C4 ZR1

There's a black 1992 ZR1 for sale very close to where I live. It has about 80k miles. The owner is wanting $20k for it. Is it worth that much? It seems that I could pick up a C5 Z06 for not much more that would mop the floor with it. Opinions, GO!

In reply to rotard:

LT5 is one of my all time favorite "weird" engines. Lotus designed over head cam, GM engine, built by Mercruiser.

Allegedly the grand daddy of the Northstar.

That's all I've got.

• Lee

I would rather have the C5 Z06 personally.

c5 z06. I'm pretty sure those LT5s are no fun to work on. Plus a C5 Z06 has the mass produced LS6, which with basic bolts on will net you more power gains than most anything you do to that LT5. Plus the C5 Z06 is as 80s porn star looking.

That seems to be the going rate for a decent ZR1, yes. I don't think they're comparable to a C5 Z06 from a model point of view, even though I'd guess they offer similar performance.

From what I've read on the Interwebs, some ZR1-specific parts are no longer available from GM, but it doesn't seem to stop people from still driving them. And no, I don't know which parts.

I guess it boils down to you wanting to have something that was developed by Lotus for GM (that'll be the ZR1 then) or something a tad more mass produced.

rotard wrote: ..... C5 Z06 for not much more that would mop the floor with it.

Not sure the Z would "mop the floor" with it

I would get the zr1. I have found that obsession with numbers and potential performance of vehicles to pretty much ruin every car discussion I have with people. I say get the zr1 enjoy the cars uniqueness and future collectibility and be satified with the driving experience. Of course the c5 zo6 is awesome and also a future collectible and probably easier to mantain so........

my uncle has a 91 or 92 ZR1 with about $10k worth of stuff done to the engine- cams, ported heads, cat back exhaust kit, reprogrammed ecm, etc. after all that, it dynoed at 410hp at the wheels.

on easter, he was telling me that he bought some $1000 hose assembly that bolted under the intake manifold to help the secondary butterflies to work better or something.. i asked him if that's what it cost to have the part installed- nope, that's how much the part cost. he put it in himself, and had to buy a special long torx socket to do it.

he was at an open track day at BIR last summer, and there were stock Z06's that were absolutely killing his car around the track. faster thru the corners, faster down the straights.. he thought it was fast until he did that, now he wants a Z06. he said that it was kind of silly to own something that isn't very good as a daily driver and only gets 15mpg when he could own something that's faster, lighter, more powerful, has more cargo room, and gets almost double the fuel economy..

I think a C5 Z06 is a no-brainer over a C4 ZR1. A better car in almost every way -- and more power to boot.

I believe the LT5 is an interference motor . . . that alone should scare you.

Having said that, a C4 ZR1 is a sexy beast.

Well, now that I've gotten home, the supply of $25k 2004 Z06's and C6's has seemed to dry up. I just saw this locally and thought I would see what the opinions on it are. It gets mileage similar to my rx8, lol.

I would rather have a C4 Grand Sport. That's my all time favorite Corvette.

Maroon92 wrote: C4 Grand Sport.

This.

However the C5 pricing is real good. The problem with the ZR1 is gonna be the engine and maintaining it long term. Check out www.corvetteforum.com or digitalcorvettes.com for info.

My daughter just told me her friend with a C5 Z06 wants to sell it for 13K which is payoff for it. I've ridden it in and wow it's quick. Even has a 6-speed manual. One thing I don't really care for is the nitrous kit installed though.

If you want a collectible car to sit in your garage and be driven once a month get the ZR1, if you want something you can thrash Z06 C5. I guess it depends on what you want.

I definitely want to drive the car, which is why I'm not seriously considering the ZR-1. I'm sure topping it out might be fun, though

FWIW (nothing) a C5Z can hang with a squid on a 600cc bike.

Found this out today when driving home on a torturous two lane. Dude in full riding suit with a muffler so big I could stick my fist in it looks behind (mirrors stripped for the track I guess) then goes full squid on me. Couple miles later he looks back again and is surprised that I'm still there .

I too was surprised that in 3rd gear I could hang with him coming out of the bends.

A liter bike would have been a different outcome

In reply to wlkelley3:

Buy Now . . . uninstall nitrous . . .

a401cj wrote: FWIW (nothing) a C5Z can hang with a squid on a 600cc bike. Found this out today when driving home on a torturous two lane. Dude in full riding suit with a muffler so big I could stick my fist in it looks behind (mirrors stripped for the track I guess) then goes full squid on me. Couple miles later he looks back again and is surprised that I'm still there . I too was surprised that in 3rd gear I could hang with him coming out of the bends. A liter bike would have been a different outcome

Bikes have horrible aero, so they suffer up top. They're also highly dependent on the size of the riders balls for handling.

What color is the ZR-1? If its seafoam green or yellow, get it! Those cars just scream badass 1990s.

If its any other color, I would just get the C5 or C5 Z06.

Yup. The consequences for running out of talent on the street through a corner on a bike can be rather severe.

I agree - a C4 ZR1 and a C5 Z06 are not really comparable. The former has been a semi-collector car since day one, the latter was basically designed to be a track rat.

It's black.

DirtyBird222 wrote: If you want a collectible car to sit in your garage and be driven once a month get the ZR1, if you want something you can thrash Z06 C5. I guess it depends on what you want.

+1.

The Z06 is going to be the better car. The ZR1 though is the one that will let you buy a retirement house in Maui in 20 years though.

a401cj wrote: FWIW (nothing) a C5Z can hang with a squid on a 600cc bike. Found this out today when driving home on a torturous two lane. Dude in full riding suit with a muffler so big I could stick my fist in it looks behind (mirrors stripped for the track I guess) then goes full squid on me. Couple miles later he looks back again and is surprised that I'm still there . I too was surprised that in 3rd gear I could hang with him coming out of the bends. A liter bike would have been a different outcome

I broke the engine in on my Turbo Civic autox car taking a route that basically was going from my front door, up to the top of blood mountain and then back. Decent 2 lane varying speed country route of about 100 miles. By the time I got to blood mountain, I wasn't reving it all the way ouit yet, but I was up to 5000 RPM. Ended up passing a few sport bikes on the way up the hill. Got to the top and stopped to take a piss. Walked out of the restroom to have about a dozen guys in leathers looking at the car wondering WTF just happened...

wlkelley3 wrote: My daughter just told me her friend with a C5 Z06 wants to sell it for 13K which is payoff for it. I've ridden it in and wow it's quick. Even has a 6-speed manual. One thing I don't really care for is the nitrous kit installed though.

Take it! If you don't buy it, put them in touch with me, I'll drove to Alabama to get a deal like that. Who cares about the nitrous, just remove it later. (Assuming it's not already blown up from it.)

for a track rat/daily driver.. I would go after the Z06.. but if I wanted something special.. the ZR1 wins everytime