The 01-04 Corvette Zo6 Is an Insane Sports Car Bargain

[@codystrom8708]

I love my 03 Z06!! I picked mine up last summer and so it’s refreshing being back in a older car without push to start, seat belt warnings, cylinder deactivation and a bunch of other nonsense that really waters down the sports car experience!! These C5s really are a sweet spot between new and old

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Yeah, absolutely! I’m glad you’re enjoying it!

[@caseymoore4759]

That’s why I got a c5 recently! I considered a c6 but the c5 to me is just end of a era for cars

[@OCDRex11]

Just did my first track day with my 04 Z06 last week. Some suspension and tires mods of course. Holy crap, these things are indeed track beasts! I was VERY impressed.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I can imagine that was a lot of fun!!! 😎

[@erikferrar3453]

I bought my 02 Z06 almost 4 years ago. Easily one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

[@RTMZ06]

I can't wait to get my 2004 Z06 out of storage, I fall back in love again with it every spring, it's like an old friend or a family member you have been away from and waiting to see for years. What a classic.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Oh I bet! How long have you owned yours? These Zo6 are absolutely a classic, and only a few years away from being classified as an antique by definition lol.

[@RTMZ06]

I have had mine for 6 years, this is my second C5 Z06 actually, I have had multiple 4th gen Camaros as well so I am very well versed with the LS platform, it is a great all around product. Cheers!​@@AutomotiveAnonymous208

[@ericervin4778]

I bought an 03 Z06 back in July. LOVE it!!!!

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Nice!!! 😎 How many miles does it have?

[@ericervin4778]

@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 Currently a little more than 91K. 89K when I bought it.

[@joefriesen5296]

​@@ericervin4778what color?

[@arrowhead455]

I’m a big fan of black on a Vette, but I have to say that C5 yella got it goin on

[@santipedros6908]

I definitely want one. Great video mate!

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Thanks!! This was a fun one lol.

[@aphex14]

I've been leaning more and more to this model year. I told my Wife, it's not a 'mid-life crisis vehicle' , rather, a true Driver's vehicle. Thank you for the information!

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

There’s a fine line between the two, I totally get it haha. 🤪

[@aphex14]

@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 Now, after 2 days of researching, found (2) '04, Metallic Silver ones..Just an all around great performer. Currently own a RWD, '85 Corolla GTS that I use to run at Willow Springs CA. At

[@KA-te7xk]

Good video 👍I actually own 2 rare color combo C5 Convertibles 2001 & 2002. Hands down most under-rated body lines in the game.💯

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I’m glad you liked it! Those sound like some sweet rides. 😎

[@peterjordansonthe2nd731]

The driving/vehicle metrics that you provided at the beginning of the video were awesome. Never seen that before, but highly appreciated. Great video!

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching! 🙂

[@arrowhead455]

Car sounds great revvin out

[@carterbishop2935]

bought my 03 Z06 in 2012 with 12K on odometer. Original owner had Les Stanford Chev in Dearborn MI build up the engine and supercharge her, she has 590 rwhp. Paid 25k for her and could sell her for that or a bit more today. Have lots of fun embarrasing newer muscle cars with my old girl.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

That sounds like an absolute dream! 😎🏎️

[@tunerdadtunerdad7927]

I ran 11.9 at 119 miles an hour with a vara-ram and stone stock otherwise down to the tires back when I got mine about 15 years ago at HRP in Houston. They need tires, and a clutch to be deadly street weapons.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

That’s an awesome time! I’ve always thought vara-rams were sweet, but I had a friend whose G8 GT got hydrolocked from running that intake on the wrong (very wet) day. 😬

[@coltoncarpenter3790]

11.98 at 117.9 in Oklahoma with my 02 z0 in bone stock form with a horrid 2.01 60ft. If it'd hook better I think I could've run high 11.80s. I know the record is 11.72 at 117.2ish I think. Still a very formidable car in the right hands.

[@CPAJayhawk]

you should turn the traction control off, probably needs new tires too. My C5 Z dead hooks on fresh factory size tires

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

You’re spot on! These tires did not have much grip. I didn’t look at the date of them, but they’re definitely not new and sticky.

[@413TomaccoRoad]

'04 is a C6 body. Maybe they kept making the -03 into early '04 but there's no 2004 C5.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I’m sure the c6 was starting to be produced and sold in 04, but in the U.S. the C5 ran from 97-04 and C6 05-2013.

[@S8ER]

4000ft 🤯 I wouldn't even bother owning an N/A car at that elevation.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

It’s incredible how much better turbo vehicles do up here compared to their rated times, lol. But this one was really limited by traction… 😛

[@Tanner_Teves]

I live in Colorado Springs where th elevation is 6,000ft. My G8 is a FBO NA LS3 and it’s still a blast.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I bet that G8 freaking rips, lol. I’ve always loved those, the Caprice, and SS! It’s too bad we never got the true Holdens. Although I know there’s the Left Handed Utes company in Colorado! Too pricey for me though, lol. 😅

[@Barrel-Scraper69]

As long as you have a proper tune, you’ll be fine.

[@S8ER]

@@Barrel-Scraper69 you still suffer loss from the elevation/poor DA... a tune isn’t going to make up for that.

[@Doc1855]

Yum !

[@chrisperry9002]

Bought a Z a year and a half ago with 241 miles. Sticker said 52k when new.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

That’s awesome!! How many miles on it now?

[@chrisperry9002]

@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 642. There's still a recall on the steering wheel lock before I can really drive it. It's essentially a brand new car.

[@markhagopian3257]

Holy crap… congrats on the awesomeness

[@chrisperry9002]

​@@markhagopian3257you seem very knowledgeable about this car. I had an 87 RX-7turbo 2 which I loved to death. Unfortunately got stolen. But this one's a cream puff. You need to trade in that Miata and buy that yellow 5. It's hot.

[@BlackRam17]

BRB replacing everything rubber

[@mysteryman447]

its a real shame they never made the z06 with a targa and hatch

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

That’s for sure! Same with the c6 Z cars. 🤦‍♂️

[@mysteryman447]

@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 at least the c6 z was a hatch though, I wonder what the logic was for the fixed roof. more rigged body maybe? lower weight?

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Oh, yeah good point! Not the FRC (fixed roof coupe). I had always heard that those cars needed the added rigidity from the roof to handle the extra power.

[@mysteryman447]

@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 that makes sense, would suck to come back from a long cruise and your targa doesn't fit anymore lmao

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Hahaha 😂

[@griffingibbons5097]

I enjoyed your review up until your 0-60 at around 12:30. A realistic 0-60 in this car is not 6.5 seconds. My 2000 acura tl can do a 6 second 0-60 back to back to back on $50 sentury tires by just simply stomping the gas pedal. I’m not sure if the point you’re trying to make is the car has too much power to be put to real world use, or if you’re saying it’s unrealistic to dump the clutch and rip through gears at every stop and go, because I feel like both points are irrelevant to a faster 0-60 in this car in my opinion. I really don’t want to sound rude, or come off as defensive, but I own a completely stock 2002 Z06 on Michelin Pilot Sport 4s, and always hear guys complain about inevitable wheel spin after the 4.5k RPM mark in first gear. I have to say, i just don’t understand. I’m not sure if I have a working traction control system, or really sticky tires, but I’ve never felt uneasy about engaging first and throwing my foot to the floor. My wheels rarely spin, unless the road is awful, and when I shift from 1st to second, it usually takes about 1 second, to which I can still reach 60mph in easily 5 to 6 seconds. Anything after 6 seconds for a 0-60 in this car…. I’m sorry but as an owner of a 2002, I’m calling driver error. Again, I don’t mean to sound rude or defensive, I only mean to offer info. I had a 2005 mustang GT that I would floor around on continentals and complain about traction all day in a 300hp (230hp wheel rated) car. I never understood until I lowered it on coils and threw Mickey Thompsons on the car and realized it wasn’t the car…. It was the tire (and me) Never had traction issues again. I guess all I’m saying is if you’re having traction control issues, honestly, unless the car weighs less than 2,500 pounds and makes more than 500hp… try some stickier tires. You never know. And this is coming from a fellow Z06 owner, when I watch your 0-60, I see an honest maybe 2 RELAXED whole seconds literally just thanks to some stickier tires. Godbless and thanks for the review of the car.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

No offense taken, the 0-60 was horrendous, lol. And I rarely do more than 1 attempt unless I know it was blatantly flawed and a second attempt will likely be better or just needs more practice. I definitely see how these cars were rated around 4s on new tires, at sea level, and on a traction compound sprayed drag strip. A manual RWD car that spins the tires definitely would have benefited from more practice to optimize the RPM at launch and modulating the throttle to maintain traction, but I think a lot of this time was the used tires and country road. Additionally I am cautious by nature to drive older or out of warranty cars hard when I review them. Just for reference, I recently shared an 08 LS3 (cam+header set up) and same conditions and it even being an auto with throttle modulated and it ran like a ~4.75 true time. Rarely do RWD cars run better than a 5s time where I’m at lol. Last example my friends supercharged LS3 Corvette on 325 width tires only ran like a 4.1x in the same conditions. 🤪 😔 Thanks for watching and providing value to the comment section!

[@griffingibbons5097]

@@AutomotiveAnonymous208thank you for teaching me something new, I live in California, and have my whole life, which has been short, so I had no idea sea level could make such a difference. I ended up going down the rabbit hole of just how drastically Mother Nature can effect a cars performance in real world driving…. Lots to it... Thanks again.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Yeah, density altitude is no joke haha. Again, this 0-60 was pathetic, but experiencing what I have in testing cars and knowing the age of the car I didn’t think it was worth risking a more aggressive run for a hardly better time. It’s a weird situation to be traction limited down low (where this makes a lot of low RPM power) and restricted in the top end once rolling (due to density altitude not making a lot of horsepower). It’s just sad. Moderately powerful EVs which aren’t effected by DA smoke cars that they just shouldn’t based off of the “spec sheet”. Heck even this week testing some cars density altitude is almost 6,000’ so Na engines are down 20% this week. 😅

[@griffingibbons5097]

@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 you’re right about the age of the car. They’re 20 years old now, new rubber will do them justice but it won’t de-age anything structurally or mechanically, lol! Better to be safe, I should’ve had that mentality. I was able to enjoy mine for 2 years and about 10,000 miles before 4th gear became completely shot, does nothing but grind and then will get stuck. I also have to double clutch 3rd. Just one synchro on most cars is no big deal, but as you know work on this transmission is…. So I just skip 4th now. However I still beat the hell out of 1st and 2nd, they work great, lol!! So yes, good idea taking it easy. 👍👍

[@steveharper5368]

just got a 2002 z06 with 3,000 miles. i have to get it choppin its way too tame. i came from a viper so it needs a little work

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Very cool! What year Viper did you come from? I had a friend with a new 2016 SRT TA (I think it was) back then, and it definitely felt like a different kind of animal lol. 🫨

[@steveharper5368]

@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 it was a 1993 with 4,000 miles on it and straight piped, it was like no other ride, but no one would work on it and parts were hard to get and outrageous so i let it go.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Oh yeah, I hear that gen was super rowdy! Well, I hope you have plenty of fun building your Z!

[@richardelliott8352]

while it is a " yank tank" with the accompanying durability needed to sell in a native market full of knuckleheads , these are still old cars , that still require high line maintenance.

[@Dan-gj1hz]

Sadly not nearly the bargain they were just a few years ago. Prices are flying. Nice Z06s are in the 30s now.

[@babayegajaeger7082]

People are going NUTS.

[@Dan-gj1hz]

@@babayegajaeger7082 I bought a clean no-accident C5 coupe with 84k and a 6-speed for 13k. I could turn around and get 16-17k for it. Its just sad how unaffordable C5s are getting. I wanted a Z06 really bad but C5 coupes with the 6-speeds have better aerodynamics and have the potential to be a LOT faster than the FRC design.

[@tunerdadtunerdad7927]

Wait till they hit 25 years old....

[@jamesgrace9918]

Free spider!?? SOLD

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Lol 🕷️

[@727ads4]

What a shame!You forgot to mention that it had a (HUD) head-up display. 😂😮😢😅

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

🤦‍♂️ next time! 😜

[@arrowhead455]

400 lbs of passengers???? What if you got a couple a hosses?

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Hey, I don’t make the rules, I just state them lol.

[@arrowhead455]

12:07 what in the world was that racket?

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

They definitely do sound good, but at this point I can’t remember, just the noises it makes doing what I did lol.

[@mlc7boosted]

Hey there. Been daily driving my '04 C5 base model since February 2022. That sound could actually be the GM key fob swinging back and forth and hitting the dash. I stuck the soft side of a Velcro strip under the ignition switch so it wouldn't rub the dash so much. Another possibility is loose items in the center console or glove box. But it sounds like the key fob to me. Could be wrong but as long as the car isn't beat to heck and back, there aren't a whole lot of weird noises inside the cabin. What I hear in my example of a C5 is mostly the mild cat-back exhaust tone while cruising. You can cruise and talk and hear one another inside the car while on the highway. It's been a fun car.

[@mickeybrumfield764]

Make sure not to tell people it comes with a spider because then everyone will want one.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

First come first serve. 😉

[@CrusaderX]

more electrical problems than anyone can afford to fix.

[@joefriesen5296]

Enough of these videos. I came super close to buying one twice! And if these keep coming out theyll be 40k soon 🤣

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Lol. 😛

[@tripledub0evoxgsr]

Omg 6.5 secs 🤣🤣🤣🤣 that’s the worlds worst c5 zo6 0 to 60 time

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Yeah, it was pretty bad lol. Definitely needs much stickier tires and a sticky prepped road to show its worth. Spinning ain’t winning, but it’s still fun. 🤩