Greetings from Vancouver
My name is Dave and I'm Vancouver Washington. Been on the hunt for another vehicle and like spicier cars. Had an e46 M3 for a while and loved it. Ate tires like crazy, but was a blast to drive. Sold it during the divorce process and bought a new Mazdaspeed 3. Was thinking it would be a big step down, and I suppose it is, but it's turned out to be an awesome car.
Meanwhile, plotting the next move, I got the bug I wanted something with a big, snarly American V8. I need something that can handle, does sub-13s, is a reliable daily driver and looks good. Being mid-50s, it's just me and me GF for the most part.
At first I was thinking new Mustang GT, but did the research on the Vette and realized there is nothing close performance-wise for the price.
I really like the C6 Z06, but have concerns the whole valve dropping thing has yet to be completely resolved. So, then started thinking why not "experiment" with a C5 Z06 and see how the Vette suits my needs? But then I think is it nutty buying a 12 year old performance car as a DD? People seem to do it all the time, but still...
My choices at this point are: C5 Z06, C6 Z06, 2016/17 Mustang or even an e92 M3.
In any case, thanks for reading my novel.





Thanks to all who welcomed me!
I actually went out over the weekend and drove a C5 Z06 at a dealer for the first time. Really liked it, but will bide my time for the right situation. Need to pay off another car first and then the hunt will be on.
Of course I want one NOW, but I also like money in the bank.
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Former resident of Vancouver myself (HB HS) and I own both an E46 330Ci
and a 2000 Corvette FRC. While the BMW is fun to drive, the Vette is a true American
sports car that is more fun to drive and people notice the Corvette more.
Remember only Corvette drivers will Wave at you...Not the Beemer crowd.
The M3 is an amazing car but once you get out of the Z06 and get in it, it really feels like 1/5 of the car performance and "fun factor" wise. The only real reason that I like my M5 close to as good as my Z06 is the interior quality and road noise. Around town the Z06 isn't that bad, but anything on the interstate at 70mph plus the M5 is way more comfortable and quiet.
The C5 Z06 I would put close to the fun factor of an E92 M3. The rest of the car is even worse than the C6 Z06 though. Bad road noise, bad interior quality, and it still will never have the feel like the LS7. It is a great car for the money and has huge aftermarket potential, just a little raw and unrefined for me.
Both amazing cars and I don't think there is a bad answer with either, DCT is really amazing if you are going to go with the M. Also to add, I don't know if you are worried about gas milage but 18-19 in the M is a lot worse than 27-28 on the highway with the Z06.
While a new 5.0 is a good car, it is no where near the car that the other two are in my opinion. They are practical if you ever need the rear seats, just also not the car for me personally. Decent straight line performance, subpar cornering, a good bit of road noise, average interior quality(better than the Z06 though), and a lot of trouble with the MT-82 if you run it like it should be ran.
Last edited by TylerJ97; Dec 8, 2015 at 09:30 PM.















