rai

Just curious, I know more power is better etc..and the Z06 is still a bargain car for exotic performance.

Q: on public roads can you drive a Z06 to it's fullest? No surely not.

IMO if people are not going to a track, but just driving around on public roads, than is a Z06 more of a status car (ie. look at me I can afford a $70K car...)

I know I've said before that maybe for me the Z06 is too much of a monster for where I live and how I drive. But at the same time it's tempting to be able to buy an insane car that is near performance of an Enzo.

It's like the Ford comercial where the guy brings his GT500 to Germany and they guy asks if he can't find any cars he likes in Germany and the guy says no I can't find any roads I like in the US.

Other point is even if I did go to a race track, wouldn't a Z06 be more than I could handle (being a novice) can't a slow car be just as fun to drive on a track?

I know people here have owned Vettes so I wanted to hear what they think about the reason to buy a Z06 over a base C6.

Is a Z06 madness for a law abiding person and/or more for show-off than for actual use on public roads?

Saki GT

I think your question is kind of philisophical, but I agree that the "base" vette is one hell of a car, and a Z06 isn't going to do much for you unless you're on a track or stroking your ego... not that that's a bad thing.

As for tracking the car, its harder to drive an underpowered car fast than an overpowered car, and its never fun to drive slow, but it is fun to drive an underpowered car and pay more attention to the finer points of going fast than ham fisting around a track with brute power imo.

Cars like the Z06 and SRT-8 are kind of crazy for the road, but they are still fun and stand out.

Triple-H

Yes, the Z06 is a very nice car, but from my point of view, a Z06, a C6, an S2000, and even a built CRX-Si cannot be driven on the street to their fullest, unless the driver has absolutely no regard for any rules of the road.

I suspect there are people who buy the Z06 because they are addicted to track events, and I'm also sure there are people buying a Z06 just because it is the best of the Vettes, well for now anyways because if the 650 hp SS comes to market the Z06 will no longer be that special...

When it is time to replace my S with a new track car, I'm seriously thinking of a used plain ole C6, I mean after all, 400 hp and 400 ft-lbs is a decent step up from the power coming from my S2000.

pierceman

One of uor partners had one for 6 mos. His other car is the new M5, and he also races Toyota atlantic cars. For the street he said it was fun, but total overkill. sold it and made 9k after half a year of fun. I never did get to swap him cars for a day The C6 is a monster, get the Z51 for sure. PM SCOT he has had the convertable C6 for a while. If you get tired of it just ProCharge it and BAM your running with a Z06.
MAtt

Penforhire

From a certain perspective, you shouldn't drive any econobox to their fullest on public roads. That'd be less safe than a spirited drive in a better-handling car.

How I felt, pushing my C5 Z06 on the road from time to time, was that I had a greater safety margin at a given speed than the guy in, say, a WRX that I was chasing up a mountain. Did I drive it at the limit ont he street? No, I'm not that stupid and I auto-x'd enough to know better.

There are lots of reasons why an "excessive" car is still fun on the street. Here's some of my juvenile but satisfying reasoning--

Part of it is the sensation of being a shark among minnows. Your place in the food chain is above enough other cars that there is an emotional satisfaction that comes with it.

Then there are those passing opportunities that exist more often with a fearsome engine. If some driver pisses you off there is little effort on your part to getting by them and letting them know you disrespect them at the same time.

I had QTEC electric-valved Flowmaster cut-outs in my exhaust. When I opened those bad boys up the bark of my engine could scare paint off other cars (and around 2K RPM the cabin resonance gave me a back rub). Canyon runs sounded like a NASCAR race car. I could only imagine how much meaner it'd sound with long-tube headers and a lumpier cam! So if somebody rev'd on me I could switch the cut-outs open in two seconds and rev back to try for a shocked-look on their faces.

You note the possibility of buying one for status. I don't know where you live but around Los Angeles a < $100K car means nothing by itself among folks I know. Maybe I'd get the status-respect of mullet-wearing drivers in some backwater regions?

gbuka

I'm pretty sure there's a rule somewhere that states "there is no such thing as too much horsepower". Any auto enthusiast who questions it must immidiately hand in his keys and drive a minivan until they fully recant.

I've often wondered the same thing myself. The answer I come up with even though the Z06 is a monster and cannot be used to the max daily, it is still very enjoyable and drivable day to day with a special bonus for the times that you do want to play. Two cars in one really, something fun to drive around to town and a track car.

I really wouldn't think I'm wasting it day to day because I'm driving it! I'd think it was wasted if it was relegated to occasional fair weather track trips while I was driving a POS on a daily basis...

no_really

penforhire made a good point. It isn't about driving to the edge of the car's abilities, it is about the car having a much wider performance envelope than most anything else, so you have a larger "safety margin" with it. You can push it much further before you lose control, and even then it probably takes having the tires off the ground.

As far as being able to push the car on public roads, it depends on where you live. You could probably find a time and place to safely push a Z06 in Montana, or even any of the western states. Even in midwestern states, we have huge highways on a grand scale, with miles upon miles of straights, sweeping curves, long rises, and panoramic views along with abondoned back roads twisting through river valleys and winding among rolling hills. If you live somewhere you can wring out an S2000, you would probably enjoy wringing out a Z06. You don't need to live in Germany to play above 100 mph.

Even if I lived in germany, I would not appreciate slamming past cars going 50 or more mph faster than them. Nor would I enjoy getting a flyby at that kind of differential. I much prefer high speed blasts when the road is empty.

Mister Jew

If you can afford the Z06 why wouldnt you get it? That car is awesome for the price and i am sure not only the motor and tranny are upgraded from the Base C6. The suspension, Braking and overall Presence of the car is Better. Its like going to buy a v6 Mustang when you could have an 03-04 Cobra It just wouldnt be the right thing to do.

rai

good points.

What I was thinking is the C6 400/400 is already a beast. I drove a C5 Z06 and I was in awe of the power sound and fury.

So in a sense the C6 is near equal to the C5 Z06.

On my 15 minute test drive of the C5 Z06 I didn't get much chance to get comfortable with the power, but if I owned one as time and miles go by I'd be more able/comfortable with it's power.

rai

thats true, but similar to the point that people who bought a new S2000 in the last 2 years could have bought a used C5 Z06 for the same money. Then again to see the number of new S2000s being so low many people are buying something else no doubt.

I know the S2000 is a vert and the C5 Z06 is a coupe, but if it's mostly about performance the Z06 (C5 or C6) is hard to beat.


Also the base vette is not chopped liver, its quicker than 95% of the cars out there. 400hp/400-TQ so thats not a good comparison to a to the V6 Mustang (vs Cobra) which is not even a performance car (IMO) more like a Mustang GT vs a Cobra.