kedvesh

Not sure if this is the right place to ask this. (Should this be in the C5 or C6 section? Hmmm.)

After a recent HPDE down in Florida ( http://www.viperdays.com @ Sebring...a BRUTAL track this year), a member of my group mentioned that I might want to consider a new Z06 when I get back from my lil' ol military trip east of the US early next year. (I leave in about a month and a half.)

Thing is, I just put a new engine (383 stroker) in my 2002 C5 last year (#2 piston went bye-bye in the old engine and cracked the block in the process.) As of this past weekend, the car just went over 80K miles in total (it was a daily driver); the engine has about 10K miles and 7 track days on it: 4 @ VIR, 1 @ Summit Point - Jefferson Circuit and (as of this past weekend) 2 @ Sebring. Yes, if you look at my sig block closely, I have a coupe (Shudder!), not a pure Z06. See http://members.***.net/cmstim/trips/myvette/ for pics and a more-or-less complete picture on the mods I've done.

Among things I need to do to the car is service the bearings, upgrade the springs (it still has the stock coupe springs; I put Bilstein Sport Shocks on it 42K miles ago) and probably upgrade the brakes (it still has the stock calipers; I run race pads--Carbotechs--on the track though; I maybe need to install duct extensions too.)

Due to the engine, I'm well into the low 5 figures when it comes to post-purchase expenses on my 'Vette. Should I take the gentleman's "sage" advice, sell my mod'd, former daily driver C5 (getting what I can for it) and buy a new Z06 late next winter? Should I keep the C5 and still by the new Z06? Or am I just ? I just want a 'Vette that would probably become a daily driver at some point again, one I can enjoy on road trips/club events and also take out to a HPDE once in a while without the engine blowing up.

Thanks in advance for any words of wisdom.

95jersey

No matter what anyone tells you, if we all had the money I think most of us would get a new Z06. I love my modded Z06, but I am sure it is no C6 Z06. I would just hate to trash the car at the track though. I don't mind beating up my 2001 which is probably valued at $26k. I would hate to trash the paint on a $65 car.

wtknght1

Chris,
You will have far more fun and probably less overall dollars in a new Z. You can drive it to the track, flog the hell out of it, drive it home and to work the next Monday...and not worry about it breaking down (or blowing up).

Since you've opened up the engine on yours, you've pulled the pin on the grenade and you don't know when it's going to go off.

yellow01

I sort of agree.

You guys will probably laugh your rears off at me, but if I had the money to add a C6 Z06 to my garage I'd probably have it as a street car and just sport around as a bad-**** **** in a near exotic

And leave the track trashing to my coupe.



At the heart of it I'm no racer, and frankly I don't need 500 hp for the track... what would it get me? 160 or 170 at the end of a straight? Do I really need to be doing that in a self-prepped street car... nah.

trumper Z06

Hhmmmm... bet you heard that before, huh Chris !!!

fhturner

I am kind of in the same boat. Heck, I am right now-- I don't want to trash my "only" $31K low-mileage '02 Z. I need more track prep, especially a seat, and so now the disparity between "street car" and "track car" for me is growing. I keep thinking a salvage or much less expensive Vette would be a better track car, to keep from devaluing my Z too much. Double that cost to $65K for a new Z, and I'd almost hate to give it a good thrashing at the track, too! Now, if I could get two...

But, to answer your question more directly: I think if I had the available funds, I'd be hard pressed not to buy a new Z. What an awesome beast!!!

kedvesh

Sure have, Wayne! "You can drive it to the track, flog the hell out of it, drive it home and to work the next Monday...and not worry about it breaking down (or blowing up)." That's what people said about a properly prepared C5 coupe ... and I still needed a new engine last year. But, that was supposedly due to bad gas--from a Shell station no less--clogging the #2 fuel injector, leaning out the cylinder, yadda, yadda, yadda.

As for the new Z having no issues, I wonder what our dentist friend from Ohio thinks of the LS7's ability to survive. After all, he's shortly going to be on the THIRD engine for his '06 after the oil pressure failed at the track ... same problem for him as at Mid-Ohio (from what I hear.)

fatbillybob

REally? 3 engines? Is that a LS7 design issue or a bad dentist?

rikhek

Chris,

NO disrespect intended but I have to know. How can somebody in the active military afford a new Z06? I'm 45 and earn LOW 6 figures with very few bills and don't see how I could afford one. Do you have a sideline? I emphasize, NO DISRESPECT intended. I just wonder how it's possible? Do I need to enlist or do you come from a family with money or outside business interests? I didn't think the military paid that well?

Rick

AU N EGL

Every one has different opnions on this matter. The difference between a dedicated track car and DD is getting greater.

I dont think one car can do both any more. Too much hard running on the track. PPL get addicted and crave more speed and track time. Resulting in the modes or miles just keep piling on, yet be a Daily driver too?? No I dont think so. Maybe a weekend country joy rider and track car.

The more and more ppl drive on the track the more saftey equipment they SHOULD have. IMHO spending $70 -$80 large for a new Z WITH OUT A CAGE and other safty equipment is crazy.

Purchasing a used T1 car for 30-35 grand, putting in a new engine, 65 to 7 thousand plus the car has all the saftey equimpent may be a way to go. Ok you cant do 170 up VIRs, Road Atlantas back straights or on Sebring in a T1 car but those cars and T1 drivers get around quite nicely and faster then just about anyone, except maybe the GT1, GT2 guys.

Persoanlly I would not finance a car that goes on the track, cash or dont buy it.

John Shiels

I'll get a new Z but it will be a waxer. Then my thought is why get it If I got a new Z it would not be near track ready for me. Then I need a million dollars in mods again. I need a cage and a bigger motor. As Tom said track cars are getting wilder and wickeder. Then all the chips now if I am behind someone I don't care what comes up at the car, I dab it with paint.

AU N EGL

Plus the maintaince of a DE / track car. Not to mention a race car.

It is far more then changing brake pads and the fluids. Even a new car, C6 or a Z needs to have maintaince work between events. and many annual items to be changed. Yes these cars can take a lot of use and hard running, but not abuse.

So No I do not think there is a "Get it and be done with it" car, not even the new Z.

On a conference call I had early this week I found out that Chevy could have producted 8-10,000 new Z this past year. But more then 30% of the new Zs have been in accidents and tooo many parts, especilly frame pieces had to go to repair the cars that were already purchsed.

Too much HP in cool cars, means too few brains in the new drivers.

Teddy98Z28M6

Chris is single with no kids.

yellow01

That's kind of what I had been thinking and I'm no where near as serious in this as you.

For me, it's just the sheer insanity of putting that monster on a track when I do the prep work myself (i.e. educated but no pro), with no cage (as Tom mentioned) and such. That's ALOT of freakin' car.

No offense to anyone here, but I have to imagine that the percentage of people on this board who can really use that 500hp is pretty low. I know there are some here, but I know I'm not one of 'em. It's awesome, no doubt, but it's just too much damn car for me on the track. Just no purpose. I enjoy 150 at the end of the straight as much as I'd enjoy 170... it isn't about top speed for me, it's about corners, breaking, coordination etc. etc.

Add on that a $70k something price tag... and it's just out of my range. I can't self insure a $70k car.

yellow01

I was 25 when I bought my first C5. I moved up from a Mitsubishi Ecclipse.

2-weeks in I almost put it in a ditch power shifting on slight curve.

THANK YOU AH/TC.

Lesson learned and never forgotten. It was a combination of a testosterone moment and simply not being used to HP in a rwd car. It can happen to anyone...

wtknght1

$70K to let it sit in a garage, pull it out once a month to wash and wax, and then stick it back in the garage?!?!?!??!??!?! You gotta be kiddin' me. 500HP, 3100 lbs, monster brakes, tires, suspension, etc, etc, etc. You'd have to kick me off the track!!! Drive that sucker til you blow it up, then take it back to the dealer to fix it under warranty...repeat as often as possible.

trumper Z06

The Ohio car is a...Good reason to wait for the 07 model... maybe the General will have found all the gremlins by then !!!

Keep the new Z06 engine... STOCK... then:

Follow GM's mtce schedule, get the GM extended warranty & become VERY FRIENDLY with your Chevy service dept.

Chris, I've had NO ISSUES with warranty claims on either my 01 or current 04 Z06. Replace perishable items (brakes, rotors, fan belts, etc) yourself.

I agree with Ingles... these cars are meant to be driven. Limit yourself to D E Events and you should be covered by the warranty.

kedvesh

Rumor has it that it's a '06-LS7 issue. One might expect growing pains w/ a new product. You know the drill. But, I'm not too sure about that. trumper Z06 mentions that this Ohio car may just have the luck of being one off the line that was a piece of [insert item here]. But, two LS7s in the same car that went to zero oil pressure all of a sudden while on the track? Come on GM.

kedvesh

Yup. That's me. No kids. Just nieces and a nephew.

I translate the no kids thing and a few other single guy items such as a few cases of beer (I don't drink that much) into brake pads, maintenance, etc. to feed my HPDE fever.

As for a possible new Z06 or even a new Corvette (such as I did with this one on fall '01), the no kids factor would come into play, along with saving my money, finding low or zero percent interest rates and being lucky enough to take advantage of a few choice investment opportunities. Being a military officer helps in the pay department, but not as much as you might think.

Rick, I do kind of hear you about the cost associated with the new Z. This would be a BIG stretch for my pocketbook...esp. on a mililtary income. (I don't know how our enlisted with families or even our junior officers with families--especially in a high cost of living environment such as where I live in the metro Wash DC area--make it some times.) Lot's of planning would be involved such as selling my C5 and even possibly not considering buying a house if I ever get out of the real estate hell of this area. (Insane prices; I rent right now.) Keeping the money in investments and not selling my mod'd C5 seems more sane. (Dare I say it's cost/benefit analysis time ladies and gents?) One can dream, investigate and consider though.

John Shiels

I would quickly overun the suspension, brakes, and coolers. Dealers won't be as generous with GM's $$$$$ postion. It's nice to look at a new car spotless not a car hammered with chips.