Matthew:
If you're seriously considering a ZR1, let me be the first to welcome you to the
"Brotherhood of the Beast".
The best advice I can give you on the purchase is to buy a car that has been cherished and loved by it's current owner.
Buy one that has a few miles on it that has already had all the "usual stuff" taken care of.
Remember, the car is already going to be at least 15 years old, and things go wrong.
Earlier year models have problematic fuel injectors that will eventually need replacing.
Leaky oil cooler pipes are a common problem with all years.
Certain engine internal parts are made of nearly unobtanium, however thanks to great guys like Jerry @ Jerry's Gaskets, that is currently being cured.
Luckily, the LT5 was purposed engineered and thus is nearly bullet proof.
The rest of the car is typical GM, and some parts are easy to find, some not so much.
If you plan on modding the car at some point, consider buying the car already modded.
You'll save
BIG $$$ if you pony up now and buy the monster 415 stroker already built rather than build it later.
Gas mileage, hmmm... can't say anything about that.
I've never looked.
I suppose it all depends on your right foot.
The only reason I look at my gas gauge is to determine when I need to put gas in.
How far a tank gets me is of no concern to me.
I drive my Z for the sheer joy of automotive excess and finesse.
This is my definition of
"PermaGrin".
Bottom line is:
Buy the car.
You will not be sorry.
A ZR1 is the absolute
BEST "Bang For The Buck" car that you can buy today.
Even if you do nothing more than dust it off and wax it then stare at it in your garage, the PermaGrin
it brings is priceless.
TomC
'Crabs