Former Porsche driver's thoughts on 1 week of Z06 ownership

[Eric_Rav]

I bought an '08 Z06, black/black, Nav and heated seats one week ago today and I thought i'd share a thought or two.

I've had a few nice vehicles in my life (and a few not so nice), a new Caddy CTS, an H2, a Boxster, and a Boxster S. Of those the H2 generates a big reaction, lots of thumbs up, just as many middle fingers, its all over the place. The CTS goes comparatively un-noticed, which is nice sometimes.

But the interesting thing is Z06 -vs- Boxster. In the Porsches you get challenged to race by every other ricer on the street, alot of mustangs, and even the occasional pickup. In my part of the country I rarely got a thumbs up or anybody raving about the car in a positive way, and from time to time you'd deal with negative feedback. But the 'Vette gets nothing but love. Nobody challenges you on the street, they're more likely to hang out the window with a thumb in the air.

The guys at my favorite local carwash let me in after hours, after turning away the pickup in front of me, then discovered that the rear tire didn't fit on their track, so they hand-washed it for free in exchange for a burnout in their parking lot. Same carwash ... they have love/hate for the Hummer, and no love for the Porsche's. EVERYBODY seems to love this car. Male, female, old, young.

I guess it really is America's Hearthrob.

As for me... I never realized how nice 'Vettes have become until a month ago or so. The 2008 coupes are quieter and better riding than any of the Porsches I've had or driven (a fair # of cars), and they feel sort of Porschie even... balanced and awesome steering. Its unreal how far the 'Vette has come since I, like many people in my generation (I'm 32), wrote them off along with all other american vehicles in our college days. Unlike previous generations, I think alot of us grew up "knowing" rice-cars or Euromobiles were where its at, and "knowing" that American cars sucked... Gawd 'Vettes don't suck these days (not htat they ever did, but they are sure getting better...). I'd say the Z06 is similar in ride, quieter, and more comfy than the Boxster. And that's the race-car Z06, never mind the normal '08 vettes. And obviously its far, far faster.

And lets be serious for a second. If the 2008 Corvette Z06 cost $200k and was made in Italy @500 units/year, nobody would think Aston Martins or F430's were prettier. Because they just simply aren't. I hope I can get a ZR1 in the next couple of years...

Eric

[PerforminNorman]

That's a nice write up. Thanks for sharing.

[Steve Tillman]

Welcome to the real world Eric ..

[Anthony Guma]

Steve,

what are u doing? Are you at the power tour

[ZO6 AL-X]

Cool write-up.

[Zoeaux6]

stuff two weekends ago. I haven't been able to drive it much with a 2 1/2 year old and a 7 month old, but I don't care. This car is the shizzbaa (which is a good thing)! Can't wait to get it to a drag strip (after breakin of course).

[Zoeaux6]

PS I don't care how many have the black on black Z. It still looks the baddest!

[chewbakkah]

you don't get a whole lot of challenges because they KNOW they will get beat.

and what the heck were you letting someone else wash your z06 for? when i get mine, NO ONE will be washing it but me.

[mjustmike]

Excellent write up Eric!!
Congrats on the new ride! Welcome to the site.....belated anyway.
Have fun with the Heartbeat!!!

[Eric_Rav]

Maannnnn this thing is pretty. I have always thought the C3, C5, and C6 Vettes were the nicest looking cars around, but the C6 Z06 takes the cake.

Anyway, my car doesn't have the full leather interior, but i'd like to have it added. Anyone know how to accomplish that?

Are 'vettes generally modified or left alone to be collected some day? I'm kind of prone to wanting to modify some things. For the 'vette it'd be new tires, leather, and maybe louder exhaust. The kind that shakes my garage in the morning.

[2MchFun]

Oh, no, no one around here mods their cars
Hang onto your wallet, you will get lots of suggestions.
Welcome to the site and congrats on the new AMERICAN ride!

[jrhunkler]

***edited***

[Leman]

Originally Posted by Eric_Rav

................ But the 'Vette gets nothing but love. Nobody challenges you on the street, they're more likely to hang out the window with a thumb in the air.

Welcome to the world of "Grown Up Driving". I get the same reaction multiplied by ten over here in Europe, mainly as there are few Z06's around (Not imported officially except in Switzerland) and even less in Atomic Orange. (Lots of positive reactions to the colour too)

I have often had a PEUGOT 205 with a car load of wanabe rappers hanging out the window with thumbs up, big grins and an shouts of "Trop Stylée" which is modern French for Cool Ride!!!!

Then of course they notice the OMP harnesses and "Corvette Racing Stickers" and I become a modern day hero. LOL

I am not worried about vandalism either for the same reason... except maybe the eco-activists who think I single handily am the cause of the death of Happy Feet and the North Pole melt down!

My friend in his GT3 usually gets something a lot less amusing along the lines of rich ...... beep. LOL

BTW; A pesky Boxster prevented me from getting the drop on a GT3 before a bend at Dijon.....

The only cars to have wound me up has been a new BMW M3.... he must have thought I was a C6 from the back, boy did he get a surprise..... and would you believe it but UPS Vans and White Vans? Go figure...?

Apart from basic track mods. (To come: Killer Bee, Ported throttle and maybe a tune). I am tempted by the Corsa pipes because the sound great! Otherwise I am more than happy with my purchase and the wrap around leather is excellent, great finish, and lovely look.

[Eric_Rav]

maybe the UPS and White vans are running at you because its not their gas, lol


I have a variety of thoughts on my car after 2600 miles. I'm going to have 3000 miles on in my first month, so I think its safe to say that my car isn't going to be a low-miles collector-sought mint-condition gem someday. But, you know, preserving this car to me would be like not kissing my girlfriend when I pick her up for a night out for fear of smearing her lipstick.

I gotta find somebody to teach me a thing or two about track driving.


I have some thoughts on the car after breaking it in, driving it around some of my favorite curves, going fast in a straight line, and trying my hand at a parking lot at work makeshift race thing we do once in a while.


First, on the '08 Z06 as a GT car. I've read 20 times in some car review or other that the Z06 is brutal and raw and rough and loud and all of those things. I find this to HARDLY be the case. Its quieter than my old Boxster by far on the highway, doesn't ride any worse (though different), its comfy and non-fatiguing on long trips. Frankly, one of the things I like best about the Z06 is that here's a car that can outrun a Ferarri F430... and I can drive 1000 miles in two days last week and want to wash and cruise around in when I get home. And I HATE long trips. Its a little bit of Dynamat to tame tire noise away from being truly an exceptional GT car in this one-guys opinion. Mind, tire noise is FAR more subdued than that in my Boxster.

Around town the ride can get jarring over very bad roads, but again this isn't any worse than the Boxster. Different... I think the Vette has more body motion but better damping, I don't know. Its not any less pleasant.


Second, the steering. I drove alot of normal '08 C6's before buying the Z06, and bought the Z06 after 1 afternoon of test driving sort of on a whim. It was just too good looking to pass up... I'd have to have both cars to be sure, but i'm not sure that the normal '08 C6 doesn't have a bit better steering. Did the Z06 get upgraded steering for '08? Because the normal C6 sure feels better for the '08 years than the previous ones, so it just has to have had something done. The Z06's steering is maybe a bit vague on center and a bit harder to aim than the Boxsters and...

Its tail-happy. I can't drive this car (yet) with the TC off without endangering the entire upper midwest. "active handling" pops on all the time if I take off hard for a left turn (which is fun). But that noted...

The computer-aided handling really seems to work. I'll have to tinker more with this, but my first impressiosn are that its faster and nicer all around than PSM in the Porsches. There is no way I could drive the car faster with it off than with it on, and I wonder if, when mags test it, they couldn't track the car faster with some level of computer help engaged too? But I'd guess they are too smug to use the aids... and the Z06 is penalized as a result. It would take a literal genius to get this thing around some bendies faster/smoother with the TC off... and I doubt too many mag writers are 'vette driving geniuses.

On some things like on-ramps and cloverleafs its different than the Porsche. One cloverleaf I take daily isn't as pleasant in the 'Vette as the boxster. Its sort of tilted the wrong way and has some bad bumps 1/2 way around, and the Z06 feels like its rear end wants to dance when you hit them at speed (say 50-55 mph) which causes me to instinctively slow down. Other cloverleafs I drive most days the Vette feels grippier and more stable.

Beyond that the mileage has been good, but a little worse than the Boxster around town and maybe just a bit worse on the highway (but, then, the 'vette will get better mileage with time as it breaks in more and more), and I love the hatchback, and the interior has grown on me... but I wish it smelled more like LEATHER and less like plastic. I guess thats where DS Vettes or Carvaggio comes in...


Overall, I love this thing. I love being in a car that can run with all but the silliest of non-existent hypercars, and who's nose can clear most of the curbs around town when i'm parking. I love not being called a rich prick or getting flipped off. I love the thumbs up. I love the looks, I stare it most days out of the office window at least for a few minutes.

Its damn near perfect. If the rear end could be settled down somehow, the interior bathed in leather, and tire noise subdued just a tad... it might be the greatest GT car ever. And I think thats what I want to do with it.

Anybody got any ideas on the rear end?

[Eric_Rav]

and while I really appreciate having a slot for DVD and a slot for CD, letting me listen to CDs while looking at my NAV, the NAV sucks. Its really sub-par relative to the systems in Toyotas or Lincols or ESPECIALLY the '08 Cadillac CTS which has simply the finest NAV system ever.

And the sound system isn't great. The Boxsters is outright unlistenable, so I guess its better, but compared to the truck or the CTS its crap. Definitely sub-par as far as factory sound systems go these days.