? Magnetic Select Suspension - What has been your experience?

[6spdsforme]

I am picking up the 03 Anniversary with Magnetic Select next Friday the 14th. It has 15,480 miles on it so shouldn't have any issues. What has been your experiences with this suspension option?

[Quicksilver98]

I see alot of people over on the CF Forum yanking them off the first time they have a problem with them because they are so damn expensive to replace. They usually end up putting stock Z06 shocks or Bilsteins on them.

[MOTV8]

I've heard good things about the smooth ride, but the hardcore track guys still prefer coil-overs.

Quick search on CF pull up this thread. Closed by a CF mod, of course.

[6spdsforme]

I've heard good things about the smooth ride, but the hardcore track guys still prefer coil-overs.

Quick search on CF pull up this thread. Closed by a CF mod, of course.

[az57chevy]

I haven't had issues yet. But yes they will be expensive to replace

[6spdsforme]

I haven't had issues yet. But yes they will be expensive to replace

[Bigfoot]

Had the F45 suspension in my '99. They were shot with about 60k on the car. Replaced with C6 ZO6 and could not be happier.

[HOXXOH]

The F55 system is standard on the ZR1 and is part of the performance option for the Z06. It's available on any Vette in 2011. The F55 has proven that it's the superior suspension for all-around performance. I have 63K on my F55 equipped '08 and will never have another Vette without it.

[Ted Y]

It's the wave of the future as an active system, rather than the conventional passive systems. More expensive tho.

[Big Poppa]

I think comparing the system on an 03 and the system on a new ZR1 isn't fair....

[HOXXOH]

I think comparing the system on an 03 and the system on a new ZR1 isn't fair....

[1jester]

I love it on my 04. for long road trips or just hitting the rough, it's a great feature.

[Bigfoot]

Cost to replace is astronomical for the average Joe though. Roughly $1,200 per shock!!! When I can get a set of 4 C6 ZO6 for less than $300...I'll take that.

[Drewstein]

I think comparing the system on an 03 and the system on a new ZR1 isn't fair....

Maybe not, but then again the fact that all 2011 Vettes have the F55 as either standard (as on the most expensive) or as a performance option (as on the Z06) or any other model regardless of price, is an indication that it's a superior system regardless of the age. The only difference between the '03 and the ZR1 is software.

http://corvetteactioncenter.com/kb/questio...ol+-+First+Ride

[HOXXOH]

I think comparing the system on an 03 and the system on a new ZR1 isn't fair....

Maybe not, but then again the fact that all 2011 Vettes have the F55 as either standard (as on the most expensive) or as a performance option (as on the Z06) or any other model regardless of price, is an indication that it's a superior system regardless of the age. The only difference between the '03 and the ZR1 is software.

http://corvetteactioncenter.com/kb/questio...ol+-+First+Ride

[Big Poppa]

I think comparing the system on an 03 and the system on a new ZR1 isn't fair....

Maybe not, but then again the fact that all 2011 Vettes have the F55 as either standard (as on the most expensive) or as a performance option (as on the Z06) or any other model regardless of price, is an indication that it's a superior system regardless of the age. The only difference between the '03 and the ZR1 is software.

http://corvetteactioncenter.com/kb/questio...ol+-+First+Ride

[Eddie44]

I had it on my C5 and don't on the C6. I'd never pay what they want for it as an option especially considering repair/replacement cost.

[HOXXOH]

I think comparing the system on an 03 and the system on a new ZR1 isn't fair....

Maybe not, but then again the fact that all 2011 Vettes have the F55 as either standard (as on the most expensive) or as a performance option (as on the Z06) or any other model regardless of price, is an indication that it's a superior system regardless of the age. The only difference between the '03 and the ZR1 is software.

http://corvetteactioncenter.com/kb/questio...ol+-+First+Ride

You're correct until you say "regardless of age". They are way too expensive to fix and if they were that good LG and PFadt would be using them instead of developing coilovers on thier race cars.

[Big Poppa]

I was agreeing that companies would use it as the base to their performance suspension... mostly. I think with the points I listed above, and the fact that it would be amazingly expensive, the theory of LG using that as their performance setup isn't perfect. As to the comfort deal... That's what I hear from those that have it is that they're happy they can make it comfortable on the road and still get the performance from it when they want. Personally, I wouldn't buy an F55 car as I like my suspension to be very linear. I don't want the car to react differently under different conditions. I want it to always do the same thing so it is very predictable. For that reason, I won't buy self adjusting shocks or dual rate springs for any car. Also for that reason, I find teh traction control and active handling to be disgusting on this car. I've heard it's better on the 01 and up, but on my 00, it's horrible. A lot of times, going in to a corner hot, I'll intentionally set the car up to slide just a bit in the direction that it may have slid anyway, so I can predict and control the slide. Then all of a sudden, the car does something I didn't ask it to, and it's very disconcerting. The car thinks it just saved my ass, and I for a split second think I've lost control. Then I have to quickly correct what the car wrongly corrected so that I maintain the direction of travel that I wanted. Blah. Thank you for Laptrax.... Now, I've never lived with an F55 car, and maybe I would be happily surprised, maybe not. But I'm a wee bit stubborn, and I know what I like and what I want out of my car, so I'll stick with what I have....

[HOXXOH]

I was agreeing that companies would use it as the base to their performance suspension... mostly. I think with the points I listed above, and the fact that it would be amazingly expensive, the theory of LG using that as their performance setup isn't perfect.

As to the comfort deal... That's what I hear from those that have it is that they're happy they can make it comfortable on the road and still get the performance from it when they want.

Personally, I wouldn't buy an F55 car as I like my suspension to be very linear. I don't want the car to react differently under different conditions. I want it to always do the same thing so it is very predictable. For that reason, I won't buy self adjusting shocks or dual rate springs for any car. Also for that reason, I find teh traction control and active handling to be disgusting on this car. I've heard it's better on the 01 and up, but on my 00, it's horrible. A lot of times, going in to a corner hot, I'll intentionally set the car up to slide just a bit in the direction that it may have slid anyway, so I can predict and control the slide. Then all of a sudden, the car does something I didn't ask it to, and it's very disconcerting. The car thinks it just saved my ass, and I for a split second think I've lost control. Then I have to quickly correct what the car wrongly corrected so that I maintain the direction of travel that I wanted. Blah. Thank you for Laptrax....

Now, I've never lived with an F55 car, and maybe I would be happily surprised, maybe not. But I'm a wee bit stubborn, and I know what I like and what I want out of my car, so I'll stick with what I have....

[Desertdawg]

My 98 had F45 and it worked just fine, the cost to replace it was high but you can also replace the F45 with the F55 for a little less than a complete rebuild. Next step down was coil overs, Pfadt and LG's are both great, after that was a set of Z shocks. I say get in it and drive it, if you like the adjustability then keep it or upgrade to F55 when it breaks !!! (my 98 had 100,000 plus miles and it still worked perfect)

[Bigfoot]

(my 98 had 100,000 plus miles and it still worked perfect)

[HOXXOH]

My 98 had F45 and it worked just fine, the cost to replace it was high but you can also replace the F45 with the F55 for a little less than a complete rebuild.

Next step down was coil overs, Pfadt and LG's are both great, after that was a set of Z shocks.

I say get in it and drive it, if you like the adjustability then keep it or upgrade to F55 when it breaks !!!

(my 98 had 100,000 plus miles and it still worked perfect)

[6spdsforme]

My 98 had F45 and it worked just fine, the cost to replace it was high but you can also replace the F45 with the F55 for a little less than a complete rebuild.

Next step down was coil overs, Pfadt and LG's are both great, after that was a set of Z shocks.

I say get in it and drive it, if you like the adjustability then keep it or upgrade to F55 when it breaks !!!

(my 98 had 100,000 plus miles and it still worked perfect)

The F45 and F55 systems are significantly different approches to the same problem. A good read on the history of ride-adaptive Vette suspension is here.

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/kb/que...ts+the+50th+Car

The '03 the OP is refering to, is the first year for F55.