From ZL1 Vert to C8 Z51 HTC
 

It’s been a while, but finally circling back on my “car” journey this year.

I had a 2020 ZL1 Vert which I decided to sell mid Summer while I waited for my C8. After a 13 month wait things finally got moving in September and I went from 2000 status to taking delivery at an out of state dealer (@MSRP) exactly 1 month later. I got to roll in a visit to my daughter in college, and a glorious 7 hour road trip home. After less than 3 weeks and 1000 miles, she’s put away for the Winter. (And due to the cabin forward proportions it was a close fit).

I loved my Shadow Gray ZL1 M6 Vert. What a car. In the end, storage capacity (specifically Golf Clubs and long guns) became a nagging issue and I decided to move on. The C8 is amazing. No doubt the ZL1 has more power but the C8 is quicker…and I have room for my sunglasses case, lol. I don’t miss rowing the gears…YET, but I’m not one to buy into the DCT is a “manual” jibberish. It’s an AUTO and it snaps off shifts stupid fast but I do love manually rowing the gears. For now, that is a thing of the past. Comparing the C8 to the ZL1 is Apples and Oranges. Totally different cars, from top to bottom. It’s crazy to consider that I can put the hard top down, my large “cart” golf club bag in the trunk, a passenger and still have room in the frunk.

The C8 is an amazing achievement for GM. I’m on the “list” with a top 3 volume dealer for a Z06, but at #580 I’m looking at a 3 year wait…and I’m ok, with that. Considering some of the big dealers have waitlists into the “5,000’s” I’m actually content with a number south of 600.

Cheers!

Nice color choice and congrats!

Lots of people will drop off zo6 lists since price published. I am #19 at a mid-sized dealer and expect a second year car.

MM hasn't updated their list yet since the price has dropped.

I do expect some will drop off, I think even more will drop off when the E-ray gets closer.

I specced mine out and mine is coming out $13K more than my 2022 GT4 as I specced it.

I am 2195 @ MM, but I hope that will be cut in half and I see the Z06 in 2 years after the E-ray drops.

Luckily my GT4 was at MSRP, so I have gained about $20K on it, but lets see where it sits in 2 more years.

I am going 3LZ and Z07 package, but NOT the carbon wheels or any of the interior/exterior "extras" that will make the price climb any higher.

Couldn't agree more on excluding the expensive carbon pieces as the price adds up fast. Color may be the toughest choice.

3 years from now the C8 Z06 will be old news, I don't understand people who are willing to put up with such a waiting list. Then again, they may just want to flip the car, like a significant chunk of Dodge Demon buyers in 2018.

Your comment really makes no sense.

For those who are NOT on a list or are NOT super low on a list, they will be waiting a couple years regardless of if they are on a list or not.

At least being on a list gives you a spot that you can track as you do not know what the future holds.

Regardless, unless you are one of the firsts on a list, or are willing to pay huge ADM, you are touching it for a couple years.

All you have to do is look at the C8 for this fact.

So, what is there to "put up" with? it's not like you can will yourself a Z06

Sorry if I was unclear. My point was that in 3 years the C8 Z06 will be nowhere near as desirable as it is now, there will be better options that (assuming the supply chain recovers somewhat) are more readily available.

I understand it is difficult to obtain and almost everyone needs to wait, but what I meant to say is such a long "latency" makes for an unusual purchase decision. Heck, many people even change their cars every 3 years or less.

Of course this doesn't apply to those who have enough money to buy several sports cars and are okay with waiting years for one while buying and driving another one or more.

Gotcha.

What other cars are in the pipeline with these performance levels that will be readily avail.?

The only one I can think of that is coming soon is the Lotus Emira, but that is not at the same level. It isn't even at the same level as the GT4 (at least in acceleration)

But that's the point, 3 years from now means MY 2025 or 2026, there can be many new choices by then (even though development pipelines are long, I am not privy to confidential details about future cars).

Depending on how wide someone's interest is, there are upcoming hybrid cars, even a new Mustang, plus there's already a new Supra, coming up is Dodge's farewell edition Hellcat, the new BMW M3/4/6 and of course by 2025 I'm sure gm will already announce and/or release a 1000-hp C8 Zora.

Finally, I will admit that the C8 does nothing for me personally, it's a nice car but its personality is now ambiguous, it feels too much a wannabe Ferrari—which is kind of okay when it costs $60k, but at $150k+ one might as well stretch a bit farther and get the real thing secondhand instead. This, of course, is just my personal, subjective opinion.

I would not want a second hand exotic unless you have very deep pockets. They can be a nightmare and the cost of entry is just the beginning.

I would rather have a full MFG. warranty with a brand new car.

The other cars you listed (most anyways) aren't track cars, they are more GT cars. The Z06 is directly aimed at the track crowd and those that want the ultimate performance with as low of a weight as possible. While the Z06 has gained some weight , the other cars listed are much heavier.

Not bashing, just saying, the Z06 offers something special that isn't easily filled by anything else price wise (when you take the big picture and total cost of ownership).

It will make my GT4 feel like a Miata toy and for just a tad more in cost. I have no issue with the Ferrari looks, copying something that is good, is ok by me, no shame in that, unless you can more about imagine than the actual driving and looks. Hell yeah, I will take a Ferrari looking thing at GM money, no pride lost on me.

You're making valid points. I also see that you are obviously coming at this from a strongly track focused perspective, which I do not share and that is obviously showing through my sampling of upcoming cars. For this primary purpose (of track driving) the Z06 may indeed be worth waiting years for.

Good thing we aren't all the same. Thanks TRZ06, this has been quite an enjoyable discussion.

Very nice car! I'm not a convertible guy, but if I was to consider one it would be a HTC. Corvette did a great job with the C8 HTC.

Nice Vette and love your garage.