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Z51 package - ok for pleasure driving?

dougvette79

Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2002
Messages
13
Location
Mattoon, IL, USA
Corvette
1979 Frost Blue Coupe L48
A friend of mine has found a good deal on a low mile 2002. He is vey interested, but he is unfamiliar with differences in the ride options offered in the c5's. This one has the z51 sport suspension with the 3.15 rear axle ratio. He plans to use the car for pleasure driving only, not performance driving. Will the z51 option make the ride to harsh for normal driving? Would somebody who wants a c5 strictly for pleasure be better advised to find one without the z51? Thank you in advance for the response.
 
Back in 1984 buying a C4 with Z51 was a tough ride..

With the C5 corvette introduced in 1997 the Z51 option still allows the car to ride beautifully.

My 1999 C5 A4 3:15 rode very smoothly..

Just to tell you a short story that may give insight. I remember picking up my 70 year old mother in Manhattan in my 1999 Corvette and even through the streets of NYC my mom mentioned to me how nicely the Corvette rode.

I highly recommend telling your friend to get the Z51 optioned corvette he is looking at. I was always very pleased with the supple and very good handling ride.

JB
 
I have the Z51 and would not have otherwise. I would advise your friend to get the Z51 also. I totally agree with JB that the ride is quite good and the handling excellent with the Z51. I think it makes for very pleasurable driving.
 
I have a 98 ragtop with the Z51 Performance handling package and the FE3 suspension and yes you can feel the bumps a bit more but to be honest that is part of the allure, and as for handling I would agree with everyone else, it's like it is on rails.
Your friend will not be disappointed.
 
For pleasure driving only I would think he would prefer the stock suspension. I understand the Z51 is a great option if you seek ultimate handling but like everything else there is a trade off in ride. Drive both if you can. I also noticed you are in IL so your roads usually get quite torn up in during the winter. Another reason for the stock suspension.
 
All three of the suspension systems on the corvette are great handling..

A fun story a few years back was a buddy of mine bought an early 97 slightly used and autox'ed it often..He was a very good driver and usually won the events..

He swore by the Z51 suspension...then one day as he was searching the option list on his 97..he noticed he had the base suspension car..

So it really is the driver..

He later on switched the springs..and sway bars..bigger tires /wheels...etc..but all in all its kind of a funny story...

The differences in the suspension systems ride is slight..

I certainly wouldn't stray from an excellent preowned or awesome new car deal because the car had the base suspension.. or F45/f55 or Z51.

The extremely rigid hydroformed frame of the C5 has since its inception allowed the suspension even in the most High performance version..(Z06) to do its job and keep the geometry as the designers wanted it and ABSORB the bumps..

If someone was disastified with the ride of any version of the corvette..it would most likely be due to the runflat tires..

Once you switch those out.. the ride is truly transformed..

Its just an option..that your friend who is deciding can consider..for the future if he was unhappy..

I hear the Michelin runflats and yokohammas are much better riding as well.

I dumped the runflats at 18,000 miles..and the transformation of the car was amazing...

It felt like the whole car shrunk around me.. ( I believe it was the 2.5 year old rubber that had gone about 18,000 miles.. became hard as a rock)


The unsprung weight of the runflat tires has more to do with the ride of a vehicle than the suspension option.. IMHO..

Your friend should use the stock runflatsfor the first few years...I just mentioned this option so at18,000 or 20000 miles..

He has options should he want a velvetly smooth silky ride..

2-3 year old Goodyear runflats can often ride like rocks! LOL
 
Hi dougvette79,
I have a 2003 with the Z51 (I wich I also got the FE3 if it was availible). I am not dissapointed with the Z51. The reason I got this option was for better, tighter handling, which I got. My reference points, however, are 2002 Buick Century and 1997 Taurus wagon. The Vette handles way much better than the above 2 cars. I would have absolutely no questions in letting my kids drive the Vette (after I check them out on it). My wife... she owns the passenger seat.
 
Its funny I got hooked on vettes after GM invited me to the GM ride of a lifetime they put on back in July of 1998..

We tested all three suspension systems and the gentlemen in the above post is correct. I wasn't even thinking of corvettes back then..but figured what the hell.

As I looked at those beautiful cars I said..Yeah..maybe I'll buy one.. thinking just get a basic car.. I think it was under 40 g's back then..

Then we drove the cars around a course laid out by Stu Hayner and other Corvette racers that were on hand to give us instructions..etc..

I could tell at that moment..after driving each of the three which I perfered.. It was the Z51 that I ordered up for myself.

Never regretted it for a moment.

Although I will say after Hib Halverstons discussion on the F55 suspension.. I was impressed and might have considered that as a possiblity on a brand new car. (1600 dollars is a bit expensive though)

Of course the base is a good handling car as well.

As far as ride goes....each of these suspension systems are compliant to properly do their job in keeping the tires in contact with the road.

Anytime a C5 driver wants a softer more compliant ride..that usually means its time to dump out the Goodyear runflats..thats usually the crux of the issue.

Some have this problem..some don't..I think its the number of heat cycles that these stiff runflat tires can take....Thats just my personal opinion of course...
 
I have the Z51 and it is great for normal driving. No issues here.
 
C5 Z-51

Yes, JbsC5 is absolutely correct. I have had the Z-51 suspension on both generations, C4 and C5. The C5 Z-51 rides like a dream compared to my C4. The body is a more ridgid structure too. That is where the biggest difference is between the two.
 
Hi gang - great thread since im also looking into a new C5 but need to decide on the suspension offered by Corvette.

Is it the FE3, b/c the official Corvette site listed only FE1 suspension. I also saw the F55 (magnetic ride) as an option, and the Z51 suspension. The other was the double wish-bone (i think referred to as SLA - short/long arm ???), but did not see a listing for FE3.

I've also read that the F45 real-time dampening is far inferior to the newly advanced F55 magnetic ride selection (officials have said this is REAL TIME).

But if i went ahead and got this new F55 technology, does anyone know if it is truly reliable to last daily driving and sanctioned racing. Since it is state-of-the-art technology, perhaps if it breaksdown it will cost plenty to fix? Any thoughts - is the jury still out on this tech? I certainly dont want to be a $1600+ guinea pig.

Can someone, also, explain the effect the Run-flat tires have on the suspension ride. I'm lost concerning the principle of it.
 
I like my Z51 package & while it rides a little rougher than a C5 with stock sway bars & shocks - it's not bad at all & the cornering is much better with the Z51 package ..

:beer :w
 
Thanks to everyone for all your informative responses. I am happy to report that my friend Jeff is a new member of the Corvette family with his purchase of the Electron Blue 2002 w/ Z51 package. He is absolutely thrilled with the car, and I'm sure he'll be joining the CACC soon as well! :beer
 
Z51 is fine for pleasure driving! Not harsh like on the old C4's. It's a great suspension for any driving! My 2002 coupe is very comfortable yet gets me through those turns without leaning into them! I have driven a 2001 coupe with the base FE1 suspension and there is a considerable difference, a lack of stability that the FE3 (Z51) gives. I'd have it no other way, unless of course I could have the New for 2003 Selective Magnetic suspension!
 

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