OK, I really like Corvettes (I've been a member on this forum since 1999!), but for some reason or another, I've always ended up buying another car (Jeep Grand Cherokee, Mustang GT, Jeep TJ). If I can pull myself together, I would like to get a Vette (C5, 6 speed) this year
Anything in particular that I should watch out for? I mean, for any future Jeep buyers out there, I could tell you in detail the problem areas with those trucks (just because I've worked on them all my life). So, any tips from experienced Corvette owners...
Thanks, Indy

 

Beware of hurting mouth muscles, the result of SMILING becuase of intense driving pleasure...

 

Check out the "weights and measures" sticky at the top. Don't let it scare you though, cause the majority of cars don't have many problems at all. Pick a color(s) and options you want, then go shopping. Don't get in a hurry, there are plenty to choose from.

 

Go through the CF threads -- this topic comes up all the time. Happy hunting!

 

and on top of that, don't get all horny over the first one you see. There are many well cared for vettes out there. Take your time and find one of those. Good luck and don't forget to get us some pics once the deed is done

 

Mine is now seven years old, I still get a lot of people asking Me if it's new

 

My first Corvette was an '01 mag red vert and it was the first Vette I looked at. In the 4 months I had it, it was in the shop 6 times

I traded it for my current Vette (which I very carefully researched with Carfax and the Chevy dealer I took the '01 to, good dealer BTW) and haven't had an issue since. IMHO, I would NEVER own a C5 or C6 without a warranty, but that's just me

 

If you have a problem owning a unit involved in an accident, I would tell buyers this: Run online reports from both AutoCheck AND Carfax. What may not show on 1, might show on the other.

Those more knowledgeable chime in here. What you think is a clean carfax, 1 owner, straight body Corvette, may be a vehicle that just got out of the body shop. In this case Carfax, or AutoCheck simply has not received the accident report yet.
______________

Basis for my point: Our parked 02 vert suffered minor nose damage from a hit and run in Oct. 07. We called police to the scene before we moved it (something you might want to think about - call police or not).

I ran both reports this past week (Carfax and AutoCheck). The Carfax continues to report our vert clean, accident free, however the AutoCheck posts "Accident record(s) reported through state agencies or independent sources" in November 2007

My insurance company is getting a copy of the report so I can present it and damage pictures from file to potential buyer. I'm not planning on selling, we love our mag red, but I feel the prudent thing to do as a Corvette owner.

The good news is the annoying front bumper scratches I had when I got the car are gone, or should I say, were gone until I, new owner here, pulled the nose up to far and onto a cement curb when parking last week...now I've got the same scratch back

 

Check to make sure the fuel gauge is working properly. The senders can and do fail.

I understand some people have had problems with leaky differentials, as well. It might be worth it walk around where the car has been parked.

If you get thin spoke wheels, then make sure there are no cracks. I don't believe it's all that common, but it has happened to a few owners on the board.

Work the headlights up and down. Don't worry if they operate out of sync, that's common. Just make sure they function. The gears can strip in the mechanism after a while.

Accessories can go out, too. Check and recheck all electrical systems, including power windows, locks, key fobs and seat controls. If it has auto climate, then make sure that's working, too.

Check for little things like the wheel lock keys. My car didn't have them, which means I had to have the wheel locks cut when I got new wheels. If I had known ahead of time, then I could have warned my mechanic.

Learn to identify some of the options on the car. If you want a 3.15:1 instead of a 2.73:1, then know how to identify it!

 

Take your time on the purchase (4th vette owner here) and if you can find a nice one locally it might save some headaches down the road, even if it just meant calling the previous owner w/ a question!