Basically bought a lemon and would like input
#1
Basically bought a lemon and would like input
So a year and a half ago I bought my first Corvette, a yellow 4-speed that I fell in love with and just last month started modding which has been great and fun. I bought a two year extended warranty which will run up in July and it has saved my butt so much but i'm really worried when it runs up, here is a run down of the issues so far.
Bought the car in July, only issue with it was TPMS which I had the dealer fix and its been good.
July 2011 purchased.
September transmission tanked, required rebuild.
December 2011 catalytic convertor failed.
2012
Fuel door failed
Steering wheel sensor was bad had to be fixed.
Fuel door failed again.
Now the Harmonic balancer went bad and serpentine belt is getting replaced too.
The reason I hold on to this car is because it had everything I wanted when I bought it, I wasn't gonna settle for another color or body style, it's also not paid off yet. I love the car it just pisses me off a lot and granted there are a lot of exceptions C5's don't seem to be as bulletproof as everyone makes it seem, lots of gremlins.
Thank goodness my little 99 Cavalier is so damn bulletproof and a great daily driver, as far as reliability. It's a 2004 with 78K on it(put 10K on it).
Bought the car in July, only issue with it was TPMS which I had the dealer fix and its been good.
July 2011 purchased.
September transmission tanked, required rebuild.
December 2011 catalytic convertor failed.
2012
Fuel door failed
Steering wheel sensor was bad had to be fixed.
Fuel door failed again.
Now the Harmonic balancer went bad and serpentine belt is getting replaced too.
The reason I hold on to this car is because it had everything I wanted when I bought it, I wasn't gonna settle for another color or body style, it's also not paid off yet. I love the car it just pisses me off a lot and granted there are a lot of exceptions C5's don't seem to be as bulletproof as everyone makes it seem, lots of gremlins.
Thank goodness my little 99 Cavalier is so damn bulletproof and a great daily driver, as far as reliability. It's a 2004 with 78K on it(put 10K on it).
#2
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Jan 2009
Location: Easley/Anderson South Carolina
Posts: 2,127
Likes: 0
Received 32 Likes
on
24 Posts
Well lets get this part out of the way. You didnt buy a Lemon, you bought a used car. Lemons are generally a new vehicle with a fault that cant be fixed in a set period of time and continues to have the exact same failure.
Now, what you are describing is a C5 with an Auto trans, correct? Im guessing the last sentence is referring to the Vette, meaning that it is a 2004 with 78k on it?
Now we are talking about a 9 year old vehicle, almost 10. That if hadnt been maintained properly by the prior owner(s) could have numerous issues. The balancer is a common issue, even talked about a bit in the C5 forums. What was the failure in the transmission? Also cat converters dont last forever, things do deteriorate over time. What failed on the fuel door?
I bought a 16k mile C5, I have had to put a set of tires, an engine, a clutch, and now rebuilding a torque tube. I bought a used vehicle with a questionable history. Some things wear out, other thing just happen. I can understand your fustration but just imagine if you didnt buy the service contract on the car and had to pay full price for that transmission rebuild.
Now, what you are describing is a C5 with an Auto trans, correct? Im guessing the last sentence is referring to the Vette, meaning that it is a 2004 with 78k on it?
Now we are talking about a 9 year old vehicle, almost 10. That if hadnt been maintained properly by the prior owner(s) could have numerous issues. The balancer is a common issue, even talked about a bit in the C5 forums. What was the failure in the transmission? Also cat converters dont last forever, things do deteriorate over time. What failed on the fuel door?
I bought a 16k mile C5, I have had to put a set of tires, an engine, a clutch, and now rebuilding a torque tube. I bought a used vehicle with a questionable history. Some things wear out, other thing just happen. I can understand your fustration but just imagine if you didnt buy the service contract on the car and had to pay full price for that transmission rebuild.
#3
Le Mans Master
Sorry to hear about the transmission and balancer. The other issues are not major. Who did the transmission rebuild and does it have a warranty? How many miles on it?
#5
Well lets get this part out of the way. You didnt buy a Lemon, you bought a used car. Lemons are generally a new vehicle with a fault that cant be fixed in a set period of time and continues to have the exact same failure.
Now, what you are describing is a C5 with an Auto trans, correct? Im guessing the last sentence is referring to the Vette, meaning that it is a 2004 with 78k on it?
Now we are talking about a 9 year old vehicle, almost 10. That if hadnt been maintained properly by the prior owner(s) could have numerous issues. The balancer is a common issue, even talked about a bit in the C5 forums. What was the failure in the transmission? Also cat converters dont last forever, things do deteriorate over time. What failed on the fuel door?
I bought a 16k mile C5, I have had to put a set of tires, an engine, a clutch, and now rebuilding a torque tube. I bought a used vehicle with a questionable history. Some things wear out, other thing just happen. I can understand your fustration but just imagine if you didnt buy the service contract on the car and had to pay full price for that transmission rebuild.
Now, what you are describing is a C5 with an Auto trans, correct? Im guessing the last sentence is referring to the Vette, meaning that it is a 2004 with 78k on it?
Now we are talking about a 9 year old vehicle, almost 10. That if hadnt been maintained properly by the prior owner(s) could have numerous issues. The balancer is a common issue, even talked about a bit in the C5 forums. What was the failure in the transmission? Also cat converters dont last forever, things do deteriorate over time. What failed on the fuel door?
I bought a 16k mile C5, I have had to put a set of tires, an engine, a clutch, and now rebuilding a torque tube. I bought a used vehicle with a questionable history. Some things wear out, other thing just happen. I can understand your fustration but just imagine if you didnt buy the service contract on the car and had to pay full price for that transmission rebuild.
#6
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Oct 2007
Location: Kelso Washington
Posts: 6,585
Received 547 Likes
on
234 Posts
St. Jude Donor '09, '13, '15
Nah, your car is far from being a "lemon". As said, the tranny rebuild is a serious issue but I'm doubting it failed by itself. You also don't describe just how catastrophic a failure or just something minor that still required pulling the tranny etc....that alone is a big expense! But I'm betting on some previous abuse that contributed to this.
Otherwise, your issues really are minor and no better/worse than most any car.
And...to me....the car is worth it every time it puts a smile on my face!
Otherwise, your issues really are minor and no better/worse than most any car.
And...to me....the car is worth it every time it puts a smile on my face!
#7
Instructor
Judging from your time frame the previous owner may have known the transmission was nearing its end bacause two months later you rebuilt it. Now if you look back at the time of your purchase you may have suspected something was wrong but your emotions may have won out? The fuel door I suspect is the switch, uless the thing just fell off the car, and if it's the switch then maybe it's just the connection? I agree with everyone on the the minor issues, but I might suspect you knew something was maybe not quite right about that transmission on the test drive?
#9
Melting Slicks
Just be thankful you got an 04 and not one of those pre 02 models that everyone talks about. You're lucky if the wheels will roll and the doors don't fall off if you listen to some people.
I'd be upset about the transmission too, but since you had the warranty,kudo's to you. I'd keep my $3600.00 dollars for maintenance and mods, you have covered most of the bases.
I'd be upset about the transmission too, but since you had the warranty,kudo's to you. I'd keep my $3600.00 dollars for maintenance and mods, you have covered most of the bases.
#10
Just be thankful you got an 04 and not one of those pre 02 models that everyone talks about. You're lucky if the wheels will roll and the doors don't fall off if you listen to some people.
I'd be upset about the transmission too, but since you had the warranty,kudo's to you. I'd keep my $3600.00 dollars for maintenance and mods, you have covered most of the bases.
I'd be upset about the transmission too, but since you had the warranty,kudo's to you. I'd keep my $3600.00 dollars for maintenance and mods, you have covered most of the bases.
#11
Not trying to dog on you but there's a popular phrase around here, "You have to pay to play". The C5 is, however, a very reliable car (relatively speaking) but its also a machine, and things wear out...
Used cars are always a tossup. There is no way to know how it's been treated and maintained, which is EVERYTHING.
Used cars are always a tossup. There is no way to know how it's been treated and maintained, which is EVERYTHING.
#15
Safety Car
Here, check your corrected issues off against this list - may help you determine if you wanna spend that $3600...
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...l-in-here.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...l-in-here.html
#16
Except for the trans, those are all known issues with the C5. Trans could have been abuse from previous ownership or just the luck of the draw. When you buy a used Vette, you pay your money and take your chances on how previous owners treated the car UNLESS you know the previous owner and how they took care of the car.
I agree with others the car is not a lemon, just the average used C5.
I agree with others the car is not a lemon, just the average used C5.
#17
Race Director
#1 cause of automatic transmission failure {besides flogging} is infrequent fluid changes.
any auto i have ever owned regardless of what the book says gets a fluid flush and filter cleaning/replacement every 30k
any auto i have ever owned regardless of what the book says gets a fluid flush and filter cleaning/replacement every 30k
#18
No one has actually. This forum has easily the nicest and most helping people, other kinds of forums are horrible with people bashing eachother. I get the car back tomorrow and am pretty excited.
#19
That's what its all about on this forum, to help each other out! Most of the time any answser can be found on this forum about any Vette question. Many people have had same situations with there cars and share there experience/outcome here! Keep us updated on your out come and Good Luck.
Last edited by lxconv331; 02-05-2013 at 07:36 PM.
#20
Instructor
Member Since: Jun 2009
Location: Knoxville TN
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've had my share of problems with the car. It's nice to have a community of people who share advice and provide their experiences. I try not to let the bad outweigh the good....bottom line I own a C5!