Ryda85

iTrader: (1)

hey guys im sure this topic has been beaten to death, but i thought i would ask given the current auto prices. in my area, i am currently seeing:
99-00 c5s going for about 15k
01 c5zs for about 18500
02-03 c5zs for about 22k

now is the price difference between these two really worth the extra money? i figure the 4-7k i save on the price of the car could go towards mods. plus the insurance is alot cheaper. i would be financing, so my monthly payment would be about 150 cheaper per month.

what are your thoughts?

Red99TA

iTrader: (11)

If it's going to cost you that much more per month due to the payment and insurance then you need to decide if it's worth it or not. Personally I think it is just based on how great these perform is stock form. I love the MN12 transmission in the Z which you're not going to get in the coupe. Of course you could change the rear gears to get quicker acceleration but it's not quite the same. As for power you're right...the money you save could easily make a coupe faster than a stock Z06. As you probably know the main difference is just heads, cam, and better mufflers. I also like the looks of the Z better than the coupe. Something about the chopped back glass makes it look better IMO. Lastly you would also have to upgrade the suspension to perform similar to the Z which isn't too difficult either. Don't forget the Z rides on wider rubber and has more aggressive brake pads but both of those are easy to upgrade. Oh and some people like the "exclusivity" of have a Z06. I mean you don't see that many of them on the streets as opposed to the coupes which far outnumber them. If you don't care about having a Z06 that much then I would just buy a coupe and mod it. One more thing - the Z06 has a fixed roof so if you really want a removable top you should get a coupe.

~JOSHUA

iTrader: (92)

It's not all about being rational.

It's all about what moves you in life. What do you REALLY want? Life is very short, so you might as well spend every day/month working towards what you want.

I've been spending a lot of time on the Ferrari forums (ferrarichat.com) and this topic comes up a lot especially in the 348/355 section where the prices have come down into the 50's. (To own a nice 30k mile Ferrari 355 that's great for me) It turns out a lot of guys do their own work (with advice on the forum for good parts prices and tech tips) and the maintenance costs aren't quite as high as most think.

It all comes down to passion. What really drives you?

For me in the c5/c6 Corvette world my personal car MUST be a Zo6. It's a great value, and it's the car (looks) that pushes my buttons the best.

$.02

kn02eb

'02 and up c5z gets my vote. i got a '03 a few months ago and love it. there is a world of difference between it and a '02 coupe that i had. if you go for the z try to go '02 and up, '01 was the 1st year for the z and i seem to recall some differences

MTPZ06

I agree. In it's day, the 02-04 C5Z was the best production corvette ever to roll of the assembly line. The lightest, the fastest, the best handing, etc. It is a worlds class sports car that sold for $50+K, and now you can find clean low mileage ones for low to mid $20's...it's a no brainer.

MTPZ06

To this day, the F355 Spider from the late 90's is still my favorite Ferrari of all times. You've given me some food for thought...thanks!

david vericker

iTrader: (1)

Well said. The only thing you left out is that the coupe is superior aerodynamically (less drag) which relates to a greater top end speed. In stock form there is no doubt that the Z06 is the better car. However,a modded coupe (drivetrain and suspension) will best the Z06. The decision is yours...Z06 or modded coupe...either way you can't lose!!

Red99TA

iTrader: (11)

That's true. I think we top out at like 165 or something like that in stock gearing at stock redline. Isn't the couple like 174 or something? Of course a stock Z will reach that top speed long before the coupe but as you mentioned once you start modding it's all out the window.