Newbie here - going to be a 2018 Z06 owner . Can someone give me driving mode tips and how to evaluate which one to use....? Thanks!

 

First, check the chart in the manual that shows the effects of each, then switch through the modes to find what appeals to you. If you like a specific steering, gauge style, and/or exhaust mode, set them permanently in the Settings menu so changing Driving Modes won't affect either. I have mine set to Track for steering and Sport for exhaust and gauges. Mine's an M7 and I usually keep it in either Eco or Tour, which one depending on if I want AFM active, but use Sport or Track only rarely when I'm zipping through some twisties, as that firms up the ride. In the latter two settings the ride is too firm for full-time use, IMO.

 

Try them all to see if you find one more fitting to your style of driving. I keep mine in Sport mode all the time. Pulled exhaust fuse 42 so the flaps are open 100% of the time.

 

You'll probably soon enough find that you prefer Tour on rough roads and Sport on smoother roads.

 

Foosh beat me to it. I am usually in Sport, but on rougher roads Touring is quite a difference. Still amazed that I can change this with a switch. On my last car I needed to reach under the car and twist ***** on the end of the shocks to change things . . .

By the way, one thing I do not like to change is the steering feel. This I lock on Sport for any mode. Glad they gave us the ability to do this!

And congrats on your Z06!

 

My tip would be: Take the Spring Mountain Corvette Owners School and learn about your car! It's well worth it and you'll have a blast! Plus you'll learn all about your car from modes to brakes, etc. GM pays more than 1/2 the cost and it's well worth it!

 

I also drive in Sport mode. I switch over to Touring when my wife is in the Stingray.

 

For longer trips I switch to tour, around town I leave it in sport.

 

Whichever one makes you happy at the time

The different modes act different depending Manual or Auto, mag ride or not, then conditioned with Rev Matching on of off.

Each mode has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on traffic and weather conditions and how you drive.

My obersvations are based on M7, not A8
ECO is good for cruise control on a road trip. Drops out to 4cyl until you press the gas or clutch. A percentage of both throttle and steering input is ignored. IMHO, pretty much not worth the effort if you never make it out of 3rd gear - gotta be in 3rd before E kicks in..

Weather mode is appropriate for wet or cold, it makes the nannies more attentive, throttle and steering a bit more forgiving - important when the roads are slick or cold.

Touring is balance of all modes, and the default at power on.

S tightens up steering and throttle response, decreases the nannies attention.

Tr increases the sensitivity of steering and throttle, and makes the nannies less attentive. The car is more responsive to all inputs, but the nannies are napping, and may not be there to save you quite as quickly.

Completion mode effectively puts the nannies to sleep. (AH/TC off)

Rev Matching in traffic is not necessarily a good thing w/ M7, you are slowing down, but rev matches boosts RPM, so when you let out the clutch, the car wants to leap forward - not good in rush hour.

Above all:
Regardless of mode, you must respect the car, especially the Z06. It will put down so much HP so fast, you'll be doing donuts before you can blink. Plenty of videos out there of that happening.

 

Smooth curvy roads out in the country I usually use Sport. Rougher roads and expressways I use Tour.

 

With your Z06,as others noted, touring for rough roads and sport otherwise. I leave mine in tour most of the time with steering locked on sport (too light in tour for my taste), dash set to sport with ECT as a bubble gauge in the tach since the Z06 otherwise doesn't have a dedicated coolant temperature gauge, and exhaust in either sport or track.

In rain definitely use weather mode. With the wide tires hydroplaning easily occurs and weather mode helps a lot.

 

15 Z always in Sport with the fuse pulled.

 

Just back from Spring Mountain...one thing (among many) learned is that using Track mode could damage a wheel if you hit a pothole...suspension is too stiff in that mode.

Also, they demonstrate why one should always drive in Weather mode if there's water on the road...

 

I leave my daily driver Stingray in Sport 98% of the time.

 

Like others have said, I prefer to use "Tour" mode with steering set to "Sport" and exhaust set to "Track".

 

I thought it was just me.

 

After installing the DSC controller, I leave it in sport (with the exhaust set to track) unless it's really raining, then weather mode. My wife says the sport mode now with the controller is more comfortable of a ride for her than tour was with the original controller. I save track mode for the track.

 

I usually just leave mine in E (GS/M7/Z07). I drive it about 200 miles per week and a good percentage of that it's in V4 mode. Exhaust set to Track and gauge theme set to sport. Rev match is usually on as well.

Now if it's raining significantly it's in Tr with PTM set to WET.

 

 

I use sport 80% of the time. I love the way the car sounds.
Cruising on the freeway, touring is fine for me.
I used track for the first time through 40 miles of canyon roads and loved it.