you will spend more initially for the C-5, but in the long run, the C-5 will save you money, (taking care of an older car with more problems), and when you sell to upgrade, you will definitely get more for your trade-in.
My son has a 2002 Camaro SS, I have a 2004 Vette convertible with some goodies on it. My wife will not get in the Camaro. ride to rough, car to slow, a roof on it, etc. etc. Too many negatives......... Older cars; you work on them to keep them running, C-5's; you work on them because you want too! .....bob.

 

got both....if you want continued value and limited driving go C3, if you want to drive, feel safe about leaving car somewhere or want to go for long trips, dailey driving etc. C5 definately. good luck.

 

My first cars were older ones for the same reason you said. I loved that I was able to work on them and I learned alot, however keep in mind your repair budget. I could never afford to fix something right the first time so I would end up fixing it cheap a couple times. I was working on my cars every weekend which was fun but they rarely breakdown when you want them to. If you can afford the C5 I would go with that, it will be great right off the bat, not after repairs. You should only have to work on it when you want to mod it, and I was completly happy with mine stock untill the mod bug bit. Either way your going to have a blast.

 

A 96 LT4 or If ya can swing it, a 95ZR1.

 

plenty of good info and advice, but decesion is still yours........

so what did u get??

 

If he can barely swing an early C5, he's not going to be able to afford a 95 ZR-1. The later ZR-1s, especially the 95, (with low mileage) are actually more expensive than any (stock) C5 regardless of mileage.

 

Now that I have read all of this all I can say is I wish I was 18 again and now. Here is some old guy advice, the car hobby is EXPENSIVE and new cars are better than the old ones. Go the college get a degree find a great paying job then jump into the hobby.Do you have a house with a big garage? If not you will need one also a dependable vehicle for work and parts chasing then get your toys.If you add a wife-good luck

 

as much as I've loved the four C3's I've owned in the past - I wouldn't use one today as a daily driver

 

Buy Both...only way to go.I am biased though,I have a mildly modded 02 C5 and a 77 that shoots flames out the back!

 

thats why you dont add a wife

 

haha maybe ill go c5, then add the c3 in 4 years when im outta college. i want to find a convertible 6 speed, preferabally MY but i also like red and silver and white. gotta be convertible and 6 speed though. also really like the HUD but i can always add that if the car i get doesent have one. iv been settled on c5 for months now, but sometimes that c3 bug just bites me and i think about it too much. will most likely end up going c5, just need to keep saving. haha already got a huge list of mods i want to do to it when i get it paid off!

 

Your right.Then I would find the cleanest LT4 car with low miles.

 

I've owned a 74 and I would never go backwards now that I own a c-5. They are different and this one's just more fun to drive. had a C-4 (84) and I wouldn't want one again if you gave it to me.

 

why a no-go on the c4?

 

I sold my 1964 Pontiac Lemans Convertible, 326/250 HP-PS, PB, auto (130,000 original miles) last September and a week later was driving a 2000 Torch Red / Oak Vert A4 (49,000 original miles) for just $2,000.00 difference. Believe me I loved that old Pontiac, but it in no way, and I mean no way, comes close to performance of The C-5. Many of the myths you are hearing are just that, myths. The C-5 gets much better mileage, handles far superior, has a ton more creature features, looks better and can be driven anywhere, anytime. The biggest myth about The C-5 is that you need to be a mechanic to own one. I'm no mechanic but with the help of Fellow Forum members right here, I disassebled the entire air intake system (Throttle Body, 2 Air Bridges, MAF Sensor/Screen and Air Cleaner Housing) cleaned it all up, reassembled it and gained much better performance at lower speeds and about 5HP. Dealer wanted $430.00 to do this. I did it in about 90 minutes and with $15.00 worth of chemical sprays I bought here on the Forum. I also bought 4 used Corsa Chrome Tips, a chrome exhaust plate and 4 new OEM Center Caps for the original thins spoke wheels, installed all of them and all for less than $100.00. In addition, I cleaned and conditioned the orginal Oak Convertible Top with a 303 Convertible Top Kit I bought here also for $27, it looks brand new.

I could go on and on, but the bottom line is any 40 year original car worth $18,000 can in no way come close to what $18,000 buys in a C-5. The C-5 I bought for $18,000 has $4,000 worth of options (HUD, Sport Seats, 3:15 Performance Rear, Power Driver and Passanger Seats, Fog Lights, Body Side Moldings, Heated Rear View Mirrors, Telescopic Steering Wheel - 1SA Option Package 01) on it and a $6,500 Convertible Top option.

I googled Motor Trend and other Performance Magazine articles on the 2000 C-5 when it was reviewed new and was super impressed with how it performed in competion with Porsche 911s and other world class cars. Practically every article themed "The C-5 performs as well or better than world class cars costing tens of thousand dollars more. A Porsche Boxster, costing roughly the same as a Stock C-5 Coupe, doesn't even come close in performance." The articles couldn't be more precise.

Lastly, there are a ton of C-5 Coupes on the market right now, with less than 50,000 orginal miles on them that can be had in the $15,000 range. I nearly bought a 98 Silver Coupe (really wanted a Vert) with 47,000 miles, nose needed to be painted, seller was asking $16,000 and I know he would have let it go for a couple grand less, believe me.

Buy the C-5, just be sure to have a Performance Shop check the car out and you'll be driving a world class performance car.

 

yep, once again, bought mine with 40k miles on it for 18k w/ borla exh, intake and gears. pre-buy inspection was flawless.

 

night and day those two cars i have both,and you cant compare them if you are going to use the car as a dd c5 all day but if its going to be a weekend car c3 i like my c5 but i love the c3if i have to pick one it would have to be the c3 then again the c3 is way more expencive(68-72 vert in restored cond.)