lil-bit

i love the fbody. but the question is as we all like to work and do things to our cars with our own two hands. is it the same doing it to a vette or is it harder?

SStheBest

iTrader: (2)

Holy thread brought back from the dead....working on the vette is a lil more difficult and thats partly bc how it needs to be lifted. They arent a pain to work on mechainicly but the electrical side. If you decide to get one, the guys over at corvetteforum are GREAT! I made the switch almost 4 years ago and now my ZO6 is cam'd and the power and ride are COMPLETLEY different than any F-body i have driven

Dreadnought

iTrader: (1)

Having just made the switch from Trans Am to Z06, I think I should add my two cents. Sorry about helping to revive an old thread!

First off, if you've driven both cars in the same day, you'll notice several differences in ride quality, acceleration, and build...they may seem similar, but they are really different cars.

When driving the Trans Am, it was like an animal. Unrefined. Violent. All or nothing, even. When I owned it, I had added on different suspension/chassis/powertrain mods that made the chassis stiff, with little body roll, and not to mention it was loud; that being said, you could easily feel the car on the road and you can easily feel every bit of the road under the car i.e. every bump, crack, hole, or uneven pavement was easily noticed by the driver and/or passengers. On top of that it almost felt like driving an extremely lowered truck; it took some bit of effort to drive properly.
That also being said, it was never like it was unforgiving, in fact, once you got used to driving it, it was quite easy to get around in. Also, once you got used to the hood line, the amount of visibility in the car wasn't bad at all.
Working on the car can be a pain, but once you get used to where everything is, it's not THAT bad. On the other hand, if you don't know what you're doing, you can easily mess something up.

The Z06 on the other hand was a completely different animal. It seemed to be refined in ways the Trans Am wasn't; acceleration, ride quality, interior... Smooth acceleration (even under boost) rather than dramatic, to the point that if you didn't watch what you were doing you could come up on traffic quickly. It handles well, and the car doesn't seem to notice EVERY bump and crack in the road, at least not compared to the Trans Am. The HUD is an added bonus, and I've used it to keep my driving in check.
When it comes to modifying, I've found that unless your work has to do with directly under the hood, it can be a pain in the butt. Everything is pretty cramped (at least with my TT kit), so getting to things can be pretty hard.
Another thing is that with the Z06, the blindspots the rear left 'n right aren't that good, but I guess it's something to get used to.

SCM_Crash

iTrader: (2)

I haven't noticed any blind spots... The Trans Am's sail panels were much wider than the Z06s. If anything there are less blind spots.

A few people who are used to driving F-bodies and been in my car and couldn't believe how quiet and smooth they ride. Most of them have a lot of suspension work to make their F-bodies stiffer (which is pretty much a requirement on 4th gens) and they can't believe that a stock Z06 rides smoother and yet feels more rigid.

There's a monstrous difference, honestly. Riding in them side by side only tells half the story.

PABOYWS6

93 Z28 to an 01 WS6 to an 04 C5 CE.

I miss the WS6 but it's no corvette. I love the vette. WS6 to me was a ground pounder and I will buy another one.

C5 is the best car I've owned. Faster, better looking and best of all..... It's a freaking Corvette!!!

MY99TAWS6

iTrader: (3)

I have had tas for years. First car was 77 bandit ta back in 1978! I am 53 years old now.I had lots of second gen but no first and no third and then for fourth went to 96 ta,97 ta ws6 with mild mods and my 99TT with mods you see in the sig. The 99TT is of course a total beast and will be even more so with its current 427 ERL being installed currently. Its got more power than any sane person can ever use. But sometimes lately kind of wish had kept the 99TT stock and could have just had more cars in the stable. This modding thing costs a fortune and can go on and on basically forever.

But now have so much into my 99 that just can't see seling it so for now and foreseeable future it will stay in the stable.

I got my new baby my 2008 z06 only three weeks or so ago. I flew 500 miles to pick it.
I have written some detailed reviews on the vette forum section . But basically it comes down to this . The z06 is pretty much a supercar. Right out of the box. It has lots of power and is very light so the power goes farther than you think and you can't really compare say a 348 putting out even 500 hp and a 427 putting out 500 hp. The area under the curve,torque etc are all very very different. Now not talking FI but NA to NA here.
The z06 has a great balance happening.You can use most of the hp as it also has great traction aids ,active handling aids my 99TT didn't get two options ,10 disc changer and no traction control and sure wish it had the second one now. But the z06 traction control and active handling setup is much more sophisticated and has already saved my stupid *** a few times already!
The z06 handles amazing. Cornering is incredible. Braking is outstanding as well. Ride was a bit firm some might say bit harsh on the 1st generation goodyear runflats. But swapped over to bridgestones and they are much better for ride, much quieter, and have better traction and supposedly last a lot longer than the goodyears. Goodyear has a second gen runflat out now too.
I could add some different shocks if really want to have a softer ride but not sure will bother. To me ride is fine,on good roads its great on terrible roads its not the best but no car is that great on horrible roads. Heck even my 4 by 4 truck isn't so great on some of our horrible roads.
The interior or the z06 at least on my 3lz top option one is pretty darn nice. Doing a few little improvements for looks but its more than decent to me. Nav isn't that great compared to aftermarket nav but still does the job. Stereo is not too bad either.The car is great looking ,women seem to like it. guys give thumbs up, kids yell out nice car. It attracts pretty good atttention and if got it in a brighter color would no doubt attract even more.
Not to say my ws6 is not nice car either and women also seem to like it.

I have tried to turn my 99TT into a supercar. I put on c5 brakes, I put on handling stuff.
And as said it has ridiculous power. I can set it to ride pretty good as well with highly adjustable shocks. And I just love the looks of my ram air always did. Still remember the first time saw my very first 98 TA WS6 in black coming down main street toward me. Man that car looked so agressive,so futuristic ,so evil! I loved it and ran to the dealership to trade in my 97 ta ws6 on the new 99 ta ws6.

I would say though that to me the TA is more a muscle car the vette more a sports car at least in stock form.

Both are great cars,both are fun. And I would recommend to those of you that have never had ride or drive in a vette to go out somehow and get a test drive. You will be convinced pretty quickly but be warned you might just run to the bank.

I never drove a c6 at all or even rode in one bought my z06 on faith pretty much that it would be awesome and it was. But they are definitely a step up over the fourth gens.
And much easier to keep running then the exotic stuff.
Next car in the stable will be a viper. Another domestic supercar. And then maybe a ford GT
or gt 500 or maybe a Porsche 911 Turbo awd. At the very end of my list would be the exotics like ferrari, and lambo. You have to be seriously rich to afford to keep one of those running. Vettes and f bodies are much more affordable and reliable.

Sorry if went off track a bit. Basically vettes, the c5 series and c6 series are great cars. But fourth gens are pretty awesome too and no experience yet with the fifths but in year or so likely be getting wife either a 5th gen camaro vert or a solstice turbo vert or a vette vert.

MY99TAWS6

iTrader: (3)

Found my recent review from few weeks ago when picked up my Z06. I think it pretty much covers it all.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...-comments.html

Floorman279

iTrader: (11)

ok I.no I'm goona **** some people off.but. here it goes......of course the vette xis goona exceed the fbody in just about everyway.......hell it should because in 2002,an fbody. fully optioned was just under 30000. a vetts however, just under 50000.... give that camaro 10000 and it will be a hell of. a lot faster than a vette, and probly handle juzt a hair less.....and guess wat, u saved 10000. everyone owns a vette, and I like how I can drive 100 miles and see 1or 2 fbodies.....maks my 98 z more special to me.... ddive that far on a. 90 degeee day and u will. see5-8 vettez and 10 -15 mustangs. the vette does have. nicer interior but. a lowered ss looks better than a c5 imo. to sum it all up, if u.want.a modern muscle with the driving experience of. a 60s car, get an f. if u want. something. that isn't as fun to drive.because.it.goes where u wanf.it.to, lol, go.to a vette. the money that u save from buying. an f body over. a vette can go into making ur camaro. compete side.by side with something it never waz made to compete with.



ps...sry about my sentsnce structure.....typing on my fone

SCM_Crash

iTrader: (2)

HAHA... Floorman, I can tell you haven't owned a Vette. I said EXACTLY the same thing as you before I owned one.

BTW, the 2002 WS6 Trans Am fully optioned out was $32,000 and a 2002 Z06 fully optioned out was $53,000. (I know because I've owned both)

Remember, there are things about an F-body that you cannot change to even remotely match the Corvette. 2 things that come to mind is wheel base and balance. The fact that the Corvette's motor is behind the front axle and the transmission is in front of the rear axle changes the characteristics on the handling and feel on the road. The longer wheel base gives the car better stability at higher speeds and a smoother feel on the road.

My Z06 with stock suspension feels stiffer than a few of my friends with F-bodies with 2-3K in suspension mods and yet my car still feels like a comfortable cruising car, quiet on the inside with no rattles or creaking. That's something you cannot get out of an F-body. You get one or the other. Either you get rattles from the chassis not being rigid, or you get a harsh ride by putting in sub-frame connectors.

That's the truth of it. Yes, you can make an f-body faster in a straight line for that kind of money, but Corvettes are road racing cars where they'll eat F-bodies for lunch in stock form because their balance and suspension setup. The back wheels stay even on the track and over bumps thanks to IRS. The car won't dog nose, thanks to being mid-engine, and so on...

Look, you can be in denial like I was back when I had a WS6, or you can accept the fact that both cars are totally different and designed for two completely different things.

tording99Z28

iTrader: (3)

I have heard quite a few people that have owned both that liked their Fbodies better. They all said that the corvette was too smooth and yes it was quick but just didn't feel like a ground pounder muscle car, more like a refined luxury car. For the guys that like the rumble and muscle car feel they have all said they like the Fbody.

MY99TAWS6

iTrader: (3)

Well they are very different cars. One is like a muscle car and one is more a sport touring type of car. Both are fairly fast stock. The c6 are quite a bit faster stock than the f bodies the c5 were not so much faster except for the z06 c5.

Read my reviews up a few posts. The z06 and zr1 are supercars. It takes a fortune to turn the f bodies into a supercar. And even then as said you are running into design limitations. You can make a fourth gen very fast for not that much money but you can make almost any car faster than another car especially a stock other car too. But it comes down to what you want to drive around in. I would rather have a slower z06 than a faster honda.

Most f body guys need to rent or have chance to drive a vette and talking c5 z06 or newer c6 cars for a weekend or week and betting they couldn't get the car away from them once they actually see how they are to drive.

I have never loved a car more than my c6 Z06. And I am 53 and have had a lot of cars and lived and breathed f bodies since my first car a 77 bandit in 1978.
Had 96 ta, 97 ta ws6 ,my 99TA ws6 Twin turbo which still have, 96z28 vert, bunch more 2nd gens and while the ls1 TAWs6 is one super mean looking car and fun to drive and all that ,quality, handling, braking, power it stock for stock it don't come close to the Z06 but of course the z06 is new tech and cost a lot more than the 99 did.

I still like having both in my stable. Both are kick *** cars. And once you start modifying things well its not as simple as comparing stock for stock.

But as said if you want to know more about vettes read my review after just got my new one few posts up from this one.

And want you to know that never test drove a c6 just went out and bought it.
I did drive a c5 vert which wasn't that impressive and did get rides in too modified c5s one z06 with cam,headers, and it was pretty good and one cartech 441? c5 coupe with 590rwhp that was pretty damn awesome. But c6 are a completely different level of vehicle.

And the c6 has a hud! I love HUDS! Still mad my 99 didn't get one and the grand prix did. That HUD is cool and the vettes have superior traction and active handling over the fourth gens. The traction system in fourth gen is pretty much just dumb on and off type of system. My vette traction and active handling have already saved my *** several times when got stupid.

SCM_Crash

iTrader: (2)

They didn't own Z06s. I can tell right away.

I've driven LOTS of Corvettes, stock and not-so stock. I've driven 580RWHP Z06s and my dad even has a bone stock C5 Vert.

Let me tell you that the difference between a stock coupe/vert and a stock C5 Z is immense. The suspension, steering, sound and raw feel of the car is so unbelievably different. The Z06 feels like a race car. It sounds like a race car. You can feel everything in the road and the car gives you as much feedback as you can take. On the other hand, the Coupe and Vert are the complete opposite. The wheel firmness is not nearly the same, the suspension is a far too soft (for me), and you can feel body roll in them. They're definitely not the same car.


And, yes, as MY99TAWS6 mentioned, the HUD is bitchen. I wouldn't want a car without one.

Floorman279

iTrader: (11)

wow,quoting me on 2 grand....wow. anyway, looking back now i shouldnt have even saidanything cause i just kinda did a little hijacking. i just dislike corvettes.... even if idrove one and loved itid still dislike. i think i just see too many vettes on the road and if you talk o anyone about chevys its corvette this and corvette that...gets anoying when thats all you here........nobody even takes into account that a c5 is very similar to performance than an fbody. the fbody deserves some recognition but they dont see much at all. and you cant compete handling wise with an independent like the vettes have....just aint happening. no i havent driven a vette. of course i want too, but even tho it handles like a porsche, i still may not like it bceause i justlove the muwscle car feel my z has. and btw, the fbody motor is very close to being behind the front axle.......i think im just bitter because crustangs see alot more recognition and ooos and ahhhhs than fbodies.....even though that the fbody far exceeds the stangs in every department in those years. ok...im done and once again apologize for hijacking

all in all,i admit the following

corvette>camaro>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>mustang

far better than

MY99TAWS6

iTrader: (3)

Go test drive a c5 z06 or a c6 any model but especially a z06. They can be affordable. They still depreciate pretty good. At least short term. Then might even come back up long term but I don't buy my cars for investment but for enjoyment,life is short.

After your test drive you will maybe change your attitude a bit. Funny as in my city you hardly see any vettes and its city of 300,000 .Course we have shorter season up here. Or maybe lots of vette guys are too **** to drive them except on perfect days or trying to keep the mileage near zero. Whatever.I see tons of new camaros and of course tons of mustangs, few new challengers, not many vipers,not many corvettes especially newer c6s more the older c5 or even older ones. I have only seen one zr1 so far in my city and two or three z06 in last several months. So hardly everywhere where I live.

I still think if was a vette salesman all would have to do is let people take it home for a weekend. I doubt anyone that could afford one would bring it back. Even a base c6 from 2005 is 400hp. And they are pretty light.

SCM_Crash

iTrader: (2)

Well, I do disagree on a few things you said. I'm not trying to offend you either...

Not ALL Corvette guys just talk about Vettes. I, for one, laugh at a lot of the guys on CorvetteForum.com because they's so fu-fu about their cars. In fact, there was a thread about "driving your Vette in the rain", and you wouldn't believe (well you might) how many guys talked about how they'd NEVER drive their Vettes in the rain and how they wouldn't let rain water touch their car... I not only laughed my *** off at them, but I let them know in very bold writing "IT'S JUST A CHEVY!!!" This is something I say often because the majority of my friends have F-bodies and they poke fun at me since Corvette guys often act as if their Corvette is a super classic or a Ferrari. I'm not like that. I beat on my car and treat it like I treated my F-body. Keep her clean and drive her like the road is a track. When I'm with my friends, we pretty much talk cars from sun up to sun down, and we don't care what KIND of car we're talking about. We talk F-bodies, Corvettes, Mustang, etc... I do know some Corvette guys that will try to change the conversation back to Vettes, but that's not all Vette guys.

Mustangs get more recognition because girls think they're "cute". Don't be offended that Mustangs get more ooos and awwws because the Mustang was originally designed as a girls car and continued to be a girls car throughout the years. They build a bad-*** girls car with the 03-04 SVTs and the latest 2011+ girls car is pretty sweet. But that doesn't not make it a girls car. Every girl I know that is into muscle cars wants a Mustang. My friend constantly states "chicks and **** drive Mustangs". (Although he's an F-body guy and may be sour too.)

I don't give a crap, to be honest. I loved my Trans Am which got LOTS of attention, but I believe it was because it was one of the few WS6's on the road at that time. Around 2004, they were still in the $28-29K price range and not at all common.

Corvettes are pretty common, but not nearly as common as F-bodies and Mustangs around here. Corvette guys have the "Corvette wave" and though that may seem silly to you, I actually look forward to using it when I drive. One of the things I didn't like about F-bodies or Mustangs is that there's no common brotherhood with them. Unless your friends with the other f-body owners, they could care less about you or your car when they see you on the road. But with Corvettes, (and being that they are definitely more rare) we wave and acknowledge each other. No matter what Vette you have, you're part of a community and brotherhood. Harley guys, Miata guys, sport bike guys, etc do it too.

Oh, and in the F-body, the motor sits directly over the K and has the transmission bolted directly to the motor putting a lot more weight in the front of the car.

I wouldn't be bitter about it, though. For the longest time I couldn't at all understand why Vettes were so much more money and why people revered them higher than F-bodies just because of the name. I thought the same thing about their performance comparisons and so on... I will say this though, if you daily drive a Vette just for a couple days, you'll understand. There's a feeling you simply can't get from an F-body. And this is coming from someone who LOVED f-bodies. I had 2 before getting my first Vette. The extra money that the Vette costs is actually quite visible when you get in and drive. It's not a status thing at all. That money is in the car. Trust me.

desertLS1

iTrader: (8)

I really like the vette. I really do.... But im soooo going back to an fbody...In fact im selling the vette...Ive only had it for 5 months....Im ready to get back into an Fbody...there is something about them that gets me everytime. call me crazy.

clint195

iTrader: (5)

I hate these statements.





I went from a 2001 WS6 to a 2008 auto converted Z06 and have not one regret. With my old tune making 518 rwhp and 467 rwhp thru a 4l65e the car ran a 10.56@131 na 2450da. Got it retuned and makes 526 rwhp and 497 rwtq. Let me tell you what a blast! Not sure what my 1/4 times would be now but it was the 4th fastest NA c6 on corvette forum with a time slip now currently 6th.


I am guessing with maybe some negative da and the extra power it would be a very low 10 sec car. Maybe even a 9.99? BTW still have the ta so i have the best of both worlds.

SCM_Crash

iTrader: (2)

You're crazy.

Edit: Get a different color. That will make you feel better. Try yellow. I'm pretty sure that driving a yellow Vette will put the happy back in your pants.

JD_AMG

Pretty one sided argument here, its REALLY easy to screw up the suspension on Fbodies, the majority of parts out there for them are for drag, which kills handling and ride quality. You can have thousands in suspension but the car could handle and ride like crap because they have all the wrong parts just thrown on the car blindly. Shitty shocks, oversized rear swaybar/undersized front bar, goofy spring rates, binding poly suspension parts, short torque arm, heavy aftermarket rear ends, etc etc.

This couldn't be further from the truth. These cars rattle mainly because of the horrible stock shocks (or cheap replacement shocks, or drag shocks) because they cannot dampen worth a damn and leave the car feeling like its driving on wooden tires, its not the chassis (which is fairly stiff for what its worth). Not to mention the cheap, poorly fitting interior bits. Im not easy on my car by any means, and I noticed no difference from adding SFC's (which were added after shocks and other mods). On the other hand putting Konis on this car made more of a difference than any other mod by a long shot. Rattles all gone, ride quality dramatically improved (think german sports sedan), handling, balance, control, feel all dramatically improved. The car felt like one solid piece.

Setup an fbody correctly (which is really not that hard, or expensive) and you can most definitely walk by stock vettes on a road course. You certainly won't get the feel of IRS, 50/50 weight balance, and 3000lbs but that doesn't mean you cant beat them. That being said the Corvette obviously has way more potential, and is still the better performance car.

SCM_Crash

iTrader: (2)

Fair enough.