Cal Club Autocross Forums

Annie Bauer wrote:Since I tend to keep cars for such a long time I need one that I can easily resell when the time comes. So, a street prepared Vette is really out, even if I could get comfortable driving it to events (which I can't...).

An '04 garage queen is what I'm looking for...

'03 or '04 - if you're changing the shocks it doesn't really matter. I think the best thing about an ASP car is the seat since you can put in a racing seat! The worst part of the Z06 is the seat because they designed it for a 50+ year old guy with a beer belly. So as a mid-size female I slide all over the place when driving. Hence the kneepads since I have to hold myself up with knees wedged against the door and the console. Unless you plan to get a bar and a harness....

Despite all of the negative things about to come out of my mouth, I still love driving my Z06 and haven't found anything else I've wanted to own since I bought my first one in 2001.

Don't get an '01 unless you can update the control arms to '03 or '04. The bushings don't stay in the '01 arm and you have to replace the entire arm at least once a year if you autocross. I haven't changed an arm yet in my '03. Plus the '01 is trigger happy. They fixed this in later models. Something to do with the cam and the drive-by-wire, I believe. The '03 is much more benign. The '01 was a beast but a lot of fun.

If you buy a garage queen and then start autocrossing it regularly and driving it every day, no doubt you will experience many of the Z06 issues that a garage queen owner will never come across. There is a long list including fuel senders (sensors - I forget now), seat back adjusters, etc. Mainly minor, but irritating items. I've tried to put them all out of my mind because most of the problems occur in the first 20,000-25,000 miles of driving.

The Z06 makes a great autocross car and pickup truck. I haul plenty of tile, stone, and cabinet samples when I go to see clients. But notice I can go see clients in my "truck". You do have to be careful what you put in the dip in the "trunk" as well as what's in the "cup holder" and the center console - you could bake cookies these areas get so hot.

If you lower the car to proper autcross height (which is not all the way lowered), you will have a great time crossing driveways sideways at 2mph, getting stuck on top of speed bumps, and otherwise trying to maneuver a low car with a very long nose. And everyone wonders why I consider the front air dam disposable.....

On the plus side, it's great to autocross a car with air-conditioning, power steering, and a stereo. Oh yeah, and POWER. And TORQUE. And it's sexy. But I guess the Subaru has all of that as well - except for the power, torque, and sexy part. What about your Porsche? Is it leaving?

Leslie

LIke Leslie I also love driving the Z. When you love a car you tend to overlook the short comings. The list of stuff you will be fixing is pretty extensive. I have not had to do all these (yet) but am on a few marque forums so be prepared for:

Fuel level sensor/pump
Seat (5 or 6 things that fail on the seat)
Heads Up Display
Wheel bearings (wheel speed sensor is built in)
Clutch (I know - wear item)
ECM/BCM/otherCM's
Memory seat/mirror/hvac
Shifter (better on later models), syncros
I'm sure there are a few more not coming to mind.

You will no doubt find some owners who have "never had a problem" with theirs. They are the owners who put a fresh coat of Zaino on and drive to the golf course.

If you put some street miles on & autox/hpde moderately you will have some issues pop up. Both my Vettes the black 96 LT4 and the 04 Z06 have/had extended warranties & I got my $$$ out of the warranties. Unless you are 100% capable of doing all the work (like Tom) and don't mind an expensive part (Corvette Tax) every so often, I would get one that has a gmpp warranty running on it.

Having said all that, I'd love more ss people. Used to be a bigger class until the SK classes were started.

I know when I used to have a 92 LT1, my wisest decision was buying the extended warranty. Seats, water pump, dash rattles, clutch.., and the car only had 13,000 miles on it.

This is one reason we (well, Annie), is looking to buy a low mileage version from a dealership, with a warranty and an extended warranty, so these little issues will be covered. It is a Chevy after all!!

Max Hayter wrote: This is one reason we (well, Annie), is looking to buy a low mileage version from a dealership, with a warranty and an extended warranty, so these little issues will be covered. It is a Chevy after all!!

I am so happy my car is out of warranty! The dealers caused more problems than the car itself. Notice I say dealers. Now my Corvette mechanic works on it and things get diagnosed properly and fixed properly the first time! My mechanic always had to diagnose the issues anyhow because the dealers are clueless. Many of them don't even know the difference between standard C5's and Z06's. I often paid my mechanic to fix warranty issues as long as they weren't too expensive because it was far worse not having my car for 3 weeks while the dealer had to do everything 3 times and then repair everything else they broke while working on it. Hmmm, have I had baaaad Chevy dealer experiences - Yes!

Everyone's really high on the Cobalt, but even though it has a great power/weight ratio, it has two major problems: 260 turbocharged hp/260 lb.ft. torque driven through the front wheels and no LSD. I can see how a great driver who knew the car intimately would be able to overcome those issues, but it seems like there are other cars that are better suited (135i comes to mind, even though it doesn't have a "real" LSD).

Kurt Rahn wrote:Everyone's really high on the Cobalt, but even though it has a great power/weight ratio, it has two major problems: 260 turbocharged hp/260 lb.ft. torque driven through the front wheels and no LSD. I can see how a great driver who knew the car intimately would be able to overcome those issues, but it seems like there are other cars that are better suited (135i comes to mind, even though it doesn't have a "real" LSD).

09 WRX..

I think the best thing about an ASP car is the seat since you can put in a racing seat! The worst part of the Z06 is the seat because they designed it for a 50+ year old guy with a beer belly.

Leslie[/quote]

This must be the reason that Brian drives one and Gary and I don't. :ibrightdea:

Here is one, price is a little high, but I am sure that is why after a month it is still for sale: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthr ... ?t=2042621" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Jason Isley BS RX8 wrote:Here is one, price is a little high, but I am sure that is why after a month it is still for sale: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthr ... ?t=2042621" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

No yellow We have one a local dealership we are interested in - hopefully it will be still for sale next weekend!

Max Hayter wrote: No yellow We have one a local dealership we are interested in - hopefully it will be still for sale next weekend!

Yellow????? It is a LM Blue Z16 car.

Jason Isley BS RX8 wrote:

Max Hayter wrote: No yellow We have one a local dealership we are interested in - hopefully it will be still for sale next weekend!

Yellow????? It is a LM Blue Z16 car.

hahahah.
obviously max didn't read the ad. link to pic from ad below...

Marshall Grice wrote: hahahah.
obviously max didn't read the ad. link to pic from ad below...

Damn pictures blocked at work!! I could only the see the yellow one in his avatar!

you work blocks photobucket? man i thought i had it bad.

Marshall Grice wrote:you work blocks photobucket? man i thought i had it bad.

Yup - sucks!

Max Hayter wrote:

Marshall Grice wrote:you work blocks photobucket? man i thought i had it bad.

Yup - sucks!

Where do you work?

They allow Pink Unitards and Miata drivers, but they ban photobucket.

I'm speechless.

FWIW - I've had my 2000 hardtop (non Z06) for almost 5 years. The car has almost 40k miles and about 800 autocross runs - no shop time by the previous owner or me. The message being that not all C5's are defective, although I know that most of the things listed in previous posts are not uncommon.

Bob Beamesderfer wrote:
Where do you work?

United Healthcare

Steve Ekstrand wrote:They allow Pink Unitards and Miata drivers, but they ban photobucket.

I'm speechless.

Worse: they allow Pink Unitards *on* Miata drivers... though I guess they have plausible deniability if they didn't run a thorough background check. What kinda crazy company would do that with someone who talks funny?!?

Max Hayter wrote:

Bob Beamesderfer wrote:
Where do you work?

United Healthcare

Picky lot, eh?

THANKS everyone for your input - I was hoping Leslie would chime in!

I'm going to cross my fingers and toes that an extended warranty will be worthwhile and not a waste of money - thankfully I've always been able to find a dealership / mechanic I could tolerate, even with my rare cars (Type R's, S2000's when they first came out, etc). After hearing Max's stories of his Vette, and seeing the list of things that could go wrong, I definitely want a warranty!

The company that caused Executive compensation to boil right out of the pan and make the stove messy.

It wasn't enough for Doc McGuire to become a billionare through UNH, he had to backdate options and cheat shareholders too.

The arrogance and blind greed of some people. Let's choke the golden goose to death because it didn't lay fast enough....

Annie, are you keeping the Cayman?

Bob Beamesderfer wrote:Annie, are you keeping the Cayman?

What Cayman? Did I buy another car and forget already? Oh, they *are* coming out with the purrrrty Cayman S Sport in my favorite GT3RS Orange!

(yes I'm keeping the great pumpkin, aka Boxster S)

Annie Bauer wrote:

Bob Beamesderfer wrote:Annie, are you keeping the Cayman?

What Cayman? Did I buy another car and forget already? Oh, they *are* coming out with the purrrrty Cayman S Sport in my favorite GT3RS Orange!

(yes I'm keeping the great pumpkin, aka Boxster S)

Ah, I forgot after you forbade your car from dating me.