I have been reading "All Corvettes Are Red" and am about 1/2 of the way through the book. I have been thinking about this question. What do you feel should have been done better as far as the C-5 goes? Would it be top speed, handling, quality, general design? I feel that quality would be my point. I feel Corvettes for the most part have always been on the leading edge of performance, style, affordable price, etc. but quality always seems to come up just a bit short. An example. My 97 fuel pump makes an awful lot of noise for the first 10-15 minutes. This seems to be a common problem. Its hard to for me to believe that the quality control people did not encounter this problem. Same with the steering lock problem that is so well known. What about the leaking tops and windows? If you were put in charge of the Corvette program, what one point would you put extra emphasis on?

 

Fisher price ***** and controls....

Glad they are gone in C6 though...

 

Maybe this is picky, but wind noise bugs the heck out of me. I don't mind the exhaust drone, and I can live with the tire noise. But the wind noise just drives me nuts. That, and a little nicer interior would be all I'd do.

 

This all might just show how spoiled we are.

All in all, the C5 was such an improvement over the C4 that it is unbelievable. Though the C6 has a bit more technology, considering the styling, engine and suspension improvements and yes.....even the quality-control, the C5 will IMHO go down as one of the great strides that CORVETTE has undergone.

Now I do have complaints............................

 

I don't have any wind noise issues... There are a few adjustments you can make to your windows such as the tip-in angle and such to correct the problem...

 

I have owned 4 vettes in my life and currently drive an o2 vert which is the most awsome car I have ever owned. I don't experience the wind noise that some owners do, thank God but I do have one complaint. The seats in my ride are very firm and the material is lacking in the quality that you'd expect in such an automobile. Luckly, I can change that myself with upgrades.

 

I had an 89 which I loved very much. I do agree that the C5 is a major step up from the C4. I have not driven a C6 yet so I can't comment on how much better they are than the C5. I am sure they are an improvement. Don't get me wrong. I love my C5. I love Vettes. I just think they should pay a little more attention to quality but I think I would still own a Vette even if I had to push it around

 

My previous vette was a 1975 L48. Water came in the footwells when driven in the rain, the AC never worked right, the defrost was a joke, the clock never worked (ever; my dad bought the car new), it was cramped, hot, the stereo was lousy, and so on. Oh, and I did I mention the 165 hp? With that as perspective, I have no complaints at all about my C5.

That said, I have no ill will toward the C3, either. It was 70s tech (OK, maybe 60's tech), and it was always a fun car to drive. (the 4-speed was so pure and mechanical... built like a rifle). And no car defines an era as well as those sharks.

But the C5, for how good it is, and how much sweat the engineers put into it, and the fact that you could buy it for such a resonable price, I'm not one to suggest they should have done any one thing better.

 

The car isn't perfect - but then what car is? I have only one complaint - I have to pay for the gas!

I'm not blind or stupid - but I love the feeling I get when I look back at the car as I walk away, that in itself makes all the little crap worthwhile!

I say to the engineers and the executives that made this car happen, and also to the folks down in Bowling Green for producing this amazing car!

 

As a new owner and first time 'Vette driver, my only disappointments so far were the lack of steering wheel controls for audio and maybe cruise control (safety features), and that I can't take my vert to a touchless car wash because of water ingress through the top of the windows. Other than that, I am really, really thrilled with everything else. I get no objectionable wind noise at speed with the top up, which pretty well amazed me. I would have appreciated better, longer lasting foam in the seat bolsters, but all in all, this is one sweet ride.

 

that was perfect !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!! untill one has delt with the others. they cant enjoy the great ones.

 

I've always thought the leather seats could be of better quality.

 

I wouldn't change anything. I won't even attempt to second guess the engineers that put this thing together. As an engineer in a manufacturing setting I always bump up against the price/performance aspect of things. To the quality, we have to remember that there are hundreds if not thousands of suppliers that have to live up to their end of the bargain to meet GM's intended cost and performance goals. I tend to forget from time to time that GM for the most part does not make all the pieces parts that go into the car. They design them, spec them out and then integrate them into the total package and trust me, they push hard to get top notch quality. I worked for four years as an engineer supplying tier one components to GM's Powertrain division. There had to be sacrifices made to achieve this price to performance ratio. It has been estimated that if every aspect of this car met every owners desired changes it would cost well north of $100,000.00

Like Randy said, that smile that comes over my face just looking at my mechanical marvel very quickly washes away any little complaint that I may have at that time.

Paul

p.s. with all of my rambling, great question shannanl!

 

The paint!!! I look at my car the wrong way and it scratches! C4's had the same soft crappy paint. I don't look at it anymore...

 

I don't really have any complaints, except possibly the substandard headlights. You'd think that HIDs would have at least been a factory option at some point along the C5 lifetime. Well ... that, and my "economy" 2.73 rear end ... and I don't want to spend the $ to get a better one.

Otherwise, it's fine. it drives like a dream. I've even got good paint.

 

I would basically give my C5 an excellent grade. My complaint is with some of the cheap materials GM used in the manufactoring process. My mn6 has had the rear end leak. Vettes had this problem way before I ordered my 03, now why not correct that. The column lock issue has been around for many years, why not correct that. These are just two examples of common ongoing probelms that GM could and should have corrected in later models.

I love the power, ride, gas milage, looks, easy of getting in and out (as compared to the past vettes), driveability--hard or easy, and off course the looks from others as I drive down the road. For the price I would say we have one GREAT car.

 

[QUOTE=talon90]I wouldn't change anything. I won't even attempt to second guess the engineers that put this thing together. As an engineer in a manufacturing setting I always bump up against the price/performance aspect of things. To the quality, we have to remember that there are hundreds if not thousands of suppliers that have to live up to their end of the bargain to meet GM's intended cost and performance goals. I tend to forget from time to time that GM for the most part does not make all the pieces parts that go into the car. They design them, spec them out and then integrate them into the total package and trust me, they push hard to get top notch quality. I worked for four years as an engineer supplying tier one components to GM's Powertrain division. There had to be sacrifices made to achieve this price to performance ration. It has been estimated that if every aspect of this car met every owners desired changes it would cost well north of $100,000.00


100%

 

Here is to you Mr. Chevrolet Corvette Engineer muscle car creator guys for making the greatest cars to put rubber on the street at an affordable price, and for developing a legend for me to drive.



My legend is a 1999 Torch Red Coupe.

For comparison, the Ferrari F40 weighs about 15 lbs. lighter than the new Z06 for slightly more than $300,000 to $400,000 more. I would weigh my options, but I think it is obvious, unless you have an extra 1/2 a million laying around.

But, alas, I have one modest complaint, the headlights.

 

You know - the one thing I'd like to add to everything said here is what one of our distinguished members (happens to be a retired GM Engineer that was on the C5 project among others) once said. It stuck with me and explains so many of the mysteries of this car.....

He said, "What we have is a $100K sportscar that GM is selling for $50K."

I thought this was well said by Evil-Twin (one heckuva smart guy!).

 

You can't beat the performance for value aspect of the C5 or C6.
Having lived in Europe, I can confirm they have a differrent philosophy on major purchases.
Things cost a lot more but are expected to last longer and be finished to a higher quality level.
America is different, our philosophy is based on the disposible economy.
Henry Ford started this when he sold cars for $1 over cost on the model T. His assembly line approach made cars at a cost of $200-300 cheaper than his competitors and the philosophy to get more people buying cars exists to this day.
Factory rebates, you pay what we pay, reduced sticker prices are all twists on making the cheapest car possible and getting more people to buy.
As long as we consumers keep focusing on price, then performance manufacturers will focus on lowest possible cost which means compromises on quality, and fit.