Aside from the "People will think you're an 'ethnically rich' redneck with a tiny weiner" sentiment (couldn't berkeleying care less) what's not to love? There's a berkeleying pile of them on CL for less than $25k, and one with 20k miles for $27k ish.
Yes yes, I am with you.
In fact I have seen really nice ones on the corvette forums for less than that
doesn't help that I have the last GRM with the "cheap speed" article open to the vette page sitting on my desk with Danny Popp's recommendations
Umm - if you pull 1.2g in a left turn for more than a couple of seconds, you'll lose the engine.
Otherwise, I got nothin'.
and not fixable with as simple as a larger/baffled oil pan?
Fantastic cars, just expensive consumables. The cost of tires alone turned me away from the c5s when I was looking for my next autocross car.
I'm kind if looking at this more from the "Budget Supercar" perpective than the "Cheaper than a new Mazda 5!" perspective, so yeah, I understand tires and brakes won't be cheap.
Keith Tanner wrote: Umm - if you pull 1.2g in a left turn for more than a couple of seconds, you'll lose the engine. Otherwise, I got nothin'.
Care to expand?
What other car could you buy at that price point, of similar age, condition and mileage, that would be a better performer? Nothing springs to mind.
The only downside might be the absurdly high limits at the track. Certainly more car than I know how to hustle around the twisties.
I've not sat in a Z06(or C5 for that matter), but but I know C4 Vettes were like the Fiero - not made to fit skinny-ass white boys like me. 
I always feel like a little kid trying to wear daddy's clothes in GM sports cars...
I can say from experience that my fat ass fits just fine ;)
I'm more a fan of the smaller C6 in the looks department but the C5 is chock full of goodness for a pretty good price.
The oiling issues are not too prevalent or solvable somehow because I see the same fast guys pounding on the same Z-06s year after year and they are good drivers running sticky tires. The numb steering and that retarded shift lockout can be hacked around ...so aside from awful interior (fixable by gutting it and installing fixed back race seats as is proper :) ) and $1000/pair rear tires - not much to hate on.
The plastic bastards are fast as E36 M3 and seem to take heaps of abuse. Get out your best gold watch, glue on the chest wig and go for it.
C4 ZR1 > C5 Z06 imo.
For people like you or I that aren't worried about what other people think, they're awesome. Funny how often the same group that defends the Miata makes fun of the Corvette - I think it's mostly that they can't afford it so try to justify hating on it somehow.
Nothing comes close for the price. I also like the looks of the C6 better but a C6 Z06 is a lot more money. A base C6 is fast (as much HP as the C5 Z06) but a lot softer.
kanaric wrote: C4 ZR1 > C5 Z06 imo.
No. C4 ZR1 is a more exotic less serviceable old car at this point. C5 Z06 is a daily drivable super car. You would drive yourself crazy daily driving a ZR1 at this point. IMO, obviously.
Go for it, I would love to have a C5 Z06. Heck I would take a regular C5 and upgrade the suspension and engine.
Wait for the C7 Vette to come out, then you will see more of the C5s (and C6s) up for sale. Everytime a new Vette comes out, the owners seem to move up one generation, i.e. C4 to C5, C5 to C6 etc...
Mike, we fully support your logic.
They're fast, they're cheap, you can fit quite a bit of beer in the boot (I've.....seen it) they get good MPG's, pretty easy to work on, parts support is huge, aftermarket is huge, they make cool noises, handle awesome look pretty good, they're FAST, chicks dig guys with nice cars....
Only con I can think of is the interior is AWFUL. Like parts bin galore, only it was from GM Mexico, not from a good car. But a pair of Corbeau A1's and a new steering wheel goes a LONG way.
poopshovel wrote:Keith Tanner wrote: Umm - if you pull 1.2g in a left turn for more than a couple of seconds, you'll lose the engine. Otherwise, I got nothin'.Care to expand?
My bad, it's the LS3/7 that has the problem. The C5's LS6 is considered almost bulletproof. The problem is bad enough that the SCCA now allows a dry sump to be retrofitted to LS3-powered Corvettes in T1, something that's not allowed for LS6 cars.
Read this, paying particular attention to "wtknight1", as he's a racer and not an internet spectator.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/autocrossing-and-roadracing/2824807-let-me-ask-another-way-whos-ls3-hasn-t-blown-up-on-the-track.html
If you're the sort of person that can't spend more than 15 seconds researching a potentially multi-thousand dollar problem, read this instead:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1577462192-post14.html
mndsm wrote: They're fast, they're cheap, you can fit quite a bit of beer in the boot (I've.....seen it) they get good MPG's, pretty easy to work on, parts support is huge, aftermarket is huge, they make cool noises, handle awesome look pretty good, they're FAST, chicks dig guys with nice cars.... Only con I can think of is the interior is AWFUL. Like parts bin galore, only it was from GM Mexico, not from a good car. But a pair of Corbeau A1's and a new steering wheel goes a LONG way.
^^This.^^
Only thing I would add or subtract is that "easy to work on" is very subjective. Having the trans in the assend of the car sucks ass. The ride height makes the most simple of tasks a nightmare unless you have a lift.
And yes, the seats and steering wheel suck ass too. The seats are nonsupportive and the wheel is cartoonish with the huge airbag and spokes.
Nice info Keith. So the LS6 is safe from that good to know
dculberson wrote: Funny how often the same group that defends the Miata makes fun of the Corvette - I think it's mostly that they can't afford it so try to justify hating on it somehow.
I get the impression that a lot of the ribbing is more like the manhood-questioning of Miatas that goes on here; with a few exceptions, the running gag is that a Miata comes with your own stall and business cards at the nearest hair salon, and the Corvette will cost you your top four shirt buttons and comes with a bottle of Rogaine for Chests, but in both cases there's no serious assertion that there's much wrong with the cars.
Half the time I think the difference is that the Miata owners on here respond with "yep, set FTD and got the Most Fabulous trophy" while the Corvette folks respond with "Dangit, stupid GM-haterz gonna argle bargle fargle..."
Assuming you don't care about being competitive in a particular class where only one car will do, one of the best values out there is an 01 Z06. The first year they made it and power was only (lol) 385, so they tend to go for a bit less.
Interior and high costs of consumables are the only reasons not to do it. I keep thinking I should get one after the Miata. Maybe I will, it is much more practical.
dculberson wrote: Funny how often the same group that defends the Miata makes fun of the Corvette - I think it's mostly that they can't afford it so try to justify hating on it somehow.
I don't think there is a single person in this thread who is saying that it is a bad idea. Where is there anyone even making fun of it (in this thread) other than the OP?
Awesome cars, easy to work on, cheap parts, you can find one with 50k miles on it for $17k. Best bang for the buck out there.
A tranny and engine oil cooler are good items to add for a car that sees lots of track days. Put in a set of fixed back seats/rollbar/harnesses and go destroy cars that cost six figures.
docwyte wrote: A tranny and engine oil cooler are good items to add for a car that sees lots of track days. Put in a set of fixed back seats/rollbar/harnesses and go destroy cars that cost six figures.
That would be my plan. I support the "buy a C5 Z06 movement".
I'm anti FRC... but that's purely aesthetic for me. I love the hatch better. But other than personal taste over looks.... there's not much you can buy that is better out of the box, has more aftermarket support and has as much capability for the money.
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