I once read a Motortrend (I think) article about the Z06, and even saw the video....and both time it was made clear the the Z06 was supposed to be a track ready package. Obviously not a true racecar, but a car capable of doing some trackdays for the "Weekend Warrior" types....

But then I read in some of the forums, about how bad the brakes are, or that they will over-heat if driven hard and it make me wonder. I came from a mustang, this thing seems like a "supercar" compared to that Ford piece of junk I used to drive...

Can I take the Z06 to a Trackday with the local POC or BMW club?

 

I got the Z06 specifically because it was as track ready out of the box as you can get. The best bang for the buck in terms of a track car, inexpensive replacement parts (rotors and pads etc...), insurance is super affordable.

Haven't read anything about how bad the brakes are, but I would upgrade from DOT3 to DOT4 fluid before I took it to a track day. And I replaced the brake lines with Stainless Steel ones. The front AND rear have individual venting to the brakes. I've read that the stock brakes are actually pretty good unless you want to get super serious about it.

 

I've read just the opposite--that the OEM pads don't hold up to the heat of a track course and fade badly "after just a few laps". Most everything I can remember about the out-the-door readiness of the car is that it is ready, except for the brake pads.

 

C5s are raced SCCA and NASA with stock C5 brakes WITH modern RACE pads and fluid (mandatory). However, you "can" do a track day or "HPDE" completely stock and you will have a great time. If you get serious and run hard for every session, then you will ned to upgrade to coolers (radiator, oil and transmission, and if you go that far you will probably be happier with Stoptech, Wilwood, or AP BBk package. I fun Stoptech bakes with Street Performance pads for street and for light track days (like MSR Cresson). I would recommend RACE pads for Sebring or Road America

 

If you are running your first HPDE - in stock from you should be Ok with non track pads but the fluid will get hot and or boil over - change the fluid out to Motul 600.

Set your instrument cluster to show oil temps - DO NOT GO PAST 300 degrees if she starts to get hot.

Have fun - be safe - be smooth on track.

 

Besides the seats being the weak leak, if you like it than the more you do it the more you'll push the car and need to start doing things to really make it shine!

 

As noted above, Pads and Fluid make all the difference. Do expect to have (when hot) rotor pulsing (seems to be a fact of C5 rotors), this can be worse with R compound or 200 and less tires. But Pads/Fluid (1330 deg rated pads/ 500+ boiling point fluid) and Napa rotors (cheap) are more then enough, and when you feel the pules, cool the brakes for a lap, the do it all over again.

Mark

 

The Z is a great track car. For your first number of track days the car should be fine. I would do pads, fluids, lines, and check your belts then go run it.

A lot of the brakes overheating, coolant, etc is very track dependent. My home track is Sebring and it's always hot there and there are a ton of brake zones where the brakes will get very hot, even as a novice.

It is also very dependent on what tires you run. Street tires and even R-comps would probably be fine for some time. If you run slicks you may find you don't care for the stock brakes, but again this depends on the track. Example, I found the stock brakes at Road Atlanta to be fine but at Sebring I hated them.

Final thought, as a novice I think the car in near stock form will do great.

 

Ummm... that is crap, pure, unadulterated crappola. The factory pads are adequate for most tracks under 2 miles in length, and that's most of 'em. Keyboard commandos tend to post sheet they know nothing about. Will Motul perform better than the factory fill? Sure. Will ST43s out brake the factory pads? Absolutely.

 

If you're thinking about doing track days, first thing is to start hanging out on the "Road racing and autocross" page in the general area of the forum. That's where the track rats hang out and there is a huge amount of information available there from folks who have "been there and done that" and paid for all of their mistakes along the way.

In the sticky on that page is tons of information for a first time track person to absorb and digest.

The C5Z is about as track ready as it gets, but if you're going to do more than a short session, yes, you can cook the brakes and have to slow down. Less of a problem with street tires, but as you upgrade tires and get going faster you'll need to upgrade the brakes too.

Fresh, high temp brake fluid and an extra quart of oil are mandatory (the bit about one quart over is even in the video the factory provided with the car) for track days. If you want to keep your brakes in good shape longer, a set of spindle ducts and the brake ducts from the C6Z are a good idea.

Lastly, these cars are now over 12 years old. Most important is maintenance, so look the car over carefully and make sure you don't have any leaks, blow out the radiator from behind (these cars are bottom breathers and the radiator can get full of crap) and generally go over the entire car before you take it to the track. The last thing you want to do is have to cut short your weekend fun because the car overheated or you had an off due to something that you missed in terms of maintenance.

 

Pads and fluid are big, but adding Doug Rippie cooling ducts to direct air flow to the front hubs is big, too. They do require some cutting of your fender liner but are not that costly.

My first 04 Z had Motul, Carbotech 10s f, 9s rear, and DRM ducts, and my brakes would hold up pretty well for an entire weekend. Also, you can cut your straight line speeds a little and save your brakes. Is the difference between 125 and 135 in a straight line that big for you?

Also, the better you get as a driver, the less you will use your brakes generally as your cornering speeds will go up.

 

I am running a pretty much stock Z06, here's what I did and my thoughts.

Track days are expensive, so be prepared when you go so you don't have an ailing car.

Change the oil, I recommend Mobil 1 0-40 Euro(Wal Mart) and run +1 quart. Take 2 extra quarts with you, check the oil twice daily.

Flush the clutch fluid(Google Ranger clutch flush method)

Put on stainless brake lines, on average C5 Z06 brake lines are 13 years old.

Put in race brake fluid, ATE, Motul or the like.

Flush and put Redline synthetic power steering fluid in the car, help your rack and pump live longer.

Blow out the radiator and condenser, I'd really like to see you pull the radiator and clean the outer fins.

Check the wheel bearings

Torque the lug nuts to 100 ft lbs

Check brake pad thickness or replace them, if you don't know what pads are on the car PM me and I'll sell you a set of used OEM Z06 pads cheap.

People will crack me for all that, but if you think about it most of that stuff listed is general maintenance for a 13 ish year old car.

 

All true.
Sage advise from a high velocity porker.

 

X2
With 3 track ready C5Z's in the garage, all above are good points these cars are fast stock right out of the box I went 2:18 at the Glen with just track pads ATE fluid and a7's add t1 parts SKF bearings, dewitts rad,and coolers and it is 2:11 cant wait to try aero and the fresh pavement.

 

I've also heard that it is suggested to get oil catch cans. Does anyone know if this is really needed? I plan to do a few tracks days; but certainly not all the time. I already have a harness bar(came with the car) and 5 point safety harnass. I'm considering adding SS braided bake lines next. Not sure if I really need the catch cans though

 

It's not a bad idea, but not necessary if only doing a couple or many track days.

Mark

 

Anybody that thinks these cars aren't capable as delivered has no clue. All the tips above are spot-on.