Suspension Questions -- Which one to order.

[CWSWine]

I’m getting ready to order a new 08 Coupe but the suspension choice seem to be the hardest and most confusing. Hopefully his won’t turn into a slug fest but below is what I believe to be correct about each type suspension. My plans with this car is to drive it, I have C1 and couple street rods to baby so this one will be driven in everything but snow . Since I’m simi-retired we plan on a lot highway time see the sites of our great USA and plan to do it style in our new 08 Vette. As of right now I leaning toward the Mag-Ride options, seems the best of options for mostly highway driving and distance driving. Any thoughts??


Z51 Performance Package

Pos - Best handling of three packages.
Neg - Harsher Ride Than the other two.
Pos - Bragging rights
Neg - Tire wear out in as little as 9000 but need replacing before 15,000 Miles
Neg - Wheel hop or bounce over bumps especially in corners
Neg - Most people won’t even come close to pushing the limits of suspension.
Pos - Not just suspension but extra cooling and bigger brakes

Comments -- Seems that the tires in the biggest difference in handling with suspension upgrades playing a smaller role. The main use of this car will be freeway miles so $1400.00 to $1500.00 for tires ever 8 to 12 months could get costly.

Magnetic Selective Ride

Pos - Can be adjusted between tour and sport.
Neg - Highest cost of three options.
Neg - Price of replace shocks and more complex to repair
Pos - Tour modes is softer and better ride then stock suspension or Z51.
Neg - Sport mode not as good as Z51 still gets some body roll.
Pos - Sport mode better performance than standard suspension
Pos - Don’t get wheel hop in corners on rough roads.
Pos - Lot better tire wear (20,000 to 30,000 Miles)
Pos - Having another neat switch to play with.


Sock Suspension

Pos - Cost.

This is what I have deduced by reading several difference forum and reviews, the problem is on most forums suspension discussions seem to go bad faster than “which wax is the best” and the facts get really clouded so any comments would be appreciate on the above points.

 

[JBsC5]

The F55 is cool. A technological wonder! Still I am retired as well. I chose the Z51 suspension and its amazing.

Thats the one I would recommend. Its smooth and luxurious without a doubt.

Even my wife is thrilled driving in this new Z51 C6..

If your still undecided? Try all three.

They are all great. No bad decision here...

Just a personal preference. The Z51 is awesome and not like the old days of the 1984 C4 in any way.

It is much improved over the C5 version as well.

Very smooth and luxurious and it hauls @ss too.

PS. I'd suggest the NPP exhaust as well. (awesome)

Good luck

JB

 

[Hib Halverson]

If you're going to street-drive the car, especially if you're going to do a lot of touring, buy F55.

Leave the base car to those on a budget.
Leave Z51 to the boy-road-racer set.

Lastly, I'd like to correct some misconceptions.

1) Z51 does not cause rapid tire wear. That's caused by driving style and level of aggression.

2) Wheels do not "hop" or "bounce" over bumps in turns. It is true that Z51 is more harsh, but it's wheel control is anything but allowing hopping our bouncing. What you may feels is more aggressive shock valving and increased roll stiffness. What you sometimes feel from that is more bumps.

 

[yellow_2002_germany]

I have a Z51 car and was able to get 20,000 miles from the stock tires. The tire wear issue isn't to do with the suspension per se it is to do with the softness of the tires. The supercar tires have a treadwear rating of 220. I don't know the treadwear rating on the GS-2s

My 2002 was equipped with the F45 selective ride and, to me, it did seem to be a softer ride on the softest setting as compared to my Z51 equipped 2006. On performance it was comparable to my current car.

If you plan to do most driving on the highway it probably won't make much difference which suspension you get.

The Z51 has a different tranny that gives a bit better acceleration than the base suspension and F55 cars.

A Z51 equipped car is really only a bit bumpy over rough roads. However, most any Vette would be a bit harsh on a bumpy road.

Oh, and

 

[darkstar]

This Z-51 is like no other I have ever had in the old days. It rides as smooth as a babies ass until you challange it for what it is intended-- my case street rodding and aggressive cornering. It is awesome. Don't be misled buy earlier gym-khana suspensions that were much stiffer....Good Luck You are going to love the LS3's performance with gusto anyway.

 

[Tuna]

Z51 Negative - the SuperCar tires are not very good in the rain and absolutely suck in snow and ice. Great for max performance but not much good for daily driving if you ask me.

F55 comments
- Tour mode is not softer than base, just different.
- Big brakes come with it now

My recommendation is F55 - MagRide.
I put 45K on my '03 AE with MagRide and loved it. Never had any problems with it.
Now my '06 and '08 both have MagRide.

OH, welcome to the CAC!!!

 

[GS Diva]

My '05 6-speed has Z51. While it is not what I probably would have ordered, I've grown to like it. Yes, it is a big rougher riding than the Magnetic Ride, but it is certainly not like the older C4 Z51's! And I love the way it shifts and handles which is different than non-Z51 C6's.

I, too, had a little concern about the tire wear, but I don't believe they wear out that much faster if you're not pushing the car to its limits!

Why don't you drive a few Corvettes with different suspensions so you can get the feel.

Elaine

 

[darkstar]

Z-51 Positive

Z51 Negative - the SuperCar tires are not very good in the rain and absolutely suck in snow and ice. Great for max performance but not much good for daily driving if you ask me.

F55 comments
- Tour mode is not softer than base, just different.
- Big brakes come with it now

My recommendation is F55 - MagRide.
I put 45K on my '03 AE with MagRide and loved it. Never had any problems with it.
Now my '06 and '08 both have MagRide.

OH, welcome to the CAC!!!

You are right about the tires. BUT, the z-51 handling package is as i stated before a superb suspension. Meant to handle with finess and skill. I will admit I have never had a muliti-postion shock absorbing system with controls in the car managed by a computer. But I have had about all the variations over the years with 5 diff vettes that I have owned.

 

[JBsC5]

I've been reading this stuff and wondering how come my c6 Z51 in the freezing weather has been fine for me.

Granted it hasn't been deep snow just a few inches but cold and I'm not having any issues getting around in my vette..

The F55 is probably a great setup. Hell its in the NEW ZR1 ...

That said...my car with these supposed Z51 tires seems to be doing just fine so far this winter..

Car rides like my cadillac too. Even my wife who hated my c5 Z is loving driving around with me in the new C6. Take it for what its worth..

Just a heads up.

 

[OrangeFlash]

This discussion about the new ZR-1's standard magnetic selective ride option should help you in your decision:

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=100945

Note this sentence buried down in the description of the magnetic selective shock option: "It also helps suppress axle movement when cornering on broken or uneven pavement." There is no question about the fact that as you increase spring and shock stiffness that the tires will have increasing difficulty staying in contact with the road when going over rough surfaces in hard cornering. This is where the mag shocks shine.

I have never seen a subject that has been subject to more partisan debate in all of Corvette history than this F55 vs Z51 thing. Just read the facts and think for yourself. Does is maybe say something that the General has it standard on the ZR-1?

 

[OrangeFlash]

Also, I forgot to mention that Ferrari has licensed the use of the mag shock system and is using it, as standard suspension, on their new $280K super-car, the 599 GTB. Google it and read about it.

 

[darkstar]

z-51 my choice

Also, I forgot to mention that Ferrari has licensed the use of the mag shock system and is using it, as standard suspension, on their new $280K super-car, the 599 GTB. Google it and read about it.

Flash, You have made a good case. Never had the thing so I cannot say from experience. Not getting into the specifits of the spring rates and the suspension specs of my z-51, perhaps a computer constantly in nanoseconds thinking about the road conditions you are currently aggressively driving over is not a bad thing. As far as the Ferarri goes , bring it on.
As for the tires I personally need to get used to them in a slower manner. My comments would not be as good as yours. I love my orange ghost. Have a merry Christmas and don't use that vette for a snow plow

 

[OrangeFlash]

darkstar: I can see we agree on basic colors! I agree with you on the Ferrari. I think the ZR-1 at $100K will give the 599 a real run for the money. From what I have read, it looks like the Z06 did a pretty fair job of standing up to the 599, so the ZR-1 should be even better. I think in this new ZR1 we have a world class machine. My only point in bringing up the 599 GTB was that Ferrari engineering thought enough of this GM/Delphi shock system to license it for use on their upscale toy. I saw a one hour special on TV last week about the 599 GTB. Talked a bit about the mag shocks in this program. I found it amusing that while acknowledging this as being "American" technology, they could not bring themselves to spit out the words "GM Corvette technology". You are also right in your assessment of what is going on with the mag shocks. It is hard to beat a computer making 100 adjustments per second on shock calibration in terms of trying to keep the rubber on the pavement. It works wonders not only on rough surfaces on corners but also on undulating or inconsistently wavy surfaces where all four tires are having to deal with different road contours. We will be seeing more of this technology in the future, I am sure. Just like we saw computers be introduced into engine management technology. Grumbling at first and it took people a while to accept but now I doubt anyone would want to go without it now. And a very Merry Christmas to you, darkstar and to all other Corvette fans! We are blessed to have GM making this fine car for us at competitive prices

 

[CWSWine]

Thanks to everyone that took the time to respond. Currently I’m making two house payments - one for our new house and from the old house we move from but the old house should close on 31 Dec. When the money is bank and I sure the house payment is gone is when I head to Chevy dealer and place the order. Think I will go with the Mag Ride -- the ZR1 being released with Mag Ride was the finial piece of information I needed to make my decision. We are going to do museum delivery then point it south to Key West, Fl then back to the great state of Kansas and will make about 3000 mile break in. Again thanks to everyone.

 

[darkstar]

Mag Ride

Thanks to everyone that took the time to respond. Currently I’m making two house payments - one for our new house and from the old house we move from but the old house should close on 31 Dec. When the money is bank and I sure the house payment is gone is when I head to Chevy dealer and place the order. Think I will go with the Mag Ride -- the ZR1 being released with Mag Ride was the finial piece of information I needed to make my decision. We are going to do museum delivery then point it south to Key West, Fl then back to the great state of Kansas and will make about 3000 mile break in. Again thanks to everyone.

Good luck and enjoy that new "Vette". Merry Christmas

 

[OrangeFlash]

Thanks to everyone that took the time to respond. Currently I’m making two house payments - one for our new house and from the old house we move from but the old house should close on 31 Dec. When the money is bank and I sure the house payment is gone is when I head to Chevy dealer and place the order. Think I will go with the Mag Ride -- the ZR1 being released with Mag Ride was the finial piece of information I needed to make my decision. We are going to do museum delivery then point it south to Key West, Fl then back to the great state of Kansas and will make about 3000 mile break in. Again thanks to everyone.

You will enjoy the museum delivery and my bet is you will long savor your memories of that 3000 mile break-in trip. Enjoy your new Corvette!

 

[Rat Race]

I paid 500 per tire for the SC's A week after i purchased the rears ( fronts were not avaliable) the weather turned so the car has been sleeping....

Until today when i took it out and got the thrill back.. for a little bit

Was looking forward to a run down to Atlantic city tomorrow but as the weather gods would have it rain is forcast so back in hibernation it goes..

Are the front tires still backordered?