If the vette is clean... Z06! But I just can't belive that you can get a clean Z06 for that price.... it's way too cheap imo

 

Another vote for the Z06...

not even a question in my mind. quite a damned unfair comparison as well.

 

Well, it is a bit unfair cause the Z06 is usually much more expensive. I would be scared of maintanence on a Vette, but that is just me. Also, the body style of the Vette will be changing very soon, with the test mules running around as we speak. There will be a lot of deals to be had on the C5, with the C6 coming out real soon.

Everyone is looking at the cars RIGHT NOW. 5 years from now, when the vette has a real old body style and the Z is still relatively the same with a new body style coming out soon, I would rather have the Z. IF we are talking C6 or Z, that is a different story, but older body style cars get old real quick, especially when the newer body style is right around the corner.

 

Ok let me explain....
First of all I would like to thank each and every one of you who took the time to answer and advise me on my next buy.
I ordered a 04 Z Track, brembo brakes, leather sport seats, etc... In Panama the Z they bring here is different from the US. Is a track version but with ALL extras. Normally 39,900.
On the Corvette the real price the guy is asking is 45,000. Because I had nothing to loose..... before getting my Z which supposely arrives here today, I had to ask the guy on the Corvette if he would take 40. To what he responded..... "come drive and see the car and we will see what we can do. I am sure loosing more having the car on the garage and not using it."

So for 40k you would go with the Corvette then?

Thank you ..... Basically this would be my daily driver... I just drive to the office and from it to my house. If it is an unconfortable car to get out of then I might want to pay atention to that as well.

 

well IMO, id go with Z. just b/c i dont like American made cars the fact that they dont last long, and they're just... American made. but if you're more into speed than quality, id go with the Vett.

 

The Corvette will call more atention because us not a common car here in Panamá. I would say there are only 3 or 4 max. Z on the other hand there are about 7 from 2003 only.....

Now some one just said the body style of the Corvette is about to change soon????????????????????????? how soon??? Are you sure???????

On the nissan I know personally the owner of the dealership so I know that if I have a problem with my car, with just a phone call I will have my problem solved. Not the case with the Corvette dealership.

Don´t know really what to do. There are no many cars and opportunities in life to own a 420hp car....... this one has that amount of hp. Because of all the extra parts that the owner put on the vette. It´s clean and only 8500 km not miles..... in two years...

I am very confused now....

The resale value on the jap will be much better than the corvette as well.

 

The body style of the vette is definitely changing. The change will be next fall, I believe. I like the power of the Vette, but I would rather have a car on the newer end of its cycle. If I can get a Z when it is new and will be unchanged for a while, I would rather have that than get a Vette whose body style has been out for 5 years and is ready for a change.

IF I am going to buy a car that late in its cycle, it will be an exotic, and that is it. Of course, this is just my opinion. For normal cars, and yes I think a Vette is normal, I want the newest one early in its cycle. Now if it was a Porshe, Ferrari, Lambo, even Lotus, I could see it, but not for a Vette.

 

Thanks for the info on the body change.

To me on the other hand a Vette is the same as a Porshe. Porshe ain´t big thing for me and those are very popular here in Panama. We got GT-3 we got them all. Corvette you don´t see that much.

Now after all this ........ I will have to say I will go with the 2004 Z instead. And enjoy it for a while.

 

Dude that guy wont give it to u for 40k, he said come drive it and see what we can do. When u go drive it u will fall in love with it and u will pay that 5k extra for that car, just their trick to get U.

 

Here's a shot of the next Gen Vette. Supposedly 425 base HP, and a higher quality interior than the rubbermaid one of the C5.

I owned a 2002 Z06 and quickly fell out of love with it due to horrible build quality and a plethora of never ending rattles. After a year, my Z is still tight as a drum and would be a much better choice as a daily driver.

I'd either buy a Z or wait for the C6.

 

see, exactly what im talking about. American car just doesnt change much, maybe just add this and that to make it look... aaaa little different but it's all same basic style, 4 circular taillights, and a chopped down rear. same crap!!! they really need to change.

 

The C5 is dramatically different than any previous Corvette......probably even more different than the 350Z is to the 300ZX. The C6 is more evolutionary than revolutionary. The 911 has basically been an evolutionary design of the same car for the last 40 years. A good design is a good design, period. You make necessary changes and improvements, but you don't necessarily change things just to be different or to please the ignorant.... and your generalizations reek of ignorance.

 

Well, hope that we helped you RRT. When you go to a Z site to ask this question, what do you expect, lol. I do have problems with build quality of the Vette and I still would have problems buying it late in the cycle.

Nice to see a picture of it, ZZ. Looks like they are going with the sharp edge look. Not a huge change, more subtle.

 

Exactly. I think they're trying to reduce the overall size of the car as well. Dave Hill (Corvette's Chief Engineer) keeps bragging that despite these photos, we haven't seen the real car yet. Could Chevy have possibly created some phony but production-looking body panels just to fool the spy photogs?? I guess we'll find out in January when the car debuts at the Detroit Auto Show.
He also says the interior quality will be similar to that of an Audi. That's a pretty bold statement....I hope it's true. My wife drives a 2002 A6 4.2 Quattro, and after experiencing the quality of that car, it was a major factor in my decision to dump the Z06.

Here's what is supposedly an accurate photoshop.

 

Yeah, I did hear that it will not have flip up headlights for like the first time in a real long time. I don't know, never really been in love with the Vette. Really, it depends on what is out there at the time I am looking for a car. I always like the Z when I was younger, at that time it was around the same price as the Vette. I am real happy I ended up getting the car for its current price instead of Vette territory.

I don't have it right now, but if I could afford Vette money, don't think I would buy a Vette. Might buy something used that is more exotic. I am REAL picky about my cars.

 

I agree. Unless there is major turnaround in build quality, I'd never buy another new Vette. I've had several, and although I do generally like their looks, and I love their performance, the bad usually outweighs the good. My new favorite car in the 2005 Aston Martin AMV8. At about the same price as a 911, it's a decent price for a hand built exotic car. I want one of these. Funny...it kind of looks like the Z, doesn't it?

 

Man, that does look nice. More of a touring car though, I'm too hardcore performance for that right now, lol. That rear wheelwell looks a lot like our car. Now a days, most cars are starting to look similar unfortunately. Only so many ways to change the style and make it aerodynamic.

I might be too picky, just got through looking at cars, and can't find one I would buy now for around $50-$60K. Guess it would have to be an M3, but they don't really have the looks that I want.

 

With a six speed and more HP than a Vette, I think this car will be plenty performance oriented. The interior is amazing.

I hear you. Other than the Z, there really isn't anything under $100K that moves me right now. I'm bored with current crop of designs. I had a 911 and I hated it. The Vettes were pieces of crap. I love the Z, but's underpowered, for my taste anyway. All I want is strong sense of exotic, muscular design, great build quality, awesome interior, and about 400HP with great handling...for under $50,000. Is that too much to ask?

I guess so....looks like AM will be getting a big chunk of my cash in a couple of years.

 

Yeah, it is a beautiful car. May have more HP than a Vette, but bet it weighs a lot more. Awesome car, though. All you have to do is put a suspension kit and TT on your Z, and you have all your bases covered.

 

Not all US dealers are selling the Z for "dirt cheap". Here in Los Angeles, a fair amount of dealerships are still marking up the Track Edition and the Roadster. It's ridiculous.