I am exploring upgrading my manual shift two seat sports car and drove a 2015 Grand Sport with the Z07 package and a 2017 Z51.
I really liked the Grand Sport model a lot better as the ride was so much better. Is this due to the Grand Sport suspension likely including the mag ride suspension, and the Z51 not having it.

After this experience I asked (at a different place) if I could look under the hood for a wire coming from the shock tower on a Z51 and saw none. I did not drive that particular Z51, but the lack of knowledge of the sales staff was disapointing.

Question can you get a Z51 with the mag ride suspension? I don't rally want the carbon brake set up, wont track the car and don't need the maintenance cost associated with them.

 

Yes magnetic ride control is an option for Stingrays.

 

Personally, I have always avoided mag-ride (and Z51) on all my Vettes, as well as the Z07 gobble-de-gook; all are needless on a street car, and the Z07 parts horrendously expensive to replace. That said, I've always been happy with these decisions and I cannot say the same for some friends who have done otherwise. All the best, in any event.

 

Yep... mine has it and its one the greatest feature of any car I've owned. The car can go from Caddy soft while highway cruising to on-the-rails stiff for track days. It has completely spoiled me in terms of suspension and handling as almost all cars are a compromise. With the mag-ride you can adjust the suspension firmness to suit your mood or road conditions. I honestly wish every car had it, thus highly recommended. Also get the NPP exhaust, another must-have on a C7 for me.

 

For what it’s worth, I have a grandsport with mag ride and I cannot tell for the life of me any difference between the modes.

 

I think it becomes more pronounced on bad surfaces. I also don't feel much of a difference on well maintained highways, but it becomes clear as soon as I get within 3-4 miles to the downtown : )

 

If you are purchasing a 2017 GS with Ceramic Brakes and only drive on the street the brakes will last longer than you will. Yes, the brakes are expensive but for a street driven car they will more than likely outlast the rest of the car. If you are getting the GS at a reasonable price there is no way you should be afraid of the ceramic brakes. Do you know whether the car is a Z07 optioned car as the brakes could be ordered separately from the Z07 option?

The Z51 cars could be ordered with and without the Mag Ride. The GS comes standard with Mag Ride. Mag Ride is fantastic. It isn't a maintenance nightmare like the old adjustable shocks that changed the size of the valving inside the shock. The Mag Ride shocks change the resistance of the fluid in the shocks by passing an electrical current through the fluid. It is a great technology that has been around since GM introduced it in 2003 and even Ferrari uses it in their cars.

When looking at C7 Corvettes built from 2013 through 2017 you can pull the rear carpet up from the rear of the cargo compartment and look at the RPO sticker that is next to the rear electrical center. Mag Ride Suspension is RPO FE4, and of course, Z07 is RPO Z07. For 2018 and 2019 cars the RPO info is accessed through a QR code that is on the drivers side door opening sticker.

Why would you expect any car salesperson to know anything about the cars they are selling? There are thousands of variations of the car models available from each brand. When a Corvette is on the lot it is a car that not many of them have even been close to before.

Bill

 

Try it out on different road surfaces. I'll change from touring to track on occasion and there is a noticeable difference in suspension and steering wheel sensitivity.

 

Do you have the steering set in one particular mode? IE: not in auto. To me the difference in suspension firmness is obvious pretty much regardless of road surface, but the steering response difference is night and day. So much so that Tour scares me with how over boosted and sloppy it is.

 

Mag Ride 500.00 leaking oil shocks !

 

I have the steering and exhaust set to sport mode by default.

 

That explains it to some degree then.

 

try going over a set of train tracks in touring, and then try it in track mode. You should see a notable difference.

 

just a slight addition to your info. FE4 is for Mag Ride only on a Z51. FE2 is Mag Ride on a base Stingray, FE6 is the std Mag Ride on GS/Z06, and FE7 is Mag Ride on GS/Z06 with Z07 package.

 

Challenge accepted
I will report back