Really late to the party on this thread.

As noted in my introduction of 3/29/10, I owned an 05 C6 Z51, an 07 Z06, and an 09 Z06, the last car being traded in a a 40th anniversary Z.

Quality wise, I had no problems with all 3 vettes. Yes, there was a roof recall, and a TSB about some rear end noise when making a tight turn at low speed (cured by some extra fluid), but overall, my vettes were pretty solid.

The Z06s were stupid fast, but as somebody noted, really overkill for the street. Warp speed happens in the blink of an eye and you really have to drive the car. The Z06 (and ZR1) capabilities exceed the abilities of a lot of drivers, including probably me. But still, I have to laugh when I punch the throttle in second gear of the Z; in the Z06, all hell breaks loose and you hold on for dear life.

The 370Z is a lot more forgiving, speed happens much more slowly. Not as demanding as the Z06. But I can still go just as hard in my favorite corners so all in all, the Z is just about as much fun and looks stunning. Better interior too.

Bu what I really miss about the Z06 was the "king of the hill" feeling I had while driving it. While I didn't, ahem, street race, I knew that there was a pretty short list of cars (stock) that would beat a Z06. I felt that the Z06 got a lot of respect from other drivers and very few wanted to "play".

So I see myself in a C7 Z whatever or a GTR in in the next few years. I actually tried to buy a GTR before my 09 Z, but at the time, no discounting was happening and I wasn't gonna pay msrp when the Z06 was heavily discounted.

It's a chevy product, need i say more!!!!!

Chevrolet Corvette: "Much worse than average" reliability history. CR mpg (averaged 'tween city and highway driving): 21.

Nissan 370Z: "Much better than average" reliability history. CR mpg (averaged 'tween city and highway driving): 23.

I have the 2010 Consumer Reports Buying Guide issue on my lap as I transcribe this data, guys...Sorry. Reality bites.
Still, if you prefer the 'Vette, GO FOR IT. That's the beauty of capitalism, i.e. the govm't cant impose a "Lada" on you (for those of you who don't know, the Lada was an abysmally BAD Russian vehicle widely distributed in Cuba and Russia, back in the '70s and part of the '80s. It was a PIECE OF JUNK!) Myself, I own an '04 Z, whose only repair has been the driver's side power window motor. In December of this year, she'll be 7 years old, and it behaves like a 2009 model! Her original owner got her then. Greetings!

To be fair, though, you had said the Corvette mileage was "abysmal" vs. the Z being "reasonable", and we're talking about a difference of 2 mpg. That's the only point I can nitpick and the only point I disagreed with. For the power, that's pretty darn impressive mileage in my opinion.

I admire the Corvette for its engineering (especially its power plant) although I must say I’ve never been too impressed with its interior quality or fit/finish. That said, other than both having two seats I don’t see a lot of common ground between the two vehicles.

<o></o>The biggest problem with the Corvette is not the vehicle itself but so many of the people who buy them. While not universally true of course, many Corvette owners are either not real “car people” (they buy the car for status only- nothing makes me more sad than to see a powerful sports car in the hands of someone who could care less about its capabilities) or they are so enamored of themselves that when you look up the definition of “stuck up” you’ll find a picture of a Corvette owner! :)

On a personal note, at this point, I also have a big problem with GM in general. Until 2004 I had almost exclusively owned GM vehicles but I never will again. I was almost starting to forgive GM for taking bailout money until Whitacre decided to inundate us with commercials touting how GM had paid back part of their “loan” five years early (while forgetting to mention that they did it by using TARP money to do it)…at that point, any consideration for every buying another GM vehicle went right out the window and Ford products look better and better to me all the time!

If GM lets the talented Corvette engineers make the next C7 chassis more rigid, so the car feels vault solid and high quality (my pops new Camaro feels much more rigid than my old C6 Z06), then lets the interior designers improve the interior quality and seat design, the Corvette will finally be a force to be reckoned with. The performance is there, they just need to amp up the total experience. If a $30K 370Z can feel solid (quite Porsche like, I'm pleased to say), a $50K Corvette can, too.

The 370Z also has a nice quality interior, IMO. The Corvette should, too. Most Corvettes list for mid-to-upper $50s, for that kind of money the car should be better. You shouldn't have to spent $8K on an option package to get some (much needed) leather on the dash and doors. Not for anything, but most new Corvettes list for as much as a new 5 series, and look at the car BMW gives you. Not to mention, a $70K+ M3 or 550i isn't way out of the ballpark either...a new Grandsport coupe or C6 convertible are easily optioned up into the mid-upper $60Ks. A GS convertible can top $70K.

Now that the American car companies are streamlining their operations and cutting excessive spending, I hope that translates into better built American cars...cars we all know they can build..in a heartbeat (pun intended).

The Vette puts all it's efforts to handling and power to weight ratio. Not a bad thing for a sports car. There is nothing anywhere near it's price point that can perform like the base Vette. That's why "feel" and "interior quality" suddenly become so important when discussing it, because the numbers just don't lie. :D

Consumer Reports also heavily knocks the WRX and STi for "reliability" issues because of a engine problem that was acknowledges and fixed. It literally does not exist at all anymore and they -still report it-.

CR might be okay for buying a Toyota, but not a performance vehicle, sorry!

You're right about the bang for the buck. The Corvette is fast/handles well for the money. But...what if Nissan dropped their V8 into the Z? The car would be as fast as the Corvette, cost about the same, yet still offer its advantages in solidity, fit-and-finish, etc. The Corvette would then be lacking value in comparison. GM places the standard Corvette in its own category, there is no direct competition, per-say. But, that doesn't mean you sacrifice quality. You never know when the competition will sneak up on you. IMO, GM shouldn't turn current buyers off in any way. Why have customers yearning for a better package, because one day the competition just may offer it.

IMO, as it stands, there's not a (roughly) $12K-15K difference in effort between the current 370 and C6. The Corvette is built using mostly normal materials (excluding the Z06 and ZR1, of course), equipped with a relatively low-tech V8 and boasts average sport-suspension tuning...i.e., really no more effort than the Nissan designers put into the Z. Plus, GM offers the Corvette with plenty of optional amenities, it's really not a bare bones, pure sports car (like a Lotus, for example). And you're not buying exclusivity, either...GM builds plenty of Corvettes, roughly 30K-40K a year.

The Corvette is aimed at enthusiasts with a few dollars. They can appreciate quality and performance. Point being, if GM wants to keep future Corvettes priced where they currently are, they need to up the quality a good notch or two. The Corvette does sell, but how long can GM hold off the competition?

The majority of people who buy Corvettes do not care about interior refinement at all.

I understand what you are saying but it's like saying "well the WRX/Evo/Cobalt SS/MS3/etc. feels cheap"

yes, yes it does and no one who is going to buy one cares

I wouldn't say the majority... some don't care. I didn't read the C6 forum that much, but the Z06 forum included plenty of remarks about the lack of quality, the owners just tolerate it...that's not the same as not caring. Even the ZR1...I've read that guys have bought and already sold the car because - even taking the performance into consideration - it just doesn't feel like the money. There is a market for a quality Corvette. Look, I'm not saying the Corvette is a POS, it's far from it, but it should be better for the $$.

I'm sure there are buyers that looked at the C6, but purchased a Cayman S because they decided to give up some speed for quality. They look at a Corvette for upper $50s - low $60s and realize they can get into the Porsche for not much more. Cayman S's run 13.0/108 quarters...they're not old slow Boxsters, anymore.

I had an '08 STi before the Z. It was a nice car, I wouldn't say it was cheap, but it was a bit lacking in quality for nearly $40K. An Evo MR is in the mid $40Ks, these days. Very few boy-racers can afford the cars, now. The new, more mature buyers want some quality, too.

I agree with you, though, the MS3 is a lot of car for $25K. Decent quality, racy looks, and good performance. The base WRX has a decent performance/quality/price ratio, too.

It would have to have more HP (> 430) since it would weigh quite a bit more. The truely remarkable thing about the Vette is it's curb weight. It weighs almost exactly what the 370Z does.......with a 6.2 liter engine. The more expensive Vettes are actually much lighter than the Z. The Vette's frame is it's magic.

If you care about interior quality, GM does offer an interior with a full linen/leather wrap that is pretty darn nice.

So it's just that easy right? Just slap on/drop in a V8 and BAM! Poof! It makes a car magically better? :icon14:

If that was the case, how much more expensive do you think the 370z (wait....570z) would be?

I mean let's just forget about: chassis design, balance, transmission, suspension, emissions, etc. etc. All these components would most likely need to be redesigned --> brand new car.

...the point is it's not as easy as just "dropping in" a larger engine. There are tremendous costs associated with such and if Nissan thought they could make a profit and undercut the Corvette in price while still delivering value, don't you think they would have done it already?

As for the last part, how long can Nissan hold off the competition? (I'm pretty sure in terms of performance, the competition aka 2011 Mustang GT has already surpassed the 370Z while at the same time being less expensive).

Actually, they are priced almost identically (for the 'stang V8)

My point was, if planned properly, Nissan could offer a Z with V8 power for a price similar to the Corvette's, and it would be an altogether nicer car. I wasn't suggesting Nissan take the current car and just drop a V8 into it, like a backyard mechanic. It's not uncommon for manufacturers to offer cars/trucks with both V6 and V8 power. Take the Mustang you mentioned. I realize design changes and certifications would be needed, but they're not monumental tasks.

Probably what Nissan is thinking is they don't want a two seat sports car in the $50K+ range. They're hard to sell and make money with. The GT-R is an expensive car, but it's a halo car for them, not a money maker. They want to make money with the Z. The Corvette's got a rare piece of the market.

IMO, Nissan wants to offer a car with performance and feel comparable to an entry level Porsche, but at a cheaper price...and that's what the Z does. Nissan probably worries that at $50K-$60K for a V8 Z, the buyer will gravitate to the Porsche, even with the Porsche's power disadvantage.

The bottom line is...if Nissan could build a quality V8 Z for Corvette money - and they could if they wanted to, IMO - GM can build a higher quality Corvette. At $55K for the average Corvette, the car should be better. Look at the nice little GTI VW sells for $25K. Tight as a drum with a high quality interior that puts the Corvette's to shame.

Corvettes can easily be picked up for 42k to 45K, full MSPR for a base Vette is only 48K. I don't know where you are getting $55K as average unless you are talking about the convertable.

I stand corrected. You are right. I just double checked USAA comparing a '11 Mustang GT and a 370z 6MT w/ Sport package and they are roughly within $1000 of each other. Pricing must have changed within the past month as I recall the 370z being significantly more expensive earlier in the ear. FYI, there is $500 bonus cash now for the 370z.

That clears it up.

It is true the Corvette's interior leaves much to be desired, but coming from the interior of the C5 to the C6 - no one is complaining too loudly.

As for Corvette pricing, we should really refer to forum venders at Corvette C6 - C1 Reviews, Performance, Parts For Sale - CorvetteForum.com. Places like Kerbeck Corvettes usually offers great deals.

Kerbeck Corvette | Corvettes for Sale | #1 Largest Corvette Dealer!

I'm talking about the average Corvette's MSRP. I used to live 15 minutes away from Kerbeck (where I bought my Z06)...at any one time they have 100 - 150 new Corvettes in stock. I would often check them out while waiting for service or on a Sunday. $48K is MSRP for a base coupe, true, but most were optioned well into the $50K range. Convertibles easily get into the $60K range. Between the option packages (2LT, 3LT, etc.), wheels, paint, transparent roof, etc., the MSRP goes up quickly.

yeah, MSRP is higher, but they are always selling new ones as low as 39-42 on the corvette forum. My Z stickered at 34, My C6 at 49. I didn't pay that much for either of them, although I did pay 15k more for the vette than the Z

Dear ShadowQuad: Try WALKING 2 miles in 114F-degree weather, and f-e-e-l the difference 2 miles can make, bro'! My main point is reliability, though. Now I MUST admit GM is--it appears--really trying to improve their vehicles, and go the old way of quality, vs mass-production. I hope our Nation gets back on her feet soon, including Ford, Chrysler and GM reliability in cars.

:icon18: Have done, sir. Look, if that 2mpg difference makes the difference for you of abysmal vs. acceptable, then ok. I concede, that's your opinion. You've got every right to feel that way if considering the two cars for purchase.

My opinion is that in a 400+hp sports car, 21mpg isn't the worst I've ever seen, and I could probably live with it. My daily driver gets just over 200 peak hp and gets similar mileage, so in my mind, I could live with it.

That's why they make vanilla and chocolate ice cream, I suppose. Cause I'm right and you're wrong. :rofl2: jk, to each their own, bro.

Ask Kannibul! :roflpuke2:

Who? :bowrofl::roflpuke2::bowrofl:

One of my friends has a vette (2009). We trade off driving to lunch a couple of times a week. You can definately feel the difference in power between the vette and my 370Z, but the vette rides really rough, and the seats are not comfortable at all. My buddy actually says that he likes my Z car better, and says that he wishes that he owned one now that the new has wore off his vette. The most important point he has made...the vettes are all over the place...a dime a dozen. He does not see many 370Z's running the roads in Houston. He likes the Z's body style much better than the vette. Pretty good stuff coming from a vette owner!

A couple days ago a woman and her husband pulled in next to me as I was about to leave a parking lot and she immediately asked how I like my car. After I told her how happy I am with it, she said she almost bought one but decided to get a 2008 Corvette instead. I asked her how she liked that and she said, "it's fun, but high maintenance" and went on to tell me it had some electrical problems. She didn't say it, but her tone of voice indicated she thought she made the wrong choice. I left there a bit puzzled about the fact that a 2008 car has electrical problems.

The Z is much prettier than the Vette.

This thread can now be closed.

:tiphat:

A bit on the side, guys: The forum was created to vent our opinions regarding our likes/dislikes concerning vehicles. When I post something--anything--it's not to stir up things; just to express my feel about a given subject. So, as far as I'm concerned, if Vette owners are glad with their choice, GREAT! If Z owners are glad with theirs, GREAT! We're all happy campers! Whatever ride you own, be a happy camper! No problemo!

:tup: It's cool, I like these discussions, too! I hope I wasn't too snarky, because I liked our back 'n' forth.

I will agreed with that. There is people in this forum that thinks they know everything and their opinion is the only one that counts.

Plus a lot of people are here only to stir things up and insult other people to glorify themselves. :shakes head:

I am no longer lusting for a vette - or any other car, now that I own the Z - satisfied customer. I do love the quality of the Z interior, and the refinement of the steering and handling. These are the most important things for me. I miss the torque and connection to the engine that I had in my Camaro SS - in the Z the engine feels too disconnected from the driver, and like others have posted - the clutch in the Z is aweful, no feel whatsoever and it's not smooth. The Z is absolutely devastating on twisty canyon and mountain roads, due to the steering and refinement of the chassis - I doubt there is any car at any price that could do much better.

I wouldnt bet on that if I were you. At any price the Z will get killed by high end cars meant for sports driving.

My buddy that has a Z06 just told me he is selling it for a Z.....

+2 I totally agree with you there. Mad insecure people on here. The insults on here are truly getting boring.

I wouldn't have. I have left GM's customer fold because of all the issues with their QC. My WS6 was all but falling apart around the driveline when I traded it in. I would love a new Z06--if the valves weren't breaking due to heat and oiling issues, and I would like a new Corvette LS3 if it came in hard-top and didn't have oiling issues as well when tracked. I went and looked at GMs show-room at one of the dealerships here and the trash in the paint, misaligned body-panels (deck-lid un-evenly shut, not flush on one corner by a good margin, headlight fascia off by 1/3" side to side comparison, etc.) on a $50K car just turned me off. I mean, really? Trash down to the metal in the paint? THe car looked like a bad front-end collision repair job new on the floor. GM's failure to deliver a quality vehicle is exactly why I am now a member of this forum and considering a modded 370Z as my next large purchase.

Show me a GM vehicle and I will show you some form of electrical and chassis alignment issues.

How can there be trash down to the metal on a vette? All I know is on my 350z, I had to have the engine replaced for oil consumption, the trans replaced for grinding, and seat covers replaced for premature wear. Th vette only had the power steering rack fail.

What is your definition of "high end"?

What is your definition of "sports driving"?

Those aren't rhetorical questions; the definitions make a difference.

There are plenty of "high end" cars (and I would suggest that all likely cost considerably more than a Z) that will do some things better and in some cases, do some things much better than a Z but so what???

If someone has the the money for a GT-R or a ZR1 or perhaps a Lambo or Ferrari or GT2 then they, by all means, they should go out and buy them and enjoy them but comparing them to a Z that costs thousands (sometimes tens and sometimes hundreds of thousands) less seems rather pointless.

Down to the 'glass, sorry. BTDT with GM, and I'm not doing it again, or pulling any punches. The 'vettes have issues (LS3 when driven hard, and LS7 when driven at all).

Yes, electrical issues are big on GM. My WS6 had its fair share. TC would randomly turn off (fixed by replacing TPS), fuel would randomly shut off (fixed by replacing ground mounting screw under driver-seat, was stripped from the factor, IAC would hang (fixed by replacing IAC), Driver power seat would randomly stop working (never fixed), the speakers sucked (got tired of replacing them, and no, I was sensible with the 7-way and volume), the fog-lamp housings were cracked b/c they were not designed to hold up to the heat of the running lights (I replaced turn-signals every time it rained), the rear-end blew up backing out of the shop one time (at idle, pinion-bearing spun), the A/C crapped out after 10K miles of horrible racket, the water-pump went at 75K miles (Dexcool gets another...), The window motors on both sides of the car went out.

I am sure I forgot something, but there was GM's top of the line "pony" car for 2001 for you. I lived next to a guy who had a 2000 and it randomly died at stop-lights, had all sorts of issues. Both of our cars were OEM stock. NO mods, right down to the paper air-filter.

Also, the 350Z is not the 370Z, from what I understand.

Now the good about my WS6....

It killed NSX's, it killed Challenger R/T's, it was dead = to a C5 on the highway, it killed mustang GT's (not the new 412bhp ones), it was within 1 yard of being dead-even with the new 426bhp Camaro SS 6-speeds (based on 2 Camaro SS's that on numerous runs I was dead-even with except for the 1 yard or so they got on the hit. Up to any speed you want to discuss.). It got 27.5 OBXSERVED mpg one time on a road-trip at 80, AC and sterio on.