Looking for info on reliability with low miles. Like 25K miles. Things that would need to be replaced as maintenance.

I'm looking at one locally, & the low miles scare me as I know parts start to die from not being used on GM cars. Things like AC & seals.

 

PM Bigman (Mario). I know he doesn't own one, but his shop does a lot of work on GM cars. Might have some insight.

 

I started doing some research on them... but then I realized I could just pick up a C6 for not much more money (and only 5 less HP).

That said I do not have any personal experience with them, however, dod have a co-worker in NY who had an 03 and he loved that thing. Never had any problems with it either...

 

^ Doesnt the 04 Z06 handle better than the base C6 though?

 

^ That is the general concensus. Wasn't a big deal to me though. Not like I'd be tracking it or anything. Plus, a few easy suspension upgrades narrows the gap considerably. For me, I just like the C6 body style much more then the C5, so that was what made me look at the C6 over the C5Z...

 

Yep, most likely the same thing i would do.

 

I had an '03 Z back in the day and never had a single issue with it in 20k miles of ownership. The only thing that I can really remember as something to look out for is the column lock recall-make sure it's done.

 

I had a '94 Vette, my mother an '82, '86 '95 and now has 2004 Z06 Le Mans. My step father just sold his 2003 last week (drives his Jag everywhere). We've never had anything go wrong with any of our vettes. I ran my '94 to 90,000 miles with only a coil pack go bad. My mother current Z06 is perfect and they run it hard.

They did the column lock recall, and that's the only know issue they had until the C6 roofs were flying off.

 

edmunds had one as a long term test car recently, check it out.

 

I haven't owned the years you're asking advice over, but know a few people that have. Generally, they all liked them. Reliability wise, they were good with few problems. They all reported good fuel mileage as well.

An old girlfriend owned a 2001 Z06 she purchased new, and that was an entirely different story. It had numerous electrical maladies, and she had to fight with GM to replace the engine. Apparently three litres of oil every 2000 or so kilometers is perfectly acceptable. It seems as if oil consumption was a problem with the '01 Z06s.

Overall, I think they offer great performance for the money.







Terry

 

Id say you will get the best advise on corvette forums. I know a couple of people that own the same model and doubt they have any complains.

 

C6 with the Z51 package may be a better comparison. I think it adds suspension upgrades.

 

An 02-04 Z06 will outperform a C6 Z51 in almost every performance aspect... don't let the minuscule rated horsepower difference fool you. A C5Z puts down quite a bit more power to the ground than a stock LS2 C6. I remember a comparison of 1/4 drag times from owners of stock C5Zs and C6s.... the best stock C5Z time beat the best stock C6 time by over half a second IIRC.

The LS3 is a different story. The LS2 and LS3 both respond better to mods than the LS6 in the C5Z, the latter alarmingly moreso.

Ultimately the C6 is more of a daily driver (more tech, options, refinements) while the C5 Z06 is the car to go to if you want a raw track-oriented machine. Those improvements on the C6 will cost you a bit more.... at least several thousand.

 

I've driven bothat GM events but not at the same time. I really liked the Z06, they let you drive as hard as you wanted and it was great in drivetrain, handling/suspension/steering, and brakes. Only negative of the C5 Z06 was the interior if not that nice for a car in that class.

The C6 was also very nice, but not as raw as the . Also it was a 6AT and not a 6MT. I don't recall if it had the Z51 package or not.

 

That's not what I am reading. I'm seeing the car is actually very streetable & pleasant to drive unless you get on it.
Interior I could care less about, I would rather have cloth seats to be honest. I hate leather. Same with "tech" I hate that crap.

Also mods would not be on this car. I rather just drive it the way it sits. 400HP, RWD, 6MT, decent suspension... I'm happy with that.

 

Read every comparison between a C5 Z06 and C6.... Everyone will say the C5Z is the more raw car. But yeah, even Z06s are easily driven on the street, especially when stock. I would have no complaints about DDing one. I'd make the same decision as you too - though I prefer the C6's rear, the fastback look, availability of a targa top and appreciate all of its improvements, I'd rather get the C5Z.

I'm with you there on the cloth vs leather thing too. I wouldn't hesitate to drop in a cam and headers for it though... Z06s sound just beastly when uncorked.