Vettes fun/easy to drive?
08-10-2003, 03:34 PM
#11
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I have owned and/or restored every type of Corvette, from year 1957 to 2002. The current Z06 and Z51 are great cars - handling and steering are excellent, and braking powerful and progressive in feel. They are easy to drive at warp speeds, if you can stand the low driving positioin (compared to muscle cars) and the large physical dimensions. They do feel like big cars with big tires, if you know what i mean. But they do not weight a lot (3118 for the Z06) but feel heavier. The S2000 feels crisper, but is more work to get the best out of it. The sense of speed is better in the S2000, just like the Miata - with cars like the Z06, esp the coupe, one has to drive at speeds which get downright dangerous on the street to get a sense ofr speed and the excitement that brings - with the S2000 and esp. the Miata, one can drop the top and get that feel at lesser speeds - I like that feeling, and miss it entirely in the Cobra, which IS a heavy car (3665 lbs).
Driving a smaller car at 8/10's often goves the same thrill as a muscle car at 10/10's, and there is precious little margin of error at 10/10's. I think more people could jump from an Impala to a C5 and get good lap times then from a Civic to a S2000.
The C6 will be amazing - more refinement, better interior, and 500 HP in the punched out Z06 GenV small block.
Driving a smaller car at 8/10's often goves the same thrill as a muscle car at 10/10's, and there is precious little margin of error at 10/10's. I think more people could jump from an Impala to a C5 and get good lap times then from a Civic to a S2000.
The C6 will be amazing - more refinement, better interior, and 500 HP in the punched out Z06 GenV small block.
08-11-2003, 11:46 AM
#13
Good comments all around. Tires are very important and I've read (and felt first hand) that tires are probably the biggest (by far) overall difference in handling between a 'regular' C5 and a Z06. My Z51 (suspension option) C5 Coupe with Z06 wheels/tires feels supremely stable on the road and with race tires/wheels, it feels amazing at an autocross or roadracing track.
As said, if you respect the loud pedal, the car is very easy to hustle around the track at high speed.
Finally, the feel of the car is definitely different, you sit back with a long hood out in front of you, the car feels big and drives fairly big, but is very quick to respond and very, very stable. I'm hoping this 'big' feel is reduced significantly with the C6, and I've been told it will drive 'smaller' so that's a very good thing.
The sensation of speed is pretty sucky. I'm serious, as I've owned my C5 for 3 years now, and I can cruise 100-130mph and literally (well, not literally
) fall asleep at the wheel. The car really is quite boring to drive at speed, it's so stable. I've had the car to 174mph indicated on the HUD and besides the wind noise rushing past the windows, it was a rather boring experience.
My Vibe GT is actually a bit more fun to thrash around in daily traffic because I can go full throttle on that sucker for 15 seconds and still only be doing 85mph or so from a stop. Do 15 seconds in the C5 and I'm literally doing 125+mph.
As said, if you respect the loud pedal, the car is very easy to hustle around the track at high speed.
Finally, the feel of the car is definitely different, you sit back with a long hood out in front of you, the car feels big and drives fairly big, but is very quick to respond and very, very stable. I'm hoping this 'big' feel is reduced significantly with the C6, and I've been told it will drive 'smaller' so that's a very good thing.
The sensation of speed is pretty sucky. I'm serious, as I've owned my C5 for 3 years now, and I can cruise 100-130mph and literally (well, not literally
) fall asleep at the wheel. The car really is quite boring to drive at speed, it's so stable. I've had the car to 174mph indicated on the HUD and besides the wind noise rushing past the windows, it was a rather boring experience. My Vibe GT is actually a bit more fun to thrash around in daily traffic because I can go full throttle on that sucker for 15 seconds and still only be doing 85mph or so from a stop.
Do 15 seconds in the C5 and I'm literally doing 125+mph.
08-11-2003, 12:45 PM
#14
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It is interesting to hear everyone's comments on the vette. I have both an s and a c5. The vette is a very easy and fun car to drive. Everything fits like a glove. However i must use caution when going from the s to the vette. The vette is a very big car, especially when compared to the s. I sometimes feel as if the car is too big. The other thing is that you have to show some throttle composure. It is tempting to mash the pedal at every stop light and the tail spins pretty easily until the traction control kicks in. But switch of the traction control and you can have some REAL FUN!
As noted before, i am also not a big fan of the run flats either. They are very loud and make the ride a little harder.
As noted before, i am also not a big fan of the run flats either. They are very loud and make the ride a little harder.
08-11-2003, 03:11 PM
#16
Originally posted by Flyin Wedge
I hear run flats cost an arm and a leg to replace?
I hear run flats cost an arm and a leg to replace?
) go to non runflats that are quieter, better handling, ride better, and are cheaper! 
08-11-2003, 05:48 PM
#18
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The Z06 is not only *very* fast in a straight line, it has super-neutral handling and is superb on a road course.
Of course those 405 Horses will nip you if you drive stupid...
Of course those 405 Horses will nip you if you drive stupid...
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