I’m not new to the forums but new to this one. I’m putting in an order for a C8 and need advice from the good people at this forum.
I will not be driving my C8 on a track nor am I an aggressive driver. The Z51 option seems to really popular with the community but I’m wondering if I really need it. I never had it on my C6 and got along fine. For those of you that have it why did you choose to buy it?

 

I have the Z51. It will probably never see the track, but I still wanted it for the hardware just because I wanted it. After putting about 1200 miles on the car now, could I live without it? Yes, I could do without it, but I still enjoy having it.

 

I did not buy it for the same reasons as you. I’ll never track the car (like literally 95% of Corvette owners) and I spent the money on options that I will use regularly. And, I did not want the summer tires that come with the Z-51 package. Some will argue that Z-51 helps resale down the road but if you want to maximize your wealth down the road, better to put the money in an index fund instead of a car option. Others still will say that they like the heavier duty features that the Z-51 delivers. While true, I’m not sure the more robust features get put to the test off the track. Finally there’s bragging rights. Can’t argue with that, it’s animal spirits. People like performance potential even if it’s never used. Most standard Stingrays will never be driven near their potential as will most Z-06s but it’s cool to know they have the potential.

 

I also have a z51. I do drive the car hard across many miles of hilly and twisty roads in southeast Ohio. So the extra radiator, eLSD, summer tires, upgraded brakes, etc. were very important to me.

Given what you mentioned, my opinion is that you don't need the z51. The non-z51 version provides loads of grip for almost any street occasion, and BONUS.....brake dust on the wheels is not nearly as prevalent on the non-z51 version :-)

Having said that, I will tell you that you must, simply must, get magnetic ride. It's one of GM's greatest inventions and well worth the price.

Good luck !

 

The people who skip z51 ($6,300) often add performance exhaust ($1,200), so it only ends up being about $5,000. Its even less than $5,000 for the folks who add low profile spoiler and front splitter package ($600). For the $4,200-5,000 difference for most people i don't see point in skipping it.

 

Do you need it? No. Do you need a Corvette? No. Do you want a Corvette? Yes. Do you want the Z51? ???

Here's a trick. .. Flip a Coin.

If you don't get the answer you wanted, You'll know.

 

No. You don’t need it. I think using the word “need” here is kind of ridiculous. You don’t need the car for that matter.

I won’t track the car but I got it because after ordering a vehicle that wasn’t loaded and regretting it later I decided I wouldn’t do that again.

Yes. The brake dust is a pain but you’ll live.

 

Had both, nonZ51 and with Z51. You get a lot for the money with the Z51 pkg along with 5more hp. You can also lower your car on the z51 coilovers like I did. I have mag ride as well and enjoy using the different suspension settings. You only get the standard setting- touring in the nonZ51 and no cosmetic items like the splitter/spoilers.

 

Better to have it & not need it than to need it & not have it

 

I have the Z51. Don’t waste your money. You’ll get stuck with summer tires that you have to change out if you want to drive it all year. That’ll be another $1800 and then you need to get rid of the summer tires. Sam.

 

The way I see the z51 package is that it makes the inside of the corvette as good as the outside. The C8 is such a capable car that it is completely unnecessary on the street, but the corvette is affordable enough that you may as well throw it in.

the performance exhaust is included in Z51 and it kind of sucks, it’s almost too quiet even on the loudest setting, and it’s expensive. If it wasn’t with the z51 I wouldn’t have gotten it, now that it’s in there I’m not going to just toss it, but I’d rather have a cheaper Z51 package and no performance exhaust. The performance exhaust is the scam of the century.

the aero bits are included, but the Z51 rear spoiler is kinda boring, we went with the high wing. The front splitter is cheap, but that may take a beating if you don’t have front lift.

I’m a big fan of the mag ride, I would add that. If my budget was a little tight, I’d skip the z51, but get the mag ride and an aftermarket exhaust.

 

I don’t get it. Saying don’t get the Z51 cause you’re not tracking the car? If the Z51 is useless for 95% of the drivers WTF is the Z06 then?
More people want Z51 cars period.

 

I got Z51 because that was the allocation my dealer had, so I took it -- got my car in 64 days.... '23 C8 ordered 1 April '22, received car 6 June '22.

 

Non Z51 here, with npp and mag ride. Very happy.

 

It boils down to "needs and wants"...

I have a Z51 w/ Mag Ride and I'm still extremely pleased with my decision and wouldn't have it any other way...I wanted the Z51 with everything included in the performance package which suites both my needs and desires perfectly.

It sounds to me like you neither need nor want the Z51 package so don't get it...As I always say if get what YOU want, you'll never be disappointed!

 

Well, here's a topic that's never been discussed before.

I have driven C8's with and without the Z51 option. The car is totally competent and feels great either way, but I went with the Z51 for my car. Why? For what I was looking for, it simply felt better. I could feel a change in the steering, the brakes, and the suspension … changes I liked. The car, with the Z51, just felt a bit sharper. Not everyone wants that, nor wants to pay thousands extra for it.

That's really all there is to it. It's not, for the vast majority of buyers, about track use. All the “it's only for track use” comments really miss the whole point of the Z51 option. It may, in fact, make the car feel more like a track car, but it is typically not bought for track use.

You absolutely do not “need” the Z51 package on any C8, which is already a great road car. It's simply another way of fine tuning the car to your individual tastes and priorities. The only proper recommendation is for you to drive both versions of the C8 and see which one you prefer. Either way, you'll get a car that is fun to drive and be in.

 

Z51 is the wild ride willing to tell, no, demand me to grab it and be rough with it on occasion. I want it to beat me up a bit like a race car would and be an experiential event. Just enough to tell me that I'm alive without leaving me limping sore. Some sense of accomplishment like conquering a mountain. No easy sleepy cakewalk but fulfilling to drive.

I'd also like a C5-C7 for a daily driver and probably would be fine without Z51. Because I don't want a wild ride in that case--I want to be spooned.

If the C8 is your daily driver, then non-Z51 makes sense, MSRC even better. But if it's strictly your plaything, then get the toys.

 

If you're a "driver" get the Z51 and if your a "cruiser" go without it.

 

Erroneous. The smart move is to pick up a set of OEM take-off wheels and fit them with all-seasons. Then you can just swap out as weather dictates. You have tires better suited to conditions all the time and it essentially ends up being extremely low cost as both sets just last twice as long.

 

I have an FE1 suspension. No track time, pure weekend canyon carver. It's fantastic. However, I just purchased Z51 springs and rear sway bar (the front sway bars are identical between Z51 and non-Z51 cars). I have larger wheels/tires to fix the monster truck wheel gap (255/35/20, 325/30/21 front/rear tires.........different than the usual 30/20 front and 25/21 rears). Why did I get the springs and sway bar? No good answer, other than I'd like to try it. But every time I drive the car I think to myself "Why would I change this setup, it's perfect." So I don't even know if I'll put them on. Might just keep them so years down the road when I sell the car the next owner will have a Z51 suspension option (I fully realize Z51 is more than the suspension, though my car does also have the performance exhaust). Side note, I also bought Paragon Performance lowering springs, which are slightly stiffer than Z51 springs. Why? Because I may decide to go to the "correct" way to lower the car to fix the wheel gap, which is to put lowering springs on and 30/20, 25/21 tires on so my speedometer isn't off slightly (everything is flawless, zero issues with traction control, etc. with current setup). Again, not sure yet if I'll do that. So basically I'm just keeping the economy going by buying stuff I don't need because I can't figure out what the hell I want to do. Either way I have options. Note.....if you have FE2 (Mag Ride) or FE3/4 then you don't need lowering springs, you'll have the ability to lower the car on your own (it's a little weird with a front axle lift but there are options and lots of threads on the topic). To answer your original question, if you are just using the car for canyon carving then trust me you don't "need" Z51. Base suspension is excellent and if you have Mag Ride then there's absolutely zero reason to get it in my opinion. I love my non mag ride, non Z51 suspension, it's way better than I imagined it would be. Smooth as butter and very, very composed in the twisties. Will a Z51 car handle better, of course, but at street pace the difference is probably negligible. I don't race the car on the street, the drives I do are "spirited" 6/10s max type of drives so take it for what it's worth. Best of luck!