C5 Z06
Apr 6, 2010 | 07:32 PM
#1
Thread Starter
| Teamspeed Pro
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,685
From: Morris County, NJ
C5 Z06
I have been tossing the idea around of getting a C5 Z06 (02-04) model. Anyone have any experience with them and what to look out for? their weak areas etc... any help would be greatly appreciated.
I have already checked the corvette forums but was hoping someone on TS would have first hand experience with them
I have already checked the corvette forums but was hoping someone on TS would have first hand experience with them
Apr 6, 2010 | 08:35 PM
#2
Teamspeed Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 882
From: Florida
I just sold a '04 C5Z a few months ago. GREAT cars for the money no doubt. Great track cars, super reliable, fun, etc....
Pretty bullet proof. Only real things to look for are leaky rear axle seals, make sure if it is not done you do the colum lock bypass, some have leaky rear window seals that really is it.
Don't expect a fancy interior, but the platform is great. I miss mine....
Pretty bullet proof. Only real things to look for are leaky rear axle seals, make sure if it is not done you do the colum lock bypass, some have leaky rear window seals that really is it.
Don't expect a fancy interior, but the platform is great. I miss mine....
Apr 6, 2010 | 10:38 PM
#3
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,685
From: Morris County, NJ
thanks for the response... i have heard of the column issue, as well the leaky rear axels, and other electronic nuances...the thing i have been reading about lately is the 02-04 models have issues with their valves?
Apr 6, 2010 | 11:32 PM
#4
Teamspeed Pro
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 4,266
From: St. Peters, MO (outside STL)
I owned a Speedway White 2001 Z06 for almost 2 1/2 years
The pros put way the cons 10 to 1 any day of the week. But it sounds like you want the cons the most. Here are my persoanl thoughts and experiances in the 33,000 miles I put on mine.
They leak, I think they all do. My carpet in my passenger floor area would get wet if it poured and the car sat outside. Driver side sometimes and the rear compartment would as well. These cars leak from tons of places. I never took the time to seal mine up. There are a thousand threads on corvetteforum about the issue and places to look and how to fix it. Its a DIY project type thing. If you dont plan on driving or leaving it in the rain, then I wouldnt een worry about it.
Rear end leak, Mine never did and I sold it with 77K miles on it. But they do have that issue. I just gt lucky and never ran into it
Column Lock: this is a VERY easy fix. I never worried bout it till it started happening to me. It started getting more and more frequent. There was a relay/resistor thing I bought for like 45.00. You take off the lower plastic guard under the sterring wheel and simply plug it in. It completly bypasses the Column lock issue and I never had it happen again after my install.
01 oil consuption issues: some of the 01's had oil consuption issues. Mine did a little. mine ate about 1 to 1 1/2qts per 4K miles. All LS series engines will eat some oil however. Some guys reported a qt per 500 miles. Most of those cars were fixed under warrenty a long time ago. The rings flutter at higher rpms so high rpm driving means more oil consumption. I drove at high RPM's all the time lol
Other than that, I honestly dont ahve any complaints, seriously! That car was flat out amazing and took everything I threw at it. I drove it daily for over 2 years and it never left me stranded. and I BEAT THE SHIT out of it daily!
I went 12.76 totally stock on my stock street tires first time I went to the track. I added a B&B catback, short shifter and vararam intake and went 12.37 with a poor 60'. It was a 12.teens car for sure. (with drag radials)
Is there any reason you are against the 01's? I know tey are 20HP less but that should not be a deciding factor. That HP comes from an extra set of cats and the airbox revision (cam is SLIGHTLY different)
I raced many 02-04's and beat them with minor mods. I would never even consider talking someone out of buying a Z. It put a smile on my face EVERY single time I drove it. I miss it everyday. Hands down just a great incredably fun car.
fwiw, i sold my 01 with 76K miles for 17.5. total bargin!!!!!
My wheels and new tires fresh from powdercoat
and My baby Pink loved going for rides!
The pros put way the cons 10 to 1 any day of the week. But it sounds like you want the cons the most. Here are my persoanl thoughts and experiances in the 33,000 miles I put on mine.
They leak, I think they all do. My carpet in my passenger floor area would get wet if it poured and the car sat outside. Driver side sometimes and the rear compartment would as well. These cars leak from tons of places. I never took the time to seal mine up. There are a thousand threads on corvetteforum about the issue and places to look and how to fix it. Its a DIY project type thing. If you dont plan on driving or leaving it in the rain, then I wouldnt een worry about it.
Rear end leak, Mine never did and I sold it with 77K miles on it. But they do have that issue. I just gt lucky and never ran into it
Column Lock: this is a VERY easy fix. I never worried bout it till it started happening to me. It started getting more and more frequent. There was a relay/resistor thing I bought for like 45.00. You take off the lower plastic guard under the sterring wheel and simply plug it in. It completly bypasses the Column lock issue and I never had it happen again after my install.
01 oil consuption issues: some of the 01's had oil consuption issues. Mine did a little. mine ate about 1 to 1 1/2qts per 4K miles. All LS series engines will eat some oil however. Some guys reported a qt per 500 miles. Most of those cars were fixed under warrenty a long time ago. The rings flutter at higher rpms so high rpm driving means more oil consumption. I drove at high RPM's all the time lol
Other than that, I honestly dont ahve any complaints, seriously! That car was flat out amazing and took everything I threw at it. I drove it daily for over 2 years and it never left me stranded. and I BEAT THE SHIT out of it daily!
I went 12.76 totally stock on my stock street tires first time I went to the track. I added a B&B catback, short shifter and vararam intake and went 12.37 with a poor 60'. It was a 12.teens car for sure. (with drag radials)
Is there any reason you are against the 01's? I know tey are 20HP less but that should not be a deciding factor. That HP comes from an extra set of cats and the airbox revision (cam is SLIGHTLY different)
I raced many 02-04's and beat them with minor mods. I would never even consider talking someone out of buying a Z. It put a smile on my face EVERY single time I drove it. I miss it everyday. Hands down just a great incredably fun car.
fwiw, i sold my 01 with 76K miles for 17.5. total bargin!!!!!
My wheels and new tires fresh from powdercoat
and My baby Pink loved going for rides!
Apr 7, 2010 | 07:29 AM
#6
Thread Starter
| Teamspeed Pro
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,685
From: Morris County, NJ
I owned a Speedway White 2001 Z06 for almost 2 1/2 years
The pros put way the cons 10 to 1 any day of the week. But it sounds like you want the cons the most. Here are my persoanl thoughts and experiances in the 33,000 miles I put on mine.
They leak, I think they all do. My carpet in my passenger floor area would get wet if it poured and the car sat outside. Driver side sometimes and the rear compartment would as well. These cars leak from tons of places. I never took the time to seal mine up. There are a thousand threads on corvetteforum about the issue and places to look and how to fix it. Its a DIY project type thing. If you dont plan on driving or leaving it in the rain, then I wouldnt een worry about it.
Rear end leak, Mine never did and I sold it with 77K miles on it. But they do have that issue. I just gt lucky and never ran into it
Column Lock: this is a VERY easy fix. I never worried bout it till it started happening to me. It started getting more and more frequent. There was a relay/resistor thing I bought for like 45.00. You take off the lower plastic guard under the sterring wheel and simply plug it in. It completly bypasses the Column lock issue and I never had it happen again after my install.
01 oil consuption issues: some of the 01's had oil consuption issues. Mine did a little. mine ate about 1 to 1 1/2qts per 4K miles. All LS series engines will eat some oil however. Some guys reported a qt per 500 miles. Most of those cars were fixed under warrenty a long time ago. The rings flutter at higher rpms so high rpm driving means more oil consumption. I drove at high RPM's all the time lol
Other than that, I honestly dont ahve any complaints, seriously! That car was flat out amazing and took everything I threw at it. I drove it daily for over 2 years and it never left me stranded. and I BEAT THE SHIT out of it daily!
I went 12.76 totally stock on my stock street tires first time I went to the track. I added a B&B catback, short shifter and vararam intake and went 12.37 with a poor 60'. It was a 12.teens car for sure. (with drag radials)
Is there any reason you are against the 01's? I know tey are 20HP less but that should not be a deciding factor. That HP comes from an extra set of cats and the airbox revision (cam is SLIGHTLY different)
I raced many 02-04's and beat them with minor mods. I would never even consider talking someone out of buying a Z. It put a smile on my face EVERY single time I drove it. I miss it everyday. Hands down just a great incredably fun car.
fwiw, i sold my 01 with 76K miles for 17.5. total bargin!!!!!
My wheels and new tiresfresh from powdercoat
and My baby Pink loved going for rides!
The pros put way the cons 10 to 1 any day of the week. But it sounds like you want the cons the most. Here are my persoanl thoughts and experiances in the 33,000 miles I put on mine.
They leak, I think they all do. My carpet in my passenger floor area would get wet if it poured and the car sat outside. Driver side sometimes and the rear compartment would as well. These cars leak from tons of places. I never took the time to seal mine up. There are a thousand threads on corvetteforum about the issue and places to look and how to fix it. Its a DIY project type thing. If you dont plan on driving or leaving it in the rain, then I wouldnt een worry about it.
Rear end leak, Mine never did and I sold it with 77K miles on it. But they do have that issue. I just gt lucky and never ran into it
Column Lock: this is a VERY easy fix. I never worried bout it till it started happening to me. It started getting more and more frequent. There was a relay/resistor thing I bought for like 45.00. You take off the lower plastic guard under the sterring wheel and simply plug it in. It completly bypasses the Column lock issue and I never had it happen again after my install.
01 oil consuption issues: some of the 01's had oil consuption issues. Mine did a little. mine ate about 1 to 1 1/2qts per 4K miles. All LS series engines will eat some oil however. Some guys reported a qt per 500 miles. Most of those cars were fixed under warrenty a long time ago. The rings flutter at higher rpms so high rpm driving means more oil consumption. I drove at high RPM's all the time lol
Other than that, I honestly dont ahve any complaints, seriously! That car was flat out amazing and took everything I threw at it. I drove it daily for over 2 years and it never left me stranded. and I BEAT THE SHIT out of it daily!
I went 12.76 totally stock on my stock street tires first time I went to the track. I added a B&B catback, short shifter and vararam intake and went 12.37 with a poor 60'. It was a 12.teens car for sure. (with drag radials)
Is there any reason you are against the 01's? I know tey are 20HP less but that should not be a deciding factor. That HP comes from an extra set of cats and the airbox revision (cam is SLIGHTLY different)
I raced many 02-04's and beat them with minor mods. I would never even consider talking someone out of buying a Z. It put a smile on my face EVERY single time I drove it. I miss it everyday. Hands down just a great incredably fun car.
fwiw, i sold my 01 with 76K miles for 17.5. total bargin!!!!!
My wheels and new tiresfresh from powdercoat
and My baby Pink loved going for rides!
Apr 7, 2010 | 11:59 AM
#7
Teamspeed Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 882
From: Florida
I have never heard about this. And I am on CorvetteForum daily. Granted not in the C5Z section as much. But I still have a few buds with C5Z's and have never heard this. The '02-'04 Z's actually had upgraded springs. All I can think of is if people are tossing in big cams and not upgrading these, then some issues might crop up. But like I said, that is something I never heard of.
Last edited by SINISTR; Apr 7, 2010 at 12:01 PM.
Apr 7, 2010 | 12:24 PM
#8
Thread Starter
| Teamspeed Pro
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,685
From: Morris County, NJ
I have never heard about this. And I am on CorvetteForum daily. Granted not in the C5Z section as much. But I still have a few buds with C5Z's and have never heard this. The '02-'04 Z's actually had upgraded springs. All I can think of is if people are tossing in big cams and not upgrading these, then some issues might crop up. But like I said, that is something I never heard of.
Apr 7, 2010 | 06:27 PM
#9
Teamspeed Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 882
From: Florida
Yea it is something has come up more recently... there are a number of threads about it and even some polls about it as well... Some people experience it driving normally(ie 65mph) while others experience it at higher speeds... It occurs at various mileages from 15,000-50,000 and like i said before on 02-04's....From what i gather it is not on every z06 but a good amount of people on the forums have had this issue...
Apr 7, 2010 | 06:33 PM
#10
Teamspeed Pro
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 4,266
From: St. Peters, MO (outside STL)
Weird how over the 5 years I had the car I never heard of this. And I have/had 9 buddies with them too. Never a valve spring issue. What exactly is the issue? Because even good double valve springs are cheap and easy to change on the LS6. Your talking maybe a coupe hundred bucks at most....so if changing them gives you piece of mind it is cheap to do.
Whats your price range? and do you want one with mods or stock?
