C6 or Import a Z06?

C6 or Import a Z06?

Author
Discussion

e46m3c

Original Poster:

874 posts

154 months

Friday 2nd September 2016
quotequote all
Hi Chaps,

Time to replace the Tuscan. I like the idea of a Vette. It still looks cool and rare like the Tuscan, sounds epic like the Tuscan. But is hopefully a bit more competant in the handling department and a better cruiser.

Problem is. £23k for a UK C6 Targa, or about £30k to import a Z06. I like the Targa ness of the tuscan.

Is the Z06 enough of a difference to be worth the extra cost and effort? Dry Sump, Alloy chassis, Carbon panels, titanium conrods, wider stance & body kit all sounds good to me. Can I import the z06 brakes and bolt straight onto a C6 Targa?

Im wondering if I went for a Targa and chucked some coin at it, it could be 90% of a Z06 faily easily and have best of both worlds? Or would I always just wish it was the Z06 and get frustrated.

Odd question I suppose. Still tossing up all the options.

Plenty of choice at this price level but the Tuscan is a hard one to beat!

Edited by e46m3c on Friday 2nd September 10:52

GW65

623 posts

205 months

Friday 2nd September 2016
quotequote all
Having never driven a Z06 I'm very happy with my C6...but, using a TVR analogy, after I'd driven a Griff 500 I could never have been happy with a Chimaera 4.0! (And my '08 C6 feels about as quick as the Griff)

You also mention you want a better cruiser than the Tuscan. I'm aware of at least a couple of Z06s that have been written off in the UK after aquaplaning on the motorway, whereas I've never heard of it happening to any C6s with their narrower tyres. May not be an issue for you, but worth thinking about. And also on a practical note, I wouldn't fancy the chances of the Z06's splitter over speed bumps (even the C6 can be marginal) but I'll defer to owners for their experience smile

e46m3c

Original Poster:

874 posts

154 months

Friday 2nd September 2016
quotequote all
Usage wise it will be weekend car, taking mrs out for meals so has to feel special, and should also be capable of flying to, and round, the Ring at warp speed. Also Alps roadtrips so topless is a big plus and also sound is a major thing.

How are the targas for road/wind noise with the lid on and at speed 130 mph + ?

In my brain at the moment, another contender is a Z4M roadster, charged to 450 bhp.

e46m3c

Original Poster:

874 posts

154 months

Friday 2nd September 2016
quotequote all
What are peoples thoughts on this one?

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/c...

Only thing its lacking is Bose and switchable exhaust.

philipbrown123

406 posts

116 months

Friday 2nd September 2016
quotequote all
I currently own a 2005 tuscan S and a 2005 C6 auto. Covered about 2000 miles in each ( 10 months C6 4 months tuscan S ). Slight preference for the tuscan though not much in it. Might put the C6 up for sale early next year circa £22K.

JimexPL

1,445 posts

211 months

Friday 2nd September 2016
quotequote all
e46m3c said:
What are peoples thoughts on this one?

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/c...

Only thing its lacking is Bose and switchable exhaust.
I have fond memories of that car!

It was the first official manual UK demonstrator, and my default Corvette runabout when it wasn't being used elsewhere, (and before the Z06 arrived). I think we sold it with around 10,000 miles on.
You'll find images of it in the press, and on TV.

The first private owner only had it for a short while, buying it to see if he liked the C6, then changing it for a Z06 within a few months. I can't remember the second owner.

It has Bose (not that it's up to much...), and switchable exhausts were not available until much later.

This one felt quite lively for an LS2, which I doubt the subsequent miles has diminished. The disappointment on this age is the over-sized steering wheel, and the C6 brakes, whilst capable on the road, never give the reassuring pedal feel of the Z06.

e46m3c

Original Poster:

874 posts

154 months

Friday 2nd September 2016
quotequote all
sounds like a well exercised example then. Possible money pit / worn out?

Can you bolt the z06 brakes straight onto the c6 (not sure what you call the base model as short).

Do they have the same hubs/stud/offset?

Im sure there is aftermarket BBK for Corvette for little more than 1k so brakes are fixable.

Whats te c6 like as a sports car? Exciting involving? TVR is more scarey / brute force.

urquattroGus

1,845 posts

189 months

Friday 2nd September 2016
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I would go for the Z06, special car with special engine.

Got to love the 7 litre LS.


JimexPL

1,445 posts

211 months

Friday 2nd September 2016
quotequote all
e46m3c said:
sounds like a well exercised example then. Possible money pit / worn out?
It was generally only used as a customer demonstrator road car or for photos/studio shoots - there was a red German registered car that was loaned out for the road tests.
A standard C6 is a pretty robust vehicle. Other than consumables, they only really wear on the seats and I wouldn't let the early history of this one put you off. I considered buying it from the company at one point!

e46m3c

Original Poster:

874 posts

154 months

Friday 2nd September 2016
quotequote all
Are you able to give me a bit of a comparison between a C6 and Tuscan S?

One thing i am keen to get away from is the crappy feel to the tuscan build quality for something which feels more solid. And also reduced wind noise and increased stability at high speed 130+.

philipbrown123

406 posts

116 months

Friday 2nd September 2016
quotequote all
My C6 is a targa. More wind noise with the C6 though this feels more stable than the tuscan at 100 ish. Haven't taken either above this. Roads my way are pot holed and busy.

BlackZeD

772 posts

207 months

Friday 2nd September 2016
quotequote all
^^^^ Totally agree, if you get a base C6 you will always wish you had got a Z06.
To answer the question about brakes yes they do bolt straight on, you
would need rotors as well tho.
Too late to buy mine off me as they are already sold and my spare set have just been painted.
The one in the pic is a rear one !!
There is a lot of upgrade and tuning parts to make all Corvettes better as well......



C5RagTop

1,610 posts

247 months

Friday 2nd September 2016
quotequote all
It's all a matter of personal choice, and not necessarily all about BHP. Whilst the Z06 is a great car with plenty of power, there may be other boxes which need ticking.

For my part, whilst my LS3 C6 Grand Sport may be down 70 odd BHP over the Z06, it has the same wide body, same brakes, same wheels and benefits from being a paddle shift convertible. The 427 version would make it the perfect Corvette but I would always prefer my GS over any Z06.

e46m3c

Original Poster:

874 posts

154 months

Saturday 3rd September 2016
quotequote all
Any easy power mods for the LS2? Or pretty well tuned as is as n/a?

Anyone got comparative experience to cars like e90 m3 or sl55 amg?

My budget has a ton of options. But mostly super saloon and I really want a supercar.

How does the stock c6 cope with trAckdays and ring trips without the additional tx coolers etc?

Any engine or gearbox issues in c6 or z06?

Which year did the gearbox improve? I hear early cars have an agricultural gearbox shift. So does the tuscan and I'm not a fan. Like a nice tight fast shift. Any corvette manage this?

Cheers

Chris

e46m3c

Original Poster:

874 posts

154 months

Saturday 3rd September 2016
quotequote all
Also. How do they survive outside? Watertight. Robust?

BlackZeD

772 posts

207 months

Saturday 3rd September 2016
quotequote all
2550 of the 427 convertibles were produced in 2013, probably none in the UK.

AdeTuono

7,240 posts

226 months

Saturday 3rd September 2016
quotequote all
I think you'd regret getting the C6 over the Z06; you'll always be thinking you got the second best.

I'm on my third Z; (1 x C5, 2 x C6; Swerni has my first one) and I honestly don't think there's a comparable engine to the LS7 anywhere. Give me that over any quad-cammed, turbo'ed hi-revving exotica. You can service it with a pen-knife and it'll just go on & on. The handling is a class apart from the base C6 as well. Remarkable cars.

Have had a TVR as well (Cerbera), and can sleep at night with the 'Vette in the garage.

C6NL

643 posts

259 months

Saturday 3rd September 2016
quotequote all
AdeTuono said:
You can service it with a pen-knife and it'll just go on & on.
LS7 certainly not bombproof, do a search for LS7 wiggle test, numerous LS7 have blown up, specially in Germany where they are driven hard.

AdeTuono

7,240 posts

226 months

Saturday 3rd September 2016
quotequote all
C6NL said:
AdeTuono said:
You can service it with a pen-knife and it'll just go on & on.
LS7 certainly not bombproof, do a search for LS7 wiggle test, numerous LS7 have blown up, specially in Germany where they are driven hard.
I'm probably wrong, but wasn't the problem narrowed down to heads manufactured at a certain suppliers between mid-2008 and early 2009?

No idea what the numbers involved are, but even taking that problem into account, the LS7's are still pretty robust with minimum intervention.

C5RagTop

1,610 posts

247 months

Saturday 3rd September 2016
quotequote all
swerni said:
Is paddle shift a benefit? I'd have thought the opppsite wink
Well, it is for me so that's all that matters. I got fed up with all the gear changes on my C5 Z06.