I have a '99 Z28 and an '00 L, so I have an unbiased opinion on the issue with actual real world street and drag strip experience to back it up.

In my opinion - and this is going to **** off some of my fellow Lightning owners - if you don't need a truck don't buy one. Ok, now that I have that off of my chest, here are the plus/minuses of each:

1) The biggest downside to the L is fuel economy - generally hovers around 12 mpg, city or highway. The Z28 (mine's a 6 speed), gets about 22 in normal driving, 28 on the highway.

2) Handling - the WS6 should handle better than my Z28, but since I have never driven one, I can't really say. The Z28 is twitchy and prone to instant on-throttle oversteer. It is virtually undrivable in the rain, and absolutely useless in the snow. The Lightning feels more ponderous, but the handling is much more neutral and forgiving. Its natural tendency towards understeer is easily controlled by applying more throttle. For reasons I can't explain, it is much less tail happy in the rain then the Camaro. I prefer the Lightning's handling characteristics over the Z28.

Comfort - The Lighting is much more comfortable: better seats, ergonomics, outward visability. The tactile feel of the controls are much better and it quieter inside. The Camaro loses this category badly.

Reliability - The Z28 (at 20K miles) has been pretty reliable. Only warped rotors and an instrument cluster TSB have necessitated a trip to the dealer. My L (4K miles) has developed the infamous front end clunk, but has had no other problems. I'll call it even.

Depreciation - No contest. GM F-bodies are the fastest depreciating vehicles on the planet. Lightnings are at the other end of the spectrum and hold their value very well - especially for a performance vehicle.

Performance (stock) - My stock Z28 turns 107 mph in the 1/4 mile - 8 mph faster than a stock L. A chip and filter evens it up a bit - 106 for the Lighting. LS1 F-bodies are not to be trifled with - traction is the only thing holding these cars back. Drag radials will have a stock auto or stick F-body in the 12s.

Bottom line - I prefer driving the Lightning over the Z28 - but the gas mileage keeps me from using it as a commuter. If my goal were to build the fastest thing in a straight line for the least amount of money (the goal being mid 11s or better), I'd go with the LS1 F-body.



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'00 Lightning - 13.110 @ 105.91
'92 Stealth Turbo - 13.4 @ 103
'99 Z28 - 13.7 @ 107
'01 Honda CR250

 

Here is my 2 cents on this. My lil brother had a 2000 Camaro Z28, that was completely stock and ran 13.4 @ 105 here in Oklahoma. I could take him till about the 1/8 mile mark everytime and then he would get me. Now his car was unlike other LS1s we have raced. I have taken a C5 once, Z28s, and WS6s as well, but I have had my *** handed to me several times by all of them as well. I think you need to buy out of what will give you the greatest use and go that route. I needed a truck for my other toys, this one just gets them there a helluva lot faster now.

Eric

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Red 2000, #1599, Born 3-27-00
In-dash CD player, Clear Corner Lens, Super White bulbs in headlights and fog lamps, Permatech color match spray in bedliner, 5% tinted windows, Valentine 1 radar detector, Viper 550E alarm, Water Wetter, K&N Filter, Downs Air Filter Kit, Pro-M 80mm MAF, Beltech 2" Drop Shackles
Best Time = 13.93 @ 98.61mph

 

test drive both & buy the one you like better

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99' Black (Wikd)SVT
best run 13.20 @ 105

01' Nissan Pathfinder
16.13 @ 82.59
240hp/265tq
wanna mod, but wife rolls her eye's

 

what is the size of the bed? is it the same as the regular f-150 flareside? can a four wheeler fit in the back? thanks

 

This is not a flame, but why does everyone have so much trouble beating LS1's? After the first week of owning mine I ran a 1998 Z28 and smoked it by 1 1/2 car lengths and pulling after about 1/8 mile. It was the same Z28 that pulled me by about a car length in my Cobra. Revenge is great.

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99 Lightning, Bassani exhaust, JL Ram Air, Superchip(JL Programmed), Level 10 shift kit. No ET yet.
Sold- 98 Cobra. FM 2 Chamber, K&N, Steeda Triax, 4.10's, MAC offroad H. Best Cobra 1/4mile 13.8.
Sold- 96 Z28 ATI Procharged 13.5.

 

Hey just another thought, my buddy had a RT heavily modded, and he bought a new Z28 after chrysler called in the recall. I like the Z28 for the look and the feel, I have drove allot of bad *** cars in my short life, my step moms had a new 911, corvettes, BMW m3's, Jaguar XK8, boxster S, mercedes CLK 480 AMG modified, and my father has had some bad ones too, old pantera, viper GTS, NSX, old ZR1 vette, that ferrari that managnum PI had (I was to young to drive that one), and allot of other stuff. My father loves to drive more truck, I mean loves to drive it more then anything now. He's think about getting a 2001 in his 56 year old age. The only thing thats stopping him is the ruff ride (he likes the luxury cars now though, my point is there nothing like getting into a 5000 pound truck and running that fast. Its a weird feeling, a great feeling. You see what I saying.

Dude a stock z28 runs in the low 13's, and just through a 150 shot of NOS on it and your in the 11's.

The lightning has no competition in the full size truck war, so we pick the next funniest thing to race, and what does everyone see more then any mini van on the street, a Z28, trans am, or a mustang. everybody and their mama's got one and with that we get allot of races.

 

The only big irregularity that I see is that the Lightning will always beat the F-body in the 1/8th no matter what especially when comparing the automatic F-body to the Lightning. You can make anything out run anything else for the right amount of money. But with little invested you can make the automatic F-body a good streetlight warrior. The right converter is the real trick. With the mods below I run 7.8X 1/8ths with a best of 7.80 @ 88mph on Goodyear RSA street tires. I drive the car 104 miles a day for work and the converter is not even an issue (thank God for lockup converters). I still get good gas mileage and also have a decent MPH trap in the 1/4. Good luck with your decision and the Lightning is a sweet vehicle.


jess

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99 Z28 A4
Lid/Filter,MACs/OR,cutout, MW3200
stock vs mods dyno, 321rwhp & 330rwtq
Time slip
Bay Area Drag Racing And Performance