Z06 guys are lucky

[CBH]

I had the good fortune to borrow a C8 Z06 this weekend. The map below shows the route I took, illustrating how great it is to live in Central Texas !! Google 3 Twisted Sisters if you haven't heard of it.

I would not trade my CT5 BW with 3 pedals for the 'Vette, but for those fortunate enough to own a Z06, I am a little jealous.

First, is that soundtrack. It is mesmerizing. I am blown away that a factory exhaust is that loud and sounds so great.

Automatics do have one use - passing traffic. Its so effortless and so instantaneous - stomp the gas and disappear. It drops immediately to the lowest possible gear - ensuring you're always at WOT approaching redline as you actually pass them (allowing you to share that beautiful soundtrack with your victim ). Then it redlines the next gear, and by then you're already in triple digits and that traffic has long disappeared. Its intoxicating............and you get that soundtrack the whole time. Man was it great.

I did have a question and some nits to pick.

First, the HUD would never remember the setting. Z-mode nor driver pre-sets - nothing. I had to manually change it every time I started it. Is that normal ?

Visibility - forget about it............its infinitely worse than any Camaro. The windshield is the only thing you can see the road from. Even the exterior mirrors can only see the rear fenders !!

The G-force meters on the HUD are funny too. There are 2 different meters on opposite sides of the display to show Right and Left Gs separately. Does it really seem like a good idea to force your eyes to hunt over the windshield when the number - not the side - is all that matters ? I hit 0.72 once or twice. Just over 0.60 a few times, and >0.50 fairly often. I know the vehicle is rated at like 1.15 or higher, but how much do you think it could do on normal roads ? I doubt the rough asphalt in this area would support anything near the carefully preppped track I'm sure those specs are measured on.

I can't say its a bad daily driver, as much as it is such a striking contrast between the glory of the open road and the torture of sitting in traffic. This car just exaggerates that difference more than others.

 

[Exia]

I owned one, it was awesome.

To your point, yes the sound is amazing and it was perfectly tuned. Put your foot down, away you go, no fuss, it was kind of sad, I was used to using a clutch pedal.

I will say you are wrong on visibility. Just like any car, you need to adjust tour mirrors properly and with the rear camera mirror there are zero blind spots. If you have blind spots and are seeing your fenders, you don't know how to adjust your mirrors (hint a lot of people don't).

Mine did have the HUD issue, its a software bug and I never experienced it my C7 or my other C8s but it is a thing and is fixable.

So I'm just going to finish this off by saying if you think a Cameo has worse visibility you don't know how to drive. You do know mirrors are powered these days and you can adjust them to not show the fenders right? Am I showing my young age?

 

[BimmerFan]

If you have blind spots and are seeing your fenders, you don't know how to adjust your mirrors (hint a lot of people don't).

... if you think a Cameo has worse visibility you don't know how to drive.

The first sentence is generally correct, but the second quoted sentence is, dare I suggest, a bit harsh.

I owned a C5 Z06, which was only available with a manual transmission. I am in that small (and shrinking) camp of enthusiasts who think that any proper sports car or "performance" automobile should have a manual transmission, well aware that an automatic or DSG or DCT is actually "faster" but there is a factor of engagement that is missing. Again, IMHO.

And I write this knowing that the C8 doesn't have a manual option d/t packaging constraints (or so I've read) in the pedal box rather than just a increasingly lower take rate on the manuals and associated cost saving measures.

The Corvette is an interesting bit of marketing; I spend (spent) a lot of time on the Corvette forums and 99% of the C6 & C7 owners want a Z06 or a GS (a Z06 in appearance) and all the gizmos and features but the thing is just a garage queen, never driven on the track and likely never driven hard at all. It's one of the most capable road cars available, the absolute best performance bargain made, but most owners simply drive it to cars & coffee once a month, and then wax it again.

The C6 that I currently own was bought new by the original owner and he put 6500 miles on it over 16 years. That works out to an average of less than 500 miles a year. That's just criminal in my book.

But I digress. What was the question?

 

[BimmerFan]

I owned one

Wait. I missed this in my original reply. Your signature has this (edited):

2023 CT5-V Blackwing 6MT
6000 Delivered - 03/07/23
Sold 10/21/2023 for a 2023 Corvette Z06/Z07

So, it appears that you are even more fickle than I am, which is a difficult task. You had the BW for almost 8 months, and then the Z06 for less than a year. What are you driving now, and how long will that one last?

FYI, I've had over 50 cars, and people kept asking me about that, so I started a spreadsheet to keep track of them and it looks like they average out to 13 months of ownership. And no, I'm not 90, often I've had 2 or more cars at a time...

 

[hawk02]

I don't own a C8 Z06, however, my other "play" car is a 2021 Stingray hardtop convertible.

First off, let me say I despise the dual-clutch transmission. In my opinion, it is by far the biggest disappointment I have with the C8. I hate the shift points. First and second gear are way too short. I spend 99% of the time in manual mode because I want to determine when to shift gears, not some computer Chevy programmed for gas mileage.

The reliability of the transmission is the next big issue. My C8 with 13,000 miles spent 12 days at the dealer last month for a valve body replacement because the transmission decided it didn't want to shift to the even gears. It doesn't matter what model C8 you buy, the transmission can go whacky on you at any moment. I've seen people drive it off the lot and it set a code that requires replacing the transmission. It's a poor design.

As far as visibility, the C8 is a tiny bit better than the '17 Camaro ZL1 I traded in for the BW but not by much. The nacelles on the convertible block any view out of the back half of the car. You better make sure you have your side mirrors adjusted perfectly or better yet upgrade to at least the 2LT trim level so you get the blind spot sensors.

I know Corvette owners don't want to hear this but after owning a ZL1, C8 Stingray, and now a 5BW, the 5BW is the best performance car GM is building. I find the C8 to be a lot of fluff and no guts. But I will give it that the Z06 exhaust sound is intoxicating.

 

[PowerDemon]

I don't own a C8 Z06, however, my other "play" car is a 2021 Stingray hardtop convertible.

First off, let me say I despise the dual-clutch transmission. In my opinion, it is by far the biggest disappointment I have with the C8. I hate the shift points. First and second gear are way too short. I spend 99% of the time in manual mode because I want to determine when to shift gears, not some computer Chevy programmed for gas mileage.

The reliability of the transmission is the next big issue. My C8 with 13,000 miles spent 12 days at the dealer last month for a valve body replacement because the transmission decided it didn't want to shift to the even gears. It doesn't matter what model C8 you buy, the transmission can go whacky on you at any moment. I've seen people drive it off the lot and it set a code that requires replacing the transmission. It's a poor design.

As far as visibility, the C8 is a tiny bit better than the '17 Camaro ZL1 I traded in for the BW but not by much. The nacelles on the convertible block any view out of the back half of the car. You better make sure you have your side mirrors adjusted perfectly or better yet upgrade to at least the 2LT trim level so you get the blind spot sensors.

I know Corvette owners don't want to hear this but after owning a ZL1, C8 Stingray, and now a 5BW, the 5BW is the best performance car GM is building. I find the C8 to be a lot of fluff and no guts. But I will give it that the Z06 exhaust sound is intoxicating.

What do you prefer on the 5BW vs the ZL1? Is it just practicality/usability or is there an improvement in driving dynamics?

 

[BimmerFan]

... the 5BW is the best performance car GM is building.

FTFY. Of course, now that I think about it, GM doesn't really build that many cars any more, do they? It's mostly trucks and SUVs and crossovers, which are only good at being a lousy compromise.

 

[savethemanual]

Wait. I missed this in my original reply. Your signature has this (edited):



So, it appears that you are even more fickle than I am, which is a difficult task. You had the BW for almost 8 months, and then the Z06 for less than a year. What are you driving now, and how long will that one last?

FYI, I've had over 50 cars, and people kept asking me about that, so I started a spreadsheet to keep track of them and it looks like they average out to 13 months of ownership. And no, I'm not 90, often I've had 2 or more cars at a time...

He sold the Z06 for a regular C8 as far as I know.

 

[hawk02]

What do you prefer on the 5BW vs the ZL1? Is it just practicality/usability or is there an improvement in driving dynamics?

The build quality and ride of the BW are superior to the ZL1. I don't feel like I'm in a bunker in the Cadillac.

Having owned the ZL1 for almost 8 years I have a pretty good feel regarding the power of the stock LT4. It feels "goosed" in the Cadillac. More than just an 18-hp increase. I think the wideband O2 sensors are the reason. My theory is fueling is more accurate on the Caddy thanks to the wideband. As a result, the engineers have given the BW LT4 a little more timing. And you can feel it. 6th gear in the standard ZL1 was a total overdrive gear. Not much power if you needed to pass someone on the freeway. Can't say that about the BW. 6th has plenty of power to pass.

Overall the BW is a much better car than the ZL1. Of course, you have to put that in the context that it also costs more than the ZL1.

 

[CBH]

The day GM announced the C8 would not have a manual transmission option, a little piece of me died.

I have wanted a 'Vette since I was a little kid, but I vowed after my first car I'd never own another vehicle without 3 pedals. Of course that rule did not apply to my wife's vehicles But I have never regretted that vow.

I prefer the BW in all aspects - MT, comfort, and ease of entry.

 

[1Evil55]

The day GM announced the C8 would not have a manual transmission option, a little piece of me died.

I have wanted a 'Vette since I was a little kid, but I vowed after my first car I'd never own another vehicle without 3 pedals. Of course that rule did not apply to my wife's vehicles But I have never regretted that vow.

I prefer the BW in all aspects - MT, comfort, and ease of entry.

I had that same mentality but when they announced a mid engine.

 

[Exia]

Wait. I missed this in my original reply. Your signature has this (edited):



So, it appears that you are even more fickle than I am, which is a difficult task. You had the BW for almost 8 months, and then the Z06 for less than a year. What are you driving now, and how long will that one last?

FYI, I've had over 50 cars, and people kept asking me about that, so I started a spreadsheet to keep track of them and it looks like they average out to 13 months of ownership. And no, I'm not 90, often I've had 2 or more cars at a time...

I own a C8 Stingray now. Car #16 in 5 years. How long will it last is anyone's guess, mine included. A few of those cars lasted a month.