[SDG23]

Sort of in the same boat, I've considered ordering an M6 ZL1 to replace my M6 SS and I can afford it, I'm just not sure it's worth it. I love my SS, fun to drive and the only place I drive it is on public roads, it's not the fastest car out there but it's fast enough to get you in trouble real quick. It's paid for and again, drives great. I love the looks of the ZL1 and realize it is going to feel more powerful, but looking at the fast list, there's not even a half second difference in the 1/4 mile between a stock SS M6 and a stock ZL1 M6, so my thinking (having never driven a ZL1) is that it feels more powerful but apparently has a hard time putting that power to good use. Faster sure but not that much faster. Doing heads/cam/e85, basically FBO would get me more than stock zl1 power for considerably less money and a car that also weighs less and therefore, would be faster...and sound better. It's really a wants vs. needs type of thing, yeah I want a ZL1 but I'm going to have to want it awfully bad to trade in my SS and still owe ~$40K on something, that I don't need.


I'm also in need of a new daily before long, so having two car payments isn't something I'd swoon after. Plus even in driving the SS I can see why people enjoy lower HP cars that you can drive harder on the streets vs. higher HP cars that you have to really watch what you're doing with. I got pulled over for doing 80 in a 55 for passing some slow guy, go let off with a warning but even with the SS if you want to stretch its legs a bit you're already going fast enough to go to jail. I can only imagine a ZL1 is worse, very few spots where you can really let it scream all the while hoping and praying you don't get caught having fun. Still it doesn't stop me from wanting one

[Jus Cruisin]

Virtually all cars and trucks can break speed limits and are fast enough to easily get reckless driving tickets. I've owned plenty of cars and trucks that were overkill over the years. My 1999 Lightning was faster than the C5 Corvette I also owned at the same time. Here's a couple of other ones....

[HDRDTD]

FWIW, I started out with a 2011 2SS convertible, then GM announced the ZL1, then the ZL1 convertible which I changed to as soon as they came out, and never looked back.

Yes I've had the ZL1 on a track or two as a beginner but that's all.
It's destined to be my forever car. I bought it for my 60th birthday and it puts a grin on my face every time I see it.

For me, heck yea it was worth moving up to the ZL1.

Just knowing that the power/muscle is there, designed from the factory with the performance and capabilities it has even though I don't take full advantage og them, pleases me to no end.

10 years and 54,000 miles later it's still going strong and making me grin every day.

[Schlok]

Originally Posted by SDG23

Sort of in the same boat, I've considered ordering an M6 ZL1 to replace my M6 SS and I can afford it, I'm just not sure it's worth it. I love my SS, fun to drive and the only place I drive it is on public roads, it's not the fastest car out there but it's fast enough to get you in trouble real quick. It's paid for and again, drives great. I love the looks of the ZL1 and realize it is going to feel more powerful, but looking at the fast list, there's not even a half second difference in the 1/4 mile between a stock SS M6 and a stock ZL1 M6, so my thinking (having never driven a ZL1) is that it feels more powerful but apparently has a hard time putting that power to good use. Faster sure but not that much faster. Doing heads/cam/e85, basically FBO would get me more than stock zl1 power for considerably less money and a car that also weighs less and therefore, would be faster...and sound better. It's really a wants vs. needs type of thing, yeah I want a ZL1 but I'm going to have to want it awfully bad to trade in my SS and still owe ~$40K on something, that I don't need.


I'm also in need of a new daily before long, so having two car payments isn't something I'd swoon after. Plus even in driving the SS I can see why people enjoy lower HP cars that you can drive harder on the streets vs. higher HP cars that you have to really watch what you're doing with. I got pulled over for doing 80 in a 55 for passing some slow guy, go let off with a warning but even with the SS if you want to stretch its legs a bit you're already going fast enough to go to jail. I can only imagine a ZL1 is worse, very few spots where you can really let it scream all the while hoping and praying you don't get caught having fun. Still it doesn't stop me from wanting one

Not to derail this but, half a second? What....?! Someone in this forum has run 10.99 STOCK in the 1/4 in their ZL1. That's much faster than a SS can muster...Stock time on the SS is in the low 12s....? A second is a year on the drag strip...You can get nice power from the LT1 but the internals of the engine are not as stout as that of the LT4. Both are great cars and I do agree, the SS is probably more 'street friendly' if you want to be able to hammer on the throttle but the ZL1 is just a pure rocket sled. They are different cars.

[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by Schlok

Not to derail this but, half a second? What....?! Someone in this forum has run 10.99 STOCK in the 1/4 in their ZL1. That's much faster than a SS can muster...Stock time on the SS is in the low 12s....? A second is a year on the drag strip...You can get nice power from the LT1 but the internals of the engine are not as stout as that of the LT4. Both are great cars and I do agree, the SS is probably more 'street friendly' if you want to be able to hammer on the throttle but the ZL1 is just a pure rocket sled. They are different cars.

Yeah, realistically the actual difference is ~1s, although that 10.99 was a hero run never to be duplicated, so we might as well consider a 11.98 for a one-hit wonder SS, too. Both automatics, by the way, M6s can't attain these times, especially the ZL1 (read: bog).

Still, 11s vs 12s is indeed an eternity (corresponding to +200 crank hp and +200 lbs in curb weight).

That said, I keep hearing this "different cars altogether" statement, and while I see why, my car has way more power than a stock SS, too, this is an exaggeration IMO. It still isn't a different car per se, except maybe at WOT or close to it, and even then it's the same car with very similar characteristics but pulling much harder, hope I'm making my point clear. Sure, the ZL1 has the ediff and slightly different tuning, but saying it's a "different car" is a bit over the top.

[raptor5244]

Originally Posted by arpad_m

Yeah, realistically the actual difference is ~1s, although that 10.99 was a hero run never to be duplicated, so we might as well consider a 11.98 for a one-hit wonder SS, too. Both automatics, by the way, M6s can't attain these times, especially the ZL1 (read: bog).

Still, 11s vs 12s is indeed an eternity (corresponding to +200 crank hp and +200 lbs in curb weight).

That said, I keep hearing this "different cars altogether" statement, and while I see why, my car has way more power than a stock SS, too, this is an exaggeration IMO. It still isn't a different car per se, except maybe at WOT or close to it, and even then it's the same car with very similar characteristics but pulling much harder, hope I'm making my point clear. Sure, the ZL1 has the ediff and slightly different tuning, but saying it's a "different car" is a bit over the top.

Agreed. I have owned and SS and ZL1. The main difference with the ZL1 is the highway pull when you can keep your foot in it and let the supercharger and A10 do its magic. With the M6 on the ZL1 you have the taller gearing, which makes it even harder to wind out the gears on the street. You will find your self short shifting and enjoying the low end torque most of time. The SS M6 shorter gearing is a bit more fun on the street.

I felt the ZL1 was less enjoyable to drive at slower speeds with its added weight and heavy steering but it is pretty amazing when you can push the car and explore its limits.

[EDFHOBBIES]

Originally Posted by vexeclipse2007

I will not track the car. With that said is it worth spending the extra 20-25k more for the zl1?

HP only scenario:

I would take a SS add a supercharger but only if If I was never going to mod the ZL1. If you had an A10 SS with even a 2300 blower, Rotofab, TB, headers, LT4 injectors, LT4 pump, and a DSX low side. You would have an edge on the ZL1.

3k Used 2300 blower system
1200 trunk tank reservoir
800 Headers
600 injectors
900 LT4 Pump
550 TB
450 Rotofab
900 DSX low side
400 pump voltage blaster

vs.

20k


M6 scenario:

I would take a M6 SS with no torque table BS over a M6 Zl1 every time especially if I was going to do a build.

[Jaydoubleyou]

I have had both. Nothing compares to this ZL1 (PERIOD)

[Schlok]

Originally Posted by EDFHOBBIES

HP only scenario:

I would take a SS add a supercharger but only if If I was never going to mod the ZL1. If you had an A10 SS with even a 2300 blower, Rotofab, TB, headers, LT4 injectors, LT4 pump, and a DSX low side. You would have an edge on the ZL1.

3k Used 2300 blower system
1200 trunk tank reservoir
800 Headers
600 injectors
900 LT4 Pump
550 TB
450 Rotofab
900 DSX low side
400 pump voltage blaster

vs.

20k


M6 scenario:

I would take a M6 SS with no torque table BS over a M6 Zl1 every time especially if I was going to do a build.

Yeah it probably will come out with a little advantage, the 2.3L blower is a huge difference vs the 1740 on the stock LT4. We were talking about weight advantage of the SS well, now you've just changed that by adding more weight to the car....so that is slowly being eaten away by the modifications. Both cars exist for a reason. Let's not try and think we are 'out engineering' GM's Camaro Team here...because we are not. And if someone thinks they are...I'll happily put you in touch with people at GM and you should immediate start working there for them. Before buying a ZL1 I looked at buying a 1SS or 2SS car and doing a full NA build on the LT1 motor....the cost was going to be outrageous and in the end the drivability would have been poor and the 'living with the car' would have been worse. It would have been an absolute beast but for the street...starting to get out of hand.

[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by Schlok

Yeah it probably will come out with a little advantage, the 2.3L blower is a huge difference vs the 1740 on the stock LT4. We were talking about weight advantage of the SS well, now you've just changed that by adding more weight to the car....so that is slowly being eaten away by the modifications. Both cars exist for a reason. Let's not try and think we are 'out engineering' GM's Camaro Team here...because we are not. And if someone thinks they are...I'll happily put you in touch with people at GM and you should immediate start working there for them. Before buying a ZL1 I looked at buying a 1SS or 2SS car and doing a full NA build on the LT1 motor....the cost was going to be outrageous and in the end the drivability would have been poor and the 'living with the car' would have been worse. It would have been an absolute beast but for the street...starting to get out of hand.

It's a two-way street, the aftermarket doesn't have all the information and (perhaps) engineering talent behind a large automaker, but neither are they bound by the same constraints, be them cost, weight, fuel economy or emissions.

[Schlok]

Originally Posted by arpad_m

It's a two-way street, the aftermarket doesn't have all the information and (perhaps) engineering talent behind a large automaker, but neither are they bound by the same constraints, be them cost, weight, fuel economy or emissions.

100000% agree but I was making this statement from a 'base car vs base car' analogy and once we start modifying cars, we really start having an apples vs oranges comparison on cars. Don't get me wrong, you have a beast of a machine, and even with my 2650 Maggie I am not making that much RWHP. I decided to not upgrade the fueling or add a cam and know I didn't need a 2650 to make the power I'm at but also don't like the idea of murdering the stock blower. I have lots of head room to go up if I want to now. GM does indeed have those constraints you mentioned, they are in a business to make money and also, they can't out due their flagship Corvette with a Camaro....

[MakCamaro]

I had both and I absolutely loved them both! I could afford buying the ZL1 and I loved the idea of having 650 hp under the hood stock. You can't go wrong with either car, they are both an absolute pleasure to drive.

[2SS Capt]

Originally Posted by SDG23

Sort of in the same boat, I've considered ordering an M6 ZL1 to replace my M6 SS and I can afford it, I'm just not sure it's worth it. I love my SS, fun to drive and the only place I drive it is on public roads, it's not the fastest car out there but it's fast enough to get you in trouble real quick. It's paid for and again, drives great. I love the looks of the ZL1 and realize it is going to feel more powerful, but looking at the fast list, there's not even a half second difference in the 1/4 mile between a stock SS M6 and a stock ZL1 M6, so my thinking (having never driven a ZL1) is that it feels more powerful but apparently has a hard time putting that power to good use. Faster sure but not that much faster. Doing heads/cam/e85, basically FBO would get me more than stock zl1 power for considerably less money and a car that also weighs less and therefore, would be faster...and sound better. It's really a wants vs. needs type of thing, yeah I want a ZL1 but I'm going to have to want it awfully bad to trade in my SS and still owe ~$40K on something, that I don't need.


I'm also in need of a new daily before long, so having two car payments isn't something I'd swoon after. Plus even in driving the SS I can see why people enjoy lower HP cars that you can drive harder on the streets vs. higher HP cars that you have to really watch what you're doing with. I got pulled over for doing 80 in a 55 for passing some slow guy, go let off with a warning but even with the SS if you want to stretch its legs a bit you're already going fast enough to go to jail. I can only imagine a ZL1 is worse, very few spots where you can really let it scream all the while hoping and praying you don't get caught having fun. Still it doesn't stop me from wanting one

My thoughts EXACTLY... I could have bought a ZL1 and if I was going to track the car I certainly would have bought a ZL1 (and I LOVE the look of the ZL1 (hood and front end)), but to me it was $20k to get me in a LOT of trouble that much quicker than my SS on public roads... And like was said above, in 0-60 and the 1/4, it is quicker, but definitely not $20k quicker to me... The SS is PLENTY fast on public roads...

[Schlok]

Originally Posted by 2SS Capt

My thoughts EXACTLY... I could have bought a ZL1 and if I was going to track the car I certainly would have bought a ZL1 (and I LOVE the look of the ZL1 (hood and front end)), but to me it was $20k to get me in a LOT of trouble that much quicker than my SS on public roads... And like was said above, in 0-60 and the 1/4, it is quicker, but definitely not $20k quicker to me... The SS is PLENTY fast on public roads...

We could say the same thing for a Civic SI or an EcoBoost Mustang or a 4 Banger Camaro....all modern cars are capable of insane speeds that 'aren't needed' but sometimes the extra power is more fun. I think that's where the ZL1 comes in to some degree. Pretty nice to just 'walk' someone in 6th gear on the highway and watch them attempt to 'floor it' and get nowhere.

I didn't need a ZL1 but I have already had a Gen 5 SS, 2 C7 vettes (one a Z06) a 15 Z/28 so I figured the ZL1 was the next thing to slot into my lineup. I can afford it and decided 'why not?' Everyone needs to balance the want vs need to make it work for them. Does anyone need the Hellcat Super Stock or Redeye Challenger. Nope. Did Dodge know people wanted them? Yep. Just happy that we can have 'such first world problems' to discuss here