probabilist

I have a 2013 z and had a 2008 z. I am thinking about getting an automatic 2016 z. Never liked the look of the ZR1 but the C7 z is pretty mean looking.

To people who had both ---does the C7 feel a lot stronger? Also do you like the auto vs the 6 speed? I am 6'3" 190lb ---about the same getting in and out? Thanks

ZeeOh6Nut

Had an 06 Z and an 11 ZR1. Now have a 15 A8 Z. If I used the 15 Z on the track, I'd probably want the ZR1 back due to the heat soak issues. However, for the street, the improvements in the ride is very noticeable and the A8 shifts hard and fast. Paddle shifting is fun but takes a while to get used to. Power feels about the same as the ZR1 but it is delivered a little more refined. I'm 6' 175lb and getting in and out is the same Vette maneuver.

capevettes

I just went from an 06Z that was stock except for exhaust. My 2016 Z is a 7 speed manual. It makes more low end and mid range torque than the old one. While it's faster at higher RPM's as well, it isn't as significantly faster than the old one as I thought it would be. That 427 pulled pretty good between 4-7,000 RPM's. This car is better in almost every other way. More refined and comfortable. It also handles better. I'm 6'1" 220 lbs and had some concerns about this being a bit tight. It's virtually the same as the old one getting in and out and almost the same in the seat. I have the seat all the way back and reclined. That surprised me.

MP&RPZ06

Here is my 2 cents.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...s-on-16-a.html

JDMUSCLE

Had a 06Z and now a 16Z (M7)... Car is much much more refined in the sense of quality, nicer to touch materials, overall interior design and gauges etc. Magnetic ride is something that's really really awesome. From a power stand point it's about as fast as my 06Z when it had a cam pkg. traction was a joke with the good year super car tires but the new one is much better even though the car is still tail happy.

Getting in and out is the same. It's a progression in the right direction but I wish the car was a hardtop and weighed a bit less.

rwheelz

IMO, the C6Z is much better bang for the buck looking at new vs used, and considering they are half the price for a clean example. I went from a 2009 Z06 to a 2015 Z06. The LS7 is a gem. The LT4 is boring by comparison. Although the new car is an improvement in most areas, it does not deliver the same excitement when winding it out through the gears. It is significantly faster on the bottom end, but on the top end, it is significantly slower. Both of my cars were/are bone stock, and dyno'd exactly where they should. In the triple digits, and particularly above 150mph, the C6Z will walk away. My new car is a 1LZ and I later added the stage 3 aero. It adds a tremendous amount of drag, but even without the added aero, the C7Z is a dog at high speeds by comparison.

If you want the better grand tourer, you will be VERY happy with the upgrade. If the car is just a toy to get your fix, I think the C6Z is the better machine. The newer car does not hold up as well at the track. Temps escalate quickly. Even the C6Z would run too hot... and now GM has added a blower and removed the oil cooler. I still can't figure that one out. But for a street car, it all works VERY well.

I can't comment on the automatic. If it were an option for me, I would have both! I built heads/cam C6Z for sporting purposes and the C7Z for daily use.

C6Z06C6

You are about to feel a storm of sh*t coming your way. Run and hide.

sam90lx

phantasms

As someone who also had both I fully agree with the above. I love my 30k miles C7Z, and wouldn't trade it for a C6Z, but this is definitely accurate. I just wanted to give you a little shielding from the incoming sh|t storm.

two-piece

I had a 08 Z with heads and cam and now a 16 Z A8 with tune and intake. As far as power they are both very comparable. The delivery of the power is way different. My 08 was very brash as you banged thru the gears. The 16 is so smooth you look down and you're up to 160. I never track my cars so I can't speak to that. I'm a interior fanatic so that puts the 16 2lz light years ahead of my 08 2lz. The 16 is a much more refined car as far as looks and feel in my opinion.

johnglenntwo

funz06

Had a 2008 atomic orange Z06--loved it; had a 2013 velocity yellow 427 (basically a convertible Z06)----loved it; have a 2015 torch red Z06---love it. All were sticks with the 2015 being a 7 speed.

* 6'4"...........and 210 to 218 is my normal weight range-----getting in and out was the same for all 3 cars---not easy. I did find that the side skirts on the 427 kept getting caught on the back of my sneakers when exiting; consequently, current car does not have side skirts.

* Performance: I don't race or track the car. Spirited driving is common, but I will never see the top end speeds or anything close to them. I heard one offspring to remain nameless did hit 120 and just missed a speed trap..........she felt the C7 Z06 was the most powerful of the three and the most responsive. We both felt the 427 was clearly a notch or two below the Z06's. I feel the two Z06's were very similar in get-up-an-go, but I would give the edge to the C7 Z06 (maybe I just can't recall correctly how the 2008 Z06 really did, but I just feel the new one has a slight advantage in the pick-up).

Clearly, the C7 Z06 is much more comfortable to drive and control. For example, the seats in the C7 Z06 hold you in place when cornering versus with the C6 Z06 we had to hang onto the steering wheel for dear life to stay in place. Additionally, the rear end does not swing out nearly as easy. The C7 Z06 just seems like a sturdier and more comfortable car................which it should since it is the next generation.

BOTH the C6 and C7 Z06's are GREAT cars-----an owner of either one is very lucky.

* And now for the real controversy------why trade in a C6 Z06 for a C7 Z06, or buy the new Z06 over the C6 version? Because the C7 Z06 looks so much better------------yes, even the rear end looks better......as my wife says, the C7 Z06 even looks fast when I am parked in the driveway or sitting at a stop light........several people have made the same observation. Plus, you can get it in an automatic or standard; with a removable roof; or with a convertible top.

* 8 speed auto or 7 speed stick------it is a very personal choice, and sometimes medical reasons dictate which is prudent for us older folks. If I had to drive it in stop-n-go traffic, I would gladly get the auto. Since I don't have to drive it in traffic much, I prefer the stick----it is my toy car, and part of the playing is having a stick to fool around with. It reminds me of my youth driving my older brother's GTO...........it is what I want from a sports car........and my kids prefer the stick as well-----it is a novelty to them. If the car was an auto neither would have any interest in driving it.

CliffB-99

Traded in my '12 Z06 for a '16 Z06 (M7). C7Z is better in almost every way. One advantage of the C6Z is the 7,000 RPM redline, which allows for higher speeds in gears. i.e. 4th gear is 163 mph in the C6Z and 151 mph in the C7Z, but you don't redline in 4th on every cruise...

docb

The shitwinds are blowing.

TG's Z

I'll bite. Rwheelz, really?! I have both in my garage and speed slips from Mojave. You say the C6z will walk away from a C7z at triple digit speeds......show me please!!

To OP, others have it right....low end torque and punch is pronounced in the 7. The C6z loves to rev and is still a blast to drive. The C7z A8 is an amazing tranny, but manual vs auto is a personal choice. If you plan to track in the heat, knowing what we know now, you want the stick. The new car is superior in so many different ways.....ride, grip, steering, interior, comfort features, etc. You won't regret taking the plunge!

3 Z06ZR1

I have both in the garage. Both are great and milestones in there own right!
But one was first made in 2005 the other late 2014.

The C6Z is more brash and more unrefined and muscle car like.
Mine put down 501rwhp with headers, K&N filter and tune and would give the bone stock 2015 a race. The Halltech intake helps the 2015 a lot and tilts the race the other way.

The 2015 is a much superior car in many ways. I prefer the Lt4 low and smooth power. The C6Z with the Ls7 does have the higher 7k redline which is nice as well. Also the lighter weight advantage. But the handling goes the way of the 2015, More stiff frame
better suspension better interior and seats.
Lower center of gravity as well and more weight towards the rear.
I did have the ZR1 at the sane time as well. Both Z cars really are the better mile stones in my opinion. Zr1 was an after thought and the mag ride in the ZR1 is not good as the 2015's

SteveDoten@ARH

Let's face it, this is about money.

Do you have 3-40k for a decent C6Z?

Or 75k for a brand new 1LZ Z06?

Done.

davepl

Good point. Also a good point is that I paid $50,000 to upgrade from a C6Z to a C7Z A8 and I'm happy with the trade... I mean I gave them a C6Z plus $50K cash and feel like I got good value. So the C7Z must be better in some way (hopefully more than just being newer), or I wouldn't feel like it was a good exchange.

Basil2000

I'm 6"2 195, I fit very comfortable in the new z. I think the interior is a HUGE improvement over the c6z. Night and day. I also find the power more usable in the new z. hit the gas any time in the new z and there is instant power without having to get the tach to 5500. My wife couldn't understand why I needed to trade my c6z and pay 60k more for a new vette. After the first ride she said " now I understand why you wanted to buy this. Wow".cant comment on the auto, but the rev match on the stick is a blast.

rwheelz

I am definitely not trying to stir up trouble, just calling it as I see it. I don't regret my purchase, and can always get another C6Z (and I surely will when the prices have dropped). I intend no offense to those of you who spent your hard-earned money on a C7Z. You made a fine choice. IMO, the best possible choice. FWIW, at the time, I was considering C7Z vs GTR vs Cayman GT4 vs (not really, honestly) a Viper.

Perhaps the biggest difference is that I prefer the naturally aspirated power plant. The LS7 "winds up" like an import, and I have always been an import guy. It definitely lacks the low-end punch of the LT4, which is very welcome in traffic. I rarely NEED to downshift in the C7Z. That said, 7th gear is a joke. Even at 100mph, the car is geared too tall in 7th. The only thing this 7th gear provides, IMO, is a way to miss 5th, and a whole lot of drone if the exhaust baffles are open.

TG's Z- I don't have any time-slips that prove my claim. I wish I had taken the time to perform some real testing before selling one car and buying the other. Never did I doubt that a car with +150hp would be significantly faster anywhere in the power band. But if you look up C&D or R&T or some similar test results, you will see even then that the C6Z measured as faster from 0-150mph than the C7Z. HOW THE HELL DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE? I wouldn't expect the aero to even have much of an effect until 100+. Were their headwinds one day and not the other? Low octane fuel or a bad batch of gas holding the C7Z back? I would love to find someone with a stock C6Z local to me who is willing to do a long pull. I know the C7Z weighs nearly 400-lbs more (using my long acre corner scales for comparison), but it just doesn't seem to add up. I live in a plains state, and have accelerated along the same flat open stretches of road for miles, countless times over. Not only is the C7Z slower to accelerate on the top end, it doesn't match the terminal top speed of the C6Z. I am guessing for most buyers this makes no difference at all. It doesn't really matter much to me, as this is a rare occasion in the grand scheme of things. I just find it interesting, and a little confusing.

I also think the C6Z is the better looking car. I understand that most disagree. It is smoother and has a cleaner look. I like that they were sleek. The whole edgy/angular/transformer styling of the newer car makes it look more aggressive, but also a little outlandish in my opinion. I find it annoying when people tell me that my car looks like the bat mobile. I'd prefer it were more subtle.

If anyone wants to be convinced to keep their C6Z, or save a bunch of money by buying one instead of splurging on a C7Z, give me a shout! The brakes are just as good. The katech aero is cheap and adds the downforce the car is missing, while (seemingly) not adding the drag of the GM factory C7Z aero package (would love to have timeslips to prove this..?). The gearbox feels nearly identical. They both chew tires at the track, but the C6Z has 18/19 vs 19/20 (not an issue for me as I run 18's all around for track duty). I suppose we could claim that the C6Z has more maintenance due to the issue with the heads... I am unsure where the C7Z falls for long term reliability at this point (I only have 10k miles on mine). The suspension? I can't comment on the magnetic suspension that was offered in the earlier model, because my car didn't have it. It is wonderful in the new car, but honestly, the only purpose it serves for me is when I (rarely) turn it away from track mode on a bumpy highway or to wet mode in the rain. It is too soft at the track with R-compounds, even in track mode. The interior? No-one can dispute the C7 dominance in this category, but it doesn't matter all that much to me. I am looking out the window, not rubbing my hand across the dash, and have you seen what the Carvaggio equipped C6's look like inside? GM could learn a thing or two! The new dash display has a lot more tech, but most of it is superfluous. I like a round tach and the one mode that actually shows me oil and coolant temperature isn't the "track" display anyway. The competition seats are a tremendous improvement from the standard seats in my 3LZ C6Z, but they still aren't good enough for track use. My knees are still sore on the outsides at track days from trying to hold myself in place, but at least my *** isn't physically sliding from side to side (I am 5'11" and 165 lbs). The shoulder harness holes in the competition seats are completely covered by my shoulders (granted I am more torso than leg for my height and like to sit erect), so harnesses are still not an option.

I will agree, the C7Z is the "better" car, but mostly in ways that are not that important to me personally. The added features are not worth double the money, at least not objectively. Maybe there are features I am overlooking, like safety, crash protection, etc that sway into the newer model's favor. The traction control, though much more complex and multi-layered, still just gets in the way when you don't need it, and the old system was plenty safe enough when you do.

When people ask, I tell them this is a fantastic ****ing car, but what you really ought to buy is a C6Z! The older model has more soul, even if it offers slightly less performance in some areas.

Enough. I am going for a rip in the Z!