I have been saving a long time to purchase a c6 grand sports because it's a more refined generation. I have had a 73 and now own and enjoy my 96. I still believe that a c4 that's lowered, has the right rims and tires, all the motor and exhaust mods, and an outstanding paint job just blows the C6 away as far as overall profile aggressiveness.
If you had the $$$ to get the C6 would you if it was pound for pound as nice looking and mechanically sound? Or would you get some new rims and tires, lower your c4, maybe some Cam and intake work, and have it Dyno tuned?
What is your opinion?

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I love the side view of the C4. Also love the C7. That's why I still have both.

 

Since there's no wrong answers, because opinion.. It depends?

If I wanted a driver, I'd do the C4. It is less expensive to buy, maintain, insure and repair.

Otherwise.. If I wanted thing of beauty to break out on the weekends and didn't plan to ever park in the WalMart lot? probably the C6.

 

The only C6 I would consider is a Z06.... I don't like what I call the C6 fleet side Vette....

 

Depends on your goals...I have both. My C4 is more fun, my C6 GS is a great car though. It's way faster, more comfortable, roomier, etc. But the C4 blows it away in fun, engagement, and is the car that makes me want to drive it more.

Before in bought my 12 GS, I was looking at a 96 GS as well. It was a lot cheaper, and sometimes in feel like I made the wrong choice. But I wanted a car in could drive and enjoy, and I felt like the rarity of a 96 GS would keep me.from doing that. So I ended up in an even rarer, but yet non collectible car, lol.

 

I think the C6 is the ugliest Vette made. The only way it's tolerable is as a Z06 or Grand Sport. All that being said I could own a C6 for what is invested in my C4 so you know what I would do...

 

I'll still vote for the C4! More "Sport" than "Soft"! (And, by the way, Fireeagle, your nice '86 would be even nicer if the rear wheels were on the correct sides.)

 

The C6 "supervettes" are extremely impressive in looks. That profile is real nice. IMHO the C6 headlights and C7 taillights/ rear body style don't cut it but can be easily overlooked due to just how awesome these cars are. I loved my 73 but that front bumper/nose didn't cut it but it was a monster so I had no problem overlooking it.

Vettes Rule

 

I've thought about C6, but I'm lucky to have a C4 with the LT4 and as soon as I take it out for a drive I quickly forget about the C6. It's fast enough for me and can still embarrass about 98% of other cars around me on the highway.

It's a tough call, but life is short and if you really want a C6 you should take the plunge, I'll doubt you'll regret it.

Being a teenager in the 80's it would be tough for me to get rid of my C4, it was the car posters I had on my bedroom wall...right next to the Dallas cheerleader poster!!!!

 

I recently dropped my latest C4 for a C6, not a fair comparision. I love the C4 but the C6 is far superior. Two different cars for two different needs.

 

I just like the feel of nascar with the c4. You can modify and break things /fixem and you have a race car without the huge price tag

 

The base C6 is the lamest looking Corvette of all time. I think the 75-76 are ugly, but the C6 is just like a slice of white bread.

If a C6 is the interest, a GS or Z06.

 

I sure as hell won't lower my C4. I have enough issues with the stock height since I do see some interesting bumps on the road. Don't GAS about the rims unless there is something I am trying to achieve with the different wheel sizes. I have a 383 with a D44 rear end and a modified 700R4 making 420 RWHP. I am not the sort that doesn't mind taking a bath on the mods to get a C6 just because I am bored with the toy. That all said, if the C4 went off a cliff or got stolen for good, I'd take the money, add a few bucks more to get a C6. Newer and better technology. Screw the looks.

 

WOW... the C4 is sooo much more interesting.... both nice cars, but the C4 is alot better looking car imo.

 

Summary? C4 could beat any arm ever made on looks because it is subjective and diehard C4 people will lean the way they choose to and can justify it. If you are a fan of technology, newer will usually be better. Looks are subjective but I have yet to see objective reasons the C4 beats the future generations.

 

I may have part of an answer: FACT: [I]the majority of Corvette owners are WAXERS at heart. And, as such they're immersed in the aura of owning a Corvette and going to car shows: most have NEVER explored the full capabilities of their cars!

Case(s) in point:

• There was a poll posted a couple(?) years ago on one of the ZR-1 forums, asking how many had hit the (7100) rpm rev limiter in their Zs. It ran for a good while, and in the end only 40% every hit the limiter. Furthermore, in the comments, the majority of those who hadn't pushed to the limiter seldom got much over 6000 rpm, and a good many admitted they seldom broke out of the 5000s!
  
  
• MR1-MR5 events: Given the choice of being in a group designated as driving aggressively or driving in the "scenic" group, the scenic group was nearly pure GSR drivers! (And, too, at the Bowling Green Gathering that followed, given the choice of "Touring laps" or Auto-X events, the GSR opted out of the more agressive events.
  
  
• At a local all Corvette event at a local Autobahn track, the lead Corvette seldom went over 40 mph. Having just lead one of the MR4 aggressive groups through the mountains a few weeks earlier, imagine my frustration having to follow someone driving a new C7, falling behind, and BRAKING FOR EVERY CURVE at the breakneck speed of 35 MPH!

I guess my point is, IF the majority of Corvette owners enjoy their cars w/o ever exploring its full potential, from that non-performance perspective it is easier to rank a past generation Vette over a newer generation.

And, before I get flamed toooo badly, understand I'm not dissing anyone regardless of what Vette they have or how they prefer to enjoy it. I just happen to be skewed toward the WARRIOR mentally. (I didn't suffer the hours of (winter project) cold or all those aluminum chips in my fingers to port my motor, or lying on cold concrete to install a custom exhaust to drive my 500+ HP ZR-1 in parades!)

 

I also had a 73. Then bought an 84 which I still have. Had a C5Z06, C6Z06 and now a C7Z06. Keep the C4 and get the C6. Turn the C4 into a race car and have the best of two worlds.

 

I somehow think you are right. A lot of threads are about how to get a louder or more aggressive sound so they can advertise speed instead of demonstrating speed. I would think the phrase "Paper Tiger" comes to mind. I understand that in the old days, it had to be loud and the cam had to be lumpy because they had to make compromises to get power. People now want to go the "old ways" so they can make their own "Paper Tiger", have others fawn over them, etc.

I seem to have the reverse of that problem. I pedal is slippery and somehow hits WOT on the ramps when no body is around.

I'd lean towards the quarter mile over the autocross but that's again a personal preference.

THAT is just lame. Maybe you should have gotten out and given him a push?

I think it is that they fell in love with the C4 growing up so kinda like people want to recreate their younger years. Off topic but a company produced books that told you what the top hits of a given year and given genre were. While many people like "most anything", they gravitated towards the music of the period within 10 years of High school graduation. Maybe the same thing?

Don't know. Never been to one. I might do it if someone organizes it for the experience but I don't really get off on people admiring my car. Maybe if I put out a coffee can and got a few bucks instead of complements, I might be more prone to waxing it?

 

Isn't that kinda expensive? You have a car that you can only drive on the tracks in summer with a race car. Besides maintenance and upgrades, the huge expense would be that you have a weekend you have to take off to do that. That would kinda either blow a large chunk of my summer. I have a "honeydew" list longer than my d1ck. If I don't spend enough time, the wife will ask "Why are we spending that kind of money on a car that makes us have to spend whole weekends on it?". If I do spend enough time, the new question would be "Why can't we do anything else besides spending so many weekends at the track?". If my wife were an avid track person, I could see it as a "couple's thing". Right now, it would be at best a "me" thing.

Not saying he shouldn't but making a track car is a time consuming hobby. At 20 and single, I didn't have the funds to waste but the time to spend. Now that I do have the funds, I don't have the time. WTF!!

 

It depends your ability to redo a botched upgrade, your connections FOR the upgrade, your understanding of the requirements for an upgrade, and the ability for you to be thrilled by personal involvement (of an upgrade) vs the thrill of having a newer car.

I've driven an LT1, hot-cammed LT1, 383 C4, and a C6....though I haven't driven a GS C6. Knowing a GS C6 has to be faster and more impressive, power is going to be much more impressive with the C6. IMO cam work on an LT1 isn't going to make you run giggling into the streets. It will be fun for a while but not life-changing fun.

It takes significant work to upgrade the motor (and possibly drivetrain) of a C4....unless it's an M6. Opting only for a cam isn't thinking far enough outside the box IMO. Thinking 383 or 396 is.

If you (personally) don't have the connections to KNOW who to engage with help on a major motor-building project, that adds another reason to rely on the general to provide your higher-powered sports car. As noted, newer generations have more refinement that can be good/bad...depending on your view.

I had the same dilemma between a C5 and modding a C4 years ago. (A C6 was out of my budget). Still, I drove enough specimens to KNOW what the choices would be like. (At least the buyable choices since it's harder to find/drive/know what YOUR upgraded C4 would be like.)

My end-result was a 383. I also redid the paint, interior, suspension. Having something closer to a Chip Foose restored car had more appeal for me than the newer options. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't have loved a newer car too.

One of the biggest differences comes down to your view of the final product. If like me, you can easily second-guess what you could have done differently with a "build". But, you can also easily bitch and complain about what the general should have done differently too.

I like the option of building and making a car "your own" but I don't think a cam/lowering is ambitious enough to make the upgrade thrilling. Budget is another consideration. Can you really afford newer...with the taxes, insurance, etc...? When you upgrade, the expenses can trickle as well.

It's not an easy choice but, mostly, I think it comes down to WHO you want your car upgraded/customized by? Looks are fine but the joy/confidence that goes into the inner workings will ultimately drive your decision. For many, letting the experts build it for you...is the right choice. For modders/builder, you should already know you have the personal need to get into it up to your elbows.