp and even more torque even at low rpm. Tire limited off the line. Grand Sport has the same tire width as the Z06, 335 rears and the same 285 front as the Z51 rears! The fenders are wider, not to look “better” (which is debatable) but to cover the wider rear tires!
The GS costs more to start with but will it really recover the cost difference in resale over the Stingray down the road. I doubt it.
I didn't say it would recover the difference. I said it will hold its value better. Before I bought my C7, I was looking at C6s and the gap between the prices for base/Z51 cars and their wide-body brethren was pretty substantial. As it should be.
If you like the narrower/sleek look then go for the Stingray. To me, the wider vented "bad-***" look of the GS is worth the extra 10 grand on it's own. I can't imagine 4" will make a significant diference with your garage unless you have custom made narrow doors for some reason.
You also get some nice options included in the GS package that are not included with the Stingray, NPP exhaust (a must), larger wheels/tires, Mag-Ride, just to name a few. Also drive both.
Originally Posted by besharpone
I vehemently disagree. I have the Z51 package and have most every option available. Most of those options are the same options as available with the GS Model. I have the NPP Exhaust and the Magni-Ride Options, among many other options. Both are actually standard with the Z51, not options
From Car And Driver: "Basically, the Grand Sport is a Z06 with 460 horsepower instead of 650. Like the Z06, it’s weaponized fiberglass, just with a little less fissile material. Equipped with the $7995 Z07 package, which adds Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires and carbon-ceramic brakes, the Grand Sport clings to Turn 1 with 1.19 g’s of grip, a close second to the Z06’s 1.20 g’s, the most grip we’ve ever recorded in that corner."
Also, the tire sizes are the same on both the GS and the Z51. The only difference is the speed rating. The GS is ZR rated while the Z51 is Z rated.
As other have stated, the above statement is incorrect!
Otherwise, the biggest difference is the outside appearance.
Of course it's personal preference, but I prefer the GS over the Z51 based on outside appearance alone, the GS's other attributes are icing on the cake
Also, 4" can make a big difference when you are trying to fit two vehicles in a 2-car garage, depending on the size of the other vehicle.
Again, personal preference, but if I had a garage where just 4" made a big difference trying to fit two cars, I would just consider it a large single car garage.
My Z51, with options, was over 72.000.00.
That's a heck of a LOT for a Z51, I paid a LOT less for my GS convertible.
Last edited by Kevin A Jones; 11-08-2017 at 09:54 PM.
I vehemently disagree. I have the Z51 package and have most every option available. Most of those options are the same options as available with the GS Model. I have the NPP Exhaust and the Magni-Ride Options, among many other options. Both are actually standard with the Z51, not options
From Car And Driver: "Basically, the Grand Sport is a Z06 with 460 horsepower instead of 650. Like the Z06, it’s weaponized fiberglass, just with a little less fissile material. Equipped with the $7995 Z07 package, which adds Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires and carbon-ceramic brakes, the Grand Sport clings to Turn 1 with 1.19 g’s of grip, a close second to the Z06’s 1.20 g’s, the most grip we’ve ever recorded in that corner."
Also, the tire sizes are the same on both the GS and the Z51. The only difference is the speed rating. The GS is ZR rated while the Z51 is Z rated.
Otherwise, the biggest difference is the outside appearance.
Also, 4" can make a big difference when you are trying to fit two vehicles in a 2-car garage, depending on the size of the other vehicle.
My Z51, with options, was over 72.000.00.
You don't know what you are talking about. Tire sizes of the GS & Z51 aren't the same & Z51's don't cost $72K
I didn't say it would recover the difference. I said it will hold its value better. Before I bought my C7, I was looking at C6s and the gap between the prices for base/Z51 cars and their wide-body brethren was pretty substantial. As it should be.
Yeah, but the difference between the C6 Z51 and GS and the C7 Z51 and GS is much bigger in the C6. Just the brakes were a big deal.
The bolded is not at all true And if you paid $72k for a z51, you overpaid.
(And 911hunter)
Agree about the bolded part, but our 2017 Z51 2LT did sticker at $76,000 and a few more options could have brought it up to about $80k. Of course the dealer took about $9k off that and we added some other discounts, but a few years ago lots of people paid near sticker price just to get the C7 they wanted.
Last edited by Gearhead Jim; 11-09-2017 at 12:00 PM.
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21
Originally Posted by stevenschwartz
Well money is always an issue ... but I want to do this right. Not 100% sure - G.S. is more aggressive, Stingray a bit sleeker. Stingray is also 4" narrower, so easier time in garage ...
I just would HATE to spend all this money then wish I had spent a bit more for the "top".
Steve
Steven, can you expand a bit on why you're glad you have it? Also curious why you made the "tricked out" Stingray choice over the G.S.
Thanks,
Steve
Like me, Steve has a 2014. The Z06 and GS was not available at that time. Many of us will always customize no matter what we have, so that we don't have the same as everyone else. Although it is true that you really don't need a dry sump lubrication or upgraded brakes if only driving on the street, I can tell you that I am pretty happy with my Z-51 equipped Stingray as well. If I was in the market for a new one today, I would probably buy a slightly used Z06.
I recently was choosing between getting the Stingray, Z51 or the GS. Cost wasn't really a deciding factor. This was my rationale. I do intend to track the car at Race Night in America once a year to scratch an itch, but all other driving is just typical street. Thus 99.5% of the time, I won't need the potentially better track handling or braking.
1. The Z-51 and the GS are track oriented and thus come with brake pads that make it frustrating to keep your rims looking decent. I didn't want the extra work.
2. The Z-51 and the GS have a rougher ride than the Stingray. I suspect that might contribute to some annoying rattles over time or some tiredness on long cruises.
3. Although I used to race motocross and have some Porsche drivers ed events and autocrosses under my belt from when I was much younger, I am certain that the base Stingray is a far more capable performance car than I will ever be able to drive near the limit.
Thus, given that narrow body and wide body both look awesome to me, I felt that the only reason I had to purchase the Z-51 or the GS over the base Stingray was ego and I am way beyond that. I will spend the $8K savings between the GS and the base stingray (configured the way I wanted) on another toy like a motorcycle or a Jet ski.
I think it comes down to the "look". As you've seen, once you equip a Stingray with Z51 and Mag ride, there's not enough price difference (IMO) compared to a GS to make this a financial decision.
As a long time C7 owner (I have an early 2014 convertible), I go back and forth on the looks of the Stingray/GS. I think the Stingray is cleaner and prettier, all the stuck on stuff on the GS bugs me. Then I see a GS (especially in dark colors which hides all the stuck on stuff) and think, "Man, that thing is badass looking!"
In the end, I will stick with my Stingray and buy a mid-engine car in a couple of years.
Sorry I didn't help you, the up side is whichever you choose, you are getting a GREAT sports car.
Funny, when someone around here asks what my car costs, I always say, "You can buy a new one for about $50,000," quoting a 1LT standard shift from Kerbeck! If pressed, I say, mine cost a bit more!
We're each different! Recall when a fellow who was driving a full size 4 door, 4 wheel drive truck asked (much more common around here than Vettes) he responded, "That is less than my truck!"
For me pricing out the stingray with 2lt/z51 with mag ride it comes in $3205 less than the same GS.
IMO the only way to really save some money is to delete z51/msrc.
I'm waiting to see the 2019 info/still on the fence.
But I don't see skipping the GS if I buy.
Funny, when someone around here asks what my car costs, I always say, "You can buy a new one for about $50,000," quoting a 1LT standard shift from Kerbeck! If pressed, I say, mine cost a bit more!
We're each different! Recall when a fellow who was driving a full size 4 door, 4 wheel drive truck asked (much more common around here than Vettes) he responded, "That is less than my truck!"
I was looking at new trucks the other day to possibly 'retire' my 96 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 daily driver with 405,000 miles on it.
I was very surprised to find that to get the truck I wanted I would need to spend about $10,000 more than I just spent for my 2017 GS vert.
Perhaps I will just put another 100,000 + miles on the Tacoma before making a decision.
I've had both a 2015 Stingray and now a 2017 GS and while I liked the older car very much I'm totally enraptured with the GS. Much of this enthusiasm has to do with moving from the A8 to M7 but overall I like the package much better. My 2015 didn't have Z51 or MRSC, but ride on that car was similar to the GS in Tour mode. Had I bought another Stingray I would've opted for non-Z51 and Z51 wheel/tire + MRSC package, and with that the price difference shrinks considerably. In my case the difference was <$5k and that was enough to push me to the GS. I have no buyer's remorse with the car to far.
Just priced (surprised I hadn't done this before) the base 2lt.
Now you're talking some money as 10k less than GS.
So for me its:
77165 GS 2lt
73960 stingray 2lt/z51/msrc
67165 base
I know I wouldn't be happy with the base so all roads still point to GS.
This is based on certain specs that I'm sure I'll never find/have to order or settle for extra options that I don't want so prices may be slightly different.
You can easily option up any model to be a lot. Convertible option adds a bunch, 3 LT, A8 and all those Chevy money maker options. Shoot even the best color is an extra $1,000. Checking on cars.com there are plenty of Z51's with 80K+ asking prices.
You can easily option up any model to be a lot. Convertible option adds a bunch, 3 LT, A8 and all those Chevy money maker options. Shoot even the best color is an extra $1,000. Checking on cars.com there are plenty of Z51's with 80K+ asking prices.
As stated by numerous posters here $72,000 is still A LOT "to pay" for a Z51, especially considering the discounts being offered. In addition, you could 'option-up' a Z06 to cost over $115,000 however I doubt you would find many (if any) being purchased at that price.
Last edited by Kevin A Jones; 11-14-2017 at 04:51 AM.
11-08-2017, 05:28 PM
