Best C5 year?
Pro
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 614
Likes: 24
From: Manteca, CA
THis is the order you need to consider:
1.) Am I going to DRIVE this car? Race this car? Weekend when its nice drive this car? Keep it as a collectable? THIS is the first decission.
2.) WHats my budget? DO you want to buy it OUT right like I did in cash with no car payment? Do you mind having to pay interest on a depreciating asset and take out a loan at 5 6 7 8%? If you can't eat for your car its not a great idea.
3.) What do I plan on doing with this car after I get it? Leaving it stock? Modifying the hell out of it? Its important to know thy self! If you plan on dumping $$$ into mods buying a premodded car is a much better deal becasue those parts are already depreciated in the sale. You can get a car with work done already at less than it costs to just buy the parts. BUT its about choice. For alot of us its fun to argue over which CAI / rotors / TB / blah blah blah.
4.) Will I be disappointed? I LOVE my 99 FRC. I wanted a hard top, in red, with a manual 6 speed.... but my buddy who talked crap about vette the entire ride out to help me buy mine ran out 3 days latter and bought a 2004 Z06. No granted I spent about 21k for a low miles (33K) excellent condition 99 total and he spent about 43k for a 7k miles 2004 Z06... but I have to say I should have held out for the Z06. Why because I wanted that Z06 stuff. Not everyone does. Some people HATE the Z06 styling. For me its nice, i like the stock start at the higher HP, etc etc. Less to need modding for me later. So Im spending tiem and money making a Z06 out of my 99 FRC which I will get yelled at for by alot of the purists who tell me that I should not have wienie envy etc. But some peopole like chocolate others vanilla.
5.) Where do you want to store this thing? If you are in a driveway in a bad neighborhood, the soft top might pose a break in risk. If you commute alot in traffic and plan on daily driving might wanna avoid the M6 for a auto/paddle so you dont ride a clutch 40 mins twice a day 5 days a week.
6.) Will it bug you that your car has inferior parts? Meaning they "fixed" certain glitches in suspension, performance etc after 2001/2002. A lot of the guys in the pre years have then gone out and mostly these are cheap to do but they made those smae fixes. Are you a techie guy to do this? If you have to pay 1000 in labor to do it, you might be better served buying the car with it already done.
DONT EVER let anyone tell you waht the "best" is. You need to look in the mirror and know what you want to get for yourself now and 5 years from now.
1.) Am I going to DRIVE this car? Race this car? Weekend when its nice drive this car? Keep it as a collectable? THIS is the first decission.
2.) WHats my budget? DO you want to buy it OUT right like I did in cash with no car payment? Do you mind having to pay interest on a depreciating asset and take out a loan at 5 6 7 8%? If you can't eat for your car its not a great idea.
3.) What do I plan on doing with this car after I get it? Leaving it stock? Modifying the hell out of it? Its important to know thy self! If you plan on dumping $$$ into mods buying a premodded car is a much better deal becasue those parts are already depreciated in the sale. You can get a car with work done already at less than it costs to just buy the parts. BUT its about choice. For alot of us its fun to argue over which CAI / rotors / TB / blah blah blah.
4.) Will I be disappointed? I LOVE my 99 FRC. I wanted a hard top, in red, with a manual 6 speed.... but my buddy who talked crap about vette the entire ride out to help me buy mine ran out 3 days latter and bought a 2004 Z06. No granted I spent about 21k for a low miles (33K) excellent condition 99 total and he spent about 43k for a 7k miles 2004 Z06... but I have to say I should have held out for the Z06. Why because I wanted that Z06 stuff. Not everyone does. Some people HATE the Z06 styling. For me its nice, i like the stock start at the higher HP, etc etc. Less to need modding for me later. So Im spending tiem and money making a Z06 out of my 99 FRC which I will get yelled at for by alot of the purists who tell me that I should not have wienie envy etc. But some peopole like chocolate others vanilla.
5.) Where do you want to store this thing? If you are in a driveway in a bad neighborhood, the soft top might pose a break in risk. If you commute alot in traffic and plan on daily driving might wanna avoid the M6 for a auto/paddle so you dont ride a clutch 40 mins twice a day 5 days a week.
6.) Will it bug you that your car has inferior parts? Meaning they "fixed" certain glitches in suspension, performance etc after 2001/2002. A lot of the guys in the pre years have then gone out and mostly these are cheap to do but they made those smae fixes. Are you a techie guy to do this? If you have to pay 1000 in labor to do it, you might be better served buying the car with it already done.
DONT EVER let anyone tell you waht the "best" is. You need to look in the mirror and know what you want to get for yourself now and 5 years from now.
Great post! I agree totally, get what you want and what you will want years from now.For instance in my case I could have gotten a C6, but I wanted the car I have more and I am very happy; no buyers remorse (which is unusual for me).
Lepus-temperamentalus
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 5,827
Likes: 5
From: Roswell Ga
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 244
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix AZ
-best Monty Python accent-
'Wot a silly question!
Seriously.. they're all good.
Every one.
'97-'04 .. they look like pure sex on wheels.
As if they are flowing along the ground, almost painted onto the pavement.
Shop for what appeals to you the most
It's all about you, yanno?
If you are havin trouble, write down what you want the most out of one, prioritize, what are no compromises and what can you be flexible on.. then go shopping
-Frank
'Wot a silly question!
Seriously.. they're all good.
Every one.
'97-'04 .. they look like pure sex on wheels.
As if they are flowing along the ground, almost painted onto the pavement.
Shop for what appeals to you the most
It's all about you, yanno?
If you are havin trouble, write down what you want the most out of one, prioritize, what are no compromises and what can you be flexible on.. then go shopping
-Frank
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Something special is the best.
I think that for me I wanted something special. I mean the earlier statemnts on the great buys you can get on 2000s and under is a valid point. But, for me I wanted something special rather than something cheap. So I got a 2004 Indy 500 & Brickyard 400 Festival Vette. There were only 22 made and they came straight form the factory to the Indy race Track. Since there were no replica Pace Cars made that year it should make it a valuable asset in the future. So but the one you want, but if you can get something special or rare that's the best in my opinion.
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Race Director
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 18,308
Likes: 21
From: Marlton. Increasing performance one speeding ticket at a time! NJ
I'm going out on a limb and claim 2003 (I have a 2002). First off, its 50th anniversary models, resale may be higher. There were some changes to 2004, not sure which, but when you look at parts, many state 2001-2003 or 2004, (example Predator Programmers). So there was some change to 2004, I'm not sure that makes it better or worse. Usually, the last model year is the best, but your fine with any C5.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 237
Likes: 0
I have a different view. The 97-99 are the "best bang for the buck" because, for little money you can have a c5 vette that basically looks the same as any c5 and runs about the same. I am an honest person, who thinks the c6 is a better car, so why spend so much money on a c5 when you can have a c6 for a little more money. for under 20K you can have a nice 97-99 c5, if you are going to spend more than 20K, spend an extra 15-20K and get a c6... just my 2 cents here....
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 225
Likes: 0
From: League City TX
ok thanks for the posts
I am fairly convinced that I am going for this 04. It has 40K on it but I can live with that as the suv i'm trading for it has 40 already anyways. You have all made some very great points, and I cant wait to join the
C5 crowd! Look for a new member pos
ting soon!
C5 crowd! Look for a new member pos
ting soon!
