C5 v C6 Z06 | FerrariChat

C5 v C6 Z06

Discussion in 'American Muscle' started by Texas Forever, Mar 27, 2015.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    75,370
    Texas!
    Now, that everybody is hot to trot over the latest trollop, i.e., the C7. I'm thinking that a C5 or C6 Z06 will be a pretty good buy for a street car that does a few track days a years, but at no more than 8/10s.

    To my eyes, the C5 looks better. (Cars should be round like women.) But I understand the C6 has more safety and technical upgrades, plus more power I believe.

    So leaving looks and money aside, which one do you think is the better car?

    Dale
     
  2. noone1

    noone1 F1 Rookie
    BANNED

    Jan 21, 2008
    4,612
    Los Angeles
    Full Name:
    Mike
    C6 should be better in every way, so no sure how it could ever be considered the worse car.
     
  3. DIGMAN52

    DIGMAN52 F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 30, 2004
    3,998
    Dallas Texas
    Full Name:
    Philip C
    #3 DIGMAN52, Mar 27, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Dale,
    You might consider finding and C6 ZR1 instead of the Z06. Easy to drive around town, but when you press to go pedal all hell breaks loose. It is the only car I have driven that comes close to the experience of driving the Ford GT. Getting that 638hp down in 2nd and 3rd gear can be problematic on cold tires. We have had ours for a year, and not a single issue in that time.

    With only 4,060 or so built, they seem to be holding their pricing in the high 50's to low 70's, depending on year and mileage.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  4. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    75,370
    Texas!
    Thanks, but let's throw money on the table. Say, for example, you have two 40,000 mile Z06s with all the goodies, which car would you buy?

    1. 2004 C5 Z06 for $23,000, or

    2. 2006 C6 Z06 for $30,000.

    Dale
     
  5. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    75,370
    Texas!
    Cool beans. I'm just starting to look around for a new drug, and I'm not very familiar with Corvettes. So what year is your car?

    Dale

    PS I'm also day dreaming about a 2009+ Cayman S, a 996 TT, or maybe even the new Miata with a turbo (the after market people are already cooking). That said, there ain't nuthin' like a V8.

    PPS While I'd like to think about getting another Maranello; but like Lorena the whore in Lonesome Dove, I believe it is bad luck to go backwards.
     
  6. Nolf1023

    Nolf1023 Rookie

    Jun 18, 2013
    35
    C6 all the way. I don't know firsthand but the C6 Z06 seemed to be a big big step up from the C5. IMO it looks better too.

    Bit of an aside but i'm of the opinion that all the base model Corvettes (non-Z06/ZR1) across generations always look a bit bland and IMO not very attractive at all. The added aggressiveness of the Z packages really make the car.
     
  7. INTMD8

    INTMD8 F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Jun 10, 2007
    6,485
    Lake Villa IL
    I would personally go for a C6Z over a C5Z (I bought one new in 07). It's a great car.

    Just keep in mind that -some- ls7's can lose the exhaust valve which equals engine destruction. If I was buying a used C6Z I would do stainless exhaust valves and check the guides just to be safe.

    Also, the C6Z dry sump is pretty close to worthless in my opinion and this can be a problem on long sweepers. It has only one scavenge stage which isn't efficient due to the oil pan basically being a wet sump design. (which they tried to band-aid by just increasing reservoir size in newer models)

    If you are on stock tires and not driving to the limit you will probably be fine but I thought I should mention it.

    C5Z is also a great car but isn't in the same league in terms of acceleration.
     
  8. Zcobra1

    Zcobra1 Formula 3

    Oct 9, 2012
    1,247
    So Cal
    Full Name:
    Bert
    Where have you found a C6 Z, clean title, no accident. 40K miles, for $30 K ?
    If you have, buy it right now. Even if valves not done.
    That car gets 35/36K all day long.

    Had a C5Z, great car, have a 2013 Z now. C5 is a perfectly fine car for some track
    days, and tooling around town. Bought well, they are both at the bottom of the depreciation
    curve, you will lose little from here on out unless you pile on miles.
    The LS6 holds up well, the LS7 has some valve concerns. If you get a LS7
    Getting the valves done is advised, about $1500. I know some say it is overblown,
    and I just bought a LS7, but I have 2+ years of warranty.

    No mention of budget, I still think there is a good $12K delta between similar
    miles cars mentioned above. Either is great for the money, hard to beat on the
    track in the right hands. Still miss my Yellow 2004 C5 Z...last of the run, best ones !
     
  9. JV's89

    JV's89 F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jul 18, 2006
    6,562
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Full Name:
    John
    My opinion about the looks of the C5 vs. the C6 are opposite of yours, so I'm not sure my two cents are worthy of the discussion. I know they are terrific cars, but I never warmed up to that "look". If looks were the only criteria I'd choose a C4 over the 5.

    Now that that's out of the way :), I can't help but think that the performance disparity between the C5 and 6 is overwhelming and worth the extra few thousand dollars.
     
  10. Eric R

    Eric R F1 Veteran
    BANNED Silver Subscribed

    Nov 19, 2014
    5,385
    The Woodlands, Tx
    Full Name:
    Eric R.
    I think you should go drive each one and then decide. They are completely different. The only area where the C6Z is truly superior on track is on the straights. The additional horsepower and extra rev's (7k vs 6500) pulls away. The C5 communicates to me more so than the C6. And if you know who John Heinricy is he has stated that the C5Z is his all time favorite on the track and he engineered them all from the C4-C6.

    I also personally like the body style of the C5Z.
     
  11. Face76

    Face76 F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 21, 2006
    11,600
    The Other Oz
    Full Name:
    M Wilborn
    The early C6Z's had a clunky shifter so make sure you drive both. Later years I believe this was fixed.
     
  12. opencollector

    opencollector Formula Junior

    Feb 1, 2005
    424
    CA Central Coast
    Full Name:
    Thomas
    The C5 Z06 is comparable to the C6 Z51 in terms of performance. Leaving aside money and looks (inside and out), the C6 has a few nice improvements: way better headlights; no column lock from 2006 on; a really solid keyless entry system; improved active handling; available side airbags. It also has the advantage of just being newer, so the fleet is younger and parts availability is better. The C6 Z06 has all that and its faster. There are some worrisome stories about LS7 head failures that stir up passionate debate. The OEM Z06 brakes seem unnecessarily fussy/expensive to service for the performance compared to their little brothers' sliders or aftermarket setups. The wider body is is pretty cramped on narrow country lanes.

    They're all good cars.
     
  13. henryr

    henryr Two Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 10, 2003
    21,648
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Juan Sánchez Villa-L
    c6 is a way better car
     
  14. INTMD8

    INTMD8 F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Jun 10, 2007
    6,485
    Lake Villa IL
    I wouldn't call the early cars clunky but 06/07 was the T56 trans while 08 and up was TR6060 which is definitely a better unit.
     
  15. Eric R

    Eric R F1 Veteran
    BANNED Silver Subscribed

    Nov 19, 2014
    5,385
    The Woodlands, Tx
    Full Name:
    Eric R.
    I disagree that the C6 is a way better car. The C5Z beats the Z51 in every performance category. It is a much better track car than the base C6 with z51 which the OP apparently does not want anyway. It was the C5Z that held the SCCA T1 division title for something like 8yrs straight going up against the likes of the C6. It wasn't until the rules pretty much outlawed it that the C5Z was put out to pasture. It is one car I will never let go of and I have over 1000mi of track time at Pacific Raceways too. Only time I have been passed was on the 1/4mi front straight and it was towards the end. Upto 100mph its a drivers race. After that the C6Z pulled around me. Again this was in stock form which I am not anymore.
     
  16. Zcobra1

    Zcobra1 Formula 3

    Oct 9, 2012
    1,247
    So Cal
    Full Name:
    Bert
    Good point on the C5 headlight, frankly lawsuit dangerous, Model T
    lights, first upgrade anyone should do......
     
  17. Zcobra1

    Zcobra1 Formula 3

    Oct 9, 2012
    1,247
    So Cal
    Full Name:
    Bert
    This is true. The "turn in" and the feel on the C5 was coveted over the C6 by the the
    Spring Mountain instructors when they had both at the track there.
    Remember this pure stock cars.
    Now the C6 posted faster numbers, but again that was mostly in the straights...

    My C6Z is modded, LG coil overs, solid bushings everywhere, bigger bars,
    11" front wheels/295, so it really feels like a race car, and communicates
    like no stock Vette, but it is modded. Do the same to a C5, same result.

    The stock C6 Z brakes with one piece pads and good fluid could outperform the
    C5 brakes, with same upgrades, but I never ran out of brakes on my C5 Z
    at Spring Mountain......

    Sometimes the fastest car is not the most coveted car.

    Just like often the most beautiful and buxom woman is not the best in bed........
     
  18. Whisky

    Whisky Two Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 27, 2006
    25,287
    Upper Great Plains
    Full Name:
    The original Fernando
    Don't laugh, and I am not trying to steer off-topic, but you guys
    appear to know Corvettes.
    That said, what about a third toy - something for around 15K,
    does a '98 - '01 rate anything? Any better ideas?
     
  19. Phil~

    Phil~ F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 25, 2013
    3,853
    Potomac, Maryland
    You can get a ZR1 for high $50k?
     
  20. henryr

    henryr Two Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 10, 2003
    21,648
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Juan Sánchez Villa-L
    #20 henryr, Mar 27, 2015
    Last edited: Mar 27, 2015

    we're comparing the c5 z06 vs the c6 z06 ? no? c6 version hands down.
     
  21. Eric R

    Eric R F1 Veteran
    BANNED Silver Subscribed

    Nov 19, 2014
    5,385
    The Woodlands, Tx
    Full Name:
    Eric R.
    Yes we are comparing the two Z's. Take put either a 427 in the C5Z or the LS6 in the C6Z which would be a better car? I would take the C5Z strictly because I hate the electronics on the C6 and up models. I was blown away that you cannot get OnStar out of your car whether you activate it or not. My friend, who did not turn it on, had them come on in the car when he was doing 140 down the front straight wanting to know what was wrong. They did not believe he was at a track. I would have wrecked if that happened to me. That was back in 2007 though and have not heard of other issues like this. Still the fact that the car has it in it bothers me. I also got locked inside one at the dealer when he took the key fob with him. The doors will not open. It was noon in the summer time. After about 10mins it was f***ing hot and I finally figured out there was an emergency release pull string to use. That was all for me. No new C6Z for me. I can make more power and I weigh less doing it.

    As for braking the C5Z with our puny brakes stop from 60mph in slightly over 100ft. Not bad for 15yr old technology and stock from the factory. I do like the look of the C6Z calipers, hate the rotors and the padlets. What was GM thinking on those?
     
  22. opencollector

    opencollector Formula Junior

    Feb 1, 2005
    424
    CA Central Coast
    Full Name:
    Thomas
    The OnStar hardware was optional before 2008. And even if you have it, you can always disconnect the antennas.

    Personally I find the idea of a computer-controlled steering disabler (like the C5 has) a scarier prospect!

    You mean the pull string in the trunk? There is also a proper mechanical lever right next to each door.

    I don't think the C6 electronics are bad. Unlike a lot of cars, there are only a few operations on a C6 that require a proprietary diagnostic tool.
     
  23. Eric R

    Eric R F1 Veteran
    BANNED Silver Subscribed

    Nov 19, 2014
    5,385
    The Woodlands, Tx
    Full Name:
    Eric R.
    The steering disabler is the column lock theft feature. Easy to remove or defeat. Never had an issue in my 12yrs of ownership.

    As for OnStar, I do not know all the ins/outs but he had a CarToys in Seattle take it all out and it was involved from what I recall.

    I really tried to like the C6Z and ZR1 but I never could get past that front end and the items we have discussed. I think I am done with new Corvettes even though the new Z looks amazing. That is why I joined up here and now looking for my first Ferrari.
     
  24. M. Brandon Motorcars

    Sponsor

    Sep 4, 2007
    1,759
    Houston, TX
    Full Name:
    Michael Foertsch
    A C5 Z06 will be more than most can handle on the track. You don't need to go to the C6 Z06. Consumables will cost more on the faster car, plus hardware will wear out faster if you're doing a lot of tracking.

    Take it from me; I used to track a C5 Z06 extensively, and I specifically chose it over the C6 Z06.

    Plus, I think the C5 Z06 is the best looking Vette ever. But, that's a personal opinion. :)
     
  25. Phil~

    Phil~ F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 25, 2013
    3,853
    Potomac, Maryland
    #25 Phil~, Mar 28, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017

Share This Page