I don't get the mask comment

 

Friendly C4/C5 rivalry thing. They be feeling the love.

 

My first real Vette experiences were in C4's and I have always loved them, so when I first started Vette shopping a little over 3 years ago, I spent the entire summer looking at the nicest C4's that I could find. Some verts, some coupes, all 6-speeds 'cause that's how God meant Corvettes to be

But I never found one that "felt" good. And I drove a lot of well maintained, nice low mileage C4's.

On a lark, in late September, I answered a local ad for a '97 C5. Drove it once and had finally found what I was looking for. That is the car you see in my avatar now. Low mileage (<30k) and well maintained, owned by an older gentleman who obviously took care of it and did not abuse it.

I've never looked back.

Through this forum, I have learned about and addressed some of the C5 pitfalls. About the only thing left to deal with is the rocking driver seat (next year when I install new leather seats, cushions, etc.). I live with the noisy fuel pump - I'm used to it now I guess as I only ever hear it at idle with the radio off. I have read about EBCM issues, but have experienced no such issues myself.

I am enjoying the car tremendously and enjoying modding it to make it my own. I've never regretted buying it.

BTW - as another testimony...my father-in-law bought a nice '90 C4 vert shortly after I bought my Vette. Nice car, but almost from the day he saw my car he wanted a C5, even though he had just bought the C4. The following year he bought a black/firethorn red '97 C5 coupe and he loves it. He kept he C4, but I have yet to see him drive it since he got the C5. Both of his are automatics...

So...my advice? C5 and never look back.

But that said, in the end it's all about what you want...not what I like or what anyone else likes. Once you get it home, you'll love it no matter what (assuming you did your homework and bought a solid, well kept car).

Good luck with the hunt...

 

I traded in a 1996 for my 2000. The C 5 is a far superior car.

 

Plus the C5 has something like 1,500 less parts to it than a C4.