Hi all, first poster here and looking for some help.

I've always wanted a Corvette but could never afford one so I've been a Firechicken owner all my life. I'm coming into a bit of money soon and figured I could afford a used Vette finally.
I've settled on a C5 in the 20k range and I've started looking around here in Florida. I'm more interested in low mileage than any accessories it may have.
It absolutely has to have an auto trans.
What I'd like to know is what should I be looking for when inspecting the cars? What are the common problems/things I need to avoid?
Where are good places to shop online?
Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

 

Welcome to the Forum. You made a great decision

Common problems are leaky diff, dead AC Delco battery and headlamp motor failures. I seem to have had all of those so I should be good to go now. Members will chip in with more.

Best of luck with finding a Vette. If you can find one from a Forum member you'd know it had been babied

 

Just don't rush into anything. Find the one you really want. There are plenty of low mileage cars out there for a good price. And get a carfax. Make sure it hasn't been involved in an accident. As far as problems. There's some minor ones. I would install a column lock bypass first before you get stuck somewhere. I'm sure others will have a few things to add. Just make sure you are happy with the car before you buy it. Good luck.

 

This is a great thread for info on the C5--but don't let it scare you off--it's a excellent car!


http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...7&forum_id=103

 

Can someone explain the column lock problem and the dead battery syndrome to me?
What should I look for there?
tx

 

If you're going to purchase an auto transmission, you don't need a Column Lock Bypass. Just make sure the car, if it is a 97-98-99-00, has had the column lock recall done by a Chevrolet dealer. The newer C5's with an auto never had a column lock installed at the factory. early C5's had a lot of problems with the original Delco batteries leaking from the + battery post. The PCM and it's wiring is located below the battery so battery acid could cause electrical problems. Most people changed out the battery with a Optima Red Top to prevent this from happening. The newer C5's had top post batteries installed at the factory to solve this problem. Look for signs of battery acid damage below the battery.

 

Buy the newest one with the least mileage that you could afford. Most Vettes will have some of the common problems, maybe not when you buy it, but you can expect some problems to occur…..that’s just the nature of the Beast. A month or so after I purchased my ’01, I had the sticky gas gauge and leaky rear end problems. I corrected the gas gauge problem with a bottle of Tectron and got the diff. seal replaced from a reliable shop, for a reasonable charge, within an hours drive from my house. Try to avoid Chevy dealerships (A.K.A. Stealerships)…too many horror stories. You may want to find a Vette repair shop for maintenance and repairs near you even before you get car, unless you plan on doing it your self. I hope I did not discourage you….I’m just trying to be honest. I have my ’01 A4 coupe for about six months and I LOVE it….it’s the best car I ever owned and I owned many. Good Luck with your search.

 

A little secret I learned by accident... Find a used one at a dealership, make sure it's not listed with any options people tend to pass on vettes that dont have options (My MY was listed without ANY options, but after I looked, it was loaded! Perf package, memory, Hud, Bose, both tops, the works... ).
Dealers dont want used cars on the lot for more than 30 days. If it's more than 30 days, they'll take next to no profit for it. Mine MY '01 was listed for 30K (w/32k miles). I offered 25k on day 22. Called back on day 34 and offered 26k. They took it. (perhaps should have offered 25.5, but at least I'm happy).
I think (dont burst my bubble guys) that I got lucky on my purchase... This car is prestine!!! Brand freaking new! The Only, and I mean ONLY think wrong is a little goo where the dealer removed a small bumper sticker... easily fixed when I get off my butt and do it.
DO your research whatever you do. I ended up at with an '01 or newer becuase of the improved sound deadening the installed, the enhanced side window weatherstripping, and the new alorithoms for the active handling. A couple of other things, but I can't rememeber.
I researched every day (on this site mainly, and linked from this site) for about 2-3 months.
You should also consider a 4 year - 100K mile warranty. They dont cost that much, and are good insurance. If you can get through the hassles of getting a warranty through warranty direct, do it(I had a nim-rod do the vehicle inspection and failed it). If you do, make sure you insist of someone that knows C5s. My inspector dinged it for missing the ashtray insert. It was there, but I'm guessing he was looking in the cup holder.
I'm not sure how you or others feel. But I like to stay away from vehicles that have mods on them. That tells me that they didn't treat the car to well... (I drive like a grand-ma).

 

Thanks.
Lots of good info and awesome link to that C5 thread! I'm going to my bank to today to see if they'll give a line of credit to purchase a car if I find one before my money comes through.
I think I may increase my budget to 25k. It's seems like I might/can get a lot more car for a few grand more than 20k.(Z06)
Funny thing happened the other night when I went to a local GM dealer to check out the used lot. One of the service techs was leaving work and he backed into my Firebird. His bumper hitch unzipped the right side of my car. It's in their shop now.

 

Don't be afraid to use the internet to find cars all over the country. I like Auto Trader but there are other good sites as well. Set the search parameters to include cars located any distance from your zip code. You may find, as I did, that you can get really great bargains at this time on cars located in the snow belt. Dealers are willing to discount heavily instead of keeping them around until Spring. Even with shipping you can still save a bundle.

 

Good luck in your search for a C5. Take your time as there are a lot of them out there - you want to be sure you get the best deal with the options you want.

 

I was told to buy from a dealership since they do a very detailed inspection before taking any used vettes on trade-ins. I took this advice and have been very pleased with my 02 coupe thus far.

Good luck on your search

 

I have been looking all over the country and its true, there are good deals up.
How much does it cost to ship a car from, say Ohio to Florida? (ballpark)

 

I bought my vette in september and had it 2 weeks and changed the battery to the optima red top. The CLB is required so you dont get stranded someplace. you can install it yourself. I did mine in 20 minutes. The CLB is column lock bypass. It is a recall and the dealer fix doesn't always work.

 

Welcome to the Forum ...and good luck finding the right Vette.

 

 

The fact that you are finding the car on the internet is not the same as buying thru Ebay. In my case, I found my AE vert on Auto Trader. It was offered by a Chevy-Cadillac dealer in CT for about $7K less that an identical car at a specialty dealer (Corvette Palace) in my hometown. The transaction went well because I was dealing with a reputable dealer (I checked the dealership out with the Better Business Bureau), on a very low mileage car who made good on all his promises. Financial transactions are made with wire tranfers or certified checks sent by overnight courier.

Transportation from CT to TX was $1100, although I think it could have been done slightly cheaper. I still saved a bundle. The car arrived in perfect condition.

 

This is a good point. I bought both of my C5's out of state.

Good luck and welcome to the forum