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Test Drive: LS3 Corvette


AJ

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start with the bad, automatic transmission, using the paddel shifters the shift delay is so bad i bounced it off the rev limiter in 1st and 2nd gear. thats all for the bad.

 

the good, the new LS3 is 430 horse, the seat-o-pants meter said WOW over the LS2 corvette. i don't know if they changed the exhaust at all for 2008 but it seems to sound better that last years car, maybe its the 30 extra ponys makin all that noise;) . it hooks good from a 10 roll and pulls fast up to the 75 i took it too( i don't really want to loose my job for dicking off in a car)

 

that is all.

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When i was selling the ls2 version the paddleshift was very crisp on the 1st 2nd shift on the couple i drove i wonder if that minor bump in horse power has effected it that much.

 

it is when your not WFO on it, i had to to shift at 5200 to get it just before redline. i had the same thing happen on every LS2 i drove too but you would have thought they would have had that fixed by not. the new duramax with the manual shift button shifts almost as soon as you hit it, maybe they need there people working on a fix for it.

 

where did you work at that you sold vetts and live in newark?

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Paddle shifts are a joke. I had it in my 06 C6 and never ever used them. I wouldn't give a crap if they shifted instantly, I'd still just let the car shift itself. It gives you more consistant times and there is no chance of making an error. I will say though I liked the Auto in my 06 vs my 05 that had the manual. Only reason to have a manual imho, is roll racing. Get much more MPH.

 

The exhaust on some 08's are different from the LS2's. They went with the Z06 type exhaust with the flaps that open up above 3500rpms. It's an option you can get that adds 8 more hp.

 

Also, the LS3's are dynoing a full 50rwhp more the LS2's stock vs. stock. GM again hitting another home run in performance!

 

Jason

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I just got done reading about the new LS3 powered C6 in Motortrend and damn was I impressed just by reading an article lol. They used a Z51 6 speed for the performance tests and posted a 12.5@115 quarter! The 0-100 was only 9.5 seconds and it pulled almost 1g on the skidpad with the lame run-flats.

 

If I had the money for a weekend warrior this would seriously be a car for me to consider and I have never owned a domestic vehicle in 10 years of driving. Then again while I'm dreaming I suppose I might as well just get a Z06 :D .

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I most always use tap-shift on the GXP. It helps me hold the gears and shift when I want to, which isn't as soon as the auto would shift but not much higher. Depends on my mood.

 

It shifts fast and crisp. Outside a good launch, the key to getting her to run 13.7-13.8's in the 1320 is to work the system. Start off in auto, the car will shift 1st right at redline, however, you have to drop back to tap shift mode otherwise 2nd comes way early.

 

Also on freeway runs, if you don't drop to 2nd and take off, third will come way early too or depending on the speed you start at it won't downshift.

 

Paddle shifts are a joke. I had it in my 06 C6 and never ever used them. I wouldn't give a crap if they shifted instantly, I'd still just let the car shift itself. It gives you more consistant times and there is no chance of making an error. I will say though I liked the Auto in my 06 vs my 05 that had the manual. Only reason to have a manual imho, is roll racing. Get much more MPH.

 

The exhaust on some 08's are different from the LS2's. They went with the Z06 type exhaust with the flaps that open up above 3500rpms. It's an option you can get that adds 8 more hp.

 

Also, the LS3's are dynoing a full 50rwhp more the LS2's stock vs. stock. GM again hitting another home run in performance!

 

Jason

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another thing that sucks about the paddel shifter, you have to push to up shift and pull to down shift. doesn't matter what side as both sides do the same thing. it would have been nice to have one side up shift and one side down shift and there reason they didn't do that is for left handed people, i kid you not thats what they told us on the C6 systems and features class i had to take for it.
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That 12.5 is really conservitive IMHO. Mark and I ran consistant 12.7's in our bone stock 06 LS2 C6's and those were Automatics. It was also not even close to good conditions (high 70s - low 80s) A little more seat time and better conditions we would have ran 12.4's. I'd say the LS3's will be good for 12.0-12.1's in the auto 11.9-12.0's in the M6. That's what I'd get driving anyway. :)

 

Jason

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another thing that sucks about the paddel shifter, you have to push to up shift and pull to down shift. doesn't matter what side as both sides do the same thing. it would have been nice to have one side up shift and one side down shift and there reason they didn't do that is for left handed people, i kid you not thats what they told us on the C6 systems and features class i had to take for it.

 

 

I find this funny because I am left handed and would prefer one paddle to upshift and one to downshift over the setup you described. Normally companies don't give a crap about left handed people and just make everything biased towards right handed people, which means us lefty's just have to get used to it.

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That 12.5 is really conservitive IMHO. Mark and I ran consistant 12.7's in our bone stock 06 LS2 C6's and those were Automatics. It was also not even close to good conditions (high 70s - low 80s) A little more seat time and better conditions we would have ran 12.4's. I'd say the LS3's will be good for 12.0-12.1's in the auto 11.9-12.0's in the M6. That's what I'd get driving anyway. :)

 

Jason

 

 

I don't doubt that for a second, hell just look at the 115 trap speed, on an AWD car like mine that would be good for a high 11 second quarter mile assuming a good launch and clean shifts.

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it is when your not WFO on it, i had to to shift at 5200 to get it just before redline. i had the same thing happen on every LS2 i drove too but you would have thought they would have had that fixed by not. the new duramax with the manual shift button shifts almost as soon as you hit it, maybe they need there people working on a fix for it.

 

where did you work at that you sold vetts and live in newark?

 

 

Coughlin Newark and Pataskala Chevy. I left there about 4-5 months ago.

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Coughlin Newark and Pataskala Chevy. I left there about 4-5 months ago.

 

hmm....i have been with coughlin for 4 years now, at the hebron store and then the move to pataskala. i wonder if you left when i was still off work. i have that big yellow matco tool box in the very front of the shop.

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