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2015 Z28

Angrey

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My daily is a 20/F550, extra cab, with a 12’ contractor bed. The only view out of the back is from the backup camera I installed. It‘s all relative. Lol.
I slept on cheap mattresses for half my life. Then I discovered how much a difference a quality mattress makes. Anyone can get used to virtually anything. There's people that still live in California. I swear half of them just don't know any better.
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Tractor Junk

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My interest in the Z28 isn’t about what’s faster. For me it‘s about the raw experience of the car and what it represents for when it was produced and it’s an end of an era. I liked the Zl, its a really nice car. But not an apples to apples. If you want to compare a Zl1 to anything, compare it to a Gt500. That’s its apples to apples comparison. I would never compare, in a true comparison, a supercharged car to a non. Power can make up for lots of flaws in handling. I’m not knocking the Zl1 at all, its a really cool car. What the appeal was in a 350 to me is you still have to drive the car, just like the Z/28, as opposed to point and mash the pedal. For the 500 guys don’t take that as an insult to the car, its not. I’m sure the point makes sense.
I share this perspective, especially with the "end of an era" coming for analog internal combustion enthusiast cars. As much as I like my iPhone, I don't want to drive the equivalent of one.

The 2005 Elise (no drive by wire) and 1996 Viper GTS (no ABS) fit this category too, and are on my radar.
 

BierGut

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My interest in the Z28 isn’t about what’s faster. For me it‘s about the raw experience of the car and what it represents for when it was produced and it’s an end of an era.
I hear you -- amazing how fast a thread can go off topic with "what's faster/it'll crush it" type BS.

If you're interest is in a special car with a TON of character and VERY limited production than the Z/28 is for you. This is no pronouncement on what is faster, etc... it's simple -- the Z./28 is as much a driver's car as the GT350. And as a side note; the ZL1 1LE while faster (much), does not provide the driving experience (raw and analog) the Z/28 does -- and that's first hand ownership experience. I believe that's what the OP is interested in.
 

Bulldogs22

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Agree with the comment above. The Z/28 and GT350 are both unique in their own way and would love to own a Z/28. This is the last LS7 application GM ever used. If you have ever heard an LS7 in person with a proper cam, msd intake, and exhaust setup it is something to behold. Both have pros and cons but nothing will ever be made like these two again.
 

Strokerswild

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Idaho2018GTPremium

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My interest in the Z28 isn’t about what’s faster. For me it‘s about the raw experience of the car and what it represents for when it was produced and it’s an end of an era. I liked the Zl, its a really nice car. But not an apples to apples. If you want to compare a Zl1 to anything, compare it to a Gt500. That’s its apples to apples comparison. I would never compare, in a true comparison, a supercharged car to a non. Power can make up for lots of flaws in handling. I’m not knocking the Zl1 at all, its a really cool car. What the appeal was in a 350 to me is you still have to drive the car, just like the Z/28, as opposed to point and mash the pedal. For the 500 guys don’t take that as an insult to the car, its not. I’m sure the point makes sense.
That makes sense and I get it. I also agree the ZL1 is a more direct competitor to the GT500 but the ZL1 is certainly not just mash the pedal and go; its chassis is extremely sophisticated and agile for 3,900 lbs. I bought a '21 ZL1 in part (well, one of many reasons) because similar to you, I see it as the last gen of a dying breed: The last and greatest high-powered ICE only super pony cars that can handle like a well sorted sports car, along with the current gen GT500 (and Hellcats if you don't count the handling aspect, anyway).

I hope to hang onto my ZL1 for many decades to come (and hope gas and other maintenance items aren't prohibitively expensive in 15+ years so I can still drive it well into the future).
 
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Inthehighdesert

Inthehighdesert

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I completely get it. If I could only have one I would probably go with a Gt500, or a zL1 in your case. I’m not a european car guy per se, don’t get me wrong I can absolutely appreciate them. I grew up with the pony cars so there just special to me, even GM’s. My justification is I was going to pull the trigger on a Gt3 RS a friend had, but decided the car really wasn’t me. Car is stunning. I’m not that polished and sophisticated, so I thought adding a Z/28 and a 500 is more up my alley. And random, my buddy gets frick’n giddy every time he see’s my Heritage R. Cracks me up. He’s a nostalgia guy through and through. He has an original Cobra as well.


That makes sense and I get it. I also agree the ZL1 is a more direct competitor to the GT500 but the ZL1 is certainly not just mash the pedal and go; its chassis is extremely sophisticated and agile for 3,900 lbs. I bought a '21 ZL1 in part (well, one of many reasons) because similar to you, I see it as the last gen of a dying breed: The last and greatest high-powered ICE only super pony cars that can handle like a well sorted sports car, along with the current gen GT500 (and Hellcats if you don't count the handling aspect, anyway).

I hope to hang onto my ZL1 for many decades to come (and hope gas and other maintenance items aren't prohibitively expensive in 15+ years so I can still drive it well into the future).
 

Hack

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I think a Z/28 would be a lot of fun to own. I did research the LS7 when I was looking at Corvettes and I wouldn't want to own one of the 2005-2013 Z06 Corvettes due to the intake valve problems that engine had. My assumption is that GM fixed those issues before using the LS7 in the Z.

But I would definitely investigate that prior to buying.
 

BierGut

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I think a Z/28 would be a lot of fun to own. I did research the LS7 when I was looking at Corvettes and I wouldn't want to own one of the 2005-2013 Z06 Corvettes due to the intake valve problems that engine had. My assumption is that GM fixed those issues before using the LS7 in the Z.

But I would definitely investigate that prior to buying.
Good point: This was a source of countless threads on the Z/28 board. The consensus was 50/50 on whether GM addressed the "valve guide" issue on the late LS7s. Many of the guys posted they definitely found movement when checked. Katech, pretty much the aftermarket authority, warned it was still an issue and is adamant it needs to be addressed. The good news -- doing the heads on the LS7 is no big deal, not really what I would call expensive, and there are many options from mild to wild.

I never had any noise with my car and therefore never addressed. If I had kept and considered a different cam I would have had the heads done -- for sure.
 
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gmuffley

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I think a Z/28 would be a lot of fun to own. I did research the LS7 when I was looking at Corvettes and I wouldn't want to own one of the 2005-2013 Z06 Corvettes due to the intake valve problems that engine had. My assumption is that GM fixed those issues before using the LS7 in the Z.

But I would definitely investigate that prior to buying.
As a former C6Z06 owner, I was very frustrated that GM would not acknowledge the valve guide issue. Mine were shot at 14K miles. I doubt the issue disappeared with the Z28.
 

Hack

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Good point: This was a source of countless threads on the Z/28 board. The consensus was 50/50 on whether GM addressed the "valve stem" issue on the late LS7s. Many of the guys posted they definitely found movement when checked. Katech, pretty much the aftermarket authority, warned it was still an issue and is adamant it needs to be addressed. The good news -- doing the heads on the LS7 is no big deal, not really what I would call expensive, and there are many options from mild to wild.

I never had any noise with my car and therefore never addressed. If I had kept and considered a different cam I would have had the heads done -- for sure.
I agree reworking or replacing heads in a pushrod V8 isn't a terrible job. However I didn't find anything that really convinced me there was a 100% solution to the issue, either. It could be chalked up to "you play you gotta pay" - meaning that most higher power engines are going to be less reliable than something you find in an average sedan.

It's nice that it's a known issue that can be checked vs. some other engines that might have an issue but the issue is not easy to diagnose.
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