Hi, Everyone.

Looking to purchase my first vette. I am trying to figure out which way to go?

I cant decide between a G.S or a Z06? I hear issues with over heating and valves springs on breaking on the Z's. What other issues should I be aware of and what other differences are there between the two?

Thanks for the info.

 

The basic difference is the supercharged engine with almost 200 hp more.

 

Both the GS and ZO6 are prone to cracked wheels, a large percent of people in here have had their wheels replaced with forged wheels.

 

So, I have to decide if the 200hp is worth the extra money.

 

Ok, that is something I didnt know. Thanks.

 

The overheating issue is mostly the track guys. 2017 and up have fewer track issues. Never overheated in mine.

 

If money is not an issue I'd go Z06 no brainer. I have a 2019 Grand Sport and love it, but if I were in your shoes (and money was not an issue), I'd get the Z06. There's going to be about a $15k to $20k adder for the Z06 right now (same year, similar miles, and trim). If you're not tracking the heat is not an issue on the Z. And it's more likely on earlier years, auto trans (track only).

 

Thanks. I don't plan to make this a race car. But I would enjoy putting it on the track a couple times a year, But no racing, just track day stuff to learn the car and be able to enjoy it without worrying about Johnny law..

 

I am so torn. The GS is a badass car and love everything about it. But as a gear head, that Z06 isjust a step above and damn its been a dream. Then there is the money factor. A Z06 is quite a bit more step up then the GS. Iam torn honestly.

 

Z06 is better than the GS is every way except fuel mileage. If you have the money, you won't regret the Z06 purchase but you will regret not going for the Z06 if you buy the GS but had the ability to get a Z06. Don't kid yourself. You want the Z06.

 

The Z06 is without doubt a driving experience you never will forget each and every time you jump on it. With 650hp and 650lbs of torque it is a street beast,

 

Any year of the C7 Z's to avoid?

 

If you are looking for the forum opinion on which one to get, you are going to see that those that have a GS will tend to steer you towards a GS and those that have a Z06 will tend to steer you towards the Z. After all they bought their car because that is what made most sense to them and fit their needs.

As stated above, the differences between the two are less than a handful; Power and torque being the biggest one at +190 and +185 respectively in favor of the Z06. The Z is slightly heavier, and it also has a slightly different tune on the suspension to account for the extra power and weight. The Z06 will heat up faster simply because it is producing more power. You may never see overheating if you are not tracking it, and I don't mean the drag strip. It will also consume more gas, but it may give you more smiles per gallon. The Z06 can also be more dangerous, simply because there is way more power and torque than the tires can handle. So you cannot mistreat the throttle paddle as much as you can a GS. Even the GS needs a lot of respect. The cracking wheels are universal to both the GS and the Z06; poor design to save money by GM. I am saving up slowly for a set of fully forged wheels when (not if) my wheels crack.

I have a GS and 99.99% of the time I do not miss or need any extra power, when I am driving on the road. My GS is the very first Corvette I have ever owned and more importantly, it was also the very first corvette I ever drove. When I was shopping for the Corvette in 2019, two things kept me away from the Z06; the extra power/torque and the clear tail lights. I do not regret my decision to get the GS one bit.

No matter what you decide, it will be the correct one, because you are getting one of the best handling corvettes on the road today (it is actually the best).

Good hunting and best regards,
Vip.

 

i would also factor in insurance costs.

 

I have a C7 Grand Sport, owned since late 2017. Did not feel comfortable if that's the right word when I test drove a Z06. Just way too "mechanical" or something, even sitting still with the supercharger, etc. And the power felt slightly overwhelming on a test drive.

Subsequently, this past February I took delivery of a 2022 Camaro ZL1. Love it and feels way different than the Z06. Other than the stiff ride (it's not a ZL1 1LE) it's very docile and quiet at idle and still has the big-time power. The 500 pounds extra offsets some of the "scariness" factor. Was a blast at the Corvette Museum track (as is the GS!).

Drive both, and make the decision. It comes down to likes, $s, and how much power you want and /or need. I have no regrets with my GS, which I still have.

 

Having just moved from a C6 GS Vert to a C7 Z Coupe I can tell you there IS a difference!

Gas Mileage: My C6 GS had CAI, headers, and high flow cats, with NPPS (auto) and I typically got 17-20mpg. My new Z (manual) only mod so far is a Corsa X pipe and I'm getting 20mpg on avg.
Insurance: I can see vey little difference (less than $50 year) in my policy. Now my cars were a 13' and a 16' and I keep them on a low mileage (less than 5k a year) policy
Fun Factor: The feel and power behind the wheel of the Z is a WHOLE new level compared to my GS (even after an extra 50+ HP added with aftermarket stuff).

Last thing to consider: The Z WILL hold a higher resell long term over the GS.

 

I'll keep it simple. If you like a lot of power get the Z06. No comparison between the two. I track mine at Chuckwalla once in a while and never overheated so far. The temps get into the hundreds there. It's 2019 model and has the latest cooling parts on it. I'm no pro by a long way, but I drive it real hard. So the difference in power is significant. If you aren't a power junkie get the GS and save yourself some money. It'll be fast enough for you. It's not a question of what you need. It's what you want. Nobody here needs 460 HP let alone 650 HP.

 

Get the Z, you will never regret it.
Get new wheels.
There are no years to avoid, but there are some issues with cranky automatics in some years.... But you should get the manual anyway
Enjoy and be careful with the right foot. leave the nannies on until you know what you're doing!

 

Do you have a place to use the extra power is the real question?
I lost interest in the Z06 when I realized that I wouldn't really have a place to enjoy being able to smash the gears without going to jail. Even with 460HP, It only takes 1 shift and few seconds to be breaking speed limits.

If I lived in areas where the speed limit was 70-80 everywhere, that would be a different story.

 

You don't need to replace with forged wheels; a higher quality cast or flow formed wheel will be exponentially more reliable than the stock wheels and more than durable enough to handle daily driving.