Why are their so many ZR1's for sale
06-19-2012, 02:43 PM
#181
Melting Slicks
i agree with one of the earlier posts, the car is too much for most to handle. I've asked the guys at west coast corvette the same question since they sell al lot of used ZR1's on consignment and they explained to me that the number 1 reason a ZR1 comes in for sale is it is too much power and the wife is pushing it. They even told me that most of those owners will buy a automatic Grand Sport to replace it, so if you want to read into that then the ZR1 was never the appropirate choice.
As for other members ( I believe that everyone is entitlted to thier own opinion, so here is mine) to say the ZR1 is 125k because of the badging and nothing else then please do the corvettte brand a favor and research the true differences and go test drive one to compare. I'm proud of my ZR1 and it's a little annoying to hear other Vette enhusiast hate on that logo and basically question our ability to manage our money.
As for other members ( I believe that everyone is entitlted to thier own opinion, so here is mine) to say the ZR1 is 125k because of the badging and nothing else then please do the corvettte brand a favor and research the true differences and go test drive one to compare. I'm proud of my ZR1 and it's a little annoying to hear other Vette enhusiast hate on that logo and basically question our ability to manage our money.
Last edited by K B Vettin; 06-19-2012 at 02:44 PM. Reason: error
06-19-2012, 02:44 PM
#182
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When you go see them built there is simply no way to make one of our regular coupes a zr1...The differences are massive from the brake rotors to the clutch. The clutch/flywheel assebly on the zr1 is huge.
So yea I agree we can make ours faster reasonably easy and less expensive...BUT you can throw a motercylcle motor on 500 pound aluminum frame/seat and wheels and run in the 10'sfor about 10 grand but that isn't the point really now is it..
The Z06 and Zr1 are simply two of the best values stock there is on the planet as is the plain jane old coupes we have... but ours will never really be a Z no matter what we do to it...
So yea I agree we can make ours faster reasonably easy and less expensive...BUT you can throw a motercylcle motor on 500 pound aluminum frame/seat and wheels and run in the 10'sfor about 10 grand but that isn't the point really now is it..
The Z06 and Zr1 are simply two of the best values stock there is on the planet as is the plain jane old coupes we have... but ours will never really be a Z no matter what we do to it...
Except for the part about the Coupes being plain Janes-they are ALL nice 
And they all have their differences that one may prefer over the other 
06-19-2012, 02:49 PM
#183
Burning Brakes
06-19-2012, 02:56 PM
#184
Team Owner
06-19-2012, 03:10 PM
#185
Melting Slicks
i agree with one of the earlier posts, the car is too much for most to handle. I've asked the guys at west coast corvette the same question since they sell al lot of used ZR1's on consignment and they explained to me that the number 1 reason a ZR1 comes in for sale is it is too much power and the wife is pushing it. They even told me that most of those owners will buy a automatic Grand Sport to replace it, so if you want to read into that then the ZR1 was never the appropirate choice.
As for other members ( I believe that everyone is entitlted to thier own opinion, so here is mine) to say the ZR1 is 125k because of the badging and nothing else then please do the corvettte brand a favor and research the true differences and go test drive one to compare. I'm proud of my ZR1 and it's a little annoying to hear other Vette enhusiast hate on that logo and basically question our ability to manage our money.
As for other members ( I believe that everyone is entitlted to thier own opinion, so here is mine) to say the ZR1 is 125k because of the badging and nothing else then please do the corvettte brand a favor and research the true differences and go test drive one to compare. I'm proud of my ZR1 and it's a little annoying to hear other Vette enhusiast hate on that logo and basically question our ability to manage our money.
06-19-2012, 04:04 PM
#186
Instructor
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I just purchased my ZR1 and have owned it for almost one month now. I had a 2011 Grand Sport and loved the car but what I really wanted was the ZR1 and settled for the Grand Sport mainly because of my wife. The main reason she did not want to own one had to do with the actual cost of the vehicle and being uncomfortable driving around town in such an expensive car. After a few weeks behind the wheel she decided that she preferred driving in something that rode a little higher and was complaining of not being able to see the road and traffic ahead so she stopped driving the Corvette altogether. Well, if she isn't driving it then I saw no reason not to get what I wanted.
Yes, I could have modded my C6 Grand Sport and obtained just as much horsepower as the ZR1 but it would have been expensive. There is a lot more involved that dropping a blower under the hood and getting a tune. The internals of the LS3 were never designed to handle the extremes of forced induction so common sense would say that I need to build the engine to handle the increased horsepower. Then you have the increased strains on the drive train and suspension which should be beefed up to handle the additional horsepower and torque. Then there is my factory power train warranty which just went in to the trash because I modified my vehicle. Finally, there comes a day when I decide to sell or trade my beloved Grand Sport at which point I have to remove all the performance goodies and try to sell them or leave them on the car and give them away. In fact I would probably have a harder time selling my now modified Grand Sport because potential buyers are going to think I have abused it over the years. Don't take this the wrong way because I have modded plenty of vehicles in my lifetime and not once have I ever gotten a return on my investment.
So, I bought my ZR1 which came from the factory with more than enough power, handling, and braking to satisfy my needs but also includes a 5 year/100000 mile power train warranty in the event that something happens to go wrong! In the event I decide to sell or trade it, I will not have to worry about stripping off any performance parts and most likely there will be plenty of people out there that will want this car because of what it is! No, I don't expect it to increase in value and realize I won't get back what I paid, but given it's limited status I think there may be a desire for this vehicle in the future.
Just this weekend I took it on a trip and logged in over 400 miles, loving every minute! And no, I did not buy it to impress anyone. I am 48 years old, over weight, losing my hair, and happily married to one of the finest women on the planet that loves me for who I am! I bought mine because I could afford it, have a passion for automobiles, and enjoy getting behind the wheel of one very bada$$ ride!
Yes, I could have modded my C6 Grand Sport and obtained just as much horsepower as the ZR1 but it would have been expensive. There is a lot more involved that dropping a blower under the hood and getting a tune. The internals of the LS3 were never designed to handle the extremes of forced induction so common sense would say that I need to build the engine to handle the increased horsepower. Then you have the increased strains on the drive train and suspension which should be beefed up to handle the additional horsepower and torque. Then there is my factory power train warranty which just went in to the trash because I modified my vehicle. Finally, there comes a day when I decide to sell or trade my beloved Grand Sport at which point I have to remove all the performance goodies and try to sell them or leave them on the car and give them away. In fact I would probably have a harder time selling my now modified Grand Sport because potential buyers are going to think I have abused it over the years. Don't take this the wrong way because I have modded plenty of vehicles in my lifetime and not once have I ever gotten a return on my investment.
So, I bought my ZR1 which came from the factory with more than enough power, handling, and braking to satisfy my needs but also includes a 5 year/100000 mile power train warranty in the event that something happens to go wrong! In the event I decide to sell or trade it, I will not have to worry about stripping off any performance parts and most likely there will be plenty of people out there that will want this car because of what it is! No, I don't expect it to increase in value and realize I won't get back what I paid, but given it's limited status I think there may be a desire for this vehicle in the future.
Just this weekend I took it on a trip and logged in over 400 miles, loving every minute! And no, I did not buy it to impress anyone. I am 48 years old, over weight, losing my hair, and happily married to one of the finest women on the planet that loves me for who I am! I bought mine because I could afford it, have a passion for automobiles, and enjoy getting behind the wheel of one very bada$$ ride!
Last edited by bbudman; 06-19-2012 at 04:08 PM.
06-19-2012, 04:31 PM
#187
Melting Slicks
As for other members ( I believe that everyone is entitlted to thier own opinion, so here is mine) to say the ZR1 is 125k because of the badging and nothing else then please do the corvettte brand a favor and research the true differences and go test drive one to compare.
Reality time: Anyone saying they aren't worth it, they aren't that different, or that a modded xxxx at 1/2 the cost is better just doesn't have a grasp on how things really are or they are trying to justify something to themselves. The fact that Chevrolet can sell them and that there is a market for them proves that they are worth it, at least to some segment of buyers.
Maybe a modded car is better for someone with a smaller budget, but value and worth two things that depend on the individual. To me, a ZR1 is a performance value when you compare it to it's peers and I would buy one tomorrow if my wife didn't get hooked on the removable roof on my old C5 or if I had another empty stall in the garage.
I love my GS, but you'll never see me saying that when I put an A&A kit on it that it's just as good as a ZR1. It may be as fast, or faster but it's still not a ZR1 at the end of the day.
All the bickering in this thread is pretty sad.
06-19-2012, 06:20 PM
#191
Melting Slicks
06-19-2012, 06:31 PM
#192
_"SCOTT"_
In fact my '95 Grand Marquis with 190 hp is enough to get me, or anyone else into trouble. I think the same can be said for "any" car on the road. The responsibility lies upon the driver not the car...
People buy and sell these cars for many reasons. I think most people on this forum can relate as to why I bought a ZR1 and may never sell...
1. I look forward to sharing the experience with my 1 year old son down the road
2. I'm addicted to performance
3. I'm proud to own a US made car by a US company
4. All Corvettes are cool
5. I'm blessed to have the ZR1 in my price range
6. "No less" than Supercar performance at a value
7. 5/100 warranty with 638hp
I'm probably missing many reasons to own one but those were off the top of my head.
I have had tons of people come up and say..."Wow, ZR1, you don't see a lot of these!, very nice" etc etc. Happens at car shows, restaurants, gas stations etc. You best leave the factual comments to people who own ZR1's and have real life experiences rather than trying to be a know it all, that doesn't know ****.
BTW, I've only seen 2 on the road since they've come out and I live and drive in busy South Florida. I've seen way more Ferraris, Lambos, R8s, AMs and Porsches than ZR1s
06-19-2012, 06:52 PM
#193
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I just purchased my ZR1 and have owned it for almost one month now. I had a 2011 Grand Sport and loved the car but what I really wanted was the ZR1 and settled for the Grand Sport mainly because of my wife. The main reason she did not want to own one had to do with the actual cost of the vehicle and being uncomfortable driving around town in such an expensive car. After a few weeks behind the wheel she decided that she preferred driving in something that rode a little higher and was complaining of not being able to see the road and traffic ahead so she stopped driving the Corvette altogether. Well, if she isn't driving it then I saw no reason not to get what I wanted.
Yes, I could have modded my C6 Grand Sport and obtained just as much horsepower as the ZR1 but it would have been expensive. There is a lot more involved that dropping a blower under the hood and getting a tune. The internals of the LS3 were never designed to handle the extremes of forced induction so common sense would say that I need to build the engine to handle the increased horsepower. Then you have the increased strains on the drive train and suspension which should be beefed up to handle the additional horsepower and torque. Then there is my factory power train warranty which just went in to the trash because I modified my vehicle. Finally, there comes a day when I decide to sell or trade my beloved Grand Sport at which point I have to remove all the performance goodies and try to sell them or leave them on the car and give them away. In fact I would probably have a harder time selling my now modified Grand Sport because potential buyers are going to think I have abused it over the years. Don't take this the wrong way because I have modded plenty of vehicles in my lifetime and not once have I ever gotten a return on my investment.
So, I bought my ZR1 which came from the factory with more than enough power, handling, and braking to satisfy my needs but also includes a 5 year/100000 mile power train warranty in the event that something happens to go wrong! In the event I decide to sell or trade it, I will not have to worry about stripping off any performance parts and most likely there will be plenty of people out there that will want this car because of what it is! No, I don't expect it to increase in value and realize I won't get back what I paid, but given it's limited status I think there may be a desire for this vehicle in the future.
Just this weekend I took it on a trip and logged in over 400 miles, loving every minute! And no, I did not buy it to impress anyone. I am 48 years old, over weight, losing my hair, and happily married to one of the finest women on the planet that loves me for who I am! I bought mine because I could afford it, have a passion for automobiles, and enjoy getting behind the wheel of one very bada$$ ride!
Yes, I could have modded my C6 Grand Sport and obtained just as much horsepower as the ZR1 but it would have been expensive. There is a lot more involved that dropping a blower under the hood and getting a tune. The internals of the LS3 were never designed to handle the extremes of forced induction so common sense would say that I need to build the engine to handle the increased horsepower. Then you have the increased strains on the drive train and suspension which should be beefed up to handle the additional horsepower and torque. Then there is my factory power train warranty which just went in to the trash because I modified my vehicle. Finally, there comes a day when I decide to sell or trade my beloved Grand Sport at which point I have to remove all the performance goodies and try to sell them or leave them on the car and give them away. In fact I would probably have a harder time selling my now modified Grand Sport because potential buyers are going to think I have abused it over the years. Don't take this the wrong way because I have modded plenty of vehicles in my lifetime and not once have I ever gotten a return on my investment.
So, I bought my ZR1 which came from the factory with more than enough power, handling, and braking to satisfy my needs but also includes a 5 year/100000 mile power train warranty in the event that something happens to go wrong! In the event I decide to sell or trade it, I will not have to worry about stripping off any performance parts and most likely there will be plenty of people out there that will want this car because of what it is! No, I don't expect it to increase in value and realize I won't get back what I paid, but given it's limited status I think there may be a desire for this vehicle in the future.
Just this weekend I took it on a trip and logged in over 400 miles, loving every minute! And no, I did not buy it to impress anyone. I am 48 years old, over weight, losing my hair, and happily married to one of the finest women on the planet that loves me for who I am! I bought mine because I could afford it, have a passion for automobiles, and enjoy getting behind the wheel of one very bada$$ ride!
...THIS^,...SO COOL!,..and i hope to be in your shoes very shortly,...have always loved vettes,...and particularly the zr1!,...have had numerous 911's,..bored now,..and ready to change up to the zr1,..can't wait!,..congrats on an incredible machine,..SO jealous!,...so enjoy her for me till i get my own!,...have a friend with one,..and we "switch" rides every once in awhile,..[just for like half a day!,..don'twant to get into TOO much trouble!],..and i LOVE his car!,..he claims to love mine too!,..but i always see how anxious he is to trade back to his wheels,..and how hesitant i am to hand back over the keys to his,...all the best!
06-19-2012, 06:52 PM
#194
Tech Contributor
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That would be my vote. They took a $50,000 car. Supercharged it, added bigger wheels, carbon brakes, carbon components and other goodies from the Z06 parts bin. Reality its still a C6, just with every option available from the factory.
Pricing can get up to $130k w/the full 3ZR & PDE package. But I still understand why people bought it and also why people are selling them. It just isnt exotic enough to have some sort of collector appeal. And this is where I agree with you, that after spending that much money on a car it just seems like the ZR1 should have been alot more different.. than just having the 'fully loaded' C6. Its a car that easily blends in with other C6's on the road and at the local cars & coffee meetup. People who aren't Corvette enthusiasts either dont recognize it or dont care that its a $100k Corvette.
That said, theres nothing else available with that much pure American muscle & performance. And I can imagine that alone got alot of people to pick one. How long they actually keep it.. is a whole 'nother matter. Expect to see even more on the market when the C7 is introduced, as many ZR1 buyers are the type to want the absolute latest & greatest.. and will be selling the ZR1 to pick up the new C7.
Pricing can get up to $130k w/the full 3ZR & PDE package. But I still understand why people bought it and also why people are selling them. It just isnt exotic enough to have some sort of collector appeal. And this is where I agree with you, that after spending that much money on a car it just seems like the ZR1 should have been alot more different.. than just having the 'fully loaded' C6. Its a car that easily blends in with other C6's on the road and at the local cars & coffee meetup. People who aren't Corvette enthusiasts either dont recognize it or dont care that its a $100k Corvette.
That said, theres nothing else available with that much pure American muscle & performance. And I can imagine that alone got alot of people to pick one. How long they actually keep it.. is a whole 'nother matter. Expect to see even more on the market when the C7 is introduced, as many ZR1 buyers are the type to want the absolute latest & greatest.. and will be selling the ZR1 to pick up the new C7.
Bill
06-19-2012, 07:04 PM
#195
Pro
Wow this thread is like the Energizer Bunny.
After reading your post I realized that I've really only seen 3 other ZR1's in my area since they started making them. It's not unusual to be outnumbered by 458's, 430's, etc when attending local car shows.
06-19-2012, 07:16 PM
#196
Race Director
That is what they have always done. Look at C2s, for those who weren't around at the time it is very hard to know whether the car is a cruiser with the 300HP engine or beast with an all out big block under the hood. Back then people didn't waste their money on performance mods if they were just going to cruise. They spent a couple of bucks and badged the car with the badges from the all out cars. When you pulled up to something at the light you didn't know what was there. The hot ones were indistinguishable from the not hot ones. It was great having a sleeper. The other manufacturers doe it as well. Hard to tell which type of 911 you are running against they all look the same. From putt putt to all out street almost race car. Prestige comes from blowing the other guy's doors off and not from having a car that looks like it might blow them off.
Bill
Bill
All cool. Whether one's bought right out the box or made as fast with most of the performance. Great to have one unbadged too and able to blow the other guy's doors off, as you say, of just about anything out there. 
06-19-2012, 07:17 PM
#197
Burning Brakes
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I agree with half of what you are saying, which was the basis for my original statement. I believe the majority of ZR1 owners fit into one of two camps: A) Corvette enthusiasts who want the absolute best model offered or B) Wealthy individuals who dont even think twice about spending $100k on a car. Its those group "B" individuals that I see getting rid of their ZR1's sooner than later. They bought the car, they enjoyed the car and now they are moving on to whatever is next.
I dont see many people over extending their budget or getting deep into debt for a $100k Corvette.. simply because theres so much performance value to be found in the Z06. And even if those individuals couldn't afford a new Z06, probably can afford one from the used market.
I dont see many people over extending their budget or getting deep into debt for a $100k Corvette.. simply because theres so much performance value to be found in the Z06. And even if those individuals couldn't afford a new Z06, probably can afford one from the used market.
06-19-2012, 07:30 PM
#198
2009 ZR1 SN 1166
...THIS^,...SO COOL!,..and i hope to be in your shoes very shortly,...have always loved vettes,...and particularly the zr1!,...have had numerous 911's,..bored now,..and ready to change up to the zr1,..can't wait!,..congrats on an incredible machine,..SO jealous!,...so enjoy her for me till i get my own!,...have a friend with one,..and we "switch" rides every once in awhile,..[just for like half a day!,..don'twant to get into TOO much trouble!],..and i LOVE his car!,..he claims to love mine too!,..but i always see how anxious he is to trade back to his wheels,..and how hesitant i am to hand back over the keys to his,...all the best!
06-19-2012, 09:27 PM
#199
A few people on here have mentioned that some people sell ZR1s because they are too much car for them. If you’ve driven one much I don’t think you would think that. The car has amazing poise. Sure, if you turn off all the nannies and floor it around a corner, you will get in trouble quick. But that is not the car being too much, you can do stupid things in any car. For their power, ZR1s are as easy to drive as any Corvette. I must admit that I have had 3 people say they were ‘afraid’ after RIDING in my car. Maybe being a passenger in a ZR1 is scarier than driving them!?
06-19-2012, 09:47 PM
#200
I think it was unfortunate they did not keep the widebody unique to the ZO6 and ZR1. Now they put the 427 in a non ZO6 which to me hurts the uniqueness of the ZO6. Oh well.