I am in the market for a new play car. I am really interested in a Corvette. I really like them for some reason. I have looked at a few 911's but I can not find the right one. I did find this

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/C6-Z51-Corvette-Z06-Upgrades-and-Custom-Wheels-HUD-/230548540054?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item35adc38a96

I talked to him and told him if it does not sell I will pay 25K cash and leave tomorrow. He said he would think about it.

I have found a ton of C5 Z06's for 20K. Which direction would you go. I am only looking at Corvettes. I also would consider doing forced induction if I did the C5 Z06 because I think I can still spend <30K.

11/15/2010 8:49:35 PM

6 one way half a dozen the other?

i've never driven a c6 but i bet you its a little softer and a little heavier but they look better and are more refined.

that being said the c5 zo6 is a monster and i'd love to have one.

11/15/2010 9:13:15 PM

^I'm not sure about the Z06, but the C6 model is smaller dimensionally and lighter than the C5 model.

If it was me I'd go for a C6.

11/15/2010 9:42:59 PM

c6

11/15/2010 9:49:04 PM

The more i know!!

cool thanks guise

11/15/2010 9:59:33 PM

G6.

11/15/2010 10:21:22 PM

The Z06 are ugly. Yes I know the small rear window saves weight, but they're still ugly.

11/15/2010 10:48:05 PM

c6

11/15/2010 11:23:05 PM

I know the C5 z06 is supposed to be more hardcore and all, but the C6 performance matches it, and I think feels a bit less low rent in the process. I'd do the C6.

Also, haven't found the right 911? Please, I got JUST the one!1


In all seriouslies, if you're actually interested in a sports car, I'd be happy to give you a ride in a 911. Regardless though, it's insane how much world class sports car $25k will buy nowadays.

11/15/2010 11:51:42 PM

Buy the c5 and go forced induction

11/16/2010 12:18:19 AM

5.0

11/16/2010 12:21:48 AM

i might be in the minority but i think the c5 looks a million times better than the c6. i would also think a c5 is cheaper to modify.

11/16/2010 12:51:33 AM

Reid, I was looking for 911s, too. Ended up recently buying c5 z06. Would prefer a c6 z51 (unless maybe if it was strictly a toy), but the c5 is a good bit cheaper, and I found a screaming deal.

11/16/2010 10:10:36 AM

i can not afford the 911 i want. after driving a gt3 cup car i have decided i do not want to got 911 unless i can go turbo because no c2 or c4 can satisfy my need for power. i still love straight line speed.

Duke- I have been looking at c6's but i want to pay cash. so i am a bit limited. i liked the bigger brakes and better suspension of the z06. i think it is a better platform for forced induction. i am considering waiting another year and saving a few more pennies for a z51. how do you like yours? any plans for forced induction? track driven it yet?

11/17/2010 8:34:12 PM

Z06's have the same brakes and most of the running gear as a base c5. I'd get a base c5 if you're going to highly modify it... That said, go for a c6. Or save a bit and buy the c6 z06, won't have to modify it...

11/17/2010 9:11:23 PM

definitely wait and save up and get either C6 Z06 or 996TT. they will have better resale value down the road and come with beefed up components from factory. i never understood people who for example take regular 3-series bmw and try to swap out trailing arms, brakes, and what not to create an M3. same thing with idiots building a forester or wrx into an STI. just buy the right car from the factory. down the road it will cost less to modify it than to swap out all the parts.

11/18/2010 1:18:22 AM

I can understand it, insurance for my m3 was twice what i paid for my 328 (same year)

11/18/2010 1:46:49 AM

Stone, Btw, where'd you drive a CUP car/what iteration?

^^absolutely. However, for harder acceleration, the things you'd upgrade on the (C5) z06 are mostly the things that make it different than the base C5. Cam, heads, etc. And, the brakes are the same as the base car save for having painted (red) calipers. That said, it's a formidable package. I'd rather aC6, because I think they feel more refined and not "cheap", for virtually the same performance. On the other hand, the c6 z06 is from a different planet, what a car.

Anyway, if you want something that feels fast, a Porsche likely won't do it (not even a turbo 996). For that you need lots of torque. It also helps to have a chassis not designed to handle the power, it's only when you take a car away from that well rounded-ness that you really start to feel like it's doing something extraordinary. Vibration, sound, smell... Ever ride in a DeTomaso? Not even as fast as a v6 Maxima, but it sure feels otherwise. Anyway, fast on a budget --> C5+supercharger!

[Edited on November 18, 2010 at 1:57 AM. Reason : .]

11/18/2010 1:53:25 AM

Fast on a budget?

Ahmet laying on his stomach in a rent by the hour hotel room.

ZING!

11/18/2010 2:57:37 AM

Quote :

"I can understand it, insurance for my m3 was twice what i paid for my 328 (same year) "

I don't doubt it. I had a '94 accord that carried higher insurance than M3, simply because it was the most stolen car in NC for number of years. Point is unless you go and spend a lot of time and money you will never be able to turn 328 into an M3. What's worse, down the road it you will not be able to retrieve what you put into it. Might as well pay more for insurance and get what you want in the first place.

11/18/2010 9:46:36 AM

You do know that all the m3 parts bolt on to a 3 series right ?? And you don't need solid lodgers for a 3.3 liter to make that kind of power.

I mean the m3 is a great car but I'd rather have a euro s52 in a e36.

11/18/2010 10:01:40 AM

Quote :

"Point is unless you go and spend a lot of time and money you will never be able to turn 328 into an M3"

no, but you can get it close enough to not be worth twice the insurance payment and extra cost; you also have to consider the inflated price you pay because every male teenager wants an m3. my point was just that to some people it's not about all out performance, its a mix of affordability and performance. a point that you said you couldn't understand, just mentioning not everyone thinks like you.

11/18/2010 10:13:54 AM

True, but if you're in an accident or the car is stolen you lose all the money you put into it, unless you report the modifications to your insurance company (which increases rates).

11/18/2010 10:35:16 AM

it's sunk cost as soon as you install it anyway, if you don't get into an accident you lose the value when you sell the car regardless. and most people never get in an accident or have their car stolen so it's kind of a moot point regardless.

11/18/2010 10:41:47 AM

Quote :

"I mean the m3 is a great car but I'd rather have a euro s52 in a e36. "

Right and how much would it cost you to buy AND install S50B32 along with getrag 6-speed tranny on top of cost you paid for e36 328i. Surely more than if you just imported an entire euro E36 M3 in the first place. Not to mention things like steering rack, entire suspension from bushings, M trailings arms, FCAB, brakes, geometry, aero pieces. It all adds up. Things you will never be able to change such as track width etc etc.

Quote :

"my point was just that to some people it's not about all out performance, its a mix of affordability and performance"

but that's the point ...in order for you to get to the right mix of performance, you will lose affordability.

11/18/2010 10:52:48 AM

^^it depends on what is modified.

11/18/2010 10:59:43 AM

A friend of mine has a C5 Z06 with bolt ons (stock suspension). I got the opportunity to drive it. It's a great car with plenty of torque, and it feels pretty balanced and controllable. It also has enough straight line that it won't feel slow, although it's not that impressive anymore.

The big advantage of a C6 is the interior if you care about that. The C5 Z06 is so ugly inside. It's too much like my 2001 Cavalier I drove in highschool. The C6 Z06 is far ahead of the base C6 and the C5 Z06, but you can't find a stock one for less than 40k still.

11/18/2010 4:13:37 PM

you can get e36 325i's with blown motors for nothing... i mean 1500 bucks and since i'd do the work myself (i'd probably do a turbo m5b30 personally) but i'd say i could get out the door for 8k

11/18/2010 4:25:17 PM

BMW's aren't sports cars.

11/18/2010 5:49:18 PM

I'd say your estimate is VERY optimistic (and are you including transmission/clutch/motor mounts/driveshaft/diff/diff mounts and so on), but let's run with it. When complete, you'd have a chassis developed for a 316d (as the base 3 series share the same chassis, but the M3 is modified), and the brakes/running gear from a car with about half the power, not to mention seats, steering wheel, gauge cluster, shifter, etc. and the aero (and control arms, and hubs, and wheel bearings and so on) that come with the M3...

11/18/2010 5:51:57 PM

what kills these types of swaps are all the little things that typically go into the higher model, like a stronger drivetrain, suspension & chassis changes or wiring differences.

11/18/2010 6:02:21 PM

a legit e36 m3 is cheap as hell . wtf are you guys talking about saving ten cents by building a crappy replica for?

11/18/2010 6:42:38 PM

lol true but our legit m3 isn't e46 quality engine wise

who cares back to vettes!!

[Edited on November 18, 2010 at 7:18 PM. Reason : .]

11/18/2010 7:18:14 PM

Yeah, i was going to say...we totally hijacked man's thread.

11/19/2010 12:06:03 AM

I own a C5 z06. I've also modified it. (cam, exhaust, tint).

As far as a play car, the c5 is the best bang for your buck. I bought my 2001 z06 for 17500, i put $2,200 into it, and i put down 415 rwhp with a small cam. that's over 500+hp at the crank. I can hop in the car, drive the beach, AC blasting cold, and back without hesitation

Modifying a C6/C6Z will get expensive. Repairs also cost more. Go price a pair of c5 long tube headers and then go price a pair of c6 long tube headers, or hell brakes for that matter. C6 does have a superior interior and one day I will probably own a c6z but now I am very happy with my c5.

PM me if you care to discuss further.

11/19/2010 2:28:14 PM

Quote :

"where'd you drive a CUP car"

vir. my uncle has one. he lives in seattle but goes all over with it. he actually shipped it and ran Nürburgring last year. i have driven his c4 at cmp a few times. he usually travels with both and we do hpde together when he is this way.

I hate the interior of the c5. it looks like a 95 pick up. my wife likes the c6 much more and a happy wife makes a happy spouse. so i think i will look for a c6. the real question will be if i can afford a c6z.

11/19/2010 9:46:13 PM

I'd save for the 6z06, that's one fantastic package.

11/19/2010 9:49:55 PM

whoa... thats the first chubby a bowtie has given me in a loooonnng time.

11/21/2010 1:16:00 PM

the same c6 that i originally posted is back on ebay again. i offered 24K this time. maybe he will counter instead of just saying no. for some reason i really like the orange color.

11/27/2010 3:09:44 PM

^^that is fucking awesome

11/27/2010 3:13:51 PM

C5 Z06 quick review:

Big power, but doesn't feel like a tiger by the tail, although it will break the tires loose at will in 1st or 2nd...probably 3rd on a hard shift or if you're in a turn at all. Makes gobs of torque all over the tach. Turns 2k rpm at 80 mph, will pull from 15 mph in 4th gear at 1500 rpm with ease. 1-4 skip shift is weird, but I can deal with it (or cut the wire to disable if I decide to). Makes fantastic noises at WOT (or blipping to downshift).

Shitloads of grip. I mean shitloads.

Steering is atrocious for a sports car. Utterly devoid of feel, kinda numb on center, and a little slower and heavier than I prefer. I can't really seem to feel what the car's doing very well.

Brakes feel decent; haven't worked them too hard yet

Shifter is better than it looks--it's...acceptable (fairly positive, just huge throws and a little heavy)

Interior would be unacceptable in an econobox made in the last couple of years

Seats are comfortable...just drove from FL to NC. Not enough lateral support, and I don't find them very attractive.

TONS of trunk space (for a sports car).

Rides over bumps like Buick built a sports car, acceptably quiet (unless you're in the throttle).



S2000s are scalpels. Evos are, like, a CNC mill--the way they annihilate curvy pavement is unflappable, lightning quick, micrometer precise, and damn near robotic. The Z06...this thing is a commercial-duty chainsaw. If it were a professional athlete, it would be Chuck Liddell. It's kind of a big, crude hammer in every way (from power delivery to driving feel to ergonomics to interior quality), but rail it around a cloverleaf onramp, then roll hard into the gas in 3rd gear on the exit, and it will change your life.

12/5/2010 10:46:34 PM

^ You're making me want one.

12/6/2010 1:14:48 AM

thanks for the update duke. it makes me want to stop waiting on a c6.

12/7/2010 6:43:11 PM

hahahah awesome review!!!!!!!

12/7/2010 6:45:21 PM

based on my C5 Z06 driving experience, I agree with you on the trunkspace but I think you are being too hard on the C5 Z06's steering. I consider the steering well meh. It's not bad, it's not good. It's just forgettable.

Also the best way to describe the torque is "broad and usable." It's really not instant kick-in-the-ass torque IMO, not like a supercharged V8 (terminator Cobra etc). And it's not like "omfg I'm driving a missle" torque like you get from a modified engine with a big turbo.

[Edited on December 7, 2010 at 7:26 PM. Reason : .]

12/7/2010 7:24:21 PM

broad and usable keeps you out of the ditch

12/7/2010 8:06:31 PM

^ sometimes

12/7/2010 8:11:52 PM

man, I still haven't really gotten the hang of modulating the throttle in this car. First gear is not particularly useful. 2nd gear will pin you back in your seat if you keep the wheelspin in check, but it's very easy to overdo it, light up the rear tires, and have traction control reign things in, to the detriment of your forward progress. My old turbo Miata was traction limited in the first 2 gears, but I don't remember it being as difficult to manage the wheelspin in. The 'Vette just has straight up retard-strength.

12/7/2010 11:55:32 PM

I drove a Z06 a year ago. The torque was insane. I could feel the tires want to break away when I was stomping on it during gear changes. Scared me a bit. But I dont have the driving experience most of you do.

12/13/2010 12:52:25 PM

Quote :

"The 'Vette just has straight up retard-strength."

i am happy to hear this. i am still searching for the right c6 now. their are a lot of options but i am after a z51 c6.

12/13/2010 8:22:54 PM