THE Z06 VETTE may be the best bang for your buck

[jibby]

Guys, I am Lex man at heart, but I must be honest I have got my eye on the Z06 Vette, at $60,000, 500hp, 7.0L, 11.5 in the quarter, and 7000rpm range it is tough to pass on.. I love my SC400 and will keep it and build it, but man I had a chance to look over this Vette yesteraday while on holiday/vacation and these new Vette's are simply impressive....What do you guys think? Looks decent, fast, and priced reasonable for that type of car... Is it a sin to consider that car for purchase?

 

[ChrisV]

A real car enthusiasts like all kinds of cars. Only a closed minded marque-blind fool hates a car because it ins't made by their favorite manufacturer, or uses a different way of making power, or is owned by someone they don't like.

No, it's not a sin to like a fast sports car.

 

[Lextreme II]

Spend 20k, your car will faster.....

 

[sniper]

Spend 20k, your car will faster.....

I second that, the Z06 is a great car, it really is, but why spend all that money on a car many people have? Why not spend all that money building an SC no one has even dreamt of :evil:

 

[Lextreme II]

Honestly, i think the best bang for the bucks would be the 2006 Mustang Cobra. Its rated about 500 hp with 5.4 liter supercharger. With additional $1,000 you can get up to 600 hp. That is headers, pulley and reprogramming.

 

[autronic]

Guys, just to give you an idea why I build cars instead of buying a "muscle" car:

In Norway your $60.000 Corvette '06 will cost $192.000 after taxes.

Nuff said...

 

[turboandrew]

Depends on what you consider faster. On a road course? Not likely an SC400 will be faster (handle better) with $20k invested. 600 lbs weight difference is no easy to overcome. I am no vette fan, but the new Z06 is killer.

 

[jibby]

Yeah, you guys are all right, but with a few mods on the Vette, forget about it.... I have seen the Mustangs and yes they are fast but I don't like the looks...Does nothing for me.. If I were to purchase this Vette it would be leased and used as a tax write-off.. I do not have $60,000 cash to dump into a muscle car...

Thanks for the input, I will test drive one and then decide.. But $20,000 in my sc400, that is alot of money to put into a older restored car... The 4.0 liter motors are just plain small V8's, I hate to say. Yeah with forced air induction, maybe a bore job with forged internals, a new tranny setup I could get the job done, I must sleep on this...

 

[ChrisV]

I second that, the Z06 is a great car, it really is, but why spend all that money on a car many people have? Why not spend all that money building an SC no one has even dreamt of :evil:

Because he said this:

I love my SC400 and will keep it and build it

It's easy to finance a stock vehicle that does what you want, and you get the car RIGHT NOW, with a warranty (so that if it does break, you personally don't have to spend time tracking down just what the hell you did wrong during your buildup). It's hard to finance a long term buildup of a modified car that also has to be a daily driver.

If he can afford it, both is a good option.

 

[Pro]

if it's for tax purposes, buy the vette.

 

[stevechumo]

Hey John,

That's an interesting idea. I really like that Vette, too. However, the Vette will go down in re-sale value a lot quicker than Import sport cars. You know this better than I do. Also, why spend $60,000 on a car that's on the streets everyday. And compare to max power & performance, it's just a bit more upscale that passes the 400 hp club. For a total of $60,000, I would consider a '97 6 speed modified turbo Supra that doesn't go down in re-sale value. It only weighss little bit more than the Vette.

A used stock low mile turbo Supra will cost you $30K-$40K. Put in another $10K-$15K for a bigger turbo and a new clutch system, you should achieve around 600 hp. And then $2000 for a nice bodykit with paint like the one in the pic, $2000 for a really good coilover suspension, $2000 for rims/tires, $1000 for Lambo door style. There're several more things to upgrade. So the total should be around $60K. Your Supra value will not go down while you still have a rare sport car. You don't see these Supras on the street everyday.

Or if you have slightly more than $60K, a used but modified Acura NSX will make you hotter than both the Vette and the Supra.

But if you decide to get that Vette, the only advantage is that you won't get ticket for a modified engine.

 

[Lextreme II]

If I have to spend 60K, then i want the smell of a new car. 60K for a 8-12 years old Supra is hard to cough out. Nothing beat the new car smell. However, with about 25k from scratch, you can transform your SC to make 800-1,000 hp easily. That is my budget for my SC470TT. Car plus go fast parts is about 25K. The left over money can always night to have a vacation.... If you can not bet a Vett with weight, then add power...... fast is not cheap... cheap is not fast.....

 

[JamesN]

Hey John its your money buddy. Do whatever you wish with it. We are all car lovers here. If you like the Vette go for it. If I have 60K I'll buy me a legalized imported R34 GTR

. I've always wanted that car. Also the right hand drive is a plus. How often you get to drive on the right hand side beside that mail man

. But that is just me. I know I never get to have 60k to spend on a car.

 

[stevechumo]

James,
You should spend another $30K to import that car through EPA, custom..etc. So the total should end up to $90K. It's up to you since that's what you want...:approve:

 

[ChrisV]

Hey John,
For a total of $60,000, I would consider a '97 6 speed modified turbo Supra that doesn't go down in re-sale value. It only weighss little bit more than the Vette.

A used stock low mile turbo Supra will cost you $30K-$40K. Put in another $10K-$15K for a bigger turbo and a new clutch system, you should achieve around 600 hp. And then $2000 for a nice bodykit with paint like the one in the pic, $2000 for a really good coilover suspension, $2000 for rims/tires, $1000 for Lambo door style. There're several more things to upgrade. So the total should be around $60K. Your Supra value will not go down while you still have a rare sport car. You don't see these Supras on the street everyday.

Flaw in your logic. If you start with a used Supra worth $30k, and you sink $30k into mods, you end up with a Supra worth $30k when you try to sell it. Mods barely count in resale value. You MIGHT add $10k in resale value, but you'd still be out $20k, while a limited edition Z06 will not lose the $20k very fast.

On top of that, he can finiance a $60k Vette for low down and low monthly payments. Not going to do that with the '60k modded Supra.

On top of that, there's a reason Vettes are used for HPDE days, road racing, time trials, hill climbs, autocrossing, etc., by guys looking for ultimate performaning cars, and almost no one uses a Supra for those things. Porsches, yes, Ferraris, yes, Vipers, yes, even Mustangs and Camaros, RX7s and NSXs. But not Supras. It's not a matter of cost. It's a matter of being the best tool for the job, and in traditional and current sports car venues, people who can afford to run Supras almost invariably run other cars. Supras are left as dyno queens that make big hp numbers but don't really deliver on their promise. In fact, lower hp, automatic Supras tend to be just as quick in import drags as high hp versions.

Hell, I'd rather have a turbo 1UZE SC400 than a Supra.

Not saying that Supras are bad cars, and I defintiely don't hate them. But in this scenario, it's not the better choice.

 

[shadetree]

Vette will go down in re-sale value a lot quicker than Import sport cars.

No. The Vette is pretty much the only American car that holds it's value BETTER than imports.

Go ahead and look at kelley blue book:

92 Acura NSX ex cond, 60k= $25K

92 Vette ZR1 ex cond, 60k= $27.2K

New, the NSX sold for $10-15k more than the vette too.

And putting Lambo doors on a classy car KILLS the resale...

 

[jibby]

Man you guys are blasting me with great ideas, thanks..Love that black NSX Steve... Anyway, for me the fun of hotrodding cars is the time and effort you put into it with your own hands and then seeing the results or your hard labor pay off. Hence the term "hobby". However, with upgrading cars like the Supra's and Lexus's from stock to perform at high horsepower levels does require work, money and time invested, and that is fine, with turbo's and or superchargers and other mods, I believe that just makes your car becomes less reliable.. Meaning tweaking the A/F ratios, Cooling, timing, tuning, etc.. frequently...

I love nos because my SC400 is still as reliable as stock, period... For example: Lex would you feel confident taking your Turbo'd LS400 cross country? I meen you already wore out two tranny's, lost turbo pressure once to Vegas, etc.. With a new car that is made and built already to handle that power seems like the logical choice to me for reliability.. I love reliability plain and simple, who doesn't? I will venture into forced air induction soon but I know in doing so I will loose that reliability aspect of my car in some way or another...

No one likes turning a wrench or calling a flat bed when your out on a Sunday drive, or on a vacation road trip with your honey.. I think the 500hp+ Vette would be more reliable then a 500hp+ Lexus or Supra... Please convince me that I am wrong and then I will not think twice about passing up on the Vette.... These are thoughts that I consider... Also who wants to bring the tool chest in your trunk on vacation trips? If your hotrod is just a weekend car then maybe that is fine, but I would want to drive my 500hp+ car more then just on the weekends, no?

 

[SC400TT]

No. The Vette is pretty much the only American car that holds it's value BETTER than imports.

Go ahead and look at kelley blue book:

92 Acura NSX ex cond, 60k= $25K

92 Vette ZR1 ex cond, 60k= $27.2K

New, the NSX sold for $10-15k more than the vette too.

And putting Lambo doors on a classy car KILLS the resale...

Hey man, I think you shoule have used the stock Vette on the comparison above instead of using the ZR1...The ZR1 was extremely limited production, compared to the stock Vette. But, Vettes with low miles and in clean condition do hold their value quite well.

The older Vette is not even in the same class as the NSX..I am not even going to take the time to list all the differences.

The new Vettes are quite the catch,, though...Buy it Jibby, you'll love it. Mod your SC if you love it and have the cash...I agree, own both cars.

Ryan

 

[shadetree]

Hey man, I think you shoule have used the stock Vette on the comparison above instead of using the ZR1...The ZR1 was extremely limited production, compared to the stock Vette. But, Vettes with low miles and in clean condition do hold their value quite well.

I think it was the best comparison. The ZR1 was considered Chevy's supercar contender. With it's LT5 with dohc, 32valves, close to 400hp, the ZR1 is alot closer to the new Z06 than the base vette is. I seem to remember supercar shootouts in car&driver, road&track, etc comparing the Viper, ZR1, Porsche 911, Supra turbo, NSX. It sold for $60K. Base vette was $40~K. NSX sold for, what $80K?

"Princes of Power: Comparison of 93 Super cars: Acura NSX, Dodge Viper, Corvette ZR-1, Ferrari 348 Spider, by Jean Lindamood, Automobile, 3/94, pg. 56-63"

Check out the production numbers:
zr1: 6939 over 6 years
http://fatherlarryscorvetteshop.com/1990-1995_zr1.htm#Production Numbers

nsx: 7421 over 8 years
http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/General/productionnumbers.htm

 

[cjsupra90]

Man you guys are blasting me with great ideas, thanks..Love that black NSX Steve... Anyway, for me the fun of hotrodding cars is the time and effort you put into it with your own hands and then seeing the results or your hard labor pay off. Hence the term "hobby". However, with upgrading cars like the Supra's and Lexus's from stock to perform at high horsepower levels does require work, money and time invested, and that is fine, with turbo's and or superchargers and other mods, I believe that just makes your car becomes less reliable.. Meaning tweaking the A/F ratios, Cooling, timing, tuning, etc.. frequently...

I love nos because my SC400 is still as reliable as stock, period... For example: Lex would you feel confident taking your Turbo'd LS400 cross country? I meen you already wore out two tranny's, lost turbo pressure once to Vegas, etc.. With a new car that is made and built already to handle that power seems like the logical choice to me for reliability.. I love reliability plain and simple, who doesn't? I will venture into forced air induction soon but I know in doing so I will loose that reliability aspect of my car in some way or another...

No one likes turning a wrench or calling a flat bed when your out on a Sunday drive, or on a vacation road trip with your honey.. I think the 500hp+ Vette would be more reliable then a 500hp+ Lexus or Supra... Please convince me that I am wrong and then I will not think twice about passing up on the Vette.... These are thoughts that I consider... Also who wants to bring the tool chest in your trunk on vacation trips? If your hotrod is just a weekend car then maybe that is fine, but I would want to drive my 500hp+ car more then just on the weekends, no?

Not true if done correctly. A Z06 or any factory high end car for that matter is nothing more then a factory modified car. I have driven my supra accross country so far on three seperate occations, although not as heavily modded as it could be, but 437rwhp out of a 7M 3.0L 6 is by no means close to stock either. In the 4.5yrs that I have owed the car, it has only been on a flat bed twice. Once for a flat tire and had no spare (my fault) and once for the fuel pump going out.

IMO, the only thing that makes a new car nice is Factory Warenty, but then again stock does get boring after a short time and more power and all those performace parts do start to look really nice. Eventually you get stuck or you void warenty.

The other thing is when that sorry unsuspecting poor rich person with his high dollar high end car gets his ass handed to him from some everyday car. Kinda like I did the other night in my boys Mazda Miata that I built for him. Yeah, the guy driving his new Viper was not happy after getting spanked by a little 4cylinder miata. Would you be?