NSPharmD

Hey guys, just wondering if anyone had a preference on what year z06 to buy. I recently bought a 97 and have decided that I definitely need to upgrade to a z06. I have seen alot of 01's and 02's out there for pretty decent prices. I know the horsepower is different in the two, but other than that are there any other differences??

Is there a year, 01-04, that is better than another??? I know they are all awesome, but my corvette expertise is with the c1s and c3s, so any help would be appreciated.

Nick

mr-z

2003 best all around. Thats my opinion.

TransAmGT

there is absoulty nothing wrong with buying an '01 or '02-'04

do a search and you will find '01's are less desirable b/c of the oil burning issues

is warranty something you have to have?

if so it's going to be tuff to find a '01 or '02 with warrranty but there are some out there, just have to search!

me personally i want an '02 or '03 b/c of price and the 405hp and warranty

Steve Theodore

With modern Corvettes the best answer is "the newest year that you can afford". GM made improvements nearly every single year to the Z06, but the ones you cannot easily/cheaply do yourself include the steel shift fork (mid year 03) and the redesigned fuel system (mid year 03). I wouldn't get too hung up on the 04 shocks since they are not an expensive upgrade. Good luck and keep us posted!

z06inVB

I went the opposite direction when I bought mine. I wanted a daily driver that would not see a garage, would be parked in shopping centers, driven in rain and would have a lot of miles put on it. I went with the 01 because it was less desireable. I researched the oil burning issue and felt it was not a concern and I have never been too impressed with GM engineering when it comes to upgrades. After all they never got the column lock right during the entire C5 generation. I also went with high mileage because properly maintained it is not an issue. The 385 hp vs. the 405 is something you would only see on the track so again not an issue. The shift issue is not even something I worry about and the fuel system works just fine. So for 21 grand I got a Z06 and enough money left over to buy another motorcycle. The insurance and taxes were cheaper and if it does get banged up a little during its travels I dont get stressed about it...all in all it is a great car that cost me less than a used GT Mustang!

mark896

'03s are definitely fastest..

PhatZO6

Like it was said "Buy the newest year you can afford"...But you can't go wrong with any of the Z06.. ...Fantastic cars...The sooner you get one the faster the will begain ...Good Luck

slong

Sound advice!!!

NSPharmD

Wow, Thanks alot for the advice guys. I was at a few dealerships this past week looking at z's. I found an 02 with 6,500 mi for 34,000 and a 03 with 5,900 for 34,900. Obviously the low miles are nice to have, but I'm looking to spend around 30k for the car. I've seen quite a few 01's in the mid to upper 20's and a few 02's in that range as well. I was just wondering if there were major differences between the years.

What type of oil burning problems are seen with the 01's? Is there a fix that can be done? Does anyone have one that has had this problem?

What gives the 02-04 the 405 hp as opposed to the 385??

EVILNESS

The newest is always better if u ask me if u can afford an 04 get it god knows if i could get an 07 thats what i would have in my garage.

R.

z06inVB

Here is a good article on the 01 oil consumption issue. My 01 was built in Nov 00 and has never had the " fix " and the original owner reported no issues. I changed the oil 3500 miles ago and it has not moved. Car now has 73k miles.

http://www.c5registry.com/2k2z06/page5.htm

RAMMAN

No the ones with the stripes are the fastest. You can tell it buy the look on this guys face. He just can’t figure out how my car is going over 100mph with him standing right next to it.

NSPharmD

Thanks for the link! It explained the oil consumption problem in detail. I guess not everyone experiences it.

Vetteoholic

The 2001's are really nice but I've heard that some of them have an Oil Consumption Issue...Up to a quart every 1,500 miles..Which by the way used to be normal back In the day. Some were fixed by the dealer & some were fixed by the owners $ and some 01's didn't even have the problem at all. If you go with an 01' just make sure the problem has already been addressed. 01' had 385Hp/385LbFt *But It's only slower by a 10th or two on paper...People cant really feel the difference from what I've heard.
Your best bet would be to go for an 02-04 Z06 as they all have
405HP/400LBFt, Slightly better handling due to suspension changes, Cast aluminum wheels Vs. Forged aluminum, Available Electron Blue paint...Ect Ect... By 02' basicly any Issues of the 01' have been addressed. *All Z06's Kick AS*!! You cant go wrong with one..Just look at what RANGER can do with a stock Z lol
**Best of luck with your choice, you won't regret a Z!!!

TYZ-TOY

Scott02Z06

Love my 02' ... it's the fastest... especially when you get a QUICKsilver one!!!

CleteZ16

.. 2004 Z16 is the pinnacle of C5 evolution..

naw, I'm not biased or nothin' ...

(ps- lookin' SHARP, Ramman! I don't have the BSMs but hey.)

98cobrakillata

I would also say get the newest year you can afford.

I picked up a 2004 with less than 13,000 miles on it for $35000.It was totally stock.

$60 later it was tinted and lowered.

Scoob

I dunno, man. Looks to me like he's thinking "WTF?"

mark896

Looks to me like, "I wonder if the wife would go for this..."