Budget Super Car: The C6 Z06 is still king, only now half the price.

C6 Z06

We all had posters of the first-gen Dodge Viper C5R and Lotus Elise adorning the walls of our childhood bedrooms. In those days, just saying the words “Dodge Viper” almost gave you chills. These early supercars were the stuff of insanity, many with sub 4 second 0-60 times and 200 mph+ top speeds. They cost $100k or more and all made what at the time seemed like insane horsepower. Looking back, it’s a bit comical that anything over 400 hp was a “supercar” when a base Mustang GT now makes 435 hp and costs around $32k when not loaded to the gills.

Zo6 Badge

Now some 15 years later, these machines have all depreciated to such a degree that the average Joe who saves his beans can now own the very supercar that seemed so out of reach just a decade ago. Of course, there are many things to consider when buying a 10 or 15-year-old car like maintenance, reliability, technology (or lack thereof), and, of course, market value. This segment will aim to showcase a surprisingly affordable supercar each issue and cover some of the pros and cons to each vehicle.

To start off, I thought it is only proper to feature my very own budget supercar, a 2007 Corvette Z06 3LT. I purchased this car with 15k miles on it this summer. Examples like mine are not hard to find. Most “Corvette guys” buy these cars and simply park them. From 2006-2013, the Z06 remained largely unchanged other than some very minor revisions to the clutch assembly.

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GM hit it right with the C6 Z06. It had 505 hp, 470 lb-ft of torque, weighed less than 3,150 pounds, and could hit 60 mph in first gear (takes about 3.5 seconds to get there, which is still supercar territory today). It could do 198 mph and outclassed the very best Ferrari and Lamborghini had to offer and at a fraction of the price. In 2007, a Z06 could range from $65-$100k depending on how you optioned it and today you can get an early generation for about $36-$42k. Mileage will make the most difference in price.

Not only is the C6 Z06 fast, but fairly practical with an ample rear storage, 26 mpg and an easy to see out of the cockpit. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not perfect. My original plans were to daily drive this beast. Why not? It costs about the same as buying a Jeep or small truck and gets great gas mileage. While some people do daily drive these cars, after about a week I decided it’s a little too extreme. The Z06 rides much lower than a standard Corvette which means you scrape EVERYWHERE, and I mean EVERYWHERE. The seating position is extremely low, so getting in and out is tiring if that sort of thing bothers you, and the noise – it sounds like you are driving in the transmission tunnel. The cabin fills with the winding and whirling of gear lash and the typical LS power plant lifter noise. All I can say is one word, racecar.Zo6 Ass

So while the Z06 may seem rather crude in comparison to the cars coming out of GM today, it has what many newer cars don’t. Character. The chassis although a bit stiff and jarring is communicative and the steering rack tightens as the car increases in speed. The 7.0 LS7 up front is hand built! How many cars can you buy with a hand built engine for the price of a loaded Malibu? And the fact that it’s American means things don’t break often, and when they do, it’s just like any other Chevy powertrain. The parts are available and affordable, and a Chevy dealer can service your car without an issue.

C6 Z06 Interior

When it comes to power, the Z06 is a stunner. The car has gobs of torque in any gear and it revs so freely that you think you’re driving a Honda s2000, not a small block 427. The dual mode exhaust allows the car to be quiet at highway speeds and then the vacuum actuated butterfly valve opens out back to make things more interesting on hard acceleration. Still, the stock sound level is very tame, I would even say quiet. I plan on upgrading to an aftermarket exhaust soon.

So for the price of a Dodge Caravan you can own a car that is slightly quicker than a Ford GT. Eventually, the value of the Z06 is sure to be recognized, but for now, this is a supercar that the working man can afford. #Merica

10 thoughts on “Budget Super Car: The C6 Z06 is still king, only now half the price.”

  1. Great Review Man….. I just hope more people will truly understand the bang for buck value of the corvette c6 z06! one of the best deals at 30-40 grand $… love mine soooo much will not change it for any other car!?

  2. Erik van der Kroon

    A very good review indeed. I just bought my dreamcar, offcourse a Corvette C6 Z06. I will get it this saturday. I have e C5 as a hobby car right now but the Z06 stands way above it. Fall in love as soon as i saw it. As a real petrolhead i like Ferrari too but to be frank, i will never have the money to buy one and everything that comes with it. The Corvette has everything i am looking for.
    I live in the Netherlands and over here the Z06 is even more a real eyecatcher.

  3. Randall Sanderson

    I love mine, it is part of my life now. After 15 yrs, it is as fun as ever, especially after the big cam, little head work and B&B exhaust all the way back!!!

  4. Just bought an ‘07 C6 Z06 in red with a little over 28k miles. Performance wise it’s all stock, engine has never been touched. I think about it all day long. It’s powerful, beautiful, and most of all makes me happy!

  5. Great comments. I purchased my 2007 Black Z06 w only 13,167 miles Dec 2021. Today, it only has 13,338 and is in pristine condition. A Beautiful Garage Trophy that is ready to go fast. What a blast! Wheeeeeeee!!!

  6. I have a 2007 Z06 that I bought originally in 2007. It has 9100 miles and I try to drive as infrequently as I can. I am waiting for C8Z06 on order but who knows how long that will take? I’m pretty excited about having 2 Z’s in my garage some day. The C6 Z and the on order Z are both black on black. Anyone out there get their hands on the new Z06 yet? Love to hear from you! Give me something to get my confidence up!! Thanks John J

  7. Gary Peccarelli

    Have a 2002 C5/ Z06 and a 2006 C6/Z06, love he both of them but the C6 is a bit more refined, Won’t give either one up.

  8. have a 2008 Z06 in red/black trim. 22 000 miles on it. never had any trouble. keep the oil clean and drive er.
    and if i ever think the engine is ready for a sleep, i just push the accelerator a little and it lets me know its wide awake.
    These cars FLY, far faster than they should, with not a lot of roads around to come close to stretching their legs at length.

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