Vette_Pilot

[QUOTE=Scruff Vette;1596740587]I'm old, afraid to go fast in turns, slow down 1/4 mile before I need to stop and have to pee alot if the ride is bumpy. (I also hate the loud exhaust.) Quite happy with the sloppy, vague handling car I have now.

So what year Chevette are you driving???

Walt White Coupe

I got the base car in 2016 and put 19/20 inch R86 wheels on it and added the Z51 sway bars. I don't track the car but on occasion do drive it aggressively. I've never had second thoughts about those choices.

RyanC7

Of my 3 C6's... 2 C6's with had it and 1 with MAG ride. I picked up a 2014 NON-z51 3LT. I will never take it to the track but as some have said it lacks the brakes etc. I can add all that but I will never get the ride control.

Do I miss the Z51? No, and the oil change is less quarts. For my application of driving on the street Z51 is useless but it is "cool" with the slotter rotors and bigger rims....all more cost for tires there as well.

It would depend all on price to me. I stole my car from a private party sale so it was a no brainer.

Whatever you get, I think 2LT is more noticeable "upgrade" than Z51. You will use all those features for sure.

Scruff Vette

[QUOTE=Vette_Pilot;1596741177]Actually I had a new Firethorn Red one with 4 spd in 1977. The rear hatch window imploded after putting freshly dried laundry in it.
Sold it after a year.

kenownr

[QUOTE=Scruff Vette;1596741588]

good one -- my smile for the day while it snows and my C7 sits in the garage

dbaker

For me,the Z51 pkg was worth the extra $2,500.

Before I bought mine ( ’17 Z51,M7,1LT) I drove the base,Z51,GS & Z.For the features and handling,the ’51 fit me & my $’s.

I do NOT track my personal cars,but routinely drive race cars on ovals & RC’s and the Z51 gives me the street “feel” that I was looking for the money spent.I did NOT buy the MRC.

As always,go drive both & decide.

Just a note of caution….I’ve seen several people here have “buyers remorse” when they buy a lower model,then get unhappy and go sell/trade for what they should have gotten the first time.

That can be an expensive mistake.
That’s just my O…

ExRedRacer

[QUOTE=Scruff Vette;1596741588]I always did like red Vettes....

Billy346

I have a 1LT Z51 without mag ride and my dad just bought a 1LT base WITH mag ride. In terms of speed, both will land your a$$ in jail on the street. The Z51 is a little tighter and has about the same ride quality as my dad's base model with the mag ride set to Track mode. As far as the braking goes, there probably isn't much of a difference as far as street driving goes, but if you track your car, there will most certainly be a difference.

I personally wanted a Z51 because it came with the selectable exhaust, slotted rotors, bigger wheels and spoiler. I drive mine on the street and don't track it, so it is more of a vanity thing for me. For how I drive, a base model probably would have been just fine, but I like the raw sports car feel of the Z51 over my dad's base model.

roadbike56

I have a 2LT, Z51 with mag ride. IMHO, as others have said, for the street the Z51 is a luxury. I wouldn't buy it without mag ride, my opinion. Personally, if its a trade off to buy a newer, or lower mileage base car vs getting Z51, I'd definitely go for the newer base with lower mileage, no question about it. I bought used (GM Certified). If you can stretch your budget to get a GM Certified used C7 base, that's a better deal. You get 1 more year warranty, tires must have at least 75% of the wear remaining. They check the certified cars out more carefully as required by GM.

edved

My last 3 Corvette's have had Z51. I like it for knowing it's one of the best handling cars on the road plus if I do find a track it's ready. I also think it helps for re-sale.

patentcad

I agree. It's a total no brainer.

patentcad

I have Z51, no mag ride, the car rides great. I think you'll find with the Z51 the car corners better/faster and feels more sure footed when you're driving fast on twisty roads.

jimmyb

Please. A base C7 corners at more than 1G.
I love these C&C comments about a base Stingray. It's a Corvette, not a 1996 Sedan de Ville.....
"Make a base car beg for mercy"....Gimme a break.

Scruff Vette

:

LIStingray

When you look at how the C7 generation's various models compares in terms of cornering prowess, a more accurate breakdown would be:
Base = 1975 Cadillac Fleetwood
Z51 = 1986 Monte Carlo SS
GS = 1988 Pontiac Fiero GT
Z06 = 2007 Pontiac Solstice GXP
ZR1 = only model worth buying
As can be plainly seen, unless you are putting down $130k for a ZR1, you aren't getting anything better than a wanna-be sports car.

jimmyb

To the OP:

Welcome to Corvette Forum....
Where the following occurs:

1. Most members are Corvette lovers and don't CARE how YOU equipped your car.
2. A small (but very vocal) group view a Corvette purchase as some kind of Big D&&K contest and if you don't buy what THEY have determined as THE Corvette, then you're a poser, waxer, Cars and Coffee attendee, etc. It's the Corvette Forum version of clubbing baby seals.

If you're still unclear, it goes like this (among the "Experts"):
A. Base Stingray: You're a poser. That's doubled if you bought an automatic. It's tripled if you bought an automatic CONVERTIBLE. (I'm not sure where I fit as I have a Base CONVERTIBLE with a manual).
B. Z51: You're a REAL sports car guy even though 99% of Z51 buyers will NEVER use the additional capability and will REPLACE the Z51 brake pads because of that unsightly brake dust (from those pesky track pads).
C. Grand Sport: Either a REALLY REALLY sports car guy or a Z06 poser.
D. Z06: Now, you're REALLY REALLY REALLY a sports car guy and think all the guys with "lesser" Corvettes (the cars listed above) SHOULD have saved their money and bought a Z06 rather than "settling".
E. ZR1: New entry, so who knows how this will get spun (although I have a sneaking suspicion)

As always, your mileage may vary

PS. I have had my C7 4 years as of this past Tuesday. I have never wished I had ANYTHING different from the car I ordered in August 2013 and was delivered March 2014. Four years in, I still look for excuses just to go drive it.

ssidekickbp

And another thread turns into a " big d$&@" competition on here again....

Mike Campbell

With the guy before me! I got a crappy "base" with only the 1LT interior and my worst transgression is I did the wheels exchange and got "chrome" ( oh noooooo he must be a "geezer") wheels and saved $1000.00 !!!! I must be nuts! And I don't track mine ( only real Corvette people track theirs ) since I've never been keen on going sideways and running into the weeds. I've done even worse! I've taken mine to the "1/4 mile drag strip"!!! Where, since it's only a crappy "base" and not a Z51 3LT without black wheels and suede inserts or a Grand Sport that cost me several thousand dollars less than all the cool people I do is win!!! How about that?

jimmyb

Yeah, but come on...how much "spirited" driving do you REALLY do? Everyone knows that base Stingrays can't handle it and besides, you're old

Now, get off my lawn.

jimmyb

Mike,
I appreciate the "thanks" on my thread and I was thinking you were OK...that is until your admission of having Chrome wheels. Really lame. Now, should you want to become cool like me, I suggest the machined face wheels....which takes some of the sting (see what I did there) out of having JUST a Stingray.

Jimmy