C6 Z06 will never have its day IMO. Reputation is irreparably ruined by the LS7 shitting itself. They will always be bargains because of it, but not cars that people actually want to own long-term because you're playing hot potato with who gets the $20k engine repair bill.
I am waiting for upgraded heads for my Z06 from American Heritage right now. But in the meantime I spread the truth about the LS7 with my custom license plate. It says: GM LIED
The LS7 is not one of those “it’ll run for 200k miles!” motors. Aside from the valve drop issue (which some people say isn’t even “fixable” due to the inherent geometry of the LS7 Heads), they’ve been known to chew up rod bearings, develop low oil pressure, etc.
I daily drove one for 4 years and the terror of being stuck with a $25k repair bill was too much once it hit 60k miles. And then in 2022 they stopped producing the LS7 altogether.
Best motor ever made in terms of NA power and fun. But not the most resilient.
Those numbers are a big reason I held onto that car even way after it became disastrously financially irresponsible to do so. I’ve driven a lot of fast cars but nothing compares to the absolutely freakish experience of the LS7
Exactly. I’m dumbfounded by the downvotes you’re getting. I still think these cars are legend status but people just don’t know about the LS7.
Funny story, I still get maintenance reminders/mileage updates via email for that car, whoever bought it from the dealership I traded it to put like 10k miles on it in a few months lol.
If you like the looks C5Zs don’t. They’re getting pretty expensive because they’re becoming collectible though. C6 GS is a safe bet as well, although a bit less fun on the street because they’re more civilized. C7 platform also very reliable.
I wouldn't say the price reflects this. They go for about 30% more than an equivalent C5 Z06 which is about the price delta between an ls2 C6 and a base C5. C6 Z06s are never going to be super valuable because, like all other Corvettes (C7 ZR1 possibly being the exception), they're not rare and they don't have the hype that the euro stuff has.
The "my motor blew" most get everyone's attention but there are plenty of people who quietly get 100k+ miles without issue. Also, let's not forget that most motors that go have aggressive cams so yeah, you're going to increase more stress there.
I agree with your points. I think C5 Z06 prices will approach parity with C6Zs because of the reliability. Long term car collecting tends to favor reliability so we’ll see. I have a friend with a 2009 C6Z that he purchased new, minimal track work, bone stock at 9000 miles, and the motor let go last month.
>Long term car collecting tends to favor reliability so we’ll see.
I don't think that's the case at all. Porsche 959 and Ferrari F355s are on the rise. TVRs are worth a good amount of money in England. M3s are worth more than ISFs. You could counter with "but NSX and Land Cruiser" and you wouldn't be wrong. To me this means the takeaway is that reliability is kind of irrelevant.
M3s are extremely reliable, but those are a good example. Their price was suppressed until the rod bearing issues were sorted out. Once it was, they started becoming more desirable. Another good example is the E60 M5. Those will never be as desirable as they could be because of the numerous issues. If the car is “high end” enough the reliability doesn’t seem to matter. But for a more “blue collar” collectible, not having a looming big repair does count I think.
>Another good example is the E60 M5.
E60 M5s lunch motors at an equal or higher rate than C6 Z06s. If you call changing the rod bearings a "fix" then replacing heads on an LS7 is just as much of a fix.
I mean E60 M5s are a good parallel to C6Zs. Both impressive n/a motors that have potentially fatal flaws and will forever have their values suppressed. The E92 motor on the other hand has a “fix” that is $2k and permanent. The LS7 head fix is questionable. The connecting rods galling has no fix.
These cars have a number of failure modes, each of which is completely catastrophic if not caught early. Plus GM no longer sells the crate motor. If it lets go you’re looking at a $20k repair bill.
Cars can be fixed. This fixation with a slightly damaged 15-20 year old cars having a huge discount is silly.
Plus that color combo... I mean look at it.
> A Z06 that has had its bumper, hood, and front fender replaced does stand out.
It really depends on the buyer. Sure, many Corvette owners fit the garage queen stereotype but many don't. If I was to buy an old C6, it would be to drive HARD. Track days. It's gonna beat it up cosmetically, so having previously replaced body panels wouldn't bother met at all - especially on a Corvette since corrosion on bodywork isn't a factor.
This is a desirable color combo, I'd take my gamble on this versus a more boring color combo with no accident history at the same price.
If you had two similar cars in the color and mileage you want. One was original and one was in an accident with a deer. You’re telling me you would have no objection if they were the same price?
It depends on a car. On a C6, I'd put more consideration to mechanical condition, modifications, mileage, etc.
But this is a hypothetical. Unless you can give real examples of this happening, it's a "what if". It's more likely that a car at the same price with a clear history would be a less desirable spec/color.
They usually go for \~45k, and it's not like the deer totaled the car or damaged the subframe, just the cosmetics which were aptly replaced. Seller isn't hiding anything, he listed the body shop the work was done from and offered to provide the invoice.
Definitely a bit more than expected considering the spec, but I don't see any red flags
I personally wouldn’t pay the price either, but 40k wasn’t the listing price, someone bid that. Nothing is more accurate for the market price of something than you know … what it sells for
Regardless still impacts the value. This is the only example I’ve seen of a 2006 car with this kind of history near $40k. $45k even on C&Bs just a few months got you a 1-owner, 20k mile, and head work done.
It only impacts the value if the buyer considers it to. Some may care, as long as it's done by a reputable shop I personally don't, and the buyers mentality reflects in the winning bid.
My personal reason for not buying anything that’s ever hit an animal:
No shop gets 100% of the animal out of every crack & crevice.
On hot days, you get odors.
Base C6 can be had from some of the fb trade groups in the 80-110k mile range for under 20k if you know where to look.
But a C6 Z06? I haven't seen one under 35k unless it was salvaged.
COVID car prices were magical and I am kicking myself for just not buying whatever I wanted when dealers were throwing 0% Finance rates on vehicles during those first few months.
It's more interest rates than anything else. I just bought a new tesla and was curious what other financing offers people were getting via tesla, private banks, credit unions. A guy just responded yesterday that he has basically perfect credit, 830 score, paid of student loan history, 25% credit utilization, mortgage is at like 21% of his take home, and was offered 6.84% as the BEST offer on a 6 year loan. I've seen some people get a bit lower but nothing under 5.5 recently.
So we're now paying more for things, at an even higher interest rate than previously. Yeah interest rates were 15% in the 80s, but homes were 120k, and cars were 20k. So it's not "going back to norms".
Right now if you don't have the cash up front? Making a huge purchase sucks.
Yep. I paid a bit more ($31,700) for a 17k mile SS 1LE because I wanted something newer and with a warranty, but C6Zs were in the 20s when I was looking. Someone here was calling me a liar/wrong for saying that the other day.
Yeah I paid $24.5k for a C6 LS3 Z51 manual w/ 54k miles in early 2019. Traded it for $21.5k in late 2020 for my GTI (only had one garage spot and was making less money at the time). Kicking myself now for not figuring out a way to hold on to it.
I know this sub is filled with car experts and most comments I've read below are all about the high (and maybe still rising) price of certain cars post pandemic. But this is one of the last best examples of a pure Corvette with brute power (normally aspirated), overall performance, simple clean classic lines, manageable electronics etc. Pretty much the last of it's kind. These are very collectible imo.
I guess I did pretty well getting a heads/cam/intake/exhaust 2007 C6 Z06 with 18k miles back in 2017 for $35k. Definitely expected depreciation as with most cars.
Very cool! Would have been a simple google search of course.
Somebody else caught the reference as well, for your viewing pleasure: https://old.reddit.com/r/cars/comments/16hzcf4/a_stock_c6_z06_with_85k_miles_that_was_hit_by_a/k0hinn1/
Depends on the incident.
I've had a deer run into the side of my car. Literally face smashed into the driver side window.
That fucker hit **me**, I didn't hit it.
I'm surprised so many people seem to think this is like impossible or something. I've known a few people who have been hit by deer. They'll straight up run into the side of your car or truck when you're driving by.
Maybe I just grew up in a county (south Texas) with a bunch of dumbass deer or something, but lot of trucks with dents on the side. Driving at night, they'll just run whatever direction when they're blinded and startled.
I'm sure it was said tongue-in-cheek, but it's not impossible. I know people whose have been stopped/near-stopped and a deer decided to go ahead and kamikaze charge the car anyway
Oh 100% possible.
Years ago, I was driving along some corn fields at about 10pm and saw a deer about to run across the road, I stopped completely and he ran across, I waited a second then started to let go of the brake, I inched forward maybe a foot and the same deer came back across the road and slammed into my front quarter panel.
I hit a deer in my C6 going about 40 mph. The only damage was to the license plate holder. The car basically scooped the deer's legs out from under it, and it bounced off the windshield about 2/3rds of the way up, then over the car.
I pulled over, checked the car, and then went back to check for the deer. It was laying down head up in the grass next to the road. When I got too close, it got up and ran off without a noticable limp or anything. So... I'm assuming the hit hurt a lot and at least stunned it, but I have no idea to what degree it might have been injured. Maybe it died later, maybe it was basically fine. Someone else could make a better guess.
Are that I went back home to take a closer look at the car. There was a large fur-textured smudge on the windshield and what honestly looked like poop on the bumper.
this is nearly beat-for-beat what happened to me last august in my ap1 s2000. my deer was okay though, ran like the wind after impact. my friends thought i was fibbing when i described the situation.
I will not stand for this deer to be slandered. I will hear their story!
[image](https://duckduckgo.com/?q=deer+news+interview+&t=fpas&iax=images&ia=images&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fhjtmz0ovy6bz.jpg)
I will not let this deer be slandered. You cannot surpress the truth!
[[IMAGE] ](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fhjtmz0ovy6bz.jpg)
I can't imagine paying 40k for a high mileage C6Z... I guess it's because it is LeMans Blue, but even so the 08+ tend to go for around 45k with less miles and it's not like LeMans Blue is impossible to find like Nightrace or Carlisle blue is. Depressing side note I passed on a 30k mile Nightrace Blue Z07 package car for around 50k pre covid and I could kick myself now.
Related story: Pre-Covid, I had the option to buy a moderate mileage 911 (991) turbo for $85k. Foolishly, I passed on it.
That car today would be worth $135k even with a few more miles. In other words, I could have been paid to drive around in a 911 Turbo for five years. I am now a very bitter man.
Hey bro you can buy all the 85k mile original head LS7 cars you want instead of buying an 08+ with half the miles and fixed heads for the same price lol
Back when I was shopping for my first real sports car in 2013, I was looking at C6Z’s and CTS-V gen 2s. A 2008 back in 2013 w/under 30k miles was 40-45k tops. Went with my 2009 V instead at $43k w/ 1300 miles on it.
Crazy that 10 years and two gens later people are still paying those prices. Lunatics.
Sold for $38,500….not $40k.
I’d say this car could go for $34-37K based on the circumstances. Heads not being done hasn’t shown to de-value the car.
Been looking at c6 Z prices for nearly 2 years.
Believe it or not but they don’t sell cars for free. $40,232.50 is the actual sale price after fees.
I wouldn’t say it devalues the car but, having the heads done does have a slight premium.
When you say heads done, what head work do you think prevents the inevitable valve drop on an LS7? Because let's be clear there is no actual permanent fix for LS7 heads and aftermarket ones drop valves too. They're a maintenance item on these cars.
>That is correct. When you bid you pay a 4.5% fee. You’re charged that fee if you win.
No one ever looks, and/or never put in a serious bid on a vehicle there to see the fees or are just not...observant? I'm trying to be nice here, but yeah.
On the opposite side I've seen some cars go for absolute steals that aren't on reserve and accounting for the total cost.
One was a Mystichrome Terminator vert iirc. One of if not the best enthusiast if not the best Mustangs in a incredibly unique color (expensive as well)
Deer did not total the car, a few body panels were replaced. It’s just a fact about the car’s history. Up to you whether a car getting in a collision with a deer and having body damage is a good or bad thing.
The person selling the car accepted $38,500 for the car. The fees paid to Cars and Bids are irrelevant.
That's like saying you negotiated the purchase price of a vehicle down from MSRP to Invoice and then including the DMV Fees when somebody asks you how much the car cost.
How much did the dude selling the car get from the buyer? The answer is the sale price of the car which was $38,500. Nobody cares he had to pay fees to C&B. That's as clear as I can be.
It's irrelevant. The seller accepted $38,500 so that's how much the car sold for. The buyer of a new car pays state sales tax & DMV fees. The dealership doesn't get that money and the seller of the Corvette didn't either.
Fees added on above the sale price don't count when your talking about how much a car was sold for or it's value.
Lol to everyone that doesn't have a c6, what the seller got for the car is irrelevant. What, literally everyone else, is interested in is the "out the door price" to finish your dealership example.
Correct but the selling price of a car on an auction site is the amount the seller accepted for the highest bid. OP including middleman auction fees to fit their argument/mlnarrative is disingenuous.
You click the link, car sold for $38,500. Done.
What narrative? That it's a crazy price for the spec? 38,5 is as close to 40 is as often rounded in conversation REGARDLESS of what the _market paid for a car_: which was the point
The owner must have paid out of pocket for repairs as the Carfax is clean. It’s going to be up to future owners whether they want to disclose that the car has been in an accident. The car has had 7 owners as well. This car is worth mid to high twenties at best since it even has stock heads.
Without clicking into it, my initial thoughts were "sounds about right, maybe a tad low" and took a moment to ponder what perspective the title is aiming at. Ex: beat to shit c6 sold for mega $$, or dang this one is cheap, or "eh closer to normal"
Yeah dude. I have the same sentiment. I graduated college in Spring 2019 and was excited to buy a cool used sports car, but that was all crushed by COVID-19 :(
Yeah that's gotta be more to this. Clean 1 owner c6 z06 with sub 50k miles go for 35tops wholesale. Mmr on this is 26k.
Dude got ripped. This could be a marketing ploy to get more listing.
Market on these cars is really down right now. 427 convertibles go for 50k all day long with sub 40k miles and they are mint and very rare.
The ones listed near me on Marketplace are in the range of $25k-35k. Doesn't mean they're actually selling at those prices, but I doubt that buyers are talking them down all *that* much.
5 years ago, you could get a no-accidents, 80k-ish mile, C5Z for $15k. Times are different now.
Yeah I resigned myself to never buying another *cool* car. They've just tripled in price in the last five years and I see no end in this (especially when investors start buying them up and storing them).
Look at the bring a trailer sales graph for the Lotus Esprit v8. LMFAO. Only one ever sold above $50k before 2018. Now they're routinely $150k for more miles / more age. When I said tripled, I meant literally. You could get a good one for like $35k if you were careful. Ironically they cost a higher portion of my annual salary now than they did when I was broke.
Same goes obviously for Supras, Skylines, Vettes, Vipers, Terminator Cobras, RX7s, STis, fucking anything that isn't a Camry or Rav4 (which are also expensive today). Oh well... :/
Best bang for your buck IMO is going to be pony cars, 5.0 mustangs and LS1 Camaros are great options for the price. I paid $7,500 for a Camaro with low miles, all original LS1, 6 speed, T-tops. It was a blast. Car was factory with like 300-350hp. They routinely go for less than that with more miles and automatic. A little nitrous can get you up to 500hp safely as well.
I guess I can just die. Cause at some point every sports car is gonna insane prices or insane miles and realistically obtaining anything of value will be a total fucking wash.
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