C7 Z51 Manual Corvette Review | 1 Year Ownership

Owned and tracked for one year. Here is what broke and what worked on the C7 corvette.

[@85net]

$34k and 2 years later the cheapest this car goes for is 50k

[@isiahwilliams4646]

EXACTLY! I just bought one in October. 2014 C7 Z51 M7 9K miles.

[@Eidrian111]

And now they are at 34k again

[@Rasec1120]

Dude, I've been following your channel for sometime and wish you would blow up. You put out really great and informative automotive content. I especially appreciate your S2000 insights. Keep up the great work man.

[@madmiata1887]

I bought a C5Z based on your reviews and changed the valve springs based off your video lol. I appreciate the honest videos and no fluff! Currently saving up for the federal tires and better brakes before I take it to the track.

[@jordana7145]

You bought that for $34k in 2019! You'd be hard pressed to find a C7 Z51 for less than $45k now (I've been looking). Just crazy prices all around.

[@dumbotterlover2558]

As a former mercedes owner with cooled and heated seats and current c7 owner, the seats are surprisingly comfortable for a sports car and I'm not sure what you're talking about man, the cooled and heated seats have worked sublimely for me. The only issues I've had with my z51 7mt has been the occassional high resistance to get into 1st and second gear. and the prices for these blew up after covid, I basically paid new pricing for mine(includes after market 100k bumper to bumper warranty, but still). You can't get one that runs with less than 120k miles for less than 40k 3 years later.

[@ZentRose]

We probably just have different tastes since modern AMG seats are some of my favorite haha. Enjoy the C7!

[@TexasRiverRat31254]

I've been watching your videos and you're always right on, especially with the track info. I had an 06 Z51 with a cam, it had more low end torque but my 19 GS really shines once you get the revs up. The C7 as a whole package,(with the Z51 and 7MT) is so much better than even a modified C6,(also did brake pads and Bilsteins and MGW shifter), it's hard to make a comparison. Too bad they didn't keep the flowing curves of the C6 GS with the interior and technology of the C7. They're both great cars, you can't beat the performance you get for the $ spent with a Corvette. Don't hate on it till you take one out for a serious ride.

[@louiemorales5409]

Thank you for the great info! I have a c7 z51 manual that i truly enjoy every time I go for a ride! I will store this valuable information in my c7 notebook; please keep up the excellent videos!

[@Brian_horwath]

Watching this in 2021 🤣🤣🤣🤣 wish I could go back in time

[@Steveleanr]

love my manual C7 Z51!!! so fun to drive!!!

[@natedoesstuff23]

could you tell me the exact wheel setup you had going on? (if you remember of course). what was the width?

[@lancedolan]

Whaattttt an excellent review. Great point about the Rev matching - I couldn't figure out what felt off when I was testing driving. You really covered all the bases. I think, as usual, I'm going to be getting the same car you sell lol

[@BrisLS1]

Yes, I haven't seen that explained in any other video here. Sincerely interested in that rev matching feature. Thanks.

[@vulcantuminello1127]

Great review and advice, it must be a combination of hyperinflation and automotive parts shortage because it's nearly impossible to find used (and I'm talking 2014) C7 Z51 M7's for less than $40k. I'm currently in the market for one and apparently there are only two on the West Coast ATM.

[@hectoralcala8373]

Honest to god an amazing review

[@ZZZRaven65]

I just stumbled onto this video - the first of yours I've watched, but definitely not the last! Great information! This video was made for ME... it's exactly what I needed to hear. I been wanting a Corvette all of my adult life (I'm 54) to be my do-it-all car... commute, autocross, and do the occasional track day/Time Trial - (currently DD/AX an NB Miata) and I'm finally in a position to make that happen. I've been agonizing over which generation to get. I've read all the hype about the value proposition the C5Z offers - and I love the look of the C5, but the interior is awful and by all accounts, the ride is very stiff and loud - so great fun/track car, but not a great daily (I have an 80-mile daily commute). C6Z... better, more comfortable, but still much of the same. The C7 Z51 2LT manual is what I really want, but every one I find around here (SC) is priced in the HIGH 30's to low $40's - which I think is ridiculous. Especially if you're talking about a 2014 model - which is now practically SIX YEARS OLD! I'm curious how you found one so cheap over a YEAR ago. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place (CarGurus, AutoTrader, Facebook Marketplace/Corvette groups, CarMax, etc.). Anyway... it's decided now... I'm gonna hold out for a C7... I'll just have to be patient and keep looking. I'm hoping C7 prices will fall a bit after C8's actually start getting built & delivered in a couple of months. Thanks again! I've subscribed... can't wait to see what you think of the C8!

[@ZentRose]

Yeah it looks like prices are ticking upward on the C7 which is not what I had expected. They were less expensive last year when I purchased mine. We have been testing different cars to rent out and the C7 corvette has a pretty high return and demand. I honestly should have kept this car and added it to the fleet. I messed up my allocation on the c8 and am still trying to get it worked out haha... fingers crossed.

[@paullangan3153]

I’m 54 too and also craving a Z51! I’m finding upper 30’s and low 40’s in nationwide searches late December 2020. Have you scored one yet? Are the dealers moving with low offers or holding their ground? Private sellers although few seem to be holding their ground too.

[@drewmorg.]

"Car should be in the High 20's" ... I'm crying in 2024 prices...

[@243wayne1]

I just paid $178K for Z06! That was $10k off MSRP!

[@tevinhenry786]

Bro I felt like I had a heart attack when I heard him say low 30s

[@drewmorg.]

@@tevinhenry786 It's real. They used to be that cheap lol

[@Samurai6936]

good to see you back

[@MrCannonsdad]

Boy he was wrong about the prices dropping. It’s June 2023 and these are upper mid to upper $40k and even higher in z51…

[@duntelltv9922]

I've been watching your videos since the viper vids you did a great job on those and i bought a 2002 Dodge Viper GTS. MY DREAM CAR!!!! I enjoyed it for two years but it fell a little short on the pratical side but Im buying a 2014 Corvette Stingray Z51!!!

[@daylatedrift]

I like this guy but how the HECK did you get a c7 z51 for $34k?! Hook me up bro!

[@cristihz]

Great video! About those 18" track wheels can you tell what ET , width and tires sizes did you use? I am also planning for some track days and want to use grand sport sizes with no rubbing on my C7 Z51 manual. Thanks!

[@jwtactical443]

I'm dying to know as well.

[@Letrick]

Watching this video seeing that you bought it for$35,000 and it’s now worth about $48,000 is just crazy. I got $10,000 as a downpayment for a z51 and now it’s just a waiting game for the prices to go back down. It sucks!!!

[@DirtDude117]

My 2014 Z51 ended up having two E-LSD failures on the street. First was due to metal in the fluid from being factory under-filled. The second was fuel to the locker not fully disengaging. The 2015+ ones are much better but the E-LSD is a failure point I don't like. The C6 GS seems to be the best durable track car.

[@ZentRose]

Yes! I flushed mine out as soon as I bought the car. i had metal particles in mine as well and the fluid was low. I'd definitely not feel comfortable with a c7 without a warranty. It has a lot of fancy tech which also means expensive repairs in case of failure.

[@DirtDude117]

@@ZentRose I think the C6 GS manual is about the best Corvette for the money. Once you upgrade pads, swap to 18" tires, and upgrade the radiator if you want. No valve dropping, no crazy tech, and mechanics aren't much more intricate than a C5. Only annoying thing is the fuel pump and HUD if you have it.

[@TheJoey3590]

I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that rev-matching was used in order to not upset the car when downshifting. On the other hand, double-clutching (shift to neutral, rev, shift to a lower gear) is what makes the synchronizers work less. It seems like it would be hard to implement an active rev match system that also included double-clutching. The computer doesn't really have a clue on what gear you want to downshift into.

[@SpartanG6]

This is correct.

[@brandonherrera2891]

My thoughts exactly @TheJoey99

[@ZentRose]

There's a good skip barber book on shifting properly where they mention that a good blip with a clutch dip is sufficient before engaging the lower gear. You can also sign up for a driving school. Enjoy your car!

[@williebrown1974]

Another fantastic video! So informative!

[@scottbarker9058]

NICE VID..IVE HAD MY 18 GRANDSPORT 2LT NOW 4 APROX..3-MONTHS..LOVE THIS CAR...I TRADED IN MY 16 GT-350 IN 4 IT..SO MUCH MORE OF A NICE CAR..SURE LESS H.POWERS...BUT;ITS LOTS MORE USABLE AT LOWER RPMS..WHERE MOST OWNERS WILL APPR. IT.I LIVE IN CENTRAL OR..N THE HEATED SEATS ARE A WONDERFUL THING UP HERE WHEN ITS AROUND FREEZING.

[@shaunmcinnis1960]

On the C6 you can simply remove the fuse”under passenger side floor I believe” and the valves will stay open all the time. .I can’t see the C7 being different.

[@drewmorg.]

Drove an AP1 S2000 recently... the car feels -- interesting. Comparing it to our 2006 Boxster S I guess it felt kind of toy'ish. I don't get the hype over how good the shifter is -- maybe it's different when tracking it. The car definitely felt light and nimble and was on some pretty crappy tires so I can't judge much there. But yeah it just felt buzzy and flimsy. The midrange wasn't as bad as people make it out to be. C7 Z51 nicely optioned is by far the best value proposition all around used sports car on the market right now. You can really get into some clean examples of older 911's for around their same price point but they will NOT be as fast, get as good fuel economy, as reliable, nor as cheap to run.

[@phillipgarrow2297]

I've never used 7 th gear rev match works real well when really getting after while upshifts

[@MichaelGreco]

Sad to see it go. What are you picking up?

[@ZentRose]

I want the C8. I got a fintech job with a further commute so I am driving a bmw 330i to work for now.

[@MichaelGreco]

@@ZentRose nice! The media embargo I think is lifted in a couple weeks so it's going to be interesting to see what all the car reviewers have to say. Everything seems positive so far.

[@MichaelGreco]

@@ZentRose side note, for the DSC software I watched a video where they did a custom software modification to suit the client's needs. Did you ever try reaching out to them to see if they can make it more tuned for the track?

[@stephendibari5010]

you bought this C7 Stingray for $34k ? How many miles on it when you bought it ?

[@eurly93]

I bought mine for 34k too. 36K miles at the time but that was 2 yrs ago. They go for 50 right now

[@elijahray9792]

How do you feel about the c7 prices now with the pandemic and the c8 orders? I’m looking to purchase my c7 November 2021

[@ZentRose]

I think they may continue to go up in price. The C7 is a fantastic car. We have a C8 Z51 and I do not like it. I wish I had kept the C7.

[@sjmarsing6738]

I just bought a 2016 Z51 3LT with 35,000 miles , clean 1 owner. I paid 56K which I think was a fair price. I was looking at a couple other ones in that price range a 2LT Z51 and a Grand Sport with 50,000 miles both sold before I could get to them.

[@1616044]

Great info on the brakes

[@shanedawson-xt3wt]

How did you get it for $34,000??????? How many miles were on it?? You buy it from a dealer or a friend???

[@matthowell8985]

I hear you can put it in eco but set the exhaust to track so it sounds bad ass while your getting 30mpg.

[@carlosgarcia9561]

My second gear is very difficult to switch.

[@elijahray9792]

Hello. What are your opinions for the Covid situation. I see c7 going for 40k and up. Do you think they will go back down once Chevy starts taking more c8 orders? Also Should I look for a base or z51. I don’t plan on tracking my car, but want the most value for my dollar

[@ZentRose]

They may not go down again. I wouldn't worry about z51 if you don't want to track the car. I would try to find one with the 2lt option pack. Also, the mag ride was nice for the street.

[@elijahray9792]

Thank you for your help. I’ll be looking for a 2016 2LT stingray with mag ride.

[@darkskinddon]

Shi imma let ppl drive them up more I swear there will be more for sale next year I’m gonna trade my 2020 gt for one for sure

[@marcozr3138]

does it have magna ride and can you say the weight because im looking for one with no magna ride as there more heavier but if its not by much i might just get any z51

[@BboyDaquack]

How many miles did you have on it when you bought it?

[@jaybramble2029]

Those cars are in the 50000 thousand range today.

[@AlinB1108]

Im in a c6z51 and will eventually have to upgrade. I know the c7 is faster and better in most ways, but are there any characteristics about your old c6z51 you preferred over the c7z51?

[@ZentRose]

They are both good cars. If you are already invested in the C6 it might be good to stick with it.

[@dancarlos1216]

Long term the C6 has much less electronic gizmos that could fail.

[@edwardweiszbeck1649]

Good video and info. 👍 thanks

[@jamesmartin6484]

Does anyone just buy a car, stock, and drive it? Maybe I’m just getting old.

[@Inflame333]

They rarely are able to be tracked hard in stock form, most require a few items to be upgraded.

[@scottb_02]

The latter

[@CuriousFourth]

im twenty six and plan on keeping it stock lol

[@JBreezzBeatz]

@@scottb_02 😂😂😂

[@001736743]

I bought a c7 z51 three months ago and it's still stock. I plan on keeping it that way for a year.

[@jwb4bb]

Did you ever have to go in for warranty work? Did you buy an extended warranty?

[@ZentRose]

Yes I bought the GMEPP warranty. Dealer handled all warranty claims for me and there was no deductible. It is kind of a bargain because they honor warranty work for cars that see the race track. I also got a prorated refund on the warranty when I traded the car in.

[@daniellee1358]

Where do you live where youre finding that price lol, in CA youd be lucky to get a z51 for 34k with dealer warranty

[@ZentRose]

Orange County, California

[@bradmason8334]

Does aftermarket coupe void your warranty?

[@goldentrucker7921]

These prices are sky high now!

[@theotherchannel3]

Ooo what’s next?!

[@ZentRose]

C8 is next, also trying to get a 2015-2019 r1 for casual track days.

[@theotherchannel3]

Nice! I’m sure with something cheap and fun along the way too. Haven’t seen any small projects in a while. Would be cool to see the R1 get track prepped

[@catfightcentral]

This is why you never buy a used vette.

[@Robert-goose1]

Most are owned by old men and they're incredibly reliable regardless.

[@solo3d673]

As I’m watching this video he says they might dip into the high 20’s . Me… looks over at other monitor. Sigh… nope Covid strikes again still 50k 😭

[@ondago2]

Not true at all that you have to pull hard to get it to engage Rev Matching. (Yes, I have a 2017 C7 Z51 Manual Convertible. Yes I can provide the proof..). Anyway, by observation of my own car and you can find Major press tests plus the actual implementation of the system tell you that in fact, the split second that you take it out of the higer gear, the computer starts guessing where you might downshift to and the sensors in the shifter mech, begin to blip the throttle as you make the slightest pressure towards a gate, coming out of center/Neutral. in other words, you can get it to blip throttle by using your Pinky finger, coming out of Neutral. If you have engagement problems, then maybe you have transmission sychronizer wear problems. Oh, by the way, I Redline, hard accel, gear slam the car all the time, I driver her really hard, almost always and don't have the problem.

[@derreck3424]

Where’s the c5 z06 update??

[@ryderguion4053]

these cars are now in the mid 50s to low 60s which is completely annoying since i want one so unbelievably bad

[@ZentRose]

That is brutal

[@XX-166]

How many miles was on your car when you bought it??

[@Broommaker19]

Let me know if you find out...I just bought a new 19 base 7 speed and gave more, even with a serious discount. Im sure it wasn't new, and had some serious miles.

[@Alex-ty6up]

lol prices now are high 40's not low 30's

[@BrisLS1]

11:00 Something tells me the dealer buying this car for $30k is not watching this, or if he is, he is pounding his forehead, ha ha. Just for kicks, the same exact car, similar mileage I see today on CarGurus for $50,000. Amazing what a money printing machine in Congress can do to car prices.

[@dannyz5575]

"I'm trading this for $30,500" oof

[@CarsMeetsBikes]

here i am looking at one for 39 with 70K miles, woof

[@theyhatehimbecausehetoldth7576]

How does this compare to a c6 zo6 or grand sport for the same price?

[@ZentRose]

My C6 z06 was faster and would make a better track car but worse street car. The PBR calipers on the c6z and GS also proved to be annoying. Drive them all and buy the one you want.