Is Corvette Platform Right For Me?
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3
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Is Corvette Platform Right For Me?
Hi all,
I'm hoping you all can help me out a bit as I begin my search for my next car. Also, I hope I got this in the right spot of your forum.
What I'm looking for in my next car:
What my current setup/experience is:
My current selection of finalists are:
My questions for you all are:
I'm hoping you all can help me out a bit as I begin my search for my next car. Also, I hope I got this in the right spot of your forum.
What I'm looking for in my next car:
- Established enthusiast following that will provide community & DIY support
- A car that I'm able to easily work on myself, for maintenance and standard modifications
- Reliable and proven engine
- Engaging chassis that provides a great driving experience
- Street driven car that is track-prepped and ready to do 60 minute stints in 105*F temps
- Current budget of $25,000, but willing to go up to $35,000 for a "perfect" car
- Suspension, wheels, brakes
- Roll bar or half cage, seats & harnesses
What my current setup/experience is:
- Current track car: 2005 BMW E46 330i ZHP with modified suspension, still street driven
- Current DD/Autox car: 1995 MX5 Miata with modified suspension
- 4 years of HPDE and 8 years Autox experience. I do 2-4 HPDE events, and 2-3 autox events per year now.
- I'm group 3 w/ NASA. I'm a conservative driver, slowly developing my skills. I'm still on street tires (Mich PSS).
My current selection of finalists are:
- 6th gen Camaro
- C6 Corvette
- C7 Corvette
- BMW M2C (M2 competition, with the S55 M3/4 engine)
My questions for you all are:
- What makes the Corvette a better track platform than the Camaro?
- Is there any reason to pick C6 over C7, or visa versa?
- What are typical weak points on the C6/C7? An example on the BMW E46 is the plastic cooling system parts. An example on the E90 M3 is the rod bearings/throttle actuators.
- Any other tips/thoughts to help my search?
Last edited by stephenkirsh; Jan 12, 2020 at 12:18 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 3,185
Likes: 779
If autocross is you’re thing a C6z is perfect. **** it crushes at any type of racing honestly, drag, roll, track...hell even drifting it’s a dominant platform that’s a problem for the competition. Just fix the heads and know there’s ongoing maintenance involved in keeping a race car in optimal performance standards. Good luck bro! 🇺🇸👍🏻
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I agree with putting the C5Z in your list of cars. An excellent example can be had at the low end of your budget (probably even less money) and it still is a very capable car on the track or as a commuter car.
I would recommend that you spend some time in the C5, C6 and C7 sections browsing the posts, asking some questions about each generation and then narrow down your possibilities even more. I have not owned a C6, but have owned 3 C5s and now one C7 and they both are a blast to drive.
Good luck with your decision and welcome to the forum.
I would recommend that you spend some time in the C5, C6 and C7 sections browsing the posts, asking some questions about each generation and then narrow down your possibilities even more. I have not owned a C6, but have owned 3 C5s and now one C7 and they both are a blast to drive.
Good luck with your decision and welcome to the forum.
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From: Hickory NC
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Welcome to the forum!
Good, long-term planning on your part.
I agree with the above suggestions about checking the appropriate areas in the C5, C6 and C7 sections of the forum, and agree, too, with including the C5Z in your "formula."
You may also want to go through the road race section of the forum at https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...roadracing-23/. And, another suggestion is to talk to Corvette owners at some of the events you attend. Ask them what lead them to their particular platform. Did they specifically select a C5Z, for instance, or was this just the car they had at the time?
Good luck with your quest and let us know what you ultimately decide!
Good, long-term planning on your part.
I agree with the above suggestions about checking the appropriate areas in the C5, C6 and C7 sections of the forum, and agree, too, with including the C5Z in your "formula."
You may also want to go through the road race section of the forum at https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...roadracing-23/. And, another suggestion is to talk to Corvette owners at some of the events you attend. Ask them what lead them to their particular platform. Did they specifically select a C5Z, for instance, or was this just the car they had at the time?
Good luck with your quest and let us know what you ultimately decide!
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Welcome to the forum!
Good, long-term planning on your part.
I agree with the above suggestions about checking the appropriate areas in the C5, C6 and C7 sections of the forum, and agree, too, with including the C5Z in your "formula."
You may also want to go through the road race section of the forum at https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...roadracing-23/. And, another suggestion is to talk to Corvette owners at some of the events you attend. Ask them what lead them to their particular platform. Did they specifically select a C5Z, for instance, or was this just the car they had at the time?
Good luck with your quest and let us know what you ultimately decide!
Good, long-term planning on your part.
I agree with the above suggestions about checking the appropriate areas in the C5, C6 and C7 sections of the forum, and agree, too, with including the C5Z in your "formula."
You may also want to go through the road race section of the forum at https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...roadracing-23/. And, another suggestion is to talk to Corvette owners at some of the events you attend. Ask them what lead them to their particular platform. Did they specifically select a C5Z, for instance, or was this just the car they had at the time?
Good luck with your quest and let us know what you ultimately decide!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 3,185
Likes: 779
C5z/C6z/C7z all = ZO6
some of these clowns without a GS or ZO6/ZR1 model like to list “car options” like Z51 or Z16 disregard all that BS it means nothing literally. It’s a base model with a few upgrade options that have zero to do with power. At most it’s a little better suspension.
A C5z is a good cheap car that can be worked with, but with what your intended use seems to be and your experience a C6z is what you want.
Go drive a C5z a C6z and a C7 base model or GS and get back to us lol. I already know what you’ll say though. You really can’t beat a C6z for the money and it’s capabilities.
2006/2007 C6z is the lightest of all models, definitely in your budget. If the LS7 scares you a nice manual C6 Gran Sport is also an option to look at, just look for 2009+ on the Gran Sport it will have the LS3 instead of LS2, the manual GS has a better suspension and the engine is hand built and comes with the dry sump oil system like the LS7 and the wide body 👍🏻
Once you see the C6z/GS next to a base model you’ll get it lol 🇺🇸
some of these clowns without a GS or ZO6/ZR1 model like to list “car options” like Z51 or Z16 disregard all that BS it means nothing literally. It’s a base model with a few upgrade options that have zero to do with power. At most it’s a little better suspension.
A C5z is a good cheap car that can be worked with, but with what your intended use seems to be and your experience a C6z is what you want.
Go drive a C5z a C6z and a C7 base model or GS and get back to us lol. I already know what you’ll say though. You really can’t beat a C6z for the money and it’s capabilities.
2006/2007 C6z is the lightest of all models, definitely in your budget. If the LS7 scares you a nice manual C6 Gran Sport is also an option to look at, just look for 2009+ on the Gran Sport it will have the LS3 instead of LS2, the manual GS has a better suspension and the engine is hand built and comes with the dry sump oil system like the LS7 and the wide body 👍🏻
Once you see the C6z/GS next to a base model you’ll get it lol 🇺🇸
Last edited by 73DBG; Jan 12, 2020 at 08:48 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 3,185
Likes: 779
A small amount of searching will give you plenty on the love/hate relationship with the LS7. They all come with heads that are a potential time bomb, so fixing the heads/valve guide is something every owner should look into. Also has a lot of titanium internals and it revs to 7000rpm it will have maintenance cost that’s for damn sure.
[QUOTE=PNW_C5Z;1600804576]C5 and C6 are very similar platforms.
The C5 is nice and was the start of something special, but they are in now way “similar” platforms. Night and day difference between the two.
OP go drive some of these cars, only way you’ll really know the difference and what’s best for you.
Full disclosure I own a C6z so I’m obviously biased but from what you have stated the use would be it’s probably the best fit for you. Good luck man 🇺🇸
[QUOTE=PNW_C5Z;1600804576]C5 and C6 are very similar platforms.
The C5 is nice and was the start of something special, but they are in now way “similar” platforms. Night and day difference between the two.
OP go drive some of these cars, only way you’ll really know the difference and what’s best for you.
Full disclosure I own a C6z so I’m obviously biased but from what you have stated the use would be it’s probably the best fit for you. Good luck man 🇺🇸