IS THE C5 Z06 REALLY WORTH IT? LETS DIVE INTO THE DIFFERENCES VS THE BASE C5 CORVETTE! 

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It's better to have a base C5 coupe than no C5 at all! 8-)

I’d take a base + the cash difference in price any day. Use the cash to mod the base performance and still have my removable top. I rarely drive the car with the top on.

Sold my 04 Z06 and bought a convertible, just have to have the roof down here in Florida

Z06 or base model we all got it going on! There all corvette!!!

To each his own , I am waiting on delivery of an 03 Zo6 in silver . I like the low key silver color , I like the fixed roof , the lines of the coupe . Titanium exhaust, brakes ducts , I think it’s an awesome car for the money used . Not going to mod it but I did buy a Hurst shifter knob as a read that the original is soft and you get a better feel with the Hurst , we will see . Stay safe everyone.

Personally I would have to choose the base Corvette over the Z06 simply for the removable roof. Not that I would drive around without it all the time but it would be nice to have that option.

Love my Heads Cam base C5, she rips

I think the C5 Z06 is a timeless classic. The body lines are unique and it's the last of the 'driver's Corvettes.' I'm on my third C5 Z06 - I came back again and again and plan to never sell this one. Good info!

7:45 the wheels were actually manufactured in Italy by Speedline. All good info, I love my 2004 Z06!

Great summary! I actually went with an 01 Coupe just to get the hatch back and removable roof. Mine actually came with both painted and glass roofs. Bolt on mods have helped the performance!

Thanks for the upload, this was exactly what I was looking for.

I like the "Base/Coupe" better. The hatchback that swoops and extends to the rear looks better than the ZO6's cut off back.

Very good information. I did not know that the powertrain changed so much between 2001 and 2002. Good to know when shopping. Thank you.

Great write up/information about the models.

I was used to my1973 350 with a four speed,only had 190 hp . It ran fine for over 26 yrs but now I own a 2004 with a 5.7 350 hp.what a difference. A hole different animal. What I’m saying is what ever you have you will love because it’s a VETTE.👍😀

I have the same yellow as you but a convertible 2002 manual love it.

I love both, I have a 2000 base now but both are very good cars 😁👍

I own a C5 2003 Z06 and love it. I think they are better looking than C6. Nice info on your video. Well done.

The base model is fast lol I drove one a few months ago and I was like damn so I can only imagine how the z06 feels

Great info... learned a few things. Sub topic of the 04 commemorative edition. Polished wheels and carbon fiber hood. Decals too. Could be in a special edition feature video with the 50th anniversary?

99.3% guys legit keep it up love the content just got a c5

Both are great. I have a c5 Z06 with a 383 stroker and procharged and I bought a bargain base coupe that I’m building into a C5R replica track car. Will get a nasty 427, with coilovers, big brakes, stripped interior and lots of goodies

I added fog lamps to my mine. Made my own wiring harness and found and bought fog lights, switch and brackets at a junk yard.

O1+ Z51 cars share the front spring, and rear swaybar with the Z06.

Miss my 03 C5Z> The look is completely different. Roof Line, Wheels, Sound, Ducts> Used to call it a legalized NASCAR. Such a timeless, capable sports car. A steal at todays prices.

Fixed roof verses the removable top & rear end trunk yes my c5 base is a 2001 heads 799 cam 614 lift corsa extreme exhaust & dynatech headers & ceramic coated yea the c5 ZO6 is a track beast though both nice rides man 💯🇺🇸😊✌️

The C5 Z06 upgrades were considered momentous back in 2001. In retrospect however, it was not all that hard to duplicate the power increase of an LS6 by using bolt-ons for the LS1. Furthermore, the LS6 power was equaled just a couple of years later with the base LS2 engine. Also, the FRC styling with its cropped cab was a fix for something that wasn't broken and put the focus on the C5's enormous rump. It just wasn't the balanced artwork the coupe is. The sales of the FRC standalone option bear that out. Subsequent generation Z06 offerings never again used the notchback style. Now, 16 years later, with the base C8s running low 11s, the big advantage of the C5 Z06 cars over the C5 Z51 cars back then seems more like just a footnote in Corvette history.

I've had 2 regular C5 s and 1 Z06. I had a black 99 coupe with the targa top and an 00 bowling green Convertible (current car) and an 01 yellow z06. The Z06 was cooler to talk about and tell people I own, but the Convertible C5 is way better to drive on those nice days....it gets more looks due to the rare green and camel intererior and top with the top down. The rims on the Z06 were black honeycomb which sucked so i switched them to chrome 04 Z06 rims (the black only look good on black and torch red Z06 and I found a guy who agreed and we traded) but I love the slimmer 5 star spoke that came out in 00 as opposed to the thicker 5 star I had on my 99 coupe. Performance wise I put a big mass air and throttle body on my 01 along with aftermarket exhaust from Magna Flow and I actually beat my buddys 04 by about a car length and then we switched cars and did it again and he beat me by about the same while driving my car and me driving his. Back then I was in my mid 20's and was all about performance...now Im 42 and love my stock convertible with the automatic and aftermarket exhaust from Borla to give it that more thunder rumble not that loud raspy open exhaust people are turning to. Louder is always better and leave the open exhaust to the side pipe big block Corvettes from the 60's. Believe me you get enough attention from the looks of your Vette and enough performance from aftermarket exhaust....opening it up all the way or near all the way only hurts your performance in most cases and sounds like shit like a truck with glass packs!! I loved the video and this guy knows his shit and I agree with him. The roadster look is the meanest, slickest look. The Corvette convertible has the same look with the trunk. The coupe losses some of its look with that hatchback in my opinion and in most peoples opinion.

I have a 99 z51 and love it.

Thanks for the great video. As far as weight savings goes I believe that the Z06 couldn’t be ordered with a power antenna

Nice vid. Just throwing this out there, if someone put a C6 booty, or at LEAST C6 tails on a C5 FRC/Z06, that's it for me. That's like my dream baseline Vette to start with.

04 Z06 here... thanks for the vid

So I got my base c5 corvette back in 2015. At the time I had no clue on how to drive a manual. Well of course since 2017 I learned how to drive one because I drive trucks. The base is still a beast I’ve raced and smoked a few cars on the road

vet on vettes, clever name. Dad's plates on his c5 is 2bdvets. When I get ahold of it Ill change the plate to 3bdvets.

Great informative summary, but I want to correct that the FE4 suspension is not exclusive to Z06. 1999-2000 FRC also came with FE4 suspension.

Tool!!!! Bada** jacket! Nice video

Tires were also a weight saver. From run flats on the coupe and convertible, which I had before getting a Z, to a small case containing a small electric compressor which connects to your cig lighter. And some gel to insert into your tires on the Zs. ......at least on my ‘03 Z.

Base coupe, removable top, Lingenfelter heads, cam, headers, Corsa. Lots of Z06 level performance w/388 RWHP.

I could not decide between the Base C-5 Conv or the C-5 Z06 so I bought both. Put them together in a 2 car Man Cave with Corvette Signage, a Bose Stereo and a beer refrigerator as well as a few lawn chairs mainly just to look at them. Presto…still can’t figure which I prefer. The C-5 in my estimation is the best ever produced. Pure Eye Candy.

I wrote my last comment a week ago and I didn't do deliberate research it just came up as I was looking into modifications I want to make to mine and it needs to be said, that both leaf springs are different in the ZO6 as well as sway bars.

I have issue with the T56 transmission. I had 2 of them have synchro problems.and a door issue from the hinge on top

I just got a base 2001 Vette. The removable roof was a must have The Z is the better looking model for sure. Performance wise, just some simple bolt ons like an exhaust/air intake/headerss/X pipe and you’ll be good. NOt to mention you can slap on some z06 replicas which is my first mod

I am a little older looking to get my first Vette. Reading and hearing a lot about the C5 Z06. I like your analysis. Do you think that would be a bad first choice?

I like the tool hoodie!

How common is the harmonic balancer issue really? I hear all kinds of horror stories but wondering if I should replace that first or spend my limited cash on a corsa exhaust.

I have a C5 Z06 race car that I rebuilt from the ground up, gutted, and caged. The difference is negligible for 99% of people, and even the minor differences can be added in for the price difference just about. The LS6 engine is the same short block as the LS1. Aftermarket heads and cams are so cheap you'll be able to make massive gains over the LS6 for $2k in engine mods alone. I'd highly suggest upgrading the valvetrain and heads more than anything. Better flowing aftermarket exhaust is nice too. You get different rate transverse leaf springs and dampers between the two, but you can cheaply upgrade to DRM dampers, or just go full coilovers. Wider wheels and tires with a stickier compound are a great upgrade on either version of the C5. Brakes are where it can get pricey. I was lucky enough to find some DRM AP Racing BBK for $2200 on the Vette forums. Brakes and suspension should be upgraded before the engine, FYI! Engine cooling upgrades with an oil rad and solid aluminum coolant rad are a MUST if you plan to push this thing at all. I'd also say the #1 best mod I ever put on my Vette is the MGW short shifter. It is so tight and so accurate to shift it's beautiful. I kept over-shifting and getting into 5th when going for 3rd more times than I care to admit on the stock when I had it on the street. I like a simple Sparco spherical chrome ball shifter on mine.

Are the Z06 wheels less weight than the any of the standard C5 corvette wheels?

Fixed roof's were called the 'Billy Bob' during its creation

I love my 01 Zo6 jet black. All original at 45,000 miles

I have a base C5. Just the word BASE is possible offing (new phrase) Love my C5 , but the Z06 is more advanced. awesome variant but personally content with my C5

Personally, I like the coupe/targa better. Gotta be a 6speed though.

I'd rather take the base because it has more cargo storage due to it being a hatchback, and also me having more control over the engine, and what I want to do with it, not to mention the price difference

The Z06 brakes are pressure cast vs. gravity cast on the base, iirc.

It wouldn't hurt if, you mentioned that FRC means Fixed Roof Coupe. Is there an FRC that isn't a Z06? What's the rear end ratio in the Z06? I've heard that convertibles have a shorter rear gear than the coupes, maybe the Z06 has the 3.21 gears too. with the coupes having 2.71 or something like that. I'm to "mature" (old) for yellow. My 01 Convertible is not creaky or groany, but more power is never bad. The Z06 rims are rad, but the optional magnesium rims are rad too. Kind of a gold color. I like a stick shift in a sporty car, but a top that goes down is nice, particularly, when you only drive your Corvette in nice weather.

Speedline wheels, standard seats, nothing special about the seats. They are lighter than the sport seats available for coupes and verts. Good video to summarize everything in short order!!

Also RU-vid Corvette ZO6 Autobahn. He's got his up to 304 KH and it sounds like it would have kept going! The big difference in all cars is how they are assembled on the production line sometimes when things go together just right you come up with a freak.

Does the 2001 zo6 have any transmission issues

I had the opportunity to buy the Z06 but I rejected it for esthetic reasons since I prefer the silhouette on the base model. Now that I care more about performance, I wish I had got the Z06

I own four C5's and none are ZO6 models as I don't like the FRC styling. That said, for a track car they do have a good baseline performance and only need a few enhancements to wake them up, BUT, those same enhancements will do the exact same thing to a HB or a rag top. Just sayin.

which seats are best ?

Had a C6 Z06 ended up selling it and buying a C5 base a few years later. They are all fun! Enjoy your ride

Wish they would have had a hatch version on the Z06.Cant get over the back glass /trunk on the Z06

If you want a C5 and care about hp performance, it's better to get a base and supercharge it. I have a stock, other than exhaust, 04 C5Z and the 365 whp just doesn't hang with most stock performance cars today. A supercharged LS1 can get you close to a safe 500 whp which is pretty strong in 2022.

You could not order a Z06 in a convertible. I went with the convertible and you can do your upgrades and you have yourself a Z06 but it's still a true Corvette because you have a convertible.

Did they make z06 for the 2000 model ? I got a c5 as an inheritance gift … don’t know what I’m looking at tho . It’s convertible 6spd electric seats has active system handling cruise control everything but idk if it’s a z06

My 04 supercharged convertible is a rocket @ 550/550.

I prefer the C4, mostly because it's still the unloved Corvette, but it's really tough to find a better used car for that little money that just works without doing any modification at all, and the Z06 is the king of that. Not exactly cheap but certainly a bargain in terms of performance value.

In the real world, the FRC added about a 12% increase in stiffness of the chassis over the base models and subtracted about 150 lbs of weight - in other words, the differences are negligible. The car was designed as a convertible from the ground up and frankly, the FRC was an afterthought add on as was the whole Z06 concept in the grand overall scheme of C5 design and production. As for major power upgrades, anyone with a stock C5 convertible or coupe could easily embarrass a C5 Z06 with a slew of possible engine modifications ranging from a mild cam to more than 10 psi of forced induction. As for "squeaks and rattles", there's no discernible difference between the models. The real difference came with the C5 being four times stiffer than the C4 with a redesigned interior that had fewer parts and a lot fewer squeaks and rattles. The base C5 was an incredibly popular car that outsold the C5 Z06 by a factor of about 8 to 1. That didn't happen because they were significantly inferior in any significant way to anyone who wasn't planning on track racing the car. The 60 hp difference and 150lb. weight saving was and still is not very noticeable to the "average" owner who is not out looking to drag race every Mustang or Camaro he/she encounters. In the big picture, the differences between the models is overblown and most base model owners are very happy with their C5, even with the (gasp) automatic or 3.15 rear axle ratio....

Do you think gm underrated it like theybuse to do with there f bodies this period I hear this z06 with 405hp actually pushed 20 or 30+more and o to 60 if lunched hated 4.1 seconds

I still think the Z06 should have been an FRC but with the base model rear window. That rear glass makes it alot more aero dynamic than what the Z06 got. I wonder if you can do a rear glass swap without having to do any fabrication

2002 Z51 on my vert ?

Looks like my car u have on ur channel, mine is 2001 zo6 procharged n meth injection 840hp on 6lbs of boost. She runs most times 10.01 140mph. I'm thinking of putting down some more ponies. I can't believe there's electric cars out there running faster. TIMES R CHANGING 😔😬 I powder coated my rims blk, I didn't care for the original color on the yellow paint!

I like all corvettes, but I don’t feel the z06 is worth the money. You can easily modify any c5 and outperform the Z06. We procharged a convertible and upgraded the suspension. It’s a beast. The z06 is nice, but so many factory cars today will leave it behind. Why spend the money for the z06 badge?

Base is just as solid imo

The wheels (Speedlines) are made in Italy.

I live in Germany. And before 10 years i did not even know about a C5 Z06. This Cars never made it really to Europa. Since my youth i only know the base C5. And today i like the base C5 more, because of the rear. I dont really like the short rear hatch of the Z06. And i think from the point of Aerodynamics, the Z06 rear is worse. I think that is the reason why they used Coupé in LeMans.

Damn, Bud! You almost convinced me I should get a C5 Z06! I like the performance differences of the Z, but I promised myself I gotta have a convertible. Maybe I can find a blown up C5 then put an LS6 in it? Much obliged for another great video and excellent content.

The Z06 is a better investment due to its relative rarity and desirable features. Keep it stock (or easily returnable to stock) and watch the price climb over time. This is Unfortunately not the case for the coupe.

I’d rather the targa top and runflats vs the extra 50hp and no targa top. Girls stare at mine with the roof off. they don’t stare at my buddy’s yellow zo6. Our exhausts are equally loud, so it’s strictly on appearances. I can add an extra 50hp and swap tires a lot cheaper than he can turn his into a targa top. Just sayin.

Only Vette worth buying IMO from 02-07 is the C5 Z06, I’ve had 3!

I have a base 2001 and both of my factory seats are electric.

Yes

The ZO6 looks worse. Other than the wheels of course. Plus there's no targa roof. That sucks. Just mod a good C5 and skip the ZO6, in my humble opinion :-)

My 02 ZO6 is still my favorite car.

The problem is that the base has a better look in the back

You got most of your facts correct all but the top-end and that's where you are definitely wrong. RU-vid C5 ZO6 blocked HUD high speed. I compare this to my 02 ZO6 whereas the video shows him topping-out at 299 KH (184 mph) and the tachometer was at 5800 RPMs and he continues on to 6200 RPMs which would put him up at around 187 mph and this coincides with the literature that I have read and I believe mine will do the same because mine pulls to 6500 RPMs in 4th and I believe mine will pull to at least 5800 RPMs in 5th. 6th gear is for good gas mileage, the cars don't have the torque to pull in 6th gear. And a little something about physics - my 400 fpt and the reduced weight and the same exact differential gearing would allow the ZO6 to outrun the standard model. The difference in the gearing is in the transmission. The differential, though it's the same gear ratio, the ZO6 has shot peened gears to withstand the torque, again emphasizing the fact the ZO6 is definitely faster. The only complaint I have with my ZO6 is, the Autobahn isn't outside my front door!

Great informative video, the c5 corvette is by far my favorite generation. In terms of styling I think the targa top c5 looks the best proportionally, the frc looks awkward to me from its side profile. In terms of performance obviously the z06 is the better package out the box but it takes next to nothing to get the base model up and going as well. At the end of the day it’s all user preference and what kinda experience you’re looking to get out of the car. I don’t think nothing beats the sun beaming down on you with the top off, wind going through your girls hair, and hearing the LS scream out back. 👍

Zaddy take me shopping 🛍 I want res Gucci shoes 👠

My opinion targa top is terrible everyone of them Iv owned c4 5&6 rattled never really took mine off or have really seen anyone I know with one take it off very often!

People are asking $10k more for a Z06 in the same condition nowadays, that's just not worth it. Most of the added performance in the Z06 was because of the larger, softer tires anyway, which cost a fortune if you can even find them. $2-3k more? Sure, maybe. $10k more? not even remotely worth it.

Not if it's an automatic that's my guess before I even watch the video

The silhouette of the c5 Z06, is the main reason that I'm looking at c6's. The hatch looks a million times better, imo. I think that I'm willing to pay the extra money. I prefer the c6 headlights as well. I'm currently looking at a 08 Z06, with 69k on it. They are asking 24k. From what I have seen so far, that looks like a deal, although I don't plan on offering 24 if everything checks out. Edit: The only thing is, it's an automatic. I'd prefer an auto if I were buying a newer zl1 Camaro, but I feel like a Manuel is almost a must when it come to c5/c6 vettes.

Coupe m6 has a higher speed then the Z06

Tired to get through the video but that background music is really bad.

You do not get much for the money. All parts are interchangeable.

The C6 Z06 is definitely worth the price jump. Lack of a removable top and basically bolt on upgrades make the C5 Z06 a bit of a ripoff. Most people will upgrade brakes, cam, headers, tire/wheels, etc that are all superior to the OEM Z06 stuff. I do love those rear brake ducts though!!