[freakystyly]

The body panels themselves are a fiberglass composite.. A motortrend article said the C5 has balsa wood in the floor?

[RobC2]

My Dad had a C5 and I had a C6, not Z06s though. I have had a bunch of Miatas, and I would definitely lean that way for autocross. A 20 year old GM and a new Mazda are going to be worlds apart with regards to reliability. The only ND issue was some transmission problems with the earlier cars that seems to be mostly sorted. You can list out all the pros and cons of each, but these cars are so different, I think test drives in both would settle the matter pretty quickly.

[LuvMyE92]

Originally Posted by freakystyly

The body panels themselves are a fiberglass composite.. A motortrend article said the C5 has balsa wood in the floor?

I think that's true for all Corvettes, starting with the C5, as I guess laying and molding fiberglass is rather expensive.

True that parts of the floor (think laminate) were balsa, and as Dave mentioned on page 1, they went to a lot of trouble to lighten up the Z06.

[OkieSnuffBox]

Originally Posted by RobC2

My Dad had a C5 and I had a C6, not Z06s though. I have had a bunch of Miatas, and I would definitely lean that way for autocross. A 20 year old GM and a new Mazda are going to be worlds apart with regards to reliability. The only ND issue was some transmission problems with the earlier cars that seems to be mostly sorted. You can list out all the pros and cons of each, but these cars are so different, I think test drives in both would settle the matter pretty quickly.

And the trans problems were mostly (not all) for hardcore track guys and MX5 series (where they have gone to an aftermarket sequential for durability).

And Flyin' Miata offers bolts to strengthen the transmission case and a transmission cooler that are supposed to really increase the durability of the box.

One of the ways they got the ND so light was reduced fluid capacity. The engine/trans/diff all need coolers for serious track work, especially in hotter (and high altitude) climates.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

I'd definitely sit in both to get a feel for them, also need to understand if AX is the main priority or if back road hustling is also a consideration. I do suspect the CHevy will lead down an endless path of mods to try and correct the suspension etc.

I'm 6' 1" 175lbs with 34" inseam and just fit in the ND2 RF. The ND2 is nice because it has a telescoping steering wheel. I've got about 1.5" of headroom. There is also a kit to lower the seat about about 1.5".

Based on everything I've read so far, the stock Z06 suspension with a very mild drop and some present day tires is more than capable with no other work. The 03/04 Z06s have revised shock tuning which made for a better ride and handing.

Any reason a 2015-17 PP2 Mustang is off the table?

That generation Stang is basically a heavier and larger version of my M235 which I'm keeping. I'm not a fan of the Coyote either. I appreciate the power and revs of that motor, but it has way too much chainsaw sound track. If I got a Stang, it would be a 1990-1993 LX notchback. That's the 5.0 sound I love and I drove those all through college back in the mid 1990s.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by mikado463

couple more things to be aware of ........

C5 ZO6's (like all C5's) have had steering column lock issues, be sure to check that the fix/recall has been done.

You mentioned 03/04 model years, there was a known valve spring issue in later 02 and early 03 builds. If the replacement work hasn't been done, govern yourself accordingly.

Yep, the steering lock is common and an easy fix.

I'd check the valve springs if I got a 2003. If they haven't been updated, I'll swap better one in.

The 04 Vettes have different fuel tanks which had cracking issues thus got 10 year extended warranties. They're all expired now. A tank replacement is $2K+. They don't make the tank anymore, but the C6 tank can be fitted.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by Equilibrandt

When comparing the two, be careful falling into the power difference. If you want more power out of your Miata, it HAS to be an ND1.

ND1: > 2018, 2.0L making 155 hp, can be BBR Turbo (and a few others) or Edelbrock SC up to ~225 hp.
ND2: < 2019, 2.0L making 181 hp, currently has NO forced induction options as the ECU was just recently cracked and there are some big fueling issues preventing FI that haven't been resolved yet.

Yeah, the power/acceleration difference between a C5 Z06 and ND2 Miata RF is massive. I'm not overly concerned about power since my M235 is already quite fast and I can't use all that power on the street anyway. The Z06 and my M235 are basically equals power to weight ratio wise. Both will do ~115mph in the 1/4 mile. The ND2 RF Miata 6MT is a mid/low-14 second 96mph car and is as quick as my prior modded 1996 Maxima, my slightly modded 2003 G35 sedan, or my 1994 Z28 auto when stock. Collectively, I was happy driving those cars for over 15 years. Low/mid 14 second cars can we quite fun on the street.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by 5.M0NSTER

Did you say the Z would be just as fast as your 235? I would expect the Z to be much quicker, particularly in the higher rev/speed range.

In stock form, an M235 6MT is a ~13.4@107mph car per the mags. A 02-04 Z06 is a 12.4@115mph car. My M235 is making around 70whp/wtq more than stock across the entire powerband. It's power to weight ratio is right around that of a stock F8X M2/M3/M4. Per the timeslips on this forum, my M235 should be in the 114-116mph 1/4 mile trap speed range. I think the Z06 would put the power down better in 1st, thus probably a slightly quicker 1/4 mile car on street tires. But both cars would likely have very similar trap speeds. It's hard to say which one might be faster at higher speeds. They have similar CDs and power curves.

Give the better throttle response, deeper gearing, and lack of refinement/isolation, I would imagine the Z06 feels faster and quicker by the seat of the pants.

[tranquility]

Pretty extreme choices. For me, it's a no brainer, I like new cars and have never been a 'balls to the wall' kinda guy, preferring lighter weight and handling above break-neck straight-line speed. ND2 for sure.

[stein_325i]

As a Miata owner, I'm gonna argue for my team. Cheap, fun, stylish, surprisingly comfortable, a fantastic manual transmission, large community, tons of accessible mods, etc., there's a reason people say Miata is always the answer. That being said, while the RF looks great, I'd go with the soft-top model, much more enjoyable on a nice day and less weight. The Miata will also be great for your 17-year old, my youngest loves driving my NB, the Z06 will definitely be too intimidating for someone with less experience.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by RobC2

My Dad had a C5 and I had a C6, not Z06s though. I have had a bunch of Miatas, and I would definitely lean that way for autocross. A 20 year old GM and a new Mazda are going to be worlds apart with regards to reliability. The only ND issue was some transmission problems with the earlier cars that seems to be mostly sorted. You can list out all the pros and cons of each, but these cars are so different, I think test drives in both would settle the matter pretty quickly.

^AND that's the dilemma.

I've driven the ND1 Miata RF. It's very good. I would imagine with the newer motor and more power, it's even better at higher speeds. It would also sound and rev better too.

I have not driven a Z06, but I am absolutely certain that I would love it, especially since I gravitate towards and miss driving cars engineered in the 1990s.

The Z06 is arguably the cooler car. It is a classic and a beast with higher limits than my personnel skills can likely exploit even on a track. The Miata is the safe bet, it's reliable, and a precision tool.

With that said, I LOVE working on and maintaining cars. The Z06 would definitely need more of that. The Miata might be a boring from that aspect. The Z06 could also be a reliability disaster

[mikado463]

Originally Posted by XutvJet

^AND that's the dilemma.

I've driven the ND1 Miata RF. It's very good. I would imagine with the newer motor and more power, it's even better at higher speeds. It would also sound and rev better too.

I have not driven a Z06, but I am absolutely certain that I would love it, especially since I gravitate towards and miss driving cars engineered in the 1990s.

The Z06 is arguably the cooler car. It is a classic and a beast with higher limits than my personnel skills can likely exploit even on a track. The Miata is the safe bet, it's reliable, and a precision tool.

With that said, I LOVE working on and maintaining cars. The Z06 would definitely need more of that. The Miata might be a boring from that aspect. The Z06 could also be a reliability disaster

All good points but as a Corvette owner for the past 45 plus years and a current ZO6 and '67 BB owner I can state without question that the word 'could' that you used in your last sentence is correct ! But not necessarily, if one knows what to look for, questions to ask when making a buying decision.

With regards to maintenance, it's a Chevy !!! Yes it's 20 years old and with that being said how many other cars of it's generation can you get into today at it's entry price, along with anticipated down the road expenses that are capable of competing with current offerings ?

FWIW, in the realm of the Miata class I'd take a last generation Honda S2000 any day. Shame Honda quit making that little beauty, arguably the smoothest shifting car ever.

[OkieSnuffBox]

Originally Posted by mikado463

FWIW, in the realm of the Miata class I'd take a last generation Honda S2000 any day. Shame Honda quit making that little beauty, arguably the smoothest shifting car ever.

Yeah, a lot of people would. But the price for a clean, low mileage SP2 is pretty insane.

Like well north of $30k for a clean, low mileage unmolested one.

[XutvJet]

I test drove a 2021 Miata RF over the weekend for over an hour. I'm 6' 1" 175lbs with 34" inseam and just fit in the ND2 RF. However, over time, I felt too confined as the seating position for me was very upright because I was as far back as I could go. I know I could do a seat rail lowering kit, but it doesn't help me much on the upright position. The driving position is great for sporting driving, but there's no way I could tolerate being that upright for over an hour.

The RF is fun an hell to drive, but I was a bit underwhelmed by the power. It's very linear with no drama and absolutely no torque shove. I was expecting at least induction noise and drama from 5000-7500rpm, but there's nothing. The M235 has corrupted me. I need some torque.

Now I'm looking to test drive a C5 Z06.

[Alfisti]

175? FML.

[PittsDriver]

I was surprised to see that Mazda sold roughly 2x as many RF models as the soft top. No doubt it's a pretty great looking car but if the RF was the only model they made I wouldn't have one. I bought it for the full drop top experience and unless there's weather falling from the sky or the temp is below 40 degrees, the top is down on mine. And sometimes, if it's a short trip, I'll drop the top at lower temps and turn on the heated seats and heat.

I personally think, if the car fits you as well as it fits me at 5'10", that the Miata is a more comfortable car to be in all day than the Vette. I've just returned from an 1,800 mile trip down the full length of the Blue Ridge Parkway, all over the best roads around Tail of the Dragon in Tennessee, N. Georgia, and Western NC and coming home did a 15 hour day in the car. I'm enjoying this little car as much as any high performance sports car I've ever owned including a Ferrari F355 Spider and a Porsche C4S.

[Alfisti]

Drop tops are underrated, especially in a low powered vehicle. Kids absolutely love it.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

Drop tops are underrated, especially in a low powered vehicle. Kids absolutely love it.

My 17 y/o loves and wants a Miata, but he's just as tall as me and may be taller eventually. The RF isn't comfortable for him either and neither of us could sit with any sort of comfort on the passenger side. It's like there's 2+" less of leg room and our shins are almost in the dash board. The ND feels smaller inside than my friend's NBs. It's weird.

My son may need to look at an NC Miata because they are more spacious. I love the NC too, but I think after experiencing the power of the ND2, I realized I need more power. I know they have turbos and SCs for those cars, but I want the fun car to be reliable. I'm constantly working on my friend's turbo NB Miatas. When they are running right though, wow, what a fun freaking car.

[stein_325i]

Originally Posted by XutvJet

My 17 y/o loves and wants a Miata, but he's just as tall as me and may be taller eventually. The RF isn't comfortable for him either and neither of us could sit with any sort of comfort on the passenger side. It's like there's 2+" less of leg room and our shins are almost in the dash board. The ND feels smaller inside than my friend's NBs. It's weird.

My son may need to look at an NC Miata because they are more spacious. I love the NC too, but I think after experiencing the power of the ND2, I realized I need more power. I know they have turbos and SCs for those cars, but I want the fun car to be reliable. I'm constantly working on my friend's turbo NB Miatas.

Have you considered a BRZ/86? While not a drop top, its the closest new car to a Miata but more practical.

[OkieSnuffBox]

Originally Posted by XutvJet

My 17 y/o loves and wants a Miata, but he's just as tall as me and may be taller eventually. The RF isn't comfortable for him either and neither of us could sit with any sort of comfort on the passenger side. It's like there's 2+" less of leg room and our shins are almost in the dash board. The ND feels smaller inside than my friend's NBs. It's weird.

My son may need to look at an NC Miata because they are more spacious. I love the NC too, but I think after experiencing the power of the ND2, I realized I need more power. I know they have turbos and SCs for those cars, but I want the fun car to be reliable. I'm constantly working on my friend's turbo NB Miatas. When they are running right though, wow, what a fun freaking car.

NC's with a full exhaust, intake, and tune are dramatically peppier than stock. You also just slightly upgrade the injectors and the fuel pump still has enough capacity to run an E85 tune which is worth a huge midrange bump and 10-15whp up top.

Only problem I see is the price of clean NCs at the moment.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by stein_325i

Have you considered a BRZ/86? While not a drop top, its the closest new car to a Miata but more practical.

He's considering the BRZ/86. That would be my choice if I was him. The new BRZ/86 is a great car and I really like it, but it's way to close to what I already have with the M235. The RF and Z06 offer something different.

[stein_325i]

Originally Posted by XutvJet

He's considering the BRZ/86. That would be my choice if I was him. The new BRZ/86 is a great car and I really like it, but it's way to close to what I already have with the M235. The RF and Z06 offer something different.

I guess, but the RF is closer to the BRZ since you're not getting much of an open roof experience compared to the regular Miata.

World of affordable sports cars is pretty much just Miata and BRZ/86 now, everything else may not be the best for a newer driver.