New 2014 ZL1 Owner!(sorta)

[The Don ZL1]

Hello, my name is Dean Martin, I'm 17 years old and I live in North Carolina. I've lurked on C5 for a few years now and I swore I wouldn't make an account until I got my ZL1.

Well, I turn 18 on May 10th, I wanted a triple black, automatic pretty much loaded ZL1, Sunroof, RECARO Seats, Microfiber, all of it. I settled for all of that minus the sunroof, I didn't want to be 6-8 weeks without a car from the factory, and I happened to of found one with everything but the sunroof(which I didn't care for.) I have it on reserve right now until I turn 18 and can get all the paperwork in line. It'll be here Monday, I'll be sure to post pictures, and maybe some videos.

I also have an 86 Harley, and a 1981 Camaro.

One thing I wanted to ask is some aftermarket necessities. I'm not looking to just hit the street racing yet, I won't be doing that for a year or so at the minimum. So just some good Mod's to have aftermarket/replacements..etc. I'm new to this, I've done my research and have had my eye on this particular car for years and my heart has been with Camaros my whole life. ANY tips, advice, pointers, anything is welcomed. I want to know as much as possible about this car.

Also, if nobody minds sharing their insurance rate on their Z's, just to give me an idea. I was quoted 150$/mth.

PS:
I'm taking professional driving lessons on a closed course, I'll be attending performance driving school in August. So no lectures about my age and my car choice please.

I got automatic due to Traffic in my area, and my knee problems.(I'll need future surgery.)

I won't have it in time for Camaro5Fest which bums me out, I'll have it near end May. I can't wait! See you guys around soon!

Options I got:
RECARO® performance front seats
Exposed Carbon Fiber weave hood insertBlack, Front leather seating surfaces with sueded microfiber inserts
Black 10-spoke forged aluminum wheels, 20" x 10" front and 20" x 11" rear

Interior Sueded Microfiber Package

6.2L supercharged V8 engine
6-speed automatic transmission

[hotlap]

You are a very blessed young man to have such a serious car so early. Driving lessons are a good move and shows you have respect for the car. That's important.

I'm a no appearance mod, all performance mod guy but I will limit my mods to CAI, long tubes, pulley and a tune. I don't want to crack the engine open or mod to the point that life is shortened. Getting into the 550 rwhp seems plenty for me.

Your insurance rate seems fair based on your age. I pay $375 every six month.

[The Don ZL1]

Thanks man!
The only Appearance Modifications I'll be doing is black badging, replacing the halo rings with Plasma, and some interior stuff, all minor. CAI was first order of business along with a catchcan, I'll do tubes and pulleys a little later down the road. Thanks a lot!

[Skylane765]

Welcome, my insurance is about $2000 year commercial insurance $2 mill , if just regular insurance it would be about $55 a month.
I just did the a Torco and 5% OD pulley, RotoFab and hurst shifter. First thing I did was make a jack pad to be able to lift the car with a floor jack and make the splitter guard washers to protect the splitter from scraping.

[Front Runner]

Congrats. Welcome to the forum & the ZL1 owners group!

About 55 dollars a month for insurance.

[Z/28Dan]

Originally Posted by The Don ZL1

I'm not looking to just hit the street racing yet, I won't be doing that for a year or so at the minimum.

Not sure if we should take that quote literally or not. But if you "meant" street racing, your insurance will be going much higher than 150.00 month real quick.

If you only meant tracking the car on a closed course, then that sounds great and you are a very fortunate young man to be driving a ZL1. At your age I was driving a 69 plain jane Camaro and loving every minute of it.

Good luck, congrats and welcome to the club. (Almost)

[BigBoyBlue]

Great birthday! My birthday as well.

All I can say is that you are very lucky to have a car like this so young. That said, I don't think it's such a great idea for a new driver to have a car like this, but that is your parent's decision. I'm not pissing on your campfire, just letting you know how dangerous a young driver + a super performance car can be. I was a smart young guy too, but if I had had a car like a ZL1 when I was 18, I'd be dead. It's much easier to control a car with less horsepower and torque, not to mention that the C5 in general has HORRIBLE visibility.

This quote by you is very disconcerting : "I'm not looking to just hit the street racing yet, I won't be doing that for a year or so at the minimum.". Racing is for the track, not the street. This is one of the reasons young men have the highest insurance rates. I'm not saying I never drove fast on the street, but I'm just trying to pass some wisdom onto a young man. I was lucky, you may not be. I also never had a car with world class speed. The time you have to make decisions is much shorter when you are in a rocket ship.

Please take a defensive driving course, maybe even two. Hopefully they show you autopsy photos of people killed in high speed crashes. They showed them to me when i took the class. Then take a high performance driving class. Please be safe. Good luck.

[Six.Two SC]

Wow, you have very giving parents.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mbd314]

Originally Posted by The Don ZL1

Hello, my name is Dean Martin, I'm 17 years old and I live in North Carolina. I've lurked on C5 for a few years now and I swore I wouldn't make an account until I got my ZL1.

Well, I turn 18 on May 10th, I wanted a triple black, automatic pretty much loaded ZL1, Sunroof, RECARO Seats, Microfiber, all of it. I settled for all of that minus the sunroof, I didn't want to be 6-8 weeks without a car from the factory, and I happened to of found one with everything but the sunroof(which I didn't care for.) I have it on reserve right now until I turn 18 and can get all the paperwork in line. It'll be here Monday, I'll be sure to post pictures, and maybe some videos.

I also have an 86 Harley, and a 1981 Camaro.

One thing I wanted to ask is some aftermarket necessities. I'm not looking to just hit the street racing yet, I won't be doing that for a year or so at the minimum. So just some good Mod's to have aftermarket/replacements..etc. I'm new to this, I've done my research and have had my eye on this particular car for years and my heart has been with Camaros my whole life. ANY tips, advice, pointers, anything is welcomed. I want to know as much as possible about this car.

Also, if nobody minds sharing their insurance rate on their Z's, just to give me an idea. I was quoted 150$/mth.

PS:
I'm taking professional driving lessons on a closed course, I'll be attending performance driving school in August. So no lectures about my age and my car choice please.

I got automatic due to Traffic in my area, and my knee problems.(I'll need future surgery.)

I won't have it in time for Camaro5Fest which bums me out, I'll have it near end May. I can't wait! See you guys around soon!

Options I got:
RECARO® performance front seats
Exposed Carbon Fiber weave hood insertBlack, Front leather seating surfaces with sueded microfiber inserts
Black 10-spoke forged aluminum wheels, 20" x 10" front and 20" x 11" rear

Interior Sueded Microfiber Package

6.2L supercharged V8 engine
6-speed automatic transmission

Hey man, congrats on the car! You will love it, and Triple Black is the best, however I am a bit partial!! share pics when you get it!

Happy to hear you are respecting the car and taking the necessary lessons. Be safe and remember that impressing people is showing restraint when given the opportunity to "show off"!

[GunnyG]

That's a BOSS way to break into car ownership. Where do you go from there...Ferrari at 21? Good luck young man, and enjoy!

[Mach.89]

Congrats &

Live your life coz life is short

Take all the courses you can & get to know your car,

Drive safe

[The Don ZL1]

Hello, Dean here.

I'd like to clear some things up for the people who feel as if I'm a privileged teenager.

I'm a computer programmer, I create video games and help manage multiple MMORPG's, I'm also an internet security consultant and system administrator for an Importing and Exporting company based in Maine, I work online majority for a set monthly salary. If you really must know, I obtained the money for this car by selling multiple games I created and programs I created. (4-5 years worth) I sold a total of roughly around a quarter of a million dollars in programs and MMO platforms. I worked as hard and as fairly as anyone else, I just took a different career path than most.

Growing up I wasn't spoiled, but I didn't live a low income life either, but it wasn't lavish. I was raised to be respectful of what others have and don't have, and be fortunate of what I have. My father died September 9th, 2012. He owned the 1981 Camaro I now have, it was his dream car, and he always told me growing up about honest work, saving, and spending your money smart, how to have goals, how to achieve them, and what to do after you achieve them. My father's name is Don, that's why my car will be named "The Don".

(For the programmers on the forums)
I program in a variety of languages ranging from PHP, ASP, HTML, RubyOnRails, Javascript, Java, Python, G#, J#, Ruby, and some others off and on, those are my main languages I'm fluent in.

Along with performance driving lessons, I'm taking a program through my Insurance company for Teens that'll lower my rate. I'm very excited about my car, therefor when I made this post I wasn't thinking of what I was saying in literal terms. I should've been more specific. (I'm not going to go hit the TRACK/Dragstip)* I apologize, I'm very mature for my age and I understand and have a high respect for the car, and the responsibilities that come with it. I'm learning as much as possible about this car, I'm reading the manual over and over again, and researching as much information on it as possible. I'm not going to be your average generation teenager and act like I know it all, no. I understand I'm still naive to life, let alone a ZL1. In the coming years of meets and getting to know all of C5, you will find that I'm very respectful, mature, and willing to listen and keep an open mind about everything. I hope this clears things up for those who were misinformed, or worried about the choice of words. I do apologize. Thank you all though!

Links to anything to learn ANYTHING MORE about the 2014 ZL1 please link them here, or PM me.

Regards,
~Dean

[antnicSS2010]

Thats awesome man !! Have fun and enjoy !!

[owhite3003]

Congratulations!!