Help me decide if it's finally time to get a Z/28!

[Notilloc]

I am currently talking to a dealership about a Z/28 and they are idiots and can't figure anything out about the car. The dealership is 3 hours away from me and I might go buy the car this weekend if everything checks out. I have a 2015 ss 1LE now and have gotten to the point that I either have to spend a considerable amount of money upgrading brakes and bushings or I can just trade for a Z/28 and call it a day. I'm leaning towards the Z/28 at this point because they have gotten to such a reasonable price but I have a few reservations. First and it's dumb but I'm pretty sure I've read that the Z/28 has bluetooth but it can't play audio, I hate that I have to ask this question but the car will be used as a summer car first and track car second and I like to cruise to some music from time to time, does it have an aux port? Second, I'm a little concerned about the ride. I've read anything from it's a little firmer but better dampened than the 1LE to it's unbearable and jarring. Can someone please shed some light on this for me? Lastly have all the issues been worked out with the LS7, I know it used to drop valves in the Corvette but I haven't been able to find anything about it happening to the Z/28. Thanks for any help, I hope to join the club very soon. Unfortunately, I won't be able to drive it much until April if I do get it but it'll be at BIR the last weekend of April if everything goes as planned.

Update: The dealership has been extremely friendly their name is even "Friendly Chevrolet" and willing to work with me. Things just keep looking better and better.

[tstodii]

Bluetooth only for calls no audio streaming. I purchased a little device off amazon for about $15 that plugs into the AUX jack in the glove box and just connect my phone to that via Bluetooth. LS7 valve issue has been beat like a dead horse on here with everyone leaning towards either yes it's fixed or no it's not. I wouldn't worry so much about that since the powertrain warranty is pretty long.

[rcandiloro]

Dude, don't hesitate for one second, just go get the Z/28! Yes the ride is a bit firm, especially over bad roads, but if you're riding on normal roads it's not that bad. I used it as my DD for about a year and it was fine. The LS7 is freakin AMAZING! I have 10000 miles on mine and not a single hiccup, not even for one second.......just pure raw naturally aspirated bliss (and it will have a warranty so no worries). I had a ZR1 Vette before the Z/28, and while the ZR1 was faster, it doesn't come close for pure fun and just raw pleasure. I've said it a million times before, but it's impossible to quantify what makes a car "special", you just have to drive the Z to understand what that means, but this is a car like no other. There is another forum member who owns a Z/28 and a GT3 Porsche and he said he prefers driving the Z/28.......over a GT3! If that doesn't tell you how awesome this car is then I don't know what will. I will never give it up!

[Mark_Z28]

Originally Posted by Notilloc

1) First and it's dumb but I'm pretty sure I've read that the Z/28 has bluetooth but it can't play audio, I hate that I have to ask this question but the car will be used as a summer car first and track car second and I like to cruise to some music from time to time, does it have an aux port?

2) Second, I'm a little concerned about the ride. I've read anything from it's a little firmer but better dampened than the 1LE to it's unbearable and jarring. Can someone please shed some light on this for me?

3) Lastly have all the issues been worked out with the LS7, I know it used to drop valves in the Corvette but I haven't been able to find anything about it happening to the Z/28.

So the z28 is the only 5th gen I've driven. I love the car, but on dallas roads it is harsh. Its a track workhorse plain and simple. I probably don't do it justice having slapped on wide street tires and cruising in it and commuting to work, like more than half the other owners, but ever since I saw it at NAIAS 2014, I loved the car.

1) yes there is a slot for an AUX cable. Sound from the speakers is not great though. So you will probably want to upgrade the speakers or the sound system in general. The slot is in the cubby next to where your right elbow would be its under the power slot.

2) for me its jarring. You can't just hammer it in city streets without looking ahead to make sure roads are smooth. Every time you take a corner and think about hammering it or getting on an on or off ramp you'll mentally calculate the ride harshness for the next 100 ft or so and then drive accordingly. Its rough. I've put 31k miles on mine. So you're getting the opinion of someone whose almost daily driven his. You'll probably drive yours less and your roads might be better than Dallas roads which are the crappiest I've seen. Honestly this is my only gripe about the car. But when the roads get smooth, its a beast in every way.

3) The issue with dropped valves was addressed in the new heads for the z28. There was a thread or article here. Z06 LS7s and Z28 LS7s have some minor changes(atleast with the heads). The specifics of those changes I do not recall but the info is here somewhere.

I'd definitely recommend getting a Z28 and driving it on some great twisty roads. I hope there are some in Fargo ND. Otherwise you're missing out

[kramard]

Originally Posted by Mark_Z28

So the z28 is the only 5th gen I've driven. I love the car, but on dallas roads it is harsh. Its a track workhorse plain and simple. I probably don't do it justice having slapped on wide street tires and cruising in it and commuting to work, like more than half the other owners, but ever since I saw it at NAIAS 2014, I loved the car.

1) yes there is a slot for an AUX cable. Sound from the speakers is not great though. So you will probably want to upgrade the speakers or the sound system in general. The slot is in the cubby next to where your right elbow would be its under the power slot.

2) for me its jarring. You can't just hammer it in city streets without looking ahead to make sure roads are smooth. Every time you take a corner and think about hammering it or getting on an on or off ramp you'll mentally calculate the ride harshness for the next 100 ft or so and then drive accordingly. Its rough. I've put 31k miles on mine. So you're getting the opinion of someone whose almost daily driven his. You'll probably drive yours less and your roads might be better than Dallas roads which are the crappiest I've seen. Honestly this is my only gripe about the car. But when the roads get smooth, its a beast in every way.

3) The issue with dropped valves was addressed in the new heads for the z28. There was a thread or article here. Z06 LS7s and Z28 LS7s have some minor changes(atleast with the heads). The specifics of those changes I do not recall but the info is here somewhere.

I'd definitely recommend getting a Z28 and driving it on some great twisty roads. I hope there are some in Fargo ND. Otherwise you're missing out

With respect to ride quality tires go a long way. I actually found the new Super Car 3R tires to be quieter and softer then the trofeos. Super Sport or similar is even better if not a track rat.

Trofeos and R888Rs make the car very stiff.

[Zslash28]

Get the Z/28.

Buy aux cable, subscribe to Spotify.

Ive got about 14,000 street miles, it drives like an old muscle car. Tires totally change the ride. My wife even thought it was a better ride, which says a lot.

Sell Trofeo tires, buy Bridgestone RE11s, 325 fit all around.

Drive it like you stole it.

[Notilloc]

Originally Posted by kramard

With respect to ride quality tires go a long way. I actually found the new Super Car 3R tires to be quieter and softer then the trofeos. Super Sport or similar is even better if not a track rat.

Trofeos and R888Rs make the car very stiff.

I have a few sets of wheels/tires for my 1LE and I'd use the stock Z/28 wheels with very sticky rubber for the track and put some friendlier street tires on for the rest of the time. So that's good to hear that a street tire helps. Have you used the supercar 3r tires at the track? I've had my eye on that tire, I have the Supercar 3 (non r) tires on the 1LE for the street right now and I love them as a high-performance street tire. I ran them on the track once and they got greasy pretty fast.

[MrRaZ28]

Don't hesitate. Buy it. Buy it, buy it, buy it. When I found out it wasn't just a dream, but something I could make a reality I pulled the trigger within 5 hours on mine. It was down in Austin, I hadn't even fully seen it and I did it anyway because the price and dream of having it since I saw it for the first time.

I try to daily mine as much as I can, which is hard because my wife and I carpool to work every day and I get dropped off first (she's not comfortable driving it yet), but it's the best thing I have ever owned. The seats really absorb the harshness of the ride, making it just bumpy and not painful. I will, however, be changing tires to the Super Sports once these Bridgestones get worn down as the road noise is pretty loud.

As for the aux jack thing, I couldn't stand it combined with no navigation (I was sick and tired of having to keep staring down at my phone for the map as that's not only tedious, but dangerous). I know some on here would probably give me a hard time for it, but I don't plan on competition tracking it, just fun day tracking it. I went ahead and added a touchscreen with android auto, and a back up camera and I'm extremely glad I did. Not only did it update my HVAC controls which were wearing off, but it has vastly improved the drive and experience. The several pounds added to make it better, in my opinion, are worth it.

Once certain investments have paid off, I'm planning on purchasing another strictly for track use. Until then, I will completely revel in every chance I get to be behind the wheel. It's euphoric having something this amazing under your control.

[Mgizzle]

Buy it and stop thinking about it. Omg.....u got me looking at prices again on z/28s .... another sleepless night for me...

[Z/28Dan]

Life is short. Go get the Z/28. You will only regret NOT buying it.

(And don't beat up the "idiots" at the dealership. This isn't a mass produced car and quite honestly, how could they be expected to be experts on a car that hasn't been in production for 3 plus years?)

Did I mention you should go get the Z/28?

[Notilloc]

Originally Posted by Z/28Dan

Life is short. Go get the Z/28. You will only regret NOT buying it.

(And don't beat up the "idiots" at the dealership. This isn't a mass produced car and quite honestly, how could they be expected to be experts on a car that hasn't been in production for 3 plus years?)

Did I mention you should go get the Z/28?

I say idiots because they couldn't figure out if it had A/C, it took them 3 days to figure it out. I mean come on! haha

[69L48Z27]

Once you drive the car your decision will be made.

[Mattzkatz]

Originally Posted by Notilloc

I say idiots because they couldn't figure out if it had A/C, it took them 3 days to figure it out. I mean come on! haha

now that's some funny stuff right there

[JUSTIFIED]

Nearly 24k miles as a DD in Dallas. Every morning I look forward to the drive to work and every day I look to forward to the drive home. You can't walk up to it w/out feeling very lucky about driving a very special car.

It's firm and can be quite harsh at times (I have road tires, not Trofeo), but I actually dig that about it. However, I do believe this is one of the reasons many are being sold w/ low mileage. Coming from a 1LE it'll be stiffer, but you'll be much more prepared than the folks who traded in SUVs and 4 door sedans only to realize that it's just too much for them.

Do it. You will not regret it.