C5 ZO6 upgrading to C6 Z06

[Mid_America_Motorworks]

How many of you current ZO6 (C5) oweners will be going to the ZO6 and for that matter just a regular C5's?

I think I might sell my 02' and upgrade to an 06 Z.

Lets presume the price is right at 65K?

Michael

 

[Jim Shearer]

If the price is near $65K I will get one!

 

[DRTH VTR]

Maybe a used one in 2006 or so. $65,000 is a bunch of money for us common folks.

 

[hzl6cm]

I chose to buy a new '04 Z06 6-weeks ago instead of a C6 since I liked the styling and performance better. I still like the '04 Z06 styling better than the C6 Z06 so I have no plans to switch. If I want to up the performance of my Z06 to that of the '06 I could do it a lot cheaper than what it would cost me to sell my car and get an '06.

 

[c5vetter]

need to see the new ZEE in person, before I decide - when I saw the C6 in person, there just wasn't that GOTCHA that grabbed me - now the new MB SLK 55AMG, now that GOT ME, same with the new Porche

 

[motorman]

How many of you current ZO6 (C5) oweners will be going to the ZO6 and for that matter just a regular C5's?

I think I might sell my 02' and upgrade to an 06 Z.

Lets presume the price is right at 65K?

Michael

dave hill said it will be the most expensive corvette ever sold and the last ZR-1 was $72K so i do not look for any thing under that.

 

[Mid_America_Motorworks]

dave hill said it will be the most expensive corvette ever sold and the last ZR-1 was $72K so i do not look for any thing under that.

Where did you hear that? I hope its not true. 72 K is a boat load of money - I hope it is more like 62K!!!

Michael

 

[Rob]

Good question. If I owned a C5-Z06, I'd strongly consider it. I like the look of the C6-Z06 much better, and I like the "engineering enhancements" over the C5-Z06.

I won't lie and say that I haven't recently thought about selling my 1990 ZR-1 and using the money towards the purchase of a C6-Z06....but...I just can't do it.

As quirky as the ZR-1 is, it's in my blood. I bought her in 1994 with only 179 miles on it - plastic still on the seats and steering wheel. I've got about 29,000 miles on it now and I've had some of the most incredible times in that Vette. It's rare, kind of unique, has a bit of a legend built around it, and it looks and sounds cool. It's not only served as my personal play-thing, but also my psych-doctor. Anytime I'm totally stressed out and just need to unwind, the ZR was always there and after spending a good hour driving and having fun with it, I'd step out of it feeling completely regenerated.

To let my ZR go - even for a new, state-of-the-art, killer-Corvette...would be like me opening my door and letting my dog run off.

Even though I could have something much better and probably much more fun....I tend to hold a high degree of loyalty to some things and the ZR-1 just happens to be one of them.

 

[Rob]

Where did you hear that? I hope its not true. 72 K is a boat load of money - I hope it is more like 62K!!!

Michael

Michael,

Originally, when the 1990 ZR-1 came out, it stickered right around $59,000-$61,000. By 1995, I saw some sticker prices on brand new ZR-1s hit $72,000.

My 1990 ZR-1 is a Canadian model and I have the original sticker. Price? Just a hair over $86,000 - in Canadian dollars back in 1990.

 

[motorman]

Good question. If I owned a C5-Z06, I'd strongly consider it. I like the look of the C6-Z06 much better, and I like the "engineering enhancements" over the C5-Z06.

I won't lie and say that I haven't recently thought about selling my 1990 ZR-1 and using the money towards the purchase of a C6-Z06....but...I just can't do it.

As quirky as the ZR-1 is, it's in my blood. I bought her in 1994 with only 179 miles on it - plastic still on the seats and steering wheel. I've got about 29,000 miles on it now and I've had some of the most incredible times in that Vette. It's rare, kind of unique, has a bit of a legend built around it, and it looks and sounds cool. It's not only served as my personal play-thing, but also my psych-doctor. Anytime I'm totally stressed out and just need to unwind, the ZR was always there and after spending a good hour driving and having fun with it, I'd step out of it feeling completely regenerated.

To let my ZR go - even for a new, state-of-the-art, killer-Corvette...would be like me opening my door and letting my dog run off.

Even though I could have something much better and probably much more fun....I tend to hold a high degree of loyalty to some things and the ZR-1 just happens to be one of them.

GM got smart with the ZR-1s because the dealer were selling them for big bucks over sticker. my wife wrote the deal on the first one at the dealership in 1990 and sold it for $20K over sticker so GM says if the customer is willing to spend that kind of bucks why not raise the price so GM makes the extra profit.

 

[motorman]

Where did you hear that? I hope its not true. 72 K is a boat load of money - I hope it is more like 62K!!!

Michael

a fully equipted C-6 vert will cost more than that so a engine with all that titanium will add BIG bucks to the cost of a car. the last time i checked titanium valves springs were $1800 a set. this will be a limited production car because of the ability of the new GM engine shop to build enought engines. the quote by dave hill was in one of the automotive papers to the dealers

 

[Z06 Tom]

I'm torn. I've put a bunch of money into my current Z. I like the new one, but I'll have to see one in the flesh, sitting next to my car, before I'd make a decision. In any event, I wouldn't buy a '06. The LS7 will be a pretty sophisticated, new engine for GM. Remember the problems with the '01 LS6s? I'd give them a year to get the bugs worked out and buy in year two or three.

.....Either that, or I'll wait 'till one out-runs me.

 

[Zohhh6]

Sticker $72,900

Dealer markup $15,00

Yours for only................$87,900

Don't be suprised!!

 

[motorman]

Sticker $72,900

Dealer markup $15,00

Yours for only................$87,900

Don't be suprised!!

that is what i posted earlier $90K for the first ones.

 

[1stiff84]

I chose to buy a new '04 Z06 6-weeks ago instead of a C6 since I liked the styling and performance better. I still like the '04 Z06 styling better than the C6 Z06 so I have no plans to switch.

My thoughts, too; buy what you like, keep what you love.

 

[OLDGOAT]

betcha that the first Z06's change hands for a minimum of $100,000. This will be chump change for those who get them first. The car is getting a lot oh hype and many truly wealthy folks will buy them for status appeal alone. What's truly wealthy in my opinion? Pretty simple: Its a buyer who pays cash for the car and doesn't notice a change in his personal life with the money tied up in the car. People who make payments are not wealthy unless it's on their new Gulfstream.

Rob...how right you are....my 68 Camaro SS396 was my counselor through college. I had to have two jobs to afford the car and my tuition. Our counseling sessions were generally late at night on little traveled back roads. Just the car and I. I always returned home with things sorted out and stress relieved. I called it the quadrajet cure at the time. My wife never understood. Like she'd say..."how could just driving around in 'that car' help you unwind?" I've never owned a vette but I know many thousands of owners like you understand perfectly well my experiences. I missed that "thing" from the day I sold it for grad school tuition. My advice is always keep your ZR-1!

ps. I agree that GM has projected that dealers would be able to add on BIG bucks to a list on the Z06 in the low to mid 60k range. So I agree that GM has decided to capture some or most of that extra money itself by pricing the car high in the first place. How many vipers sell at 10 or 20 k over list of nearly 90K? Not many I'd guess.

Simple market economics will mean that dealers PROBABLY will not be able to add that much if the Z06 list is 75k. 10 k probably for sure but that puts it right at the viper cost. And why not? A viper at 85 k is possibly worth it. The Z06 is higher tech and faster so why should it sell for less than viper cost?

The big boys are going to open their wallets wide for this one. All this oldgoat wants is a "measly" 400 hp base C6 with Z51. Only 400 hp? Only 4.1 0-60 ?????

I should be so lucky. The oldgoat would probably have a heart attack if he drove a new Z06. As the age of vette buyers goes up perhaps GM should add a portable automatic electronic defibrillator as an option? Maybe self deploying with the airbag?

 

[DRTH VTR]

10 k probably for sure but that puts it right at the viper cost. And why not?

Because they only sell about 1500 Vipers per year vs 35,000 Corvettes. About 8-9000 of those have been Z06's.

 

[Rob]

that is what i posted earlier $90K for the first ones.

but....let's all remember, there's a difference between "MSRP" and "Market Adjustment". MSRP is set by the manufacturer. "Market Adjustment" is what some dealers call a dealer markup on top of the MSRP price.

Let's not give the wrong impression that GM will release the Z06 for $90K because even though I don't know what they are going to mark it at, I can almost guarantee you that they will NOT mark it as high or higher than a brandnew Dodge Viper.

 

[Rob]

betcha that the first Z06's change hands for a minimum of $100,000. This will be chump change for those who get them first. The car is getting a lot oh hype and many truly wealthy folks will buy them for status appeal alone. What's truly wealthy in my opinion? Pretty simple: Its a buyer who pays cash for the car and doesn't notice a change in his personal life with the money tied up in the car. People who make payments are not wealthy unless it's on their new Gulfstream.

This wouldn't surprise me. The 1990 ZR-1 stickered right around $60,000, but some dealers were getting up to $110,000 for one. The ZR-1 received a ton of hype for a few years before it went into production. It was the Corvette that was going to take on Ferrari, Lamborghini and all of Europe....and it pretty much did what it was intended to do. For the last year, we've been hearing rumblings of a possible monster Corvette with 500 hp coming in the C6 generation. Well, now, those rumblings are now set in stone, and Corvette Engineers are pretty much pointing their view-finders across the icy Atlantic. My prediction is, when the first production 2006 Z06s hit dealers, we'll see a repeat of what occurred back in early 1990 when ZR-1s started to appear in Showrooms.

Rob...how right you are....my 68 Camaro SS396 was my counselor through college. I had to have two jobs to afford the car and my tuition. Our counseling sessions were generally late at night on little traveled back roads. Just the car and I. I always returned home with things sorted out and stress relieved. I called it the quadrajet cure at the time. My wife never understood. Like she'd say..."how could just driving around in 'that car' help you unwind?" I've never owned a vette but I know many thousands of owners like you understand perfectly well my experiences. I missed that "thing" from the day I sold it for grad school tuition. My advice is always keep your ZR-1!

EXACTLY!!!! You hit the nail on the head.

I worked two jobs for three years just to afford the downpayment on the car, and continued working for quite some time just to afford the ridiculous monthly payments. Everyone thought I was crazy, and nobody but other Vette enthusiasts, truly understood what the car meant to me and how it is a major stress relief for me when I drive it. I've invested way too much blood, sweat and tears into just being able to afford the car. Luckily, after putting 29,000 miles on it, I've had little to no problems with it, and I've been able to do any work and maintenance on my own.

Over the years, I've made a lot of financial sacrifices just to continue owning the car. I'm back to working two jobs again, so that I can build up a downpayment for a house. Right now, the ZR-1 is in storage for the winter (why I decided to move back here to NH from VA is beyond me... ) and at the rate we're going up here, probably won't see pavement for another 4 months. The logical thing to do would be to stop working 2 jobs, sell the ZR-1 and bingo - there's my downpayment. But alas, I just can't do it.

....driving down to Bowling Green in April of 1995 to see the last ZR-1 come off the BG Assembly line....running up the coast of northern New Hampshire and Maine....driving shotgun next to a guy in a brandnew Ferrari 360 Modena convertible and getting a thumbs up....my 120mph drive up to the White Mountains of New Hampshire...hitting 145mph when some idiot in a brand new Mercedes tried passing me in the right hand lane at 120, and all the driver got a chance to see were the ZR-1s quad taillights fade off into the distance... :L

....the list of memories goes on and on....

 

[Edmond]

Rob,

I imagine the insurance on the ZR must be pretty hefty as well! And doesn't it have an 8 quart motor oil capacity?