riotgear

The back story is that I sold my base 997 and went to grad school. Next year I'll be done and I'm looking for another car. Right now I am considering the 997S and C6 Z06. Does anyone have experience with these two cars (specifically a 997S, not 997TT or GT3)? Handling, speed, etc. I read all the magazine reviews, but I'd like some feedback from "regular" people. Thanks in advance!

mastiffdog

Try reading this link:

Z06 and the 997TT

4thporsche

"Deja vu all over again"

golfman

Let see were can I start. The z06 is a great car. I had an 03 with 405 hp loved it. I have a 05 c6 convertable now and I love it. I can tell you this my 997s seems much more agile than both cars ever do. The 997s seems to be on pair with the 03 zo6 as far as speed goes. The 997s diffently feels faster than my vert. The vert is an automatic with 3.15 gears the P-car is a stick. That is probably why. There is something about the vette, it just feels big to me in comparison. If you like a lot of low end torque you will love the vette, but if you like to feel like your in a go cart that can weeve in and out of lanes you probably won't feel that in the vette. Congrats on either car they are great.

riotgear

Thanks for the link mastif, i read it before making this thread. I also saw your post on the vette boards.

golfman, i test drove a C6 before I bought the base 997 and it felt big to me too. I was hoping the C6 Z06 felt more nimble.

LA Brit

Ha, welcome to my life!

I have no idea, just got to test drive them.

mdrums

So you sold a 997 for Grad school and you are upgrading to a 997 S or Vette Z06? WOW!

Unlike most Porsch guys I really like the Vette. It's all up to you go drive them! A 997S will be easy to find compared to a z06. I might take flak here but the Z06 is faster.

clutchplate

I have a 997S, had a C6 and took a 2006 Z06 belonging to a friend on a long run last week. Here's what I think.

If you're into power, it's no contest. The Z06 wins-game over end of discussion. If your into refinement the 997s easily wins.

While the Z06 isn't bigger, it feels bigger especially from the driver seat. I have to admit I got used to the wide flared fenders when I had my C6 but ergonomically I prefer the sloped front trunk and smaller bulge of the 911's headlights which arc inward toward each other. In the Z06 I feel like I'm leaning backward or pointing uphill, in the Porsche I feel like I'm leaning forward.

From a practical point of view, the Vette wins again with its large rear hatch area which can handle several full sized golf bags. No golf bags for the 997S, you just take another car. In the handling department, both are great. Different but great. The Z06 feels Nascar stiff and goes around anything providing you don't punch it hard and toss the rear end out. (easy to do). The 997 takes a bit more planning as you need to be on the gas and in the correct gear if you're going to get the most out of a corner. I prefer the feel of the 997 but both are a blast.

Even though the suspensions seem to have about the same stiffness, I felt the Z06 had a more comfortable ride because it has significantly softer seats. Note to Porsche, don't soften the suspension to appease the masses, keep it stiff and sporty and soften the seats.

As far as the interior, there's no comparison. The Z06 is pretty embarassing and most entry level Japanese cars have better. Fit and finish-ditto and it gets back to refinement. My C6 doors would swell in hot weather and wouldn't open. Didn't see much diference in the Z06. My 997s is rattle free, the Z06 and my C6 weren't.

In the "soundtrack" department, I much prefer the 997s with PSE. It sounds like a screaming race car at high RPM's while the Z06 even with the baffle fuse removed, sounded subdued. It needs an after market exhaust in my opinion.

Both are head turners but the Z06 gets more attention from men, the 997 gets more from women. (Nice looking women) That's a moot point for me as I'm married, but it's still a fun quality to have.

Which would I rather take to the track? Either. Which would i rather take on a date or to a high school reunion? The 997S. Sorry but it has more class by a pretty good margin IMHO. Still, you can have a lot of fun in either so it just gets down to your priorities.

mastiffdog

Nice write-up Clutchplate, I own both and I'd agree with most of what you said except that I think the interior of the car doesn't deserve such a bad rap. I know I am in the minority on thinking the interior is pretty nice. The seats are comfy, the buttons are in the right place and the set up is tidy.

riotgear

clutchplate, that was definitely the type of feedback I was looking for. Right now I am looking for the most power and performance for under $90k. The Z06 just seems more raw and rough around the edges... perhaps I am looking for a little of incivility right now because I've been driving a Prius for a year and a half!

I put a deposit on a Z06, black on black with dark grey wheels. It just looks "badass". The Z06 isn't refined, whereas the 911 is a car that looks at home on the track and at a dinner party. Perhaps I am looking for a more raw vehicle before I turn 30.

One thing is for sure, in 10 years the 911 will look classic, whereas the more modern lines of the Z06 will not age as well.

OCBen

Hey Riot, long time no see!

Where the hell you've been? ... Oh, I see, grad school. Been there, done that.

It's been easily over a year since I've seen you post. I recall that you had some paint damage as a result of the factory not having installed the clear film protection on the rear panels. And then you sold your car and that was the last we heard from you.

Hope all is well and that you're life is on a better track. Was it B-School for you, as it was for me?

Good luck with your choice here. But if you're interested in my opinion, I'd say stick with a P-car, you can't go wrong there, especially after finishing grad school. You'll want to show how smart you are.

riotgear

Hey OCBen, Good to hear from you! Yeah, it's been well over a year. I've had had my head down in books and work! Didn't go to b-school, but d(design)-school. I know I am asking for it by coming to Rennlist and asking about Corvettes!

How is your 997S doing?

OCBen

Oh yeah, there've been many Vette vs 911 battles fought right here in this very forum. You probably won't get much static as most of the heat from those battles has pretty much dissipated.

My 997S is doing fine. Got about 3500 miles on her. Not driving it much obviously. Got a battery maintainer yesterday to keep the battery on life support til the day I'm able to enjoy that sweet ride again.

Good to hear from you!

JohnnyBahamas

Hey Riot! Good to read that you're still with us. Look, me do Atlas, too! Likey.

Seriously, I bought a C6 Z06 back in January. The most amazing monster motor of all time. Fastest, rumbliest car you can imagine. Just EPIC, EXPLOSIVE acceleration from any speed. Lots of GM widgets. Quality was good enough. Excellent daily drivability and simply AMAZING gas milage. Seriously, the best light weight, two seat, highway rocket ( or 1/4 miler ) available. Period.

1200 miles and then I sold it. Tossing it around the twistie courses lost it for me. Steering feel conveyed nothing about where the tires were on the friction circle. Oversteer was like a sword over my head hanging by a hair. Power assist was WAY too much... like a TownCar. It was late and heavy at turn in. The exhaust note on the heel toe was pathetic, weak, sad, and/or non-existent... though it would ROAR like only a super V8 can when I punched it. The throttle on mine was full of play, too close the the driveline hump, and the visibility was like reclining in a WWII "pill box". The run flats and the monster thick sways broadcast every road dimple into the seat of your pants (and I would have changed those... as soon as tires were available).

Basically, if I wasn't using the INCREDIBLE power to blast forward several time zones, I was questioning what good it really was for me... because I throw mine around the twisties.

And, since selling it the roof panel has flown off. Apparently not enough GLUE. or not the right GLUE. Of course, at the end of the day you have to take your $80K Chevy (after tax and fees) to the Chevy dealer to get Chevy level service. But, I'd have snuck mine into the Cadillac dealer. Also GM, being the geniuses that they are, are already undermining their loyal Z06 customers by building a faster "better" Vette than the Z06 called the "SS", and, they are talking about putting the unique Z06 motor in just about everything in their line up... making it common. Dumb stuff.

By all the standards that make the Z06 great, the C4S I'm driving now is a loser. It costs more and it is slower... and I still can't get enough of the steering feel, the quick/light turn in, the throttle sensitivity, the engine note, the fantastic visibility, the steel beams and panels, yada yada yoda.

I went back to a 911 as fast as possible. Life is too short to compromise just for power. Now, if the corporate goons at GM ever ask the excellent engineers at GM to build them a Z06 Vette that has steering feel, balance, visibility, heel toe engine note, throttle touch, and is unique for more than a year... well, then I'm in!

In advance, I'd like to remind the Corvette faithful that I have owned and driven the C6 Z06, that this is a Porsche forum not the Corvette forum, that Riotgear asked for my opinion, and God Damn I'm still allowed to have any opinion I f-ing come to, and, may God Bless you but if you don't like my opinion - GO POUND SAND.

EDIT - I just read your pic post and that is the way to go, Black on Black (mine was like mastiff dog's), and those are the correct reasons to go there. If you are looking for power, STUNNING RAW POWER, with really good gas milage, the Z06 is the way to go. But, get a deal, get a Caravaggio steering wheel, and as soon as you can put some non-run flat rubber on her. BTW, that Black car is WICKED.

LA Brit

Ha, that's great that you put a deposit down, and SO funny because that very same vette is my desktop background at work! I have a pic from that same series!

My colleague and i are almost sold on the vette, but i need to wait until i move out of my place as i don't have gated parking and am not buying a 75k+ car without it obviously.

Where are you getting your Vette from? MSRP? I am thinking of buying from Kerbeck and driving it cross country back to LA, it sounds nice for next April/May!

My reasons for wanting to go with the vette right now are:

-more unique in West LA anyway,
-great power,
-cheaper maint,
-something i cannot easily get in London,
-cheaper to actually buy,
-i like the idea of driving a fast car slow instead of driving my s2k ***** out - torque baby!
-i have a motorcycle if i want the wind in my hair feeling
-i can borrow my uncle's 997 if i want a porsche for a weekend, and he loves the Vette and would be only too happy!

Josh.

P.S. I reserve the right to change my mind at least 50 times until i actually buy my next car!!!