New C5 owner
08-31-2014, 01:33 PM
#1
Racer
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New C5 owner
New owner of a 1998 Convertable. The previous owner was my father, who bought it new. It has been well taken care of, black, black top, red interior, 6-speed manual, has about 16000 miles on it. Not many options: sport seat, fog lamps, 12-disc changer. He only drove it in good weather.
So far I really like it. Fast, great handling, looks good, and comfortable.
I've been reading here and have some questions:
The big one I see discussed is the steering column lock. To the best of my knowledge, nothing has been done to bypass it. I don't think the problem has come up either. Dad had one instance where he put it in storage for the winter and the battery ran down. We jumped it, and when he tried to drive it, it died again. The steering column did NOT lock. Could this be the 2 mph fuel cutoff?
I've read the real solution is to keep the battery charged, and that the bypass can cause problems with the BCM. It seems like removing the lock mechanism is a better solution than the bypass. Was there a late GM recall that did this instead of their previous bandaid solutions?
The 1-4 skip has been disabled.
I've read that the 1997-2001 use different parts than the 2002-2005 and are becoming scarce. How concerned should I be about this?
When I had the oil changed, I had the mechanic check the hoses, belts, tires, etc. for cracking. He said all was good, the car is still on its original tires. Clutch, power steering, brake, transmission fluids are all good.
According to the manual, the tire pressure sensors in the wheels are good for 10 years. It has been 16, they still work. Any reason to not do anything until it is time to replace the tires?
I would also like to get some good, high quality seat covers specific for my seats, not the cheap one size fits all kind. The leather seems to be the thin low quality kind typical of GM at the time. I have leather seats in my 97 Tahoe, there lots of holes and tears. I would like to avoid the same from happening to the Corvette.
How durable is the convertable top? It has lived in a garage and under a car cover most of the time, the top looks like it is in new condition. Will going on a road trip and leaving it outside do it harm?
This is really my first car with a manual transmission. I am getting more comfortable driving it, I have been concentration on driving smoothly and not jerking/lunging.
I'm not really interested in racing, but would like to learn to drive it more 'spiritedly', but without wrecking the clutch, transmission, etc. Car and Driver, for example, claims 0-60 in 4.9 sec. I have no idea how much damage they are doing to the clutch though. I would like to learn to drive it quickly, but not abuse it.
Thanks
So far I really like it. Fast, great handling, looks good, and comfortable.
I've been reading here and have some questions:
The big one I see discussed is the steering column lock. To the best of my knowledge, nothing has been done to bypass it. I don't think the problem has come up either. Dad had one instance where he put it in storage for the winter and the battery ran down. We jumped it, and when he tried to drive it, it died again. The steering column did NOT lock. Could this be the 2 mph fuel cutoff?
I've read the real solution is to keep the battery charged, and that the bypass can cause problems with the BCM. It seems like removing the lock mechanism is a better solution than the bypass. Was there a late GM recall that did this instead of their previous bandaid solutions?
The 1-4 skip has been disabled.
I've read that the 1997-2001 use different parts than the 2002-2005 and are becoming scarce. How concerned should I be about this?
When I had the oil changed, I had the mechanic check the hoses, belts, tires, etc. for cracking. He said all was good, the car is still on its original tires. Clutch, power steering, brake, transmission fluids are all good.
According to the manual, the tire pressure sensors in the wheels are good for 10 years. It has been 16, they still work. Any reason to not do anything until it is time to replace the tires?
I would also like to get some good, high quality seat covers specific for my seats, not the cheap one size fits all kind. The leather seems to be the thin low quality kind typical of GM at the time. I have leather seats in my 97 Tahoe, there lots of holes and tears. I would like to avoid the same from happening to the Corvette.
How durable is the convertable top? It has lived in a garage and under a car cover most of the time, the top looks like it is in new condition. Will going on a road trip and leaving it outside do it harm?
This is really my first car with a manual transmission. I am getting more comfortable driving it, I have been concentration on driving smoothly and not jerking/lunging.
I'm not really interested in racing, but would like to learn to drive it more 'spiritedly', but without wrecking the clutch, transmission, etc. Car and Driver, for example, claims 0-60 in 4.9 sec. I have no idea how much damage they are doing to the clutch though. I would like to learn to drive it quickly, but not abuse it.
Thanks
Last edited by Lazarus Long; 08-31-2014 at 01:56 PM. Reason: Added photo
08-31-2014, 02:13 PM
#7
Le Mans Master
Beautiful vert!
I agree with changing the tires. They are no longer sticky and you will lose it if you start to drive it "more spirited".
When I got my 99 six yrs ago the rubber was so hard I could burn out and not leave a mark on the road.
Like concrete I tell ya. Who cares if there is tread left? It is a safety issue. Those runflats were crap when they were new anyway.
Enjoy the new ride.
I agree with changing the tires. They are no longer sticky and you will lose it if you start to drive it "more spirited".
When I got my 99 six yrs ago the rubber was so hard I could burn out and not leave a mark on the road.
Like concrete I tell ya. Who cares if there is tread left? It is a safety issue. Those runflats were crap when they were new anyway.Enjoy the new ride.
08-31-2014, 02:22 PM
#8
Racer
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Any suggestions for tires? I assume I should get runflats again, since I would have a problem if I got a flat with no spare. How many places know about the tire pressure sensor in the wheels and will know what to do with them?
I've also read that I should get a set of pucks for when the car is on a lift, in case the mechanic doesn't know about them.
The only real issue that this car has is I get a 'service engine soon' message when the weather is hot. Dad has tried to get that fixed several times, and gave up. He recommended that I just ignore the message and reset the computer when it appears.
Thanks for the comments, I think the C5 is one of the best looking Corvettes out there.
I've also read that I should get a set of pucks for when the car is on a lift, in case the mechanic doesn't know about them.
The only real issue that this car has is I get a 'service engine soon' message when the weather is hot. Dad has tried to get that fixed several times, and gave up. He recommended that I just ignore the message and reset the computer when it appears.
Thanks for the comments, I think the C5 is one of the best looking Corvettes out there.
08-31-2014, 06:22 PM
#11
Le Mans Master
Congrats on a nice looking car.
This forum is great for helping out. Post what your codes are and usually the forum responses can help you get it fixed.
08-31-2014, 11:06 PM
#12
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The big one I see discussed is the steering column lock. To the best of my knowledge, nothing has been done to bypass it. I don't think the problem has come up either. Dad had one instance where he put it in storage for the winter and the battery ran down. We jumped it, and when he tried to drive it, it died again. The steering column did NOT lock. Could this be the 2 mph fuel cutoff?
I've read the real solution is to keep the battery charged, and that the bypass can cause problems with the BCM. It seems like removing the lock mechanism is a better solution than the bypass. Was there a late GM recall that did this instead of their previous bandaid solutions?
If it were my car, one of the first things I would do is install either a Column Lock Bypass or an LMC5 on the car. Neither causes BCM problems that I know of and will keep your car from leaving you stranded due to a column lock.
I've read that the 1997-2001 use different parts than the 2002-2005 and are becoming scarce. How concerned should I be about this?
The '97-00 cars shared many of the same parts and the '01-04 did the same. While all years have some parts that are no longer in production, your chances of getting something fixed seems to be better with the '01-04 cars (things like the EBCM).
When I had the oil changed, I had the mechanic check the hoses, belts, tires, etc. for cracking. He said all was good, the car is still on its original tires. Clutch, power steering, brake, transmission fluids are all good.
Yes, change the tires ASAP. They are way too old to be really safe when you are driving the car.
According to the manual, the tire pressure sensors in the wheels are good for 10 years. It has been 16, they still work. Any reason to not do anything until it is time to replace the tires?
Since you should replace the tires, it would be a good time to swap out the tire pressure sensors also.
I would also like to get some good, high quality seat covers specific for my seats, not the cheap one size fits all kind. The leather seems to be the thin low quality kind typical of GM at the time. I have leather seats in my 97 Tahoe, there lots of holes and tears. I would like to avoid the same from happening to the Corvette.
You don't mention what your budget is, but I have installed a set of the Vette Essentials covers on my car and they are top notch quality. Plus the customer service is second to none. Price is around $2K for both seats.
I've read the real solution is to keep the battery charged, and that the bypass can cause problems with the BCM. It seems like removing the lock mechanism is a better solution than the bypass. Was there a late GM recall that did this instead of their previous bandaid solutions?
If it were my car, one of the first things I would do is install either a Column Lock Bypass or an LMC5 on the car. Neither causes BCM problems that I know of and will keep your car from leaving you stranded due to a column lock.
I've read that the 1997-2001 use different parts than the 2002-2005 and are becoming scarce. How concerned should I be about this?
The '97-00 cars shared many of the same parts and the '01-04 did the same. While all years have some parts that are no longer in production, your chances of getting something fixed seems to be better with the '01-04 cars (things like the EBCM).
When I had the oil changed, I had the mechanic check the hoses, belts, tires, etc. for cracking. He said all was good, the car is still on its original tires. Clutch, power steering, brake, transmission fluids are all good.
Yes, change the tires ASAP. They are way too old to be really safe when you are driving the car.
According to the manual, the tire pressure sensors in the wheels are good for 10 years. It has been 16, they still work. Any reason to not do anything until it is time to replace the tires?
Since you should replace the tires, it would be a good time to swap out the tire pressure sensors also.
I would also like to get some good, high quality seat covers specific for my seats, not the cheap one size fits all kind. The leather seems to be the thin low quality kind typical of GM at the time. I have leather seats in my 97 Tahoe, there lots of holes and tears. I would like to avoid the same from happening to the Corvette.
You don't mention what your budget is, but I have installed a set of the Vette Essentials covers on my car and they are top notch quality. Plus the customer service is second to none. Price is around $2K for both seats.
Any suggestions for tires? I assume I should get runflats again, since I would have a problem if I got a flat with no spare. How many places know about the tire pressure sensor in the wheels and will know what to do with them?
I would recommend non-runflats due to improved ride quality, less road noise and better handling. But you have to decide if having the security of runflats is a more important factor for you. If you go with non-runflats, just keep a plug kit, an air compressor and AAA/emergency road service on the car along with a cell phone for any emergencies. I am running the Hankook Ventus V12 tires on mine and love them. A good tire shop should know that the C5 has tire pressure sensors and how to deal with them, but it doesn't hurt to remind them that they are in the wheels.
I've also read that I should get a set of pucks for when the car is on a lift, in case the mechanic doesn't know about them.
A set of jacking pucks is a good thing to have in the car. Keeps the pads from a lift from coming in contact with the bottom of the rocker panels and causing damage to the car.
The only real issue that this car has is I get a 'service engine soon' message when the weather is hot. Dad has tried to get that fixed several times, and gave up. He recommended that I just ignore the message and reset the computer when it appears.
You can pull the diagnostic codes from the Driver's Information Center (DIC) and then post up what codes show up. If you don't know how, just do a search on DIC codes - it is a pretty easy process to do that.
I would recommend non-runflats due to improved ride quality, less road noise and better handling. But you have to decide if having the security of runflats is a more important factor for you. If you go with non-runflats, just keep a plug kit, an air compressor and AAA/emergency road service on the car along with a cell phone for any emergencies. I am running the Hankook Ventus V12 tires on mine and love them. A good tire shop should know that the C5 has tire pressure sensors and how to deal with them, but it doesn't hurt to remind them that they are in the wheels.
I've also read that I should get a set of pucks for when the car is on a lift, in case the mechanic doesn't know about them.
A set of jacking pucks is a good thing to have in the car. Keeps the pads from a lift from coming in contact with the bottom of the rocker panels and causing damage to the car.
The only real issue that this car has is I get a 'service engine soon' message when the weather is hot. Dad has tried to get that fixed several times, and gave up. He recommended that I just ignore the message and reset the computer when it appears.
You can pull the diagnostic codes from the Driver's Information Center (DIC) and then post up what codes show up. If you don't know how, just do a search on DIC codes - it is a pretty easy process to do that.
09-01-2014, 12:52 PM
#13
Racer
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I've been reading about tires, it seems that Michelin is thought highly of. I think I will probably stay with the runflats, getting stranded sucks. I don't want all-seasons, as I won't be driving it in snow. I don't want slicks/track tires either.
09-01-2014, 12:57 PM
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Your risking your life on a set of "will pop" tires.
Also read the sticky at the top of this forum. Lots of good info for ya.
09-01-2014, 01:50 PM
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Congrats on the new car!