Zoxxo

Don't let these NON Z06 owners talk you OUT of something you don't need.

You don't NEED either car. Both are luxuries above and beyond anything anyone rational would consider to be basic transportation.

The real plus of a Z is that it *is* stock. Yes, you can get all sorts of performance with turbos and cams and headers and superchargers and such for the C6, but in the end you have to deal with any consequences yourself. There's nothing wrong with that if that's what you want to do. For my money there is value in the simple fact that I can buy a STOCK car that looks great and hauls serious butt. And if anything goes wrong along the way there is a (admittedly shrinking) dealer network across the country that can deal with it. And, as was pointed out, you can probably find a good 07 around that still have some 5 year/ 100k mile warranty on it. That's a nice plus, too.

The Z is just fine as a daily driver, too. I have 40k miles on mine in just 2 1/2 years and maybe 3/4 all of it is on city streets. I've done 2500 mile interstate trips in it, too (just change out the tires so the stock Goodyear road noise won't drive you batty all day.)

Btw, all this yapping abut resale value is silly. Almost by definition the resale value of an UNmodified car will be higher. But either way these cars are not Barrett-Jackson material and even if they ever are, it won't be in our lifetimes. So put that out of the decision process.

Yes, you can build a C6 into a thumping beast but then that's what you have - a hot rod and all that implies. Again, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that if screwing around with mechanicals and/or being a beta tester for 3rd party tuners and parts makers is your thing. Been there, done that. I'm enjoying 500 hp that I don't have to fiddle with or worry about.

And I take back what I said - DO go test drive one.

Z//

moolys

if you need more horse power I go with a super charger or turbo set up

widgetsupply

My question is why do you want a Z06? You haven't had your vette long, so how long do you think you will be happy with the Z06? I'd say put most of the money in the bank. Take a little and try to figure out how to make yourself a glass half full kind of person and be happy with what ya got.

boardroomjimmy

So, you've had your '06 for 8 months and you are ready to move on? If money is not an issue, why didn't you buy a Z 8 months ago? I think you should add a catback to your '06 and enjoy it for a while, the extra exhaust note will add to the experience, making it seem faster. You really can't use the extra h.p. on the street anyhow. Unless money really isn't an issue (lucky you) less may be more. A car payment that's a burden will ruin all fun of ownership. I've struggled with this myself, I'll get the car I want, just to want more 6 months later. It's neverending.

softballer

I would get the z06. What are you going to do with that 14k when you die. Sprinkle it over your casket for insulation?

BobGomez

Well I had originally been talked OUT of getting a Z because of people I know telling how much better life would be not using a track car as a daily driver...well I bought a '06 Z51 and after riding around in that I figure well what the crap this isn't that bad...

Money really isn't a problem guys...although I like the monetary breakdown logic that's presented in this thread..I pay for all of my vehicles in cash, this car cost me $34 when I picked it up and looking around at prices -in my area- my cash-out is probably around 32 now

If I'm honest with myself, I like the name recognition, more power, and the Z looks alot nicer

'06 Quicksilver Z06

with all of the above. And you certainly don't have to "explain yourself" and "why do you want a Z06" to people who don't get that.

With the Z06, you have, by many, if not most, auto enthusiast's definitions, a true supercar. The performance capabilities of the car are legend. You have the name recognition, the from the factory power, the Z06 heritage and lineage, a warranty depending on what year you buy, a network of dealers across the globe who can service it.

Just today, I pulled into a gas station, had to go inside. Came out and this one young man of about 20 or so, had gone islands over just to get a look at my car while his buddy pumped the gas in their pickup truck.

He acted as though he had never seen a Z06 up close. Circling it, getting down so that he could look beneath it, at the stock splitter, and the exhausts. When I came out: "Wow, thats a Z06???? You have good tastes." I wound up talking to him for the next few mins or so about the car. So yeah, people recognize it.

Good for you in being "honest" with yourself in what you want, instead of trying to take a shortcut, going out into your garage, and trying to turn your current car into what you really wanted to buy in the first place, and then coming in here and trying to convince yourself, and others, that you had somehow done it because you now have "more power" than a stock Z06. ......It still ain't a Z06.

I would not spend another quarter in that endeavor. Indeed, I didn't. Believe me when I tell you, you will be a lot happier going ahead and getting what you want, if you can swing it.

With all due respect to the person who asked it, but WTF kind of question is that; "why do you want a Z06?" This ain't a job interview, or the inquisition. And this is his money we are talking about here. He doesn't have to "explain" to us why he wants a Z06. He wants one 'cause he wants one.

Again Once you have been an unwitting "beta tester" for some of these vendors in here, and have a horror story of your own to tell as a result, like some of us in here do, you develop an increased appreciation for what the car is, be it a base Vette or a Z06, just as it came from out of Bowling Green.

To Zoxxo, I don't think people are talking about "resale" from a Barret Jackson standpoint, but rather from a standpoint of:

"What is your threshold for how much money you are willing to lose in one of these cars, whichever way you decide? Because you are going to lose money whichever way you go, how much are you willing to lose, before it becomes uncomfortable for you?"

EuroVette07

You know it really doesn't matter what you do, the point is you own an American icon and you should be proud whether it's a base, Z06 or ZR1. The bottom line is it is a CORVETTE. How many other 50k cars are there in the world that can beat it? Dollar for dollar it can't be beat. Europeans have thier luxury sport cars but you have to go into 6 digits to get one that can compete. Whatever you choose just enjoy it.

widgetsupply

Heck if you can sell it for only a $2K loss, there really shouldn't be much of a question in my book. $2k is only $250 a month over 8 months. My comment came from my experience, I have spent a lot of my life as a glass half empty person always questioning my choices rather than living with them.

I was totally not interested in a Z because of all that I've read in magazines and seen on tv, but after finding the forum it seems like owners are very happy with them. I think I have spent way too much time reading magazines rather than driving. Should have bought a Vette a long time ago.

For peace in your marriage though, I would recommend being really, really sure that a Z06 is what I wanted before trading.

NormWild

Sounds like your mind is already made up, so go buy the Z and enjoy. Personally, I could think of a 1000 other things I would rather do with $14 grand.

yanniz

buy it then....if money is not a problem then why throw the money at something to make it similar to Z, just buy the Z which sounds like it is what you want....

Maui

It sounds like you a case of Z envy. Follow your head and not your heart. In today's economy I'd recommend hanging on to your 14k. JMHO

musclecar6

Here's the thing. If you spend 14 grand to mod the C6, you'd be lucky to get back maybe a couple thousand when you go to sell on the mods. So let's say the C6 is worth maybe 30 right now, you put 14 grand in it & you sell it in 2 years. You'll probably get about 22,000 for it. If instead you pay 46 grand for the Z06 & sell it in 2 years, it'll probably depreciate about 5 grand a year, so you could sell it for about 36 grand. So the C6 costs 14,000 in mods + 8000 in depreciation = 22,000 & the Z06 costs 10,000 in depreciation. That means the C6 cost you 12,000 dollars more & you have no warranty. Unless you must have the see thru/ removable roof of the coupe, convertible or auto, I would go with the Z06.

Red Cell

Eloquently said.

Red Cell.

AORoads

I don't see the math that way. If Bob's got $34K into his purchase of his C6 which is now worth $32K, to buy his Z06, he will spend an added $14K for a $46K Z06. $34K original purchase + $14K= $48K are his all-in costs to get a Z06.

If the Z06 is then "worth" at the end of two years, $10K less than purchase price of $46K, that means $36K. $48K-$36K = $12K "loss," assuming he sells it.

The other way, on his stock C6 that he adds $14K in mods, and that is "worth" in 2 years $22K, that is a $34K original purchase price + $14K mods = $48K cost. Subtract $22K value at end of 2 years, and that means he's got a "loss," if he decides to sell it of $26K.

This assumes many things not least of which is current value, depreciation per year, cost of used Z06, etc.

'06 Quicksilver Z06

He bought his 2006 C6 back in October of 2008 though. So that approx 7 months of use cost him 2K.

Or a little under $300.00 a month.

Since he can't "rent" one for that much, for that period of time, I'd call that $2K a wash.

Especially since presumably he will be getting out of it and moving to a newer car, and a more powerful car, an improvement, in many ways, over his current car.

He can just figure that he rented a 2006 C6 for 7 months, since he is getting ready to flip it, ie in effect, take it back to the "rental place".

Similar to if he had rented a ZHZ for 7 months, though that would have cost him much more than 2K.

So he is still at 46K for the Z06 instead of 48K, because we are talking two different cars ie he is moving on to a different car.

The 2K represents his fee for use of the car for those 7 months.

The biggest way he loses, is if he puts more hard earned money into the car he currently has. A car which he is itching to "take back" to wherever it was he got it from, or move on to someone else. Anyone else who will take it off his hands for 32k, hes not particular about whom.

He is tired of using it, and wants to "cash out" and move on to something else for himself. If that only cost him 2K for 7 months, he ought to be doing back flips. He ought to get out of it as soon as he can, if the sting for 7 months is only going to be 2K.

I'll even do you one better. For 2K over nearly 8 months, he should have been out of it already. And should be posting up that he has just bought a Z06.

He is trying to "start over" but this time with a Z06. Best way for him to do that is to cut his losses and get rid of the current car, by any reasonable means necessary. His "losses" for 7 months, really aren't that bad.

If he cashes out now, and antes up at another table, letting it all ride, the whole 46k, then he doesn't get hurt too bad.

If he stays at the current table and antes up another 14 grand of his money, ....14 grand that everyone in here knows that he will never see again, ie a "sucker's bet", for a total of 48k, then when he finally does get ready to cash out, he is going to take it in the shorts.

Sure he may enjoy the mods for a while, (the equivalent of the excitement of sitting at the table and staying in the game for a while, and having the spectators look on and such. But all the while knowing that in the end, you are going to lose your ***, no ifs ands or buts about it.)

Its time to cash out and move to another table.

See above. And all thats if the Z06 price drops to 36K in two years, which I don't believe that it will. But then it might. Who knows?

Either way, he still only has 46k into the Z06. The other 2 grand was a "usage fee" for the 2006 for 7 months.

And yet another way to look at it is this: that same Z06 which he is about to pay 46 for tomorrow, would have very possibly run him 48 back in October, when he first started out.

So he still comes up smelling like a rose.

He can flip the 2006, get out from under it now, and the whole experience for 7 months only cost him 2 grand. The former governor of New York, paid more than that for a "date".

If he holds that current "rental", which he really wants to get rid of/take back to the rental place, and dumps another 14K of his money into it, then like you say, when he goes to flip it two years later, he is looking at a 26K loss, or thereabouts, for that particluar car.

He buys the Z06, he gets to enjoy two different cars. One an upgrade over the other.

JerriVette

If you can get in and out of your convertible for a couple of grand and you want the Z06..then go for it.

i'd say if you can get in and out of your convertible for less than 5600 I'd still say go for it..

Good luck and the z06 rocks!

'06 Quicksilver Z06

His '06 is a sinking ship.

He can get off of it for 2 grand, or he can add 14 grand to it, and still watch it sink. .........And take his 14 grand with it while it sinks.

If he can get off of it for 2 grand, and hop onto another, more sturdy boat for the same ticket fare, he'd be crazy not to.

BrooklynC6

Comes down to the top .

If you love having it off , the Z06 will make you unhappy .

If you dont need the wind in your face , go with the Z .

Also , you dont need to spend 14k on mods . Get an A&A supercharger installed and ready to go for 7k , and you're running with the Z06's on everything but the road course .

Deep Silver C6 Z51

Get the Z06.

You'll never be as close in the trade than you are right now.

Enjoy the new Z and don't look back.