My Z06 Observations
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Apr 2026
Posts: 14
Likes: 8
My Z06 Observations
I recently purchased a 2026 Z06 coupe. I love the car but I have some observations.
The front end bobs up and down in tour mode way too much. It's a constant reminder that there is no weight up front. It is so bad I always drive in sport or Z mode. The stiffer front suspension setting fixes the problem mostly but what I really want is the sport front suspension setting coupled with the softer tour rear suspension setting. I wish we could do that.
The other observation is having the paddle shifters tied to the steering wheel. It just doesn't work on the street. When I want to turn left or right from a stop sign in manual mode I can't upshift until the steering wheel is straight. By that time the engine RPM is way up there. I wish the paddle shifters didn't move with the steering wheel.
The front end bobs up and down in tour mode way too much. It's a constant reminder that there is no weight up front. It is so bad I always drive in sport or Z mode. The stiffer front suspension setting fixes the problem mostly but what I really want is the sport front suspension setting coupled with the softer tour rear suspension setting. I wish we could do that.
The other observation is having the paddle shifters tied to the steering wheel. It just doesn't work on the street. When I want to turn left or right from a stop sign in manual mode I can't upshift until the steering wheel is straight. By that time the engine RPM is way up there. I wish the paddle shifters didn't move with the steering wheel.
Popular Reply
May 5, 2026, 08:29 AM
Pro
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 716
Likes: 564
From: Northern Utah
The paddles are perfect. The steering wheel is not round so you're supposed to keep your hands in the same position, not let the wheel slide through your hands. That's why they are where they are. Learn to drive the way it was intended and you'll be fine.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 966
Likes: 240
From: San Jose CA
In regards to the front bounce, I would check your tire pressures. Tires are an undamped part of the suspension, and if tire pressure is too low (OR TOO HIGH) it can cause bounce. MRC 4.0 is an amazing and advanced damping system, so it is not the dampers.
Aim for 30 PSI COLD tire pressures for street use
Aim for 30 PSI COLD tire pressures for street use
Last edited by CGGS; May 4, 2026 at 03:50 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 14,703
Likes: 5,585
From: AZ
As a track guy, I would never want the paddles fixed to the steering column. WIth my paddle shifted 2003 BMW M3 with conventional round steering wheel and paddles like the C8, I learned to do upshifts with the left fingers with the steering wheel turned hard for 90* turns, don't find the need to do that with the C8Z.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,032
Likes: 1,038
From: TX
Since you are just turning left or right on the street. The simple solution is to change gears into second before you aggressively have to turn the wheel. Problem solved. If you were in auto it would have shifted anyway.
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2026
Posts: 26
Likes: 31
From: Cary NC
I agree about the paddle shifter. My Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio has them column mounted with big paddles and I absolutely love them. They have a great mechanical feel to them as well. One thing I wish our vettes had.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 3,600
Likes: 170
From: Toronto, Canada
In regards to the front bounce, I would check your tire pressures. Tires are an undamped part of the suspension, and if tire pressure is too low (OR TOO HIGH) it can cause bounce. MRC 4.0 is an amazing and advanced damping system, so it is not the dampers.
Aim for 30 PSI COLD tire pressures for street use
Aim for 30 PSI COLD tire pressures for street use
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 164
Likes: 42
From: Bozeman/Livingston MT Sometimes Texas
TPMS accuracy is not the best. And hand held gauges vary also. In my former life we tried to use gauges verified against a standard. I have a quality gauge that I use to set the pressure with and try to check the tires under the same conditions, cold, using the same gauge each time. Be accurate, then drive a short distance and observe the TPMS readings. Don't be surprised if there are variations between gauge pressure and TPMS pressure readings. I believe a quality hand held is the one to trust.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 14,703
Likes: 5,585
From: AZ
With most of my cars, including the C8Z, TPMS usually reads 2PSI higher than any of my gauges, from the $4 AZ one to my digital gauge that reads to the -0.2 PSI. That has been true for 25 years or more, for me. Measures in the morning, in the garage before the cars have been started, then as soon as the car TPMS wake up, usually within 1/4 mile.
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Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Apr 2026
Posts: 14
Likes: 8
[QUOTE=CGGS;1609622319]In regards to the front bounce, I would check your tire pressures. Tires are an undamped part of the suspension, and if tire pressure is too low (OR TOO HIGH) it can cause bounce. MRC 4.0 is an amazing and advanced damping system, so it is not the dampers.
Aim for 30 PSI COLD tire pressures for street use[/QUOT
That is the pressure I am running. GM just chose a front suspension setting for Tour Mode that doesn't have enough control of rebound in my opinion.
Aim for 30 PSI COLD tire pressures for street use[/QUOT
That is the pressure I am running. GM just chose a front suspension setting for Tour Mode that doesn't have enough control of rebound in my opinion.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 100
Likes: 75
As a track guy, I would never want the paddles fixed to the steering column. WIth my paddle shifted 2003 BMW M3 with conventional round steering wheel and paddles like the C8, I learned to do upshifts with the left fingers with the steering wheel turned hard for 90* turns, don't find the need to do that with the C8Z.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 716
Likes: 564
From: Northern Utah
The paddles are perfect. The steering wheel is not round so you're supposed to keep your hands in the same position, not let the wheel slide through your hands. That's why they are where they are. Learn to drive the way it was intended and you'll be fine.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 8,422
Likes: 3,912
From: Omaha
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
C4 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
I've had 2 Z06s (24 & 23) and find the shock tuning in Tour to be spot on. While the Z06 is significantly stiffer than the Stingray/E-Ray, causing you to feel every bump in the road and to bounce/hop from large impacts, I've always found the shock response in Tour to be well damped, allowing for only the single movement reaction, never allowing any "bouncing" after an impact. DSC was talking about bringing out their shock controller for the C8 for a while, but nothing ever happened with it. You might contact them and see if they are still working on it as that would probably give you the ability to do what you want.
As to the paddles, I find them to be fine on the street. I drive almost 100% in manual, and for sharp left/right turns I just rev it out a little further, you've got 8600rpm (44MPH in 1st).
Or as someone else said, shift early if you're driving more relaxed.
As to the paddles, I find them to be fine on the street. I drive almost 100% in manual, and for sharp left/right turns I just rev it out a little further, you've got 8600rpm (44MPH in 1st).
Or as someone else said, shift early if you're driving more relaxed.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 966
Likes: 240
From: San Jose CA
I've had 2 Z06s (24 & 23) and find the shock tuning in Tour to be spot on. While the Z06 is significantly stiffer than the Stingray/E-Ray, causing you to feel every bump in the road and to bounce/hop from large impacts, I've always found the shock response in Tour to be well damped, allowing for only the single movement reaction, never allowing any "bouncing" after an impact. DSC was talking about bringing out their shock controller for the C8 for a while, but nothing ever happened with it. You might contact them and see if they are still working on it as that would probably give you the ability to do what you want.
As to the paddles, I find them to be fine on the street. I drive almost 100% in manual, and for sharp left/right turns I just rev it out a little further, you've got 8600rpm (44MPH in 1st). Or as someone else said, shift early if you're driving more relaxed.
As to the paddles, I find them to be fine on the street. I drive almost 100% in manual, and for sharp left/right turns I just rev it out a little further, you've got 8600rpm (44MPH in 1st).
Or as someone else said, shift early if you're driving more relaxed.I had MRC 3.0 on my Camaro SS 1LE and Tour mode could be at times underdamped on rebound, but 3.0 used predictive algorithms for its damping curves. MRC 4.0 uses actual acceleration sensors and adjusts in real time 1000 times a second based on those sensors. Not once have I ever thought that the dampers were underdamped, even in Tour mode.
In fact when I am charging a road that is not smooth and has lots of bumps, dips, and imperfections in to, I will use Tour suspension mode to keep a lot of that out of the cabin and the car is 100% confident inspiring every single time. MRC 4.0 has ZERO underdamped characteristics or moments in any road conditions in Tour or Sport mode. Oddly though the one thing I have observed on my car is that the Track suspension setting stiffens compression, but relaxes rebound, which is odd to me. This is on a Z07 car. I actually feel the track setting rebound isn't as tight and controlled as either Tour or Sport mode.
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 67
Likes: 22
From: North NJ
Same, agree with all comments/suggestions. Suspension mag ride is spot on in Tour and all other modes depending on your driving surface and individual preference on any given day. I enjoy learning as much as possible about the car and how it reacts to all situations given the setting and driver input.
Sr.Random input generator
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 7,774
Likes: 2,210
From: Sammamish, WA
With most of my cars, including the C8Z, TPMS usually reads 2PSI higher than any of my gauges, from the $4 AZ one to my digital gauge that reads to the -0.2 PSI. That has been true for 25 years or more, for me. Measures in the morning, in the garage before the cars have been started, then as soon as the car TPMS wake up, usually within 1/4 mile.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 14,703
Likes: 5,585
From: AZ
I have lived from 29' to 5500' and the 2PSI difference seems to always be the same.