JetBlueLS3

You're not doing anything wrong. Enjoy it man.

Adam@Amp'dAutosport.com

New car, New warranty you dont sound like the mod type. So drive the living **** out of it and enjoy You just spent 50k enjoy Do not over read

cadguymark

on the 900 miles home from Bowling Green I babied the brakes the entire way, can't say the same for the engine. 23K miles on it now, brakes have never made noise and never pull to one side or the other, and rotors are clean. Engine works like a 500 dollar ***** that's been out of work for a month.

"under load" WTF? if you avoid constant rpm and even worse, low rpm, breakin will be fine, the only time rpm should be below 2K is on the way to 3K the first couple thousand miles.

Z51-9

Well speaking of low RPM, what is the bottom level I should avoid?

I am often putting it in 5th gear (MZ6=0.71) for anything 35-40mph on-ward, and in 6th gear (MZ6=0.57) for anything 50-55mph on-ward. I'm just above 1Krpm each.

Restroom

Bah, just beat the tar out of it, make sure your fluids are there and maybe take some performance driving classes before you do. In fact, if you can't make it to a weekend-racer school or anything like that, shift over into the passenger seat and take your dad to a track and tell him to show you where the limits are, and how not to do the wrong thing when the scary noises start. From your driving bio it seems like you have the opportunity to scare your own pants off in this thing, which is an experience no one should pass up but which is best done safely.

EATURAW

You bought a Vette, it's a sports car, treat it like one. Drive that mother f*cker.

bps999

don't fear rpm. Too many people baby shift vettes at 2k and never see redline. A normal shift point for daily driving is 3000-3500, and there is absolutely nothing abusive about taking it to redline on a freeway entrance.

Once you start letting it rev more freely I think you will find that it feels smoother and more natural, and that it was designed to run that way.

Z51-9

Yeah, I've been slowly taking it higher. For the first few months, I didn't open up the NPP much at all. Now I try to do it whenever I have a straight-line and no one in front of me. Don't go past 4,500-5,000 much at all. But still open it more.

As far as handling, I do plan on taking a course when I have the opportunity. I missed out on the CCA doing VIR with the NCM recently, as I just relocated to the area. But the next time I see something similarly offered, I'm definitely going to try to get in.

articvett

You have to redline 1st gear and powershift into second so you can feel the power.That is what this car is made for.Make sure you put the car in competition mode so you can get a little sideways.

AORoads

You're doing fine.

AndrewZPSU

My only problems with the transmission were of my own doing - missed a gear and tried to slam it in... a few times... oh and the reverse synchro took a **** when I first got it... odd.

I have 63k on my 2008 now... and they are HARD miles. For the last 30-35k the engine has seen 7k rpms almost daily with the cam I put in (thanks to Spin Monster). If there is anyone on this board to take advice from, SpinMonster is on the top of my list.

Oh, and I was never told of a break in period... so from day one that thing saw WOT big time.

Beat the car up, but don't bang gears like me haha.

Z51-9

When in doubt, I push the clutch in. I'm not too worried about that. I've only driven manuals my entire life (other than the CVT in my Jeep Patriot). I've never hurt a transmission yet -- only one clutch many years ago (180K miles on that guy) and one cross-over cable (limited to 3rd and 4th until I did)
.
I have done some 5,000rpm shifts, and I think even one 5,500rpm, into 2nd. Basically close to 60mph or whatever the LS3 MZ6 ('09 Z51) is capable of in 1st at those RPMs.

I plan on doing at least one autocross with this Z51 package at some point. It'll likely be when I'm about to replace the original tires and brakes.

White_Lightning

driving it around like it's a honda civic = disrespecting the car..

Drive it like you stole it.. its a SPORTS CAR not an ecconobox.

PowerLabs

WTH man, just drive the damn car... If Corvettes were so crappy that you had to baby them just to get them to last you can be damn sure yours wouldn't be one of over 150,000 that got made since the C6 came out in '05...

Robls6

beat it like it owes you money!

QUIKAG

Drive the car relatively gently until oil temp is at 150F and then let it rip. Running it to redline daily with regular maintenance will still net a engine/tranny combo good for 200k miles. The LS3/TR6060 combo is a very stout package.

As you get comfortable with the power, don't be afraid to take it to redline (6,500rpm). The engine can take it all day long and you'll love the sound and pull as it winds out.

Here is a quick vid of my LS3 with very basic mods (intake, headers, exhaust, and tune) running from 0-120mph (note: I am very addicted to that high rpm sound, like Pavlov's dog and the buzzer):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMecChZGLiQ

jmudreamvette

Your father is VP of the club, same club that meets at Hernando co airport? I have been doing that event for 2 years. test & tune every month from fall to spring. Low impact autocrossing, I just get in to 3 gear, about 100mph before I hit the brakes. A great time to learn the limits of a great car! If you spin out and all you hit is cones. I have learn the limits of the car and had a blast doing it. Not real hard on the brakes or tires. Plus I drag race 6 to 8 times a year. I have really enjoyed driving this car.

Z51-9

I'm not sure the last time he attended an AutoX event. In all honesty, I travel so much, I only see my parents at local events. And I didn't have my C6 until last November.

I'm thinking of doing an AutoX up here in the DC-MD area with one of the clubs. I'll have it up here for the summer months.

If anything I'll likely be volunteering my time for their next AutoX anyway, watch others from outside the cockpit.

Z51-9

Here's another flip on this ...

Sometimes I find I'm at 55-60mph in 2nd or 3rd gear, and I want to shift into 6th gear. Obviously the RPMs change drastically in such a move. Should I be shifting into 4th (1:1 ratio) first, before 6th?

besz28

exactly, drive your car...take care of it ,don't keep the miles low for the next owner, drive it now and enjoy it.