DannyBoyC6

Hi guys, I could use some advice. Right now my local Chevy dealership is running a really great deal on a new 2017 Z06 with the color options / wheels / package I'd like except it's the A8 transmission where I'd prefer manual. I have a couple of questions if you wouldn't mind chiming in with experience:
1) If I hit the local road course 4-5 days a year, is the A8 gonna hold up? I know it depends on the driver and style, etc. but curious if it is generally considered capable of taking a beating.
2) I'm in Texas, and I'm sure you know where this is going. I know the cooling has been improved for the 2017 model - is this engine as bad at going into limp mode as it seems to read, or is 2017 pretty solid for doing a bunch of 20 minute sessions in 90 degree heat? Again, it's the auto. Some quick searching had people saying it's a dog just street driving when it's hot out. That seems hard to believe.

Thanks very much in advance!
Dan

Racerdj

My first Corvette was an automatic whereas I wanted a stick. This was back in 1973 and I regretted the purchase almost everyday I drove it. From my experience, look for a manual car and in the end you will be very happy you did.

dmaxwellh

I could not agree more. Purchase a car with the transmission you truly desire!

thebishman

Dan,

The Z06 with the A8 is a great car with a great transmission and you will not overheat it on the street regardless of ambient temp. One caveat: all of them can go into limp mode if the S/C HE circuit isn’t filled correctly.

Unfortunately you will overheat the car on a road course especially with the temps you’ll experience in TX. You can mitigate it somewhat by only driving in ‘M’ mode; (and why would you ever want to drive on a road course in ‘D’ anyway), and by ‘shortshifting’ no higher than approximately 5500 rpm, but it’s a frustrating way to have to drive the car. I know because that’s the way I had to drive my 2015 for two years at DE events.

Remember, only the 2017 M7 models have increased engine cooling versus the earlier models; not the A8.

If you can get the car for a steal though, you can send it out for major cooling mods such as those offered by LG Motorsports and you’ll be able to run it all day long.

Good luck with your decision.

Bish

DannyBoyC6

Thanks very much for the replies!

jim2092

Rule #1 when buying an expensive car.

- get it with the transmission you want.

musclecar6

Sounds like this is a no brainer for you, since you prefer a manual over the auto. No worries about short shifting on the track, the endless A8 shuddering issues yet to be resolved with start of the 5th year of production, etc. Forgeddibout the " good deal " at the local dealer as you may wind up kicking yourself all over the country side if problems occur.
Get the bullet proof manual and have fun.

Rob531

Hello,i am Very new to all of this and trying to find the correct area to ask a question. Is the A8 problem for the Stingray only or the Z06 as well. Thanks

Z0HS1CK

I agree with this.

trevor90

2017 A8 here, zero issues. just the gay delay from pressing the paddle till the gear engages.

Thomasmoto

I know that I'm in the minority here, but I bought a 2015 Z06/Z07 M7 and hated it. Drove it 3 months and sold it and ordered my current 2016 Z06 A8. I have never regretted it. The A8 is much better at the drag strip. Very happy with it. Drag racing is important to me and that was 1 of the main reasons I changed. It was about a 30K mistake. If they had let me test drive the car first I never would have bought it. Back then dealers wouldn't even let you sit in one much less drive one. The A8 tranny is pretty darn tough. I've got 64K miles on mine with no tranny issues. They did replace the torque converter under warranty because they had a few issues with those. Mine was fine at the time, but the dealer wanted to go ahead and change it to the new one.

tzoid9

I can only tell you that several friends of mine have the Stingray model with the A8. None of them have experienced problems and they all have between 25K and 40K miles. But, like someone else has said, you really shouldn't accept any car unless it is loaded the way you like it and a color you like. There's a big difference between driving the A8 and M7 car.s..make a quality decision.

MidLife+

Not to be a smart *** but there are a large number of A8 GM owners don't recognize that they have the problem. The ride of most corvettes are a little rough and if you add **** poor roads like here in Arkansas it is hard to tell if you have shudder or it's a normal ride. There are members of our club that have never heard of the problem and was surprised when I mentioned it. Some have since have recognized the differences and the local Chevy dealer confirmed their problem and replaced their TC's.

Other in the club swear they can't feel anything... IF I was a GM A8 owner I would get the new 2019 TSB fluid flush done either way. Mine is going in tomorrow!

RichieRichZ06

I do not have one single 'fast' driver that's been able to make it through a 20 in session in an A8 car without multiple over heating issues. I have several customers with 2017+ Z06 A8's that can only make it 3-4 hard laps before it goes into limp mode.

Simple answer is that for street applications you should not have any issues, but any track use with a fast driver behind the wheel will result in issues with the A8

Z0HS1CK

Agreed.

dankhts

considering upgrading to a C7 Z06 from my modded C5....haven't decided yet though, but picking through this thread do I see the Circle D 2800 stall solves the shuddering problem along with some suitable re-tuning? Also don't see a lot of complaints with the A8 equipped Z06.... or is it that they're just not separated form the Stingrays and Z51s? Thanks in advance for the replies!

Oh4GTO

Must be noted that with the 2017+ cars, it's not the A8 that overheats but the engine oil temps due to higher sustained revs.

RichieRichZ06

Or coolant or trans fluid. It's a crap shoot to what will cause an over temp warning first, but I've seen coolant do it quicker than oil usually.

Bill Dearborn

Most drivers with M7s use 3rd or 4th gear most of the time. At a track like the Glen if a driver is very smooth and uses the throttle aggressively they can almost get by without using 3rd. At VIR you can get by with 3rd and 4th with maybe a short period in 2nd coming off the Oak Tree corner.

GM says the main problem with the A8 comes in automatic mode because it drops down in gears to get the max torque off a corner. All I see as member recommendations is to short shift the car at 5500 rpm Vs not dropping the car down into those lower gears. Running in the lower gears brings up the average number of rpms even if you short shift. It seems like it would be better to use 4th/5th or 5th/6th gears (or whatever the overall equivalent gear ratio is for 3rd and 4th in the M7) and reving to 6400 where max power is produced like the M7 drivers do which I believe would lower the average rpms and reduce frictional heating enough to get more laps in.

Bill

23/C8Z

What he said..

stop spinning the heat pump on top of the engine to record highs and use the low end grunt to pull you out of the corners.

any driver can make anything overheat on the track if driven in such a manner that pays no mind to what the car doesnt like.

yes. Gm shouldn't have made a blown setup for the Z06. But they did. And it's fast. And it doesnt need to overheat to beat everything else out there.