Magnetic Ride Control .. Do I need this?

[Jljordann922]

Can someone explain to me a little better about the Magnetic Ride Control and if it is something I NEED in comparison to either the stock or z51 suspension.

To be honest I've never really paid any attention to this feature nor had it on one of my checklists, but looking back now I believe my 2017 Escalade had it stock...and my past C7 Z06 3LZ I'm going to venture and say it had it (not Z07 package). I can't find my build sheets for either one to be exact.

I see a lot of people saying it's a must. Is it such a must for the majority that it would limit the resale market if I look to sell in 2 or 3 years?

From what I understand the suspension is reacting to the road and making adjustments, and also adjusts dependent on the driving mode you are in? I live in NYC where the bumps are endless.

[JB]

Simply put the mrc technology keeps the tires in contact with the road ..that feature or rather aspect allows for the fastest rectife suspemsiom to whatever the road surface becomes offering the most aupple ride and at the same time the best tire adhesion for performance.

that is why the mrc technology offers superiority in two of the most important jobs any vehicles suspension can hope to accomplish.

i hope my laymans attempt to explain the extreme bendits assists you in making the decision to spend the Extra 1800 dollars the option cost on the earlier generation corvette.

im hopeful the mrc option on the c8 z51 costs about the same as it did in the c7 .

i daily drive my corvettes and believe mrc will offer superiority in smoothing out the ride and offering superiority in cornering capability in real world road comditions.

any questions?



.

[George]

Can someone explain to me a little better about the Magnetic Ride Control and if it is something I NEED in comparison to either the stock or z51 suspension.

To be honest I've never really paid any attention to this feature nor had it on one of my checklists, but looking back now I believe my 2017 Escalade had it stock...and my past C7 Z06 3LZ I'm going to venture and say it had it (not Z07 package). I can't find my build sheets for either one to be exact.

I see a lot of people saying it's a must. Is it such a must for the majority that it would limit the resale market if I look to sell in 2 or 3 years?

From what I understand the suspension is reacting to the road and making adjustments, and also adjusts dependent on the driving mode you are in? I live in NYC where the bumps are endless.

For track use, if you're not a professional driver, I think most would say it's a must. For street use it becomes somewhat more debatable. My '17 Z51 coupe had it and I have some mixed views as I left it in the Tour position 99% of the time. There has been some debate whether the standard suspension is more comfortable than the mag ride set to Tour, and I'm not totally sure of what the answer is. Also, of course, comfort is somewhat subjective.

They say the mag ride adjust better and more quickly to all the bumps you've referred to, and it also allows you to dial up more exhaust sounds with the performance exhaust, if that' important to you.

Personally, I'm in a dilemma about it right now, as I much prefer the C8 appearance without the front splitter and rear spoiler, which come with the Z51 package. Therefore I'm seriously thinking of the standard suspension.

I also would appreciate any and all input from others who have carefully compare the two after driving both.

Good luck with your decision.

[Bikerjulio]

I posed a related question about the Z51 package in general for road use. The information video says that it's specifically for track use. Nothing suggesting it made any improvement to a road-only car.

[JB]

I would think the standard suspension will accommodate most drivers needs. Im sure its balanced with a slightly more supple spring rate and standard design shock absorber system and of course would save five grand from tje z51 option and the 1800 for the mrc shock absorber sustem.

so many of us are dedicated gear heads we want the extra performance of the z51 package (no matter how small an imorovement) along with the implementation of the mrc shock system...which gives the driver variability.

the mrc system is designed to be imperceptible. By that very nature many consumers do often wonder what its worth is.

no one should feel they need to have z51 or mrc although most absolute dreaming gearheads to marvel at the technological advance these systems offer for the best of both worlds in suspension design...

most of us dont need sub 3 second or 3.1 zero to sixty times either...

its been stated by auto journalist world wide that GMs z51 package is a world class value.

for gearheads the z51 does take the z51 driving experience to a whole new level of feel.

having daily driven either z51 s or z06 corvettes to the tune of almost a quarter of a million miles over the past twenty years...

i personally look forward to experiencing mrc in conjunction with z51 as I believe as they say this is a marriage made in heaven.

ferrari put the mrc shock system in all its vehicles standard because of its value in ride and handling.

i can assure you the last thing ferrari ever wanted to do was admit gm suspension technology being offered was supeior to what their engineers could come up with.

that decision was never based on cost but rather results their clientele wanted to experience.

all that said if you dont like the looks of the spoilers and splitters...and you dont want the most cutting edge suspension technology not ordering z51 with mrc makes the most sense..

im not a spoiler spat splitter fan myself...yet I found those items are quite demur in the c8 especially when the rear spoiler is body color...

im ok with the cost of the z51 and mrc...and as you mentioned the small rear spoiler and the front splitter..

jokingly the fromt splitter pribably gets put on at the dealership for safe shipping....and the rear spoiler probably unbolts easily with the same ,mounting holes as the standard rear spoiler..

id imagine there will be many corvette c8 buyers chomping at the bit to get their hands on one for their standard car...but dont hold me to that...

i remember the zf1 rear spoiler mimiced the z51 spoiler and that option code was quite popular with buyers...

to everyone except on the internet....at least from what I saw at kerbecks option tent....many many many consumers are lookimg at not ordering z51 or mrc to just get an amazing corvette for the street at a more reasonable cost amd lets say for example the 2 lt comfort luxury package which will cost avoutmthe same 5:grand leads their priority system of life...

i respect that a lot...

we each have different priority systems...

as a side note i had a auto x maniac friend years back that tore up the competion at auto x s and at road course...and for years he thought he had a z51 corvette...low and behold one day he was searching the vin and he figured out after all his victories and there were a lot fo them...this super competitive driver realized he had a base corvette sans z51..

the moral of the story is buy the corvette version that looks best to you and dont worry about what gearhead maniacs like me are going to do for ourselves.

never let your compatriots on these forums enthusiasm for any technology override your preferences whether it be looks or preferences which optiomsmto choose.

i have corvettes with 2Lt interior features that six months after ownership Iforget half the luxury like features values ...

i totally get where many can fathom how I dont appreciate the upgraded leather, the upgraded seat lumbar support , adjustable side bolsters, the improved sterio, the easy access moving seat at start up...many say after three cars with the HiuD...how could you not be enthralled with the hud...for me its just ok..i could take it or leave it...yet for many these features are integral in their appreciation of what a corvette is.

good luck deciding..

variation and customization to perimalize your corvette is half of what makes it interestimg...

one of my closest friends says to me how could you not want the z06 version ..lhe jist cant get how I could be happy with the z51..

one is a prioritization of capital...and for me..zero to sixty in 3 seconds or sub 3 seconds in the c8 z51 is more than I will ever need.

[Jljordann922]

Thanks for the very informative details...I'm going to say it is all going to come down to the price of all the options I want. I don't realistically track the car and I can only do so much on the street. Coming from the Z06, that car had more power than I could ever need and admittedly should have gotten me in a lot of trouble lol....so I deff think the C8 Stingray will be enough and the future Z06 version will not be needed for me (although I know I'll find myself wanting it). Looking forward to Aug 15 to nail out all of these questions and configurations.

[Milliwatt Rob]

Living in Vermont with road surfaces ranging from unpaved graded gravel to badly patched asphalt, to newly repaved smooth surfaces, I would not be without it. I believe that these features add to the resale value of the car as well.

However, I would note that the C8 suspension, particularly the rear suspension, is changed from any prior Corvette suspension. It is now fully independent coil over shock, instead of the prior transverse rear leaf spring. So nobody has any practical experience with magnetic ride on the C8 suspension system. Indeed, nobody can tell you what the ride quality will be on the C8 without the magnetic ride either.

Another reason why I intend to buy no earlier than the second model year, when I will have the benefit of feedback from the early adapters.

[JB]

I posed a related question about the Z51 package in general for road use. The information video says that it's specifically for track use. Nothing suggesting it made any improvement to a road-only car.

Fwiw...i drove a standard corvette c7 versus a z51 suspension vehicle and I could fell the difference yet I am extremely tuned into the drivng experience in earlier corvette. (Read as I am a car nut). The differences are slight yet they do exist.....i hope that explains the enthusiasm or projected statements by many enthusiasts who say profoundly they are ordering z51 and mrc...( said plainly many of us we are sports car crazy enthusiasts or crazy motorheads)

most drivers are not quite as sensitive...doesnt mean by any stretch of the imagination that I am a better driver...but rather i can detect a slight tautness improvement..it brings me personal joy to drive a vehicle with that extra few points of connectivity to the vehicle...(its not normal you are if you cant really feel the difference of z51 mrc combo versus standard suspension tehnology)

For most people the z51 suspension holds little difference...

from a performance persoective the actual time differential on a track would be negligible....yet technically and to those most enthusiastically inclined might...

the z51 just amps up the attributes of corvette to an 11 where the standard chassis corvette is a 10....absolutely still class leading in Either case.

definitely buy what you want and not let internet enthusiasm bias your preference of priorities...


(Edit) i would definitely agree from personal experience when selling these corvettes those kids buying preowned corvettes down the road with sugarplums dancing in their head about the performance the z51 option included does quicken resale quite a bit..

thats why gm makes both to choose from

[Phil1098]

For everyday use, you don't need it. Look at it this way, the standard suspension is a compromise, that doesn't mean it's bad in any way, they just have to have it sporting (it is a Corvette, not 1978 Buick LaSabre) and compliant enough it doesn't beat you and the car to death. The MRC let's the shock behave to the exact condition, that doesn't change spring rates, tire sidewall stiffness, and other things that contribute to ride quality. The MRC will tend to help the car corner somewhat flatter, but again, the stock car isn't the aforementioned Buick either. I'm done being on a track, my car will just be a street car and so I wouldn't spend the $ on it.

[Phil1098]

Hey JB, is there something wrong with your keyboard? I need an interpreter to read your posts. When you're typing, if it is underlined in red, it's a typo.

[ZORA 69]

I woukd think the standard suspension will accommodate most drivers needs. Im sure its balanced with a slightly more supple sprimg rate and standard design shock absorber system and of course would save five grand from tje z51 option and the 1800 for the mrc shock absorber sustem.

so many of usmare dedicated gear heads we want the extra performance of the z51 package (no matter how small an imorovement) along with the implementation of the mrc shock system...which gives the driver variability.

the mrc system is designed to be imperceptible. By that very nature many consumers do often wonder what its worth is.

no one should feel they need to have z51 or mrc although most absolute dreaming gearheads to marvel at the technological advance these systems offer for the best of both worlds in suspension design...

most of us dont need sub 3 second or 3.1 zero to sixty times either...

its been stated by auto journalist world wide that GMs z51 package is a world class value.

for gearheads the z51 does take the z51 driving experience to a whole new level of feel.

having daily driven either z51 s or z06 corvettes to the tune of almost a quarter of a million miles over the past twenty years...

i personally look forward to experiencing mrc in conjunction with z51 as I believe as they say this is a marriage made in heaven.

ferrari put the mrc shock system in all its vehicles standard because of its value in ride and handling.

i can assure you the last thing ferrari ever wanted to do was admit gm suspension technology being offered was supeior to what their engineers could come up with.

that decision was never based on cost but rather results their clientele wanted to experience.

all tjat said if you dont like the looks of the spoilers and splitters...and you dont want the most cutting edge suspemsiom technology mot ordering z51 with mrc makes the most sense..

im not a spoiler spat splitter fan myself...yet I found those items are quite demur in the c8 especially when the rear spoiler is body color...

im ok with the cost of the z51 and mrc...and as you mentioned the small rear spoiler and the front splitter..

jokingly the fromt splitter pribably gets put on at the dealership for safe shipping....and the rear spoiler probably unbolts easily with the same ,mounting holes as the standard rear spoiler..

id imagine there will be many corvette c8 buyers chomping at the bit to get their hands on one for their standard car...but dont hold me to that...

i remember the zf1 rear spoiler mimiced the z51 spoiler and that option code was quite popular with buyers...

to everyone except on the internet....at least from what I saw at kerbecks option tent....many many many consumers are lookimg at not ordering z51 or mrc to just get an amazing corvette for the street at a more reasonable cost amd lets say for example the 2 lt comfort luxury package which will cost avoutmthe same 5:grand leads their priority system of life...

i respect that a lot...

we each have different priority systems...

as a side note i had a auto x maniac friend years back that tore up the competion at auto x s and at road course...and for years he thought he had a z51 corvette...low and behold one day he was searching the vin and he figured out after all his victories and there were a lot fo them...this super competitive driver realized he had a base corvette sans z51..

the moral of the story is buy the corvette version that looks best to you and dont worry about what gearhead maniacs like me are going to do for ourselves.

never let your compatriots on these forums enthusiasm for any technology override your preferences whether it be looks or preferences which optiomsmto choose.

i have corvettes with 2Lt interior features that six months after ownership Iforget half the luxury like features values ...

i totally get where many can fathom how I dont appreciate the upgraded leather, the upgraded seat lumbar support , adjustable side bolsters, the improved sterio, the easy access moving seat at start up...many say after three cars with the HiuD...how could you not be enthralled with the hud...for me its just ok..i could take it or leave it...yet for many these features are integral in their appreciation of what a corvette is.

good luck deciding..

variation and customization to perimalize your corvette is half of what makes it interestimg...

one of my closest friends says to me how could you not want the z06 version ..lhe jist cant get how I could be happy with the z51..

one is a prioritization of capital...and for me..zero to sixty in 3 seconds or sub 3 seconds in the c8 z51 is more than I will ever need.

Very informative and well said JD. Did I hear or read somewhere that the Z51 PKG Production is limited in 2020????

[Meldoon]

Hey JB, is there something wrong with your keyboard? I need an interpreter to read your posts. When you're typing, if it is underlined in red, it's a typo.

SPELLCHECK MUCH......😎
I think it adds to JB’s already interesting posts! Don’t change a thing! 👍

[Klinn]

Hey JB, is there something wrong with your keyboard? I need an interpreter to read your posts. When you're typing, if it is underlined in red, it's a typo.

Phil, please be nice. There's a person on the other side of that keyboard.

[JB]

Hey JB, is there something wrong with your keyboard? I need an interpreter to read your posts. When you're typing, if it is underlined in red, it's a typo.

Hehehe..lol

I do go back and check spelling after posting...(i think its the virtual keyboard of todays ipads versus laptops personally )

this is a small ipad and at 60 years old I may look 44 but my eyes are closer to 70...

i have glasses but I tend to forget to put them on.

please give me those few extra moments to go back and edit my posts so I can minimize the typos.

I totally get where your coming from and will give an extra effort to minimize my typos so its easier to comprehend my posts...(i do laugh to myself after I post when I see the spelling errors)

your just reading too fast before I can go back and edit after i post...lol

i hope you find my perspective interesting ....as its meant to be on my part,


I know ...I know double check the spelling before i hit “post” would make too much sense.

Whats the old saying old dogs new tricks?

ill try for you and thanks for your commentary

[Meldoon]

To the original question, I read an article in one of the big auto magazines about an earlier generation Corvette. The guy said that the adjustable suspension definitely made a difference, because all the guys participating in the track day demo, were putting down faster lap times on the softer setting!
Not sure what to conclude from that. Probably that the answer to your question is NO, it is not needed. I have it in my GS, and do on occasion put it in track mode. It does really stiffen everything up. Steering as well. And the new car will change the feel of the brakes as well. Very cool technology.

I would say that if you are in to technology, and it is in your budget, Go For It!