i beat this thread has been here before.
looking to maybe purchase a C5 or C5 z06 before EOY
just want some feed back.
never driven one before, im 35 yrs, old think i should get away from sport compacts, im my own mechanic, use to drive RX7 Turbo for many yrs doing all the work on it including motor rebuild, love em but tire of hanging arround with high school kids,

what shoul i look for whem buying a vette?
Do you consider Vette under high maintnance cars?
what are the common items that always go bad with a C5?
Do you consider they are not hard to work on?
how about engine/tranny common problems?
do you consider can be a car that i can work from home at my garage?

any Good feed back will be great.
by browsing this forum i can tell that you guys are really Vette enthusiast and really love your cars.
like RX7 owners on the other forums (rx7club.com)

 

Is the Pope Catholic?

Welcome!

You'll love the C5....You're a Mechanic, you'll be just fine!

 

Drive one and see for yourself!

 

I think you will get a lot of yes votes.
There are so many late model, 03-04's out there in great shape, low miles, and reasonably priced if you take some time to find them.
Figure out exactly what you want and let the search begin.
Good luck.

 

Your not going to find any negative responses as this is a C5 forum.

You're correct about the thread content, been asked numerous times. Take some time and do the following:

Read the

1) Weights, Measurements, Etc. sticky here in Gen
2) Ultimate DIY sticky in Tech
3) Electrical sticky in Tech
4) Column Lock sticky in Tech
5) Employ the Search tool (use Search this Forum, not the generic Search) to find direction/opinions on pretty much any C5 topic you can think of.

 

The C5 is a terrific car that is very reliable. I have gone back to a C5 again after a bad run of luck with a brand new C6. GM bought the car back.

Some problem areas are leaky rear ends, column lock problems, fuel send unit issues. Early cars had noisy fuel pumps.

The drivetrains are bulletproof. They are very fuel efficient, especially 6 speeds.

 

You will love the C5. The newer you can get the better, but very low miles is not necessarily good. Too few miles and the car has not even had a chance to exhibit problems. I dont think I would buy anything with less than 10,000 miles. I bought mine about a year ago...2003 AE with 18,000 miles for $28,30

Now is the time to buy...especially if you are willing to travel to pic it up. I checked Carfax and also had the dealer that I bought it from print up all of the service info for the car, including any warranty work. It had none, so that was a good indication that it was no lemon. Read those items here on the forum that are listed above and it should help you know what to look for. Mine is a manual, so the column lock thing is not an issue. As for the fuel gauge, I only run Chevron/Texaco/Shell, or some other tier 1 fuel, and put a can of Techron in the tank every 3,000 miles...no problems. Most of the leak issues were pre 2003 models. As for Z06 vs regular..it all depends on what you want. Straight C5s are a little quieter (more insulation), and ride a little better, but the Z06 has even more power! I like the straight C5 because the coupe has a lot of room in the back for travelling. Whatever you do, take your time, do your research, and be patient...I guarantee you will find an awesome car at a great price. I have NEVER enjoyed driving like I enjoy driving my Vette!

 

You should get a CLB for your 03.

 

I'm in my 50's and bought mine in June. My only regret is I had to wait
soooooo long to buy my first. Go for it, now is the best time to get your
first. But be careful, if you start adding mods, then you never want to stop
making changes. They are fun to drive also.

 

It's a great car I have had 3 but I have to say as cheap as the C6s have gotten and it might get worse by the end of the year a C6 might make the best sense.

I paid 46-K for my new 2001 in 2001
I have seen some 07 & 08 new for about the same money or less so it your choice but either way a Vette is a great car

 

Sounds like you want to buy one. That's the first step, right?

Buying my vette was one of the best decisions I ever made. There are a few little buggy items, but nothing you can't fix if you know how to turn a wrench. Everything you need to know about repair you can find here and on other websites. I like working on the LS1, so I'm always finding something to do.

Get the one you want, then drive it at every possible opportunity

 

You gotta ask????

Lots to choose from. Do some reading on different models/ options and get shopping. It's a buyers market.

 

just do it

 

I have had fantastic luck with my 98, I bought it used in 2004 with 32k on it and it's now got 99k on it and has been a very reliable daily driver. In fact I haven't spent a dime on repairs for almost three years now! Whenever I drive my car I'm constantly amazed by how tight it feels for an 11 year old car, it honestly feels like I'm driving a new car!

 

Came from a Supra to a C5, and LOVE my choice. Of course I wanted a Corvette since I was 14, so that had a little to do with it LOL. These cars are all around vehicles, because they are extremely reliable and powerful at the same time.

-Alex

 

 

I've got some Word files that could help you with your decision. PM me your e-mail address and I'll forward them to you. And good luck with your search.

 

. Look for the newest C5 you can find with the lowest mileage and least number of mods.

. Low maintenance

. The driver

. Not hard to work on. Hardest most time consuming part is lifting it off the ground!

. Some leak. Once fixed they don't leak again.

. Wow, can't figure out what you are asking. But if you are asking if you can work on it in your garage. Yep! No problem.

. I agree!



..rickko..

 

I think they are great cars but the interior pieces are junk and crack. Very reliable but lots of small things break like switches, sensors, etc. Not like my 85 Toyota with 200k miles on stock engine/tranny and even has 37" tires. The drivetrain is solid but GM went cheap on the rest of the car to keep it afordable.

 

Thank you all for the feed back,, I kinda new most feed back was going to be positive. YES, im still doing some research. the price that im looking at 19-23k for a c5-z06 most of the best deals are arround 300miles of Dallas, TX area. all bellow 89k miles.. will be a good small pymt leaving extra buget to buy add-ons..