Hi all:

I am considering the purchase of a 07 tt, and getting rid of my 07 z06 ive owned for 15k miles and 2 years.

I like the z alot. I just think its a great time to buy a turbo.

Does anyone that owned both have any valuable input or comparisons?

Ive driven a 996tt but not a 997.

thanks in advance

jack

 

i think i can help you-i own a 997tt, i owned a c6 vette (08) and i have driven a z06 on various occasions. a z06, i think, is more comparable to a gt3 than a twin turbo-to me, they both seem like track cars. a turbo is much different than a z06-the z06 has more of the hard edged v8 big muscle character to it-the turbo is more refined than the z06. obviously, you cannot compare the fit and finish of the tirbo to a z06-they just aren't in the same league, but then again, the turbo cost greater than 50k more, so you would expect it to be more refined. i loved the vette for what it was-for the price, you can't beat it. good luck looking for the turbo

 

Im not that down on the fit/finish of the vette. The fact that the tt is that much nicer is a bonus.

I wonder if the turbos refined feel will be a negative for me. I really like how the vette clutch is so stiff/heavy. The turbo I did drive I had to be careful not to stall, almost as if I didnt know how to drive stick.

I tend to drive the crud out of my cars, so it wont be a garage queen, I just question if Ill be happy with the change.

 

I have been interested in both cars for some time now, but am now leaning 99.999% towards the 997TT. I realize there is a huge price difference, but I tend to keep my cars for a very long time, so I can somehow justify the price difference to myself. From my heart, I certainly get a lot more excited about a Porsche than I do about a Vette (I've also been a long-time Vette owner).

Let's turn this question around - has anyone started off with a 997TT and been disappointed and sold the car to buy a Z06? I'm just curious if that happens.

Thanks,

Andy

 

lumber, the clutch on a TT is in the German style. That is, it engages high and rather sharply. I know it took me some time to get used to on my first German auto after decades of american and japanese cars. But after you get the hang of it, all other clutches seem "loosey-goosey" and imprecise.

 

i'll tell you-you bring up a good point as to whether you will be happy going from the z06 to the turbo. the z06 quenches a whole different need then the turbo. it is like having a harley davidson and a bmw bike-totally different experience. the bmw is technically superior, but the harley takes care of the visceral needs that you have. i personally really like the vettes (c6, z06) but i am not a millioaire, so if i am going to get a sports car, i need one that will get me to work in bad weather, take care of my nice interior needs, have a fast great handling car, etc-the turbo works well for me. if you are looking for a razor sharp handling track car that is as fast as hell, then you couldn't do better than a z06, unless you had the money to spend on a gt3. what i am saying is that it is possible that as good as the turbo is, it is possible that it won't fill all of the needs that the z06 quenched. your question is a good one.

 

Yes, thats my concern. Its almost as if the turbo might be too nice/refined.

But in the same breath, Im ready for change. I dont think there is anything out there to go to next than a tt.

I sense a lot of people that go through cars frequently have the same concerns. I know deep down there is no reason to get rid of the z06 save for the fact Im a sick person with some type of car-a d d.

It sounds like Im going to be making a lateral move here. Which is fine.

 

look, ihave the same car disease that you have. worse come to worse, you pick up a nice 997tt for the right price, and you will enjoy the car and the technology that it brings with it. the used ones that are low mile examples are selling for a good dollar-i have seen the 07's with 6000 miles for 109k. initially, when i went to pick up a turbo, that was my plan, but when i realised that i would be paying a pretty penny, i decided to buy a new 09, which takes advantage of all the 09 goodies (touch screen, ventilated seats, bluetooth, xm, etc). i live in the northeast, so i put 4 winter tires on it, and i am set for all waether conditions in the winter, something a z06 just won't do. go get the turbo, you will enjoy it-if you really miss the z06, my advice would be to pick up a used c6 for 30+grand-now you are talking-what i mean is to keep both the turbo and the c6, if you see the need for it because you miss the vette. i personally think that a c6, for the small amount that you pay for it, gives you the best performance for the dollar that you can get. what would be wrong with that? a turbo and a c6?

 

I have owned 16 vettes in my life my last was an 04 Z06 rode like a lumber wagon & the road noise was awful..Finally sprung for a turbo 996 & only regret not doing it sooner. Every time I thought about a Porsche the prices would drive me into buying another vette. Finally I said screw it & took the plunge & haven't looked back since. My next wish is to find a 997 turbo Black/Black tiptronic with low miles . I'm ready now so if anyone has any leads let me know.

 

I can give you my personal experience. I went from an '08 Z06 (which I put approximately 9k miles on in the eight months that I owned it, I purchased it brand new) to an '08 997tt. The Z06 was a fun car no doubt. The porsche feels more solid, refined and "classy", but stills has some edge to it. The Z06 was fast but I knew after several months it was a car I would not keep, on the other hand the Turbo is a car I see myself keeping for a very long time. There is something about the turbo thats is more exciting, it is a little hard to explain. The turbo has tremendous torque especially in sport mode and there is just something about feeling and hearing the turbos spool and that sudden rush of acceleration that is very addicting. Appearance is a personal thing, but I do like the appearance of the turbo better than the vette. I drive my Porsche daily and take it to DE events. It is an incredible performer. The Turbo was a great deal more enjoyable to drive on the track (and on the street for that matter) than the vette for me. With the vette you were always conscious of the rear end coming out but the Turbo's awd makes that much less of an issue. One of the big things for me was the fact that the 997TT comes with the GT1 based engine. That is no small thing for me. There are no restrictions on tires or how many G's are safe etc. with the Porsche. This sounds hugely one sided and that is because the turbo elicits that kind of "emotion". I have not regretted the change to the Turbo in anyway. I look forward to hearing what you decide.

 

I have a buddy that did something similar with the same opinion as yours.

He went from a Viper to 997tt.

 

I also agree with what everyone has to say here. The Z06 deserves much credit as it is a phenomenal performance car. I think the fit/finish argument is something that porsche owners (myself included) throw out there because it means a lot to most avid car enthusiasts. I just remember checking out a new Z06 at a car show here in Orlando a few years ago, and the plastic door sill on the display model was already peeling off because so many people were getting in and out of it. I thought to myself, I know this thing is a great performance car, but cmon Chevy!! You won't have any issues like that with a 997TT, and as we already said, you had better not for such a large price difference.

Also keep in mind that a 997TT can be modded according to your tastes overtime much easier than a Z06 can. Sure you can slap an exhaust on there, but minus a huge job like adding a supercharger, a Z06 is going to stay about the same. With such a strong turbo engine like the 997tt, you can get huge straight line power gains from simple bolt-ons and ecu upgrades. Or you can leave the engine bone stock and tweak the suspension if you want sharper track handling. The possibilities and combinations are endless!

 

I had an '06 Z06 for a few years. Drove it on the street and tracked it heavily. I'm also fortunate enough to have a 997TT (never tracked seriously) and a 997 GT3 (tracked heavily). All are great cars. For a pure street car, I'd probably vote for the 997TT; the 4WD is great for driving in crappy weather. The power is great for straight-line acceleration. It's a fun car to drive, there's a back seat for any miniature people you might know, and all in all it's solid and comfortable.

If you're looking for more track use, Z06 and GT3 win hands down over the TT. Personally I love both the Z06 and GT3 on the street as well, they're just not as adaptable as the TT to bad weather, bad roads, etc. Some people might also complain about the firmer ride (but I wouldn't be one of those people ). I always thought the fit/finish of the Z06 was fine, and I never had a problem with the car. And the Z06 is very easy to modify. Headers and a computer tune will probably get you 50HP (and an equal boost in torque) for less than $2K. You can go deeper and modify the heads and cam to easily pick up 100+ HP. And a Z06 with decent tires will generally outrun a GT3 on most tracks. Having said that, though, of the 3, the GT3 is far and away my favorite!

Anyhow, to the OP, I know the question was about replacing the Z with a TT. I'd say if it's solely a street car, or maybe just has very light track use, it's a good move to make. If you want something you can push more on the track, stick with the Z06 or go for a GT3. Hope that helps at least a little bit....

 

thanks to all the responses so far....

I would also question the reliability/ease of service of the tt.

The reason being my z06 motor let go on a road course at 7k miles. (broken valve stem.)

I had it towed to my local, rural, chevy dealer who I know well, and in 2 weeks they had me back on the road with a new engine.

Does anyone worry about the turbo when it comes to service or the dealer standing behind the product.

( I dont track my car often, 2-4 times a year)

jack

 

-also, while im at it- can you fit golf clubs- hockey bag/sticks in the turbo?