silverstone_350z

Alright folks, here is my delima..i ant everybody's opinion on this.

if you were given the opportunity to get a 2002 used corvette with like 11,000 miles on it, and you were given a brand new Z. Which one would you choose??

this is such a delima because I LOVE corcettes, as i do the Z, and i have the opportuntiy to get this vet.

what would you guys do?? i cant decide. help??

3rdpower

Z05 or Z06?

Z05 - tough choice - probably keep my Z
Z06 - tougher choice - probably keep my Z

Z06 is a monster although... that may be truely hard.

VandyZ

iTrader: (2)

I like the Z. If the vette was a Z06 it would be a tough choice. I have waited this long, I know I would still pick the Z. If you are seriously considering the vette, I would think you could keep it for a little while and then get a Z. One thing to think about is the new model vette is due out soon where the Z is new now. I hope you stick with the Z but the vette will be fun as well.

jisidoro

very tough choice indeed if its a Z06...

If you want the raw performance and plan on getting rid of it in a few years go with the vette.

If you want reliability and want to use it as a daily driver go with the Z. Nissan has always made very reliable cars.. That really
can't be said about GM..

Me personally I'd go with the 350Z. I'd be afraid the vette was abused by the previous owner..

rai

I know this might sound crazy but I have the ability to buy the Z06. I figure it might cost me about 10 grand more than my loaded 350Z track all options except nav and mud flaps. I have gone to the dealer twice to sit in the Z06. I fired up the engine and sounded nice. But I did not like the way I fit in the car. Also I am not a big fan of the notchback style, and the interior is tacky beyond belief. The vette has a 40 foot turning circle, so it will not be as nimble as the Z even though it weighs less. Sadly I was not attracted to the Z06 enough to persue a test drive. The dealers were both picks. I could go out and test drive a used Z06, but the new ones were reserved for only serious customers.

Any way to me performance is only one part of a car. So I have this assessment not having driven either car.

acceleration Z06 ++++


exterior 350Z +++
interior 350Z ++
Newness/wow factor 350Z ++
cost 350Z ++


Anyway the only thing I really like about the vette is the acceleration. If I get the 350Z instead of the Z06 I will save like $10K to use for mods and track time.

Anyway there is no substitute for a test drive and also your own gut feelings. If you love the vette get it. If all out acceleration means a lot to you get the vette.

mdouvris

Well if you can get the Z06 for the same price GET THE VETTE!!!
It's not even close.
P.S. If you can get it for the same price and don't want it, let me know I'll take it the Z06 that is...

Boomer

I looked at the corvette and sat in one; I didn't drive it. I prefer the Z for a lot of reasons: I like 6 cyl motors not 8s; didn't have a 5 spd auto, 4 only; there isn't a lot of room, I could drive it but I don't think it would be comfortable on long trips; it wouldn't have the reliability the Z has(I'm talking about the whole car not just the drivetrain), the drivetrain is pretty tough in a vette; and last but not least, the vette is 4"s shorter than the Z, from roof to ground and its 10"s longer. The Z is no small car but it is smaller than the vette and will be more manuverable. The cockpit of the Z looks larger than the vette which made me feel claustraphobic and I couldn't see out of it very well. Money was not a factor.

Boomer--Zwins; no contest.
BR/FR

silverstone_350z

hey folks, this is not a ZO6. it is the C5.
i have alwasy loved these cars, especially the body.

as someone mentioned before, i should probably wait since the vet will have a new body style in a few years. god, it is tough, but i guess i will stick with my z for now..:0

thanx for all of your support, your answers made an influence on my decision.. Z it is, new body vet when my lease is up.

silverstone_350z

white trash?? lol, i am not sure about that one.
i can understand the firebird and camaro, but the vet?? nah!!

BrianZ

I agree, that's a bit of a stretch to call 'Vette owners "white-trash." I mean, if you look at the demographics of the average c5 owner, white-trash they ain't!

raceboy

A new Z06 will actually run you about $20K over a track model Z, not $10K.

rai

Not exactly. I went to a dealership that had 45 corvettes on hand, 5 were Z06's with no haggeling I could buy the Z06 for $4K below MSRP that would be $46K. This being a chevy I think I could have gotted it for around $45K. so it would be like 10K more than my Track that costs me like $35 after options.


As for the white trash description, I think it's more like the wanna be bikers. They are not bad people, just not my cup of tea.

jgrier

How many Vettes are on the road?
How many 350 Z's are on the road?

Nuff said!

goofyZ

I think the z is the right decision. Just for the style and WOW factor alone. Vette is a great car, but alot of them out there. (unless of course you're very shy, cause with the Z you're going to get ALOT of attention.)

kevintari

I had that same dilemma...

If you want a hard core sports car, it's the Vette all the way. Really confy to sit in and drive, handling and acceleration are awesome. I'm thinking about a used one also, would actually save me some money over the Z.

PS...gave up my Z pre-order last week. Just not quite the car I wanted for the $34k it would end up costing.

PistolPete

If you want the best performance, go for the C5.

If you want a head turner, go for the 350Z.

The C5 is known for a cheesy interior, but we have heard the same about the Z. (I haven't seen a Z in person since the auto show, so I cannot comment personally)

The VQ engine looks like it should rock, but durability under modification is unknown. The LS-1 engine is a known performer, and takes mods well.

They do sell 30-35 thousand vettes a year, but Nissan wants the Z in the same range. It will be rare for several years at least.

Depreciation isn't bad on the vettes, but it aint great. Depreciation on the Z should be minimal in the first couple years due to exclusivity.

I'm a chevy guy, but can't part with the 40k for a vette. My Z is coming in at 28,500, and should give me 85-90 % of C5 performance, while looking just as good.

silvrz5

I was saying the c5 cuts me off at my forhead and feels like im driving in a lazy boy. The seats are very narrow and the damn center consloe is like a foot wide? Also i will be driving year round, and no i dont want to buy a beater for the winter time, I think the z will drive better in the winter. Sadly , thanks gm, i would not get the vette. Better luck on the interior on the c6, maybe. The c5 is a big car with less than small car room for anyone over 6 ft. Get the 350z and just hide from the c5's on the street, that would be my advise.

mdouvris

Kevin,
Sad to hear that you gave up on it. I like the vette too, however, if it's not the Z06....GIMME THE ZZZZZ!!!!!

silverstone_350z

ok guys....i just got back from my Chevy dealer, and i drove a 2001 black Z06 that had 5000 miles on it. i have three words for you: OH MY GOD

For anyone that has not driven a Z06, let me tell you that this thing is INCREDIBLE. handeling, acceleration, brakes, its got the whole package, and the interior is not cheesy at all, like somebody mentioned. I didnt think so atleast.

Anyways, that isnt even the cool part. The part that is mind boggeling is this:

the manager of the dealership happens to be the same nationality as i am. Knowing this, of course he will cut me a deal.
now get this..

2001 Z06
5000 MILES
6 SP M
LOADED
lease for 3 years with 15,000 M/YR.
NO $ down
all this for
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
a whooping $495/mth.

Now i dont know about you, but to me that sounds like a deal of a lifetime.

there u have it folks, as much as i LOVE the Z to death, i am not sure if this is a deal to pass on. What does everybody think??

in all honesty, i might cancel my 350Z order and get this ZO6.
thoughts??

kevintari

Are you comparing apples to apples on the payment---are you leasing the Z as well for the same term/mileage/etc? Don't get suckered by a monthly payment...BUT so far it doesn't sound bad at all!

You really do have to drive the Vette to appreciate it.