I am always looking around at prices of corvettes and ran across a 2003 Z06 for $26,000. It only has 18,500 miles on it. I compared prices and did a lookup on it and most are going for around 30k+. As most of you know, I am still fairly new to the vette world (since last September), and I was surprised to see that year the Z06's were hard tops. I couldn't imagine having a corvette w/out being able to take a top off or lowering it. To me that would defeat the purpose of having a vette.

I'm not in the market for another vette, but I do like to keep up with what different models are going for.

I'm not an expert, but I have come to know they call that a FRC - Fixed Roof Coupe. They decided to do that for the high performance cars, to eliminate the chance of body flex. My 87, when the top is off, doesn't feel real sturdy. If I keep it long enough, I'll put an X brace on it.

C5 prices are falling. I wouldn't be surprised if one day I sell the 87 and get a C5.

the idea behind the hardtop was to make the chassis stronger and lighter. If you don't have a removable top, all that complexity can be avoided.

The other thing, the new Z06 and ZR1 are the same way.

All Zo6s were hardtops. There were three seperate model vettes to be had beginning in 99 with the introduction of the FRC(fixed roof coupe) or hardtop as it was called, the coupe(targa) and of course the verts. The FRC was the precursor to the Z06. Body is exactly the same but the name was changed in 01 with the addition of the LS6 motor. In short FRC IN 99 and Z06 2001-2004.
Looking around the are numerous examples of zo6s going for under 25k. Soon they'll be under 20k. It drives the C5 owners batty. They were all concerned when they started bringing less than 30k. Once the C6 base coupe start going for under 30k on a regular basis you'll start to see Z06s under 20k.

Overall, the C5 is not my thing, but there is something about the Z06.... I would love to have one. Preferably yellow or red.

It is the nature of things. C4 owners cry that the car they paid $12k for is only worth $9k now. Big hit percentage-wise, but in total dollars, not near what the C5 owners are seeing, and will see. A base C6 is $45k. As the price of used C6s fall, the C5s are going to head for C4 price territory. Bad news for C4 owners is, unless you have something very special, your car is going to fall even more, until the numbers are thinned out.

If my car is worth $6k, but I can buy a mid mileage '01 for $15k, I don't see any damage there.

BTW, what is it with some of the C4 owners? I see ordinary, low mileage, late model C4s offered for $17k - $20k. Are they on drugs? There's a guy that's trying to sell a great quality 88 vert for $30k?! I'd like to visit their world, sell my 87, and then come back to the real world and use that money to buy a C5.

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I tend to agree. I think the C4 is much prettier. I just can't get away from newer, and faster. Both are good things. And it is still a Corvette.

Thanks for educating me on the Z06's. I wasn't aware they were all hard top cars.

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When I was looking for another Vette I centered my search on a 96 LT4, coupe or vert, because you could get one for around 20K.
I stopped by a local dealer, and test drove a
Z06. And the search ended there that day.

[quote="01Z06Black"][quote="DaleD"]Quote:

Don't you sometimes wish you had a vert or removable top? I know you like the power of the car.

I'm with you on the Targa Top

If they were not such a Pain in the ass to remove, I'd take mine off more frequently! I'd like to kick the knucklehead that designed this abortion of a latching system, right in the nuts!!

Anyway, the FRC and Zo6 however, would certainly appeal to me from an asthetics point of view.

When I buy a car, I buy it because I like it. I throw $$ at my C4, because I like the styling. The performace sucks compared to the newer models, but there's a fix for that The ride compared to the newer models? We'll, it'll probably never be "as good" but then again, it's a sports car and dammit! I want it to ride and handle like a sports car If I want a cushy ride, I'll buy a Cadi

It really tickles the hell out of me when some of these guys go out and spend 70+k on a "car" thinking it's an "investment", then, when the next newest and greatest appears onth e market they

I just can't do the keepin' up with the Jones thing. Not my style. Besides, I like being different.

I saw a lot of the Z owners doing that with the C5 model run. Wouldn't drive them or limited thier driving enjoyment to keep the mileage down, now look at whats happening

Buy what you want, drive when you want and enjoy what you drive

[quote="Oaklands"][quote="01Z06Black"]Quote:

I had a 79 L82 coupe with T tops.
They leaked, squeaked, and were too much work to remove and store in the back. I don't miss that at all. The FRC is tight and quiet.

The Targa's are not the best invention in the world by any means. However, I love the feeling after taking the top off. I leave the top off quite a bit when the weather permits. I park it in the garage and leave it off if the weather is supposed to be nice the next day.

I would like to drive a Z06 one day. I probably would not buy it, but would have a lot of fun seeing what it could do.