Considering a C5 ZO6...

[DARISC]

Originally Posted by cashflyer

This was our biggest complaint against the C4.
Constant squeeks and rattles from the dash and the targa top.
Luckily, I never had the electronic dash fail like so many did.

Mine was a 1994, so I had the 300hp LT-1 and the ZF 6-speed.

My C5 was solid as a rock, rattle and squeak free. I was pretty impressed. Always heard the prior cars were terrible in those, and certain other, respects (was never a Vette fan until the C5).

So dash failure was common in the older ones? I don't know if it was in the C5, but mine sure failed.

Oh yeah, one feature I thought was a trivial gimmick but found that I really, really liked was the head-up display. So much so that I think there ought to be a federal mandate requiring all cars to have them - ASAP after prohibiting LED screens that show non-essential info and have to be fiddled with and ANY cell phone usage when the vehicle is moving - which I expect will happen any never, now.

[MES 944]

Originally Posted by legion

Went and test drove a 2000 Z06 (that would make it a C5, Vash) a few months ago.

Car had been driven hard and put away wet. It was out of alignment and one of the calipers was seized. Synchros on 2nd were toast and it wouldn't reliably go into 1st gear. Being sold by third owner who had no maintenance records and bought it from a dealership that bought it at auction. He was asking $16,500. I thought the price was high for the condition of the vehicle.

Still, the power delivery was smooth and precise. I drove my best friend's '99 hard top, (with only 8,000 miles on it), so I knew that a better example would be a better drive. It's on my list of cars to consider when I get back into sports cars. (Which looks like it may be awhile.) Even with the problems listed above, I could probably spend less than $2k and fix all of them (including the tranny problems!).

The 2000 Z06 had a relatively anemic 350 hp. I believe the Z06 has gotten a power bump every year since its introduction. Heck, even the current "base" Corvette has 450 hp now.

Besides being cheap to fix and keep running, the other advantage I saw was that there are tons of upgrades available for everything, and you don't even need to do it piecemeal. You can literally buy whole engineered performance kits that include everything--even new engine mappings. And there are a lot of them: superchargers, turbochargers, dual turbochargers, even just new cylinder heads and exhaust.

The First year for the C-5 Z-06 was 2001, rated at 385HP, in 2002 it went to 405HP.

[Zeke]

I rode in one of the instructor's C5 Z06's at Open Track Racing. Mike, you may know him as the "fireman." The car does some weird stuff in T1 but he managed it just fine. I just felt the suspension porpoising from alternate corners on the car.
Maybe it wasn't completely dialed in, but his lap times were good. Good brakes on the car. I don't know about 1/2 hour later.

[Jim Bremner]

Originally Posted by DARISC

My C5 was solid as a rock, rattle and squeak free. I was pretty impressed. Always heard the prior cars were terrible in those, and certain other, respects (was never a Vette fan until the C5).

So dash failure was common in the older ones? I don't know if it was in the C5, but mine sure failed.

Oh yeah, one feature I thought was a trivial gimmick but found that I really, really liked was the head-up display. So much so that I think there ought to be a federal mandate requiring all cars to have them - ASAP after prohibiting LED screens that show non-essential info and have to be fiddled with and ANY cell phone usage when the vehicle is moving - which I expect will happen any never, now.

DARSIC,

I do not want to live in a country with your laws. I do belive that there's room for 1 more law. It would stand that for each new law on the books 2 more would need to be removed prior to the first one passing.

[DARISC]

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

DARSIC,

I do not want to live in a country with your laws. I do belive that there's room for 1 more law. It would stand that for each new law on the books 2 more would need to be removed prior to the first one passing.

DARSIC?

Whatever, Broomer.

Why don't you sweep on over to PARF and start a thread on that topic there?

My mistake for making such an incendiary comment here.

[cashflyer]

Originally Posted by DARISC

So dash failure was common in the older ones?

I had heard about it from a friend who owned a 1986 model. He said it was a pretty common thing, and that the dealers regarded them as "replace only - not repairable".

I did a quick Google to see what turned up, and Corvette Magazine seems to indicate the failure rates were high between 1984 and 1989.

[DARISC]

Originally Posted by cashflyer

...dealers regarded them as "replace only - not repairable"...

As I recall, I think that was the case with my C5 as well.

[RANDY P]

Originally Posted by cashflyer

I had heard about it from a friend who owned a 1986 model. He said it was a pretty common thing, and that the dealers regarded them as "replace only - not repairable".

I did a quick Google to see what turned up, and Corvette Magazine seems to indicate the failure rates were high between 1984 and 1989.

90 went back to the analog tach and digital speedo...The 89 and earlier went black, in fact anything GM made in that era went black.

rjp

[legion]

Yeah, it was a 2001 I drove. And yes it had 385 hp. Everything else was correct.

[LWJ]

I just saw an 04 Zo6. Selling for 23K with 51K miles I believe. Sounds like stupid, cheap fun. It is even somewhat attractive. One of those things that makes you say "hmm."

Larry

[MMARSH]

Originally Posted by turbocarrera

I went with my bud to pick up his brand new '07 Z06 and omg what a fun car - for about a month. Constantly in the shop. He let me drive it the day he bought it and again about 3 months later and I was shocked - what a POS.

There are well-built EFI'd 930's for sale right now for 30K-35K that will just pound a C6 Z06 - it's crazy. GM's fiberglass or Porsche's legendary iron?

Here's DonE's from the turbo board - it's impeccably put together. No bids. Sad.

Porsche : 911 - eBay (item 270660837214 end time Nov-14-10 18:20:03 PST)

Funny, I just rode in a 06 Z06 at the Streets of Willow a few weeks back. Buddy of mine bought it brand new and it's been a track car it's entire life. So although it only has about 10K miles on it. 95% of them have been on the track. I was very very impressed. That car was rock solid and would pound any porsche I've driven. That being said, Also have another buddy who just had to have an engine replacement on his Legendary Iron from germany. So maybe your buddy got a Monday built Z06 and my buddy got a Monday built 997.

[ted]

Originally Posted by MMARSH

Funny, I just rode in a 06 Z06 at the Streets of Willow a few weeks back. Buddy of mine bought it brand new and it's been a track car it's entire life. So although it only has about 10K miles on it. 95% of them have been on the track. I was very very impressed. That car was rock solid and would pound any porsche I've driven. That being said, Also have another buddy who just had to have an engine replacement on his Legendary Iron from germany. So maybe your buddy got a Monday built Z06 and my buddy got a Monday built 997.

Hi Mike good to hear from you.
Surprised you don't hold a little hate for Vettes after Rupart rammed your 911 at Big Willow years ago.
This year Vette had a recall for a problem with piston rings.
A few years ago this car too was burning some oil so the owner took it to the dealer.
The dealer said no problem we'll replace it with a new engine.
The service writer walked out to the car saw a roll bar and told the owner, no dice.
Track work voids your engine warranty.
So the owner did what any good car guy would do and spent 10k on a performance rebuild.
Hope to catch up with you on a fun day at the track in 2011.
Did you end up building a Factory 5 car, still on the bike at work?
Stay safe, Happy Holidays!

[Hawkney911]

I bought a low mile C5 this summer and have been very happy with the car. I am 23 and have been working on my dad's 78sc and my brothers 80sc for the last 6 years or so. When I had enough saved to buy a sports car I knew I could not afford major unexpected maintenance that can come with a 911, especially if it was to be used occasionally for auto cross and track days. The LS series motors are built proof and respond very well to bolt on but try to avoid the corvette tax buy not shopping on Corvette specific websites stick to summit and other f-body websites. Best of Luck

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by ted

This year Vette had a recall for a problem with piston rings.
A few years ago this car too was burning some oil so the owner took it to the dealer.
The dealer said no problem we'll replace it with a new engine.
The service writer walked out to the car saw a roll bar and told the owner, no dice.
Track work voids your engine warranty.
So the owner did what any good car guy would do and spent 10k on a performance rebuild.

Well, it is a TSB, not a recall.... a recall has to be performed, by law, regardless.
Every manufacturer has a clause about abuse. Even Porsche.
Still, unless there is a direct causal relationship between the abuse and the affected part, they will warrant it. Some dealers are stickier than others. You can always get the DSM zone manager involved and more often than not, they will honor the warranty even with evidence of racing. Porsche is no different. I know a guy who lunched a 2004 996 transmission and Porsche declined, looking into stored telemetry and seeing a missed shift (over redline).

$10K would buy a TREMENDOUS performance engine rebuild. You can buy an entire replacement LS6 (405hp) for half that. And you can rebuild one for a fraction.

Another great resource for these cars is ls1tech.com and the best parts and support (IMHO) is from Jason at Katech (katechengines.com), Doug Rippie at DRM, Byron at TPIS, or Boos Performance (boosperformance.com)

[Jim Bremner]

YouTube - Jay Leno's C6RS Pratt and Miller Corvette

[BlueSideUp]

It should be easy to find a lawyer foolish enough to make themselves look like a dumbass in front of a judge arguing that one.

On a related note I drove a friend's C6 Z06 and it was an incredible car. I wasn't brave enough to disable the stability control for fear of landscaping someone's yard with it but the system allows for a little hoonage with the stability control on.

[ted]

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

YouTube - Jay Leno's C6RS Pratt and Miller Corvette

I was hoping they would find a place/track and really run it.
Betcha that one costs more than a Porsche.

Interesting Jay's story about the vintage Vettes.
That had a requirement every 100 miles to re-torque the knock off wheels.
Glad I never went down the that path with my RSR look 911 rims.

Nice silver Vette, good for you, 23 and already owns a good looking sports car.
I'll tell my wife I met someone under 25 that has one too.

Good info guys thanks for chiming in with all the Vette issues.
I read somewhere the first year C6 did have some electrical gremlins.

[DARISC]

WTF? Izzat the new Vette? Cool! They look like warts. Those are b!tchin. I can't believe you did that. Where can I get them? Can you change 'em back to original? Those are fugly. I love 'em! Are you fkn' nuts?...

Just a random sampling of comments I recieved when I modified my '99 to pay homage to my first sports car, a '59 bugeye Sprite.



The units are a street car version of those on the C5R. They added 30.314159265 mph to the car's top speed (at nignt) and only reduced it during the day by 3.14159265 mph.



I of course kept the original pop-ups, which could be bolted back in.

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by turbocarrera

question about declining the warranty on a missed shift - doesn't that mean the rev limiter failed and your warranty should be honored? I guess you could grab too low a gear on the downshift but they really should have some kind of electro-mechanical lockout for that.. I'd lawyer up!

Seriously!? The rev limiter will stop spark and/or fuel. But it cannot stop the transmission from turning the engine, which is what happens during a missed shift.

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by kaisen

Seriously!? The rev limiter will stop spark and/or fuel. But it cannot stop the transmission from turning the engine, which is what happens during a missed shift.

A local PCA racer asked why his Rev Limiter didn't work on a missed shift..


















































Of course, that shift was going into the Bus-Stop at Daytona and he went from 5th to 2nd
I'll up your bug eyes with a Link nose