Corvette C6 Z06 | Best of a Generation

[@savagegeese]

Just as a small note Jordan's updated title is global chief engineer of small block engines. And yes the Chevy boys call it a Chivy.

[@Dowlphin]

If you drive a Chivy too fast on public roads, you'll be driving a shivy for a couple years.

[@alexnutcasio936]

Real Chevy owners call it a Chebby.......

[@S8ER]

Real owners try to avoid associating with Chevy at all 😂

[@timothycc711]

Keep up the great work Mark and Jack you guys are the best!

[@TML34]

Ford owners call it a shitbox.

[@RDMcK22]

The plastic interior bit on the seatbelt flopping around on Mark's shoulder with the ls7 screaming in the background is the perfect metaphor of this car.

[@KingDeadMan]

Yeh. A piece of garbage on the road. 🗿

[@SiamHossain7]

@@KingDeadMan bro you simp over a Chrysler product 💀💀💀

[@cartere9981]

@@KingDeadMan you love them Fiats

[@rickhunter6513]

The worst thing of the interior is that steering wheel. The c6z06 is such an amazing vehicle and they put that crappy steering wheel in it. I can get by everything else interior-wise but that steering wheel. WTF Chevy?

[@literallyshaking8019]

The C6 Z06 is like a geeky girl with a snaggle tooth and glasses who dresses frumpy, but underneath those clothes is a 10/10 body built for sex. She has it where it counts.

[@facetydread5976]

This is exactly why I love this channel. These deep dives on older cars is truly something special. Plus I don't know how you guys even managed to get in touch with the team that built this car, that blew my mind. Good stuff!!

[@pchae1]

Just shows how much pull this channel has. They have a huge influence over their audience and I bet the top brass knew it would be wise to address it.

[@michaelaizen1137]

That is why I am about to subscribe.

[@DontKnowHowToTypeIn2]

older cars... damnit.

[@ameraldas3641]

it also helps that they live in the midwest, but nobody else is doing this and that's why this channel is special.

[@pi55bier]

For real. I didn't know this car had a wider body and different air intakes. A lot of people scoff at 505hp in 7liters, but realize this car is almost 20 years old. In these times auto manufacturers either added cylinders to extract more power or power adders such as turbos but suffer turbo lag. In those times engineers had creativity how to figure out extract horsepower

[@DSimms777]

It was great working with you guys on this! Great job Mark and Jack!

[@thepassionofthegoose5472]

Amazing car, man.

[@salami99]

thank you for ur contribution

[@povertyspec9651]

GT-R > Corvette

[@Leaky-bunghole]

@@povertyspec9651 did you write that while sitting in traffic in your corolla, on your way to pull a double shift at burger king

[@DSimms777]

@@povertyspec9651 Noted. Ill reconsider my life choices.

[@jonnyj.]

The interviews with the engineers are SUCH an amazing part of this channel. Literally no other youtube channel does stuff like this, and its SO refreshing to hear straight from the people who designed the parts rather than from rumors started by forums/random journalists

[@7krys]

Jay Leno sometimes.

[@yungtooli]

its not rumors. its well documented on the forums. it even happened to a youtuber right on one his videos

[@maseratiupgrades4363]

GM engineers lied through their teeth. If the cylinder head outsourced fabricating company company used subpar valve guide material and the valve guides made for a too loose fit in the center and too tight in the end, then why would these engineers state that these heads were used in later corvette iterations including the C7? They identified the problem early on but did not feel a need correct it? If they weren't lying they would be proud to say how they corrected the issue. Rather, as is typical of corporate criminals, GM would have to have admitted their original error and then, consequently, would have to have recalled thousands of early year(s) iterations. Instead they hoped that a few dropped valves over the multi-year production span would fall under the consumer law enforcement radar, and it worked. They have Corvette tuners to thank since they are already willing to spend money in modifications which will make labor costs in repairing/replacing GM defects more efficient as they were going to take off the heads anyway to enlarge throttle bodies, intakes, etc.. These nervous canaries would have not withstood CIA interrogation which would have caught their nervousness induced dyslexia( they referred to the 'alleged' problem as 'valves dropping head'?!$(#$(!!!! WTF). Our savage geese hosts were real cool, but they had to crack a sinister reactionary belly laugh at their indirect satirical comments after the interview.

[@rapid13]

Firstly, Lyle at C&S does this. Second, why would you wish to believe the guys who have the most to lose if there was a problem (and there is a problem). They sound like the cops: we investigated ourselves and found we did nothing wrong.

[@C6SuperchargedZR1]

I'm an automotive engineer myself (vehicle dynamics). The reason I am, and the reason I wanted to achieve something in life when I was young, is the C6 Z06. It is my absolute dream car. I had the chance to afford one 4 years ago and it is everything I wished for. I'm driving my hero and I love it more with every day. The engine is one of the best ever made, of that I am convinced. It's not just a car, it's a dream for young boys all around the world, at least that's what it is for me. Inspiring, exhilirating, beautiful and timeless. I would like to thank everyone on the team that put their heart and soul into the development of this car, you can feel it while driving, it's alive, it is more than the sum of it's parts. It's automotive history!

[@jacobed1845]

Any advice on working in Vehicle Dynamics?

[@peterrusso7336]

as a 19 year old, I agree with you

[@billmcmeekin7909]

I truly feel the same. I fell in love after the first time I saw a C6 Z! Had to have an Atomic Orange model. Found an 09 lo mile in 13, and "Rusty " sits in my garage still today :⁠-⁠) Get the heads done if you truly love yours. Cheers from Canada :⁠-⁠)

[@DaveKapur]

Just picked mine up last Friday. It's a joy.

[@billmcmeekin7909]

@@DaveKapur congratulations Dave :⁠-⁠) Welcome to the club. What a different type of drive, ride and exhilaration ehhh. I find it really awakens my senses every time I close the door, and hit ignition :⁠-⁠) Fun days ahead Sir, happy days. Cheers from Canada :⁠-⁠)

[@canoedoc2390]

Recently acquired a 2008, single owner, base Corvette, with 15,800 miles on the clock. It is without question the best, most exciting, and most satisfying, car I have ever owned; and I have owned more than my fair share.

[@cristianflores2693]

I had 2 LS7 drop valves, 1 at 65k miles and the other at 30k miles… two different engines, the first cracked the block and the second just the piston. The reason there wasn’t many in the beginning was because most people garaged them and kept the mileage low or babied them. So once prices dropped and people started buying them and driving or tracking them more (after warranty’s are long expired) then it’s started raining valves and GM was no longer liable even though they knew there was an issue obviously.

[@Calvotuned]

I also experienced an LS7 drop a valve, stock engine, valve dropped on a 1st gear pull. Pretty recently too, a few months ago. It is ABSOLUTELY not a wive's tale.

[@ldsiverling]

wow. That sucks bad.

[@royj8549]

Caught mine early enough, but at just 22k miles, exhaust valve guides were at maximum wear limit.

[@sulkmahidonkeydek3424]

@@Calvotuned what year?

[@sulkmahidonkeydek3424]

What were their years? I have a 2011 with 57k miles and still sounds the same since the day I got it with under 23k

[@corvetteZ3r]

I’ve had 3 of these. The head issue is very very real. 1. Heads fixed twice, 06 25k-39k miles 2. 18k mile car, guides toast 3. Dropped a valve at 57k before I got it, has engine from 2nd car now.

[@rickybobby8224]

Yeah every vette mechanic you talk to has seen the issue. I'm sure they'd be in real hot water with GM if they ever admitted anything but not great of them to write it off as just some internet conspiracy.

[@corvetteZ3r]

Make that 4 now. Car dropped a valve too but not the normal fault so I can’t blame it on that but yea

[@corvetteZ3r]

@Milo Jones not sure about it. My buddy took stock rockers to 8500 and I have his heads and cam now but with my own stock With Che trunnion rockers. We’ll see how it goes

[@HCIZ06]

@@milojones5364 My vette revs to 8k thanks to the 2126LSR tiebar lifters and Frankenstein F710 heads. I’m on stock rockers as well with the trunion upgrade. It’s very possible. Just have to have it set up right. But it is also hard to do. I had link bar rockers from comp cams and they broke and broke a bridge on my head which lead me to get Frankenstein heads tie bar lifters and .700 lift springs. They can achieve 8k+ rpms. Just gotta build the top end right

[@albonfilms]

This video got me feeling tight in the New Balances 🥵🥵🥵

[@JakeTerch]

This generation definitely has the best gauge cluster of any Corvette. I think it ties the C5 in overall appearance as well.

[@Bourbon-Canted-Ky-Windage]

C5= The most elegant of Corvettes

[@Joey856721]

@@Bourbon-Canted-Ky-Windage c5 z06*

[@SicSemperBeats]

I didn’t understand the appeal of the c5’s design until i got older. Looks almost jdm (on a sunny day you might have trouble telling a fd and a c5 apart if they’re both coming at you head on). Just a sweet curvy design. On the right paint it flows like water

[@sergeysmelnik]

Ever since they came out I always thought C5s were the best looking corvettes especially the frc and z06

[@hotdog9262]

@@Bourbon-Canted-Ky-Windage the side profiles and particularly the rear is imo nice attractive design. the front is a bit bland perhaps(c5 and 6)

[@DraegerV1]

I'm currently on my second C6Z. It is a special car that is truly in a class of its own when it comes to performance and simplicity.

[@mikewozawski1634]

I want one to go with my 5th gen 1le so badly...gm did great with these cars...not the biggest fan of the c7 and gen 6 cars

[@FlowTieGuy]

I've got a gen5 Camaro Z28. Performance and simplicity sums it up 100%. There are better cars but I'll never exchange mine for any of them. The simple LS7 is gone now and will never be back

[@mikewozawski1634]

@@FlowTieGuy yes the reason I didn't get a z28 was I like the RS package with nice lights and stuff....I've already done loads to suspension and adding factory aero to make a baby z28 kind thing lol....and yes I would trade that car for anything the tr6060 with an mgw shifter and all poly mounts In power train the car feels so solid

[@TML34]

First one blew up, eh? Must have been those valve guides. 😅

[@DraegerV1]

@@TML34 First one was driven into a ditch by my tuner. +80k miles of valve free trouble on OE LS7 heads.

[@RAM_C5]

I bought one of these to have a fun summer car 7 years ago.... and now I still have it in the collection stored away and will never sell it. One of the absolute best vehicles I've ever been in under 60k. It is funny how the guy flat out lied about the heads though, but with the lawsuit I guess they need to cover their tracks.

[@2JDeez]

This is my all time favorite car, and my attainable dream car. I even love the garbage interior. My family always had gms in the 90s and 2000s as i grew up and it just feels like home.

[@r129r16pfl]

Interior is easy fix, trow in full racing bucket seats, and non airbag racing steering wheel - done.

[@jacobscutzlas8712]

As a C6 Z06 owner and I love the car. I absolutly don't agree with the engineers take on the valve guides. Ive seen many, many examples of dropped valves including people with z28 camaros in the last production units of the LS7. Some people had no issues at all with over 100k miles and some had issues at 10k miles. Issue is if you did drop a valve the motor was complete junk.

[@ssoffshore5111]

I agree they are full of shit. There's no way they didn't find the excessive wear and failures in the field! I'm sure they only said that as a CYA statement!

[@F2007KR]

I was looking for this comment. This was a widespread issue among all LS7s.

[@DingoZed]

As a previous owner and know several other LS7 owners, I agree 100% with Jacob. It's a common paranoia among the LS7 community. What makes matters worse is the price of a LS7 longblock, used or new.

[@yungtooli]

@@ssoffshore5111 exactly. they lost all respect for me when they started pointing fingers and tried to downplay the issue to being “nonexistent”

[@305Nick]

@@yungtooli Its not their fault. GM is their corporate overlord and they have to say what they where told on the issue.

[@YELLOW08Z06]

I feel honored to have owned 2 C6z’s. The last of the lightweight big engine N/A cars and IMO the best transmission gearing in any car ever!

[@jaazibsalim590]

That's awesome bro, iv never owned one but I am in the market for one now. Iv owned several BMW's, Evo, Terminator but no Vettes. Anything specific I should look out for when buying one of these beauties?

[@klaus.tugade]

@@jaazibsalim590 -valve guides - drive shaft couplers - headlights prone to cracking - radiator ends are made of plastic and it can crack due to heat cycles I have a couple videos on my channel on these topics if you wanna check it out!

[@jaazibsalim590]

Thanks bro!

[@YELLOW08Z06]

@@jaazibsalim590 get the heads fix ASAP on them. Other than they’re pretty solid cars

[@moiseslopez7898]

It was sort of disappointing the C7 gained so much weight

[@C6BlueDevil]

I bought my C6 Z51 in 2012. Car has been great and is literally faster than 99% of what is on the street, but watching videos like this makes me really wish I bought a slightly used C6 Z06

[@LegitStreetCars]

Great video guys! I've always wanted one of these Corvettes. Now I want one even more!

[@peterjordansonthe2nd731]

Do you ever wonder why Jack says 'Auso'- instead of 'also'? Very strange - arguably an unsolved mystery

[@DieterTietjen]

I got a c7 but I really wanted this one. Only went with the c7 cuz I was worried about the engine issues this car has

[@joem1382]

As an owner of a C6 Z06. Going to enjoy this so much

[@accuracyinternational7967]

I'm surprised the GM engineers didn't mention the relationship with Katech and the fact that the C5 race cars ran 7 liter engines to totally dominate the endurance racing circuit. Why did they end up at 7 liters? Duh! The square port heads were largely lifted from the race engine program too.

[@PlayinWithMahWii]

Great insight! Anywhere to read or watch about this topic?

[@andrewk7745]

Cool to know. I have a c6z with a Katech stage 2 and it rips.

[@RK-kj8di]

I used to own a C6 Z06 and loved it. My good friend had a C7 with a super charger on it. The C7 could not pull away from me. I sure miss my C6 Z06.

[@infidel900rr]

I still remember riding in one of these back in '08, it was a jaw-dropping experience. Very cool car.

[@MTNorville]

This Generation was my poster car growing up. It was my "end of the game/beat the final boss/beat every time trial" car of choice in literally EVERY racing i've ever played.

[@Highlander1432]

I put a poster of this car in my 9 year old son's room

[@ssoffshore5111]

This was possibly the best coverage of the C6Z I've yet to see, extremely well done gentlemen! I own a black C6Z (although with silver C7Z wheels, which look amazing) and use it as my DD. I can honestly say after many years, I still LOVE this car! I know everyone rags on the interior and I agree with all your points regarding it (although, I do love the gauge cluster and much prefer it over the newer digital dashes). My only disagreement with the content was the comments from the GM folks regarding the valve guide wear and failures. While I would agree most LS7's have not experienced catastrophic failure (the valve head breaks off and typically nukes the entire engine when they totally fail), there most certainly is/was a major issue that affected ALL LS7's (it wasn't just one batch or year range). I have yet to see a LS7 with over 10k on it that doesn't have at least one valve with excessive (out of spec) wear, and usually there are several. They can go a long time without total failure, but if/when they let go, it's ugly. It was certainly not a single "bad batch", unless you want to say every LS7 they ever made was from that "bad batch"! The problem can be mitigated, and given the known issue and cost of total engine replacement, any LS7 owner should seriously consider having it addressed as an insurance measure. Besides, it's a great opportunity to easily add another 150 hp while the engine is open, which REALLY wakes these cars up! But GM is so full of crap to say there wasn't a significant issue, that's total bull$hit! and never did a recall for one reason only... $$$!!

[@vibemastersmedia6435]

Love that the C6 ZO6 is getting the love and respect that it deserves. But, I really wish you guys would've let Mark shit on it more, just to keep the price from sky rocketing due to a youtuber bro tax.

[@maziyarebrahimi997]

It already has skyrocketed way more than other used cars did in the past year.

[@qx4n9e1xp]

TOO LATE. They're up 19k :)

[@windscape8670]

And my dreams to afford a C6Z as a zoomers have fallen even more

[@chaseteter]

@@qx4n9e1xp $19k feels like a steal. That is an insane amount of car for under $20k. I bet they’ll head to $35 iin no time

[@beauwulf]

@@chaseteter Clean higher-mileage ones (with the Heads addressed) start at $40k+ Lower mileage ones $45k+

[@Jay-tc9on]

Awesome to see you guys review this. One of my favorites cars and even at todays values you can’t find something that drives like this.

[@WeBuild4Life]

Maybe not cost wise, but perhaps the 718 Cayman 4.0? Not a muscle car, but the raw visceral feel is there.

[@Jay-tc9on]

@@WeBuild4Life Big fan of the cayman. It does pretty much everything right, prices are a bit steep used compared to something like the vette but they obviously have a much nice interior.

[@Highlander1432]

As long as you have access to good roads this car has amazing value if you like to drive high powered stick cars

[@ryanbrown918]

Love my C6Z. 600+whp NA is something that is hard to explain, and can only truly be experienced to fully understand.

[@vWaLLBangz]

Precisely why I want one myself. Just incredible, ain’t it?

[@corvetteZ3r]

You need to try 700 then

[@CanadianSpeedster]

Had a 2007 C6 Z. It was an absolute blast. I sold it for my deposit on my C7Z. Looking back, I wish I would have kept it as well.

[@nickphillips5452]

Fantastic video for such a special car. Ive had so many LX engines over the years, and this one is just special. There are a number of things in the engineer interviews however that are head scratchers. Like the fact that the bore size had been around since the C5R and most of the valve failures were in the non-titanium 2-piece exhaust valves (which they updated to a thicker wall in ~07/'08). No doubt though that the failure rate is likely overdone on the internet and probably more correlated with modified engines than stock ones. That's another crazy thing about the LS7, it responds so well to modifications. Fairly easy to extract another 100HP in naturally aspirated form without any real drivability impacts. The LS7 will likely go down as the most impressive small block ever made.

[@jamesbrown4401]

The Corvette C6 Z06 is my favorite Corvette to date. The last of the analog Corvettes. It's arguably the best Vette ever built. Aside from the C6 ZR1. A complete drivers car that you won't find with the digital cars of today. Chevrolet went out with a bang on this one. And the fireworks at the end of the video are fitting. God Bless America.

[@floodo1]

Great job with the perfect audio clip to start the driving segment. Really captures the reason why Corvettes are so classic

[@apwurst]

Thank you guys for doing these in depth videos on these older iconic cars! Being the owner of a 2005 C6 what I think makes this generation so attractive today is how well these cars can be modified to be tracked. I autocross and the C6 Z06 with varying degrees of modification are always well representated at local and national events.

[@mdmoore23]

I had an 08 Z06 that i absolutely loved. But at the time, I was so scared my car would drop a valve, that I ended up just selling it. There were no concrete solutions at that time, and I couldn't stomach chancing it. It pisses me off to hear these engineers sit here and act like this was some sort of conspiracy, when anyone that knows Corvettes is aware of this problem. And many people have shelled out thousands of their own dollars to address it.

[@blakearditte8831]

Just picked one of these up. 2nd owner, low miles and no mods on the car. It’s definitely something special

[@f2in4K]

How’s it been so far? Valves still good? I really want to purchase one but valve guide issue is scaring me.

[@matthewbailey1126]

The GOAT imo. This and the C6 ZR1 are my all time favorite Vettes. If I had the money I’d have either of those two over any Corvette being made today and any other generation outside of the C2.

[@brothersclash3088]

I owned a 09 Z06 and currently own a 10 Zr1. I love these cars.

[@CH-qt4hr]

everyone bags on the interiors, but take a long look at a 996 interior, it ain't nothing special either

[@PrzemyslawSliwinski]

As if the one in Testarossa was better!

[@darionakins9064]

...bu...bu...but foreign = automatically "amazing"

[@ChokolateSushi23]

Considering the 996 came out in 97? That’s not a very fair comparison to this car, and I’d say it’s still better. This car competes with the 997

[@ButterNutter37]

@@ChokolateSushi23 the Corvette fanboi in me is angry to see your accurate fact check. Meh.

[@ChokolateSushi23]

@@ButterNutter37 It is what it is lol. But nobody is buying a Corvette for a stellar interior. Same with a Viper. And as much of a Chevy hater as I am, I give credit where credit is due. Corvette’s have always been amazing cars at an amazing value. For the money, and from a visual and performance standpoint, nothing comes close. C6 Z’s can be had today for the price of a loaded Ecoboost Mustang. And you’d have yourself almost a 20 year old car that could still best most of the field today in stock form or slightly modded. Pretty incredible honestly

[@dougb3740]

Once again. Awesome video gentlemen!! I own a 2015 Z/28. The powertrain and carbon ceramic brakes are a key feature on this car. I’m so glad I bought it when I did.

[@thepassionofthegoose5472]

Dream car!

[@diegoaponte8512]

I love that car. Super rare in comparison to most. Only 1 year made. 1200 only. So cool

[@bubblelex5051]

@@diegoaponte8512 any 7 litre car is definitely cool lol. 😏

[@Realpaul2k]

I can’t decide what I’d get between a Z/28 and GT350R. Both are awesome.

[@seafooddiablo5686]

Doug you own a truly legendary camaro. Im almost jealous

[@felineflammenwerfer8375]

Love the pure sound portion at the end! This car will always be special for being the highest displacement na Corvette of the modern era. This also makes me incredibly excited for the C8 Z06 and I hope you guys do a longer video on it with the engineering team's support. Funnily enough the C7 Z06 is now the odd duck out of the 3 generations, being super charged it blends in with the ZR1 models and doesn't offer anything unique like the C6 and C8 generations.

[@noncog1]

As someone who wasnt really a vette guy, and worked for gm through the c7 cycle, i wasnt interested in vetts at all until the c6z, disnt care for the c6 zr1, didnt like the looks of the c7 stingray, was disappointed with the philosophy of the c7z, felt the c7 zr1 was too much of the same thing, and was only mildy curious about the c8, the c6z was the only corvette ive considered for a long time. Then the c8z came out. Its something special, but also outside of my reach so im still on the c6z lol

[@felineflammenwerfer8375]

@@noncog1 Yeah the C8 Z06 has really got me hyped. I think it will truly be the peak of the NA V8 for GM because they went for that final 1% of optimization. That’s cool that you got to work at GM, if you don’t mind me asking what did you do there?

[@noncog1]

@@felineflammenwerfer8375 just a dealer tech, lol, nothing worthy of any stories, got to drive a lot of cool cars tho

[@felineflammenwerfer8375]

@@noncog1 I got a buddy who is a tech at a Dodge dealership so he gets to drive a lot of fun stuff. Nothing wrong with keeping people’s cars going

[@joshmcclary233]

One of thr most underrated car channels on KZbin! The cinematics in all your videos is incredible! One thing I would love to see: every time you get the cars you review on track, you should start recording lap times and keep a overall ranking board. Would be cool to see how the C6 Z06 stacks up against modern performance cars an a value for cost/performance for older generation cars.

[@iluvcakes19]

Was just in a 08 Z06 today.. IDK.. I really enjoyed the interior. Nothing sub-par or inferior about it. In fact no creaks and rattles. The car was solid and comfortable.

[@byoungechoes621]

This was great to watch and reflect back on simpler times when sports cars had natural aspiration, mechanical LSDs and manual transmissions. The C6 Z06 definitely took the world by surprise with that wonderful LS7. In fact, Tiff Needel at Fifth Gear(a Britt and legit F1 driver) named the C6 Z06 car of the year back in the day... That's saying a LOT It makes me happy to see it's still wonderful to drive all these years later.

[@sveeny]

"Uploaded 1 minute ago". Oh I am so looking forward to watching this video after work. Awesome machine reviewed by my favorite car testers!

[@dannyferguson9415]

This is way more fun then some SUV/ crossover review. Thanks!

[@PlayinWithMahWii]

I LOVED the banter at the start of the track section at Autobahn country club. Been subscribed for a year or two now, and the contrast of deep diving detail and banter is unmatched. Keep it up gents!

[@vladpootin5973]

C6 Z06 was an instant legend, and icon. It‘s mighty LS7 powertrain by itself is the stuff of legends. C6 Z06 ever since they were unleashed have been wrecking ferraris, Lamborghinis, McLarens, Aston Martins, Porsches and you name the model&make across race tracks all over the world!

[@tracewaybos]

Thank you Mark for adding that ~40 seconds of track driving at the end of the driving impressions segment. It was aural bliss.

[@robertwesley8047]

What was the camera setup for that portion? Great view and stable.

[@heydeereman1040]

I was a Bowling Green and saw the very first one come off the assembly line. It was amazing to see that.

[@JewelCity1]

How long I’ve been waiting for this car reviewed on this channel. Hell yeah

[@RicardoMNogueira]

Today, June 30th 2023 - Corvette anniversary It seems unbelievable, but Corvette has reached 70 years of history. Let's celebrate!

[@JordanSVT]

My favorite car of all time would be the Terminator Cobra but my 2nd place would be a C6 ZR1. Love those cars, I'd much rather have one of them over a C8.

[@RAM_C5]

Sold my 03 cobra for a C6Z, never went back.

[@Tool0GT92]

What about a turbo Buick Encore?

[@Blazerghost]

C6 ZR1 is a totally different car to the zo6 stock for stock. Like leagues better. Just like my 12 gt500 is over a terminator.

[@JordanSVT]

@@Blazerghost Too far bro, too far.

[@tigertastic862]

Technically, I understand very little from the mechanical presentation, but your PASSION is what makes this so compelling to watch.

[@gpieschke]

Having tracked a C6 ZR1 11,000 track miles ......I've personally seen at least 3 or 4 C6 Z06's drop valves and grenade they're engines in a fireball!! Replace the springs and retainers first thing! Great car , and parts were much more reliable than our C7 Z06's that have had everything fail with hard lapping (mag shocks, rear mains, tie rod ends, overheating, etc.). The C6 was a much more dependable track car once you addressed the valve springs and retainers.

[@maziyarebrahimi997]

I kinda lost some respect when that engineer said they looked through all their warranty claims and never saw one where the valve broke off. That was total BS as there are plenty of documented cases of that happening. I get he probably wasn’t allowed to say they saw any but it was still kinda weak I thought.

[@jeffagosti]

As a concerned C6Z owner, I’m interested in gathering more intel on just a spring and retainer swap, instead of pulling the heads for a rebuild. Can you expand on the valve guide issue?

[@ButterNutter37]

This is my favorite channel on KZbin. Thanks to everyone at SG and all the collaborative efforts!

[@Toymonkeyjr]

The c6z is the best modern corvette IMO. It just does everything right, it's what a modern corvette should be. The regular c5 and c6z are just two beautiful cars that you can feel the passion the designers had for them. Can't wait for the c8z.

[@willegly4299]

I used to work at Autobahn country club as a flagger and at the end of the season we would have an employee party where all the members would come out and give us hot laps around track. There was a member there who had a c6 zo6 race car, 91, and riding shotgun in his high performance corvette going 100 around turn 4 is an experience I’ll never forget. Truly an amazing machine!

[@dal0768]

Closest I had to one of these was a C5 2004 ZO6, I loved that car's performance and can only imagine the C6 Z is a notch above that. I had to sell mine but still regret it to this day.

[@muscleandimports]

I have that same car currently and I got to test drive a c6z once. It felt much more refined than our car, and it just keeps on pulling. Those long gears put in serious work. It's a very nice car. Now my eyes are set on a c6 zr1.. one day...

[@dannoyes4493]

New Chirstmas Tradition! Had to watch this again Merry Christmas!

[@backyardboosters9128]

The c6 generation is so damn good. Looks great, and an awesome performance machine with great motor options across the board.

[@Veyronp87]

LS7 is an all time great engine. i love this car for that reason. 505 HP 3100 Lbs so it still freaking fast

[@mikuelable]

I remember back in 2010 seeing it and thinking this is the first American sports car I genuinely like

[@Jay-tc9on]

Cmon city!

[@mikuelable]

@@Jay-tc9on 💙 blue moon

[@hotdog9262]

@@mikuelable fingers crossed for pool tomorrow!

[@mikuelable]

@@hotdog9262 your a city fan also

[@hotdog9262]

@@mikuelable nah but you lot play some good footie ill give you that

[@paulm6481]

Corvette, there can only be one. Greatest car in the world period no matter generation.

[@wbrouilette]

Only a minute in and I had to rewind the video already due to the fantastic opening 😮😮😮

[@ahmedp8009]

Honestly, the C6 generation is still the best looking Corvette in my opinion. I love the sleek clean design.

[@ssoffshore5111]

I agree, the widebody C6's are beautiful! I think it's because they clearly took a lot of inspiration from, and look more like, the legendary and timeless Viper GTS. The sharp angular look on the C7 and C8 are far less appealing IMO. Yes, they look nice and the updates are great, but I much prefer the smoother and more curvy look of the C6Z's!

[@blackstaticband]

c6z and c6zr1 were my dream cars.. the exhaust notes sound incredible. As much as I love z06's (of all generations)... the c6z absolutely has issue dropping valves. shops literally have built entire careers out of rebuilding these heads/motors

[@tranc3porter]

Currently driving a C7 Grand Sport but the C6 Z06 is my favorite Vette ever. I still lust after them.

[@thundrune1554]

I’m a C7 GS owner too and also love the c6 z06. Most people miss that the real lineage between the two generations is c6z06 to c7gs with respect to purpose and ethos (track focused light weight NA torque heavy fast spinning etc). Kinda makes the point about the subtleties of these cars and why the specific fan base sticks over time.

[@hachetjoel]

This is going to be my next car, I have a ls swapped 240sx that's actually faster than my sisters z06, but the z06 is just so special.

[@muscleandimports]

Your sister has a z06? Damn!

[@johnkonzik6693]

I've always had so much appreciation for this car since it came out… It just blows my mind it has the same steering wheel as my 07 cobalt LS. Or I can think of it as my car has a Corvette Z06 steering wheel which definitely adds extra horse power. Keep up the great work guys.

[@alexnutcasio936]

Your Cobalt was probably more reliable than that C6 too....

[@FlowTieGuy]

@@alexnutcasio936 just like your mom has been more reliable than your sister.... Yes stupid comment just like yours...

[@ssoffshore5111]

@@alexnutcasio936 Other than the known valve guide issue, which should be addressed, these cars are very reliable IMO. I've been using my C6Z as a DD for many years and have never had a single failure.

[@Frost_Tiger]

20:20 I like how the interior piece starts smacking on Mark as Jack is going all out Mark sliding around the car was funny as hell this was a good video 😂

[@PlayinWithMahWii]

Agreed! Mark's humor was extra sharp in this one

[@lugnut6784]

Picked up a modified 08 C6 Z06..runs low 9's pump gas and 17in DR. Stock cam and intake manifold. Best bang for the buck car out there.

[@12ealDealOfficial]

FINALLY a cool car. Been a drought of interesting and memorable cars featured.

[@TheSurfRyder]

I am so glad that you covered this amazing car. I had a dream since the early 80s of owning a Corvette as a child. I tried a clapped out C3 once for a test drive and quickly changed my goal to own a Corvette worth owning. Many years later and I’m still a kid at heart I own a C6 Z06 and it’s a dream come true. Don’t get me wrong I understand that the seats are crap. The dash is fantastic plastic but none of that matters. That LS7 is unbelievable and with Bilstein shocks it’s still not making my kidneys bleed when going for a drive. I’m glad I waited and if you’ve ever wanted one you should get out and grab one.

[@motodrang4287]

Major respect for you getting access to the engineers, that’s crazy hard work bros!

[@CollinJDM98]

This Intro is a work of art. Here because youtube recommended this video, and I am glad they did. Hope to be here for more to come!

[@jackholmes8105]

We have some great docu videos that are worth checking out on the LFA, gt3, nissan z, gtr, miata and others.

[@PianoBlackTrimRep.]

Best looking Corvette in my honest opinion. The new body style looks like a cheap Ferrari and even though it's got more interior room due to the mid engine layout it somehow looks smaller on the outside. Having Todd do a cameo at the end would have been icing on the cake.

[@bubblelex5051]

Best looking corvette is the 2nd gen split window hands down. 6th gen is good looking too tho. Both have European smooth curves and lines.

[@victorjoa8035]

C6Z is one of the greatest track car ever made period, even now in 2022 with just a few mods its able to keep up with new modern cars, It is that good... I love the fact that its a driver's car a C6Z owner develops skills on track, it pushes you to be a better driver, it makes you discover and understand the art of racing and ultimate it creates a bond between the man and the machine, modern technology is great but it takes a lot of that feeling away.

[@pascutia]

Awesome job, guys!! Such a cool car. The C5-C7 Corvettes have a special place in my heart, and I’m a BMW/Porsche/Mercedes fanboy.

[@seafooddiablo5686]

It takes a true car Enthusiast to appreciate cars outside your field. Im an American muscle car guy yet i love german performance cars especially porsche 911 and the 718.

[@S8ER]

@@seafooddiablo5686 it's true... over the years i've really recognized my biases and just can't shake them. I look at people like Jason Camissa with awe because I just can't get over myself enough to like the majority of the cars he dives into and gets to enjoy. I hope as I age that changes but I see myself doubling and tripling down on things so I might be a lost cause already. 🙃

[@seafooddiablo5686]

@@S8ER yeah its definitely tough but my best advice is to drive them. There are cars i used to think were a joke until I drove them and had fun. #1 example is a H2 hummer

[@S8ER]

@@seafooddiablo5686 some good advice! Thanks. Maybe I just need a little seat time in everything to appreciate them.

[@seafooddiablo5686]

@@S8ER some cars are still not gonna win u over after a good drive. I simply dont judge till i drive. Well have a good day

[@overisland22]

The C6 Z06 is absolutely an engineering marvel, this video was truly outstanding content.

[@WpnX81]

I just watched the RCR review on this car last month. Great points covered in both videos. Thanks for bringing us something that isn't currently out-of-stock at the dealership, but still feels slightly unobtainable.

[@bigmountain7561]

LS7 is the best bang for your Buck. Naturally Aspirated and just a great Highway Cruiser. Perfect horsepower to torque and not the insane numbers that you have now. From 30 to 100 is the most fun after that it’s definitely Prison Time. Most people think they know how to handle the high horsepower to torque ratio. Since I was either at an accident as a Tow Truck Operator or a VRT Technician with Bunker Gear on my knowledge is complete. The way the engineers designed this engine is a tribute to common sense. Thank You 🙏 Great Videos!!!

[@johnluck2279]

Love these in depth videos of older vehicles!

[@ghostsniperable353]

My grandfather was a big fan of Corvettes and had many in his life time. he had Z06 since it came out with only 9k miles by the time he sold it couple years ago due to his age. He died in December of 2021 and left behind 1962/67 Corvettes for the family which unfortunately my grandmother will sell. Great cars!

[@jackholmes8105]

My condolences

[@SamM-qk9xo]

Awesome review. The valve guide issue is real though. We all know this is the truth. Regardless it is ok since it is the perfect excuse to go heads/cam upgrade while addressing the issue! That is what I did and love the car. Thanks for the in depth review.

[@edwartvonfectonia4362]

This is honestly my favourite Corvette, and top 3 American sports car!

[@kevinbreese5739]

Love the video and the fact you are doing this on an older model. I had a C6 Z06 for about 2 years and loved it. With that said, and as a 15+ year member of the Corvette Forum, the engineers are full of sh*t saying they couldn't find any valve drop warranty issues.

[@stevewardlaw]

I owned one of these in Velocity Yellow. Drop into 3rd and you can run from 60-120 in less than 3 seconds. 195mph from the factory lol. 205 on the ZR1. And affordable, like... $25K-$50K used, not $150,000. Didn't even need premium gas, and you could get 26 mpg on the highway in sixth chilling at 700-800 rpm. Just enough trunk space for groceries and baseball gear. My favorite car of all-time.

[@CarsMeetsBikes]

I'm looking at a 125K mile one for 30K flat, heads have been done. Do you think this is a good deal?

[@UrW0rstNighmare]

I'll say this again. This is my dream car. I can not wait to own one

[@michaeldyer6304]

I'll second that 👍

[@alexhc21]

The only poster of a car I ever had on my wall was from a Car and Driver magazine that had a tear out of a 06’ Velocity Yellow Z06 with the numbers 3,146 on the bottom right. I adore this car. Well done, gents

[@_VelociDad]

Still one of the most beautiful automotive designs ever!

[@ssoffshore5111]

Agreed! Possibly because it was clearly heavily inspired by one of the most beautiful and timeless designs ever, the Viper GTS.

[@_VelociDad]

@@ssoffshore5111 the GTS is still stunning today; I remember when you could get a low mileage’96 or ‘97 in GTS Blue for $40-$50k now you can’t touch them for anywhere close to that range. Some of the red ones are still attainable, but rare.

[@ssoffshore5111]

@@_VelociDad I own both, and honestly I think they are both excellent in their own regard... and probably both a solid investment for the long term, especially the Viper GTS (which I think is still somewhat undervalued).

[@srvmotoman]

Kudos to you all for asking the engineers about the elephant in the room...the valve guides. It was comforting to here that they chased it down and wanted to find the issue. Seems like it was a small batch of heads that has this issue. But to find out that this is the same vale train in the LS9, LT4, etc. was confidence inspiring. A design flaw would have indeed manifested by now. I bought a C6Z in 2019 and set aside some money to get the "heads fixed." And as the saying goes "they already tore down the motor, might as well install ______ (fill in the blanks...yes plural)." There is definitely a ticking sound even after the fixed heads. Since 2019, I have been stranded only once. Fuse for the fuel pump shorted. There was an extra fuse in the fuse box. Despite being stranded for only 30min, it took less than 2min to fix. I'm at 83k miles right now and no issues. Still pulls like a freight train!

[@theunown1912]

Guys please interact with Savagegeese community posts, like them to boost the channel's reach. Let's help support these guys so we can keep getting independent content of this quality.

[@benoit.b9337]

👍

[@yourfriendlycpa1595]

Would also do good if people make sure to watch to the end of the videos. I do agree that it's great to have such honesty. The humor is great too.

[@CommodoreEU]

Amazing that you managed to get that interview with the original team!

[@clintonrodriguez9771]

Those downshifts 🤩 so satisfying

[@danielduran5214]

Thank you!! Worth the wait! I own it! Track it! Love it!! I think the C6 Z06 is the “purest” and best looking of all the attractive Corvettes and based on people reactions, is aging quite well.

[@edf10000]

I have a man crush on you guys, keep it coming.

[@benbustama3430]

Owned two from new, a ‘09 & ‘12. Regret not keeping the ‘12! Traded an ‘06 Viper for the ‘09 and a ‘10 Viper for the ‘12 Z06… There is a German KZbinr who claimed you only need one gear in the C6 Z06, namely 4th gear. He is right. You can start the Z06 from a dead stop, engage 4th gear and go. Incredible video! It has a lot of torque, even down low… I loved the car. The subtle changes/upgrades from ‘09 to ‘12 were noticeable, especially the better/tighter seats with better cushioning… Traded the ‘12 in on a ‘13 C6 ZR1. Regretted the trade. C6 Z06 FTW! Thanks for the memories, guys. Great review.

[@coejbee]

I’m 30. So when I was in middle/high school, this was the “current” Corvette, in which *a lot* of our boomer parents had. The C6 was fairly common in my town growing up, many of my friends parents had them. One of my best friends parents would get a new one every year or 2- and we *always* dogged them. Made fun of the Chevy Cobalt steering wheel, etc. Even the z06 models his parents had, we thought were beyond lame (his mom also daily’d a bright yellow H2 with a lift kit & 40” mud tires 😂 ahh the 2000s were a different time for sure.) It’s very weird to see the C6 get some respect these days.

[@bsfunk44]

Typically clueless high school kid

[@papa_pt]

Interior is still crap but we can all appreciate the LS7 and handling

[@bigdawgs94]

Lmao imagine shitting on a ls7, big L

[@FlowTieGuy]

@@coejbee dumbest thing I've read in a while, and I read a lot every day. Conner Lames.

[@sulkmahidonkeydek3424]

I remember the first time I seen a z06.. This guy drove into an intersection and I mean tight intersection, guy pulled the e brake n spun in a stationary position.. it was the most bad ass thing I seen as a teenager.. now I have one, I used a cobra as a learners car

[@Objectified]

I got over the whole "cheap interior materials" a long time ago. It's ergonomic, it works, I'm usually the only person in the car when I'm driving it hard so the seats aren't a problem, and the car is glorious to drive. Would I mind if the interior fit and finish was better? Nope. Do I ever care that it's not? Nope.

[@yourfriendlycpa1595]

Great work, a real tribute to such a car.

[@pmogisho]

Just bought a 06 zo6 last month for 50k with 5k miles. Drives like a dream

[@Sloimer]

Any engine issues so far? Thinking of grabbing one!

[@pmogisho]

@@Sloimer I’m currently at 9800 miles on the odometer. No engine issues so far but I did have a problem with the clutch master cylinder. Caused my clutch to basically not be able to spring up when shifting. 500$ fix with the local mechanic