kotik

I'm having buyers remorse.

I know most of you love the car, and that's cool, but looking to see if there are others that don't.

Before i bought it I spent a lot of time on here, and from all the raves I was sure I would like it... I sold my e90 supercharged m3 (600hp) with all the options and manual, to get into 08Z06. Got it with 18k miles a few months ago (now at 27k), and I am not very happy. Two wheel bearings replaced, engine mounts replaced (which caused engine to go up, and misaligned the exhaust so it keeps banging really loud during accel... tried adjusting, no luck), clutch pedal gets stuck (fluid is clean, likely the master cylinder), car is jumpy at high speeds (has Z06 bilstein suspension. High speed 140mph+), scary as hell to drive on the track(nurburgring), interior is REALLY hot, can't reach the top speed, valve worries, and car trails due to oversized wheels up front (295. previous owner put those, so not really vettes fault, but is neg to the experience). Door handles are crap, I really want to replace them with carbon bits, so that interior doesn't look like a cobalt. I already replaced the wheel with DSV. Last week, when it was raining, I couldn't open passenger door (my GF was trapped), the window would slide a tad, but the door wouldn't open, so we had to use emergency pull. I reset with the battery, and it works fine now. The temp gauge went crazy, so had to reset that. The seat sometimes doesn't move back when i exit the car(not to mention they are crap, but i knew that going in. My 98 E39 has better sport seats). I had CEL for the exhaust (dealer reprogrammed ECU). There was ticking sound coming from front drivetrain during slow turns, so they tightened the axels, and it went away. Before I got the car the roof was redone (I can see the paint is not a 100% match), the A pillars were replaced (not sure what was wrong), the endlinks were replaced, and some other small items.

I just added killer bee intake to help me get to 200mph (so far i've done 192, and it wouldn't go any faster). I added exoticvette insulation kit, so that helped interior heat. Most things were replaced under warranty, but was very time consuming (doing warranty work on corvette in europe is pain in the ***). Now warranty is out, but they promissed to address exhaust banging and clutch issues (they keep trying to tell me it's the clutch... but they are german, so without looking they always try to blame me for everything... so every time i have to explain to them that it should be covered under warranty).

anyway, sorry for rant. I just miss my m3, and the vette didn't live up to expectations. I beat on my m3 day in and day out, sold with 65k miles and never had a single problem. I hope to get the last two issues resolved (the clutch and exhaust), and keep fingers crossed that nothing else needs fixing, but if there is, that is it, i'm selling it... just too much.



anyone else in the same boat?

* Just to add my opinion for the issues. I think its due to the way i drive. I think if I kept taking the car out once a month on a sunday, and taking it to 5k rpm it would be fine for another few years. But in 3 months (got it here 1 July 13) I put 9k miles of what i consider normal driving, maybe a bit on aggressive side (a lot less aggressive than m3 though). A lot of getting on the autobahn WOT 3,4th 5th, 14 laps around nurburgring, but no launches(I average 12-14mpg). m3 saw close to a 100 laps on the nurburgring (about 35 supercharged), weekly trips to 200mph, 1-2 hour cruises at 150+mph (6k rpm), and only thing replaced was oil and brake pads ($200 for all 4, with sensors). I'm affraid of getting on the vette too much, cause i'm affraid something will break... aside from the fact that it's so wild and unpredictable when it looses traction (m3 was very controllable).

Don-Vette

s'noJob

In the same boat? You sure seemed to acquire a boatload of problems. Are you sure the car wasn't rolled on the track? An '08 with only 18k should not have that many issues.

Dump the '08, take the hit, do more homework, and get another.


.

glenB

Seems we had another one here that was unhappy, don't know where he went though .....

kotik

Seems like all problems are known problems on the Z, except wheel bearing. They replaced two cause they are idiots. I told them something doesn't sound right, so they "diagnosed" it to be rear bearing, replaced it, adn sound was still there, so they replaced the front one. Solved. Other problems people have experienced over time, except for me it's all fast forwarded since i've put 9k miles over 2 months. If these issues would pop up over two years (normally vette drivers do what, 5k miles a year?), then no big deal i guess. Like I said, I don't think it was meant to be driven on the autobahn. Same goes for track, it's track ready, but not to track it a lot. Most on Z forum say they replace a ton of things. And I sleep with one eye open due to valve issue that randomly bites people.

dvilin

Well in your other thread you were concerned with the stigma of the Vette being an old mans car and taking grief about it although you are under 30. Now you have other issues, I would dump the Vette and get whatever.

IrishSpuds

Women, cars and stocks - you gotta know when to hold and when to fold. You unfortunately have a pig my friend - dump it and save yourself the frustration. Vettes are not built well but you got more problems, much more than average.

kotik

I was trying to be objective here. The other thread was subjective, and has very little to do with car experience. I can add this:

Corvette gets a ton of positive attention here in Europe. Most people see it as a supercar. People move out of the way on the autobahn (which is a big deal here in germany, you can get stuck behind some ******). Gas mileage is awesome, i'm really saving on gas here! I really like the fact that RPM's are low during 150-160mph cruising. I also like the fact that i can regulate exhaust via button on my audio. I enjoy the seating position a lot, how you sit low and far back, seeing the big fenders up front. I like JSB a lot, very cool color. First 3 gears are very fast. I like that the doors open with a button, very futuristic. I enjoy HUD, it is useful, and the instrument panel provides ton of info. Brakes are really good, stop on a dime, and I don't have fade after 2 laps on the ring.

so there are certainly a lot of positive things I really like about the car. I'm just expressing the issues i've been having, and it not living up to expectations of good reliable DD that can be tracked. I'm affraid to go over 80mph in the rain, where in the m3 (or my E39 528 for that matter) i can easilly go over 100mph.

kotik

I wish it wouldn't have these issues. I went through a lot to get it, but it's just not playing out too well. I hope once these last two things are fix that will be the last of it. If not, I'll be looking to sell come spring time.

Tonylmiller

That is way too many issues. I think you should try one that is unmodified and still under warranty.

AORoads

I would dump the car, too. After all, I have no idea if you bought your last supercharged car new, but it sounds like it had no problems even with your driving talents and methods.

This one, you got used, with 18K miles on it, driven however it was driven, taken care of however it was taken care of, brought to a country that has technicians who diagnose a noise as a rear bearing when it's up front. Allegedly REAL technicians, not goofballs.

And you're waiting for something to happen with the engine (like blowing up) in a car that handles funny at 180+ due to wrong size wheels/tires, probably alignment, bits and pieces of the suspension possibly not being right, and maybe even the type of tires themselves.

As you imply/say, the car is a track-intended (my words) but not really track-ready design, that needs a lot to make it track-able which you, of course, researched prior to buying and knew in advance. Which means, you knew there were a lot of things that needed swapping out if you were actually going to take it on a track, or beat on it every day, or both---which is what you imply you are doing.

And as you also know, there actually are "vendors" on here who either race their cars which are anywhere from highly-modified "base" cars to all out racers and everything in between, or race prepare cars for clients. So, if you really want to do with your car what you did with your prior car, I'd suggest the following:

--write down everything done to, or left stock as it is now on your car.

--write down everything that you can think of that's wrong with, or seemingly inadequate with your car.

--then, write a concise, non-rambling note to each of the vendors that switch, change, alter, race, and prep cars for the track and see what they say.

The implied hope on your part is that they will respond even tho they know A) you are far away, and B) probably won't buy a thing from them.

Maybe they will comment just to be helpful but it wouldn't surprise me if they don't since you seem really down on the car and don't seem inclined to be serious about keeping it. If I knew someone was going to sell a car tomorrow, I'd probably not put a lot of effort into discussing with them (that's if I even knew) how to sort the car out and get it really ready for serious driving habits.

Good luck, and as I started out, just get another car and be happier because you may not be inclined to go to all the work needed to get this car to the level it should be for your driving style.

mickey5

I don't think you can take any production car and just jump in and drive it for hours at 6000 RPM or take it up to 200 MPH regularly or lap a road coarse at speed when ever you like without having it prepped and properly maintained. I don't think anyone in the States would call this normal driving...maybe in Europe.

To top it off your doing it in a 5 year old used car with a questionable history and the wrong front tires...WOW, you got guts.










RP

hig4s

+1

kotik

Thanks for your detailed reply, you have valid points, but let me elaborate just a tad on few items.

Got M3 (2008) in 2011 used with 36k miles. Put SC on at 50k miles. Sold at 65k miles. No issues.

I bought the vette from this forum, i reviewed members profile/posts in detail. Seemed like a resonable man. Few times mentioned taking it for spirited drive in the Cali canyons (was too jumpy for him, so he put on bilstein shocks). He put two piece rotors for weight savings. I met him, he is a physicist, in his 50ies, seemed honest about the car. Mentioned ranger method and said he replaced clutch fluid every oil change.
I got alignment done by reputable shop (it was pretty spot on when they put it on machine), and had them go over suspension installment. I'm pretty sure suspension is fine. There is a reputable race shop near nurburgring that deals with american cars (they have a built Ford GT GT3 in there, a race prepped C5, and a few other cars) and they mentioned to me that the bushings in the suspension of corvette are too soft, and that is why there is much wabble on the autobahn/nurburgring. Most owners in Europe replace them all for polyurithane ones (there is a kit for sale in the states). Kit is $400, but manhours to replace is a lot(I was quoted 1200euro's). I didn't budget for that. Tires are Pilot Sport's, 295/30/18(or 35 can't remember) and 345/30/19. Not worried about the rear, but pretty sure fronts are too wide, so if tech problems are all solved, I'll be ordering PSS in stock sizes.

In regards to track use... once again, as much as i researched, read magazines, most said Z06 is good for track duty. As I owned it and experienced specific issues, i searched those specifics and members kind of say "oh yea, it's track ready, all is good! ... except you need this, and that, and that and the other". On initial search all i read is that it was track ready. Stock m3 at my power level had a big issue too, brakes. Second issue stiffness. so on... that is one of the reasons i switched to Z06, cause from what i read it's a better track car. On tourist days, at about 80% effor I could do around 8 flat in my m3, I did 8 flat in the Z and i almost pooped my pants (caught air twice). Perhaps it's more to do with confidence level... I am not as confident in Z as i was with M. Maybe with time i'll get there.

One of the vendors replied to my post about my clutch issues (he is a clutch vendor), and said Z's clutch is not so good and I should go with their clutch. I'm at stock power level, clutch feels good under normal driving and even at 80% of power, but after few hard shifts at redline, it gets stuck halfway. Then a minute later (cool off) it goes back to normal.

In ragards to getting advie from vendors, that would be great, offcourse... especially considering the items that you bring up (I am overseas, and I'm prob not going to purchase their product). But believe me, i have not given up yet, and I have went through a LOT to get this car (i have a thread of how I got this car). Car spent a lot of time at the dealer over the summer (in germany corvette weather is short), from having people drop me off an hour away from my house(closest to me) and leaving it there for a week, time off work to go there to show them the problem. I have not given up just yet. All I wanted was to take my hard earned money, buy a cool sports car and drive the **** out of it on the autobahn while i have the chance (how many of you wouldn't??)...

Steve_R

Not all of us only drive our cars 5k miles/year and only drive them easy on Sunday. Mine is a base '08 with a number of mods. I track it and run it in Open Road Races (160+ miles at 150 mph average) and I've never had an issue with it. Over 35k miles on it. It's not that Vettes aren't meant to be driven at speed or tracked since a lot of Vettes are driven at speed and used hard on tracks.

Bottom line is if you're not happy with it, get rid of it and get something you're happy with. We all like different cars; I wouldn't consider an M3 but that might be the right car for you. Good luck whatever you decide to do.

z51vett

You made an under thirty post did you not is this part of the problem. If tire sizes are miss matched ie height of tires can cause some problems with power I think that's what I read.
GM's driver never had this problem at the N ring so something is not right with the car. And why its down on power something is not right and no one can tell you sight unseen. Maybe the folks over there are use to working on bmw's an p cars and don't want you going fast. Sell someone with the money will sort it out and make it run. Have you tried using a ty tie to hold warning harness under seat this is a fix for seat. The module is under the seat you sit on it replace it. Corvette is 5 years old things age even sitting up. Not using it is bad as abusing it. I'm sure the under thirty foreign car crowd will tell you have finally come to your sense's we American's can't make crap.
z51vett
Doug

bearphoto

The Z06 is great for occasional track use but not on a regular basis without serious modifications. As for your wobble at high speed, I am not sure a tire size one size up would cause your problem but I would consider an alignment designed for the type of driving you mostly do. An alignment for best tire wear is not the same for track use.

My Z06 is an 09 and does not see track use but I have had none of the issues you have described here.

Best of luck to you. Most of us would give our left arms to drive our vettes on the autobahn, oh wait, then we could not steer and shift at the same time!

z51vett

Put new GM factory tire sizes and same brand of tires ie not Mich on front and goodyear on back. I think you have a tire size problem I experienced this a long time ago and a mich tire Engineer was a neighbor and he couldn't figure it out then I realized I had mich on rear and goodyears on front change to Mich all way around and car settled down. Same thing with tire sizes could be going on.
z51vett

4thC4at60

I don't track my car but I do have 119,000 mostly trouble free miles on my car... just got back a week ago today (Monday, 16 Sept) from a 1200 mile trip, a trip I make every other month....

OnPoint

Sounds to me like the car you got was abused by its prior owner.

Dump it and get a low mile, well cared for ZR1.

Then run with no worries.