John01SS

I was going to order a 2013 ZL1, but I came to my senses and decided to look at used Z06's for the same money. The 1,000 pound (!!) weight difference is what really sold me.

I found a low mileage (10k) '09 Z06 from a private seller. From everything I can tell in looking at photos and chatting with the seller, the car seems to be in pristine shape. Driven once a week, no rain, hand washed, garage kept, "adult owner" - not abused, original runflats, etc.

I'm new to Corvette ownership but I've had several 4th gen Camaros and I do all maintenance and installs myself, so I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty.

I'm looking for advice on what to look for or listen for as I inspect the car and take it for a spin. Not the general used car stuff, just anything specific to a C6 or Z06. One thing I've put on the list from trolling around on the forums is to plan on taking a look at the clutch fluid coloration. Anything else you guys can think of would be very helpful.

On a related note, I'm planning to run a CarFax report on the car. Anybody have a recommendation for some other service to run a check with instead?

Thanks. And I'm looking forward to joining the community!

____________________________
John01SS
2001 Camaro SS
2009 Z06...coming soon

GMuffley

Dark clutch fluid is not a show stopper. It can get dirty very quickly even when changed regularly.

AzDave47

Most forum members dislike the OEM Goodyear ROF tires and replace them before they are worn out. Bridgestone, Nitto and Michelin are popular replacements.

Not to look for, but many of us replace the factory shocks with Bilstein Sports ($300), DRM revalved Bilsteins ($450), or Pfadt Jonny O'C shocks ($600?) as the factory shocks give a twitchy rear end on bumps and when pushed hard. The upgraded shocks also help reduce wheel hop in drag race type use.

I've got an 09Z with 2LZ package and have been very pleased with it.

Take time getting used to the power. Others that have come from high horsepower cars find the Z is a step above and requires some getting used to because it is so strong with lots of low-end torque and the light weight that attracted you. By the way, driven easy it gets great gas mileage with highway cruising at 26-28 MPG.

John01SS

Thanks Dave. Lots of good info there.

I'm planning to burn up the run flats feeling out the car at the track and then use those rims for R compounds (but not slicks). Im looking at the blowout polished GM Speedlines as my street wheels with Pilot Sport PS2's.

The car I'm looking at is a 3LZ which is light years ahead of the interior in my Camaro. Definitely looking forward to that.

The only thing I have some reservations about is the power with respect to controllability at the limits. I plan to do HPDE track days in the car. Did about 15 events in the Camaros I've owned and those cars were great fun but very forgiving with throttle and lift throttle oversteer. How good is the active handling system at keeping things pointed in the right direction? And how easy is the rear shocks install?

I'm suprised and frankly disappointed to read about the brake issues at the track and the need for an LG brake duct kit. I don't mind throwing a set of race pads in the car and running Motul or ATE brake fluid, but don't the Z06s have ducting built in? At least I thought the C5 Z's did.

Thanks for the "new guy 101" info...keep it coming.

MarkC

I bought a 07 with 11,800 miles on it and the orginal tires were junk. In fact, they were flat out dangerous in cold weather. I replaced them with a trip to ZIP where I bought the ZR1 wheels and the PS2's as a package. ZIP had a great price and offered free installation when you buy tires and wheels as a package. It took them 3 1/2 hours to change them out. I did not want my old tires and came home to VB with my OEM wheels in the rear. They fit but it was tight. If I had to do it over I would have bought the Spiders. The ZR1's are too hard to clean.

I have no intentions of racing my car so your requirements may be different. The PS2's complety changed the car. It tracks straight, much better grip, softer ride and the noise reduction is very noticeable.

BTW, I had a flat tire on the interstate with my 01 vert. I did not have run flats and the hole in the tire was so big the fix-a-flat ran out the whole. It took me an hour to get a flat bed out to pick up the car. I was lucky in that I was only 5 miles from home. I will always buy run flats.

Mark

capevettes

Carfax is only one component of what you should run on the car's history. The "VIS" report will give you the car's maintenance/warranty history. The dealer can provide that to you or you can get that through some here on the Forum that have access to the data base. It will certainly let you know if the car has been problematic. Good luck

John01SS

Mark,

I assume the Pilot Sports PS2's you're running are the ZP (run flat) type. The regular PS2's don't seem to come in the correct Z06 rear 325/30-19 size. Fronts are available though.

tim414

My (bought new) 2010 Z06's clutch fluid was BLACK in the FIRST 1k miles. Heat is what does this. DO NOT allow that to prevent you from buying a nice specimen Z.

You can change that fluid VERY easily. With a '09 there is NOT much you really need to look out for. Do as you stated your going to do. You might also want to get the VIN and post up and a forum member can check to see what warranty work "may" have been done, if any.

The Z you describe sounds like it's a "buy now" sort of Z....

These cars and will terrorize just about anything you come across....their purposely designed/engineered and it shows when you get behind the wheel. GREAT choice to move to Vette over the heavy Camaro. Their great cars but NOT in the same class a Vette, especially a "Z" model Vette.

HOLY TERROR....

add: Like others have stated the gen 1 Goodyears runflats are less than desirable IMHO. I still have mine sitting in my shop. Like many others i went with a tire/wheel package (360 Forged concave mesh/Invo in wide size) and love this set up. Of course these are only for street use but completely changed the look of my 'Z (better IMO).

MudZ06

One of the best quotes I have read recently.

bass mechanic

to clarify, i just bought a 2012 centennial z and the clutch fluid was dark brown having with only 3 miles on it. the clutch fluid is different than the brake fluid according to the owners manuel.
if it looks black it may be only slightly dirty.
FYI

AirBusPilot

The cornering limits on a Z06 are very high, but be warned that when you go over that line, it is anything but forgiving. Better shocks help (I use the DRM's), and changing alignment specs.

The R compound tires are a great idea for track use (and appear to tame the snap oversteer). But, long, high g left hand turns can sometimes cause an oil pressure loss (boom). In 09', the dry sump tank was enlarged, supposedly to "fix" this problem, but it is no guarantee. One member just recently had an engine failure on the track in his 09'. (If I were going to track my car, I'd install the Katech LS9 ported oil pump. IMO, one part of oil related track failures is the stock LS7 pump's inability to sometimes keep a consistent supply of oil to the engine in a high g left turn because of it's marginal ability to "suck" oil out of the tank in that hard left turn).

AzDave47

I got the GM Speedlines at a great price and my new stock size Pilot SuperSports (chose those over the PS2's) will get mounted on them shortly. I run NT-05's on the CompGrey Spyders. I chose the NT-05's rather than R-compound tires to reduce suspension component stress. I do lose a little to the R-compound tired cars in the track, but that was my choice. The NT-05's have held up well to track use and are a good controlable tire.

Once you install better shocks (rears easy, fronts a little more work, there are threads on what to watch for), the Z does not have nasty habits, it's just that you have to be patient feeding in the gas coming out of the corners. The car does give good signals as to what it's doing (caution: I did have a racer I was working with tell me I have a "very calibrated ***"). The stability control is very effective. On the street, I leave it alone. If you go to the drags, you want to push the console button once, which shuts off traction control but keeps active handling nanies at the street level. Once you get somewhat used to the car at HPDE's you can push the console button twice which puts the car into competition mode, with traction control off and active handling in a relaxed mode. I run in comp mode at the track and never had the car intervene as you should have responded well before it intervenes. If sh#@ happens it would yank the car straight. Holding the console button down for 5 sec. should shut everything off, but the only reason to do that would be donuts/drifting - not my cup of tea.

At Firebird when I ran stock pads and didn't brake really aggressively, the stock pads worked without fade or soft pedal (ATE brake fluid), but I went thru about 1/3 of the front pads in 3 days (4 hours total). I've gone to Carbotech track pads (Bobcats for the street) and driving more aggressively, they put much more heat into the front rotors, calipers and hubs. The stock brake ducts direct air at the rotors from about 10" away and the inlet is a vertical hole just in front of the air dam under the front valance. That doesn't pick up enough air for the added heat. It won't be a problem until you get into the higher grades of HPDE (green as top) or unless you are very hard and overbrake the car. I have extensive SCCA racing experience and do endurance racing in other cars and am sensitive to making brakes last, but have been a little surprised the stock PBR calipers don't like the heat of track pads. Others have had fade problems with the factory pads. I didn't, but the friction level of the stock pads is not as high as track pads.

Pfadt Racing

These really are fantastic cars right out of the box and only get better with a little work done to them. 09 is a really good year for the Z, but we've had really great luck with earlier years as well.

We definitely valve our shocks differently than the factory does, and all of our shock products will help you eliminate the skiddish rear end of the vehicle while going over rough road surfaces. If you're going to track the car with R Compounds be prepared to at least move to upgraded brake pads and swap the fluid. There are definitely other changes that can be made, but for your first couple track events this should really be a fantastic car for you. When you do start to reach the limits of the factory suspension we are here!

JoesC5

I have to disagree with you an that statement. The Z06 will not faze a narrow bodied C6 LS2 on skinny tires.

jedblanks

I agree. I have to change mine More often than oil. It gets dark long before it causes actual issues.

And if you get the 3LZ for a good price, great, but don't pay a premium for it over 2Lz. There's a good chance youll find yourself changing the interior for better leather pieces anyway. The leather dash is probably all you'll gain.

John01SS

Dave and Pfadt Racing --

Thanks for the great info guys. I couldn't justify owning a Z06 (or any sports car, really) without at least doing some track days throughout the year. I think my head would explode if I didn't. It should be fun getting the car set up. It will be $$$ -- it always is -- but I have a cool wife who does track days in her Mini Cooper S. Yes, I'm very lucky...I tell her that all the time.

I have read a few posts about using using a titanium backer plate to keep heat from soaking directly to the brake pistons. Any experience in this regard?

For a street + track car I always prefer to have one a set of pads and rotors dedicated for each purpose. I've been happy with Carbotechs in my Camaros, so i'll probably use their Z06 one-piece pads up front. I'll have to figure out what compound to use with the run flats I'm starting out with and then with the R compounds. Also which rear pad to use to properly "bias" the braking forces.

I'll have to look into the LG brake ducts...ran homemade ones on my American Iron Z28 and they worked pretty well while using ATE Super Blue.

One problem I always had with that car was pad knockback due to bearing flex. Anti-knockback springs helped somewhat, but not entirely...probably just needed stiffer ones. Any knockback issues with the stock bearing/rotor/caliper setup in the Z06...particularly when running R Compounds?

Lot's of great technical knowledge here. I'm looking forward to being a contributing member. For now I'm just soaking it all in.

AzDave47

I haven't run the Ti backing plates but am considering it. For Carbotech single pads, the Bobcat street compound is compatible with their race compounds so no need to swap between rotors. Carbotech Adam (forum menber) will talk with you, find out your driving skils and needs and recommend tract pads balanced front/rear. He and his pad engin eer worked with me to get a pad setup that fits my experience and driving stye. My pad setup is somewhat different from most of his customers. I have AFX Coleman two-piece lightweight rotors.

I have not experienced pad knockback yet, but the bearings in the 09 and newer cars seem to be stronger than the earlier models. Because of that we also cannot use the aftermarket hubs with SKF bearings. I have I've not run R-compound tires on my Z.