How long will a 1998 c5 last?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,062
Likes: 9,825
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
80K miles on an 11 year old car is less than 8k miles per year. Hardly a high mileage car. As long as it was maintained properly it should go for a long time.
Bill
Bill
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,793
Likes: 7
From: Santa Maria Ca.
It'll last as long as you want it to,it's really up to you.
My DD is a 47 year old Bug with 632k on the clock.
My Vette is a 98 w/59k,and I plan on taking better care of it than I have the Bug.
Hell,at my age ,it'll probably outlast me....
My DD is a 47 year old Bug with 632k on the clock.
My Vette is a 98 w/59k,and I plan on taking better care of it than I have the Bug.
Hell,at my age ,it'll probably outlast me....
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
holy hahaha man. never ever heard of that. amazing. see, i'm only 17. i'll be 18 in march, getting a car in august. my parents put a 15000 price roof on a car, and i held my breath and checked autotrader.com for a c5 corvette to find that there are ones for under 15000! lowest = 72000 highest = 120000 in terms of mileage. the two lowest are auto shifters though, and i'd never get an auto! i'd take a vette with insanely high mileage, it's still a vette.
imagine that, my dream car at 18
i realize that how it was taken care of prior to purchase is really important, so i have to be careful where i get it, like i said before. problem is, people can lie
and, is it just me, or does everyone overprice their vettes when reselling? i realize people want to get a lot of what they paid back, which is understandable, but... edmunds prices the TMV of a fully equipped 1998 vette with 70000 miles at $11000. the difference between that and the $18000 most people ask for for '98 vettes with 70k miles is huge. need some ways to talk to these people and get the right deal!
thanks for all the feedback, guys! i love this community
Moderator Emeritus
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 54,756
Likes: 0
From: Always living in a state of Confusion.
Gone, but not Forgotten
Cruise-In 5, 6, 8 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09
My '98 has 48K on the clock. Obviously still running strong, but it's been well taken care of since day one. These engines are proven and should run trouble-free for.....who knows....150K?...200K. I believe a lot is determined by driving habits and routine maintenance.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 244
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix AZ
124k on ours .. to date.
Been to the 'track' and will be again, daily driver, had some interesting 'problems' (the headlight flippy-dealies stopped ..due to the contacts in the connector to the controller being completely rusted away .. LOL ..sheesh .. which messed up one motor and the other side stutters so badly I pulled the fuses and left 'em both up until I can replace both of them)
..and it's black, in Phoenix ..the sun is beatin the paint pretty badly ..clearcoat on the removable top is flaking off ..gonna have to sand and repaint that when I can.
I'd drive it anywhere, anytime. (well .. deep snow would be problematic
-Frank
Been to the 'track' and will be again, daily driver, had some interesting 'problems' (the headlight flippy-dealies stopped ..due to the contacts in the connector to the controller being completely rusted away .. LOL ..sheesh .. which messed up one motor and the other side stutters so badly I pulled the fuses and left 'em both up until I can replace both of them)
..and it's black, in Phoenix ..the sun is beatin the paint pretty badly ..clearcoat on the removable top is flaking off ..gonna have to sand and repaint that when I can.
I'd drive it anywhere, anytime. (well .. deep snow would be problematic
-Frank
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 219
Likes: 5
From: Lockport N.Y.
I BOUGHT MINE LAST OCTOBER, IT'S A 98. IT HAS 21,000 ON THE CLOCK.
yOU CAN TELL IT WAS WELL TAKEN CARE OF. MY WIFE AND I TOOK IT TO LAKE GEORGE LAST YEAR BEFORE WE PUT IT AWAY AND AM DYING TO GET IT OUT. I PUT AROUND 1200 MILES ON IT LAST YEAR AND THOUGHT I BETTER TAKE IT EASY. THEN I THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND I THINK I AM GOING TO ENJOY IT AND NOT WORRY ABOUT PUTTING SOME MILEAGE ON IT. ITS BEEN SLEEPING SINCE THE FIRST OF NOVEMBER. I'M FROM BUFFALO NY I AM GETTING VERY ANXIOUS TO GET IT OUT. WE ARE STARTING TO GET SOME GOOD DAYS. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE 42 AND SUNNY TODAY. I BELIEVE ITS ALL RELATIVE TO HOW ITS TAKEN CARE OF. YOU GET WHAT YOU SOW. GOOD LUCK WITH IT. THESE PICTURES ARE FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER.
yOU CAN TELL IT WAS WELL TAKEN CARE OF. MY WIFE AND I TOOK IT TO LAKE GEORGE LAST YEAR BEFORE WE PUT IT AWAY AND AM DYING TO GET IT OUT. I PUT AROUND 1200 MILES ON IT LAST YEAR AND THOUGHT I BETTER TAKE IT EASY. THEN I THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND I THINK I AM GOING TO ENJOY IT AND NOT WORRY ABOUT PUTTING SOME MILEAGE ON IT. ITS BEEN SLEEPING SINCE THE FIRST OF NOVEMBER. I'M FROM BUFFALO NY I AM GETTING VERY ANXIOUS TO GET IT OUT. WE ARE STARTING TO GET SOME GOOD DAYS. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE 42 AND SUNNY TODAY. I BELIEVE ITS ALL RELATIVE TO HOW ITS TAKEN CARE OF. YOU GET WHAT YOU SOW. GOOD LUCK WITH IT. THESE PICTURES ARE FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,333
Likes: 32
From: cruising between USA and Canada... SAVE THE WAVE!
...
1,000,000
look, it all depends.
a stock well cared for ls1 is built to last- it's a robust drivetrain and if in the right hands won't have an expiry date.
history and maintenance play a larger role than miles...
if it's an honest car that drives well and is priced right- go for it.
I'm not a big fan of 10-15yr old cars with very low miles- ...the car has "never been in the rain" but has been washed about 500 times...
there is no fixed answer.
look, it all depends.
a stock well cared for ls1 is built to last- it's a robust drivetrain and if in the right hands won't have an expiry date.
history and maintenance play a larger role than miles...
if it's an honest car that drives well and is priced right- go for it.
I'm not a big fan of 10-15yr old cars with very low miles- ...the car has "never been in the rain" but has been washed about 500 times...
there is no fixed answer.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 609
Likes: 0
From: Kentucky
Mines at 110,800, and I've had it for a year. I think about it sometimes if I drive it for a couple of years and it gets up to 150,000 will I be able to get anything out of it. Probably have to part it out.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,273
Likes: 9
From: O'Fallon MO
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 4,000
Likes: 1
From: henderson nevada
Heel & Toe
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
just what it says, guys! i'm gonna buy a used c5 in august and the average mileage on the ones available to be purachased is like, 80000. 80000 seems like a LOT of miles on a used car. i need this car to last me like, 4+ years. about how many miles should i expect to get out of this car?
thanks!
thanks!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 5,477
Likes: 63
From: = From Toronto = 9/11/01 FDNY 343 Never Forget
CI 6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'13-'14
I must have the lemon of the model year. I have a 98 with 60,000mi on it and have had to do the following:
Replace 1 of the cooling fans
Replace the starter motor and flywheel
Repair rear diff leak,drivers side
Replace the resistor for the HVAC fan speed control
Replace the PCM
Replace the TAC module
The following I consider routine wear and tear items which I did not get pizzed off about and want to burn my car to the ground over like the above items.
***Replace both front wheel bearings ***
***Replace all O2 sensors***
Otherwise it's a great car and I plan on keeping it until one of us ends up in the boneyard.
Replace 1 of the cooling fans
Replace the starter motor and flywheel
Repair rear diff leak,drivers side
Replace the resistor for the HVAC fan speed control
Replace the PCM
Replace the TAC module
The following I consider routine wear and tear items which I did not get pizzed off about and want to burn my car to the ground over like the above items
.***Replace both front wheel bearings ***
***Replace all O2 sensors***
Otherwise it's a great car and I plan on keeping it until one of us ends up in the boneyard.
