Due to my wife have a very bad back and the pain she is in if riding in a very harsh riding car I wanted to ask you guys this question.

Will Magnetic Selective Ride Control give a softer ride than the stock tour ride in a Stingray? I am aware of how great MSRC is for Sport mode, etc.

Putting my order in next week for a 2lt Stingray but have to think of my wife too.

 

MSRC in Tour or Economy is very comfortable. However, I have seen some posts that say the Stingray ride is even softer. You probably should try one first. I would think she might have trouble getting in and out more than the ride. I would never call it harsh.

 

I guess my question should have been.

Do I need MSRC for the softest ride in my new Stingray?

 

I think its def worth it. Its pretty smooth in touring mode. Go to a local dealer and try it out!

-Josh

 

One thing to consider. If you do get Mag ride, there is a rather expensive aftermarket Mag Ride controller (~$1200) and one of the calibration files available for it is a "plush" ride. That is the one I use and it does indeed make the ride of the Z51 a lot softer. Still, nothing like a Caddy!

Search this thread for Plush

 

Test drive the stingray. It is a sport car and even in tour mode it is a harder ride than a sedan. The smoothest ride in my fleet is my GMC Sierra 1500.

 

Here's my understanding based on feedback from fellow forum members...

In order of softest ride to harshest ride:
[Softest] base stingray < Z51 w/MSRC (tour mode) < Z51 w/o MSRC < Z51 w/MSRC (sport mode) < Z51 w/MSRC (track mode) [Harshest]

 

You won't find very many guys on the forum who have logged 5-10,000 miles in a base (non-MSRC) Stingray, and then logged another 5-10,000 in a base (w/ MSRC) Stingray to compare the differences.

There are other considerations as well given that from 2014-2016 the base Stingray wheels were 18/19 vs 2017+ which is only available with 19/20" wheels. A MSRC equipped base Stingray (called the FE2 package) for 2016+ also 19/20 wheels. So it's not an apples to apples comparison.

Furthermore, if you're asking for a comparison between 2014-2018 Z51 cars with MSRC vs a 2014-2018 base Stingray w/ out MSRC, you also have to consider the different spring rates and swaybars of the Z51 package...

To answer your question, if anyone in your family yourself or otherwise has a bad back--the Corvette is not the ideal choice.

I personally sprung for MSRC on my base Stingray for 2016 (FE2 package) and while the car rides fine for what it is, it's certainly no Cadillac, Honda Accord, or full framed truck.

I have yet to hear definitively that a base Stingray w/ out MSRC rides better or worse than a base Stingray with MSRC. The two packages use different spring rates, so pick your poison either way your wife will probably be uncomfortable during road trips.