First Six Things to Do With Your 2023 Corvette Z06

Your 2023 Corvette Z06 has arrived. You are over the moon, but what should you do first? Here are six suggestions for maximum enjoyment.

The 2023 Corvette Z06 is going to be a game changing performance car. It will also likely be a bit of a challenge to get one. But if you are one of the lucky ones and are actually expecting delivery of the new Z06, what will you do first? Taking a ton of pictures and bragging on social media is a given. I get that. But then what? What are some ways that you can make the most out of your Corvette purchase? The idea is to maximize the thrills offered by this world beating car. The thrill of the chase is fun, but let’s pretend it is in your garage. Now what?

Well, while we all wait for that blessed day when the Z06 lands let’s look ahead a little bit. I selected six things that I think any Z06 owner should do with their new car. Z06, six suggestions, see what I did there? Hey, it’s the middle of winter, and getting to actually drive one is months away, so give me break. In this list I try to select some items that will help you spec, protect, and enjoy what could be the greatest Corvette ever made.

Build It Right

It all starts with the build sheet. First, off there will be no bad Z06. A 1LZ Coupe with no options at all will be an amazing car by any standard. If you have the opportunity to build the car to your specification, then you should build it as you see fit. It will be tempting to just check every box for sure. But do you really need or want the Z07 package for example? It is going to be expensive, and do you really need those couple tenths of a second on the track? Plus, the carbon fiber brakes are great but not really what you want if this is going to be a heavily used track car.

If you are going to get the car to just cruise around it could go without the Z07 package. Maybe go with the convertible even. This is going to be an expensive car so you should get exactly what you want. Don’t listen to my specs or anyone else on the internet. Spec the car for what you want and how you will drive it. Don’t skip an option that you might regret, but don’t pile things on that you will never use either. Make it your car and enjoy it your way. That is suggestion number one.

Paint Protection Film

If you spend over six figures for a new car, especially something like the Z06, it makes no sense to not spend a couple grand protecting the paint. Do at least the whole front of the car and the rear fenders to protect from debris. This way you can feel a lot more confident driving the car and enjoying it knowing that it is protected. This is on the list as one of the first things to do because the longer you wait the greater the risk that you will be protecting damaged paint. Get some quality PPF on the Z06 as soon as you can. It is money well spent and you and the car deserve it.

Drive It!

It is your money, and you can do whatever you want with the car. But I beg you if you get a Z06 please drive the car. This might be the best driving Corvette to ever come along. And that is saying something. EVs are popping up all over. How many more naturally aspirated 670 horsepower flat plane crank sports cars do you think are going to be made? Enjoy this one for the driving experience. Not for some future financial gain. If you are an investor, please invest in something else and leave the Z06 to the enthusiasts that will enjoy it. You don’t have to make it your daily driver or take it out in the snow. But put at least a couple thousand miles a year on it.

A local Porsche dealer has a 2016 Cayman GT4 for sale right now for $139K. The car has ELEVEN miles on it. They sold it to the original owner who just traded it back to them. The car had an MSRP of about $100K. Factor in taxes, tags, and insurance, then adjust for inflation and the original owner spent about $125K. The dealer he traded it to likely gave him $125K on the trade. So, he gained nothing in six years and missed out on driving a great sports car.

What was the point? He could have invested his money and made a hell of a lot more. This is what I call a “dead car.” Meaning the next owner will also likely never drive it after paying a premium for a super low mile example. So, this is a GT4 that will never see the road. Don’t let that happen to a 2023 Corvette Z06. The car is too good. It deserves to be on the road in all its glory. Please, please, please, drive your Z06.

Driving School

Speaking of driving. I know we are all driving GODS, but I would strongly suggest a certified driving school for Z06 owners. Something like the Ron Fellows Performance Driving School would do the trick. This is a lot of car. A mid-engine Corvette with this much power has never existed before now. It would be wise to learn how to control it. Not only that, but it is also fun! Why would you not want to drive around a racetrack with a pro instructor? Even if the instruction is in a regular C8 Stingray it will still help you learn how to control the Z06. Learning is almost never this much fun, so it is really something that you don’t want to miss. The car has a lot of potential and so do you. A driving school will help you get closer to the limits of each.

Track Days

The Z06 is a car that is a blast to drive on the street but is also totally overkill for the street. The 2023 Z06 is not even breathing hard at anything close to legal and safe street driving speeds. If you really want to see what the Z06 (and yourself) can do, then you need to get it to a track. There are a number of great organizations that put-on high-performance driving education events on all around the country. I am a certified instructor for the National Auto Sport Association, so if you are in the Northeast region, you may even get me in your passenger seat. And I would love to instruct in a Z06! But there are many groups that run solid events and the idea is to just get some seat time.

You already have PPF on your car right? So, you don’t have to worry about debris or road rash from the track. Just get out there and see what the 2023 Corvette Z06 is really capable of. Don’t keep this beast chained up on city streets its whole life. Let it rip on a racetrack and you will then understand just how impressive this machine is.

Car Shows / Road Trips

Sticking with the drive the car theme, you have a Z06, so you need to get it out on the car show circuit. People will want to see and hear this car. Get the car to as many shows and in front of as many people as you can. The world is full of enough bad news nowadays. Seeing a Z06 at a car show is the bright spot we all need. Show off this brilliant piece of engineering.

And if the car show is far away from your home, then even better. Plan a road trip or two. There is no reason you can’t drive this car a thousand miles or so to get to a far away destination. Make the drive exciting and leave the SUV at home and drive the Z06. There are countless resources out there that will help you plan unforgettable drives. Use them and get the most out of your time with the Z06. Cherish each mile.

These are the things I think a new Z06 owner should do to enjoy the car. It is what I would do if I was in a position to put one of these in my garage. Do you have other plans? Head on over to the Corvette Forum forums and share the first things you would do with a new 2023 Corvette Z06.

Images: Chevrolet 

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