I should be done with school around summer of 2008 and should have the income to comfortably afford it. But (i hate buts) i've got other priorities like a house in mind so the chances of me spendig 50+k even on a slightly used c6 z06 is next to slim anyways. Maybe if i were to finance it, i could swing the hefty costs but i hate doing loans.

As it stands, i've got my eyes on a Poopra TT and/or a c5 z06. Very enjoyable cars without reaching really deep into your pockets. Already saving up for them, and looking forward to purchasing one of them as a graduation gift to myself.

If i were to look into a new car purchase, something like a GT500 or a 300c SRT-8 would probably be more practical for me.

 

One of my goals is to buy that car. Should be done with my BA by 07. Hopefully I should have a established career and a down payment by 08.

 

Most likely your priorities will change in 2008. And a few times from now on until then. I know .

 

The reason for this thread is very simple............ it is very easy to say that the price of something is great, when we know that we never have the hope of actually plunking down the cash. It is also easy to bash those who do not think the price is great (as is happening on the other thread), when we are not actually talking with our wallets.

When you are actually a buyer............ or someone who has the means to buy............ your opinion on whether the price of something is reasonable, is more valid. Thats what cut the BS means.

Look on the Corvette forum. Look on the thread about the pricing (poll on will/won't buy at msrp). These are diehard Corvette guys. Most of these people should be able to at least finance the car. Logic would say that the great majority of these people would buy one. Yet, even on that forum, in that poll, 119 people said "yes, $65K is a steal," 68 picked "no, $65K is too rich for my blood for this particular car," and 63 picked "no, but I was going to with a more pleasantly surprising price."

This makes less than 50% who said yes.

Noone has said that the performance is not worth the price. The biggest complaint that I see is that the car is a wallflower. This means that it just looks WAY too much like every other C6 out there. As was stated in the other thread on here............... when you hit this price point, people want distinction in their sports car. They want to stand out. They want others to know that this is not just the mere mortal Corvette with wheels, emblems, and a hood scoop (and not just diehard enthusiasts).

This distinction is what the C6 Z06 just does not offer. This lack of distinction is the reason that only 49% of diehard Vette people say they think it is a good deal/steal.

 

OUTSTANDING!!!! I mean, you do realize that the new Z06 is not a high volume Corvette, no? In fact, if even half those ~50% of Corvette buyers actually follow through and buy one, it's a coup for Chevy, right? C5 Z06's accounted for roughly 25% of all C5's sold. Judging by that poll, the C6 Z06 will be a roaring success. You've just proven our point!

Is the 19 year old female interested in getting into a 6-banger Mustang over at the Corral not allowed to call the GT500 an outstanding value "for what you get?" I don't understand the rain-on-Chevy's-parade threads about this topic.....

 

So only the people that can afford certain cars have the right to critique the price? No offense, but this argument is beyond lame... Honestly, if I wanted to skip college the next 4 years and get a real reliable job, I could afford it and insurance. And for a 22 year old kid with just a highschool diploma and no trust fund, I find that amazing because this car is damn near supercar status.

 

This will be my last post on the subject.

Nowhere did I say that we do not have the right to debate the price. What I did say is that who do not have the means, or inclination to buy the car, should not be bashing those who do not think it is the steal of the century.

Some are reading into my words way more than what is there.

BTW, the less than 50% was not those who WERE buying. It was those who would buy, or who THOUGHT it was a steal. Big difference. If less than 50% of the buying public thinks the car is a steal, and they are diehard Vette enthusiasts........... where does that leave the general populace???

PS, many on the Corvette forum think that after the initial sales rush, that sales will tank......... ala ZR1.......... due to the price. I prefer to take a wait and see attitude.

 

Read what you just said, the Z06 has nothing to do with the general populace just like the ford GT has nothing to do with them, nor does any car priced over about 50 thousand because the general populace can't afford them. This is a car that is targeted to basically the corvette crowd, and if half of them think it is a steal that bodes well for corvette. Do you honestly think people off the street who aren't vette enthusiasts pay any attention to the Z06? A specialty car like this, is targeting that smaller percentage of corvette buyers who want ***** out performance.

I think it should be priced a few thousand less but it's still a steal and will sell at projection.

 

It'll sell.

One interesting point to make is this:
Name all the true sports cars at or below the $65,000 price point.

It's a mighty small list, generally populated with some wanna-be's (Mudstain, S2000, 350Z, Boxster) that cannot offer a clear performance advantage over a 3 year old F-car... let alone a Corvette.

Secondly, some of us are not altogether interested in making a wild statement visually. I can't find many cars better looking than a Vette, but even if I could the fact of the matter remains that the visual consideration or the ability to impress others is not foremost in my mind.

Some folks think the Hayabusa is big and egg-shaped and ugly...

Nobody, but NOBODY argues with the business end of one.

In my little world, that's good enough for me. Visual aspects are nice. Being able to impress with the mere presence of the vehicle is cool... having a machine of nearly unmatched power at my beck and call, ready to pound my adrenal glands like Emeril working over a flank steak?

That's the money-shot, baby... and that's what the Z06 is.

And I can actually afford it! I can't swing $100,000... but I can swing $65,000!

It's nice to know that anybody who wants to make a race of it is going to have to spend twice as much... and if worst comes to worst, I can always hit 'em with the Busa.

 

Gloria, have you seen the Z06 in person yet (vs. pictures)?

It does look kinda different. I've seen it countless times, and driven it twice.

It isn't like the previous ZR1 that was virtually indistinguishable from the base car (same wheels and everything). It is still obviously identifiable as a Vette, but it stands out rather well. Wider front and rear bodywork, extra air inlet at the front of the hood, totally different front bumper/grille/front end, different wheels, different and massive brakes, air inlet for rear brake cooling duct.

The previous Z06 stood out well, too, though with less total differences I'd say. The biggest advantage IT had in standing out was ironically one of the big complaints about the car: the FRC roofline (instead of the targa's hatchback roofline).

Anyway, I see where you are coming from by saying it is different from a Viper (which is a standalone car), that it is "still a Vette". On the other hand, people still fork over 80 large for 911s that look very much like their half-price Boxster siblings... People buy Mustang Cobras that look a heck of a lot like the half-price rental car V6 version.

As I said in the other thread (and I bashed no one, and didn't notice much bashing going on)... 65 grand, while a ton of money for a car to most folks, isn't THAT much money today. 16 years ago, a ZR1 was around 60 to 65 grand, IIRC. Adjusting for inflation, that is 89 to 96 grand in today's dollars. Back then, a regular Vette was, say, 35 grand? That would be 52 grand today. So the base car is still about where it was (if you don't load it like crazy, you can get one in the mid 40s...). The Z06 is 20 to 25 grand CHEAPER than the ZR1, adjusted for inflation.

Inflation Calculator

These arguments are moot for many who can afford these cars, anyway.

59,995 would have been unbelievably sick and cool. But there is no way they were going to let a convertible exceed the price of the Z06 (and loaded verts are a little over 60 now I think, maybe 62k...). In C5 land, a vert and a Z06 were priced about the same (starting price at least, but the Z06 had less options IIRC). But the C6 Z06 is a little more extreme than was the C5 Z06...

My $0.45.

 

don't forget. not only does it have a 500 hp engine (thats built to last).. but drivetrain has also been upgraded.. plus massive brakes with individual pads on each piston! Plus wider tires, and flares to keep them tucked under. Plus a dry sump oiling system.. Plus trans and rear diff coolers. Plus an aluminum frame... and its still plush inside, not a stripper.. with all that, they manged to make it weight LESS than the base Vette.

simply put.. this thing is ready to hit the roadcourse for extended periods of time, without overheating, fading, breaking, etc at 10/10 speeds...

Add that all together, and the extra $20k starts sounding reasonable.

Its a halo car..

 

Another angle....

For the C5, it was a no-brainer (for me) to go Z06 if I were to buy...

A coupe with equipment I would want would sticker around $50k... a Z06 would be around $55k (MSRP) $5k difference.

Now, with the C6.......... That base car is $54k or so decked out.... but the Z06 is now $73k..... $19k difference.

This makes the base car (especially a Z51) have a lot more value, IMO.

 

 

Who's bashing?

 

Just remember to point out how happy the kiddo is while sitting in them . She doesn't want to have an unhappy child.......does she???