2003 "Vert" purchase and long drive
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 458
Likes: 2
From: The Great Northwest
St. Jude Donor '13
2003 "Vert" purchase and long drive
Hello all. I finally got back into the corvette family after a long absence. I first had a 69 and then a 77 in the 80's, but took some time away (not sure why). My wife and I recently decided it was time for a "convertible play car" for the 3 or 4 sunny days we have up here in the Pacific Northwest (that's what we tell everyone anyway so they don't all move up here 
). We were undecided on what to get and somehow came around to the Corvette convertible (happy me). We searched far and wide for a C5 vert (still my favorite Corvette body style) and found one in Houston, TX that seemed to fit the bill. Got a good deal on it and started looking for ways to get it up here. I was not too crazy about taking time off of work and flying down there to drive the 2500 miles by myself because someone needed to stay here with our kids so we both could not go. After getting the run around on cost and time delays with several shipping companies, I decided to do it. I flew down there last Friday, got picked up at the airport and driven to the dealership we purchased it at and about 2 hours after landing I was on the road back towards the Seattle area. I drove about 11 hours a day (except for the first day) and made it home in just over 3 days. It was a fun trip and the car did great (really amazed at the gas mileage)! I must say the the C5 is a lot more fun and comfortable to drive than the older vettes I had. Got a lot of looks and a few young folks that wanted to "play" with me on the interstates I was on. Glad to be home again with our car. When I first got back in town yesterday I went straight to the local self serve car wash and got it all cleaned up from the trip before I took it home to the garage. I just joined this forum to start learning again and look forward to getting to chat with some of you in the future. -Glenn
). We were undecided on what to get and somehow came around to the Corvette convertible (happy me). We searched far and wide for a C5 vert (still my favorite Corvette body style) and found one in Houston, TX that seemed to fit the bill. Got a good deal on it and started looking for ways to get it up here. I was not too crazy about taking time off of work and flying down there to drive the 2500 miles by myself because someone needed to stay here with our kids so we both could not go. After getting the run around on cost and time delays with several shipping companies, I decided to do it. I flew down there last Friday, got picked up at the airport and driven to the dealership we purchased it at and about 2 hours after landing I was on the road back towards the Seattle area. I drove about 11 hours a day (except for the first day) and made it home in just over 3 days. It was a fun trip and the car did great (really amazed at the gas mileage)! I must say the the C5 is a lot more fun and comfortable to drive than the older vettes I had. Got a lot of looks and a few young folks that wanted to "play" with me on the interstates I was on. Glad to be home again with our car. When I first got back in town yesterday I went straight to the local self serve car wash and got it all cleaned up from the trip before I took it home to the garage. I just joined this forum to start learning again and look forward to getting to chat with some of you in the future. -Glenn
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Congrats and can't think of a better way to start your C5 ownership than with a long road trip. 
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,412
Likes: 15
From: Richardson TX
Congrats! The C5 is a surprisingly ergonomic and economic car. You'll enjoy it for sure!
Hope there are plenty of good top-down driving days this summer. Nothing beats nice weather and a C5 vert cruising around town!
Hope there are plenty of good top-down driving days this summer. Nothing beats nice weather and a C5 vert cruising around town!
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Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 142
Likes: 6
congrats on the vert. we did the long trip in our new to us 03 vert this last weekend, 1832 miles in 4 days with a top speed of 108mph. Charlotte to the Arch in St Louis, to Memphis for bbq, then home. love this car.
Charlotte to the Arch in St Louis, to Memphis for bbq, then home. love this car.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,156
Likes: 88
From: Ohio (Go Bucks)
Glenn, Congrats on your recent purchase. Glad to see that you are back into the Vette world. I also have owned a couple of older Vettes and the C5 is a huge step forward. Hope you have many sunny days.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 5,036
Likes: 845
From: Rotonda West, FL 2015 Z51 M7 3LT
Oldtimer
That's one h*77 of a re-entry there! Glad it was a smooth one. Congratulations and welcome but as I'm sure someone already has told you - pics are required...
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 4,831
Likes: 21
From: The Voice of Reason!
St. Jude Donor '14
Congrats! I love my 03 Vert and I'm on a road trip right now. Seems funny to me how hard it is to find "the one" close by. I live in Arkansas and found mine in Denver.
Cruising
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
I have a 03 that I own a little over a year.I found mine only 30 miles away it had every thing I wanted and only 30,000 miles away.entered it in my first car show last year an got first place in the c5 class.what a great filling.my son was so excited
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Instructor
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 157
Likes: 24
From: Simpsonville SC
I happy to see I'm not the only crazy one....only drove 180miles to TN for mine (3 weeks ago). Gave-up the Harley (those things are dangerous 
) We got are kicks on two wheels for a very long time. Just like the Harley thou....you've got to make it your's....the list begins. I'm already shopping for tires.
) We got are kicks on two wheels for a very long time. Just like the Harley thou....you've got to make it your's....the list begins. I'm already shopping for tires.
Last edited by Coach32; Jun 5, 2013 at 03:29 PM.
