About three years ago I quit visiting this forum because the Z06 was not something I thought I wanted, especially considering two issues, so here goes.

1. Is the A8, which I must have so please don't ask, still as problematic as the reviews I was reading 3+ years ago?

2. Overheating. Since I won't be tracking the car, have there been any reported overheatings while just driving the car on the street?

I could search but maybe you good folks here can re-jump start my research into the Z06. There are starting to be some good deals on the Z06 and my situation has changed enough that a Z just might be my next and probably my last Corvette purchase.

Thanks

 

1) A8 is not sloppy. It is a fine transmission.

2) It will not overheat on the street. Virtually zero reports of this.

 

The A8 is not and never was sloppy. You were talking to M7 owners.

The Z does not and never did overheat outside hard track use.

So, long story short, you should have had one years ago!

 

I am pleased with the performance of the A8. The car will overheat on the track even with the changes made to the 17. Should not be an issue on the street.

Love mine,

 

I'm loving the A8 much nicer on dinner dates.
Really like the A8 . It shifts quick and keeps the R's low so the exhaust stays closed and quiet very stealthy!
Different animal than the M7 which needs the R's so the exhaust go open.

 

OP, you had better get on the stick. Depending on MY you want ('17/'18), the really good 20-22% off MSRP are disappearing fast! Also choices of colors/trim level/ConVert/trans, etc. are really getting slim pickings out there according to most posts I've seen.

 

Hello OP,

1. It's my first Corvette and first A8 transmission, so my opinion is strictly on the z06 with A8 transmission (2016 model). I've recently had the transmission fluid flushing completely and reprogrammed (car had 27k miles on it) which improved the ride. Before the service the car shifting was horrible. From 1-2 gear the car jerks so hard, I can feel my self moving forward and get knocked back into my seats when it gets into 2nd. This happens when I'm driving around a parking lot, or any situations when im driving around 10-15 mph. When accelerating from a stop sign or lights, it would do the same, but harsher if you step on the gas harder, the knock is hard enough to throw the rear wheels spinning, and this is when I'm not trying to race the car next to me whose revving his engine. When coming to a stop, and the gear is shifting down, its the same situation, when coming down from 2nd to 1st, it will give you the knock plus some after shocks, therefore its a real challenge to get the car running smooth. Beyond 3rd gear, everything seems to be fine until you are shifting down from 8th to 7th, when that happens you will feel a mild vibration, it wont be strong enough to knock you back, but its there, and of course again when going from 7th to 8th. The dealership service guy said that the car "learns" how you drive and shift according to what they learn from your everyday drive habits, therefore I am assuming my driving habits are pretty bad. Anyhow I had the car fluids flushed and reprogrammed the transmission. It does seem better now, instead of a hard knock from 1-2 you just get a light kick, won't exactly throw you off, but still have to be very cautious. I am not too sure about other vettes out there, this is just strictly my vette, I have read other posts that some people are experiencing similar problems, but I can't say for them.

2. I have never tracked my car or driven it hard enough to experience any overheating problems. On a 116 degree day (west texas) my engine stays at 201-205 range.

 

That sounds the exact opposite of sloppy. It also sounds like a problem that isn't common.

Bill

 

Good point Bill. Changed my OP to hopefully a better descriptor.

 

My 2016 with A8 has been flawless. My only recommendation is consider the Range module to prevent later problems with the torque converter lockup clutch that can happen in V4 mode.

Fortunately the Z06 rarely goes into V4 mode compared to the regular Stingray/Z51/GS but it will still happen under light load or especially when coasting. During V4 mode the controller rapidly cycles the lockup clutch on and off to help absorb the additional engine vibration that occurs from operating a V8 in 4 cylinder mode and this constant cycling of the clutch results in excessive wear which leads to RPM variation during cruising speed and ultimately vehicle shudder as the clutch no longer engages as surely as expected by the controller. The current GM "fix" is the use of a new fluid with different friction modifiers which helps to mask the issue of clutch wear but likely just extends the time until the problem again becomes apparent.

Although I dislike having to use an add-on to avoid a designed in problem that is far preferable to converter clutch issues and I prefer having the Range module keep my engine running in V8 mode all of the time. The most current version of the Range module is supposed to avoid setting any codes however any recent version works fine if you leave it switched off until after the car is started and that is the process I have used since I bought my Z06 in March 2016. There is a lot of communications activities taking place at initial startup and sometimes if the Range module is left on at startup it will interrupt communications between the engine and transmission controllers resulting in a check engine light and a transmission locked in 4th gear. It isn't a real problem if this occurs, simply turn off or unplug the Range module and restart the car before turning the module back on and everything is back to normal.

The A8/Z06 combination works very well except for those who track it hard in hot weather. The cooling system is capable of handling anything you can reasonably do on the street. I had a lot of fun with mine on the Tail of the Dragon a couple of years ago during a morning run when the road was practically clear. I did have to slow down near the end, not because of the car which was running quite cool, but because my daughter was getting nauseous from the high G forces. I think you will love the combo of the A8/Z06.

 

Thank you for a great and educational post. You have given me info I was unaware of before. Definitely means a lot more research needed on my part.
The first new question is what is the "range module"? Thanks

 

You are welcome and the Range Module is a device that came out several years ago when GM first introduced the reduced cylinder system. It used to be called DoD (Displacement on Demand) but it is the same system now called AFM for Active Fuel Management. Under light load the engine drops to 4 cylinder mode by deactivating the pushrods for the valve train of 4 of the cylinders which reduces the pumping losses from 8 cylinders trying to pull air through a mostly closed throttle plate. AFM is probably OK but modulating the torque converter clutch has been very problematic. The Range Module basically tells the vehicle that the conditions for going into V4 mode have not been met.

The Range Module plugs into the OBD-II port and does NOT reprogram the car ECM: https://rangetechnology.com/

I uses a switched extension cord from Amazon making it easy to turn off the Range module when I shut off the vehicle. This avoids any issue with start up communications conflicts and also prevents additional battery drain when the vehicle is not in use:

 

https://rangetechnology.com/afm-disabler/


I have used the Range Disabler for a year on my 2015 A8 with no problems whatsoever. Turn it on before start or after start...none.
(just use it with a switch to turn it off or it WILL drain the battery).


Also, my A8 Z06 is one of the first production in Jan 2015 and has had no issues.

 

I've had my A8 for nearly 2 years and love it. I don't track it, so I've never had any overheating issues. I've had a number of manual transmission sports/performance cars over the years and I'm not at the least bit disappointed with the A8.

 

The version of Range I have (8.2) worked fine for 2015 models but would rarely create a startup issue with mine if not turned off before starting. Current versions work fine with my 2016 and Range provides a free update but I haven't bothered sending mine back yet for the update. I believe that Range has just introduced a later update that does not create any code setting issues with current 2017/2018 model year vehicles but I do know that the older versions will work fine with these years as long as you turn it off before startup.

And I can easily understand why Range has issues keeping up with GM since often GM's own stock systems have issues with problems at startup. My 2008 Cadillac CTS sometimes required a restart to have the premium audio system function properly and my current 2014 ATS sometimes also has a glitch with the infotainment system that requires a restart to fix. It appears that a random overheating glitch that some have experienced with the C7 due to the engine cooling fan not coming on is related to a glitch at startup. Given these little issues with fairly simple current cars anyone who expects flawless performance from upcoming "autonomous" vehicles has some pretty unrealistic expectations

 

And this thread is a good example why sometimes search doesn't work as well as asking a question on the forum.

Thanks to all, GREAT info.

 

Since the original post stated they would not be tracking the car, I'll answer the question that was asked, instead of the question he did not ask.

Had my 2016 A8 Z06 for over a year. Great car. Has never come close to overheating. Originally upgraded the car to 710 hp with no warranty impact. If you're concerned about the torque converter simply get an extended warranty - goodbye problem.

 

No experience with the A8 but my M7 vert has never come close to overheating in 51,000 miles. Unless you count the first Christmas I had it, when it was 80 and sunny outside so I drove over 100mph to my aunt's house and shut it down. The radiator fan kept running for a few minutes. Not so bad.

 

My (2017 Z) A8 is a dream on track. No overheating with 20 min sessions.