So true 
C5 interior
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 565
Likes: 13
From: Morris New Jersey
C5 interior
After being a C5 owner since 1999 I had to get this off my chest. I purchased my first vette in 99, a fully loaded Sebring silver Targa. I loved the performance, looks, ergonomics etc..... but the plastic and interior noise erked me to death. The top made noise when on uneven streets, door panels rattled when going over bumps. 2 years later i traded it in with 30k miles on a new 2001 Convertible hoping GM fixed some of these problems. Ive had the car since then and only have 24,000 miles. Car has never seen rain or snow, and stored in climate controlled garage. Again i get noise coming from the plastic piece that sorounds the radio/temp gauges, door panels make noise, and when the top is down I can here it bounce around rattling and sqeeking. Does anybody else have these problems?? I can't justify spending 56k on a car, and it makes more noise then my gf's 20k VW Jetta?!?! Thanx guys!!
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 16,270
Likes: 30
From: "It's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-‘18-'19
NCM Sinkhole Donor
You've been a C5 owner for a number of years by your own admission. I think a number of squeaks come with the territory - regardless of the price you paid for the car. I don't think it's practical to compare a $20K VW sedan to a sportscar. The suspension firmness alone contributes to some of the noises.
I have a '98 convertible with Bilstein sport shocks, Hotchkis sways and it's lowered as far as it will go on the stock bolts. I don't think the car rattles and squeaks more than other cars I've had, like SUV's and P/U's. When I took the radio bezel off when I redid the interior, some of the squeak that came from there went away.
I guess it's a matter of expecations.
I have a '98 convertible with Bilstein sport shocks, Hotchkis sways and it's lowered as far as it will go on the stock bolts. I don't think the car rattles and squeaks more than other cars I've had, like SUV's and P/U's. When I took the radio bezel off when I redid the interior, some of the squeak that came from there went away.
I guess it's a matter of expecations.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 24,592
Likes: 44
From: The Rock Arkansas
Elite Member
Cruise-In III Veteran
I don't mind the plastic interior considering the entire exterior is plastic too! These cars will make some noises like that as they get older. All you have to do is rev that LS1 or crank up the stereo and the noises disappear!
I'm not crazy about all of the interior road noise and heat either. I also don't want the extra weight that comes with insulation padding. It's a trade off that Vette owners accept with ownership.
Try some die-electric grease on your weather-stripping and some silicon spray on your sway-bar bushings.
I'm not crazy about all of the interior road noise and heat either. I also don't want the extra weight that comes with insulation padding. It's a trade off that Vette owners accept with ownership.
Try some die-electric grease on your weather-stripping and some silicon spray on your sway-bar bushings.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,171
Likes: 0
From: TN
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Originally Posted by Fourtrax250R
After being a C5 owner since 1999 I had to get this off my chest. I purchased my first vette in 99, a fully loaded Sebring silver Targa. I loved the performance, looks, ergonomics etc..... but the plastic and interior noise erked me to death. The top made noise when on uneven streets, door panels rattled when going over bumps. 2 years later i traded it in with 30k miles on a new 2001 Convertible hoping GM fixed some of these problems. Ive had the car since then and only have 24,000 miles. Car has never seen rain or snow, and stored in climate controlled garage. Again i get noise coming from the plastic piece that sorounds the radio/temp gauges, door panels make noise, and when the top is down I can here it bounce around rattling and sqeeking. Does anybody else have these problems?? I can't justify spending 56k on a car, and it makes more noise then my gf's 20k VW Jetta?!?! Thanx guys!!
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers
Joe Kucinski
The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained
Joe Kucinski
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!
Joe Kucinski
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
The only car I've owned that did not rattle or creek was a 1976 Rolles. Right hand drive, real fun to drive but not as fun as the vette.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 9,369
Likes: 4
From: Zephyrhills, Florida
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
Most of the squeeks are plastic rubbing plastic or vinyl. Expansion & contraction etc.......... If they could come up with something to do/use at the point of contact, most of this would be solved? That being said, I would guess that for a sportscar it's probably pretty decent.........
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
From: OKC OK
I have to agree with the original poster. My 1983 911 SC with almost 200,000 miles was screwed together FAR better. Literally, the car was totally devoid of squeaks and rattles. However, I think its an apples to oranges comparison. When new, the SC cost about $33K....lots more money today. I will say that I just cannot get annoyed with the minor squeaks and rattles when I bury the throttle in that beast. Honestly, I knew what I was getting into about the GM interior but that motor is simply a sweet-heart! By the way, I picked up my immaculate 2001 coupe with 35K miles with both tops, and the preferred options group 2 for $25K....for that, I can EASILY live with the materials choices.
Aside from the fun handling and quirky nature of my 911 (have been a LONG time Porsche freak), it just CANNOT compare to the grunt of my C5...actually I doubt a contemporary 911 can compare either.
R/
Dustin
Aside from the fun handling and quirky nature of my 911 (have been a LONG time Porsche freak), it just CANNOT compare to the grunt of my C5...actually I doubt a contemporary 911 can compare either.
R/
Dustin
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 7,076
Likes: 26
From: Nevada and Florida
I once owned 99 and 01 Coupes that rattled and creaked. My 04 does not, much more solid. In 2003 GM redesigned the rear frame for the FFS fuel tanks (C6). This made the car stiffer. Also the materials appear to be of higher quality in my 04, a matte finish instead of the semi-gloss in the earlier cars and the gaps are tighter. You may want to consider a thicker tunnel plate to help stiffen the chassis.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 449
Likes: 0
From: Killeen TX
You using that thing for off-roading? I had a C4 with 80k miles I autocrossed and it only had an occasional chassis creak or targa squeak. My current 2000 C5 vert doesn't have any squeaks, just road noise. Maybe one of these days I'll do the dynamat to fix that. Maybe I'm the exception rather than the rule.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 512
Likes: 0
My squeaks come from the seat rubbing the plastic piece between it and the door. I have a vert and my wife commented she could hardly hear the stereo from the road noise. To cure these ills I bought a JL amp and stealth sub. 
