Ferrari vs. Z06 Corvette help me please!

Good afternoon everyone. I have been a Ferrari fan since I was a little kid and owning one would be a dream. I am in a place in my life where I could afford a used 360 which to me is perfect because I love the 360. I currently have a 99 Supercharged Corvette with about 650RWHP but its older and I daily drive it. So far the Vette has been pretty decent but it has old American car problems and is getting a bit expensive to maintain. My options currently are a used 360 or getting a Stingray or Z06 when it comes out. I honestly don't want to mod anymore and the Vette makes me want to mod.

I live in Dallas, I have a garage, it will be daily driven in good weather, I put on about 8-10k miles a year, single, no kids, and I don't care about it being practical.

What types of things should I be worried about or looking at?

Thanks for all the help everyone

 

if you drive it 8-10k a year it will be alot more expensive then a z06.....price of car is irrevelant....can't compare just on purchase price.

 

360 buyers guide at top & lots of 360 vs z06 threads eg http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/360-430/438936-2002-c5-z06-vs-360-modena.html for an older car or http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/360-430/435062-f360-z06-corvette-2015-a.html for 2015

 

The 360 will definitely cost more to maintain than a new Corvette would.

I am thinking of selling my red/tan 360 stick shift if you decide you want to pursue one. You can PM me for more info if your ready to buy.

 

You should be focused on finding a real good independent mechanic near you that cares deeply about your car and your enjoyment of a Ferrari as a prerequisite to ownership IMO. Go meet with them before you buy, start the relationship, bring them some donuts/beer, make friends, talk shop, they might have a lead for you on a car if you are lucky. If you are super confident in your own repair abilities and have a good indy nearby you it is a great safety net and a comfy starting position. I say this because if you think Corvette repairs are expensive, and they very well might be, you are going to **** a brick when you get the bill from a Ferrari Repair facility should you need one.

A way to find these types of places is to use the F-Chat region search and post up in there and make friends, and ask questions. I see you haven't filled out your profile yet so we don't know where you live. Oh saw Dallas in your post. You may get lucky on an indy! Good Luck

 

The Z06 will likely be bulletproof and the 360 will cost much more to maintain. Since you asked, you might be happier with the Z06. It will definitely be a whole lot faster than a 360, or even an F430. Plus it will come with a 4 year warranty and a service center in every town.

It will not be a Ferrari, however, but to get that kind of performance in a Ferrari, you are looking at a lot more money.

 

Thanks for the info guys.

Performance isn't a huge issue. The car I have now can trash just about anything but I never drive it over 2500RPM. The repairs on the Vette aren't expensive they are just stupid. Sensors go bad all the time and are in places where you have to take tons of things apart. Its just a trash bag with an engine

My Dad had a F360 so I am sure he could give me some hints too.

 

If you want a smile on your face every time you get in your car? Get the 360. The Z06 is a wonderful car. But unless your driving it balls out, it's just numb. Traffic light to traffic light, the 360 is much more lively and fun. Just my opinion though. I was sitting in a Z06 when I got the call that the 360 I wanted was available. Didn't take me long to make that choice

 

Tom- Kind of hard to tell if the new Z06 is numb since nobody has driven one yet. The two C6 Z06s I owned were definitely not numb. Still did not hesitate to trade the last one towards a Ferrari, though.

 

Comparing an American car to a exotic car? does not balance...That's just my opinion, no offend to anyone.
Ferrari is a Ferrari, from cost of buying, maintenance, accessories, and so on, will be expensive no matter what if you are looking at $$$$sign.
As far as Power/Horse power, 360 is an older car compare to today modern car. Today technologies are accelerating rapidly, you can buy a 40k non Ferrari and you still able to have 400horse under the hood.
Mattie Num, try to do what makes you happy, life is short man!. And let just say if you don't like it, then turn it around, take another route. You will confuse the heck out of yourself if you trying to buy a car and compare them in such way....LOL
Good luck and I hope you like Ferrari as much as everyone here...

 

I agree. I have been a Vette owner since 1985. I recently traded my 2013 427 CE convertible for my 2007 F430. The 427 was definitely not "numb" and would hold its own against the F430 with ease. I have wanted a Ferrari for a very long time and my wife picked out this F430 so how could I refuse. I also injured my left knee while I had the 427, so 3 pedal cars are over for me.

I will be taking a long hard look at the C7 Z06 convertible when it comes out as an 8 speed auto will be available.

Here's a pic of the 427 and its replacement the F430:
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Corvette and Mustang are great american car! it does not matter how exotic their design are, just like the current one, they look awesome!!!, but it always wil be a "corvette".
Ferrari and Lamborghini cannot be compare with any other kind except its own....If other manufacture can make cars like Ferrari and Lamborghini, then it would be just like another Corvette or Mustang.
Again, there are many aspects we can look at. It all boil down to what makes you happy and what works for you. Like Tally said, you injured you knee, so an F1 would work for you perfectly, while other still think that an F1 is "nothing more then an automatic"....
One the a different note: when I here people said that, I would smile and walk away. Its obvious that they don't know what they are talking about, why waste time argue, or try to educate such stuburn individual....LOL

 

That black 430 is a beauty!

John

 

I have owned corvettes since the late 70s and have always had at least one, a few years ago I finally decided to buy a ferrari I always felt that I really did not deserve a Ferrari as it was a car that other people own .. anyway since I bought my First Ferrari I realize there is a romance sort of speak, to ferraris and they are far more then the sum of there parts I have now owned several Ferraris and they are truly a special car that you can only realize by owning one . If you are ready I suspect you will love it. But be warned they are not as bullet proof as a corvette and I really do not recommend modifying it mechanically at all .. I think you will soon learn what all the fuss is about.. GO ahead and give it a shot.. you may love it..
by the way everyday my 2013 427 calloway corvette convertible sits in the garage passed over for the Ferrari again..

 

The C6 Corvettes have the crappiest interiors with all the hard plastics from the Chevy Cobalt. Get a Ferrari and enjoy the quality materials surrounding you plus the intoxicating sound and driving experience but prepare to pay a LOT more for maintenance

 

There are plenty of cars that are fast, there are plenty of cars that handle great, but the Ferrari has a certain passion that no other car can match. It also has exclusivity that only a few other cars can match. It's hard to pinpoint it, but the combination of looks, power, sound, feel and uniqueness just works really well together and never fails to put a smile on my face when I drive it.
Believe me, I have also been tempted to jump ship for the 2015 Z06, or the 2015 Porsche GT3 (more likely), especially since those choices are more reliable AND have a warranty! However, until my Italian mistress is too much for me to maintain (psychologically more than monetarily) I'm going to keep her.

 

+1, amend, I am with you on that...short and straight to the point.
Man! I was suck trying to say something like that earlier...Hahahahahahaha

 

And the A/C will never fail you in the triple digit Texas heat.

 

Sorry. The c6. I just felt at low speed it's not that exciting. And the interior is pretty dang cheap looking. It's a great car, don't get me wrong. There is a passion and intrigue with the car that the vette will never have. I do think the C6 z06 is an absolutely beautiful car.

Having driven the new stingray, I can tell you it feels really big. Visibility is not all that great either. The interior is a phenomenal upgrade over the last generation. Just not a fan still of the camaro rear end. And even thoughts a new car, close the trunk and the car does not feel solid.
I test drove it three times trying to convince myself to get one. It may be faster on a track, but driving around town was not too exhilarating.

 

I have a lot of seat time (50,000 miles, many of which were “aggressive”) in an 09 Z06 with basic power upgrades and running Michelin pilot super sports.

I respectfully disagree with some of the owners on this thread who claim the car is “not numb”. It is numb in steering and chassis feel in 98% of driving situations.

As a few examples of cars I consider “not numb” under normal driving situations, try driving a 997.2 (steering feel amazing), a 360 (good steering feel and good chassis feel), or a 2013+ SRT Viper (good steering feel and great chassis feel).

I didn’t even have magnetic ride control on the car, so I was running the “raw” version of the car, and it was not engaging to drive (outside of the engine, which was quite good but very “digital” feeling, they must be doing serious torque management with it) under sane street driving conditions.

Oddly the car worked really well as a GT car outside of the borderline rough ride (I think the ride is decent and daily-drivable on MPSS, and horrific on run-flats, and with a car with magnetic ride and no run flats, it was actually quite good). It had great torque, comfortable seats, sips fuel in 6th, tons of storage space (I did Costco runs in it with ease…), and was wickedly fast on the highway.

HOWEVER, and this is a big, big, BIG, HOWEVER:

Get this car beyond 8/10ths, get her running canyons, or racetracks/road courses, and this is where in my personal opinion it is without peer. Suddenly you get this incredible car, with good steering feel, and a chassis that is almost beyond words.

The first time I really was comfortable and had my way with the car in some of our best canyon roads here (GMR for locals…), it was a near religious experience. I have never driven a better car before or since when you go for broke and know what you are doing.

It is so well balanced, so light, so much power, it is just unbelievable. A lot of people never see this side of the car because it requires doing things on public roads that aren’t particularly advisable, and/or requires hitting the track and in all cases knowing what you are doing.

The limits are way, way, way out there. There is a reason this car runs the track times it does on tight tracks, fast tracks, whatever, wherever, whenever. At the limit it makes cars like 911 GT3s, Gen 5 Vipers, and other “track-oriented cars” feel like something is wrong (none are as balanced, the Viper was the closest but still felt slightly “off” and heavy in the rear-hips).

So my humble opinion on the C6 Z06, for whatever it may be worth is:

7/10ths or less driving = Spooky lack of feel (much like the C5 I might add…), fast as hell, decent GT car but about as much feel as a F12 in casual driving (which ain’t much).

8/10ths or more = One of the best balanced, most capable street cars ever made. If you tap into this land of Nirvana, you will never be the same, and you will be slightly horrified and in awe in retrospect had you driven it on the street at these levels.

OP of the cars you list,

The 360 is the most enjoyable/engaging (and I am currently rabidly pursuing a 3-pedal 2004 coupe that is effectively a CS in its current state of modification), and while I could see it being daily driven, it will likely ruin some of what makes it special and it will not be cheap if you maintain it the way it should be maintained.

C7 is the most sensible choice for a DD car with high levels of capability. Oddly more engaging than a base C6, odd because usually as cars evolve/get more digital they become less engaging (that tells you how bad C6 steering is under casual operating conditions when the C7s is better as a ELECTRIC system than the C6s hydraulic one…).

C7 Z06 is of course not out yet so I reserve judgement, but I fully expect it will be a monster and I am fairly disappointed it using a supercharger now and has lost the big personality point of the earlier Z06s which was a high-revving, high-strung V8.

C6 Z06 - See above

Honorable mention although you didn't list it- Gen V Viper. It is everything I think the "performance model / raw track-oriented" Corvette *should* be. It lacks the refinement but it makes up for it and then some with driver engagement, personality, and exclusivity.

My choice would be buy 360 and then get something fun/interesting to drive daily (could be anything from a Fiesta ST up to a used M car or some such…).

 

I was looking at GTR R35 and GT3s before I bought my 360
7 months later I have not looked back

Words can not describe the feeling you have driving such an exotic car...most people think its a $500K car just because its a Ferrari...

The 360 is so raw but that's why I like it so much

 

Good advice. I laugh every time someone says "Ferrari 360" and "daily driver" in the same sentence. I drive my 360 pretty often, even to the grocery store. But only to the one which has a huge parking lot including a couple of "safe" spots where door dings are impossible. But I NEVER park it in town using an ordinary Italian sized parking spot. That's just asking for infuriating minor damage from irresponsible drivers. In addition, there are a number of places I can't go without scraping even at normal ride height. So I don't go there. I also don't haul fence posts, fertilizer, or dogs in my Ferrari.

That's why I have a real "daily driver". It's nothing fancy, but it is the "sport" model with high performance tires and upgraded shock absorbers and brakes so I can have fun flogging it. In fact, since it's got only a third of the HP, I probably drive it closer to the limit a higher percentage of the time than I do my Ferrari. But, when necessary I park it anywhere and haul anything which will fit.

The contrast between my rather mundane DD and the Ferrari makes driving the Ferrari even more of a treat.

 

Me too
Although it's not a DD I try to drive it most days ..
Seems pointless owning such a hot car and never enjoying it

 

Get a 360 and an abarth for commuting. They are fun cars.

 

I have a ZR1 and a 430. Both are great cars. Ferrari is more predictable and fun to drive. Corvette is much cheaper to maintain and much more livable. My ZR1 was first week of production so it will be 6 years old in September. So far, only fluid changes in 25K or driving. Most expensive trip to the dealer was $170 (which was also my most expensive year of ownership). Chevy is building some great products but more Germanic (all vehicles) than Italian. Driving a Ferrari is just a differnt experience.