Corvette Performance - C5 Coupe or Z06? Help Me Decide????

Okay, Well im putting the Mystic Cobra up for sale and want to get back to a GM car and the Vette is the one.

Here is my problem... Do I want a Z or a coupe? I know the Z is FAR superior car in all aspects like braking, acceleration, cornering, but they are also more expensive. Im also a huge fan of the Targa... ever since I sold my Ws6, I have missed having T-tops.

I could by an 02-03 Coupe and have some money to mod it a little, but I dont want to mod it crazy... My plans are to do exhaust, intake, some suspenion, and a nitrous set up. I figure I could have a decently fast car with that(hopefully in the 11's) Im not sure if that would, so if anyone knows let me know.

Or I could buy a Z and leave it pretty much stock for a long time, and not have the Targa that I have been missing for so long, but have a better car.

What do you think?

Tough call. While we can both agree that the Z06 is superior in everyway, I like the interior of my coupe, I also MUCH more prefer the body lines of the coupe compared to the FRC/Z06. Bottom line is this. Choose what you want. You want a targa top, so did I. So I just bought mine. My car only has a VarRam with a 150 wet NX shot and it's insane how quick it is. I have beaten 02 Yamaha R6's from rolls. You will be WELL into the 11's.

Basically just get what you want. I love my targa top and smile everytime the sun is out.

It's hard to believe, but the C5 Z06 and the C5 are almost like different cars. The Z06 has different heads, cam, exhaust, body style, higher RPM limit, different transmission (M12), with a different gear ratio, and different suspension to name a few things. For me the decision was easy. I'm in love with the fixed roof coupe styling. A base coupe just doesn't do the same thing for me. Sure I could make a coupe just as fast/faster with performance parts, but I would never be able to get the FRC lines I was looking for. The only thing I miss a lot is not being able to take the top off. I really do miss that and I loved having T-Tops, but I made that sacrifice in order to get the style I was looking for. If speed is the only thing that matters to you, get the coupe and mod it. If you like the lines of the Z06, and you want an awesome performing car out of the box, you should look for Z's.

^^^ Good description from the other side.

I was also gonna get a z06 until i saw my car on the lot. the only thing i as interested in was speed so I bought my coupe and put a few mods in it. the targa is basicalyy just awesome for eveings when its not too cold or too hot out.

For me the FRC lines just don't do it for me. While the coupe does, the targa top is a bonus.

It's hard to believe, but the C5 Z06 and the C5 are almost like different cars. The Z06 has different heads, cam, exhaust, body style, higher RPM limit, different transmission (M12), with a different gear ratio, and different suspension to name a few things. For me the decision was easy. I'm in love with the fixed roof coupe styling. A base coupe just doesn't do the same thing for me. Sure I could make a coupe just as fast/faster with performance parts, but I would never be able to get the FRC lines I was looking for. The only thing I miss a lot is not being able to take the top off. I really do miss that and I loved having T-Tops, but I made that sacrifice in order to get the style I was looking for. If speed is the only thing that matters to you, get the coupe and mod it. If you like the lines of the Z06, and you want an awesome performing car out of the box, you should look for Z's.

I agree. I would love to have a targa in my Z though! Now that would be sweet! It would be good for pimp factor but not so good for track use. You lose a little with the targa.

I could have bought either but when I saw my silver coupe I knew it was the one. I like the bigger interior in the coupe hands down over the Z. Mod it like mine and those pesky Z cars wont fool with you!

I asked myself that same question when I was looking into buying a vette. I love the look of the coupe and there is nothing greater than removing the top. To compensate for the hp difference I put in a set of heads/cam and made 410rwhp and 405rwtq.

If you want to go really fast out of the box then get the ZO6, if you can live with 60hp less and invest in some mods then get the coupe.

There is a night and day difference between the two, I know from experience since I own a ZO6 and my wife owns a Coupe.:judge:

Whichever one you pick you can't go wrong.

Personal preference man. I preferred the FRC. I had a convertible before this car. I do miss the open top, but I forget about it as soon as I sit in the Z. Phenomenal car that can really get the power to the ground! You won't go wrong with either one though.

When it comes down to it......arguing over power mods is pointless. Each car would be ROUGHLY equal cam for cam/head for head, etc etc. The differences aren't THAT big. It's when it comes down to the chassis handling where the Z06 will ALWAYS be ahead. Regardless of how much suspension you throw at either the z06 has a better chassis.

Personally I wouldn't bat an eyelash if someone handed me a z06 that would be awesome. But I couldn't afford the price difference. However, even if I owned a z06 I like the looks of the coupe better.

Bottom line.......Vette's rule. :chug:

First and foremost the price differance isnt significant. the convertable c5 had the most expensive base price....

C5's all cost 45-57 grand brand new depending on options..If you can aford 45 grand for a base C5 then you could probally aford a fully loaded C5 convertable for 57 grand. the C5z06 fell in between those two depending on options....

The handling on the z06 is superior.

The coupe with the top off looks better than the Z06. With the top on though I like the z06 better.

The Z06 has a faster 1/4 mile.

The coupe has better arodynamics and a higher top speed.

The Z06 is the better road course car period. BUT...if your talking about power to the wheels..Most people who are serious about power when ity comes to vettes will replace the heads and cam..

If you put in an AFR205 head and 224/224 cam into a stock Z06 and the do the same exact head and cam into a coupe. The numbers will be extremely close.

The Z06 will still weigh 100 pounds less but the coupe will still have better arodynamics and it will be a drivers race straight line....

Right now I have a solid 30-50 more rwhp than a stock Z06 and beat the stock ones regurly at my drag strip. They can go do mods and have more power than me and kick my but. Then i can do more mods. Once you open the engine alls equal between the LS6 and LS1..the only differance between the LS1 and LS6 is the LS6 heads and cam.The first mod I did to my car was the 1,800 dollar Summit LS1 to LS6 conversion. My rwhp went from 299 rwhp on the stock LS1 to 340 rwhp on the stock LS6....Only 1,800 bucks to have an LS1 turned to an LS6....Not to many targa Z06's rolling aroun though....

The LS6 vrs LS1 only made my car 4 tenths quicker at the track so I changed out the cam for a 224/224.

So I have there power.....But they dont have my targa. Not easy doing a targa mod.He he he

So IMHO..If your gonna stay stock get the Z06..If your gonna do Heads and cam get the targa and have the best of both worlds...

It is a matter of preference and what you want from looks to performance. I do love my coupe and have gone against the Z06 on a road course. I am doing a H/C on my car this year, and have already done massive improvement to suspension to keep up. Either way, the Z, coupe, or conv is the way to go. Take a drive in each before you decide.

just go and drive a few, then make up your mind. You'll be happy either way you go.

ZO6 you'll get more street cred with a low 12 sec car than a low 13 sec car!!!!!

ZO6=12.5-12.1 stock 385-405hp
C5 coupe 13.4-13.1 stock 345-350hp

Go with a Z06 they are great cars. Alot tighter than the stock c5s in suspension plus your only option is a 6 speed with them.

I'd get the Z. However I do like the Targa... Hmmmm... Get the Z! :D

I asked myself that same question when I was looking into buying a vette. I love the look of the coupe and there is nothing greater than removing the top. To compensate for the hp difference I put in a set of heads/cam and made 410rwhp and 405rwtq.
this man has a nice car no doubt but with my Z06 with just kooks headers and x pipe with cam made 436 rwhp and runs mid 11's go with the Z06 and put on some bolt ons you will fall in love like its youre first girlfriend , but drive more than one z06 if you get a chance , youll notice some are just faster than others.