FR-S vs. C6 Vette?

[Jond63]

I apologize if this has been covered, but I've searched and couldn't find any threads...

Anyway, I am interested in hearing from those who own or have driven both extensively. I love my FR-S, but I've always wanted a Vette. On my way to work I followed a beautiful burgundy targa and it got my lusts all going again.

He seems really tentative driving his in the wet, so maybe it is not as confidence inspiring as the FR-S? How about in corners? Fun or more isolated feeling?

I know the power difference is a lot, and one reason I resist test driving is that the power and sound will get me to sign before I even get my emotional head around the handling part.

This would be for DD and occasional track/auto-x duty. Consumables on the Vette may cause it to be even more occasional.

I am interested to hear thoughts, thanks.

[swarb]

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=25

[strat61caster]

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30565

[Borrowed Time]

Been there, done that, wouldn't go back. They are fast but once you reach the speed limit, it all gets kind of boring. It happens quickly too. Now if you could go 100 mph for long distances, or their are no speed limits and other drivers, then maybe but the reality is that it's a little too much for the U.S. Highways and you are always looking for cops and they seem to be always looking for you. The cost of replacement tires just kind of did me in.

[Jond63]

Ok, thanks for the links -- I guess instead of using search I simply should have looked in the correct section.

[Jond63]

Originally Posted by Borrowed Time

Been there, done that, wouldn't go back. They are fast but once you reach the speed limit, it all gets kind of boring. It happens quickly too. Now if you could go 100 mph for long distances, or their are no speed limits and other drivers, then maybe but the reality is that it's a little too much for the U.S. Highways and you are always looking for cops and they seem to be always looking for you. The cost of replacement tires just kind of did me in.

Thanks BT -- what you say totally makes sense. Years ago I had an M3 and it was the same way. Very sedate at 'normal' speeds, but once you broke 80mph and headed toward 100mph+ it got real fun. Once I realized I could easily kill myself or someone else that way the fun went away real quick.

[Reaper]

I debated this as well. Instead I opted to build an frs vs owning a stock c6. My hobby is building cars with my wife in the driveway more than it is about tracking them. I wouldn't be able to do much with a c6. You can search my build thread for my frs. The consumables were the second biggest reason. Look up the price difference between hankook ventus in 17s vs the 335 mpss or whatever comes on the vette. Even with my ap sprint bbk my pads and rotors are cheaper by far. And I go through them less often. I did end up running a gtx28 to its max though. 460whp and other than the damn transmission I'm pretty happy and have made some c6 and c7 owners pretty sad.

[gdrider77]

My last sports car was a c6 vette. Bought new off the lot. Put around 1800 miles on it then sold it, think i took around a $20k loss on it. Just not the car for me. Yes, it had alot of power stock, but at high speeds felt scary, not planted. Did not like how it felt over 120mph.

I now have an 86, and can say its great. I enjoy working on the car, and enjoy diriving it as well. Consumables on the 86 are soooo much cheaper than the c6. Even with the $20k i have put into my 86, consumables and parts, etc.. are still way cheaper. I feel much better about working on the 86, tracking it, etc...

As @Reaper mentioned, just tires on the c6 were crazy expensive!! I remember looking once, i think they were like $800 or so a single tire! 19" run flats.

Stick with the 86, if you really want/need the power, try getting a ride in a boosted 86, that should help you with that problem. Then just boost your 86 and be done. Keep i mind, none of these are my daily driver, so if thats the case for you, then that might change what is best, but even if this was my daily, i would rather drive it than the vette.

[FRSBRZGT86FAN]

Originally Posted by gdrider77

My last sports car was a c6 vette. Bought new off the lot. Put around 1800 miles on it then sold it, think i took around a $20k loss on it. Just not the car for me. Yes, it had alot of power stock, but at high speeds felt scary, not planted. Did not like how it felt over 120mph.

I now have an 86, and can say its great. I enjoy working on the car, and enjoy diriving it as well. Consumables on the 86 are soooo much cheaper than the c6. Even with the $20k i have put into my 86, consumables and parts, etc.. are still way cheaper. I feel much better about working on the 86, tracking it, etc...

As @Reaper mentioned, just tires on the c6 were crazy expensive!! I remember looking once, i think they were like $800 or so a single tire! 19" run flats.

Stick with the 86, if you really want/need the power, try getting a ride in a boosted 86, that should help you with that problem. Then just boost your 86 and be done. Keep i mind, none of these are my daily driver, so if thats the case for you, then that might change what is best, but even if this was my daily, i would rather drive it than the vette.

Sorry to chime in on the price my friend bought bridgestone potenzas for his C6 and he swear he couldn't find tires less than $750 the tires on that thing are so pricey it's ridiculous all those W and Y rated tires are so pricey for a reason I guess.

[Model Citizen]

Originally Posted by FRSBRZGT86FAN

Sorry to chime in on the price my friend bought bridgestone potenzas for his C6 and he swear he couldn't find tires less than $750 the tires on that thing are so pricey it's ridiculous all those W and Y rated tires are so pricey for a reason I guess.

I inherited a c5. First thing to go were the oe run flats. They are trash and make the car worse. Ditching the oe tires like this car us a given for anyone interested in performance.

A set of mpss for the c5 ran about 1k. Still not great track/autox. But fantastic on legal roads.

[Dr Speed]

I drive something similar to the Vette and I am actually looking for a better balance of vehicle.

Something with warranty that isnt so wild, that I can take on long road trip and drive it any day of the week that I want when the weather is nice. (Enter the GT86 maybe?)

Good luck with your decision. I'm at an age where I could be content with 2XXhp vehicle that is still fun and unique. I don't think a Vette is a long term DD vehicle though, it can be hard to keep your foot out of it, and even if you refute that, just wiggling your toe in 4XXhp or 5XXhp vehicle can get you in a ton of trouble.

[Twin4Life]

$750-$800 PER tire? C'mon? My friend has a C6 Zo6 that is driven only at the track at Sebring, he has Michelin Pilot Sports, max $450 a tire. And thats arguably the BEST street legal/track tire out there.

[Reaper]

It's because when you look up "replacement" tires the run flats pop up and they are crazy expensive and scare people off. Non run flats for the car are better price wise but still an expensive size. Some of the commented prices are a little high.
But either way in an oh shit life changing situation I could probably put 50$ a tire walmart specials on and get me to and from work(or some prius/corolla/camry/scion TC take offs). I don't think they make anything budget friendly in the vettes size if I found myself burning through a pile of tires. But that's a silly "what if" reason to chose a car.

[strat61caster]

Pilot Super Sports for a performance package C6 ~$1k plus shipping plus mounting:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....ling%20Package


Pilot Super Sports for a Toyobaru in OEM size ~$540 plus shipping and mounting:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....S&autoModClar=

And not much more expensive for the sticky stuff: Dunlop ZII, Bridgestone RE11A both come in around $600 for a set in the OEM size, hell you could pick up a set of dedicated track rubber (Hoosier A6/R6) for the price of those Pilot Super Sports on the C6. Not to mention the handful of good tires in the ~$100 range from Continental, Hankook and Sumitomo. AAANND don't forget with less power and less weight the Toyobaru is not as hard on tires as a Corvette will be, for rubber that's actually being used at it's limit heat cycles do more damage than miles and the Toyobaru will put less energy into it's rubber than the Corvette.

Gotta pay to play and for a modern car, the Toyobaru is pretty cheap for what it can bring to the track. Just because you don't pay high-end sports car prices to get into a car doesn't mean you won't be paying high-end sports car prices to keep it on the road.