Daydreaming: C5 Z06?

I've heard if you drive one like a miata they can be quite a bit like a bigger/faster one. It's just most people can develop bad habits jumping right into such a powerful car

mtn wrote:

dculberson wrote: Funny how often the same group that defends the Miata makes fun of the Corvette - I think it's mostly that they can't afford it so try to justify hating on it somehow.

I don't think there is a single person in this thread who is saying that it is a bad idea. Where is there anyone even making fun of it (in this thread) other than the OP?

I wasn't referring to people in this thread. Plenty of people in this forum bad mouth Corvettes for their image problems. I never worry about image problems when car shopping, I worry about the car.

Wait for the C7 Vette to come out, then you will see more of the C5s (and C6s) up for sale.

^^^Good point. I'm happily married. If that changed tomorrow, in spite of my hideous appearance, I could get laid riding a berkeleying tri-cycle, so that's not a concern. Right now I drive an (aaaaaalmost) 400,000 mile 20 year old honda, and couldn't really give two E36 M3s who I impress or don't.

Given a couple of financial security goals are met in the next couple years, I'll be hunting for something fast as berkeley and fun (and yes, with a bit of "cool" factor) to drive in the $20k-$30k range. My answer HAS been either Elise, NSX, or 911. But some serious thinking (plus all the speculation in the budget supercar thread) has me thinking:

While it's definitely more "my style" (light, small, cheap drivetrain to maintain,) Elise is so freaking hard for a big guy with a E36 M3 back to get in and out of. The NSX's are back on the upswing price-wise from what I can tell, and assuming you can find one that hasn't been riced and/or abused for under $30k, it would appear as though they are pretty demanding little critters that are a pain to work on and find parts for (please correct me if I'm wrong.)

911 may still be the answer...but then guys in Z06s are going to take great joy in smoking my ass light-to-light.

To me, and I know this isn't very autocross-crowd friendly, a $25k "cool" car with A/C and a full interior that can rip a 12 second 1/4 all day and hang in the twisties is a helluva bargain.

Agreed on the interior. I've ridden in a couple at Novice Schools, and had to do a "seriously?" But like others have said, a couple good seats and a nice wheel would fix that on the cheap.

I drove one a while back. 10 days later I needed to seek medical attention for a "grin-ectomy"

Anyone remember the corvette commercials from a while back that had the "Yeeeeee Hawwww" factor. This sums up the C5 z06 perfectly.

Deal of the century or horrible idea/possible scam?

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/3758293629.html

poopshovel wrote: Deal of the century or horrible idea/possible scam? http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/3758293629.html

Seems reasonable to me.

It's at the bottom end of the ones I have seen on corvette forum with superchargers but not outlandish

I'll sell you my h/c/i/Biltsteined/Hotckissed/big rotored C5 for wayyyy less then that. FWIW, I had a Miata before that, and an Elise now, so I don't often get accused of being a redneck.

Someone may have mentioned it earlier in the thread, but didn't Danny Popp do a "Buyer's Guide" article for GRM?

i've had one for 7 years.

I added a skip-shift eliminator.

The traction control / ABS / active handling module went out. I fixed that easily by taking it out and sending it to a guy in Missouri who sent me a new one.

The anti-theft steering wheel lock feature failed and prevented me from driving my own car...LOL. Again an easy fix thanks to all the info on the internet.

I had my keys stolen whilst in Argentina for the Dakar and needed to get the registration out of the car before the stealer would cut me a new set. I got on a Vette forum and had a fellow call me and tell me exactly how to break into it (turns out that a dipstick out of an AMC V8 makes the PERFECT slim-jim...wipe the oil off first).

I've never once encountered a problem I couldn't solve myself with the help of the internet....well ok I had to get the dealer to cut new keys.

My only regret is that while it looks like a roadster it is not. I've often thought I'd like to mate a vert with a Z. It'd probably be significantly heavier and not nearly as rigid but hey...It'd still be cool

Not saying, just saying

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2008-Mustang-GT-supercharged-Full-exhaust-Shelby-wheels-Low-miles-/161025827642?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item257de3233a

aussiesmg wrote: Not saying, just saying http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2008-Mustang-GT-supercharged-Full-exhaust-Shelby-wheels-Low-miles-/161025827642?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item257de3233a

The Z06 (at least an '02+) would be faster in the 1/4 mile and around a road course, weighs a lot less, gets better gas mileage, and is much better looking. Sports car vs muscle car...

They have been popping up around here for low $20Ks and are getting hard to ignore. The flashy red interior has to be avoided at all costs, but I could live with the all black. It would help to hide the awfulness. As a toy, they are a screaming deal right now, and good ones won't last forever.

I am not a "Corvette" guy really, if you gave me probably any vette from C1-C4 I'd probably sell it the next day. For sheer track weaponry, the C5/C6's are another matter. I really don't car what the nameplate says, or who makes them. They are fantastic cars, with fantastic chassis/geometry right out of the box, reliable as a hammer, and parts cost at generally "Chevy Suburban" levels and not Porsche, etc. Pretty easy to work on. Very simple design philosophy, all the high tech stuff was done on the forethought end, less is more and the basic layout is simple.

My '01 Z06 has run 1:31 at Road Atlanta (275 hoosiers) and 2:01.5 at VIR (on 245 Hoosiers). This was in NASA's PTA/TTA prep class which is stock springs, stock shocks, GM T1 sway bars, wimpy "385 hp" '01 motor, OEM exhaust with cats/mufflers, and the factory airbox including the 12 yr old GM dirty air filter. Stock engine w/ small clutch. Find another car that will do those laps times near stock at anywhere near the price/build cost, that you can pound on for yrs with almost 100% reliability save for std track wear (brakes/hubs, etc).

Great cars, but for me are stuck in my own "useless" range...

For a daily-driver, I couldn't deal with the Cobalt-level interior.

For a track-car, my "play" account would be destroyed If I crashed it.

I'd love to own one, but it just doesn't fit into my life right now.

Definitely a great deal, but I'm wondering if a base model C5 with $10k worth of upgrades wouldn't be much better. You'd end up at the same price, but could probably get a much better suspension and more power than the Z06, plus enough left to get some decent seats and a good steering wheel.

That said, I don't really know anything about vettes, so I could be way off here.

Whoa. Zombie thread. Drink.

John Miller of Trans Am fame swore that the standard cars on the magic electronic shocks(I cant remember the name for them) were a better car.

poopshovel wrote: Whoa. Zombie thread. Drink.

is 2.5 months really zombified?

There was another thread about this subject since then. I may have to retract some comments I made earlier about the interior. After driving the '04 in nice shape I drove an '01 that was in a much sorrier state. All the interior panels were loose, the arm rest wouldn't close properly, etc.

The new 2014 "stingray" vette is ONLY $53k cdn for a base model. I would expect the price of used vettes to plummet

In reply to Armitage:

that can be with anything. I had one 944T with excellent interior and the other interior was a horrible pile of E36 M3...including the armrest/console cover.

You guys missed out...my One Lap competitor friend just sold his C5 Z06 FRC to pursue a C6. It had substantial over 100k miles on it but didn't look it and ran like a champ. Deeply sub-20k price (I don't want to say how much just in case the buyer is on here).

They are out there.

HiTempguy wrote: The new 2014 "stingray" vette is ONLY $53k cdn for a base model. I would expect the price of used vettes to plummet

I decided to hold out until spring for this reason. I am in no rush to sell the ACR. The 15k mile example I drove sold as soon as I came up with enough for a sizable down payment. I figure once spring hits and people are eager for the C7s, even better deals should be out there.

I REALLY want a clean white 01, or an 04 Z16. Time will tell. In all actuality, I'd "settle" for another low-mileage example in almost any color (I am sick of owning a black car, though).