First, a word about Zeek Duff. I never met him and my interaction with him consisted of a few comments in one post on Disaffected Musings. However, it was with sadness that I learned this morning that he died in April. Here is one of those comments posted less than a month before his passing:
“Sorry your old man was a deadbeat, but at least he didn’t beat on you until you had to fight back like I did. Not proud of it, but he never hit me again, either. I suppose my boys have stories about me they don’t like much either, but I never hit either one of ’em, even though I probably should have at some point. One turned into a jackass, the other is a good guy with an outstanding family, married to the same woman for 30+ years. I taught one of the grandkids to read and count to 100 by the time was 2, and he’s now a PhD math professor. Eldest granddaughter is an engineer. Actually, all 10 of them are doing well, I’m almost concerned none have made me great-grandpa yet, almost. Hard to tell how kids will turn out, some good, some not so much, no matter how they grew up with what kind of parents. Nature or nurture, who knows..? No one I know. Nice article, regardless.”
Carpe Diem! That’s an axiom I have a hard time applying to my life as well.
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Any guess as to the identity of the 11th and last car in Ultimate Garage 2.0? I gave a big hint earlier in the series. OK…C7 Corvette Z06. In the Ultimate Garage on my first blog I included the car I owned at the time—a 2009 BMW Z4—mainly out of obligation. Including the car I currently own is not out of obligation; I think it’s a fantastic car!
From Car and Driver (thanks to my wonderful wife for finding this for me AND for helping me buy the Red Rocket):
“Think of the Corvette Z06 as the most amazing version of a sports car that is already amazing by anyone’s measure. In fact, it’s so amazing that we named the Chevrolet supercar to our 10 Best Cars list for 2019. Based on the regular Corvette, the Z06 moniker means it has more power and more go-fast addenda. Sold as either a sporty coupe or showy convertible, the most important feature is its supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 that makes 650 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque and blasts an earth-shattering exhaust note. A seven-speed manual transmission is on hand for shifting duties, and an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters is available. The Z07 Performance package adds carbon-ceramic brakes, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires, and adjustable aerodynamic-enhancing bits.
While the outrageous 750-hp ZR1 is the crown jewel of the Corvette lineup—at least until the mid-engine version arrives—the Z06 represents one of the best performance values on sale today. Its neck-snapping acceleration and intestine-shifting cornering grip can compete with ultra-expensive alternatives such as the Porsche 911 Turbo and the Mercedes-AMG GT, which makes the super Chevy a tremendous value. The Vette is also a livable daily driver that can transform into a track monster at a moment’s notices. Its selectable drive modes and adaptive dampers alter a variety of driving characteristic that include quick and accurate steering as well as powertrain modes. The last version that participated in our annual Lightning Lap felt as if it was purpose-built for the event.
Inside, the Z06 retains the regular Corvette’s driver-centric cabin but adds racier materials and offers extra-supportive Competition Sport seats. Despite its intimidating sheetmetal and track-ready tuning, the Vette has a passenger-friendly interior and contemporary infotainment system. The standard system includes a mobile hotspot, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Buyers can personalize things further with unique color options, desirable creature comforts such as ventilated front seats, and the optional Custom Leather-Wrapped Interior package. No matter how the Z06 is outfitted, it remains one of the most affordable and fantastic sports cars in the world.”
My car has the Z07 package—the brakes are AMAZING. OK, what is the value of this car? The MSRP was $101,000 when new. I bought the car “lightly” used with 4,400 miles and still under the original bumper-to-bumper warranty, but I paid about 40% less than the MSRP and that included shipping. Of course, the C7 is either out of production or soon to be so. I am going to use $100,000 as a nice round number.
Well, (my) Ultimate Garage 2.0 is in the books. What do you think? It’s not too late to submit yours.
As for the cost/value of the cars in this exercise, the average was $133,000 while the median was $100,000. I think that’s a nice blend of “ultimate” cars and my lower middle class upbringing. No million-dollar cars here.
Frankly, I am at a bit of a loss as to how to continue Disaffected Musings from this point forward. So much of the blog was writing about Ultimate Garages that now it’s done I’m not sure how to keep writing about cars and I don’t have the stomach to move the blog in another direction. I will, of course, post any Ultimate Garage you wish to submit, but as for original content I am stymied. Any thoughts?
Thanks for reading.
#ZeekDuff
#UltimateGarage2.0
#C7CorvetteZ06
#somanycarsjustonelife
#disaffectedmusings
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