RideZX6R

I'm sorry if this thread is a repeat...

But I'm basically curious, for a guy who is going to street drive the car 75% of the time and then track it the other 25%, is it worth buying the Z07 package?

Basically I know the big thing is the Carbon Ceramic Brakes, but I'm wondering if the cost of them and the cost to maintain them is truly worth it in the long run. Same with street driving on PSC2s and wearing them out super fast.

Wondering if I'd do just fine with stock brakes with a set of upgraded pads, track tires and maybe add the front lip and wickerbill spoiler later?

Thanks all


*edit* lots of responses on tires here. Tire costs for replacement will be pretty similar for either car, the cost that worries me most is the cost of replacement pads/rotors for the carbon ceramic brakes, so this thread is a little pointed towards that.

LEJ ZO6

You certainly don't need the ZO7 for a street driven Corvette. You don't even "need" the ZO6. A standard Stingray is more than most people will use to it's full potential on the street.

BUT ... if you are going to track it at all and have the means, what Corvette enthusiast wouldn't buy the ZO6/ZO7 or wish later that he had.

mjpcowboy

The Z07 package looks nice even if just driven on the street. It really isn't about need it comes down to just because you want it sometimes

badhabit_wb

If you don't mind the rougher ride go with the z07. I went with the z06 because i'll only autocross a half-dozen times a year or so and decided that i'd be happier with a softer ride on the street. The article with the Nismo battle said that the z07 driver used the sport mode because the track mode was so rough. Not sure how accurate that is but that might help with your decision.

mjpcowboy

The Z07 package has only a slightly rougher ride than not having that package and is only due to the tires.

badhabit_wb

Copied this from another forum. Not sure how that translates into ride quality but the shocks are stiffer as well. Seems like more than just the tires to me.

The front spring is 62% higher rate on the FE7 than the FE6.
The rear spring is 22% higher rate on the FE7 than the FE6

mjpcowboy

I had a 14 Stingray and now a Z06 Z07 package and really don't think it has a much rougher ride. There is a difference but it is not dramatic. Shocks could be stiffer but I do believe the tires have as much of an effect as anything

racezx9

it's 40% stiffer according to Chevy they recommend that unless you track the car 70% of the time, do not get the Z07. Also the corvette race team uses steel brakes, they are a requirement for the series. I would have paid extra for the CCB, but the stiffer ride, the track tires and the additional down force is not needed by me. The latest M&T article they said the ride was hard even for the track.

LEJ ZO6

3 Z06ZR1

The short stiff steel corded side walls are very stiff on the stingray. Not seeing any stiffer softer if any thing!

Racer X

If 25% of your miles are going to be on the track, you are a track monster and should get the Z07.

If they average driver put 12k miles a year on a car. If you have 3000 track miles that is 1200 laps on a 2.5 miles track. That is a lot.

Good luck and stay safe.

Jeuprx-8

Go big or go home. z07 or bust ;-P

Boba Fett

no way i could do the z without the z07 package, street or track, but hey thats just me

mjpcowboy

I got the Z07 option and drive on the road 99% of the time. I recognize it is a little rougher ride but not terrible. The same logic can be used as to why buy the Z06 at all if your not going to track the car a great deal of the time. If I want a great ride I will purchase a Cadillac. To me the Z07 option was the way to go

testpros

I plan to track the Z a few times each year and was considering a Z07 myself. I'm worried so much about the ride quality, but I do worry about the tire cracking when cold issue.

RideZX6R

Haven't read about the tire issue? Can you shed a little more light on that? Specifically the temperatures this is happening at?

While I don't *need* to drive my car in the winter, It's usually mild enough in the Seattle area (just wet, but usually above 40 degrees) that I could.

testpros

See https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-the-hell.html

Crazy to think you spend over $100K for a car and then need to make sure you heat your garage to keep the tires from cracking.

RideZX6R

UN-REAL - That's actually on a Non-Z07 package car. Looks like I'd have to watch for that issue either way.

rob3

If you're going to track it 25% of the time, the Z07 package is the way to go. I have the z06 -- no Z07 package -- and I'm really happy with it, but my car is my DD, and will see little track time. If I want to track it, I will probably get a second set of wheels with Sport Cup 2 tires for track use.

If I was going to track the car as much as you, I'd have gone the opposite route, and gotten the Z07 with a second set of wheels with the Super Sport tires and put them on for street use.

Given how quickly you'll go through tires on the track, getting a separate set of wheels for street use is not a huge expense (really just the cost of the wheels) as you'll be paying for more tires in any event. FYI, there is a forum vendor (I forget who) who sells the c6 ZR1 wheels (same size and offset as the c7 Z06/Z07) for around $1,500 a set.

Also, from all the reviews I've read of people who have gotten the Z07 package, the ride is perfectly comfortable on the street. The big issue for DD seems to be the SC2 tires, especially in the rain.

mjpcowboy

The tires cracking has nothing to do with the car or how much it cost. This is an issue related to the high performance run flat Michelin tires. This is happening on non Z06 cup tires as well. The car shown above is not the cup series tire it is the same as they put on all the Stingray's, BMW's Mercedes etc.