You don't need it , because you could not get it.

 

Mine 08 AO 1LT MN6 Z51 NPP QX3. Light and Fast.

 

Can you lower a car with the stock suspension? I know with the z51 you can lower them like the z06

 

Also, if you get a base suspension what are some good rotors to buy to replace the stock ones that look good

 

You seem to think that this minor option package imparts a great deal of performance increase to the car. How can it. You must know it comes with NO additional hp. The drilled rotors are slightly larger than stock but not proven to be better.

In fact, the holes are for show and solid/slotted rotors are far superior according to experts and aftermarket brake suppliers. Holes in rotors promote cracking around the holes and warpage that may not occur in solid rotors under the same conditions.

Post after post talks about how even Z06 owners replace their stock rotors if they do serious track time.....and....the 40+ year old technology in those one piece cast rotors make them HEAVY.

The Z51 option gives you tires that may be unsafe for the street if it's even cool....not even freezing....as they are optimized for hot dry roads. And, you probably won't put stock wheels back on the car because they don't last very well....read posts on the subject from owners you will find out.

From reading hundreds of posts on the subject the Z51 option seems to mostly be smoke and mirrors that adds a tiny boost to performance under limited sets of conditions. It turns ordinary vette owners into legends in their own minds though and many claim their cars are nearly or equal to the Z06. It's a mental thing.

So, whether you get the Z51 option or not plan to replace the old fashioned heavy brake rotors with much lighter ( you go faster ) aftermarket solid or slotted rotors unless you want the holes to show what a tough guy you are etc. And.....get much better tires than stock...several choices just search around this site for suggestions...and then add the Z51 option rear sway bar for two hun or less as it is the one piece that is different that actually seems to improve handling.

All this means nothing if you want this option, as many do, so that you can be "special" and "better" than a non Z51 equipped car. Remember, though, that it's mostly a mental thing as actual performance improvements with this option are very slim. Some people whose cars have this option even take to calling their Corvettes "my Z51". Ultra childish IMO to call a performance car by a minor option. But, that's just the human condition...always wanting to be one tiny notch better. But...the part about this minor option making a car close to a Z06.....ask the Z06 owners and they will put that howler to rest mighty fast.

Z51...."It's a legend in the owners' minds."

 

The Z51 option has some nice features but IMO not all may be as essential or desirable as one might think. The Z51 option was designed for the parking lot autocross enthusiast. The Z51 suspension is more performance oriented than the base C6 but adding Z51 or Z06 sway bars is easy and inexpensive...you can buy better after market shocks and you could even go to a Z51 front leaf spring if you wanted. The supercar tires with the Z51 are better for performance but the trade-off is longevity. If you're serious about tracking the car you will likely look to non-runflat tires for the track anyway.

The wider ratio transmission gearing of the Z51 option would give the Z51 a very slight edge in say a 1/4 mile drag race but the closer ratio gearing of the base C6 (same as the Z06) may be better for road racing where you can run keeping the engine closer to its power peak. This isn't a huge difference but depending on what you do with the car might make a difference. My preference is for the closer ratio gearing of the base C6/Z06.

The additional cooling capacities of the Z51 option are nice. That said, I road race my modified (non-Z51) C6 in Arizona where it's often hot and I've never had any cooling issues. Just a couple weeks ago at the track my friend was having cooling issues in his Z51 optioned C6 while I had none.

The cross-drilled rotors with the Z51 option were put on solely for looks to give the car a racier appearance. They're fine for street use and light track duty but guys that seriously track (road course) their car lose the cross-drilled rotors and go with solid/slotted rotors. The cross-drilled rotors of the Z51 are prone to cracking with heavy track use.

Don't misconstrue my comments....I'm not knocking the Z51 option. If you want a slightly more competition oriented C6 right out of the box go with the Z51 option. If you intend to track your car and if you're likely to make modifications, the Z51 option is not a 'be all...end all’…your purposes may be better served going with the base C6 and improving on it.

A note about the F55 suspension which I used both on the street and the track prior to going to a coil-over suspension. IMO the F55 is the best all-around suspension offered by Corvette and hands-down provides the best ride on the street. IMO controlled suspensions are the future as evidenced by the vast number of high end and performance type cars using them. Although I ultimately went to a coil-over suspension for ultimate track performance, I was actually surprised with how well the F55 suspension performed on the track with minor modifications (wider wheels/better tires, Z06 sway bars and a beefier tunnel plate for increased chassis rigidity). Depending upon how you intend to use the car the F55 suspension might be worth considering.

The Z51 option is great but again, depending on how you intend to use the car and your propensity for modding the car, you might be better served going with the base C6. Good luck!

A minor clarification...the difference between sport and tour modes with the F55 suspension is not in the firmness of the ride per se...it's about wheel control. This is a direct quote from Darin Dellinger, one of the lead Delphi engineer's responsible for the F55 system:

"...In the "tour" position, the MR controller emphasizes the sky hook algorithm when setting shocks and when set in "sport", it emphasizes wheel control."

 

Now I understand a few other things. You're wise to get what you can afford (so that the repo man doesn't come for it in the middle of the night)

If you're in NJ, you're right, the roads are pretty bad (not as bad as parts of the city, but bad). You probably will be taking it to the track as you say, modifying it, etc., so I'd agree with wolfdog. However, as to driving it to its potential on the street, nope, doubt it very much, not unless you're in/drive to western NJ or live in the Pine Barrens.

Good luck

 

You always forget to mention that many of us overheated our C5 Z06 trannys and this is the reason they added the coolers in the C6 Z51. I got temp warnings in cool Germany. Driving style and the track have a lot to do with it, not location. To the OP please ignore Oregon, we do.

 

i just sold my mazdaspeed 3 (modified), to get a vette in near future.
Drive a vette first. It's a day and night difference between mazdaspeed and vette. You will like how a regular C6 performs in turns. It will be more than enough, and especially in nj(i'm in nj too). If you haven't driven one, i'll tell you that my moderatly modiffied ms3 was faster at highway speeds than ls2 c6, off the dig vette is a beast though.
cross drilled rotors, as many said, is a waist of money, and is a cheap show off. I had DBA 4000 slotted rotors on my ms3. Slotted is the way to go.... or brembo...

 

Yes the suspension design is the same, only the specs are different.

 

Yeah, there's more to it than just the suspension. I don't "need" the Z-51 package, but I wanted it. I live in NJ as well, so I understand about the roads. But I don't think the ride is too harsh at all.

 

z51, daily driver, bad roads, no regrets !


EDIT:NJ as well

 

Make sure you get the Z51 badges. They'll enhance the cornering significantly.

 

If by cornering you mean getting beat to a pulp after you get cornered by the z51 haters.

 

If you are not going to the track even the base model will work. We bought the base and added sways so now I am a Z51 poser

 

non-Z51'ers, are just suffering from under performing car sydrome. Kinda like ***** envy...

I'll call my Z51 a Z51 -F the haters.

 

That's like saying "do I need a vette"?? Any vette has far more capability than the average owner/operator could ever use.

Buy the car with the options you want and don't look back.

 

The bolded part is pure fiction and makes me think you either a) dont know how to drive or b) are completely biased/never drove a z51 equiped vette in said weather. Cold weather makes all tires get hard and in a high HP car justy dont go flooring it sub 50 degrees and your fine. I drive my car late at night in sub 40 pretty frequently and never has my z51 reacted dangerously.

Let me tell you the z51 is if you want a more stiff ride. It is softer than most talk like it is here. For example my old 350z was by far more brutal on the body. The z51 is taught compared to the base. Do you like less body roll? z51. Do you like a firmer ride? z51. Do you drive on bad roads often? z55 or base. Do you plan on going to road race events? z51.

The cracking z51 rotors are once again pure hype/fiction. Poorly made aftermarket rotors can crack or warp but the stock units fare just fine. That being said they are identical (to me) in performance to the base units. I plan on upgrading them sooner or later but I will be tracking my car.

 

But make sure you mount them in exactly the same place on each side for better weight balance.

 

I enjoy my Z51. In a sports car I would always rather have something that I might never reach it's full potential. It's never a good thing when you realize you can't go around that corner that fast..... Just my 2 cents