I'm at 71,000 miles with a manual 2015 z51. I drive the living shit out of this car, 10 degrees or 105 it's running. I'm on my 4th set of tires not counting the 5 flats from nails so about $6,000+ in tires. I've replaced front and back struts twice $4,000 total, and one $280 starter. Otherwise I have no complaints and will drive this car till the wheels fall off. Great video!
That's great to hear, Jon. I drive my z06 all year long, too--and in MI at that. My friends think I'm crazy. I haven't had to replace struts, but you've got way more miles on your vette than mine does.
3rd Corvette here, and I love the head's up; C6 and 2 C5's and always loved my heads up displays. Maybe it's not as good in the C7, but this is the 1st place I have heard that.
I have a 2016 M7 Z06 and I think you pretty well nailed it on the high points, but haven’t had even one of the problems you mentioned with the car. Your cracked rims are do to running over potholes and developing small stress fractures. In a word, don’t! Of course in Florida, it’s not a problem. The only criticism I have is the rear 3/4 vision, which can be effectively remedied through appropriate mirror adjustment. This car, in point of actual fact, compares quite well with cars costing 3-5 times as much. Your video simply makes me wonder if you’re truly Corvette material.
Even with your issues, and they are your issues, this car is a beast. No other car gets you the performance and tech for the money - none. I'll give you the wheel problem is BS. Every car has its issues, even cars that sell for $50k more than the Z06.
Heads up FTW!! It’s nice to keep my eyes on the road and not worry what speed I’m going, as well as for the paint issues, in 2019+ they have a brand new facility that paints the vehicles so the paint quality is better.
Have a 2017 Z06, immediately installed rock guards all around, rear brake cooling duct covers and wrapped the entire car except trunk lid and rear face. Took a 230 mile road trip, with an automatic I got 26.0 highway in economy, 25.5 in touring on the way back and I didn't Baby it.
@@EK-rr2md I included mpg because the conversation and vlog was about daily driving the Z06, which makes mpg a factor. I believe the vlogger talked about his mpg and my point was that I actually got better mpg than advertised and was pleasantly surprised at how high it was considering a car rated at 650hp and the fact that I don't keep my foot out of it.
We took the C7 Z51 out on a long road trip in the Northeast while dealing with highway traffic, road construction areas, and we got about 26 mpg on the highway. I'll bet we could have done even better if I drove a little slower and if there were no construction areas to deal with. You're right about the rock chips, unfortunately, and I wish I had either rock guards or a ceramic coating.
I'm pretty sure you can set you exhaust from the settings to stay on loudest. I don't think you have to pull a fuse. Anyway, I'm learning myself. I just bought (May 2023) a 2016 Z06, 3LZ convertible in Daytona Sunrise Orange Metallic. I fricking love it! I am not a pro painter or body man, but I think my paint is awesome. I can't even describe how good it looks. Thanks for the video!
I bought a 2003 Z06 new and daily drove it for 7 years until I started modifying it. Great car. Then last year I bought a 2019 Z06 as a retirement present to myself. The advance from C5 to C7 is unbelievable. As someone said in the comments, best car I ever owned. One more note about rims and tires. I coughed up $1200 for a lifetime insurance on the tires and rims. I have the Michelins. Got a puncture and the dealer replaced it. Would have been $677. Peace of mind is great.
I had a 2003 Z06 as well. She was totaled when a lady without a license much less insurance turned in from of me in a 25 mph zone. Even at that speed when I cleared the driver blacking my view from seeing her as they were sitting waiting to turn and she turned into my lane and I hit her. Hard to believe even today that going only that speed it totaled the front end. Miss that car. How is the 2019 treating you?
Greta vid bro. But like a lot of others here, I absolutely love my HUD. I use it every single day, I’m 24. Never have to take your eyes off the road or lose concentration
One of the best reviews for the c7z06! I can definitely agree with 80% of the things in this video because i own a c7z06 myself! You’ve Definitely gained a subscriber !
@@driversreview Agree!! There are so many beautiful cars today with serious horsepower, but have to say the C7ZO6 is put together as a tue drivers car, lots of respect for this car which gives you the endless never bored feeling and so much can be done to make the car even more bad ass. Enjoy that Machine, and looking forward to ordering and pruchasing the ne C8 ZO6. I am considering ordering a Hennessey 1200 twin turbo C8 just waiting to see if they get that ecu code unlocked and want to see how this car Hennessey is talking about can be a top contender, but I am sure it will be a Monster. LOL car disease is one healthy expensive disease to have. Safe driving out there in good old Lala land.
@@KVX21 I'm excited for the c8 z06 more than anything. Do you daily driver your z06? I'm curious if you've run into similar issues with the tires and rims like I have
@@driversreview I don't daily drive my ZO6 and so far no issues with tires and rims. The C8 is an exciting car and yes can't wait to see how this car really is on the road, but overall I am waiting also for the new C8 ZO6 and ZR1, and hopefully the Hennessey will be real deal car. Holding onto my C7 ZO6 it truly is a beautiful car. Stay strong and great video's..
Excellent! Best C7 Corvette Ever! 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Too bad it's over. Will miss this vehicle very much. I put ever single stock factory car at a rolling 35 to 45 mph start in my rear-view mirror under One-million-dollar price tag. The 2016 was a 3LZ great for tracking. 2019 was a 1LZ great for straight race. #1
No Idea why you would pull the fuse for the exhaust actuators. It's a simple setting in the infotainment system to have them open in all modes. I have the exact same car but 3LZ with Z07. Absolutely no noise from the transmission or the clutch with 15,000 miles. Your shifter is not adjusted right if it's popping out of 1st. It should be an easy fix. I don't drive it in the winter but know others that do and have no problems either. So good info on that. Otherwise, I love my HUD and if you did not opt for the PDR then that your issue as it is available and works well. A good aftermarket system may solve that for you better anyway. My Infotainment did receive an upgrade via download and is seamless. Never has been clunky and really work quite well compared to my C6 and some other GM vehicles I have had. My top has never made a sound either. If yours is, they should have corrected that for you under warranty. The hardware upgrade for this was in 16 but you never know... maybe you got unlucky and got one with old hardware. Overall an interesting review. As yes these cars are so fun to drive.
There are two valves to control the exhaust, one is controlled by driver, the other is controlled by ECU which could be overridden by pulling the fuse. 🫡
@@jaimemiranda6520 yes true as the exhaust will open at 3000ish RPM. However as I said it can be overridden with a setting rather than pulling the fuse. Mine are always open regardless of driving mode setting or rpm. There are times when I want the car to be quieter which can be done with a touch of a finger. Thus I made my comment as an alternative to pulling the fuse. Way more convenient.
Except for the shifter, I have absolutely none of the negative issues you are carping about. Mine is a 2017 Z07 M7 3LZ. Bought the MGW Short Throw Shifter which is tighter and shorter throw than the blade shifter. If anyone truly wants to own a beast, this is your car. The Grand Sport is a great car as well, but it is not the wonderfully gnarly beast the Z06/Z07 is.
XxJinxpandaxX 17? Wow! I was just out of law school when I got my first Corvette. A year later, I was piloting my first 600 hp Vette (a blueprinted 468 CID big block, built by a very experienced engine builder). I know you’ll enjoy it a lot, but be a bit cautious at first in learning what the car likes and doesn’t like, if it’s a Z06 (it doesn’t squat like the C3, for example, under heavy acceleration, which enhances handling, but can exacerbate traction problems). Once you get it down (especially rolling into the throttle while sensing available traction), it will give you immense satisfaction. Best wishes! Oh, almost forgot-if it’s a M7, stay out of eco mode. If an A8, you may want to look into a Range device which keeps the ECU from going into eco mode.
'15 and '16s have other heating issues. Ive never driven a gt350 but from everything I've read theyre great. But something to factor in is they consume a hell of a lot of oil (friend of mine is a master mechanic at Ford and sees a lot of them with oil consumption issues). Plus I heard the carbon fiber rims are expensive to replace. Unproven longevity with the 5.2 and expensive replacement parts may not make the $35k price of them worth it. I have a hellcat challenger as my daily and recommend them all day long.
@@driversreview- Yeah they consume oil, but on forums if you check your oil at every fill you would be fine.The carbon wheels only come on the R. Seems like z06 and shelby are great cars. If I got a z06 though I would get better quality rims.Thanks for replying.
Good review overall.... i strongly disagree with HUD tho. I have to have HUD on my sports cars. My C7 had it, all my C6s had it and my camaro 1le has it. I use it all the time. Im 25 years old. Plenty of ppl I know LOVE Hud as well. But overall good review
Never had any of those problems... even with the CUP 2s. And brake dust just isn't a thing with brembo brakes and satin black wheels. The rear spoiler in real carbon fiber was an option $$$. You pay for what you get. That being said I agree that real CF vents should've been an option. Glad there is aftermarkets. The 3LZ package also bumps up the quality quite a bit compared to the other packages. HUD...love it, and I'm 28. This is just a question of perspective & preferences anyway.
I’m sorry but you are absolutely wrong about the heads up display. I have an 06 Z06 that I daily drive and will tell you the heads up display is the single most thing that prevents me from getting pulled over and allows me to see when to shift with out taking my eyes of the road every single day.
Owning a 2019 manual Z06. Never had any transmission issue you mentioned in the video. Not sure if Chevy has fixed it. The infotainment system seems to have been updated too. Never have any freezing either. Do love the HUD though. It works so great and I wish every car has it. I did spent some grands to install the Xpel PPF (full car) when it was brand new, so never worried about the rock chips. Chose the 3LZ + microfiber, so the interior feels with better quality.
Thank you for replying and saying what it is! I have a 2019 manual z06 and I have this issue right now. I’m gonna get it handled now. Thisnis a Huge help thank you thank you thank you!
This has been the most informative video I've ever watched for the z06 I've been looking for months for videos like this. Someone my age who will daily drive this car with all season tires! Thank you so very much! Now I just gotta decide between the z06 and the ZL1 🤔🤔 curious if you have any thoughts?
I'd get a z06, but only a 2017 and newer so you won't encounter heatsoak issues. They sell for $55k now. Of course you could probably pick up a zl1 for $10k less, but if you're thinking about a zl1 why not get a Hellcat Challenger instead? I have a Hellcat for my other daily and love it. I only paid $45k for it out the door (with taxes and registration). I find myself driving the hellcat more. If you go with a z06, there are zero reasons you can't daily it. I live in Michigan where we have some of the worst roads in the country, but I'm able to daily the z06 at least 11 months out of the year (only stopping for snow and salt). Only other rear issue is scrapping the shit out of the front valence. Good news is they sell for $500 on eBay
@@driversreview lol but honestly as of right now only hesitation for z06 is price for the 2017 they sitting closer to ~60k my Max. Is 50k. if anything I'll probably just end up saving until the end of the year. By then I'll have a bunch more cash to put towards the car and on top of that once c8 start rolling out and they announce the new z06 unfortunately these will take another nose dive in value. ( Even though honestly I think c7 looks a million times better than the c8)
Well you are either reading from an owner's script or own the car yourself, because you just basically described the problems for every vette owner going all the way back to the C4. Sure some issues are specific to one gen and not the others, but GM has found a way to carry the same problems in quality over from one gen to the next. I owned a C4 Z51 and C5 Z06 and I am not a fan of the C8. Looking to replace our GT-R with an American V8. Bored with the rice rocket. These C7 Z06 which I wasn't on board with when they first came out have grown on me. For me I can't get with the new vettes because I have always been a sucker for the long hoods and bulging front fenders. Anyway thanks for the great review.
Yes, that's true. And it works. Hence, the brake dust. Even during normal driving. If you install smooth rotors, there will not be any dust on any wheel. Try it if you have the chance and if you want to prove it for yourself, try them on the track. You will not feel any difference in the performance of the brakes. By all means, use the same brake pads you have on the car now. Just change the rotors. You'll thank me later. ~ Steve
I have a 16 z06 3lz A8. I ran it Very hard once in 100° weather for about 30-45 mins with not much cooling breaks inbetween. Oil was at around 270°F but the car never lost power and never went into limp mode. Other times during the same weather but just moderate spirted driving oil temperature hit about 240°F but after about a 5-10 min break at the most. Back to 210°F. Now I do have a sand blasted look on my rear quarters as well. Luckly from far away you can't tell. And also the carbon flash brake duct is so damaged you can noticed the white of the rock chips from a distance. I actually made some homemade mud/rock guards for the front wheels but even then sometimes I hear the car being hit with rocks still 😑 I heard alot of exotics like ferraris, lambos, and porches have the same issues so It doesn't really bother me as much anymore. I am worried about the rims cracking though 😬 maybe track mode with the stiff suspension will speed up the process. Maybe I should sell my rims and get ZR1 rims and problem solved! Also being 3LZ trim. I'm also worried about the dashboard leather peeling 😫
Nicely done ✅ my friend a very unbiased professional review and I totally appreciate it .your car is gorgeous FYI I’ve totaled a 66 427 factory side pipes and a 1980 both were gorgeous 🚗 cars
I’m in my 2017 Mustang GT Fully Optioned, FBO Motor, Manual with a McLeod Twin Disk Clutch, AirLift suspension just to name a few. I want to make the jump to the C7 but especially in the interior department I feel like it’s just behind. Spending way more money to not feel like I’m getting that same value in an upgrade. After having this Mustang since 2019, it’s 2024 now, I think it’s time to let the manual go. Too much traffic in my city to justify the couple times I get to enjoy the manual to the fullest. A auto 2017-19 Z06 is still being considered but I guess I’d have to test drive one.
Solid comments. Resonates with what others have been saying. I can’t stomach cracked wheels, grinding transmissions and overheating issues for $100k (not that I have that haha).
I still think this Z06 is the best looking Corvette bar none including the C8! Chevy had a great opportunity in styling the new C8 but they completely messed it up!!!
Thanks for the info! I am planning on getting one myself in the near future. Did you buy yours used and if so, what would you say is an acceptable milage amount to look for?
I was leaning towards the 2012 Z06 but I heard so many bad things about the valve train I'm not crazy about a supercharger either I wish they offered something between the grand sport and the Z06 in the C7s
Nice review! I hope to get one in a few years. Most of the minor issues can easily be mitigated. Love your shifter and will probably go the same route when I get mine.
Great video you have a lot of valid points. I took all that carbon flash off my 2017 grand sport and replaced with all carbon fiber it looks great. By the way you are so wrong about the HUD you don’t have to coat your windshield. I love it I use it all the time.
The rubbing noise is a bad pilot bearing. It should be covered under powertrain. Chevy will fight you on it. I had to take my car in 4 times before they 'identified' it. The only reason they did was due to me having a video of the sound. My dealer had to contact the regional manager/program manager for Corvette to get the authorization to cover it. Huge headache.
This is an awesome video man. You crack me up a couple times. My favourite was if you don't mind the rock chips and entering every driveway on an angle LOL. I'm sure you'd have to angle regardless with any kind of major slope change but that's why I don't lower my car's. They look way better for sure but unfortunately I just can't live with a lowered vehicle anymore but I live in Toronto there are so many places you just can't drive. You're right about the Lyft system super handy with other vehicles I've driven such as the Murcielago and the Gallardo
Before watching this video I thought I was the only one Daily driving a C7Z lol my is the same spect as urs black Manuel and all but I had put the 3LZ carbon fiber lips all around but besides that it’s all stock and I never heard that shifting noise from the transmission before but the roof does make a lot of squeaking noise I just turn up the music a bit louder and call it a day lol I almost had it a full year and I went through about 5 sets of rear tires and it’s about to hit 21k miles and I do not baby my car at all as u can tell by the 5 sets of tires I went through in less then a year lol but I think it’s a very good daily car in my eyes especially if u like to go fast and it’s easy to pass up them old grandma’s that drive very slow this way u can pass them up and be long gone before they even pick up their hand and give u the middle finger lol
You can take the roof off and simply install a rubber grommet over the pin (o-ring), and put it back on. It's a cheap fix, and works wonderfully. I did it on my 2014 C7. My new 2016 Z06 is not making any sounds yet... but when it does...
The Touring mode dash display does NOT show the speedometer anywhere. The heads up display comes in handy when using that mode. So, not useless at all.
Yes it does and here's a picture of it. You get the speedometer by scrolling thru the selectable center gauges in any mode media.assets.ansira.net/websites/content/57d9f3c98a454f0bad9cc2d885a4aae4_2000x1500.jpg
@@driversreview Sorry, I misspoke. I like to keep the Audio option visible, and on all other modes, with the audio showing, the Speed shows as well, expect for the Touring mode.
They don’t know to fix the noise. The wheels should have been forged. I took pictures of many Cracked/Bent wheels at Spring Mountain, Ron Fellows. I have a 2019, with a misfire I believe is another injector going bad. XL ACS rock guards, larger GM flares in back with partial wrap.
Noise was a bad throw out bearing. Chevy couldn't tell me when it went bad, just said 'it happens'. Clutch and everything else was in perfect condition, no hot spots. Rims keep cracking. With the used market up, this car will be sold in this January.
I complained to GM about the “orange peel” in the paint! GM said it was a “commercially acceptable defect!!!!!” I was floored! Obviously the easily crackable rims are “ACCEPTABLE “ also. I like my 18 Z06 but am really disappointed in the quality!! It’s a beast, but the luxury items, Including paint, are vastly surpassed by my 2021 Hyundai Palisade!
The brake pads are not the problem. It's the slotted rotors on all Z51, Grand Sport, and Zo6 corvettes. Change to smooth rotors and your brake dust is gone. All Sting-Rays have smooth rotors and there is no brake dust issues.
The problem with Vettes is GM made. Such a nice car and GM cheaps out on my items. Yes awesome car and I'm hearing the C8 is getting better. Not to just blame GM other manuf. cheap out is areas too. Glad the US still has the Vette however. Nice vid.
I am looking at buying 2017 Z06 in red I noticed lot of net picking on small stuff that does not really matter,it is clear GM put most of the good engine eering into the handling , ride, performance and the engine. Did you have problems with rims if so how much do they cost to replace. Christopher OttawaCanada
Oh no, brake dust? What a disaster! How could I possibly deal with that on my high performance track/canyon car? Omg! Sticky tires!? What? On my track/weekend car? Infotainment that isn't as good as the Germans? Jeez, I bet it doesn't get 40mpg either. Also, bitching about HUDs? And the fact that PDR's aren't standard? How many other manufacturers even offer it as an option, at any price? Lol, Dude honestly, what are you doing. The Corvette is a budget supercar - that does not come without compromises. One can focus on minor issues, or one can tip our hat to GM for having the balls to still offer a car like this at all. In ten years, the screens won't matter, and the tires won't matter. What will, is that it's a relatively basic package which you can modify the hell out of and actually enjoy. With a manual. 10/10.
Never experienced transmission grind noises. Love the HUD. Got sick and tired of the brake dust, went to power Stop pads, haven't regretted it at all. What issues did you have with the power Stop pads? Must agree on the tires, the cup 2 are nail magnets, 4 nails in 4000 miles on mine. My next set will not be cup 2. Maybe the Michelin all seasons.
There is a reason that the Corvette has always been called the BARGAIN exotic. There are a lot of corners cut. To build a Corvette to yours and other supercar standards would increase the price by at the very least 50k. So that Zo6 would have a base price well over 100k. So you and your other 27ish year olds don't use the HUD but you and your friends aren't the only people that buy Corvettes are you?
