RobLo

I bought my used '05 not knowing about Z51 or F55, I basically looked at condition, mileage, maintenance upkeep and general options (navi, 2 tops, HUD, etc.). I don't track the car although sometime in the future I will go to Pocono Motor Speedway just once to feel the thrill of going 150-175 MPH. Only after buying the car did I realize it had the Z51 option. For me, the Z51 ride is choppy and a bit harsh although I drive mostly on NYC and Nassau County roads which generally SUCK big time. When I've gone to Pennsylvania, upstate or even out to eastern Long Island where the roads are better, the ride is very acceptable and even fun. And there's nothing like taking a tight turn, an exit or entrance ramp or decreasing radius turn at high speed and feeling the car firmly planted beneath you, no side slide or sway at all, exhilarating! And this is on original, 7 year old Goodyear run flats which I'll be changing out soon. That being said, when, sometime in the future, I do order a new Vette, I'll get the F55 option just to get a little better ride without (I assume) sacrificing too much of the "fun" factor, I'm sure the F55 will be a friend to my aging body. Good Luck.....

Don-Vette

Buy the most car you can comfortably afford.

tim414

JMO, but I would not be driving on ANY Speedway @ 150-175mph with 7 year old tires....again, JMO. Some clubs check tire age "before" they let you on the track anyway....

RobLo

I won't be going to Pocono until after I change the tires, will be getting the Michelin P/S+ AS in the next month or so, thanks......

el es tu

get the newest one you can afford at the lowest price.

If you can afford a used gs coupe do that so you get the sportier suspension, extra cooling, better gearing, and the hand assembled dry sump engine.

Z51 base model would be the next option down (no special hand assembled dry sump engine though)


If you get lucky and find a decent deal on a z06 then definitely go for that. My main regret would have to be not waiting to get a z06...

Shifter6

The LS2 is for you.

When I looked the average difference between LS2 and similar LS3 cars was $5k. Regardless of what anyone says, to you and 99.9% of the rest of the world an 07 and 08 are the same car. Is the LS3 faster, a little yes. But 400hp/400ftlbs in a 3200lb car is no joke, you will not be disapointed in the LS2. Plus you want to add a CAI, on a LS2 you will actually see a gain, the air intake in the LS3 is tough to improve on.

You should know by now, there will always be something faster. You have to just deal with it.

Save the money, buy the LS2, it is very fast.

Ketchum

I've had a 2006 automatic. Sold it for a 2008 automatic. Anyone in my book that says can't feel the difference must drink and drive. That 30 plus horse difference I could feel from off idle to what ever. My 2008 is a beast compared to the 2006. Gas mileage not quite as good but seat of the paints difference in performance sure is. Both cars geared the same. Yea steering and interior a little better in the 2008 but the power to me was really noticable. 36 horse more is a lot of difference in 3200lbs. You'd have spend fair amount of $ to get that difference back in a LS2. That's my take on it.

willmkent

I really appreciate all of the opinions, one thing that is huge for me is the handling and suspension, I visit good friends in Vermont and new hampshire where the drive is unbeatable, so many twisties and brilliant curves on which handling is king and you can only go so fast.

If I may ask one more question, how will I know if the models I'm looking at will have either the Z51 or f55 options?

Btw this most certainly may not be my last vette...only the first

RobLo

F55 has a big, selector **** in the middle of the console, I think the 2 choices are "Touring" or "Sport", easiest way to spot a Z51 is the drilled rotors....

ExRedRacer

Unless of course, some guys install the drilled rotors on their other-wise non-Z51 suspension.

petermj

If your car came with stock runflats, this is a major part of your problem with choppy and harsh ride.

petermj

Your car weighs more than 3200 lbs, check again I switched from Z51 3LT 07 6sp to 09 Z51 1LT 6sp. The most noticable difference is a pretty rough idle The car feels a bit more nimble due to being lighter from downgrading in trim level but otherwise, the extra power is not very easy to notice in daily driving, NPP is pretty cool though.

jimb100

Somehow I think the potholes are the major problem.

jimb100

You must have had your butt professionally calibrated to notice more nimble handling as a result of going from a 3lt to a 1lt.

RobLo

I'll let both you and petermj know after I change the tires, I agree though, crappy roads and 7 year old rubber (lots of tread still showing, kills me to buy new tires with that much tread still on them, necessary I know) make for a very rough ride....

FrankTank

This forum always amuses me... to see people debate over the difference between an LS2 (400HP) vs. an LS3 (430HP) , and a majority say go with the LS3 which is fine I tend to lean that direction.... now start the same thread but compare the LS3 to the LS7, and many say they can't justify the price difference (which is more ) , however now we are comparing 505 HP vs. 430 HP. Bigger price difference, but bigger power difference



Sorry, I digress... as you were gentelmen

willmkent

I read a thread about someone with an ls2 adding a fast 102 intake manifold, something like this sounds like it would be fun for me to do and give me some extra power if I had an ls2, this might be the way to for me, that way I can afford both cars and some fun mods for the vette

petermj

Uhm, not sure about my butt being calibrated (unless you want to sign up for the task) but the fact remains that side airbags and power seat and lumbar, heater hardware and electronics, Nav units and better audio do add weight. Now, I knw this may sound like an outrageous concept to you but there is a slight chance extra power may be more noticable when combined with less weight to give me a FEEL of a more nimble car?

petermj

Trade it in for a non Z51 car, that should solve your problems. The roads around me are pretty rough but I treat harsh ride as a valuable part of the driving experience by being connected to the road. And no, even though I pass by the local cadillac dealer, I never get tempted.

Shifter6

Fast102 is a great bolt on for an LS2. Its widely accepted the factory LS2 intake is even worse than the late LS1 intake manifolds. Also the factory air intake sucks.

Replacing both of those with a tune will likley put you even with an LS3. Plus now the car is unique to you, which is cool.