The C6 Corvette Z06 Is Now Very Cheap, But Should You Get One?

We featured a Lingenfelter-tuned Corvette Z06 on our supercars under $50,000 series before. However, if the stock 505-horsepower 7.0-liter LS7 V8 isn't enough for you, a C6 Z06 can be snatched up for a lot less than that. The C6 generation Z06 was released as a 2006 model and sold until 2013. The 7.0-liter LS7 was handbuilt and is the most powerful naturally aspirated engine that GM has ever made. The engine was far from the only improvement made on the hardcore Z06. Almost everything was improved over the standard car.

Compared to the normal Corvette, the Z06 featured stiffer anti-roll bars, stiffer springs, a larger rear spoiler and front splitter, transmission cooler, carbon fiber front and fiberglass rear fenders, front and rear brake ducts, lighter wheels, and bigger brakes. Back when it was new, the C6 Z06 cost around $70,000 which was around $25,000 more than a base Corvette. However, on the used market you can now find a C6 Z06 for around $30,000. At less than half of its original price, the Z06 is looking like one of the best used values on the market. Car and Driver recorded a 3.6 second 0-60 mph time and a 11.7 second quarter-mile time at 125 mph. This performance can be yours for the price of a loaded Miata.

So far, the Z06 sounds like a complete bargain, but are there any problems you should know about? After scouring through some Corvette forums, we did find a few common issues that are worth noting. Many of the Z06s that we found were 2006 and 2007 models. You can find newer models, but you may end up paying closer to $40,000 for them. According to forums, early models may suffer from valve spring failure, weak rocker arms and halfshafts, and a few other minor quality issues. GM has come a long way in the past decade with quality control, but back in the mid 2000s, Corvettes didn't have the best reputation for build quality. You will need to keep that in mind with any C6 Corvette.