2002 Chevrolet Corvette Z06: What Am I Waiting For?

Because you have a common sense.

A Corvette is just not that practical as your only car/daily driver.

I'm the same way - the quirks and compromises of the Corvette would not work for me as a daily driver.

the problems for me are...
its low, so ingress/egress is a pain...
its low, so driveways/ speedbumps/ dips are a pain...

but i can live with those problems.

the main problem is simply old car vs new car. old cars, fix all the problems and it runs great for a while... how long til another crops up?

forced to choose, i would go for what is most fun... even if its old... but the appeal of something fun and reliable is strong.

I had a modded (bolt ons) C6 Vette as my daily driver. With my mediocre driving skills it ran 12.2 @ 119 and it had a better interior than the C5. It also had a regular hatch not the abbreviated one on the Edmund's Z06. You can buy a 2005 Vette in the low 20's now.

For all of those weighing the pros and cons....check out a newer C6. Heck, you can probably get one that is still under warranty for around 35k (2008 or 2009).

The only reason I got rid of my Vette was because I wanted a car that had 5 seats and was faster...a Caddy CTS-V. ;-)

Boring people make the world go 'round! Don't feel bad about a few realistic calculations of your actual needs and wants. Cars are still very much more than their numbers and outright performance, which is why not all car people have Vettes.

You say boring...I say practical. I like practical, it's my personality. I can't comment on a Vette being a daily driver b/c I certainly have no experience with it, but I have to imagine all the things you listed would come into play and lead me to eventually dislike the car. Now, if it were a second car, that's a different story =)

These are the reasons why I like owning a domestic brand pickup in the right size range I can literally have it all (Cab\cargo space, Solid reliability, bells and whistles, power mods, etc) save for only one serious draw back and that is of course mediocre to bad mileage.

IL confuses me. Sometimes, they argue in favor of cars because of sportiness and this is an "enthusiast" blog. Sometimes they favor cars because of practicality and this is a ???? blog.

The Z06, especially a nine year old one, isn't supposed to be practical. That's why I don't own one, but I still respect it for being very good at what it is.

You're "boring" because you're excited about the FT-86? A (fingers-crossed) ~3000-lb, compact, RWD, 6MT, low-slung 2+2, ostensibly engineered to enable easy tail-out antics? A potential reincarnation (twisting fingers around another full revolution, oww) of the E30 M3?

If that's boring, my name is Tedium "Ted" Borington, III.

P.J. O'Rourke would be very disappointed in you. We are 'mericans so we should drive 'merican cars, dern it!

"Save for only one serious draw back and that is of course mediocre to bad mileage."

There is one other huge drawback to driving a pickup: a miserable driving experience.

The thing is, you are comparing a new car to a used car. Because of the nature of automotive depreciation, newer cars almost never win when it comes to value.

I dare anyone with a schedule to keep to own the Corvette as their exclusive daily driver.

I'll rather drive a Toyota Corolla :\

Z06 is a great car and I love to have one as a weekend warrior only. I dont want to drive it after a 10 hour work day. You just have to find the right balance of practically and fun. Thats the reason why they make cars like CTS V, M5 , E63.

"You just have to fined the right balance of practicality and fun"

That is the age old quest, of course. Especially for people who only want or can only afford one vehicle.

It's something to get all excited about because it's a Subaru coupe.

I found my happy place in the quest to balance practicality and fun. I'm all set with my G8 GT.

milt721....trucks are miserable to drive..no doubt. +1

I can't remember the last time I drove a truck that was "miserable" to drive. Most drive better then Corvettes do. Not as fast of course but easier and more comfortable to live with.

I would likely choose FT-86 (or better yet, a Miata) over the Vette as well. With nowhere to use it's power I would find Z06 frustrating to drive around town.

Cars that are fun to drive even at legal speeds have a huge advantage in the real world.

@Firstwagon:

"Cars that are fun to drive even at legal speeds have a huge advantage in the real world."

This exactly describes why I got a MINI Cooper S...spot on.

@acbayard says:

"I'll rather drive a Toyota Corolla :\ "

You're sick in the head..

@firstwagon says:

"I can't remember the last time I drove a truck that was "miserable" to drive. Most drive better then Corvettes do. "

You need to seek help too... maybe you can get a discount with acbayard.

" With nowhere to use it's power I would find Z06 frustrating to drive around town."

Umm, do you not know how to use a gas pedal?? It's not an on-off switch.

"A (fingers-crossed) ~3000-lb, compact, RWD, 6MT, low-slung 2+2, ostensibly engineered to enable easy tail-out antics?"

This Z06 is already ~3000lbs, though obviously isn't 2+2. It seems so hard for people to give the Corvette credit for being light (and other things). Though I think this long term Z06 did a lot to educate people that maybe Top Gear isn't the final say on Corvettes (they did like the ZR1, overall).

milt721 and ptcdawg and stingray454 -

I can say almost with certainty that none of you have driven a truck lately. I know at least one of you simply hate anything with more than 5 incehes of ground clearance before it even hits the streets.

Todays trucks (not the HD variety) drive very, very nicely. I had an '05 F-150 that was probably the most comfortable ride I've ever owned. I know there are plenty of vehicles that are more comfortable than a full sized trucks, but if you haven't driven one, Don't state 'facts'.

I have driven modern trucks. They may have a smooth ride, but turning, stopping and parking is a different story. I'm curious as to why you are defending them - do you think they are fun to drive or do they just have a comfortable ride? There is a huge difference - I prefer fun to drive.

I think they're fun and have many more uses.
Honestly, I could park this easier than my Jeep GC due to the parking sensors. I'm not saying they fit everywhere and are just as easy to park as the Corvette, but it shouldn't be an issue for most people.
My driving would include a lot more dirt than a race course, so naturally I would take the truck (not to mention towing the camper and getting through the powdery stuff with ease).

They can be just as fun as a Corvette, just in much, much different circumstances.

And remember, I'm not knocking the Corvette, just standing up for trucks.