Considering a Purchase: 370z Vs. C5 Z06
03-19-2016, 04:33 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Considering a Purchase: 370z Vs. C5 Z06
May be selling my S2000 in the next couple of months, not entirely sure yet but I'm feeling out my options. The only two cars that interest me at all to migrate to are the C5 Z06 and the 370z. This will be my daily driver that I occasionally throw around turns or do light pulls in (S2000 is currently my DD). This car will be used mostly on the road with the odd track day once or twice a year.
Both can be had for about the same price. Both offer a bit more room and space than the S2000 as well which would probably make daily driving a bit more relaxed as well as longer trips out of town.
So far, what I'm considering....
370z:
Pros - Nice interior (much nicer than C5), beefy drivetrain, good torque for V6, great aesthetics, newer (2009+), relatively "rare" in that you don't see them super common on the road. Great suspension reviews. Rev-matching on newer models but I don't really care about that.
Cons - Less power/speed than C5 Z06, and more weight despite smaller engine (about 200lb). If I wanted to raise power significantly I'd have to go FI.
C5 Z06:
Pros - LS6 with great power output, low end torque, fantastic performance features all around. Bulletproof drivetrain, more potential for power, very lightweight despite having a 5.7L V8
Cons - Very bland/unimpressive interior, older, relatively common to see around town (not really a "personal" look). I'm not really too impressed with the looks of this car, inside or out.
The conclusion I basically see myself coming to now is that the C5 Z06 would be better from strictly a performance perspective, but the 370z seems like it would be much easier and much nicer to live with on a daily basis. I could always make cosmetic changes to a C5 to try and make it more visually appealing to me, but on the other hand I could also always modify a 370 to get a bit more power out of.
Let me know if anyone has any experience with either of these cars, or what your thoughts are.
Both can be had for about the same price. Both offer a bit more room and space than the S2000 as well which would probably make daily driving a bit more relaxed as well as longer trips out of town.
So far, what I'm considering....
370z:
Pros - Nice interior (much nicer than C5), beefy drivetrain, good torque for V6, great aesthetics, newer (2009+), relatively "rare" in that you don't see them super common on the road. Great suspension reviews. Rev-matching on newer models but I don't really care about that.
Cons - Less power/speed than C5 Z06, and more weight despite smaller engine (about 200lb). If I wanted to raise power significantly I'd have to go FI.
C5 Z06:
Pros - LS6 with great power output, low end torque, fantastic performance features all around. Bulletproof drivetrain, more potential for power, very lightweight despite having a 5.7L V8
Cons - Very bland/unimpressive interior, older, relatively common to see around town (not really a "personal" look). I'm not really too impressed with the looks of this car, inside or out.
The conclusion I basically see myself coming to now is that the C5 Z06 would be better from strictly a performance perspective, but the 370z seems like it would be much easier and much nicer to live with on a daily basis. I could always make cosmetic changes to a C5 to try and make it more visually appealing to me, but on the other hand I could also always modify a 370 to get a bit more power out of.
Let me know if anyone has any experience with either of these cars, or what your thoughts are.
03-19-2016, 08:35 PM
#3
I was in a similar position, only I was choosing between a Cayman S and a C5 Z06. Ultimately I chose the Corvette. Now, I was choosing a car to be my fourth car, not a daily driver. I think for that reason alone I would suggest you go with the 370z. The C5 Z06 is too much of a race car than a street car, figuratively and relatively speaking compared to the 370z. When I want to turn into a parking lot, I have to make damn sure it's billiard table smooth, or the car will bottom out. Further, the radiator feeds from the bottom, and it has an air dam that protrudes down beneath the car. This thing catches on freaking everything. I had a heavyset coworker with me who caused the car to high-center on a speed bump. Seriously.
Further, the torque tube in these cars is noisy. It sounds like a loose exhaust heat shield, and, frankly, it's annoying. Now, when I think of the tremendous performance envelope of these cars or if I think of it as a light weight version of a torque monster car that won't get embarrassed by anything but the most expensive cars in existence, I can live with it's imperfections, which are really best though of as quirks. But to just tool around in traffic, the imperfections are amplified, and it becomes apparent that it is a special car (for better or worse) but not an everyday car.
All that to say, I'd suggest the 370z. If you had a beater car that you could drive to work, then I'd suggest the Corvette. I've known people with heavily modified 350zs, and they were cool in their own way. But to make one perform on the same level as a Z06 requires a tremendous amount of money, and then you're driving around a ticking time bomb, and it would be even less daily drivable than a C5 Z. On the contrary, the Z06 is as reliable as a hammer, and you can beat the hell out of it without worrying about anything breaking. And if something does break, you can spend $10k and install a world destroying built motor.
Anyhow, I'm kind of rambling, but for a daily driver, stay away from C5 Z06.
As far as the looks of the C5 are concerned, I always hated them. The car just never looked good to me. When I bought mine, I wanted a track car to replace my Miata, and I thought, "Here's a car that is so god awfully ugly that I could crash it into a wall at the track and not feel bad about it." But once I bought the car, I realized that I was judging it from the wrong perspective. You see, I had always thought of C5 Z06s as looking like big boats. They looked so slab-sided and ill proportioned. Only, I was basing this of a pics, mostly. Sure, I'd seen them around town a zillion times, but I never really paid attention. After I bought mine, I really took the car in up close and realized that this thing is small, low, and curvy in all the right places. When cars are seen in picture form, the camera can always be adjusted the make the car fill the frame, and that is often done. But in real life, I see all car's from the same set of eyeballs, height, POV, etc., and the car really shines within that context. I feel like thr C5 Z06 is like the NSX in that sense. In picture, the NSX looks cartoonishly outdated. But every time I see on drive past me, I can't help but think how awesome it looks. By itself in a pic, it looks cheesy. Next to a pickup truck or a cacophony of CamCords, it looks like a million bucks in a briefcase. Same thing with the C5 Z06. The closer I look at it, the more I realize it has some FD RX-7 curves to it. And now I'm afraid to drive it on the track because I feel like mine (which is in near-perfect condition) needs to be preserved. You know, in case they ever open the Redneck Supercar Hall of Fame.
Further, the torque tube in these cars is noisy. It sounds like a loose exhaust heat shield, and, frankly, it's annoying. Now, when I think of the tremendous performance envelope of these cars or if I think of it as a light weight version of a torque monster car that won't get embarrassed by anything but the most expensive cars in existence, I can live with it's imperfections, which are really best though of as quirks. But to just tool around in traffic, the imperfections are amplified, and it becomes apparent that it is a special car (for better or worse) but not an everyday car.
All that to say, I'd suggest the 370z. If you had a beater car that you could drive to work, then I'd suggest the Corvette. I've known people with heavily modified 350zs, and they were cool in their own way. But to make one perform on the same level as a Z06 requires a tremendous amount of money, and then you're driving around a ticking time bomb, and it would be even less daily drivable than a C5 Z. On the contrary, the Z06 is as reliable as a hammer, and you can beat the hell out of it without worrying about anything breaking. And if something does break, you can spend $10k and install a world destroying built motor.
Anyhow, I'm kind of rambling, but for a daily driver, stay away from C5 Z06.
As far as the looks of the C5 are concerned, I always hated them. The car just never looked good to me. When I bought mine, I wanted a track car to replace my Miata, and I thought, "Here's a car that is so god awfully ugly that I could crash it into a wall at the track and not feel bad about it." But once I bought the car, I realized that I was judging it from the wrong perspective. You see, I had always thought of C5 Z06s as looking like big boats. They looked so slab-sided and ill proportioned. Only, I was basing this of a pics, mostly. Sure, I'd seen them around town a zillion times, but I never really paid attention. After I bought mine, I really took the car in up close and realized that this thing is small, low, and curvy in all the right places. When cars are seen in picture form, the camera can always be adjusted the make the car fill the frame, and that is often done. But in real life, I see all car's from the same set of eyeballs, height, POV, etc., and the car really shines within that context. I feel like thr C5 Z06 is like the NSX in that sense. In picture, the NSX looks cartoonishly outdated. But every time I see on drive past me, I can't help but think how awesome it looks. By itself in a pic, it looks cheesy. Next to a pickup truck or a cacophony of CamCords, it looks like a million bucks in a briefcase. Same thing with the C5 Z06. The closer I look at it, the more I realize it has some FD RX-7 curves to it. And now I'm afraid to drive it on the track because I feel like mine (which is in near-perfect condition) needs to be preserved. You know, in case they ever open the Redneck Supercar Hall of Fame.
03-19-2016, 08:45 PM
#4
Registered User
Thread Starter
Weight distribution on Z06 is 51/49, I think the 370z is more like 54/46. The weight is my biggest issue with the 370z. The torque of the LS6 is also really intriguing, but even with an upgraded interior the 370 still has more amenities for daily driving.
Pros and cons on both seem about even. It'd be nice to be able to see/drive these cars in person sometime but it's not easy where I'm currently located. Still interested in opinions.
Also, thanks to the mod that moved this topic
03-19-2016, 08:56 PM
#5
Registered User
Thread Starter
I was in a similar position, only I was choosing between a Cayman S and a C5 Z06. Ultimately I chose the Corvette....
...And now I'm afraid to drive it on the track because I feel like mine (which is in near-perfect condition) needs to be preserved. You know, in case they ever open the Redneck Supercar Hall of Fame.
...And now I'm afraid to drive it on the track because I feel like mine (which is in near-perfect condition) needs to be preserved. You know, in case they ever open the Redneck Supercar Hall of Fame.
. I think you're right about the 370z being a better option for a daily driver. The Z06 would be a lot of fun any time I had an open road or was out for a spin, but I think the 370 would be easier to live with for casual commuting and when stopped at lights. Plus, I feel like the 370z is (at least in my opinion) an unarguably great looking car, while I have mixed feelings about the Z06.It's also not like even a stock 370z is "slow" either, it just is next to the Corvette. The C5 Z06 sets a really high bar. I haven't raced one but I'm sure even my S2000 on a good day would pull on a stock 370.
03-20-2016, 08:29 AM
#6
Moderator
I think a normal C5, or even a normal C6, would be a better option for you, especially if you are DD and entertaining a 370. The vette will have much more usable space, and even a "normal" vette has more power than the Z.
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03-20-2016, 12:47 PM
#8
Registered User
How do you feel about the C6's interior and exterior? It's more liveable and a base with z51 and the LS2 / LS3 are still serious performers, not to mention you can hit high-400whp NA pretty easily. The C6 will also have a removeable roof for days when you miss the s2000. Lastly the C6 will get better highway MPG and has a much bigger trunk space than the 370.
I daily drove my 08 LS3 C6 with z51 for about 3 years, took it on 800 miles round-trips and honestly could not complain. The car is still fun in the canyons but it's surprisingly comfortable and practical as a daily driver IMO. The seats do suck during spirited driving but they are comfy for daily driving.
I daily drove my 08 LS3 C6 with z51 for about 3 years, took it on 800 miles round-trips and honestly could not complain. The car is still fun in the canyons but it's surprisingly comfortable and practical as a daily driver IMO. The seats do suck during spirited driving but they are comfy for daily driving.
03-20-2016, 01:21 PM
#9
Those are all good points. I think that a regular C6 is better as a daily driver than a C5 Z06. Also, this is probably more a function of my aftermarket clutch, but I drove a fellow forum member's C6 ZR1 and the clutch and transmission were a piece of cake. It was like the clutch on a stock Accord, or something like that. However, the clutch in my C5 Z06 takes like a gajillion lbs of pressure to engage. My left leg is super buff now, but my right leg is like a flamingo's.
Full disclosure: both of my legs are woefully un-muscled. Haha.
Full disclosure: both of my legs are woefully un-muscled. Haha.
03-20-2016, 01:23 PM
#10
My s2000 was totalled back in september and I went with the 370z for your exact reasons, I wanted something better for daily driving/fun to drive on the street and so far im really loving the switch. Some people say the Elise is a hardcore S2k and the S2k is 90% of the fun of the Elise while being more practical. Well id make the same comparison to the 370z vs S2k. Oh and the 370z is alot faster than the S2k on highway I dont think it can pull a 370z at any speed. Goodluck!