Hey guys,

I checked out a used 02 Z06 last night, I test drove it and I've been possibly itching to switch to this car from the EVO.

The Z06 has incredible power, handling and brakes. Unfortunately it does lack the practicality of the evo, has higher insurance costs, and is probably more of a target for cops (tickets).

I know that there are turbo kits coming out soon (Works/Vishnu/Buschur) that can probably get me the same power as the Z06, although the car will probably not have the same gas mileage as the vette, i'm thinking 8-10mpg with these new turbo kits.

Still, the vette does have raw power and an awesome sound/feeling when driving it, almost puts the fear of death into you, where as the evo is car that is effortless to drive with a 4-wheel drive safety factor.

Any suggestion or opinions? What would you do?

Thanks,

Steve

 

If you can afford it, then do it. Just buy a beater for the unpleasant days.

 

I'd do it in a heart beat and never regret it. Z06's are amazing at Buttonwillow. For track driving it's hard to beat, if you do a lot of canyon running I'd stick with the EVO.

 

I'd go for the 04 Z06, or whatever they're calling it for this year, but not an 02. The interior in my opinion, are even cheaper than an EVO, I hate all the cheezy chevy plastic everywhere. The 04 however, is MUCH more refined, comparable to that of a german manufactured sports car, and a hundred hp more to boot.

 

Funny you ask. I switched from a 2002 Z06 to an Evo and never looked back. But I do live up north and needed a daily driver.

Yes, the Z06 is a freeking monster! Unreal torque ! Owned the car for a year but had to get something I could drive in the rain and snow.

BTW - my name is Steve too.

 

I was in the same boat before I bought the EVO. The Z06 is just the best bang for the buck performance wise, period. But I need a car thats a little more practical, look at all the white stuff we got here in the NE. I choose the evo because I alway have a itch to modified cars and its serves me good for daily driven, plus cheaper insurance. I still wonder want if I bought the Z06 instead of the EVO. oh well, may be a couple years later when the C6 Z06 come out

 

That's too funny dude...

Well I live in northern california, where we get maybe 2months of rain a year... and of course no snow.

Can you give me a detailed comparsion of your likes/dislikes between the cars Steve? This can include performance, reliability, ergonomics, ease of use, attention (good and bad)...

Do you have any regrets?

Steve

 

Isn't the C6 coming for 04 or 05?

 

hey ducati, yes C6 model is due this fall, and will have the revised interior, LS2 motor, XLR platform, and bigger wheels.

C6 Z06 will come out in 2006.

 

Before the Z06 I had a '96 LT4 CS Vette. Wanted to upgrade to something better, and boy did I ever. The 2002 Z06, 405HP, is flat out nasty. The handling is great but forget about romping on the gas in the corners. You WILL break loose, wip that rear end around faster than you can say "increased insurance". The Evo seems like you can realy stomp on it around the turnies and keep total control. Granted you're playing with 400trq in the vette, sure the *** end is gonna break loose.

Interior was nice I thought. Yeah, there is your normal GM plasticky look to some parts. But the black leather, my choice, was very supple. Stitched well, no wear in the year I had it. The only gripe I had about the interior, well 2, was the seats and the way you had to get out of the car.

First the seats. You think with all that power and hadnling out the wazoo you would have some seats that would really grip you on the side. It lacked that quite a bit. I felt at times I was going to slide out of my seat from side to side on tight turns. Need side supports like the Evo's Recaros.

Getting out of the car was a chore. You had to lift your feet up and over the sill in order to get out. But it is a Vette.

Evo is slower, but handles better. Evo interior is it bit blah, meat and potatos, when the Z06 is more meat and potatos with a filet in the mix.

Forget about driving in the snow. This car was NOT meant to have snow tires on it. I tried going to the store not even a mile down the street, no way. I couldn't get up my driveway, an 8% grade. Hell, I could hardly drive the thing in the rain without breaking loose in 4th on the highway downshifting. Traction control is your freind i n the Z06 in bad weather but even that is a pain in the ***. It feels almost like ABS, makes a weird noise and then backs off on the gas if the tires break loose.

If I could I would own both but money is tight. I love my Evo NOW after I moded a few things. Stock is OK, but feels a bit slow after owning the Z06. Now it feels like an AWD Z06.

Hope this helps out. I may have left a few things out. By all means ask away. Whew.

 

I read in one of the Vishnu threads that the Vishnu stage1+ has enough power to pull on a stock Z06 on the highway. That kit is ~$2500.

Personally I would wait and get the C6 with removable top. It's close to the current Z06 in speed, has a better interior, and a removable top. The only problem would be those first year problems every new car has.

 

Great post Steve,

My impression, is that the Z06 feels rather large and hard to get a feel for the corners. Also, I liked that the Z06 felt comfortable driving, almost better than our stiff EVOs.

However, like you said also, when I jumped back in my EVO I could immediately drive the car fast with no worry. I bet you I can listen on my cell phone and go around a corner at 90mph... the EVO is very docile and tranquil... so composed and so predictable... kind of robs the fun of driving.

Whereas the Z06 is screaming to be bad, romping through the gears feels like your waking the devil screaming at you to do something bad with the car... I did not feel as secure taking the car at the limit from 10 min of driving....

Steve what about reliability and cop attention... how does that compare between both cars?

Thx

Steve

 

It's basically this -

Buy an Evo, put roughly 3-4k into it and you got a 4 door AWD Z06. Hell you can walk a Z06.



As for reliablitly I had no problems with the Z06, stock of course, and no probs with the Evo, moded a bit. Well, let me say that the only issue I had with the Z06 was a bent pushrod an busted rocker arm at 750 miles. The salesman. wore the car out before I bought it. They covered that and extended my warranty a year.


I also felt that the Vettes front end is very long, actually it is. Parking that puppy was a bit tricky. I find myself leaving at least 2 feet of space from the parking block when I park my Evo now.

 

Yes exhaust, cams and tuning is said to give you about 330-340rwhp dynojet equivalent power. I already have the exhaust, and was contemplating doing either the cams or a turbo kit.

Problem is, once you have that kind of power, will the clutch hold? Also will the diffs/tranny be tough enough..

I heard Vishnu's stage 2 turbo car is falling apart, apparently both front and rear diffs are shot...

So in essence, to have to dump $2500 in power mods, plus $1000 in a new clutch, plus perhaps a diff or two can make this car a little expensive to maintain, compared to something like a Z06 which is built to handle this kind of power...

Steve

 

Oh, cop attention. In my case I got attention everywhere. My Z06 was yellow. Sort of hard to blend in with the crowd with that color choice. I just had to do it.





I did say I would never look back, but damn, I loved that car.