KX

I want to pull the trigger soon: choice between a low mile '04 ZO6 LeMan's Com with Borla/S & & a bunch of bling stuff with a negotiated price of $29,000 vs. a Red/black '06 coupe 6 spd stick loaded w/Z51, navigation, On Star, chrome wheels, and nearly all options incl both tops for a negotiated price of $32,000. That car has stock exhaust and 24,000 miles.
HP is nearly the same, 405 vs. 400. The Z has slate interior the '06 is black. If the '06 were cashmere/ light oak I would jump on it in two seconds flat.
Both are Calif cars, where I also live.
The problem, as I see it, is that the ZO6 is already a generation old & will be two back when the C7's come out. Also, the '06 has the newer interior & open lights
vs. those unattractive hidden bucket lights. I hated those on my ZR-1's. I could care less about the '04's comm decals and such, but the carbon fiber hood may be cool and only 12,000 miles is a good plus.
Any opinions would be appreciated. BTW, I am 67, semi-retired and buying one last toy before I go where ever my kids put me, most likely spread on the ocean in Del Mar, CA. They then get to fight over the car...
Thanks,
KX

AU N EGL

what do you want? Pure Grunt or a Gentleman cruzer?

KX

At 405hp vs. 400, do they both not have very similar grunt? Granted, the Z has different gearing, but but both should be close in output to the ground with a competent driver.
My trade off is the FRC vs. a fully loaded coupe!
Thanks,
KX

Milan

I would go C6 and boost it if I had to do it over

KX

Thanks Milan. This is going to be a 'daily driver" only, I do not comute!
With only three grand diff, I think I will go with the '06 and add a Borla, or other system. 3K to go two years newer and get all the bells & whistles...sounds like the way to go. I no longer drag race..
KX

SlowFRC

This topic has been discusses many times before but I'll comment. First of all you're posting in the C5 section so you're going to get baised opinions. That being said, I think the Z is the way to go. It is lighter so it'll handle better, be faster in a straight line (especially since it's modded), and Zs come pretty loaded anyways so its not like the 04 will be a civic. I also think the Z looks better but if you like the styling of the C6 then go for it. I doubt you'll regret either choice.

Milan

If you don't care about speed than C6 hands down...much more refined.

lar66BB

The differance in my opinion is a sportscar vs a cadillac.

pauly1119

I drove both and would rather have the C6 as a every day driver and the C5 for the weekends and night cruises. The C5 Z is just a fun car. BTW I purchased a 03 Z and love it.

RC45

Slate interior?

KX

My thanks to all that responded. Yes, the 2004 ZO6 is a Commemorative in LeMan's Blue and those came with slate interiors! From what I have been reading, slate was the ONLY interior color for the Z Commemorative. I had nearly convinced myself to go with the 2004 ZO6 but some of you support my thoughts that at $29k, it is too high priced, even if it has the Borla with s mufflers and tons of bling added. Although, the 12,000 miles are very enticing vs. 24,000 on the C6 coupe! But the '04 Z is still a generation back.
I am also done with my drag racing days having owned three ZR-1's and a mild monster sleeper '91 Z28 that was in the 12's on the strip.
So, I see no need to burn off expensive tires showing up stupid rice rockets or beating some cute young girl onto the freeway. A 400hp C6 would do just nicely in that dept [if I wanted to] and would perhaps eliminate the desire to street race, God forbid that a 67 year old man would EVER do that in California....!!
Now the choice is down to price....$29k for the ZO6, and she will not budge, or, the $32k for the fully loaded C06.
My apologies to those that I may have offended if this has been discussed before....I have not been following this forum for many years, up until now. However, I have always been active on the ZR-1 List.
Grazie,
Kely
San Diego

RC45

Hmm - from every Z16 I have seen slate was not an option. Perhaps it is eihter a custom interior or a non-Z06 CE interior retro fitted.

Either way, good luck with your choice. If I was going to leave the car stock I would go with the Z16, if I was planning on modding the car for road coarse work I would get the C6.

http://corvetteactioncenter.com/spec.../2004prod.html

I believe a shale interior C5 Z16 would be an extremely rare car. Perhaps 1 of 1.

Hopefully someone isnt offering a CE Coupe with polished Z16 wheels and brake scoops trying to pass it off as a Z16.

AU N EGL

No they dont. the C5Z is quicker. The C6 has torque management that prevents too much throttle input at any one time. the C5Z is lighter, which also makes it quicker.

The C5Z has a stiffer suspension and handle corners quicker.

Sounds like you would like the C6, Which is a great car, great throttle responce, excelent power and comfortable to drive and ride in.

sothpaw2

My guess would be that he really wants the cruzer. I like the C5Z because I'm more of a sports car purist. The C5Z is about as Sports Car as you can get and still drive it a lot (ie accumulate 100,000 miles in 8-10 yrs). I still drive it to work occasionally sunny days; it would be as good a daily driver IMHO as a truck since both don't get fuel economy near 30 hwy like a small car would.

TheJeanyus

From the way this is written it sounds like you've already made your mind up on the C6 (based on your comments about the interior, being newer, and the headlights).

That C5 Z is too high IMO. I paid a good bit less than that for my '04 with 15,935 miles on it. It's not a Z16 package, but I'm not particularly fond of that package anyway. Mine was in California as well.

SlowFRC

My FRC gets 30mpg on the highway and sometimes even more and it's modded so it has close to the power than an 02-04 Z would have. I think the Z would be a great DD unless you needed a lot of room to carry stuff.

KC2GIW

Get the C6. I'm 99% sure that's what you want.

I love my Z, but having come from a modded 06 GTO, I can appreciate how comfortable the vette ISN'T. I bought it because it's a sports car. I knew it wasn't comfortable, but if I was looking for a cruiser, this car would not be it.

The C6 will make you very happy.

danziger

I had the same choice 18 months ago. The rawness and uniqueness of the C5Z won me over. IMO, the C6 is a better choice as a daily, but that is a non-issue for me. The Z16 may never be a true "collectable", but you don't see many on the road and I get plenty of thumbs-up with #281...

danziger

Er, negative. Z16s are black interior. #281

JimbeauZ06

I respectfully but strongly disagree. The C5Z is significantly quicker in every department even with an incompetent driver. First hand experience!

Doesn't sound to me like the raw sports car experience is really what you're looking for. Sounds like the C6 is much more in line with what you're looking for. Never mind the difference in price, it won't matter if it's what you want. Just buy the C6 and enjoy yourself!