Hi All,

I'm a potential buyer in a few months, and plan to daily this car in New England. It will not be garaged, it will be driven in the winter, and it will get roughed up. I'm ok with all of that and will plan accordingly. However, the one thing I can't get out of my head is the ground clearance. My apartment complex has 2 relatively nice speed bumps, but my work has some nasty triangular spike strips (3.25" height I think). Also, I live in Rhode Island with just pathetic road maintenance so there are potholes and all types of raised/lowered obstacles around. I've done enough research to be mostly certain that this is all doable, I've searched threads and posts, watched youtube videos, and will test drive one soon. What I haven't been able to find is any good descriptions of what it's like to drive around such roads.

How often do you have to avoid obstacles, take bumps and ramps sideways, drive slower just to have enough time to plan your attack? Is it so constant that it would drastically reduce the fun of owning such a car in my area?

I sort of plan on a base 2LT but maybe a Z51 2LT, but I don't want extra aero pieces below the base ground clearance.

 

Just have good insurance with low deductible and definitely a tire and wheel policy.

 

And if available get the front end camera. I use it constantly on my Z06 to avoid concrete curbing.

 

I think you answered your own question.I know these pathetic road conditions.Hence:Parked
When driven. It is drove like my Harley.Constantly looking at the road surface.I know the alloy rims and precise light suspension ain't designed for pot holes.
You can drive and not pay attention But it may cost ya
The Change in seasons and Traffic Volume eats these roads up.

 

Turn the wheels a bit while going over speed bumps and go slow. On those big bumps it's really frustrating. I try my best to avoid any place that has those big speed bumps though as it's so hard not to scrape. As for snow don't worry about that as long as you have winter tires on... I drove over deep snow this week and was amazed how the tank (Corvette) destroyed the snow.

 

Speed bumps can be a problem. Ease over them on a diagonal. Driveways same thing. Learn to spot potholes. The telltale is the debris field around them. There is a vendor that sells fangs, plastic protectors for lower radiator support. The rubber air dams serve as a warning of potential dragging hard parts.

 

I drive my 420 HP Mustang in the winter with the right tires and have never had an issue, and I think I'll be fine with the obvious speed bumps. I already pay attention enough to avoid 90% of bumps/ditches but I don't worry too much if something is unavoidable, nor do I drive slower than the speed limit, or make obvious swerves. So basically I'm mostly just worried that I'll have to be so much more vigilant that I won't be able to enjoy the car. What would you guys think is about the time spent driving around stuff compared to just driving? I think I could handle 10%, maybe 15% since the rest of the time in a C7 would be worth more.

 

I expected to have trouble over speed bumps but I have not. But driving in or out of driveways requires turning the wheels as sharply as you can as was suggested above.

 

The C7, especially the Base and Z51, both come without the front splitter have pretty good ground clearance (it is not a Wrangler) - not much different than a Honda Civic, and maybe just slightly worse than your Mustang. The base splitter on GS & Z06 takes about 1.25" of ground clearance and adds 1.5" of overhang (the Z07 pkg splitter is even bigger), so you need to be more vigilant. I had my GS delivered without the splitter just so it would clear my driveway.
My driveway is really tough, I had a rental Nissan Maxima two weeks ago, and its front bumper rubbed the apron. My C7's do okay if I go slow (to avoid suspension compression) and angle it a little (2014 Base & 2018 GS without front splitter). The biggest issue is visibility of low objects forward - the front camera on the 2LT & 3LT help quite a bit.

 

Assume you will be getting winter or all-season tires. I don't need them in Eastern SC but below 40 F the traction is definitely reduced and I use Weather Mode. When below 35, seldom when I need to drive, I take the wife's SUV! Even with winter tires suggest Weather mode when below 40 to 45, which activates the nannies sooner.

Added a spitter to my 2014 and have the optional carbon fiber Stage 2 aero option splitter on my Grand Sport. 5 inch clearance that should be no issue with speed bumps when you drive slow. However going down a step driveway is an issue at the street intersection. Those have to be avoided. Can gain some clearance by pulling out at an angle. I added a Scrape Armor splitter protector. Those are also available for cars with no splitter to protect the protruding bumper that is only about 6 1/4 inch clearance. Scraped one side on a curb before I added a splitter to my 2014 C7! Was much more careful after and splitter! It did cover the scrape, the new owner will see if they remove the splitter!

Depending on the model, there are either side or side and center rubber air dams. They have only 3 1/2 inch clearance but bend backward. They also provide and early warning that the next lowest thing that will hit are aluminum "skid pads" or "radiator supports, which GM calls them. They provide both functions. Had installed FANG protectors on my 2014 C7 and hit them a few times, no damage. Installed on my Grand Sport and so far not hit them. See pic below. (Not as hard to have happen as first might appear! There is one mall entrance with a dip and strep entrance. When I travel slowly no issue. But had several occasions where an AH is coming around a bend at a high rate of speed and was forced to accelerate. Combo of speed and dip and scrape! Have a few spots like that and some entrances I won't drive in and park a distance away.) May want to add FANGs, inexpensive, easy install. Scraped them on my C6 several times. Some think the rubber air dams scraping cause an objectionable noise. When those aluminum skid pads hit pavement it makes the rubber air dam noise sound like music!


As someone mentioned, buy wheel and tire insurance for pot holes. I bought tire insurance at Discount Tire for $250 just for the tires (that are nail magnets.) Have few pot holes in Eastern SC but wheels can break if you hit one at speed.

My biggest concern are 18 wheeler tire treads on the interstate. They can take out a $1200 splitter! Just had to make an evasive maneuver around one the other day. Best know where all cars are around you if following an SUV etc as they just driver over what will cause big issue for you! Then you can steer around. Had friend with a C6, no splitter etc that road over one and it wrapped around and axle. Expensive repair.




Top pic, C6 Scrapped Skid Pad, terrible noise! Middle pic, Skid Pad Part. C7 Protector FANG Installed on 2014 C7. Also installed on Grand Sport

 

Awesome! Thanks so much you guys, this is exactly the responses I was looking for. I definitely feel more confident about it now. I'm renting a manual Stingray via Turo in FL for a few days so I'll use that test drive to check out as many road conditions as I can. I really hope I love it, my other options are a Cayman or M2, but nothing beats the looks and engine of the Vette.

 

Was very surprised that I have better ground clearance with the new Z06 compared to the previous base C6.

The tell-tales for me were two large speed bumps on the main road near my house and a steep incline on a road near the exit from work. Scraped both consistently in the C6 but nothing in the C7 Z.

Yes, you'll want to be aware of the nose but the C7 is actually an improvement...


/r

Allen

 

I had a ground clearance concern with my C6 Z51. The dealer simply raised the car by only an inch or so and what a difference.

 

^^^^^ This.

You always can have your car raised on stock bolts to increase clearance.

 

Oh cool I'll definitely look into that.

 

Raise the car, no problem.

 

As Jerry mentioned, get ALL Season tires...... so that basically means get a Stingray, NOT a Grand Sport or Z06 as all season tires are nearly impossible to get in the real world.

Seems like the GM Exec's (Harlen) and others can get the Michelin Alpin PA4 but the rest of us can't find them..... They make them, but they say unavailable everywhere I've looked. Not that I"m going to drive our car in the snow, but it would be nice to run it when it's below 40 degrees F.

 

The Z-51 or GS with their taller tires have 1" more clearance than the base with shorter tires. At least for my 2016. the only problem i have is the rubber front air dam slightly scrapes my driveway ramp but NBD. I bottomed on a speed bump once but now same bump slower speed, at an angle ...no prob. i drive in touring mode in the winter (but no salt or snow conditions) because of pot hole potential. Touring is more compliant than sport mode. I use sport in summer.,

 

Yep, Michelin talks about all-season tires at each Bash and they will always, “be available” for the winter. Never are! Took a few years for the Z51 and the same BS now for several years for the Z06.

However you can get Pirelli Sotozero Winter tires that fit. As I recall the rear are a bit narrow, like 325 but the same diameter as the OEM 345s. For Winter narrower is better anyway.

Like I did when living in CT 35 years ago, just get another set of wheels for Winter.
Could always buy a Ferrari FF, it comes with Sotozeros!

 

HMM, not true! The larger diameter tries are lower profile and about the same diameter!

PS: I recall having to make a lot of measurement for my modified '67 Corvair where I applied a Plus 1 approach, when Plus 1, etc was not a word used! Nor was tire "profile" a published parameter. But those Continental 714s looked so good at the NY Auto Show and the rep made them sound exactly what I needed! But the minimum diameter was 14 inches! Found that custom aluminum wheels from a larger Chevy fit and had the right offset. Those Continentals fit great- just needed to measure the diameter!

They worked so well in wet and dry that when I bought my 260Z had the dealer put them on custom aluminum Minilite wheels and tossed the narrow steel Z wheels!