[Z06] Suspension \ Handling Question
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 110
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Suspension \ Handling Question
Hey, I will be getting a Z by the end of the month, and had some questions as to how good this suspension really is in the Z. I know it is better than the C5 but compared to a BMW M3 or some other cars of that caliber can it handle with them too?? I know the speed of this car in a straight line can run with the best of the best but in turns and braking, etc. how will it hold up?? BTW I plan on autocrossing this car and it will be my first time too. Previous cars have been a 3000gtVR4, Rustang GT ha.. and a subaru WRX
Thanks
Thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Unless the M3 is a race prep M3 and or the BMW Driver has years and years of race experience the Z is far better in handling.
Braking is unbelievalbe, with a few minor changes. Brake fluid and better brake pads. I have ridden in several P cars with BBKs and found that the corvette brakes are far better then 4 or 6 piston BBKs. The only detroment to Auto-X a vette is the cars size, smaller cars are quicker
Good luck and post some pics when you get your new ride.
Braking is unbelievalbe, with a few minor changes. Brake fluid and better brake pads. I have ridden in several P cars with BBKs and found that the corvette brakes are far better then 4 or 6 piston BBKs. The only detroment to Auto-X a vette is the cars size, smaller cars are quicker
Good luck and post some pics when you get your new ride.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2004
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Thanks for the response, so the Z wil out handle an M3 in street trim, thats prety amazing i wasnt quite sure about how well it would hold up against one, so even an Audi S4 wouldnt handle with a vette either? This makes me very happy now I really cant wait to get into some hard turns with the Z,,Are there any suspension mods for the Z, i see some on corvette garage, I want to lower it but do you think the stock bolt lowering will be good enough, or low enough that is, If i cut the bolts will that in the long run ruin my struts and just make my ride more bouncy? I want it to be stiff and clean not a bouncy suspension ya know...
Thanks for any replys
Thanks for any replys
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 884
Likes: 1
From: McKinney TX
I don't think there are many stock production cars out there that will outhandle a stock Z06 (besides some exotics.) Over 1G in stock form is tough to beat.....(granted, it can be done in many cars, but not many stock ones.)
Pro
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 693
Likes: 1
From: Centennial CO
Originally Posted by G.Hychko
Thanks for the response, so the Z wil out handle an M3 in street trim, thats prety amazing i wasnt quite sure about how well it would hold up against one, so even an Audi S4 wouldnt handle with a vette either? This makes me very happy now I really cant wait to get into some hard turns with the Z,,Are there any suspension mods for the Z, i see some on corvette garage, I want to lower it but do you think the stock bolt lowering will be good enough, or low enough that is, If i cut the bolts will that in the long run ruin my struts and just make my ride more bouncy? I want it to be stiff and clean not a bouncy suspension ya know...
Thanks for any replys
Thanks for any replys
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 5,464
Likes: 2
From: Private
This is a common misconception about a Z06 or C5. You are trained to think through magazines and all your yuppie friends who drive european cars that they are far superior. It still amazes me with all the increadible numbers (in handling and braking) the Z consistenly puts up compared to all of these cars and people still think some cheesy A4 is even in the same ballpark...simply amazing. Even the magazines have declared the Z a winner against ALL of these cars and more and still the old (it's American so it must suck) rule still hangs around.
You are now in a leauge with Ferrari's, 911 Turbos, and other exotics in performance/handling. You are so past an M3 or A4 it's barely worth mentioning. A little tweaking to the suspension and motor and you'll walk away from certain race cars. It will take lots of track time and a couple years of driving before you even understand what you have just bought.
You are now in a leauge with Ferrari's, 911 Turbos, and other exotics in performance/handling. You are so past an M3 or A4 it's barely worth mentioning. A little tweaking to the suspension and motor and you'll walk away from certain race cars. It will take lots of track time and a couple years of driving before you even understand what you have just bought.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 56,381
Likes: 79
Originally Posted by 95jersey
This is a common misconception about a Z06 or C5. You are trained to think through magazines and all your yuppie friends who drive european cars that they are far superior. It still amazes me with all the increadible numbers (in handling and braking) the Z consistenly puts up compared to all of these cars and people still think some cheesy A4 is even in the same ballpark...simply amazing. Even the magazines have declared the Z a winner against ALL of these cars and more and still the old (it's American so it must suck) rule still hangs around.
You are now in a leauge with Ferrari's, 911 Turbos, and other exotics in performance/handling. You are so past an M3 or A4 it's barely worth mentioning. A little tweaking to the suspension and motor and you'll walk away from certain race cars. It will take lots of track time and a couple years of driving before you even understand what you have just bought.
You are now in a leauge with Ferrari's, 911 Turbos, and other exotics in performance/handling. You are so past an M3 or A4 it's barely worth mentioning. A little tweaking to the suspension and motor and you'll walk away from certain race cars. It will take lots of track time and a couple years of driving before you even understand what you have just bought.
Most of the time I owned my Z06 I was in Germany very few cars can even come close.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Wait wait MAJ ZO6??? Congrats on the Promotion 
What Jearsy and MAJ are saying, all the rags will say this or that or this car will do this quick on the "N-ring" or that time on the N-Ring
It doesn't matter what the rags say, the reader cant drive like that at all. and Just because you buy the Z dosn't mean you can drive it that fast your going to drive that fast either. Sorry.
I have seen guys with stock 2 wheel drive Audi station wagons out drive and out handle guys with ZO6s on slicks. Of course these guys drivving the Audi Wagon had 25+ years of road RACING experiencie.
It is the DRIVERS SKILL that makes a car handle not the car or the modifications.
Seat time Seat time and more seat time will beat mods EVERY time.
What Jearsy and MAJ are saying, all the rags will say this or that or this car will do this quick on the "N-ring" or that time on the N-Ring
It doesn't matter what the rags say, the reader cant drive like that at all. and Just because you buy the Z dosn't mean you can drive it that fast your going to drive that fast either. Sorry.
I have seen guys with stock 2 wheel drive Audi station wagons out drive and out handle guys with ZO6s on slicks. Of course these guys drivving the Audi Wagon had 25+ years of road RACING experiencie.
It is the DRIVERS SKILL that makes a car handle not the car or the modifications.
Seat time Seat time and more seat time will beat mods EVERY time.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,568
Likes: 0
From: Miami Fl
I had a chance to drive an M3 at the BMW Spartanburg track in S. Carolina in 2002. The M3 doesn't have anywhere near the torque that the Z06 has so its very hard to compare. My take is you have to drive them in a totally different manner, you have to try to keep a bit more speed into turns with the M3 so you have enough "go" at exit, this requires a lot of skill. The Z06 is stronger so it is a bit more forgiving because you can brake harder into a turn and use the power to get "back into it". The M3 is softer and has more body roll than the Z.
Stock for stcok with a pro at the wheel, forget it! The Z06 would destroy an M3 at the track. But the Z is a track car, designed that way from the start. The M3 is designed more of an all-around car, with noise and harshness taken into consideration. The fact that it actually handles so well is a testament to its engineering.
BTW- I happen to have a 2005 STi, the 4-wheel drivemakes me feel like Superman sometimes, but I know I make a bunch of mistakes in it that would make me lose my @$$ in the Z.
Stock for stcok with a pro at the wheel, forget it! The Z06 would destroy an M3 at the track. But the Z is a track car, designed that way from the start. The M3 is designed more of an all-around car, with noise and harshness taken into consideration. The fact that it actually handles so well is a testament to its engineering.
BTW- I happen to have a 2005 STi, the 4-wheel drivemakes me feel like Superman sometimes, but I know I make a bunch of mistakes in it that would make me lose my @$$ in the Z.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 693
Likes: 1
From: Centennial CO
Originally Posted by AU N EGL
Wait wait MAJ ZO6??? Congrats on the Promotion
What Jearsy and MAJ are saying, all the rags will say this or that or this car will do this quick on the "N-ring" or that time on the N-Ring
It doesn't matter what the rags say, the reader cant drive like that at all. and Just because you buy the Z dosn't mean you can drive it that fast your going to drive that fast either. Sorry.
I have seen guys with stock 2 wheel drive Audi station wagons out drive and out handle guys with ZO6s on slicks. Of course these guys drivving the Audi Wagon had 25+ years of road RACING experiencie.
It is the DRIVERS SKILL that makes a car handle not the car or the modifications.
Seat time Seat time and more seat time will beat mods EVERY time.
What Jearsy and MAJ are saying, all the rags will say this or that or this car will do this quick on the "N-ring" or that time on the N-Ring
It doesn't matter what the rags say, the reader cant drive like that at all. and Just because you buy the Z dosn't mean you can drive it that fast your going to drive that fast either. Sorry.
I have seen guys with stock 2 wheel drive Audi station wagons out drive and out handle guys with ZO6s on slicks. Of course these guys drivving the Audi Wagon had 25+ years of road RACING experiencie.
It is the DRIVERS SKILL that makes a car handle not the car or the modifications.
Seat time Seat time and more seat time will beat mods EVERY time.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 584
Likes: 0
From: Lakewood Colorado
I have owned my 02' Z for about three years now. It's lowerd to the limit of the stock bolts and I love it. That is all I've done to the suspension although I may end up getting a set of T1 sway bars at some point in the future. I allways opt to take the curvy road when possible. A couple of months ago I got the opertunity to drive a M3 SMG on one of the curvy roads that I drive my vette on. My initial impressions were that the M3 felt almost as tight as my vette in steering response. Quite a feat for a four seater in my opinion. But when I was pushing it into the curves I found I could take the vette in harder every time. Period. And the torque on exit,,,,,There is absolutly no compairison. Stock to stock, it would take an extremely talented driver in an M3 to beat somone with moderate track experience in a Z06.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Originally Posted by 007Duc
,,,There is absolutly no compairison. Stock to stock, it would take an extremely talented driver in an M3 to beat somone with moderate track experience in a Z06.
You will also love the T1 bars. I have a full T1 set up, dead flat on corners, but rocks would be softer on bumpy roads.Yes I would also love an Audi A4 for a daily driver, especilly in climets that are colder and snowy winters.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
Wow yeah all of these respones just puts a smile on my face, nobody really knows just how much above the Z model is huh, I wish the price of it will stay a bit on the high side so they don't get to common and they stay above other cars. I can't wait til i get back home and can pick up the Z, (Im overseas now on vacation) Im going to take sum nice pics of it about july 23rd is the expected date. Thanks for the replys
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,911
Likes: 1
From: Augusta GA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Originally Posted by MAJ Z06
Preach it brother! Most of the time I owned my Z06 I was in Germany very few cars can even come close.
Most of the time I owned my Z06 I was in Germany very few cars can even come close. I made CW3 a few months ago too, big $ and a big change in respect. I was just down the road, again, from your sig pic. I am down south again, hanging with the Poles, again 
Having fun and saving mod $. Congrats MAJ Dave
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 56,381
Likes: 79
Originally Posted by AU N EGL
It is the DRIVERS SKILL that makes a car handle not the car or the modifications.
Seat time Seat time and more seat time will beat mods EVERY time.
Seat time Seat time and more seat time will beat mods EVERY time.
I said STFU! BTW these times on public days are from "bridge-to-bridge" we don't run the long straight because you have to enter the "pits" and go through the turn style again.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Originally Posted by MAJ Z06
That friend of mine, Stef, that is an engineer at Porsche a . . . . in a mercedes station wagon, deisel, on snow tires! I said STFU!
I said STFU!
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 56,381
Likes: 79
Originally Posted by AU N EGL
I think the point is even Porsche engineers dont driver their own brand of cars.
He is a wise man, I on the other hand, take a new Z06 with less than 5K miles and slide toward a wall on my first lap, but I learn quick! 
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
Agreed driver skill is #1 (of which I'm not the best).
From a car viewpoint, the Corvette and Z06 utilize a superior suspension design compared to say a BMW M3. Many of the European cars mentioned utilize a McPherson Strut suspension in front (and multi-link in rear) which does not have an advantageous camber curve like the SLA (double-wishbone) found at all 4 corners of a Vette. Since the camber curve is poor, these cars use high spring rates to reduce corner roll to keep wheel travel to a minimum. Hence they sacrifice ride quality to achieve handling. The Corvette and most serious race cars use true SLA suspensions. So I like to tell my German Driveway friends they may beat me in a straight line but I got em in the corners
From a car viewpoint, the Corvette and Z06 utilize a superior suspension design compared to say a BMW M3. Many of the European cars mentioned utilize a McPherson Strut suspension in front (and multi-link in rear) which does not have an advantageous camber curve like the SLA (double-wishbone) found at all 4 corners of a Vette. Since the camber curve is poor, these cars use high spring rates to reduce corner roll to keep wheel travel to a minimum. Hence they sacrifice ride quality to achieve handling. The Corvette and most serious race cars use true SLA suspensions. So I like to tell my German Driveway friends they may beat me in a straight line but I got em in the corners