My Z51 C7 detailed report

[Ezio]

Originally Posted by ///M3Owner

You finally got the Stingray! Congrats dude I know how long you've been waiting for it to finally arrive

thanks man! car is great

[MrPrena]

You did it. I remember you were talking about C7 for a while. Congrats!

[StealYourFace]

Originally Posted by Killerfish2012

Source?



Leaf Springs were on chariots dude.

Lol, do you really think a coil is dramatically different/better/more modern than a corvette composite leaf spring you are grossly misinformed.

I haven't been to an HPDE where a corvette wasn't the fastest car there.

[StealYourFace]

OP, awesome car. My dad is a Vette guy- he had a really clean C4 Z07/M6 and I just sold him a sweet 2009 Z51/M6 with 15k miles last year (I'm a sales manager at a dealer).

He was thinking c7, but the 2009 was too good to resist.

The c7 is in another league. It's not the massive overhaul that GM would like you to believe, it really is very related to the c5/6... but the longer wheel base, real brakes, and incredible interior really finish off the package. I can't get behind the looks, (I love the c6 GS/Z06 body the best) but it really is an amazing car.

I love that you can get the sweet seats with alcantara in a 1lt now.

I'd like to get a c5 Z06 track car when I finally retire the old 330 from track duty.

[STooK]

Never liked vettes until the C7. A huge upgrade inside out and it looks so nice on the road. Hope you enjoy it as much as you did in the M3.

[Killerfish2012]

Boy, is the 2014 Stingray, quite the problem child.

Blown engine @ 6K miles (Rod Bearing tight tolerances, metal fragment from filter?), Side airbag recall
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...ate-one-page-3

Starter motor failure
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...update-reviews

HVAC system, and axle seals failure
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...update-reviews

Disturbing quote from the article on the engine failure: "Given the LT1’s tight tolerances and high-performance design, it didn’t take much to upset its workings. We’ve heard of a few similar accounts throughout the Stingray community and GM says it’s aware of the issue and is analyzing its manufacturing process for a root cause"

[Ezio]

Originally Posted by Killerfish2012

Boy, is the 2014 Stingray, quite the problem child.

Blown engine @ 6K miles (Rod Bearing tight tolerances, metal fragment from filter?), Side airbag recall
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...ate-one-page-3

Starter motor failure
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...update-reviews

HVAC system, and axle seals failure
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...update-reviews

Disturbing quote from the article on the engine failure: "Given the LT1’s tight tolerances and high-performance design, it didn’t take much to upset its workings. We’ve heard of a few similar accounts throughout the Stingray community and GM says it’s aware of the issue and is analyzing its manufacturing process for a root cause"

That whole engine blown thing was because of factory oil. It has been addressed. Everything else you said, might be correct i really dont know.

Its a American made mass produced car. It might be more prone to problems vs overseas cars. I think these are just first year bugs anyways.

If you buy a corvette and you take care of it the chances are you will be ok. GM gave 2014 and 2015 corvettes a 5 year/100k mile warranty anyways.

You gotta take the good with the bad with a car like this. Its going to pull more looks, more fun to drive, faster, and easier to mod to a M3. but its not a german made car. if i had the money, i would be in a 911 or aston martin any day.

[8k3]

Originally Posted by Ezio

That whole engine blown thing was because of factory oil. It has been addressed. Everything else you said, might be correct i really dont know.

Its a American made mass produced car. It might be more prone to problems vs overseas cars. I think these are just first year bugs anyways.

If you buy a corvette and you take care of it the chances are you will be ok. GM gave 2014 and 2015 corvettes a 5 year/100k mile warranty anyways.

You gotta take the good with the bad with a car like this. Its going to pull more looks, more fun to drive, faster, and easier to mod to a M3. but its not a german made car. if i had the money, i would be in a 911 or aston martin any day.

Price/Performance (aesthetics as well) is hard to beat. The do no have the build quality of te Europeans however, as you mentioned.

Out of curiosity, what was the issue with the factory oil? Was it contaminated?

[Ezio]

Originally Posted by 8k3

Price/Performance (aesthetics as well) is hard to beat. The do no have the build quality of te Europeans however, as you mentioned.

Out of curiosity, what was the issue with the factory oil? Was it contaminated?

It had to do with metal debris in the oil. either from factory, or bad oil filters. the engine is not mechanically flawed.

GM found the problem, and has fixed it. corvettes now require a oil change at 500 miles just to be safe. GM offers the same free oil changes that BMW does with new cars. So its not a big deal to me.

let me also add. they make a lot more corvettes each year than M3s. So problems might seem like they occur more often. Its new engine,with a lot of modern tech in it (some good, some bad) any reasonable person would expect to see some failures early on in production.

been following the vette forums since 2012, the same time i joined this forum. I honestly dont hear about engine failures often.

[dparm]

Awesome car, OP.

I was fortunate enough to attend the Bondurant school earlier this year and really beat on the C7 Z51 (7MT) for a day. It is a remarkable performance car and I would be VERY tempted if my M3 were to get totaled or stolen.

[FogCityM3]

Nice!!! Seriously get it while you're young before the 'compromises' come into play!

Originally Posted by Ezio

thanks.

Ya i think all car guys at some point in life should get a "real" sports car. corvettes, viper, certain porsche models etc... Again the thing i was most impressive by wasnt the power. It was the handling! so incredible how fast i can take a high speed turn.

You can really tell the difference when you get into a lower, lighter, more balanced car.

[Z06Mike]

Originally Posted by Ezio

That whole engine blown thing was because of factory oil. It has been addressed. Everything else you said, might be correct i really dont know.

Its a American made mass produced car. It might be more prone to problems vs overseas cars. I think these are just first year bugs anyways.

If you buy a corvette and you take care of it the chances are you will be ok. GM gave 2014 and 2015 corvettes a 5 year/100k mile warranty anyways.

You gotta take the good with the bad with a car like this. Its going to pull more looks, more fun to drive, faster, and easier to mod to a M3. but its not a german made car. if i had the money, i would be in a 911 or aston martin any day.

Stop feeding the troll. Lol

Love the C7 nice pick up wish I could afford one. I had a C6 Z06 loved that car the performance is out of this world. But the C7 is much more refined than the C6.

[Ezio]

Originally Posted by Z06Mike

Stop feeding the troll. Lol

Love the C7 nice pick up wish I could afford one. I had a C6 Z06 loved that car the performance is out of this world. But the C7 is much more refined than the C6.

I would bet its more refined. You are not going to find many cars like the C6 Z anymore. Everything is so dam refined.

[Killerfish2012]

Originally Posted by Z06Mike

Stop feeding the troll. Lol

Love the C7 nice pick up wish I could afford one. I had a C6 Z06 loved that car the performance is out of this world. But the C7 is much more refined than the C6.

Troll huh? Ok bud, I just got back from a mid-ohio event on the 24th. Pulled into the straight after the warm up lap chasing a brand new C7 Z06, when Bam, the motor blew, and the rod few out the side of the wheel well. Got video and pics of the incident, and will be posting it hopefully tonight. Laugh that off.

[Ezio]

Originally Posted by Killerfish2012

Troll huh? Ok bud, I just got back from a mid-ohio event on the 24th. Pulled into the straight after the warm up lap chasing a brand new C7 Z06, when Bam, the motor blew, and the rod few out the side of the wheel well. Got video and pics of the incident, and will be posting it hopefully tonight. Laugh that off.

wanna do me a favor and post that on a thread about the Z06, and not on my thread. I am just trying to share info from a car I recently bought, and overall have had a really fun time driving.

Yes there are some reported problems that you posted above with the base non Z06 corvette. which i think some of it is blown out of proportion, but I think its ok to share.

anyone who is looking at this car should do their research. So its helpful to others to point out reported problems.

But the c7 z06 has more problems than the base or z51 vette.. One of the problems with the Z06 is the fact they put a tiny supercharger on it.

I think the Z06 is a great car for anyone who is just going to drive around town in a sexy, fast car. but It might not be my track choice.

[Killerfish2012]

Originally Posted by Ezio

wanna do me a favor and post that on a thread about the Z06, and not on my thread.

No problem. Haven't got the time to upload it yet, but I found the clip, and I have pictures of the aftermath.

[1MOREMOD]

And your track allows you to post pictures of others misfortune at the track? Here that's instant lifetime ban from the track and surrounding as well.

[hellrotm]

Originally Posted by Killerfish2012

Troll huh? Ok bud, I just got back from a mid-ohio event on the 24th. Pulled into the straight after the warm up lap chasing a brand new C7 Z06, when Bam, the motor blew, and the rod few out the side of the wheel well. Got video and pics of the incident, and will be posting it hopefully tonight. Laugh that off.

I have seen three separate E9x M3's let go at COTA.

[Killerfish2012]

Originally Posted by BlackJetE90

I have seen three separate E9x M3's let go at COTA.

Brand new cars?

[Killerfish2012]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

And your track allows you to post pictures of others misfortune at the track? Here that's instant lifetime ban from the track and surrounding as well.

Why? How is that violating track rules? The owner and I talked, and he let me take the pictures. So why shouldn't I inform the community, and general public of a potential safety issue? In the video, his engine blowing almost caused me, and another car, to crash. We all talked about it, with the corvette guys, and they said that they've been hearing about it on their forums. The engine of a brand new car can just let go when going wide open throttle endangering peoples lives, So why should a track censor this?

[1MOREMOD]

This is more in relation to accidents but think this may apply here as well. Consent may make it different but that is the rule here. One I agree with. If I blew up my car or wrecked it no one else should be posting video of it.

[hellrotm]

Originally Posted by Killerfish2012

Brand new cars?

Fairly new actually. Failures I witnessed were back when E9x was still being sold new. One M3 had just over 10,000 miles.