Poll Help me choose which corvette is right for me

what corvette would you choose?

  • C5 Z06

    Votes: 2 25.0%

  • Base C6

    Votes: 6 75.0%
  • Total voters
    8
M

Murph

I'm New Here
Ontario
Oct 20, 2021
4
1
VetteCoins
92
Car
shopping
Province
ON
Hello Everyone,

I am planning on slowly starting the search for a corvette. Sold my mustang and making my way to the dark side.

Budget is in the 30-40K range, and has to be a manual.

My goal is to narrow it down to a generation/model then start the research on what I need to know etc. Car would be used as a weekend/fun car with maybe a track day or two but mainly autox and cruising. This has led to the choice between a C5 Z06 and a C6 Base. Exterior aesthetics I like the c6 better as well as interior but I do not find the interior of the C5 offensive like some people do. When I have asked it seems to be split on which one to choose. This will be an in between corvette as in a few years I would like to jump to a C6 GS.

Unfortunately I live in a smaller town so the ability of me test driving both would require me travelling to the GTA.

Thanks for the feedback.
 
Biased but I would go for the the C5Z. Great platform to keep stock or build on. You have enough budget money to make it "yours". Don't rush, lots out there not all in the GTA. Ideally a one owner, low milage car would be a place to start.

You will want to do some research on the valve spring issue, troubles depended on years/months of manufacture. Old cars you will want to look closely at the electronics, some parts are hard to find. Tires can be a bit of an issue to find replacements so keep that in mind, the condition of the tires on the car should be good.

Take your time, use your knowledge not your heart and you will find a good one! Best to you and welcome to the forum. :thumbs:
 
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Murph said:
Hello Everyone,

I am planning on slowly starting the search for a corvette. Sold my mustang and making my way to the dark side.

Budget is in the 30-40K range, and has to be a manual.

My goal is to narrow it down to a generation/model then start the research on what I need to know etc. Car would be used as a weekend/fun car with maybe a track day or two but mainly autox and cruising. This has led to the choice between a C5 Z06 and a C6 Base. Exterior aesthetics I like the c6 better as well as interior but I do not find the interior of the C5 offensive like some people do. When I have asked it seems to be split on which one to choose. This will be an in between corvette as in a few years I would like to jump to a C6 GS.

Unfortunately I live in a smaller town so the ability of me test driving both would require me travelling to the GTA.

Thanks for the feedback.
Click to expand...
I know prices have gone up...but are C5 Z06's and C6's that expensive now? I sold my mint C5 base manual for $11K two years ago when I bought my base C7. That was the going rate at the time. I can't speak to the difference between the 2 generations...I replaced my C3 with the C5 at the time and it was light years further advanced. The C7 again over the C5...have to assume the C6 is somewhere inbetween. Good luck!
 
yup that seems to be the prices now, maybe they might go down a bit in 6 months (one can hope)

but what I have seen listed
C5 Base (20-25)
C5Z (28-35)
C6 Ls2 (30-36)
C6 Ls3 (35-40)
 
Murph said:
yup that seems to be the prices now, maybe they might go down a bit in 6 months (one can hope)

but what I have seen listed
C5 Base (20-25)
C5Z (28-35)
C6 Ls2 (30-36)
C6 Ls3 (35-40)
Click to expand...
Yeah it seems right now with the shortage of inventory, new & used vehicles are historically high in price. In hindsight I should've kept my C5...but on the other hand from what I've seen I paid less for my new C7 than I could get for it now. All relative I guess.
 
G-ForceJunkie said:
I'd look for a C6 Z51. Sold mine several years ago for quite a bit less than your budget above. Terrible time to be buying. Wait if you can.
Click to expand...
Good point...if you bought one now, you'd soon be garaging it for 4 months or so anyway. Prices shouldn't rise anymore you wouldn't think...and maybe they'll be more moderate next spring/summer.
 
rfh928 said:
Good point...if you bought one now, you'd soon be garaging it for 4 months or so anyway. Prices shouldn't rise anymore you wouldn't think...and maybe they'll be more moderate next spring/summer.
Click to expand...
Yes that would be the plan aim for spring time or if I see a great deal during winter etc.

But being new to corvettes I need to do some research on things that I like, what to look out for and how to make the handle better etc.
 
Tough choice but as a past C6 owner, I am biased towards the C6 (2008 and newer). 2008 was the inaugural year for the LS3 engine in the base Corvette, sporting 430 HP (which is a couple handfuls more than the C5 Z06), but HP aside, the LS3 engine (to somewhat almost quote a previous comment) is the best small block GM has made. Other features of the C6 are marginally improved interior and comfort over the C5, fixed headlights which in my opinion eliminates the headlight drive gear problems that many C5 owners have had and I haven't heard of any steering lock problems with the C6 either. As mentioned before, C5 parts, in case you ever need them, are getting harder and harder to find as even GM is not looking much good for replacement parts anymore. But all that being said, The C5 Z06 is a sweet ride as well with some subtle different lines that set it apart. In a perfect world, I would have both the C5 and the C6 in my stable keeping my C7 company....But that would require a nasty divorce....lol....
 
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Rruuff Day said:
Tough choice but as a past C6 owner, I am biased towards the C6 (2008 and newer). 2008 was the inaugural year for the LS3 engine in the base Corvette, sporting 430 HP (which is a couple handfuls more than the C5 Z06), but HP aside, the LS3 engine (to somewhat almost quote a previous comment) is the best small block GM has made. Other features of the C6 are marginally improved interior and comfort over the C5, fixed headlights which in my opinion eliminates the headlight drive gear problems that many C5 owners have had and I haven't heard of any steering lock problems with the C6 either. As mentioned before, C5 parts, in case you ever need them, are getting harder and harder to find as even GM is not looking much good for replacement parts anymore. But all that being said, The C5 Z06 is a sweet ride as well with some subtle different lines that set it apart. In a perfect world, I would have both the C5 and the C6 in my stable keeping my C7 company....But that would require a nasty divorce....lol....
Click to expand...
The LS3 is a fine mill (I've had a couple of them) but IMHO the best ever GM small block was the L79...350 hp, plenty of torque of loves to rev all day long!
 

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Glad my wife and me are c6 owners, 2008, always like good comments on our recent purchase, 4 months ago. It is running well and have put almost 5,000 miles on it. Transported to Florida, two weeks ago and touring here on the Gulf of Mexico daily. Key West in 10 days and know, it will be a great trip, the Gulf on one side and the Atlantic on the other, as we head down through the Islands to Key West.
 
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