Just drove my first Z06...
Discussion
A 2006 car in red. Coming from a 911 turbo it's quite a contrast. So wide, so loud (in a good way) and that lovely, instant throttle response. I adored it. I have a couple of questions I forgot to ask at the time:
1) Being tall I noticed the steering wheel occasionally met my knee, even slid all the way forward. How easy is it to find and fit a smaller, aftermarket wheel?
2) Being tall (again) the HUD was out of view. I take it you can adjust the projection downwards?
Thanks for any advice.
1) Being tall I noticed the steering wheel occasionally met my knee, even slid all the way forward. How easy is it to find and fit a smaller, aftermarket wheel?
2) Being tall (again) the HUD was out of view. I take it you can adjust the projection downwards?
Thanks for any advice.
You can adjust the HUD to suit.
I've never seen someone have a problem with tje steering wheel. It has electric reach and manual rake adjustment.
And yes, the throttle response is completely different to your porsche, especially above 4,000rpm. They are actually very similar widths, but the seating position and profile of the car make it feel wider than your porsche.
I've never seen someone have a problem with tje steering wheel. It has electric reach and manual rake adjustment.
And yes, the throttle response is completely different to your porsche, especially above 4,000rpm. They are actually very similar widths, but the seating position and profile of the car make it feel wider than your porsche.
2006 Z06 does it have the radio volume buttons? can't remember!
You should be able to adjust the sttering column position so you don't hit your knees on the standard steering wheel, otherwise you are into a whole world of pain regarding the airbags, etc.
I've got a removable OMP steering wheel on my C5 Z06 so I guess you must be able to fit one to a C6 Z06 but I'd only do that as a last resort. Regarding the HUD yes of course you can adjust it both up and down as well as brightness etc.
You should be able to adjust the sttering column position so you don't hit your knees on the standard steering wheel, otherwise you are into a whole world of pain regarding the airbags, etc.
I've got a removable OMP steering wheel on my C5 Z06 so I guess you must be able to fit one to a C6 Z06 but I'd only do that as a last resort. Regarding the HUD yes of course you can adjust it both up and down as well as brightness etc.
Re, HUD adjustment and other things...
You can download the owners manual from gmpartshouse.
http://www.gmpartshouse.com/downloads.php
You can download the owners manual from gmpartshouse.
http://www.gmpartshouse.com/downloads.php
Excellent link to the owners manual - thanks so much.
I found the electric reach adjustment but must have missed the manual rake adjustment - that will definitely sort me out I'm sure. Time to make a decision - do I want the vette or to keep the 911. They fill in one another's blanks so well I should really just have both
(Joke - not rich enough).
I found the electric reach adjustment but must have missed the manual rake adjustment - that will definitely sort me out I'm sure. Time to make a decision - do I want the vette or to keep the 911. They fill in one another's blanks so well I should really just have both
(Joke - not rich enough).What does anyone think of the price of this car? It is utterly immaculate inside, outside, engine bay and underneath and drives perfectly. How much money can I expect to lose on the purchase at this price in anyone's opinion. I have first refusal on it until Thursday.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2831802.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2831802.htm
Edited by macky17 on Monday 30th May 13:41
The cheapest Ive heard one go for was £32k and by all accounts it wasnt the best in terms of maintenance.
So if its in as good a nick as you say you arnt exposing yourself to too much downside IMO.
Though who knows what the future will bring with regards to uk discretionary spending though..
So if its in as good a nick as you say you arnt exposing yourself to too much downside IMO.
Though who knows what the future will bring with regards to uk discretionary spending though..
macky17 said:
I bet it sounds very nice indeed with the upgraded cam.It's impossible to say how much it would depreciate as it depends so much on what other cars are available at the time and how desperate a buyer might be, which in effect is the position that you find yourself in.
Before you proceed any further, it'll be worthwhile asking the trader if he has a US Carfax report on the car. Although the Carfax isn't 100% reliable, if it does flag up any unwanted issues you should leave well alone and look elsewhere. You've obviously also got to be aware of a forged Carfax as you shouldn't trust anyone when spending so much on a car.
I have asked about the Carfax report - thanks for that tip.
As I understand it, the car has been in the UK for at least 3 years and has covered only around 300 miles in that time!! Was a pampered garage queen with oil coming out cleaner than it went in every 6 months (which I know isn't always good - is this the sort of car that needs to be driven regularly like a TVR to be in good health?)
Yes, it sounds incredible. Awesome. Is it going to be reliable with those mods and 555 bhp? Seemed relatively modest in percentage terms and hp/litre to me but I know little about these engines.
Thanks so much for the advice. Keep it coming please! Neither of you said it was overpriced so that's good (but then if you own one you wouldn't I guess! You can PM me in secret!)
As I understand it, the car has been in the UK for at least 3 years and has covered only around 300 miles in that time!! Was a pampered garage queen with oil coming out cleaner than it went in every 6 months (which I know isn't always good - is this the sort of car that needs to be driven regularly like a TVR to be in good health?)
Yes, it sounds incredible. Awesome. Is it going to be reliable with those mods and 555 bhp? Seemed relatively modest in percentage terms and hp/litre to me but I know little about these engines.
Thanks so much for the advice. Keep it coming please! Neither of you said it was overpriced so that's good (but then if you own one you wouldn't I guess! You can PM me in secret!)
Given that I don't make a point of crabbing other people's cars based on the company I am affiliated with I would just make the following observations:-
1. If the car has done few miles here then that means it clearly did its mileage in the U.S. As many have pointed out cars are often exported to erase their histories and a Carfax report will only tell you about things that are formally documented.
2. I can tell you that the car was supplied by Paramus Chevrolet, New Jersey. It has had the roof de-lamination recall work done but I notice that it has had repair work carried out on the differential three times under warranty at 5429 miles, 9957 miles and 15750 miles so there may be a recurring diff issue. The obvious one is down to the clutch packs binding which creates a graunching sensation at the back of the car and results in the diff tightening bit by bit. We have a fix that works so long as no lasting damage has already been done.....
3. We have always struggled to sell cars which don't have navigation. People are quite accustomed to having navigation on cars in this sort of price bracket now.
4. Considering the following factors I am not convinced the car is a steal when you factor it is a U.S. import, leaving it with little resale opportunity into other markets, 2007 Model Year cars consistently selling for only a touch more and it being back-dated to a '55' plate which is actually impossibly old as the Z06 wasn't available at that time(this is due to the DVLA as the vehicle will have been registered as 'used').
5. The modifications may well be spot on but you are placing faith in the individual who installed them and the LS7 is an engine I would personally not tinker with for road use. Don't get me wrong, I mess with them for racing and repeatedly reach solid figures of 720bhp with ours but they are prone to oil pick-up problems just like all LS series engines. Its their one inherent weakness.
6. Double check tyre condition as it's a quick way to spend alot of money. Wheel pitting is common on polished wheels now that they are 5 years old and we have invariably powder-coated the wheels of many of the used Z06's we have bought over the last 12 months as a result. Even if there is only a little pitting then they will need treating at some point soon.
Apart from all the above the photographs make the condition look very tidy and if it turns you on you won't find anything for the money that can carry you as quickly!
M
1. If the car has done few miles here then that means it clearly did its mileage in the U.S. As many have pointed out cars are often exported to erase their histories and a Carfax report will only tell you about things that are formally documented.
2. I can tell you that the car was supplied by Paramus Chevrolet, New Jersey. It has had the roof de-lamination recall work done but I notice that it has had repair work carried out on the differential three times under warranty at 5429 miles, 9957 miles and 15750 miles so there may be a recurring diff issue. The obvious one is down to the clutch packs binding which creates a graunching sensation at the back of the car and results in the diff tightening bit by bit. We have a fix that works so long as no lasting damage has already been done.....
3. We have always struggled to sell cars which don't have navigation. People are quite accustomed to having navigation on cars in this sort of price bracket now.
4. Considering the following factors I am not convinced the car is a steal when you factor it is a U.S. import, leaving it with little resale opportunity into other markets, 2007 Model Year cars consistently selling for only a touch more and it being back-dated to a '55' plate which is actually impossibly old as the Z06 wasn't available at that time(this is due to the DVLA as the vehicle will have been registered as 'used').
5. The modifications may well be spot on but you are placing faith in the individual who installed them and the LS7 is an engine I would personally not tinker with for road use. Don't get me wrong, I mess with them for racing and repeatedly reach solid figures of 720bhp with ours but they are prone to oil pick-up problems just like all LS series engines. Its their one inherent weakness.
6. Double check tyre condition as it's a quick way to spend alot of money. Wheel pitting is common on polished wheels now that they are 5 years old and we have invariably powder-coated the wheels of many of the used Z06's we have bought over the last 12 months as a result. Even if there is only a little pitting then they will need treating at some point soon.
Apart from all the above the photographs make the condition look very tidy and if it turns you on you won't find anything for the money that can carry you as quickly!
M
Edited by mitch_ on Monday 30th May 23:31
ringram said:
Though who knows what the future will bring with regards to uk discretionary spending though..
Noting that JLR just posted bumper profits in their last financial year(the don't make many cheap cars) and all the dealers I know who are making hay are firmly tied into the prestige and supercar sector I would suggest cars like this are looking pretty safe.mitch_ said:
Given that I don't make a point of crabbing other people's cars based on the company I am affiliated with I would just make the following observations:-
1. If the car has done few miles here then that means it clearly did its mileage in the U.S. As many have pointed out cars are often exported to erase their histories and a Carfax report will only tell you about things that are formally documented.
2. I can tell you that the car was supplied by Paramus Chevrolet, New Jersey. It has had the roof de-lamination recall work done but I notice that it has had repair work carried out on the differential three times under warranty at 5429 miles, 9957 miles and 15750 miles so there may be a recurring diff issue. The obvious one is down to the clutch packs binding which creates a graunching sensation at the back of the car and results in the diff tightening bit by bit. We have a fix that works so long as no lasting damage has already been done.....
3. We have always struggled to sell cars which don't have navigation. People are quite accustomed to having navigation on cars in this sort of price bracket now.
4. Considering the following factors I am not convinced the car is a steal when you factor it is a U.S. import, leaving it with little resale opportunity into other markets, 2007 Model Year cars consistently selling for only a touch more and it being back-dated to a '55' plate which is actually impossibly old as the Z06 wasn't available at that time(this is due to the DVLA as the vehicle will have been registered as 'used').
5. The modifications may well be spot on but you are placing faith in the individual who installed them and the LS7 is an engine I would personally not tinker with for road use. Don't get me wrong, I mess with them for racing and repeatedly reach solid figures of 720bhp with ours but they are prone to oil pick-up problems just like all LS series engines. Its their one inherent weakness.
6. Double check tyre condition as it's a quick way to spend alot of money. Wheel pitting is common on polished wheels now that they are 5 years old and we have invariably powder-coated the wheels of many of the used Z06's we have bought over the last 12 months as a result. Even if there is only a little pitting then they will need treating at some point soon.
Apart from all the above the photographs make the condition look very tidy and if it turns you on you won't find anything for the money that can carry you as quickly!
M
Number 2 puts me off. The other things don't bother me as much (tyres and wheels are 100% I checked already) but a diff problem outside warranty is going to sting I assume? What does your fix cost to implement, Mitch? Hmmm... perhaps I should just walk away from this one. Please let me know if you get a red one in a little cheaper than the black you have for sale right now. Thanks for all this invaluable information. 1. If the car has done few miles here then that means it clearly did its mileage in the U.S. As many have pointed out cars are often exported to erase their histories and a Carfax report will only tell you about things that are formally documented.
2. I can tell you that the car was supplied by Paramus Chevrolet, New Jersey. It has had the roof de-lamination recall work done but I notice that it has had repair work carried out on the differential three times under warranty at 5429 miles, 9957 miles and 15750 miles so there may be a recurring diff issue. The obvious one is down to the clutch packs binding which creates a graunching sensation at the back of the car and results in the diff tightening bit by bit. We have a fix that works so long as no lasting damage has already been done.....
3. We have always struggled to sell cars which don't have navigation. People are quite accustomed to having navigation on cars in this sort of price bracket now.
4. Considering the following factors I am not convinced the car is a steal when you factor it is a U.S. import, leaving it with little resale opportunity into other markets, 2007 Model Year cars consistently selling for only a touch more and it being back-dated to a '55' plate which is actually impossibly old as the Z06 wasn't available at that time(this is due to the DVLA as the vehicle will have been registered as 'used').
5. The modifications may well be spot on but you are placing faith in the individual who installed them and the LS7 is an engine I would personally not tinker with for road use. Don't get me wrong, I mess with them for racing and repeatedly reach solid figures of 720bhp with ours but they are prone to oil pick-up problems just like all LS series engines. Its their one inherent weakness.
6. Double check tyre condition as it's a quick way to spend alot of money. Wheel pitting is common on polished wheels now that they are 5 years old and we have invariably powder-coated the wheels of many of the used Z06's we have bought over the last 12 months as a result. Even if there is only a little pitting then they will need treating at some point soon.
Apart from all the above the photographs make the condition look very tidy and if it turns you on you won't find anything for the money that can carry you as quickly!
M
Edited by mitch_ on Monday 30th May 23:31
Well it wasn't my intention to stir, I hope people see it as a genuine observation. It is relatively easy to spot cars with binding diffs and a drive should make it apparent. Our diff fix is a new mixture of oils and friction modifiers but we did this to a number of cars when they were nearly new, never on one that is 5 years old.
Might it not have been a US owner having the diff replaced again and again because it was a little noisy? I'm inclined actually to take the risk on this aspect and get the fix done if it needs it (test drive was perfect). My concerns now centre on the engine mods. I am trying to get details on where it was done and the cam and spring rates involved. I don't supposed you have access to that info, Mitch? "I owe you one" dosn't cover it already.
I am assuming the mods were done here but to be honest I only know of the history documented with GM. I've never seen the car so I'm completely blind here. The diff is integrated with the gearbox so I can tell you that the diff hasn't been replaced, more that repairs have been carried out to it. I'm intrigued to know if the figure of 550Bhp is from a dyno or from the speculation that changing various bits gives you 'x'Bhp. I've seen dyno reports on LS7 crate motors coming out at 540Bhp as GM is very conservative over the LS7's output.
mitch_ said:
I am assuming the mods were done here but to be honest I only know of the history documented with GM. I've never seen the car so I'm completely blind here. The diff is integrated with the gearbox so I can tell you that the diff hasn't been replaced, more that repairs have been carried out to it. I'm intrigued to know if the figure of 550Bhp is from a dyno or from the speculation that changing various bits gives you 'x'Bhp. I've seen dyno reports on LS7 crate motors coming out at 540Bhp as GM is very conservative over the LS7's output.
It was actually Tom Falconer at Claremont who suggested the diff may have simply been replaced. He also quoted £3k + VAT for a new diff so it must be possible to change them?This is the kit the car has:
http://www.theair-charger.com/sbucamspkit.html
It's apparently a very 'mild' cam and is tuned more for smoothness and sound than power.
Question: How much would it cost me to return the engine to stock??
Also Mitch, if you'd be so kind as to check, was the roof replaced or simply given the foam fix thing? Thanks.
I just got an answer from the Maroon Chevrolet place in Delray, Florida, regarding the differential checl performed on 10th January 2007:
"That vehicle had the left side differential cover seal replaced on that visit, it was merely for a minor fluid leak, which was somewhat common on those cars. It was not a complaint about the operation of the differential."
Not sure which of the three occasions that was - from the carfax I'm guessing 2nd or 3rd.
http://www.theair-charger.com/sbucamspkit.html
It's apparently a very 'mild' cam and is tuned more for smoothness and sound than power.
Question: How much would it cost me to return the engine to stock??
Edited by macky17 on Wednesday 1st June 14:28
Also Mitch, if you'd be so kind as to check, was the roof replaced or simply given the foam fix thing? Thanks.
Edited by macky17 on Wednesday 1st June 16:45
I just got an answer from the Maroon Chevrolet place in Delray, Florida, regarding the differential checl performed on 10th January 2007:
"That vehicle had the left side differential cover seal replaced on that visit, it was merely for a minor fluid leak, which was somewhat common on those cars. It was not a complaint about the operation of the differential."
Not sure which of the three occasions that was - from the carfax I'm guessing 2nd or 3rd.
Edited by macky17 on Wednesday 1st June 16:53
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