I agree with most of what you're saying, but it sounds like the majority of C5Z or C6 owners/drivers contest that the late C5Z outperforms the early C6, which is what will make the decision for myself when the time comes.

As far as styling, its all in opinion, but I prefer the C5Z for originallity and rarity. The C6 looks like it intigrated a little too much Viper and Ferrari 575.

 

I understand what your saying and agree that a C5Z is definitely a better performer than any base model C6 LS2. While I think a base model LS3 would lose in the turns to the Z, I firmly believe that in a straight line it would edge it out(I race a couple of stock and modified C5Z's when I was stock....pretty sure you can guess the outcome by my confidence).

I guess my overall point is that if you didn't like the C5Z styling, few would be swayed for the extra performance margin over the base C6. Most who go to he C5Z love the big butt and the low/wide styling. This is the ultimate decision/selling point of the car to those who drive it. The performance advantage is just icing on the cake.

 

i like the way the c6 looks over the c5 plus u got to think the c6 has the 6.0 so u can always go l92. dont get me wrong either one would be a very very good choice

 

Looks are subjective. I've owned both. Still have the C6. It took me over a year after its introduction to finally warm up to the looks of the C6. I thought the butt looked chopped off. But what really sold me on the C6 was the hype around the paddle shift A6. But as I'd later discover, that's all it was - hype. The A6 paddle shifting is pretty useless without a tune (which I don't have yet). There is way too much delay from the time you hit it until the time it goes into gear. GM improved this in later years. That's what I get for being an early adopter.

I miss the M6. I really miss rowing gears 75% of the time I drive the C6. The other 25%, I'm tired or stuck in traffic or just feeling mellow, in which case I really like having the A6. In sport mode, it can really snap your neck back and it's a constant pull without a chance for missing gears. It's not like the A4 at all. My C5Z may have had a slight overall performance advantage, but this C6 Z51 just "feels" faster when I mash the throttle. Stock for stock, I think part of the advantage in the C5Z is in the tires. The C6 Z51 still has the Supercar tires, but they're runflats (or more commonly referred to as "run craps").

I love the targa and the transparent roof option on the C6. The C5Z felt cramped in the head space to me, but I'm 6' 4", so this may not apply to everyone. That I don't miss. I also don't miss the road noise from the C5Z.

Another thing, I don't miss the pop-up "air brakes" that both my Trans Am and the C5Z had. At 140+, this C6 feels much more confident and stable than my C5Z did. But no one ever does this, so it doesn't matter, right?

I don't think you can go wrong with either one. I turned 40 this year, so I actually appreciate some of the additional creature comforts in the C6 (mine is fully loaded). If I were after a weekend track car, the C5Z is it, hands down. This C6 Z51 offers the best of both worlds. It's a mild mannered cruiser, but then it still has some nasty teeth when you kick it in the butt.

 

C5Zo6...I couldn't stand the thought of having a C6 and it not be a Zo6

 

2 years ago - I test drove both on the same day, and to me the C6 felt like a hi performance Caddy. It was very comfortable, and has a very nice interior. My wife loved the C6, but I wanted something more racey, and the Z fit the bill. As soon as we drove out of the dealership parking lot, and swung a few turns, my wife said...."this car has your name written all over it"...as I smiled like a fat kid eating ice cream. 2 hours later, I was the owner of the Z.

To the OP - you have to know what you want in a car, and then decide from there. Our opinions should not matter in this case.

 

C6 you can mod them both anyway.

 

Trust me, I will get a C6 Z06 in less than two years and never look back.

But, today, it's a C6 Z51 that won over my C5Z.

To each his own.

 

I love this story. If it wasn't typed, I'd ask you to tell it again.

 

Either myself or my parents have owned pretty much every kind of vette you can have with the exception of the C6Z06 which will be my next car. Currently they have 2 C6 Convertables and a C5 convertable. The C5 Z06 out of the box is a better race car. I got a C6. bigger motor, newer technology, nicer interior and more gadgets. Dollar for dollar you will get more performance out of the C5Z06 but you could say that about the C6Z06 too at least for what I can get one for, but I can spend 30K in upgrades to my C6 for what it would cost me for a C6Z06. Get what you want. The person with the most money is going to be fastest anyway. I got my 05 C6 with 12K miles for 31K fully loaded with Nav system. I plan on Headers, Cam and supporting mods, and a wet kit along with sway bars. Ive already got the Vararam and Corsa. I just like the C6 better, but I'll probably never go to a track. Everyone has a different point of view. Take into consideration what you can afford as far as future mods go and what is going to give you the most enjoyment. I must say a yellow C5Z was hard to pass up on, but my top comes off and girls like that part too

 

Wow you gotta deal. I could not find a c6 for under 35. ^^^^ Or I would have gotten one.

 

I drove my mother-in-law's 2001 coupe again over the weekend (got it inspected for her). It's the first time I'd been back in a C5 since I bought the C6 a little over 2 years ago. And I have to say, they are very different cars. I am glad I got the C6. It's like the difference between my 2002 Silverado and her 2008 Tahoe in the way it feels.

 

Was it your mom's '01 Z06 or a coupe because this thread is comparing C6's to C5Z's. I'm sure it is night and day b/w a C6 and C5 base

 

I was comparing coupe to coupe.

Have you not been paying attention? I already owned a 2003 Z06 and stated my opinion about it. The fit and finish of the C5Z isn't any different from the C5 coupe, just the performance is different. C6 is a better car. Sorry, that's my opinion after having owned both, and driving the 2001 coupe again solidified that opinion. I'm glad I made the switch and won't look back, just like I never looked back after switching from my 99 Red Trans Am to the C5Z. And when I jump from the C6 Z51 to a C6Z, I doubt I'll look back then, either.

The C6 Z51 LS2 is not equivelent to performance of a C5Z. It's very close, but not the same. Now the overall feel of the C6 compared to my C5Z (and especially my mother-in-law's base coupe) is very different. When I first drove the C6, it didn't even feel like a Vette because my only Vette experiences were with a 1967 427 tri-power and two C5s (my Z06 and her coupe). It's hard to describe. I have just over 10K miles on the C6 and have driven it hard and put it away wet several times now. These runflats suck. I can't wait to wear them down so I can throw on some Michelin PS2s. Add an exhaust and intake upgrade with a tune, then I might be able to give a C5Z a run for the money.

 

LS2 Z51 A6 with a magnacharger here..... I'm very happy with my decision. Daily driver capable with stock manners around town....and weekend warrior/ drag strip / monster for the weekend.

My personal opinion is that some/most of you are adding in the cost of a new/never C6 compared to a used C5 Z06 price into the equation. And taking your savings and dumping it into mods.... You just have to know where to look.

Drive what you like....

 

I like the c5z better.

 

both are great cars. For the looks, everybody has their own opinion on that, so do you. Bang for the buck the C5Z hands down.

Now what you need to do is go and drive both of them!!!! Two totally different cars, and get the one that suits you the most. The C5Z feels like a race/track car, the C6 feels like a caddy with *****. Now what do you want to use the car for and what are you looking for out of the car. You have to ask yourself that first. I have driven both, me personally am glad I went with the C5Z. Looks, I think the Z looks alot better that the c6. The c6, to me, looks weird. However the C6Z is badass!!!! That is the only c6 i would have is a C6Z. The c5Z handles great, sounds awesome, and the driving experience is just 10x's better than the base c6. These are just my opinions and I am not here to talk crap about the c6's. They are great cars too! So no disrespect to the c6 owners whatsoever. The interior of the C6 is awesome iin every aspect. Fit and finish is really good. In the end I was looking for a car that I felt connected with.


So buy what you like and enjoy it. You will with either car.

C6ZR1>C6Z06>C5Z06>C6Z51>C6base>C5Base

 

Same hp,newer car, more ci,C6hands down.

 

C5 looks outdated, especially the nose and interior. I'd rather have a plain base C6 over any C5, period. I don't care what they run in stock form, all of them take mods extremely well anyways. I think my previous Z51 C6 looked just as good as any C5Z I've ever seen.

 

Exactly. Most of the folks I see choosing the C5Z over the C6 have never owned a C6.