[DaveC113]

Originally Posted by Vtor_ZL1

How do you drive around expansion joint that spans entire width highway ?

Just slam on the brakes and go over it at 5 mph. Not too hard...

[mlee]

Originally Posted by S.T.A.R.

Call Mike Lindell, MyPillow.Com

[BMWM.D.]

Originally Posted by DaveC113

Just slam on the brakes and go over it at 5 mph. Not too hard...

There’s been a set of steel plates taking up the entire road near my work for a few months now, and that’s exactly what I’ve been doing in both my cars. Of course, it’s not on the freeway. Still, I’m pretty sure it would bend the wheels on either my Z or BMW if I hit it at normal speed. Would probably knock my teeth out if I had a ZLE.

To the OP, I think you probably should have gone with a standard ZL1. Still very capable, but more livable. A set of R-compounds and 1LE aero, and I don’t think it would be that much slower at the track.

[LS3 Machine]

Um.... it’s expensive, but get like an Audi S4 3rd car? That’s what I have, or even a Colorado ZR2 for less money, rides like a Cadillac.

[MikeEM1]

You bought the wrong trim. It's a track focused car, not a touring car. Racecar suspension. Trade in for a ZL1, especially if you're not going to track it often.

[Stephen12ZL1]

not resolved...the standard '17 ZL1 is stayng...the wife? J/K...

[Artos]

I know a couple of guys have tackled turning the the regular ZL1 into the 1LE with the dive planes & wing...I'm still amazed the difference in suspension from tour to track with a push of the button & I'm certain your wife will appreciate the improvements. This is really the best option you have. I drop in tour whenever the wife happens to go out in mine but it's not that often to avoid the grinch'n I know would come.

Problem is I see you hit the track quite often & the 1LE is the better animal...do you have an opportunity to track a standard Z to see if worth considering??

Hey brother, at least these are 1st world problems!!

Originally Posted by angryBits

Come on! You know I'm not the first!

No seriously my wife doesn't even want to get in the car... Which is why I'm asking. As far as I'm concerned it's awesome except for the occasional large bumps that literally raise my behind out of the seat.

So... What tricks?

- Lower the tire pressure when my wife is in the car?

- Raise the ride height? ZL1 1LE is adjustable but it seems like too much work to switch back and forth and I don't want to leave it at 4x4 height.

- Add 4 x 50lbs bags of dogfood (200lbs ballast) to the trunk when my wife is in the car?

I'm grasping at straws... Anyone else got any good ideas?

My wife thanks you

[angryBits]

I think people are reading the title and skipping the message because everyone seems to think I'm unhappy with the car. I love my ZL1 1LE, it's not going anywhere, I'm just looking for temporary options to make my wife less reluctant to choose my car over hers when we go out and I'm driving

- I do track my cars.
- I don't mind the NVH

Originally Posted by Pollock

Adding 200lbs to the trunk might work. Mine rides pretty nice on the way to the track when its all packed up with tools.

I think I'm actually going to try this. I have a big dog so plenty of justification for the dogfood haha PLUS pretty easy to load and unload before/after longer drives with my wife.

Originally Posted by Airfuel

You bought a track car.
Buy a street car.
(Yup, short answer, coffee still brewing)

This is my street car This is actually very tame compared to my Shelby which had a full griggs racing setup w/ SLA, watts-link, torque arm, roll cage (no power mods though, unnecessary).

Originally Posted by mlee

My wife turned to me on our 1,400 mile drive from Detroit to Houston and mentioned what a comfortable ride the car was... then we hit some expansion joints and just laughed.

Ton of creature comforts in this track car that most don't have. Wouldn't have it any other way but then I purchased it for the track and not the street.

EXACTLY! This is exactly how I feel. Except I'm still laughing but my wife's laughs have turn into a bit more of a resentful laugh HAHAHA

Originally Posted by Vtor_ZL1

How do you drive around expansion joint that spans entire width highway ?

Originally Posted by Joszer

I recommend getting some street tires. The stock Goodyear's have insanely stiff sidewalls and transmit so much vibration into the cabin. I ended up getting different tires and it helped the ride immensely. Granted I burned up my Goodyear's in three trackdays so I had an excuse to try a new tire on the factory wheels.

I will probably do this -- Save my Goodyears for the track. Thank you!

Originally Posted by MikeEM1

You bought the wrong trim. It's a track focused car, not a touring car. Racecar suspension. Trade in for a ZL1, especially if you're not going to track it often.

I do track days probably only 2-3 times a year now that I'm a dad.
I'm happy with the car, the desire to soften the ride is just for my wife.

[vtirocz]

Originally Posted by angryBits

Come on! You know I'm not the first!

No seriously my wife doesn't even want to get in the car... Which is why I'm asking. As far as I'm concerned it's awesome except for the occasional large bumps that literally raise my behind out of the seat.

So... What tricks?

- Lower the tire pressure when my wife is in the car?

- Raise the ride height? ZL1 1LE is adjustable but it seems like too much work to switch back and forth and I don't want to leave it at 4x4 height.

- Add 4 x 50lbs bags of dogfood (200lbs ballast) to the trunk when my wife is in the car?

I'm grasping at straws... Anyone else got any good ideas?

My wife thanks you

Would you consider reducing the spring rate by some percentage all around for a more compliant ride, but still significantly stiffer rates than the FE4? They are standard springs (ie. inexpensive), but may need to dial it in to get what you're looking for.

[Akura]

If this is your street car (as you told us before), trade it for a ZL1. Happy wife is happy life and she will enjoy the ZL1 much more, guaranteed!

[angryBits]

Originally Posted by vtirocz

Would you consider reducing the spring rate by some percentage all around for a more compliant ride, but still significantly stiffer rates than the FE4? They are standard springs (ie. inexpensive), but may need to dial it in to get what you're looking for.

Considering the car is used 95% of the time with just me in the car and I like it as is. 5% of the time my wife is in the car (maybe my daughter too -- daughter loves the bumps). I'd be sacrificing the 95% for the 5%. I don't think my wife hates it that much, she just complains enough that I figured I'd try some things. Not ready for springs yet.

Originally Posted by Akura

If this is your street car (as you told us before), trade it for a ZL1. Happy wife is happy life and she will enjoy the ZL1 much more, guaranteed!

Happy Wife, Happy Life -- it's so true.
But I'm not trading it in. I'd rather just suck it up and drive her car for the family outings.


I think the first steps are:
- Try tires (easy to switch out for the track)
- Try 200lbs in the trunk (seriously).

I'm guessing that will get me close enough to a compromise with my wife
She loves me, she'll give up some comfort and I'll give up some handling haha

[Akura]

Originally Posted by angryBits

Considering the car is used 95% of the time with just me in the car and I like it as is. 5% of the time my wife is in the car (maybe my daughter too -- daughter loves the bumps). I'd be sacrificing the 95% for the 5%. I don't think my wife hates it that much, she just complains enough that I figured I'd try some things. Not ready for springs yet.


Happy Wife, Happy Life -- it's so true.
But I'm not trading it in. I'd rather just suck it up and drive her car for the family outings.


I think the first steps are:
- Try tires (easy to switch out for the track)
- Try 200lbs in the trunk (seriously).

I'm guessing that will get me close enough to a compromise with my wife
She loves me, she'll give up some comfort and I'll give up some handling haha

Sincerely, I think you love the 1LE for how it looks... Think about the trade again: you can have the “comfort” from the ZL1 MagneRide and still modify the look transforming it into a 1LE

[Chris C 1SS 1LE]

Punishing ride. Neighbo took me in his to pick mine up. Rides like a roller coaster and motor sounds like cats doing the dirty. A lot of them. At once

[angryBits]

Originally Posted by Akura

Sincerely, I think you love the 1LE for how it looks... Think about the trade again: you can have the “comfort” from the ZL1 MagneRide and still modify the look transforming it into a 1LE

I do. I like the wing, the wider tires, dive planes, matte hood and red brake calipers.

But I also like the way it handles and I do track my car enough to justify (to myself) owning it over the ZL1.

Honestly my favorite thing about the ZL1 1LE over the ZL1 is the front end snappiness. I test drove a ZL1 first (before the 1LE) and it was excellent. Then I drove the ZL1 1LE and I could immediately tell the difference.

- Nimblier
- Turn-in response
- Flatter

I loved my Z06 w/ Z07 -- I bought the Z07 package because I wanted the sharper handling for the track. I was concerned that when switching to a ZL1 (or ZL1 1LE) that I'd be giving up a lot. With the ZL1 I felt like I was switching to a much nicer ride, with the ZL1 1LE I felt like I was getting a better handling car.

Unfortunately I never tracked my Z06, it had engine problems.
I will track my ZL1 1LE