nskyline34

Hey guys,

I'm considering pulling the trigger on a 2017 Z06 that's everything i wanted, including the carbon ceramics, but it doesnt have the Z07 suspension. The car will be used for probably 7-10 track days a year otherwise it will just be for normal cruises and canyon roads.

I'm curious if people who have the normal suspension regret not getting the Z07 suspension? Considering I highly doubt I can drive the car at 10/10ths, I cannot imagine it will be THAT much different?

What do you guys think?

OH THREE Z

I would have loved to have the opposite (Z07 suspension without the CC brakes.) For me and my budget the thought of a CC brake job was enough for me to leave that box unchecked.

There is a suspension update available from GM that is supposed to greatly improve the 2015-17 cars equipped with the base suspension. The cost is $350. If you like the car that you are looking at snag it and do the update.

good luck

Bill Dearborn

It is hard to say whether you will notice the difference or not. We have a couple of members who have a lot of track experience that did not have Z07 cars and set some pretty impressive track times with the standard Z06 suspension. I suspect most forum members would be hard pressed to say whether or not the Z07 suspension enhanced their performance because most of us are limited by our abilities Vs the car's abilities. When I watch a video of Jim Mero (GM's test driver) entering VIR's Uphill Esses at close to 150 mph when I am struggling to get over 130 mph entry speed I know there is far more left in the car than I can use at this time if ever.

Bill

nskyline34

Thanks for chiming in fellas! I wonder how the Z06 vs the update vs the Z07 is? Would be interesting to see. For example, if the Z07 is 100% and the Z06 is 50%, then is the update make it like 55-60% or more like 75-80% I wonder? Would be nice to see, but all my research GM says nothing about how it compares.

trevor90

some can hardly tell an ******* from a vagina, so i suspect there would be no difference here. it's a sports car with 650hp, my non z07 suspension is fine.

it's like the competition package in BMW M cars, simply an overrated option that people are willing to pay for, because....

nskyline34

LMAO - that first bit was awesome. made my day

Monkey D. Luffy

Nope... mine has the Z07 package including the carbon ceramics, and I love both

OH THREE Z

^^
I agree.. front runner for reply of the year

I could embellish but I've already had my hand slapped for speaking the truth so I better tuck my tail and move along.

to the OP. The upgrade, as i undefstand it will improve Z07 equipped cars as well so the performance delta should remain consistant assuming apples to apples

mikegaan

The Z07 has stiffer springs (approx. 60% - see below) and different damper calibration. The improved track performance (7-10 track days a year?) is paid for by a stiffer ride the remaining 355 days of the year. How important is it to you to get another few tenths off your lap times in HPDE, where you're not really 'racing' someone but just enjoying the car (you can NOT come close to it's performance potential on public roads so it makes no difference whether you have the Z07 option or not)...keeping in mind you'll 'look' racier with the stage 3 aero (which you can get aftermarket)...and the satisfaction of knowing you have the 'Z07'.

I have the new MRD calibration (made a nice difference) on a non-Z07. Have no idea how/if my lap times have improved.

Specs. from a previous post:
The following information comes directly from the Chief Suspension Engineer at Corvette.

The suspension on Z07 equipped Z06s is stiffer than non-Z07 equipped Z06s. The springs, shocks, Magnetic Selective Ride Control calibration and stabilizer bar bushings are different between the two.

The front spring has a 62% higher rate on the Z07 than the standard Z06.
The rear spring has a 22% higher rate on the Z07 than the standard Z06.

The different stabilizer bar bushings help the Z07 achieve an appropriate understeer level.

The Magnetic Selective Ride Control shocks on the Z07 have a tighter gap which means a higher “passive” curve in addition to a more aggressive MRSC damping tuning.

nskyline34

Is there any difference in the Z06 vs Z07 when it comes to the different 'driving modes'? for example, does the Z06 still have the same sub-levels inside 'track mode' as the Z07 has? Like track-wet etc?

The car is absolutely flawless with 3,340mi, carbon ceramics, M7, its a 2017 with the second radiator in it, downside is its a 1LZ, but I dont care for butt warmers in a Z06 - and its $66k... Seems like a really good deal and I shouldnt pass it up almost? It does have stage 1 aero - but that's a piece of cake to fix and only about $1500 or so.

Thoughts?

mikegaan

No difference in driving modes, but "The Magnetic Selective Ride Control shocks on the Z07 have a tighter gap...".
$66k seems low to me (I'd check carefully), but there are many experts on going-price that may chime in.

capevettes

The short answer is no. The Z07 is great for those who have it. The reality is, this car exceeds most driver's abilities to drive them anywhere near the limit, on the track or the street, with or without the Z07 package.

Pizz

I drove the Z06 and Z07 before buying. I love the braking performance on the Z07. I didn't really notice the suspension on the short rides in traffic.

Thomasmoto

I don't regret it at all. I bought a 15 Z06 first that had it. It beat me to death.

OH THREE Z

Z06/7 share the same exact modes with the only differences being the aforementioned stiffer spring rates ect.

as to how good of a deal it is I'd need to know the original MSRP to compare your car to what might be sitting on a new car lot with deep discounts.

badhabit_wb

I bought the z06 and added the dsc module, tractive shocks, and full aero. Now I just have to learn to drive it. Lol. I did drive a z07 and the ride is much better on the z06 in my opinion.

Range_Rat

This is where I am with this question as well.

A Corvette equipped with the standard Z06 suspension is a VERY capable car, and will give any car out there a serious run for the money. I think that only professionals or (possibly) the most serious of Track Rats will ever view the standard Z06 suspension as a significant performance limiter --- tires and driver skill level are considered to be the primary determinants --- and BTW, many of the serious combatants prefer iron brakes over CCB's.

Koan

I like the Z07 for the bigger rotor size, and thus more resistance to overheating the brakes. In addition, the standard rotor vanes are not directional. For a track car, this matters. (The CCBs are in a box. I use Girodiscs on my mostly tack car) For a street car, not at all. As far as the sway bar bushings and spring rates...these matter too, but the shocks are more a contributing factor for ride stiffness than are the springs.

If you don't like the suspension on the Z06, there are many ways to upgrade with the money you are saying.

Poor-sha

Hey, got your PM and figured I'd just answer here. I've owned and tracked heavily both a 2015 without Z07 and a 2017 with it. Frankly, you can't go wrong with either.

First I'll say that the carbon ceramics are great on the street and are the only solution that really can go from street to track and back without changing pads. However, they are not up to heavy track use and the pad and rotor replacement is expensive. I pulled them from my Z07 with 33 miles on the car and put the AP Racing kit on. They'll go back on the car when I trade it for the ZR1 in a few months. If you're not really hard on brakes on track and don't track a lot then you'll probably be fine with the CCBs but I wouldn't want a Z07 just because of that, in fact you're better off without on a pure track car.

Now as far as on track performance goes, you can go very fast in either it was only last November that I finally broke my best time with my Z06 in my Z07. You really should buy the DSC controller if you're going to track an FE6 (Z06) car as it helps a lot with body roll and brake dive. Getting the Tractive Shocks makes it even better and you don't give up anything in ride quality. If you want to see what an FE6 car can do on track check out my channel on youtube. Anything in the gray car was the FE6 2015 and the red car is the Z07 (FE7) 2017. Now that I've owned and tracked both I will say that there is an edge to the FE7 in that it better supports the car in high G loads but you really have to know how to push the car to get to where it makes a difference.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...Gegf4EtFt-pauJ

As far as ride is concerned I initially bought an FE6 car because all the feedback I heard from the GM folks that had test cars was that the FE7 really beat you up. Someone above already quoted the details on the suspension differences and there's no getting around the fact that the FE7 springs are much stiffer. Stock for stock the FE7 is noticeable stiffer but to my surprise with the DSC controller I find the ride to be just fine and based on my recollection it isn't much worse than the FE6 with DSC. I am also very ride sensitive unlike some folks on this forum that like to brag about how they like a car to ride like Conestoga wagon.

In the end, if you like the car and it's a good deal buy it. Take $1299 of the money you saved and send it to DSC Sport for the controller before you take it to the track.

nskyline34

$92k Original MSRP